Queen of Berlin Locations: Zora Hädrich

Enlightenment in Blood is an international larp production, but when you make a city game, nothing compares to solid local knowledge. Because of this, we're very lucky to have the veteran Berlin larp organizer Zora Hädrich working with us to find the coolest possible venues for the larp.

In this short interview, Zora talks about her relationship with Vampire: the Masquerade and the World of Darkness.

How did you start playing Vampire?

I started out playing Vampire: The Masquerade without having a clue to what it was all about. I was already an experienced fantasy gamer, and when I moved to a new city I was contacted by a friend of mine who told me there was this contemporary urban larp I could join. I got in touch with a local troupe game and they invited me to play a ghoul. At first it was a total disaster, leaving me completely nonplussed and frustrated.

It was one particular player's performance which turned everything around for me, showing me how deep, layered and authentic the experience could be, how much more than plot-hunting and monster-slaying there was in this game. I decided to give Vampire a second chance, joined a different troupe and have been joyfully playing with them for the past twelve years.

After all this time, I still haven't read a single sourcebook. Just playing it by the ear, always eager to explore something new as it comes along.

What do you like about the World of Darkness?

The World of Darkness is a mirror, bent and twisted but no less true. Exploring a well-developed persona allows you to explore the human condition as a whole through the metaphor of a monster. In a Vampire game, you have all the plot you need to get years and years of thrills and chills from a single character and setting. I also get a kick out of playing relics out of time, mixing old fashioned sensibilities and aesthetics with the challenges of the modern world.

It's beautiful and bizarre, baroque and punk, just how I like it.

What are some of the coolest locations in Berlin you've larped in?

I've played in a lot of community centers in my time, for budget reasons. They challenged both our imagination and our troupe's ability to redecorate to set the scene. However, Berlin also provided us with two of the most awesome locations I've ever played in, in any setting.

First there is Wintergarten Variété, an authentically Roaring Twenties style venue which hosted the Bohéme Sauvage, a massive throwback party and vaudeville show. While there our troupe staged a flashback to the tumultuous past of our characters in the days of the Weimar Republic. Second is the building that once housed the Delphi, an old fashioned movie theater, today a party venue in the style of an eerie ruin full of lost grandeur. We staged a wildly decadent all-Toreador event for players from all over Germany.

The historic Delphi theatre is the location of our world-exclusive first screening of World of Darkness – the Documentary. After the screening is over we’ll open the doors to everyone and have a Vampire Gala Mixer!

Read more about the larps Zora is location scouting for: End of the Line, Enlightenment in Blood, and Dance Me to the End of Love.