Offering of items to plot

[Val the Wizard]

Goodwill has Halloween stuff in now. I'm curious if any of the following items would be useful to plot:

Fake blood
Fake scars
Werewolf gloves and masks (pretty creepy looking, if you ask me, although the masks might be hard to see out of in the dark)
Vampire fangs
Miscellaneous vampire crap (cloaks, etc.)
Spider webs (I know I saw boxes of them. If we still have them, they're not out on the floor yet, which is odd. I'll keep looking.)
Anything else?

Also, if anyone is looking for specific items, I can try to keep a lookout for them. If it's an item of clothing, I'll need to know what size you wear. I offer no guarantees, just that I'll keep an eye out.

Also also, a question: Can items be lent to plot temporarily? For example, if I had an item that I thought would work well for LARP, but I wasn't completely sure I wanted to give it away, could I lend it to plot until the end of the event?

The items in question are actually tombstones that my dad made a long time ago as Halloween lawn decorations. As we haven't had any trick-or-treaters for the past 5 to 10 years, they're essentially sitting in the loft of our garage collecting dust. I think it would be cool to use them for LARP, but I don't want to give them up completely as I'm thinking that my eventual posterity might like to use them in the distant future.

Also also also, if plot did use them, they might want to do so only on night mods, otherwise we'll just have to ignore the fact that they read "Here lies ****, he was hit by a stick" and "Fat Burns."

 

[kmgates711]

Thanks for the post! Monster Camp is always on the look out for donations and items that will make our game look as "real" and in-period as possible! Donations are always welcome, but there are a few things to think about when purchasing. Here's a handy-dandy checklist I use when looking for cool stuff! Please chime in if you have any additions!

1) Does the item have writing on it?
- Clearly, writing on objects detracts from the game. Labels do as well! Look for these things as you shop.

2) Does it look cheap and plastic? Does it look in-period?
- We strive to keep our game looking as "real" as possible. If it looks cheap and plastic, don't get it.

3) What size is it?
- People come in all shapes and sizes! Try not to buy things that are TOO small. We can make larger items work for more people in monster camp, but smaller things just don't get bigger!

4) Does it look like it will hold up to multiple wearings?
- Clearly, we try to use things as much as possible! Things that fall apart make me sad because we can't use them!

5) When buying masks, what kind of visibility does it have? Does it look comfortable enough to wear? Does it stay on?
- Being able to see out of a mask is extremely important and a big safety issue. Peripheral vision is also important for combat. Masks won't get worn if they're unbreathable, uncomfortable, and won't stay on.

5) Can it be used for multiple types of NPCs? If not, what specific race/class/monster will it fit?
- Specific class and/or race items are very cool and we love getting these types. However, functionality and usability are pretty important to us. More non-descript things like black clothing, cloaks, tabards, plain or peasant-style shirts, skirts, and pants and etc. etc. will typically have more use for us over multiple NPCs. If you are buying a pretty specific type of costuming, think about it's purpose.

Hopefully these help when people are out there trying to make our game look great! If you're hankering for some gobbies, check the boards to see if there are specific needs posted and keep your eyes out for theaters that are cleaning out their costume shops! I went to a theater garage sale and I found a goblin mask, 3 pairs of pants, 2 dresses, 4 shirts, multiple scarves, and other goodies for only $8! What a steal!

To answer your specific questions:

Fake blood... is SO cool. Yes!
Fake scars... aren't typically useful, especially if they require prosthetic glue and the like.
Werewolf gloves and masks... Think about the criteria listed above for masks. Do you think it'll work? Gloves with fur are always great and have multiple uses!
Vampire fangs... Sure! Mouth prosthetics require some cleaning after use, but now that we have a sink available to us, they are much more useful!
Misc. Vampire Crap... Think about the questions above before buying.
Spider Webs... We received TONS of bags of spider webbing last year and are doing very well with our supply! There is a specific type that works better than others and when we're at game on Friday, I can let you know what that type is as the name escapes me right now.

Can items be LENT to plot? Sure....however, there are a couple of things to think about it.
- If we didn't specifically ask for it, it may not get used during game, so don't be disappointed if we don't use it.
- It MAY get damaged. Be ready for the real possibility that it may not be returned to you in the same condition you got it. We do our best to take care of items, but crazy things happen in combat and etc.
- Label them with your name and talk to ME if they need to be returned after the event. I'll keep track of them so you get them back! If I'm not there, talk to anyone on plot.

Alright, I hope that helps everyone. Halloween is a heavy season of donations for us and if you take a few seconds to think about whether the item looks great, is usable, and can contribute to the overall affect of the game, that would be awesome! Thank you ALL for helping our game look fantastic! Remember your PERSONAL costuming contributes the absolute MOST to the flavor of the game! Anything you can do to look great will help us in monster camp strive to reach your level of awesome!

With warm regards and many happy thoughts of beautiful donations,

Kristin Gates
G.O.T.S - General Organizer of Things and Stuff

 

[Kevar]

A clarification: Plastic is just fine, it is all about quality. Cheap quality really shows, especially in something that is made of plastic. However, moderate quality is really the only thing we can hope for in some props, as the highest quality items are ridiculously priced because they are usually for niche markets.

We love all donations! <3 XOXOXOXOXOXO

 

[lastbasti0n]

A lot of that stuff will be even cheaper the day after Halloween. I used to buy an entire year's worth of spider webbing on November 1st for less than $20.