A collective achievement: Italian larp community and the new well at Tuscany’s Convento dell’Incontro

A sudden crisis 
In July 2025, whilst a larp was taking place at the Convento dell’Incontro - The Convent of the Encounter, located in Tuscany, Italy - the site’s water system suddenly failed. Leonardo Molesti, the convent’s caretaker, discovered that the inner walls of the well had collapsed, cutting off the water supply completely. 

Because the well was not owned directly by the convent, repairs were not possible. For a venue that regularly hosts events and provides accommodation, this immediately became a serious structural problem. 

Despite the situation, no events were cancelled in the months that followed. Until February 2026, the convent continued operating thanks to an emergency system of water tankers used to refill its 15,000-litre cisterns. It was an expensive solution and clearly unsustainable in the long term, but it allowed activities to continue. 

The decision to build a new well 
The long-term solution was to build a completely new well, this time within the convent grounds. The new well, located beneath the courtyard and designed to support vehicle access above it, reaches a depth of around 230 metres / 755 ft. 

The drilling phase proved to be the most stressful part of the entire project. For Leonardo, who followed the work closely, it was also the moment of greatest uncertainty. For the first 180 metres / 590 ft there was nothing but rock and earth, with no indication that water would be found at all. 

Then came the first drops. 

From that point onwards, the flow slowly began to increase until it eventually stabilised at a level sufficient to supply the convent once again. Leonardo described this moment as deeply emotional as the one when – later - the water finally reached the cisterns and began flowing again from the taps. 

The contribution of Italian larp community 

The total cost of the project was over €70,000, of which donations covered around 50%. A significant portion of this amount came directly from the larp community, through initiatives organised by associations and groups, with financial contributions from both the associations themselves and individual larpers. 
This figure highlights a relationship that goes beyond simply using the space. As Leonardo Molesti, the facility’s coordinator, points out, the bond with the larp community is “fraternal”: those who take part in the events are not merely users of the venue, but at the same time beneficiaries and supporters of its existence. 

A living place, not just a venue 

The Convento dell’Incontro is far from a traditional accommodation facility. It is not home to a permanent religious community, but rather serves as the headquarters for Obiettivo Francesco, an association that has looked after the complex since its reopening on 1 May 2001. For the association, the convent is the engine behind a vast network of international solidarity. Since its early days working with Franciscan friars in Bolivia, its reach has expanded to the Congo, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and Egypt, where it supports some orphanages.
In this context, hosting events — including many larps — is not a mere commercial choice, but a vital model designed to keep the site alive in harmony with its original spirit. Leonardo Molesti uses a powerful literary comparison to describe how the community experiences this space: he cites Hogwarts Castle from the Harry Potter saga as an example of a place that possesses its own identity within the narrative. For the players who walk these halls, the Convento dell’Incontro is a similarly “living” space, he says, a “fusion of history, nature, and spirituality” that actively influences the stories taking shape within it.
The bond between the venue and the community was forged through events like Torrebruma Campus, the renowned Italian school of magic inspired, among other things, by the Wizarding World. It is deeply symbolic that Torrebruma was in session at the very moment the well collapsed. For the participants, the convent is an integral part of the experience, a character in its own right. By supporting the venue during the water crisis, the larp community wasn't just saving a game location; they were ensuring the continuity of a space where fictional magic directly fuels real-world solidarity for children in need across the globe. 

The inauguration and its symbolic significance 

The inauguration of the new well, which took place on 1 May 2026, coincided with the association’s 25th anniversary at the convent. Alongside the underground system, a symbolic feature was also created above ground: a small well built using stones unearthed during the excavation, accompanied by a commemorative plaque. From a technical point of view, the new system is designed to last: PVC pipes with metal manifolds, no need for maintenance of the excavation, and a stable geological context on a bedrock outcrop. The area is also subject to conservation restrictions, which protect its historical value. 

A shared achievement 

The return of water to the Convento dell’Incontro is not merely the resolution of a technical problem, but the result of a collective effort involving associations, volunteers and participants. For the larp community, it also represents something more tangible: the continuity of a space that, over the years, has become an integral part of shared gaming experiences, relationships and stories. 

In a context where many venues are interchangeable, the Convento dell’Incontro stands out as a place with its own identity — and now, once again, with an accessible water supply.