By Nell Choi, age 16
The Feinstein family’s not-so-fortunate LARPing history all started in 2022, when counselor Sorrel Feinstein challenged game-leader Thomas Khan—on his honor—to a duel. Thomas took on the challenge, emerging victorious after slaying the daring Sorrel. With her beloved sister now dead, Rita Feinstein wanted revenge. “I’m coming for you next year,” she told Thomas the day after Sorrel’s duel. Thomas’ response: “No, no, no. You’re next.” So the following year, in the 2023 WriCampia LARPing Tournament, Rita faced down Thomas. But yet again, Thomas emerged as the victor. This year, Peter—one of the final Feinstein family members standing—had one last chance to change his family’s LARPing narrative.
Before the match, I asked Thomas how he felt about being in the midst of this ongoing rivalry. He clarified that “this is not a rivalry because every time a family member joins the battle, they end up dead.” He also told me that “the Feinsteins are, in truth, coming after me.”
While Thomas may have sought only to defend his title, Peter had different motivations. With both his sister, Sorrel, and wife, Rita, dead, and his other sister, Dolci, “missing,” Peter said he had “no other options but victory.”
When the time came for the duel, the spectators were loud and lively, some chanting for Peter and others for Thomas. Peter started off strong with the first hit and got Thomas down to one hit left. But pretty soon, Thomas tied the score. Whoever had the next hit would win. After several jabs, Peter hit Thomas, who fell to the ground in defeat. Although Peter reclaimed the title of victory for his family, he unfortunately succumbed to his battle wounds, falling to the floor beside Thomas.
After the tournament, Peter told me he was proud, and “confident that my squire will carry on the title.” Squire Louigie (Instructor Lizz), Peter’s squire, said that “PQJ’s death shall be avenged next year.” While the conflict between Thomas and the Feinsteins may be resolved, new conflicts have arisen to take their place. The backstory of the two squires is that Squire Louigie (Instructor Lizz), wearing the bright purple tabard, and Squire Stone (Instructor Jem), wearing the red surcoat, are married. Their son, Wilson, prophesized that Lizz would leave Jem for a siren. Angry at her son for this prophecy-blabbing, Lizz attempted to murder him. Tensions between the two squires will simmer all year, reaching their apex next summer. At the moment, the connection between the Khan era and the successor narrative is not fully clear, but we will see how the new story unfolds at the LARPing Tournament of WriCampia 2025.
