These policies cover all Jackalope Live Action Studios (JLAS) events, and outlines the expected conduct for all our participants. JLAS reserves the right to deny service or expel any participant for any reason at any time, and this list is not meant to comprehensive.

Live action events are meant to provide an intense and incredible immersive experience. To achieve that, events must be conducted in an atmosphere of trust. We hope these guidelines are straightforward and easy to understand.

These policies were last updated September 26, 2019.

The First Rule

Participation is a privilege, not a right.

Jackalope Live Action Studios reserves the right to remove or block any participant from any event at any time for any reason. We will endeavor to show good judgment and fairness in applying this rule, but it must be said – we will remove or block people we feel are not fit for our events.

Expected Behavior

Here are our expectations for you when you are at our events –

Remember that people are more important than LARPs.

Jackalope Studios events are communities, first and foremost. We have to care about each other and we have to collaborate in order to create stories together. This is the only way we can make events like this happen.

Being a community means being aware of the experiences of others, thinking about the story we are creating and caring about your fellow players.

Follow all event policies and venue rules.

We expect our policies to be followed. It’s kinda why we wrote them down. Each event will have its own rules outlined on its website, covered in its workshops and/or declared in its players guide. Being ignorant of them is no excuse.

Similarly, do not violate any rules or signage put up by our host venue.

Obey the staff and inform them of any concerns.

Out of character event staff will usually be identified by high visibility vests, the kind you see worn by road and construction workers. They are meant to obviously not be part of the game, and should be ignored. They are not part of the in-character world while they are wearing the vest. Staff badges will be on both in-character and out-of-character staff members.

Game staff can include prop and stage managers, photographers, event helpers and safety proctors. Safety proctors will be patrolling the site during game. But if you have any issues, approach any staff member and they will take steps to resolve it.

Prepare for included content.

Jackalope events are immersive experiences that can be very intense. They can deal with dark or emotionally provocative subject matter; or strange environments. You need to know what you are getting into. Every event will have content warnings. Please be familiar with them and be responsible.

Obey content limits.

There will be elements we have decided do not have a place in an event. These limits will be posted with each event. The writers will not include these elements, and players are forbidden from introducing them on their own.

Respect others.

Obey our harassment policy and anti-hate policy (outlined below). Remember there’s another person who is trying just as hard as you are to have a wonderful experience.

Our games can involve intimacy, touch and romance. They can also involve simulated violence. In all these cases, respect the OOC consent of all other participants. In addition, at all social events, workshops and the like, you will respect the autonomy of others and practice proper consent and safety.

The sexual content you wish to engage in is firmly under your control as a participant. Rules for consent to physical contact, opting out, blocking and prior negotiation apply to sexual content.

If you wish to have a sexual or romantic interest in another player’s character, you must do so with their explicit negotiated consent – even if the interest is only one way.

If someone declines, do not bring it up again. And the consent to sexual interest can be, like all consent, removed at any time for any reason. Remember – “No” means “no”, “maybe” means “no”, and “yes” said without anything less than enthusiasm and clarity is also “no.”

Stay in character.

Your staff and fellow players will be working hard to create an immersive environment. Respect their efforts. Remain in character and engaged at all times, outside of mechanics use, signals and out of character negotiation.

Use technology responsibly and within the limits designated by the event. Use of mobile phones may or may not be allowed at each event. Do not surf the out of character Internet, browse social media or otherwise detach from the game using a mobile device.

Do not perform dangerous acts.

Do not engage in physically unsafe acts that run the risk of injuring yourself or others – with or without consent.

Do not have or use drugs and alcohol at the LARP.

Unless outlined otherwise, possessing or being under the influence of real world drugs or alcohol at our LARP events is forbidden. Drinking may be allowed at social gatherings related to the event, but drunkenness or unruly behavior under the influence is grounds for expulsion. Failure to be responsible with mind altering substances will result in being banned from our events.

Use safe weapon props only.

No real weapons are allowed at our events. Each event will have its own weapon rules. Simulated weapons must be of prop quality and realism, but contact safe (e.g. latex boffer knives). Do not use weapon props on anyone without their consent.

Simulated guns and firearms will be subject to further rules for each specific event.

Have fun and help others have fun.

Embody your character. Involve yourself. Keep breaks in the action to a minimum. Include others in your role-play. Develop your ties and relationships with other characters. Take risks. Create and experience the story, and make it incredible for yourself and others. And be safe doing so.

On Following the Spirit

Willfully abusing the clear meaning of language in an attempt to gain personal advantage or amusement might masquerade as cleverness in lesser minds. Similarly, feigning ignorance, offense or stupidity to avoid consequences might masquerade as guile in those same minds. We’re amused by neither.

If nothing in the above paragraph made sense to you, here’s a summary – don’t operate under the delusion you are clever enough to avoid the intended consequences of our rules.

Being destructive to our events and the environment surrounding our events will be dealt with. Tortured citations of language and protestations will not deter this.

The Last Rule

The last rule is – Don’t make us make another rule.

Some things should not have to be said to adults and aren’t in these policies. You might find we’d rather remove someone obtuse enough to need certain rules rather than spend the time needed to write them.

Participant Safety

Safety Team

All events will have a designated safety officer or safety team, depending on the size of the event. Also, Jackalope may choose to select by means of their choosing, player representatives or other safety volunteers to ornament the safety effort.

Safety officers and team members will be introduced both online before the event, and at the start of the event. Their directions are to be obeyed regarding ending scenes, ceasing actions and halting role-play.

Safety Tools

Jackalope Studios is committed to providing a great environment where it is safe to explore emotional and deep topics. Most events will have safety demonstrations and workshops, outlining the tools being used. Please make use of them liberally, and stigmatizing their use will result in disciplinary action.

When There is a Conflict Between Participants

If you feel uncomfortable or that another participant is behaving inappropriately, we ask but do not demand, that our players assume good faith and ask the other player to cease their behavior. But if you are uncomfortable with this, the safety staff will speak to them on your behalf. Sometimes, people do not realize what they are doing, and we will take your word on how you feel and what your perception of the situation was.

If you are informed that your behavior is out of line or making others feel uncomfortable, once again, try and assume good faith. We are all here to enjoy the event. Take it as a lesson and correct your behavior. While we understand misinterpretations can occur and seem unfair, it’s all down to perception, so correct the perceived behavior graciously.

If the situation is not resolved, or you do not wish to deal with it directly, contact the safety staff or officer for the event as soon as possible. See the Reporting Safety Concerns section below.

Reporting Concerns or Incidents

If any safety concerns involve an actual crime, violence or the serious possibility of criminal activity, contact the police first and foremost. In the event of an emergency or crime in progress, call 911 immediately.

Before or After an Event

If you have prior knowledge about the behavior and history of a possible participant in an event or have an incident to report after an event is done, contact the designated safety officer for the event, a player representative or contact Jackalope at safety@jackalope-larp.com. Reports will be kept confidential.

Please include as many details as you have available and are comfortable sharing. We encourage you to include the sources of your information but we understand if you must remove some names or sources.

We ask that you do not engage in any public confrontations or make any statements on social media or in person until the staff has a chance to address the situation.

During an Event

Seek out a member of the safety staff, or a player representative on the staff. They will contact the appropriate staff members; gather information and evidence; and intervene if necessary.

Do not seek to correct the situation yourself beyond the ‘good faith’ asking them to cease outlined above.

Again, if there is an actual crime or emergency occurring, call 9-1-1 first and foremost. Do not wait to contact the safety staff.

Staff Actions

If the staff feels it is warranted and the issue is minor, the staff will intervene in a situation politely once and only once. If a second complaint occurs or the issue is severe, they will ask both sides for their account of the incident, along with any third parties involved. Depending on the severity of the alleged event, one or all of those involved may be removed from the event until it is resolved.

Sometimes, an event is nebulous, e.g. situations where the complainant was the only witness to actions that made them feel uncomfortable and the other player insists nothing happened. In such a situation, the staff will likely decide to accept the word of the complainant.

The staff will also take into account patterns of similar behavior toward other players in their judgment.

Disciplinary actions taken may include:

Warning: In the case of a first minor incident, a warning will likely be issued. No one is entitled to a warning, but the staff may prefer to issue one. But no more than one warning for the same or similar behavior should ever be issued – after that, it is time for more decisive action.
Removal: The participant is removed from the event and must leave the event site. They must receive permission before attending any other Jackalope events.
Ban: A player is banned permanently from all Jackalope events.

Refunds for event tickets will be issued at the discretion of the staff. Donations and any other contributions of money or material to the event will not be refunded or returned.

Harassment Policy

Harassment, bullying and personal attacks are forbidden at Jackalope events. Participants who engage in these attacks, or are noticeably and publicly doing so in other online or real world spaces are subject to disciplinary actions and warnings.

What constitutes harassment?

Harassment includes but is not limited to:

Bullying, threats and intimidation
Relational aggression, e.g. whispering campaigns, rumor mongering, shaming tactics, clique culture, slander and other attempts to discredit or damage the social status of other participants
Repeatedly violating personal space, inappropriate touching or giving unwanted levels of attention to another participant
Sexual harassment, including sexual comments directed at others, unwanted sexual advances, repeated attempts to start an unwanted relationship, demands for sexual favors and sexual slurs
Bigoted statements or slurs aimed at any group of people, including those defined by ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic background, physical ability, nationality, political affiliations, or sexual orientation
Using incorrect or inappropriate forms of address (names, nicknames, pronouns) repeatedly and deliberately
Excessive or repeated unwanted contact or communications with a participant
Slanderous statements meant to damage or undermine another participant
Coordinating or calling for shaming and shunning

Forms of Address

Address other players as they wish to be addressed – including names, nicknames and pronouns.

If you are addressed in a manner that is incorrect or unwanted, correct the other player and accept their apology.

If you address another player in a manner that is incorrect or unwanted, accept their correction and apologize.

Do not argue with the other person nor offer justification. None is required nor wanted. It is not the reason either of you are here.

Deliberately ignoring these corrections is not acceptable. Making of a mockery of this policy is also not acceptable. We are all adults here, and all of us are smart enough to know how this works. You will respect your fellow players, who they are and the way they live their lives; they will do the same.

Anti-Hate Policy

Our studio is dedicated to providing a tolerant and welcoming atmosphere to all those who wish to participate and abide by our policies.

We require respect for all people regardless of ethnicity, gender identity or presentation, national origin, socioeconomic background, legal status, physical ability, religious beliefs, political affiliations, or sexual orientation. We do not tolerate harassment or bullying from any source for any reason.

We have no tolerance for ideologies founded in hate, violence and sociopathy, such as fascism, racism, white supremacy, and Nazism. We consider those words to be very serious and do not abuse their definitions. But those who advocate or show support for these ugly, inhuman and evil ideas will be removed with speed and certainty from any event, and will be barred from our events permanently.

We will not tolerate those who advocate or show support for any hate group. Hate groups are defined by the Southern Poverty Law Center as “an organization that – based on its official statements or principles, the statements of its leaders, or its activities – has beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics,” and we will use resources including the SPLC and the Anti-Defamation League as well as our own judgment and dedication to the safety of our customers to identify and remove supporters of hate groups from our events.

If you have any concerns during an event about these matters, contact any staff member immediately, so it can communicated to and be acted on by the safety & security teams. If you have any concerns before or after an event, contact safety@jackalope-larp.com.

Conditions of Sale

Disclaimer

By purchasing a ticket to a Jackalope Live Action Studios event, you acknowledge and agree that: the game site and any services, implied or explicit, are provided on an “as is” or “as available” basis; that Jackalope Live Action Studios and any partners make no guarantees, warranties, representations or conditions of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of fitness for particular purposes and non-infringement; and that any such warranties and guarantees are hereby expressly disclaimed;

You acknowledge and agree that Jackalope Live Action Studios specifically makes no warranties that it or any of its events and services, including any content, information, products or services obtained through the use of this site, other event-related sites or any of the services provided will be provided in an uninterrupted or error-free manner or that such services or results from such services will meet your requirements or expectations. You acknowledge and agree that Jackalope Live Action Studios that the studio will make a good faith effort to meet reasonable expectations.

You acknowledge and agree that disruptive behavior, violation of safety policies, previous unwelcome behaviors or other activities that are detrimental to the execution of the event will be considered grounds for your removal or banning from the event without a refund.

Refunds, Resales or Exchanges

Due to the limits of site rental and time, refund policies may vary from event to event. Unless otherwise specified for the event, tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable without permission from Jackalope Live Action Studios. Any refunds will be issued in a manner determined by Jackalope Live Action Studios, and will usually issue refunds via electronic transfer via PayPal or similar means.

Event Scheduling

Rain or Shine

Unless otherwise specified or determined by Jackalope Live Action Studios or their partners, all events are considered RAIN or SHINE. No refunds will be given due to inclement weather.

Cancelled or Postponed Events

Events can be cancelled or postponed by Jackalope Live Action Studios, our venue or our partners. Should this occur, we will attempt to contact you to inform you of any refund and exchange procedures for the event. For exact instructions on any canceled or postponed event, check the event website or contact us at info@jackalope-larp.com.

Jackalope Live Action Studios is not obligated to issue a refund; and to receive a refund or exchange that is offered, you must comply with Jackalope Live Action Studios’ instructions and deadlines,.

Limitation of Liability

You expressly understand and agree that in no event shall this site, including its affiliates and licensors, be liable for any damages whatsoever, including any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special or exemplary damages, and any damages for loss of profits, savings, goodwill or other intangible losses, regardless of whether this site had been advised of or could have foreseen the possibility of such damages, arising out of or in connection with: (a) the use, inability to use or performance of any of the services of this site, or (b) any unauthorized access to or modification to any of your content or transmissions, or (c) any other matter relating to this site or any of the services.

Release of Liability

By purchasing a ticket, you acknowledge and agree to the following waiver:

In consideration of being permitted to participate in any way in activities run by Jackalope Live Action Studios or any of our partners, contractors or associates including, but not limited to, playing or otherwise using the premises, renting, and operating equipment whether rented from or sanctioned by Jackalope Live Action Studios, I acknowledge and agree that I fully understand:

a) There are inherent risks and dangers in the use of props and equipment, participation in live action role-playing activities, and in active play in the venue and at the event.

b) My participation in such activities and/or use of such equipment, rented or otherwise, may result in injury or illness to me including but not limited to bruises, cuts, bodily injury, strains, fractures, partial and/or total paralysis, eye injury, blindness, heat stroke, heart attack, death or other ailments that could cause serious disability;

c) These risks and dangers may be caused by the negligence of the owners, employees, or agents of the studio; negligence on the part of other participants or others present, accidents, breaches of contract of safety rules, forces of nature or other causes; and

d) By my participation in these activities and/or use of equipment, rented or otherwise, I hereby assume all risks and dangers and all responsibility for any losses and/or damages, whether caused in whole or in part by the negligence or other conduct of the owners, agents, officers, employees, or by any other person

I, on behalf of myself, my personal representatives and my heirs, hereby voluntarily agree to release, waive, discharge, hold harmless, defend and indemnify Jackalope Live Action Studios and its owners, agents, officers, employees, associates, contractors and landlord from any and all claims, actions or losses for bodily injury, property damage, wrongful death, loss of services or otherwise which may arise out of my use of equipment or my participation in live action role-playing activities. I specifically understand that I am releasing, discharging and waiving any claims or actions that I may have presently or in the future, for any acts or other conduct by the owners, agents, officers or employees of Jackalope Live Action Studios, including negligence.

Medical Permission Authorization

If the participant is a minor and is allowed to participate in our event, their parent or guardian hereby gives permission to authorize emergency medical treatment as may be deemed necessary for the child named below if injured in the course of participation in activities at the Jackalope Live Action Studios. They authorize they have read the above waiver and agree it is their intention to exempt and release Jackalope Live Action Studios, and any/all of their agents, from liability for personal injury, property damage or wrongful death for any cause, including negligence.

Privacy Policy

Jackalope Live Action Studios gathers limited personal data through ticket sales transactions, feedback forms and other voluntarily submitted information. We may use this data to:

To provide you with the products and services you have purchased from us;
Inform you of changes or other announcements related to the events you are have or will participate in;
To reach out with special offers or announcements on our events or other policies;
To handle customer service issues or community issues, such as mediation of policy violations;
To assess or follow-up on services you have purchased from us;
To analyze ticket holder patterns and metrics;
To share news and announcements, both from ourselves and partners involved in our events;
For profiling and other automated decision making

We do not sale or trade your contact information with third parties. You may request your information be removed from our databases at any time by emailing us at info@jackalope-larp.com.

This website and other websites operated by Jackalope Live Action Studios may use cookies and other methods to track and manage your experience using them, to improve our customer experience, handle site features and assist with customer service.

Questions?

Questions and other clarifications are available by emailing info@jackalope-larp.com

Event Policies