Pan
Pan
With seven runs across four countries and more planned, Pan is one of the most repeated Nordic Larps.
Pan is a psychological horror scenario dealing with the themes of identity and nature. Players play couples attending a relationship therapy for the weekend, and are encouraged to book with a friend (not a real partner) to play a couple. The therapist-couple use a mixture of classical techniques and esoteric methods. In terms of genre the larp could be considered gothic horror based on classic literature, and psychological horror, with a modern setting. It does not fit into many conventional notions of horror, due to the lack of 'monsters.'
The main inspiration is the 1890s short story 'The Great God Pan' by Arthur Machen and the film Antichrist (Von Trier, 2009). The short story is available as a free download here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/389
Pan is played on a confidentiality agreement. While the design is public, what actually happened in play is private.
Creation and presentations
Pan was written by Linda Udby & Bjarke Pedersen. They presented it twice in Denmark in January 2013 and in Norway in November 2014. It has also been run in The Netherlands, UK and Finland.
It is intended to the first of a trilogy (but not a direct continuation) of larps. The second event in the series is titled Baphomet with a 'vintage' 1930s occult setting and capacity for 31 players. It has had two runs in Denmark in October 2015 and in 2018 and 4 runs planned in 2019.
Techniques
Pan makes light use of meta-techniques to play on possession. More details in the review (link below).
Players are encouraged to test and push their limits, psychological and otherwise. The event allows the option for physical interactions.
The larp does not include violence.
Info
Players: Usually 8 or 10, the latest run expanded to 12 players. 2 organisers playing characters.
Length: approx 36 hours player time. Short pre-game and post-game workshops.
Player fee: -800 Danish KR for the original runs in Denmark, Jan 2013.
-30 euro for the international run in Finland.
-£150 for the November 14 UK run, played in a castle.
-NOK 2250 or NOK 1250 for the Norwegian run in November 14.
-120 euro for the Jan 15 Netherlands run.
-140 euro for the March 15 Finland run.
Logistics: The larp is run as fully catered, and normally runs in a holiday home location with modern facilities.
Links
The website (in Danish) of the original run is here: http://bjarkep.com/larp/pan/
A review of the design was written by one of players of the April 2014 Finnish/internatonal run (in French): http://www.electro-gn.com/7463-critique-de-gn-pan
A Facebook group titled 'PAN & BAPHOMET larps' - it is not tied to a particular run: https://www.facebook.com/groups/172274392912858/
Pan was discussed by writer Bjarke Petersen in the Nordic Larp Talks for 2014, as an example of sketching. http://nordiclarptalks.org/post/87479170653/sketching-larp-bjarke-pedersen
An article about the design of Pan is the Knudepunkt 2015 book: http://www.rollespilsakademiet.dk/webshop/nordiclarpyearbook2014.pdf
