Protected: What to Expect

What is Hawkins?

Step into Hawkins, an interactive theater and live-action roleplay event set in a quintessential 1980s Midwestern town, inspired by the eerie allure of Stranger Things, Stephen King’s IT, and other 80s sci-fi horror.

In Hawkins, you’re not just a player; you’re part of a rich tapestry of characters, each with their own intricate backstories, conflicts, and connections. Forge deep, lasting relationships as you join forces to weave a captivating tale of action, fear, sacrifice, heartbreak, perseverance, and joy.

Play your role: become the rebel with a heart of gold, the high school teacher dreaming of rock stardom, the cheerleader yearning for adventure, or the kid who’s discovered the thrill of staying out after dark. Explore the small town community, in a time before cellphones or the World Wide Web, where everyone knew each other and looked out for each other.

Dive into 80s nostalgia. Dance with your sweetheart while Cindy Lauper plays on the gym’s sound system. Explore with your gang of best friends after school. Play D&D or arcade games, show off at the basketball game, attend a stitch-n-bitch or Mary Kay party with your husband’s mistress, shoot pool with your dad and find out secrets of the people you grew up with. Find out what your kids are up to and go on the adventure of a lifetime to get them back. Live out moments from your favorite 80s movies in a whole new light. Dream it, be it.

Throughout the weekend, you’ll have the opportunity to shape your character’s journey and determine their destiny. Whether you play as an adult, a teenager, or a kid, Hawkins is a 21+ experience, designed to offer mature, immersive storytelling at its best.

This game is...

A 1980s Sci-fi Horror Larp.
Set in a small town in rural Wisconsin.
An immersive “blockbuster” game that feels like stepping into your favorite 80s movies, complete with set dressings, costumes, arcade games and more. While costumes are required, strict historical accuracy is not.
A “litform” game with precast characters, complicated character relationships, and conflicting goals. We provide the character and drama for you to explore.
Collaborative. You’ll make new friends and tell awesome stories by working together out of character. Nobody wins or loses at Hawkins; we all win by telling an interesting story and being a part of something bigger than ourself.
An interactive lived 80s experience, leaning into 80s nostalgia, tropes, themes, and adventures.
A game with plots to unravel and mysteries to solve which all involve other players. You’ll play your own main character, and be a significant part, or rival, of other people’s stories. Some plots will be beyond the control of player decisions.
A horror game with monsters, distressing scenarios, and creepy or upsetting backstories. While we aim to unnerve, we don’t expect high octane blood and gore.
About characters; their relationships, their dynamics, their feelings, and their stories. The personal connections in Hawkins are the most important part of this experience. Make new friends, you’ll only save Hawkins together.

… This game is Not

A larp where you play ‘canon’ characters from the media; nobody will be playing Hopper or Eleven, and they don’t exist in this world.
A game focused on boffer (foam weapon fighting) with strict combat rules or battle sequences; any combat will be thematic rather than strategic.
An escape room or action-adventure game where you’ll be solving puzzles and fighting monsters constantly. We focus on roleplay and character arcs.
A magic or urban fantasy larp; you’re not a werewolf, vampire, witch, etc.
A ‘kids on bikes’ light-hearted romp; think more Stranger Things than Goonies.
A serial killer slasher or final girl type horror game where everyone dies; think more IT than Friday the 13th.
A sandbox game. There are limitations to what your characters can, or will, do.
A game without consequences. Actions may present challenges, scandals, or concerns. As a player, you can always negotiate the consequences of your actions, but players should lean into the drama of their choices.
“Immersion above all else”- while we ask you not to use your cellphone in public spaces and try to stay in character as much as possible, this larp is not ‘what you see is what you get’, and you are encouraged to put players first.
A history test; no-one will judge you on your knowledge of 80s music, anybody can play this game

What is a LARP?

Short for “live-action roleplay”, larping is an immersive social experience where attendees play characters in a given setting, often with costumes or props. You are generally expected to be in character most of the duration of the event. It is a collaborative and interactive game, where players work together to tell the best story, feel feelings, and explore a fictional world.

What will I do at Hawkins?

Immerse yourself in the 80s and become a character from Hawkins, WI. You’ll gossip with your friends, banter with your rivals, and explore your character’s innermost motivations.

You might also:

Attend the Saturday night dance with your sweetheart while Depeche Mode plays overhead
Play arcade games while sipping neon colored sodas
Take a long walk through the woods with your rag tag gang of besties
Get in trouble with the school principal for loitering where you shouldn’t
Participate in any number of scheduled events designed to transport you to another time, like a pool tournament, basketball game, Mary Kay party, teen rager, truth-or-dare game, and more

What is a Pre-Cast LARP?

For Hawkins, staff are designing a lush cast of characters to populate the small town of the game. Using your casting survey, we’ll find a role that ticks the most boxes for the kind of experience you want; do you want to play a hero or a bully? Do you want to find true love or unravel mysteries? This guarantees everyone has their own unique part to play and plots to care about, but it does mean Hawkins is an ensemble to make the town feel real. If every character is part of The Craft, then who are the weirdos, Mister?

Combat or boffer at Hawkins?

Hawkins is not a combat oriented game or one where combat strategy will be needed. Mostly you will be feeling feelings, having interesting narratives with other players, solving puzzles, and escaping monsters. There may be light boffer (foam-weapon fighting) elements to simulate combat, but they will be few and entirely optional.

Handling Fears & Triggers

We have an extensive list of content warnings available so you can gauge if Hawkins is or is not for you. While we can avoid casting you directly into certain plots, we can’t guarantee you won’t discover scenes you find upsetting or won’t get scared by something at game. We don’t anticipate high-intensity fear, but if you can’t stomach a haunted house, you might want to think twice about Hawkins. You will always be able to opt out or remove yourself from any situation or scene, no questions asked, if it becomes too intense. Player characters can die, but only ever at that player’s consent.

Grimmoire Productions wants all players to be emotionally safe, and clear expectation setting is our first safety mechanic!