Banbury Tales is a Regency larp inspired by Jane Austen’s books and numerous TV and film adaptions.
Four distinguished families gather at a country estate over the course of the social season. Each real-life day represents a single, eventful day in the game, spaced weeks apart to allow relationships, reputations and rivalries to develop between meetings.
As the younger generation navigate courtship and the pressures of marrying for status or security, the older characters share a past of broken hearts, scandals and decisions they can’t take back, but now must engage in matchmaking, manoeuvring for influence, keeping secrets and possibly seeking redemption for youthful mistakes.
We are planning a major overhaul of the old version of the larp, including reworking the existing characters and partially replacing them with new ones, so more information will be available as time goes on.
Practicals
General approach
💥 Societal norms and restrictions:
Banbury Tales is set in Regency England, a society bound by rigid class distinctions, patriarchal values, and social conservatism. Sexism, classism, and a deep anxiety about reputation are part of daily life. Women’s ambitions are often confined to advantageous marriages, queer desires are kept behind closed doors, and scandal can ruin not only individuals but entire families, which is where the game’s dramatic potential and stakes lie.
❓ Why is this important for our game?
We aim to preserve these historical power imbalances and constraints that drive character conflict and drama, rather than smoothing them out through modern, liberal dynamics and worldviews. We invite you to lean into these tensions and explore how your character navigates, manipulates, or is crushed by the norms of their world.
⚠️ Zero tolerance for discrimination outside the game:
While we play with historical forms of oppression, we stand against any form of discrimination outside of the game. In our workshop, we’ll find ways to explore period-appropriate bigotry that enable more play, not less. While there are only female and male characters available, we welcome players of all gender identities to sign up.
🕵️♀️ Some characters come with a secret:
From financial ruin and forbidden love to hidden parentage and political intrigue, some characters harbour shameful secrets. Rather than explosive confrontations, secrets in Banbury often simmer under the surface, creating tension through gossip, rumour, and social maneuvering to suppress, discredit or smother in etiquette.
👂 Servants have ears and are eager to share:
If your character uncovers a secret, discretion would be more appropriate than direct confrontation. Gossip is the currency of Regency society, and a subtle hint or overheard phrase in the drawing room can be just as dangerous as an outright accusation. Your character might confide in a friend, make an offhand remark that starts a rumour, or speak in front of the servants (NPCs), knowing that they might take the story further. Scandals don’t need to be dragged out in the open to take effect.
🎭 What tone we want:
This is not a game of relentless suffering, nor is it a whimsical tea party. We would like to balance lighthearted moments with emotional depth. Moments of lightness and romantic yearning coexist with tension, manipulation, and heartbreak. Think Downton Abbey, if it were set in the Regency era – happy, bittersweet, or tragic.
Themes
- Courtship and matchmaking: The larp includes romantic dynamics such as searching for a suitable match, managing courtship rituals, navigating arranged relationships, or becoming involved in others’ matchmaking efforts. Romantic outcomes can be happy, bittersweet, or tragic. Players in traditionally “active” social roles (especially young male characters, regardless of sexual orientation) are expected to take the initiative, such as initiating conversations, proposing dances, or arranging moments of privacy, as this is critical to the play of players with female characters.
- Etiquette and reputation: Social rules and public image matter. Characters are expected to behave according to the customs and norms of the setting. Breaking or bending these expectations can have in-game consequences, as players are expected to react to breaches in etiquette.
- Family drama and relationship conflicts: Characters may have family-based obligations, tensions, or conflicts. This could involve inheritance, loyalty, expectations, rivalry, or generational misunderstandings. Families may support or sabotage each other. Players are encouraged to play out family tensions, show affection or pressure, and allow space for conflict or reconciliation within family units.
- Secrets and scandals: Hidden relationships, private pasts, or forbidden behaviour may exist behind the scenes. Some characters may be keeping secrets; others may be trying to reveal them – or protect them. Scandal can spread and affect reputation or engagements. Players are encouraged to react to rumours, plant misleading impressions, and let secrets affect how they interact socially even if not directly confronted.
- Wishes vs expectations: Characters may feel a gap between what they personally want and what society or family expects from them. This theme includes internal conflict, personal compromise, and moral or emotional tension. Some players are forced to make choices between desire and duty, and to feel the strain or cost of maintaining appearances.
- Money and financial pressure: Wealth plays a major role in determining a character’s prospects and power. This theme explores how access to money or the lack thereof drives action. Characters may be navigating debts, dowries, expectations of advantageous marriages, or efforts to maintain appearances, influencing matchmaking, obligations, or personal shame.
Location
| This larp is for you if | This larp is NOT for you if |
|---|---|
|
You enjoy playing with complex social norms and hierarchies in historical settings. You enjoy playing with social pressure and family drama. You enjoy playing at a slower pace. You enjoy creating a story together and are open to supporting others as co-creator. You respect the writers’ vision for a character, and you are willing to stick to it for the sake of game balance. You don’t mind short (scheduled) off-game breaks for calibration (one planned). You don’t mind giving the organisers a hand clearing the venue before departure (no cleaning). |
You are mainly interested in the clothing style and overall aesthetics of the Regency era. You find strict social norms tiresome and tend to let your character’s actions be guided by a modern worldview. You prefer larps with a lot of action or “doing”. You get frustrated if your character doesn’t succeed or isn’t in the spotlight. You prefer to reinterpret or adjust a character to better suit your personal style or preferences without talking to the writers first. You hate playing with time jumps and off-game breaks. You expect an event run by professional event organizers. (As most larps, this is run by volunteers.) |
What to expect
- Pre-written characters
- Collaborative play style (play to lift)
- Act structure with time jumps (overnight)
- Some ressource play for older generations (dowry considerations/negotiations)
- Use of safety mechanics
- Self-preparation and workshop on site
- Pre-game hype and communication on Discord
- Organizers take turns playing 1x full character per run
- In-game entertainment (ball, croquet, badminton, billiard, picnic, theatrical, charity fair, parlour games, card games)
- Dance workshop led by a knowledgeable player (or a dance mistress if available)
- Live musicians on one of the evenings (subject to confirmation; not guaranteed at this stage)
What NOT to expect
- Absolute historical correctness
- Reenactment
- Point-based system
- Achieving your character’s goals (play to win)
- Transparent game
- Play on racism
- Play on antisemitism
- A whole host of downstairs characters/NPCs that serve food & drinks and help with getting dressed
Content Warning
- Mock firearms
- Homophobia
- Classism
- Sexism
- Violence (physical and emotional)
- Mention of sexual violence
The price includes:
- Four-night stay in a small Baroque hunting lodge with historic flair
- One (shared double) bed in a 2- to 5-bed room (most with en-suite bathroom)
- Towel and bed linen
- Full board (vegetarian options available/vegan options limited)
- Dinner on the day of arrival
- At least three meals per day
- Breakfast on departure day
Concession and supporter fees
If you have the financial means, you can pay an additional €100 for a Supporter Fee and help fund Concession Fees for other players. One supporter fee will fund one concession fee. We do not check for actual need and trust that these concession fees will only benefit financially weaker players (students, unemployed, on sick leave, low income countries, etc.).
You can pay in instalments of 50%. In return, please keep our work to a minimum by setting your own reminders. The instalments are due on 30 June and 31 July 2026.
Accommodation in the attic
Two players can sleep on mattresses in the attic room shared with the organisers/crew (10-12 people in total) for an even lower fee of €170.
Cancellations are subject to a cancellation fee of €25/€50 to cover administrative costs.
- Before 15th February: Refunds will be issued minus a cancellation fee of €25.
- 16th February to 15th April: Refunds will only be issued if a replacement player is found, minus a cancellation fee of €50.
- After 15th April: Refunds will only be issued if a replacement player is found, and will be limited to the amount the replacement player pays (on a “pay what you can” basis), minus a cancellation fee of €50.
Your spot is not freely transferable. If you wish to cancel, please contact us immediately so that we can contact someone on the waiting list or find a suitable replacement.
Banbury Tales is set in the Regency period (circa 1815) and we would like to strive for a costume style that reflects this. We welcome players who enjoy historically accurate Regency fashion, while we also want to keep the game accessible to those with a range of sewing skills, wardrobes, and budgets. Historical accuracy is appreciated, but not required, and costumes can be broadly in the style of the period without needing to be perfect in every detail:
- Perfect: The costumes in Emma (2020) are faithful to Regency shapes and fabrics, and we particularly like the colour palette, which is vibrant and playful without being gaudy.
- Good: Outfits that clearly reference Regency fashion (empire waistlines, long skirts, waistcoats, tailcoats, shawls, and bonnets) are ideal. It is fine if your choice of fabric isn’t historical or your accessories aren’t perfect, as long as the silhouette and tone are right, you’re adding to the atmosphere of the game.
- Less suitable: Bridgerton seasons 2 & 3 depart significantly from the Regency silhouette and tone. You’ll find corset bodices, accentuated waistlines, Hollywood waves, elaborate hairpieces, and exaggerated embellishments. These choices clash heavily with the world and aesthetic we’re aiming for in Banbury Tales. They evoke fantasy ball, not socially restricted historical society.
If you have any further questions or would like personal costume advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help.
You can find costume inspiration on Teresina’s Pinterest-Board and a more detailed section on costumes and outfits will be included in the upcoming players guide.
Costume etiquette
We’re excited to see everyone bring the world of the game to life through costume, and we ask that you do so to the best of your own ability and resources, but please keep high standards and detailed expectations limited to your own costume. We kindly ask you not to comment on others’ costumes unprompted, and to remain generous and supportive, as not everyone has access to the same financial means, crafting skills, or free time.
- Not wheelchair accessible (several floors, no lift)
- Poor visibility in one of the staircases
- Partially uneven floor (old floorboards, paving stones)
- Uneven stone stair case to the park
- Showers on the second floor (off-game bedrooms) are heated with boilers which provide roughly 5–7 minutes of hot water per shower, after which they need about 20 minutes to reheat.
- Some players are given written information to read during the game.
- Name tags will only be worn on the night of the workshop and potentially taken off for the rest of the larp.
- The owner of the castle owns a dog and several peacocks. The dog will be kept away from the game, but the peacocks roam freely on the grounds and are noisy in the mornings.
The venue is not accessible by public transport.
Prague’s airport, main railway station and central bus station have excellent connections. We are currently investigating the possibility of organising a shuttle from Prague, but the cost of this is separate and not included in the participation fee. If there’s not enough interest, we’ll help you get in touch with other players so you can arrange to share a rental car.
- 01.05.25 Sign-up form opens. Please save the date until the casting process is complete or notify us if things change.
- 14.05.25 Sign-up form closes at midnight. Casting Preferences/Flagging form opens.
- 23.05.25 Casting Preferences/Flagging form closes at midnight.
- 15.06.26 Confirmation of spot/offer of a spot on the waiting list. Payment period begins. Cancellations are subject to a cancellation fee of €25 to cover administrative costs.
- 30.06.25 Payment deadline ends.
- 31.01.26 You receive your complete character sheet.
- 15.02.26 Refunds will now only be issued if a replacement player is found, minus a cancellation fee of €50.
- 15.04.26 Refunds will now only be issued if a replacement player is found, and will be limited to the amount the replacement player pays (on a “pay what you can” basis), minus a cancellation fee of €50.
Our sign-up process is twofold:
- In the sign-up form, you simply let us know that you want to participate in the event.
- We will send you a list of everyone who filled in the first form and ask you to fill in a second form between the 15th and the 23rd of May 2025, in which you can indicate your casting preferences (generation, themes, traits, co-players based on who filled in the first form, play style and ending, etc.) and set flags if necessary. You must complete both forms to complete your sign-up for the event. We encourage you to fill out the form as accurately and thoughtfully as possible so that we can make the best match for you.
Flagging
Since we cannot know everyone who signs up and cannot be aware of all possible conflicts between players that could disrupt the game, we use a flagging process for safety reasons. Flagging allows you to let us know if there are any other players who match the following criteria:
- Red flag: ‘This person is unsafe for others/the game. If this person attends, I will drop out.’ (We reserve the right ask if you are willing to share more details. We take red flags very seriously and want to handle them conscientiously).
- Orange flag: ‘I am not comfortable with this person and, if they attend, I will opt out. I do not consider them unsafe for others/the game; it is purely a personal matter.’
- Yellow Flag: ‘I don’t want to play a close relationship with this person for personal reasons, but I have no problem with both of us attending the larp.’ (We will do what we can with the casting, but we can’t guarantee that someone won’t larp with you).
We appreciate any comments you are willing to make about the nature of the flag. No one will be told who flagged them. This information will remain confidential. We reserve the right to exclude players from the game if they receive a certain number of yellow and/or orange flags.
As we are running this non-commercial larp in our spare time as a hobby, we ask for your understanding and respect that some of the spots are reserved for friends, people who have helped us at other Tag Team larps or will help us at one of the 2026 runs, and selected individuals. Any unfilled spots will be assigned through a combination of random lottery by generation (starting with youngest) and selection based on other casting preferences to ensure a well-balanced and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
Gender
While there will only be female and male characters available, we welcome all non-binary, genderqueer and other gender identities to our events. Regardless of your gender identity outside of the game, you can play as any gender.
⚠️ Character assignment
We are planning a major overhaul of the old version of the larp, including reworking the existing characters and partially replacing them with new ones, so we won’t be able to assign you a character as soon as the casting process is complete. As one of the main writers of Banbury Tales is also involved in the organisation of La Madrina which runs in October 2025 and would like to remain flexible regarding their workload, the character assignments (excluding the full character sheet) might be announced anywhere between November 2025 and January 2026.
You will receive the full character sheet by 31st January (at the latest). If you do not like the character as written, please contact us as soon as possible to see if any changes can be made or if a recast would make more sense.
You will be given a detailed description of your character after casting, including backstory, closest relationships and possible game impulses. It is up to you to pace your character’s story throughout the three days and ultimately shape the ending.
We don’t expect you to read up on your own and become a history expert; the players’ guide will provide you with all the relevant information about the game and the setting. We simply ask that you think about your character’s stance on certain issues to establish easy points of reference and interaction in the game, and strongly recommend that you contact your fellow players to develop a shared understanding of character relationships.
2022 Players guide (German): This guide was written for the 2022 version of the larp and may be severely outdated, since we are planning a major overhaul for 2026.
Gallery
Characters
We will have up to 32 playable characters and four families for you to choose from. We are planning a major overhaul, so the characters below will not fully represent your choice.
Team
Story and characters: Nicholas Chung, Vicky Heinzelmann
Sign-up and finances: Nicholas Chung
Production: Nicholas Chung, Vicky Heinzelmann, Lena Felten
Props: Nicholas Chung
Kitchen: Tibor Laubert, Larissa
Crew: Anna Brändle, Diana Dinger, Jen Hoge, Jenny Berger, Jessica Kugler