Anomalous

There have always been things that are strange. Things that go bump in the night, things that make you look back over your shoulder, or things that simply can't be explained.

We called them the paranormal or supernatural. We called them alien or magic. We turned away and tried not to think about them no matter what we knew in our hearts. We as a species chose blissful ignorance, but in doing so we freely let them occupy a place in our world where they could go as unchecked, unknown, and uncontained.

We say no. We are unafraid to reach into the shadow to hold it back. We are unafraid to know the unknowable. We are unafraid to do what needs to be done so that everyone else can continue to live in blissful ignorance.

We are the Cross Foundation. And now, so are you.

Anomalous is a Live Action Roleplaying Game (LARP) set in the UK in the 1990s where Players take the role of Investigators working for the Cross Foundation – an organisation devoted to investigating the strange and unnatural things in the world and containing them to keep the world safe from “Anomalies”.

Each event constitutes a different “Incident” in which the Players are summoned to understand and deal with the mysterious goings on however they can. In Anomalous, the unusual is your day-job and no two days are alike. There's always a stranger Anomaly, but be careful that the Anomaly isn't you!

The first Anomalous event will be at Birch Hall Scout Camp in North Yorkshire on 3-5th October 2025.

Each Anomalous Event takes place at a different site and is designed to be stand-alone – you don't need to have attended any previous event to know what's going on. Characters can persist from event to event but there will be minimal overarching plot: each mystery is relatively self-contained.

Mystery and Horror

Delve into the shadows to investigate the things that others can't. Contend with forces that could be hostile or simply could be incapable of understanding our world the way we want them to. Arrive into a new mystery each time and work together to work out what you need to solve it and categorise the Anomaly. Don't expect every question to have an answer though, and expect that cornered beings are often the most dangerous.

A Job Like No Other

You do, however, still a job to do. You have deadlines to meet, reports to file, and a Line Manager to (try to) keep you in check. That said, any organisation devoted to the peculiar becomes peculiar itself: this isn't and will never be a tedious office simulator…

Embrace the Unknown

Make use of contained Anomalies to further your aims and understand the world. Bargain with enormously powerful beings to gain their help (or at least mitigate their wrath). Analyse and Tinker to find out more about things you find.

Into the Breach

Embark on Excursions to strange places with different laws of physics, embracing different combat styles as different Anomalies mold the world to their preferences. Hunker down to survive Incursions where the trouble comes to your own door. Keep your site safe and secure from Security Breaches from rivals or just hapless passers-by.

This Wiki covers everything you might need to know about the game, but it can be daunting! We recommend starting in the following places:

• Dive into the Setting: Read up on the Cross Foundation and its Departments to get a feel for who you're working for. Read up on The 90s to get a taster (or a refresher) on the feel of the decade. Look at the Style and Influences of the game to get a sense for the overall vibe. Take a dip into the Archive to see what sort of Anomalies are already known about.
• Who might you be?: Take a look at Character Creation, Authorisations and Quirks which allow you to understand how to make a Character for Anomalous and should lead you to areas of the system that are of interest to you.
• What can I do in the field?: The Events page gives an overview of an event while the Field Mechanics page gives a good list of all the different things you might be doing. Conference describes how to liaise with powerful Anomalies, while Containment Procedure provides a guide for the general investigation.
• How do I hit things?: Combat Rules and Incursions and Excursions explain what to do when threats come for you.
• Tell me about Crewing!: We have a whole page on our different Crew Roles and what we're looking for.

Other useful pages:

• Policies covers all our Policies including Safety, Conduct, and Acceptable Themes.
• Costume gives a guide to the expectations around Costume.
• Next Event gives specific information about the upcoming event, including a list of who has booked.
• FAQs

If you have any questions, get in touch with us at contact@unlikelystories.co.uk.