Stupid LARP Tricks for Corax

Corax make excellent LARP characters - they have so many opportunities to be so obviously different from everybody else. Take advantage of this, and play up your corvid nature:

• Move differently. Have you ever watched the way birds move? Take tentative steps, cock your head from side to side while listening to people, startle whenever someone approaches you too quickly, and never stop looking around you.
• Sit differently. Actually, don't sit at all: Perch! Keep your feet under you at all times. Sit on the backs of chairs. Crouch on the ground instead of sitting on it. Turn chairs around so you can 'perch' on the seat and lean your arms on the backrest.
• Talk differently. Talk in spurts, and then suddenly be quiet. Or drop your voice to a whisper when talking about things which aren't secret. If you know how to caw, do so at appropriate moments (like when people aren't expecting it). Use convoluted sentences... or really simple ones (especially if you're corvid). Make obscure references and then refuse to explain them.

Corax love to use quotes. Before a game, make a list of 5 quotes (from movies or books or a list of quotable sayings) and see if you can use them in casual conversation before the night is out. Make a game of it.

Wear black (like that's tough, eh?). Or wear strange things... attach bits of colored string to your clothes, or shiny wrappers and pretty stones. Collect gaudy jewelry at garage sales and second hand stores (the kind with really big fake gems) and wear lots of them, all over. Ask people for things (like the silver foil from their cigarette pack, or a loose thread from a bright shirt) and then incorporate it into your costume.

Always want what someone else has. Make a big deal of getting it. Once you have it, leave it lying around where anyone else can take it.

Pick things up and put them down. A lot.

Hint that you know things no one else does. Practice that 'knowing' smile.

Start to say something, and then stop yourself. "Of course, that's not nearly as interesting as the other day when the Prince found out that his - Oh! Nevermind." or "I don't suppose you heard.. um.. oh, I shouldn't - Uh.. Just forget it." or "Say - you're looking pretty good. I didn't expect to see you again after the... Ooops. Forget I said that."

Be flighty. Startle easily and then pretend nothing happened.

Balance on the balls of your feet, and try not to let your heels touch the ground - not even when you're walking. You'd be surprised how much differently you begin to behave... you tend to act more suspicious, you move a little quicker, you shift your weight more, and people around you approach you more cautiously - even if they don't realize what's different.

Go after one item, or bit of information, or person, and when everyone is convinced that that is what you want, shrug it off, and ask for something else (which you really wanted all along).

Whisper things in people's ears. Very obviously. Even simple, non-secret things, like asking where the bathroom is. Its a great cover... that way, when you do need to communicate a secret, no one will suspect. Also, when other people ask your victim what you whispered to them, no one will believe it when they say "She wanted directions to the ladies room".

Wink at people for no reason. It makes them think you know something they don't.