In 1932 Prof. Jeremiah Jefferson made an amazing discovery in the archives at Miskatonic University. Somehow, a series of ancient tablets had been stored away for years without being entered into the official catalog. They were written in an unrecognizable language similar to cuneiform, but bore one identifiable element- the seal of Zerzura, the legendary white city hidden in the sands of the Sahara desert.
After months of effort, Jefferson was finally able to translate some of the tablets. Sure that he had the key to finding the fabled treasures of the lost city, he hurriedly put together an expedition to the desert using his own funds. A team of experts from Miskatonic soon departed for Africa. Once there, they hired local guides and traveled to Douz, the "gateway to the Sahara". From there they headed into the desert... where they vanished into thin air.
One survivor, a local worker hired by the name of Feisal, was eventually found, injured and babbling incoherently. While his physical injuries healed, his mental condition never improved. He's hospitalized in Tunisia to this day.
Now, it's 1934. Miskatonic University has partnered with the Royal Geographic Society, the W. Isynwill Foundation, and the French Foreign Legion to launch the Sutton-Gudrian expedition to the Sahara. Their task is to follow in the footsteps of Jefferson's party. Hopefully, they'll discover not only their fate, but the city of Zerzura itself.
That's the set-up for Chaos League's "Sahara Expedition" LARP event, which has been run eight times in the actual Sahara. By all appearances, it was absolutely insane, and I mean that in the best way. Beyond the players actually traveling to Tunisia to take part, the level of costuming and environmental immersiveness is mind-boggling. Beyond the gallery linked above, check out the full player guide for a look at the level of detail.
