Carie Varner is the Art and Aesthetics Lead for Limbus at DrachenFest US. She is an artist, a private art teacher, a mother, and a drinker of much Pepsi.
She graduated from the American Academy of Art in Chicago with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (who needs to eat?). Some of her work is available to view and purchase on her Facebook page and on Lulu, and in galleries in southeast Tennessee. One of her sculptures is featured in the lobby of VNA Hospice in Valparaiso, Indiana.
Her first gaming book was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness, and since those early years, she's played everything from World of Darkness to Earthdawn. Carie has larped in three different networked organizations, holding organizational positions in two, and helping cofounder one. She even once helped playtest several larps, including Shadow Run.
Carie Varner has hosted three Episodes.
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Episode 3: Silver Camp
February 24th, 2026 | 45 mins 55 secs
boffer, cosplay, d&d, dnd, dungeons and dragons, fantasy, festival, game, larp, live action roleplaying, medieval, ren fair, renaissance fair, renaissance faire, roleplay, roleplaying, rpg, ttrpg
Choosing a camp is an important decision for new players to DrachenFest. Jason, Carie, and Ryan begin exploring each camp in this episode, beginning with Silver Camp. DrachenFest US Silver 2 Referee Stefano Mach joins the podcast to discuss what it means to be a champion of the Silver Dragon, as well as give his insight into the kinds of characters that are a great fit for Silver Camp. He also talks about his experience coming to DrachenFest for the very first time having never larped before, and the lessons he learned that can help new players be better prepared when they arrive at Coopers Lake!
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Episode 2: Rules and Sandboxes
February 2nd, 2026 | 52 mins 32 secs
boffer, cosplay, d&d, dnd, dungeons and dragons, fantasy, festival, game, larp, live action roleplaying, medieval, ren fair, renaissance fair, renaissance faire, roleplay, roleplaying, rpg, ttrpg
What's it like arriving at DrachenFest for the first time? Jason, Carie, and Ryan dive into the rules and mechanics attendees can expect to encounter with DrachenFest US Head Referee Rhys Benson. Rhys helps us understand what a rules-light larp is and how the minimal game mechanics enable a player-centric experience. They also talk about how each camp has referees in place to orient and enable players when they arrive and during the event, as well as how interested players can join the ref team!
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Episode 1: What Is DrachenFest?
January 21st, 2026 | 43 mins 29 secs
boffer, cosplay, d&d, dnd, dungeons and dragons, fantasy, festival, game, larp, live action roleplaying, medieval, ren fair, renaissance fair, renaissance faire, roleplay, roleplaying, rpg, ttrpg
Have you wondered what DrachenFest is, what happens there, and how you can join the adventure? Hosts Carie, Jason, and Ryan are joined by the DrachenFest US Event Director Dan Comstock. They discuss how DF came to be, what attendees can expect in- and out-of-game, and the incredible experiences that can be found at the largest festival larp in the United States!