====== Orion Sphere LRP Game Team ======
Orion Sphere LRP is primarily run by volunteers, but there are 5 key people who have ultimate responsibility for the game and system - the Game Team. If you have a question or issue with the game, then please speak to the appropriate member of the Game Team. This section gives a short bit about each member of the team, and details their core responsibility and where you are likely to find them at an event. At events, all members of the Game Team will usually be contactable on radio, so if you cannot immediately find who you are looking for then approach a volunteer or NPC with a radio and let them know who you are looking for. Away from events, the Game Team are also the main points of contact with OSLRP, and monitor our primary email address and social media channels.
[{{ :image:general:e10_conan_stern_byagentbsmith.jpg?200|Conan Daly}}]
===== Conan Daly =====
* **Pronouns:** He/Him
* **Roles:** Head of Game, Head of Games Ops
* **Primary Contact for:** Rules, Referees, Out-of-Game Logistics, Safeguarding, General Queries
Conan is one of the OSLRP's creators, and has been involved with the game since its inception - mostly with preparation, admin, logistics, and making sure everything functions at events. He is also to blame for most of this wiki, including its design. Conan has been live roleplaying since 2005, and playing tabletop rpgs for even longer. A long-time lover of science fiction, despite the lack of it available on Irish terrestrial TV, Conan is equally a fan of conceptual sci-fi, energetic action sci-fi and epic space opera. With early inspirations ranging from Star Trek TNG, Red Dwarf, Thundaar the Barbarian, and Ulysses 31, Conan has a broad love of the genre which feeds into his approach towards running the game and building the setting, and probably informs some of the weirder elements or plotlines that can be found in the Orion Sphere.
Outside of OSLRP, he is a designer of boardgames and tabletop RPGs, a professional playtester & TTRPG editor, and has at various points been a museum curator, escape room puppetmaster, prop maker, hydrogeologist, stone setter, and digitiser of historical photographs. Originally from the Republic of Ireland, he has lived in South Wales since 2010.
Conan is ultimately responsible for the whole game, including rules development, backend, logistics and overall event administration. He can usually be found behind the Games Operations desk, checking on what is happening out in the field, or watching on the sidelines of set-pieces. While an event is in progress, he has very little idea of what is actually happening. Nevertheless, Conan is the person to talk to if you have a problem with the OOC elements of the event. Conan is also a member of the safeguarding team.
[{{ :image:general:e10_nathan_byagentbsmith.jpg?200|Nathan McDonald}}]
===== Nathan McDonald =====
* **Pronouns:** He/Him
* **Roles:** Head of Plot, Head of MegaCorps, Trader Liaison
* **Primary Contact for:** Encounters, Missions, Plot, In-Game Logistics
Hi folks, I'm Nathan. I've been part of the game team since just before Event 1, having joined the original creators Conan and Mike in helping to establish and set up the 'Corps' side of the game. Specifically stepping into the role as the Clearance Organisation Representative, Jonas McQuinn, the 'Front of House' Game Team member. In terms of my role within the Game Team, I am the Head of Plot and also the Head of Corporations. In this respect, I'm the person to speak to about any issues, challenges or questions in regards to Encounters and also all the in-character logistics side of the games.
I've been roleplaying in one form or another for over 30 years, but my love of science fiction goes back a lot further. I distinctly remember watching Return of the Jedi for the first time when it was released for VHS rental; the fact I recall being so excited about seeing that means I know I'd seen the first two parts of the OT, but I don't really recall watching them before then. I already had a wealth of the original Star Wars Toys (that I now lament selling as a foolish teen).
However, it wasn't Star Wars that really cemented my love of Science Fiction, though it was definitely the catalyst, it was Sunday morning and later school night reruns of Star Trek. I loved Han, but I wanted to be Spock, and then Data when TNG came into my life again via the much missed VHS rentals.
As I look around my office where I type this there are no less than a half a dozen different science fiction shows, movies or book series, and literally tens if not over 100 individual science fiction related items. Then there is one degree certificate that announces me a Bachelor of Physics with Space Science and Technology. I didn't ever get to be Spock, or Data. My career is probably better aligned to some administrative role at Starfleet HQ. But, I at last tried! Being able to bring my writing, ideas and ongoing passion for sci-fi to the Orion Sphere universe is a genuine pleasure, and one of all too few creative outlets for me.
So, Live Long and Prosper, and May The Force Be With You.
[{{ :image:general:e10_beckett_reffing_byagentbsmith.jpg?200|Beckett Chapman}}][{{ :image:general:beckett_as_eloishe_larpcon2025.jpg?200|Beckett as Eloishe, CPS Representative}}]
===== Beckett Chapman =====
* **Pronouns:** He/Him
* **Roles:** Head of Crew Management, Safeguarding Lead
* **Primary Contact for:** Safeguarding, Inclusion, Issues with Crew
Beckett is the member of the game team primarily responsible for crew management, Safeguarding, and Inclusion, though he can also be found among the players as a Megacorp NPC. In his professional life, he’s spent the last twelve years working to improve accessibility to public sector services and safeguarding children and vulnerable adults - in an alternate universe, he says he’d probably be working in some sort of policy role, perhaps supporting pathways into Starfleet from groups previously restricted by the Prime Directive.
He’s been larping since 2017 and has run a number of different games, from parlour larp to ongoing systems. His first contact with Orion Sphere was attending Event 2 as monster crew, where he immediately fell in love with the game’s approach to collaborative storytelling and the richness of the game world. In 2021, he stepped into his current role when one of the founding members of the game team stepped down, and he’s been up to his ears in sci-fi shenanigans ever since.
His love of science fiction may mostly express itself in science fiction horror these days (with favourite like Pandorum and the Predator films) but the obsession started with the 2001 comedy Evolution - though he insists his taste has become much more discerning over the years.
[{{ :image:general:e13_kellieaspeska_byagentbsmith.jpg?200|Kellie Parnis as Peska, Free Union Representative}}]
===== Kellie Parnis =====
* **Pronouns:** She/Her
* **Roles:** Game Team
* **Primary Contact:** NPC Co-ordination, Safeguarding
Hello me lovelies! It is I, your lovable Friendly Neighbourhood Pirate! You will most likely know me as Captain Peska, the Faction NPC for Free Union.
I was first introduced to Orion Sphere before the pandemic, where I joined as monster crew. I was then asked to come back after the pandemic as the Free Union Faction NPC for just one event, but you all loved me so much I was asked to stay! You fools mmwwhahahaha! Since then I helped other Factions when their NPCs were unavailable, joined the Safeguarding team, and now the Game Team.
I am very conscious of inclusivity and fighting against any type of prejudice, whether it be a group I would consider myself a member of, or using my privilege on behalf of and to shelter someone else. I am someone who will happily step in front of someone else to protect them if they are vulnerable or in need, be in metaphorically or literally. Not everyone has the fortitude to deal with everything life throws at them, and that's OK. We all need help from time to time. I will be that person for you, should you need it.
I have been LARPing for just over 30 years, been part of crew for fest LARPs and ran my own smaller systems. My passion lays in organisation, which naturally led me to creating the plot docs for events, co-ordinating plot encounters and organising NPCs.
My love for Sci-Fi started when I was a wee beby, when one day I opened a cupboard in the dinning room to see shelves and shelves of VCR's (yes, that long ago) all labelled Star Trek. I then proceeded to spend all summer holiday watching ST:TOS from episode one right to the end. I was enamoured! Then the announcements came that TNG was going to air! That became my Dads and I thing every week. We would sit down and watch every episode together, and the same for DS9 & Voyage; who I resonate with, her being a strong female captain and all.
[{{ :image:general:e13_danwalking_byagentbsmith.jpg?200|Dan Grundy}}]
===== Dan Grundy =====
* **Pronouns:** He/Him
* **Roles:** Game Team
* **Primary Contact:** Set dressing/prop building, Referee
Originally playing as a Trash Puppy with a fondness for ‘fetchy quests’ Dan Joined Orion Sphere just before the dark times, in recent time, following redundancy he volunteered as crew to allow him to keep coming to such an amazing game featuring an epic collection of fantastic people.
With a tabletop habit dating back in the depths of time to when he was just tall enough to peak over the table edge of his Mum's DnD group. At the turn of the millennium, he was invited to a small Lovecraftian event, transitioning his tabletop love out into a field. Since then, he’s played and run a range of events, often on the smaller and eclectic side such as 1318 and Winter in the Willows but did see out the end of Maelstrom with the Tenizidi spiders.
As president of his university Roleplay and tabletop gaming society, he helped build a foundation that would see the society become one of the largest in the university and worked to deliver a number of successful LARPs both as lead game designer and supporting other’s vision.
While a DnD player more often than not he’s always had a love of Sci-fi, likely drawing from those large traveling games of Warhammer 40k that Games Workshop used to have in the early 90s, touring stores and independent stockists. With a large collection of models and a tendency to do large complex conversions and terrain builds Dan has always been drawn to the making and building aspect of hobby. LARP is no different and Dan has made masks, weapons and props for as long as he’s played. Most recently helping to bring the MegaCorp area to life with the medical table and science stations builds, using props to help drive roleplay.
{{tag>game system crew}}