It’s seven o’clock on a Saturday night at Guilford College, and a host of black-clad, combat-booted, tattooed, and pierced roleplayers congregate in King Hall for an evening of Vampcat. Vampcat, a live-action roleplaying game, combines the worlds of vampires and werewolves here at Guilford every other Saturday night. Each player chooses a vampire, a scheming immortal, or a 9-foot-tall killer werewolf. The Storyteller, a combination of referee and narrator, mediates the scene, giving the players an environment full of surprises.
Sound like the perfect evening for a nonviolent Quaker school? Of course no one actually gets hurt. Weapons and combat are regulated by a strict system of rules. Cards replace weaponry–one character took a card that represented an AK-47–and no physical contact is allowed.
Running strong for seven years now, Vampcat, which has been featured in two TV news specials, recently moved from UNCG to Guilford. While Vampcat only meets officially at Guilford every other Saturday, Venice Pizza in Greensboro hosts sessions every Wednesday night. These meetings focus on character development rather than actual roleplaying, so the real action is here on campus.
What is unique about Vampcat at Guilford, is that students participate without the $4 charge Greensboro residents have to pay. The Yachting Club sponsors this bimonthly event, and rents out space in King Hall for $150 a night. Four dollars is subtracted from this sum for every Guilford student playing.
Yachting Club President Daniel Worrall said of Vampcat, “it’s a great opportunity to tap into the community as well as to make money.”
Anyone interested in other live-action roleplaying games can participate in Yachting Club sponsored Shades of Gray. Shades of Gray is run according to the same system and rules as Vampcat, however, Shades of Gray is coordinated by Guilford students and is only open to Guilford students.
Seth Tucker, a first-year who has attended three roleplaying events, was full of praise for Vampcat. “I didn’t think it would be fun just hanging with a bunch of Yachters, but this is fun. Anyone should join,” said Tucker.
Worrall agrees, “everyone loves the fact that we’re doing this, and we have a great relationship with Vampcat.” So if you feel the urge to step out of yourself and join the world of darkness, meet your fellow Guilfordians and come to either Shades of Gray or Vampcat.