Everyone has a way to escape the reality of a stressful and busy life. Some people immerse themselves in novels, following the hero’s fantastic adventures. Others become avid movie buffs, daydreaming about being the charming British playboy who wins the heart of the shockingly beautiful girl-next-door (though I’m sure they imagine themselves with better teeth), or as the muscle-bound hunk of a hero who saves the city single-handedly before winning the girl. For some, though, being a passive observer in the lives of the fictional characters they so want to be simply isn’t enough. Instead, they choose to actually live out the lives – or perceived lives – of fantasy characters. These people are wizards or knights, princesses or gypsies, royalty of a medieval court or peasants and blacksmiths. Regardless of the alter-ego chosen, for many this is more than a hobby; this is an alternate life. What motivated these people to form such a complex and nearly-obsessive immersion into actually living out a fantasy life, rather than being content experiencing the lives of others through media outlets? What compels someone to dedicate their life to a pastime of being someone else?