A&S is Dumb

RANT MODE ON

I saw a post on Facebook promoting an A&S (crafting) contest. It set me off because I HATE crafting. I was working on a long argument explaining why but it got to be too much. Instead, I give you my TL, DR version.

• I hate it when I see A&S promotions because they push A&S like it's something everyone should do. No, people don't need to craft. It is NOT part of the game.
• Think about it. You can enjoy the game without ever crafting.
• I hate A&S contests for a variety of reasons. One major flaw is that we reward people who craft for the sake of crafting. In other words, they craft something for themselves and the judges, but it does not enhance the game in any way.
• Instead, we should promote crafting that enhances the game.
• Like sewing? Help make garb for new players.
• Like cooking? Make a feast for the group.
• Like weapon making? Craft some high-quality loaner weapons.
• And so on.
• Want to reward crafters? Reward them for the service they provide to the group.

I could elaborate, but I'm tired of crafting this post. Feel free to chat with me about it at an event.

Inspirations

I've been inspired by a couple of other LARPs.

First up is this video from Empire LARP.

I'm addicted to this. The garb and armor is excellent, the weapons look like real weapons, and the combat is intense.

I found Empire's home page and have been poking around a bit. Aside from the points I mention above, there is a lot I like about it, such as

• It's a simple hit point system, with 2 points to start going to 6 for heavy armor.
• Each hit is 1 point. No complicated math.
• The setting is cool. Nine distinct "nations" form an empire that is beset by internal intrigue and external enemies.

Another inspiration is Reckoning LARP.

Photo from the Reckoning home page

Like Empire, Reckoning features top-notch garb and realistic looking weapons. They also have diverse and distinct cultures (four in their world).

I especially like their character class system. It seems pretty simple. There are only 3 classes - warriors, sages (i.e., spellcasters), and artisans.

The artisan class is really cool. Artisans are non-combatants, but they play a crucial role. They provide healing, repairs, and spell recharges. What a great way to get non-combatants involved!

I would love to visit these LARPs, but they are far away (Empire is in the UK and Reckoning is in Indiana).

Still, I'm pondering ways to incorporate some of their ideas into the Chimera Legion.

Knights Should Not Serve Themselves

Just a thought I had this morning.

As I have said many times, the essence of knighthood is service. After all, the word knight derives from the Anglo-Saxon term for servant.

This is why I don't like prowess, such as winning tournaments, as a determinant for knighthood.

• By winning tournaments, you are merely serving yourself.
• A knight, however, should serve his or her community.

Have Some Class

"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function." Romans 12:4

As I pondered recruiting for my new LARP group, I realized that having a class system has certain advantages. If we are recruiting D&D players, having classes makes the game more relatable. But one of the drawbacks of Amtgard was that its class system seemed very unbalanced and overly complicated. I've long been considering ways to simplify yet still have classes. In fact, the first draft of Elzwehn included a system where each class had 1 to 2 abilities with no levels (to make it newbie friendly).

Recently, another idea has been rattling in my mind. In a way, it is an even simpler system, but it provides some flexibility.

Classes

There are only 3 broad classes:

• Fighter - the front-line warriors. They tend to specialize in melee, but can use missile weapons. They would include standard fighters, barbarians, and monks.
• Sneak - they primarily rely on stealth and surprise, although they can mix it up in melee. Often they use missile weapons. Rogues, assassins, and scouts would fit into this classification.
• Caster - users of magic, whether arcane or divine.

Skills

Each class would have a pool of skills available to it. Players can choose the skills that match their character conception. For example, we could have a Fight After Death skill available to fighters. If a player wants to be a barbarian, he/she could be a fighter with the Fight After Death skill.

How many skills does a player get? That's to be determined, but I would keep it small.

Arms and Armor

We could limit armor by class. For examples, casters cannot wear armor, sneaks can wear light, and fighters are allowed heavy.

Similarly, we can limit weapons. For example, casters may be limited to staffs and blue weapons.

Perhaps we can allow armor and weapon upgrades as a skill, e.g., casters could purchase use of light armor.

Levels

I'm ambivalent about levels. It significantly disadvantages new players when they play with more experienced LARPers. Yet leveling up is a powerful incentive. Perhaps we could include a simple leveling system that allows players to buy one skill per level. Something to think about.

Anyway, just some random thoughts.

We're Doing It Wrong

As I prepare to launch a new boffer LARP group using the Way of the Sword rules, I have been reflecting on ways to recruit new members. And it struck me that our seemingly perfect target audience is not joining our ranks. Consider this - Dungeons and Dragons had record sales in 2019, and then topped it in 2020. Yet even before the pandemic, the ranks of boffer fighters seemed to be dwindling in South Florida. We are just not tapping into the popularity of D&D.

I have some ideas to make the game more palatable to the D&D crowd.

• Call it a LARP, not a sport! Many members of boffer organizations downplay the roleplaying aspect and highlight the athletic aspect of their games. I suspect that the priorities of most D&D players are the reverse. We should emphasize roleplaying, and create more scenarios that accentuate it.
• Run it like a D&D campaign. Boffer events seem to boil down to fight, reset, fight again, etc. In a sense, each fight is like a short sporting match that stands alone. Usually, there is no connection between each fight. And more importantly, there is no story. We should try to create linked scenarios that build to a larger story.
• Embrace fantasy. Add magic and different classes to the mix. Just be careful that magic is not too powerful, or else your warriors will get bored of being fodder.
• Level the playing field. In most boffer games, new members are thrown into the thick of battle with much more experienced members. As a result, they become fodder. This is a downer for a new player who dreams of being a hero. I'm not exactly sure how to mitigate against this, because skill matters. Perhaps we should have more battles with smaller groups, then set up teams to provide support to the new players, and then let them fight other new players. Veterans, don't target the newbies!
• Make the rules more accessible. It's true that boffer rules are available for free online. But you have to be looking for them to find them. We should make our rules visible to people who may be interested but not have heard of the game. They should be on Amazon, Drivethrurpg, and in game stores.

 As far as organizing and running games, these are my latest thoughts:

• Focus on the local group rather than big, inter-group battles. This will allow more personal stories.
• I'm thinking the optimal group size should be 7 to 13. There will be one gamemaster and two teams of 3 to 6 players. 
• The teams take turns as player characters and non-player characters. For example, in one scenario, team A will be the adventurers sent to rescue the mayor's daughter who has been kidnapped while team B plays the orcs who did the kidnapping.

Anyway, just some thoughts for now. I'll probably elaborate at a later time.

The Very Model of a Modern LARP Organization

 On occasion I will wax philosophical about my thoughts about the ideal LARP organization of national scope. My primary contention is that the constituent local chapters should exercise as much autonomy as possible. The higher organization should restrict itself to the following duties:

• Promulgate a standard set of rules. This facilitates cooperation among local chapters. I would allow house rules as long as the changes don't compromise player safety.
• Coordinate multi-chapter events, although even this could be accomplished by alliances of local chapters.
• If possible, provide access to legal non-profit status and liability insurance.

You may notice that I do not include things that are considered staples of national organizations, such as standardized titles or dictating local organizational structure. I firmly believe that these should be left to the discretion of the chapters.

Occasionally you may get some adherents of standardization point to the centralized administrations of Late Medieval England or France to show that kings held supreme authority. Thus, higher levels of the organization should function like these kings. To that, I would like to point to a better model - the Holy Roman Empire.

Why is the Holy Roman Empire an excellent model for national LARP organizations? While nominally united under the governance of the Empire, the 300 or so local states were effectively autonomous. The local lords, who held a variety of titles but were collectively known as princes, ran their own affairs, had their own armies, and generally did their own thing. I assume they likely were able to elevate their own knights and lower lords. Local LARP chapters should be allowed to do the same.

Sport or LARP?

It is an age-old debate. Are boffer / foam-fighting organizations sports or LARPs (live-action roleplaying games)? If you ask most members of such groups, most would probably respond that it is a sport. In fact, Way of the Sword bills itself as a "combat sport." LARPs are for those who are doing full immersion, as in the infamous lightning bolt video. "We're not doing that," the sporting enthusiasts would say. "We don't have magic. We are engaged in an athletic competition! Thus, we're playing a sport."

I've long thought that this argument is poppycock. Yes, boffer fighting is an athletic endeavor, but it is also so much more.

We can easily see that in the old Dagorhir Handbook. Let's take a look.

Scroll down to page 4. How does the "What is Dagorhir?" section begin? With a fantasy story. It sets the tone by showing that Dagorhir lets you step into a story.

It then describes Dagorhir as "A game, a sport, a martial art . . . a chance to live an adventure." The sporting enthusiasts will lock onto the second descriptor. "It even says that it is a sport!" But notice that the description begins with a "game" and ends with "a chance to live an adventure." This shows, as I said, that boffer fighting is so much more than a sport. It begins with a game. What kind of game? Well, it doesn't specify but the final part implies what it is. You are living an adventure, a fantasy adventure no less. This sounds an awful lot like a roleplaying game, one that uses live-action - in other words, a LARP.

There are more clues. Go to page 7 - a history of Dagorhir. How did the organization begin? The founder wanted to re-create the battle scenes from Lord of the Rings. In other words, he wanted to play the role of the kinds of characters he read about in a fantasy novel. Again, sounds like LARPing.

Scroll to page 9. Before we get to any game rules, we now find a section on characterization. There is a short piece of fiction before we get to the crux of this section.

To set the mood and re-create the atmosphere of battle it’s very important that each participant become some character he or she has made up. Just as in improvisational acting, you should always act out your part; accents are recommended if they sound believable.

Nothing about sport here. It's all about playing a role. This section continues for another 6 pages.

On page 15, we get to costumes. This section begins with the statement that the "battle costume is the single most important factor in re-creating an atmosphere of fantasy in Dagorhir." Once again, the Handbook emphasizes the concept of playing a role in a fantasy setting.

The Handbook then continues with advice on making weapons, starting a chapter, and organizing and running events. The actually rules don't appear until page 54.

So let's recap:

• Dagorhir initially defined itself as more than a sport
• Dagorhir was founded as a way to roleplay epic LotR battles
• Characterization was considered crucial to create a medieval atmosphere in which to roleplay those battles
• Costume (garb) was considered essential to characterization. (Think about it. If we are not roleplaying, why wear medieval garb? We could just as easily fight in soccer jerseys or HEMA gear).

It seems clear to me that Dagorhir was originally envisioned as a kind of roleplaying game. It may not have magic, but that just means it is set in a grittier world. Nevertheless, it is still Live Action Role Playing.

You may ask, what about other games? Surely they are sports. The thing is, Dagorhir was the first boffer combat organization, and pretty much inspired all the others. By looking at Dagorhir, you see the very origins of boffer combat. What are those origins? LARP.

Dream Stealers

At church today the preacher did a sermon entitled "Overlooked and Underused." During it, he spoke about "dream stealers," those people who tell you that you can't do something, thereby taking away your dream.

Amtgard has become a "dream stealer" for me. So what is my dream? In game, I want to belong to a company of paladins that defends the kingdom against the forces of darkness. But in Amtgard I can't call myself a paladin because I don't have an Amtgard knighthood (and am extremely unlikely to get one). Furthermore, they have corrupted the entire meaning of paladin. Instead of a holy warrior for good it is a status symbol for the high and mighty.

The solution is obvious - good bye Amtgard. But don't worry, there is something better on the horizon.

My Love/Hate Relationship with Amtgard

Pardon my rant

The more I am involved with Amtgard the more I hate it.

There are some good things about. Personally, I feel their battle rules are vastly superior to any other system out there. Why do I say that? Here are some reasons:

• No shield bashing or grappling - I feel that this is safer and also focuses on weapons skill rather than just overpowering someone
• Head shots are always illegal -  again, I think this is safer
• Tiered armor system - heavier armor gets more armor points
• No "laser" damage - an arrow that hits a weapon destroys the weapon rather than assuming it would hit the next target in line. This is far simpler to adjudicate.
• Shields last longer - they take 3 blows rather than 2

Other than that, however, the Amtgard structure just fills me with revulsion. Let me count the ways:

• Class System - I am increasingly of the opinion that the class system is broken. Spell casters are far too powerful. I'd like to dampen down the magic, which would encourage more swordplay.
• Crown Qualifications - candidates for officer positions are required to enter an Arts & Science tournament. Essentially, they need to prove their fitness to organize and lead by making stuff. Stupid.
• Centralization - I've griped about this before. Amtgard is built on a centralized model. Local park autonomy is severely limited. Local parks are essentially blackmailed into joining the local kingdom; if they don't they are denied access to higher level awards.
• Politics - I think this is a byproduct of centralization, but there seems to be a lot of political BS. And this is primarily at the kingdom level rather than within our local park.
• Awards Standardization - Sounds good in theory, but this severely limits the ability of local parks (especially isolated ones) to reward their players as they see fit. To me, this is like Wizards of the Coast telling a DM how to run his/her campaign.
• Knighthoods - I've ranted about this before; the system of knighthood is skewed. Historically, a knight should be lower than a lord, but Amtgard has this backwards. Sadly, this does recreate history in one way - it creates an arrogant, entitled aristocracy. By the way, I much prefer the system used by the Adrian Empire.

Anyway, feeling very frustrated by Amtgard recently. I'd like to drop Amtgard altogether, but then I would not have anywhere to play that's near me.

Should Knighthood Be Special?

I expect that one of the ramifications of my proposal for a new definition of excellence would be an increase in the number of LARP knights. After all, one would not need any special skill, just a determination to assist the local park. So, is expanding the number of knights at the park a bad thing?

I hope you would say no. Unfortunately, there are those who would say it is bad. They would argue that knighthood would cease to be special if it became more commonplace. That's just so sad. When people argue for knighthood being special here's what they are implicitly saying - I want knighthood to be rare so that I can feel superior to others around me.

There is a fundamental problem with that response. A true knight does not seek to be special, at least not in the way implied above. In other words, the true knight does not feel the need to elevate himself or herself above the crowd. Remember that humility is one of the key virtues of knighthood. The true knight follows the words of St. Paul:

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves (Philippians 2:3 NASB)

The true knight should want to serve and glorify others instead of himself / herself. He / she should want to see more knights.

Furthermore, knighthood does not need to be exclusive to be special. With proper pomp and ceremony, we can make the newly fledged knight feel special. Even the simple act of calling the knight Sir or Dame ought to lift them up. I really take offense if someone cannot feel special if we also call others Sir or Dame.

Finally, I feel that knighthood will be as special as the player makes it. Go out to the park and live the virtues of chivalry, and see how that makes you feel. Just don't think you need to bring or hold others down to feel special.

My Kind of Excellence

Previously I questioned using individual achievement as the basis for knighthood. I asked "So what is our solution to the problem of excellence?" Today I would like to provide my answer.

Originally I was going to title this post "The Right Kind of Excellence." I changed it because I realized that I am not the final arbiter of what is right or wrong. I have always believed that each local group should be allowed to determine their standards for awards. Thus, it is not right for me to dictate how other groups should act. However, I will unequivocally state what I think is right.

As I mentioned, I believe that individual achievement is the wrong basis for knighthood. Instead, I believe that a truly knightly person betters his or her community (and by community I primarily mean the local park). In my eyes, there are two ways that a person does this:

1. Provide concrete service to the park
2. Contribute to the atmosphere of the park. I call this "flurb" excellence

Path 1 is pretty self-explanatory. The player takes on tasks that help the park. Serving as an officer, organizing games and events, acting as reeve, teaching, helping new players get into the game, etc. are all invaluable services to the park. The group would not function without these people. Some groups do overtly recognize these people. For example, Amtgard Flame Knights have earned their belt through their service to the kingdom. These people excel by helping their comrades and should be recognized for their efforts.

I personally think that the second group gets overlooked, but they too are vital to the LARP experience. And yes, what we are doing is LARPing. We are taking on roles as medieval heroes and playing out their adventures in live action form. Sounds like live action role playing to me. Anyway, I have frequently said that LARP groups have the most fun when they create a shared fantasy world. Thus, players improve the park when they contribute to this shared world. How can they do that? Here are some ways:

• Wear appropriate garb! This is the easiest way to create atmosphere. Nothing breaks immersion like someone in a T-shirt and shorts. However, a well-done kit will accentuate the game.
• Use game titles and names. Another way to break immersion is to use people's everyday names. "Hail Xhorja" sounds better than "Hey Robb." Even better, add their title - "Hail King Xhorja."
• Of course, adding titles only works if people have titles. That's why I want to make it easier for people to earn them.
• Ditch the mundane stuff while LARPing. Park day is not the time to watch videos on your phone or listen to modern music. And hold off on discussion about school, work, your D&D campaign, etc. Try to start conversations about events in your shared fantasy world.
• Decorate. Bring banners and standards and hang them around. Throw in some other odds and ends that look medieval. Anything to accentuate the setting.
• Accessorize. Try to get replacements for modern accouterments. Don't drink from a water bottle - get a water skin or goblet instead.

These are just some ideas I have to make the park a better place. Most groups would consider these ideas to be a bit "flurby." If so, then I firmly believe that we need more "flurbiness" at our parks. Furthermore, I believe we should be rewarding people who contribute to the setting. This is what I call "flurb" excellence, and I firmly believe that it should be a basis for knighthood.

The Free Kingdom of the Shrouded Isles will undergo some changes in the new year. I explicitly want to hand out more titles, especially knighthoods. One of the conditions for our knighthood will be "flurb" excellence.

The Problem with "Excellence"

If one complains that the requirements for knighthood are too stringent, the powers of be trot out the old mantra of "standards" and "excellence." "Git good" they say and most people just shut up. Unfortunately, no one analyzes what is meant by excellence and if it truly benefits the game.

In most LARP organizations, "standards" and "excellence" focus upon individual development and achievement. For example, the mark of martial excellence is usually beating other players and winning tournaments. These achievements distinguish the truly excellent warrior from the merely average soldier. Likewise, producing works of art distinguishes the excellent artisan.

But do these forms of excellence truly benefit the game as a whole? Not necessarily. Let's use combat as an example. Let's say that a new park forms. All the players are newbs and are not very good fighters. Yet the group as a whole can be having a ton of fun because the skill levels are similar. Because combat in this case is balanced and competitive, the group benefits.

Now let us assume that one individual studies and practices until he or she becomes a highly skilled fighter. If the rest of the park does not also improve, then the group can actually suffer. Combat becomes unbalanced when the uber-fighter is present. Less skilled fighters become frustrated with being cannon fodder while the uber-fighter is annoyed by the lack of challenge. Battle games cease being fun, the members are increasingly disgruntled, and the group begins to splinter. In such as case, the pursuit of individual excellence actually hurts the group.

Let me make a couple of caveats to my argument. First, I am not talking about a player who develops a skill and then teaches it to others. Obviously, teaching is a tremendous service to the group. However, it is the teaching that is knightly not the initial development of personal skill.

Second, I am not saying that individual achievement should not be rewarded. I think there is a place for recognizing personal excellence. I am questioning the nature of the reward; in particular I do not think it should be the basis for knighthood. A true knight should practice the virtue of humility and should not seek individual accolades. Knighthood based on personal success contradicts the very essence of knighthood. Instead, I believe that the proper reward for individual achievement should be some sort of masterhood rather than knighthood.

The problem with excellence then is that, in my opinion, the wrong type of excellence is being used as the basis of knighthood. When knighthood is predicated upon individual skill, then there is a great potential that truly knightly people can be overlooked.

So what is our solution to the problem of excellence? I'll take up that question in my next post.

Garb for Florida's Summers

When last I wrote about garb, my focus was on typical medieval European styles (the tunic and hosen look). I continue to wear the same style throughout the summer because I need the sun protection (thank you skin cancer). However, some people find such coverage to be a little stifling. There is, however, a way to look period and stay cool - look to the ancient world!

Ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian styles all provide comfortable options. Probably the easiest is a Greek chiton. It is simply two squares of cloth pinned or sewn together. That's it (although you may want to wear shorts underneath for modesty's sake).

A chiton

For a little more effort, you could make a tunica, which is essentially the LARP standard T-tunic. However, you can wear it by itself and you would look Roman!

More information about Greek and Roman garb can be found at this site.

Another option is to wear a kilt. The kilt is not just Scottish - warriors in other cultures wore what amounts to a kilt. Here is an example:

Egyptian warrior - from the movie The Ten Commandments

Or you could go the loincloth route.

All perfectly period forms of garb that will help you stay cool in the Florida sun. Just remember the sun screen!

Living the Dream

I sparked a bit of an internet war last week when I posted a poll on Facebook asking my park if they wanted to revert to a freehold. This sparked responses from a few outsiders, including the king and the prime minister of Neverwinter, defending the value of kingdoms. Their comments made me even more determined to break free of Neverwinter.

Yesterday as I was driving to work, I pondered why I have such a visceral reaction to the Amtgard form of organization. I have laid out before some of my points of contention but I did not explain why. I don't think I ever thought why. But then it dawned on me - it was because of the Dream.

I first heard the term "the Dream" in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronims - the oldest medieval LARP out there, though they hate the term LARP). The Dream refers to the vision that members have with regard to their ideal experience in the shared faux medieval world.

What was my Dream? I'd love to see my park filled with knights and ladies of the royal court, chivalrously greeting one another and interacting. I'd love to bend my knee to my king or queen and personally offer my sword to him or her. I'd love to stand in battle and defend my monarch. I could go on.

The problem with Amtgard is that it hinders my Dream. Knights are scarce - as far as I know there are none in South Florida. The king / queen is typically distant and doesn't visit my park. The rules preclude me from creating the environment I'd love to see at my park.

What is the solution? Change the Amtgard rules (which won't happen) or go my own way. With the High Fantasy Society I can go my own way and live my Dream.

Knights of the Isles

Over on the Dagorhir boards, Primarch Ser Hivemind Saligia of The Cairnhold Legion wrote "knighthood should be about virtue and service, not about how many people you can beat with a foam bat." It is an attitude with which I heartily concur. Even the term itself leads to such an interpretation, knight stemming from a Middle English word meaning servant.

With this in mind, knighthood in the Free Kingdom of the Shrouded Isles eschews the lifetime achievement award approach that is common among LARP groups Instead, knighthoods are awarded primarily for service to our realm.

Squires
Our Kingdom's Council will invite members to serve as squires. These candidates must have some experience (at least a year), have their own garb and weapons, have a reputation for being honorable, courteous, and helpful, have provided service to the realm, and have some skills that can benefit the realm.

The squire will serve in that role for at least a year, and must perform a series of quests.

The Quests
The Council will determine the exact nature of the quests, and will tailor them to the individual. For example, someone whose primarily ability is in crafting won't be expected to perform a bunch of combat-related quests. Here are some sample quests:

• Quest of Knowledge - pass a test on the rules of the game
• Quest of Service - design and reeve a number of battlegames
• Quest of Prowess - use your primarily skill to serve the realm (e.g. a tailor could make monster garb for a quest, etc.)
• Quest of Dedication - stand before the Council as they scrutinize your performance as squire
• Quest of Courage - undertake an in-persona role-playing adventure

Once the quests are completed, the Council will vote on the candidate. If approved, the squire will be granted the title of Knight Companion of the Order of the Morning Sun. Why the morning sun? Because the morning sun burns off the mist that shrouds the Isles. Similarly, knights of the Order are expected to be beacons of chivalry that cut through the haze of incivility.

A Few Points

• Note that there is both a virtue and role-playing aspect to becoming a knight. In the Quest of Dedication, the Council should examine a squire's chivalrousness and their dedication to the RP aspect of the hobby.
• In my opinion, following the code of chivalry is what distinguishes a knight from a standard fighter. The squire should demonstrate the virtues of chivalry in his/her everyday playing of the game.
• Role-playing is important for a knight of our realm! After all, the game is about more than beating on people; it is really about creating a shared fantasy world. Squires should serve the realm by helping to create that world. They do not have to go into full actor mode, but they must contribute something. For example, they must be wearing garb and it is helpful if they have a backstory.
• We will not have a Circle of Knights making decisions. I feel that a circle can potentially lead to cliquishness. Instead, the realm Council, as representatives of the populace as a whole, shall make the determination on who should be squired and knighted.
• Fear not, visitors and migrants to the realm. If you come bearing a title, you will not be asked to drop it. The Free Kingdom will acknowledge such foreign titles and consider you a knight errant (this also means you could adopt a title for role-playing purposes; we won't raise a stink). If you wish to be part of the Order of the Morning Sun, however, you will need to receive an invitation from the Council and complete the quests.
• Finally, becoming a Knight Companion is not the final destination for our aspiring beacons of chivalry. There are also higher ranks of knighthood - Knight Commanders and Knight Champions - that one can attain through additional quests.

Structure of Our New Kingdom

A little while ago I discussed my concept for my ideal organization. Since then, Robb introduced me to the High Fantasy Society (HFS). Much to my delight, HFS grants complete autonomy to each park, which is designated a realm (kingdom).  We are now in the process of setting up a new HFS realm (the Free Kingdom of the Shrouded Isles) in South Florida. Here is a summary of our organization, with commentary.

The Council

• The realm shall be ruled by a Council of representatives. This gives every person a voice in the government, through their representatives.
• Each unit of the realm shall receive 2 representatives. Free folk (those without a unit) shall also have 2 representatives.
• Before it can receive seats in the Council, a unit has to be recognized as an official unit of the realm. This is to prevent a single person from saying he/she is a unit and demanding a seat.
• Currently, there are no set rules to be an official unit. We leave it up to the Council; they should consider the unit's size, participation, and service to the realm.

The Chancellor

• The chancellor is the chief executive of the realm (essentially club president). He/she will run meetings of the Council, put forth proposals for kingdom law, plan and organize practices and events, and take care of mundane administrative matters.
• The chancellor does not make important decisions about the direction of the realm. That responsibility resides with the Council. The chancellor may make suggestions and proposals but does not have the final say.
• The chancellor only gets a vote if the Council is tied. The chancellor will serve as the tiebreaker.

The Monarch

• Because we are a realm, we will have a king or queen.
• The monarch has no power or formal authority. He/she is merely a figurehead.
• I am fond of this rule for a few reasons
• It protects against egotists, motivated merely by a royal title, from taking over and messing with the democratic nature of the realm government.
• It allows a royal court, with more opportunities for roleplay.
• I provides an opportunity for a fun event - I imagine a battle royale for the crown, like the one in Role Models.

That's the structure in a nutshell. We are also planning our own system of awards and ranks (including knighthood). More on that in another post.

Not A Lifetime Achievement Award

In most medieval recreation games, knighthood is treated as a kind of lifetime achievement award (LAA). You spend years doing x, y, and/or z (whether that is being a skilled fighter and winning tournaments, creating masterworks of the arts, or providing extensive services, etc.) Once you have accomplished certain tasks over the span of your medievalist career, you are rewarded for your efforts by being knighted. I'm fine with the concept of a LAA, but it has absolutely nothing to do with knighthood.

To me, knighthood is about embracing the principles of chivalry.* A knight is one dedicated to living in a knightly manner by serving his/her community, treating others with respect (even those with whom one disagrees), and basically making his/her park a better place. You don't need to have a laundry list of achievements to be a knight, you just have to be a knight in your heart (kind of like the Dagorhir realm of Greyglades approach).

Unfortunately, this fundamental philosophical difference creates tension and conflict. The LAA requires a more ordered, hierarchical approach. Someone needs to determine the standards (what achievements are necessary to become a knight) and then monitor who has met those standards. A knight of the heart might not meet those standards, which proponents of the LAA feel undermines their approach. The LAA crowd feels that the knights of the heart haven't "earned" their title. Conversely, knights of the heart feel that the LAA threatens their freedom to pursue knighthood as they see it. The two sides find themselves at loggerheads.

I don't know if we'll ever reach an agreement between the two sides. I am toying with an approach that will require some achievements (based solely on service to the realm) but won't require as long as the LAA approach. I doubt that my proposal will end the debate. I guess that the only solution is to live and let live. Will the two sides be willing to do that?

* Although there are many varied lists of chivalric virtues, I condense them into the following - Charity, Humility, Valor, Loyalty, Responsibility, Integrity. Thanks to Robb for helping develop the list.

What I Want to See

With elections for Caligo and Ember Shoals officers in the near future, my thoughts have turned to the things I'd like to see in our park and in South Florida.

More Cooperation
A few years ago, the various parks in the tri-county area were very active in supporting each other. That support has faded, and it seems that the groups are increasingly insular. I would like us to reverse that trend. How can we do that?

• Bi-Monthly Joint Battles - We used to do these. Every other month, one of the local parks would sponsor a joint battle. The other parks would make a maximum effort to attend. This would result in much larger battles than our normal weekend fare. It would also forge ties among the members of the various parks.
• Annual Campout - Right now, the only larger, weekend-long events are held in central/north Florida. If you can't travel that far, then you miss out on the fun. Why can't we bring the fun south? Once we get used to cooperating with each other to host joint battles, we can consider holding our own campout.

I think that we should reach out to our neighbor parks in South Florida and start the process of organizing these events.

More Atmosphere

While it's fun hitting people, to me Dagorhir and Amtgard shine when we create a shared fantasy world. Thus, I would like to see more effort to create a medieval/fantasy atmosphere.

• Garb - Looking the part really evokes the correct atmosphere. Remember when Robb wore an orc's mask? It made it a lot easier to believe we were fighting the dreaded raider Tarhogg Spearchewer rather than Robb. Well, an easy way to do this is to wear garb. It doesn't have to be difficult to put together a basic kit. I want to come up with creative ways to encourage garb. I don't want to punish or prevent people from playing. Perhaps give more incentives for garb. I'd love to hear your ideas.
• Game Names - I believe that using game names can also evoke the proper atmosphere. If you don't have one yet, let's talk. I'll help you come up with one. If you have one, get used to using it, and encourage others to use it as well. One way to do this is to refuse to respond to your mundane name while you are at the park. If they persist, you can say "I don't know who that is. My name is ________."
• Titles - When I was in the Adrian Empire, titles were far more common than in Dagorhir/Amtgard. As you walked around at an event, you'd hear people referred to as Sir ____, Lord ____, or Lady _____, etc. I felt that it helped foster that medieval atmosphere. I'd love to have more titles at our park. Fortunately, we could use our independence to come up with our own Caligo titles (e.g. I'd like to start an independent order of knighthood dedicated to service to the realm).
• Lore Battles - I love battlegames with a lore element to them. They have a backstory and the results of the game affect our shared fantasy world. They can be difficult to plan, however, so I don't know if we can do more than what we are already doing. I still want to continue with them.

What do you want to see? How can we achieve it?

Getting by with a Tabard

Why Garb?
Foam fighting, whether Amtgard or Dagorhir, is about more than beating your opponent into submission. It is also about creating a shared fantasy world in which players interact.* One of the best ways to make this fantasy world come alive is to look the part, and that means dressing in medieval/fantasy clothing (garb). You don’t need to do a lot to meet this goal.

* Some fighters may deny this goal of a shared fantasy world. If they were correct, however, the rules of both Dagorhir and Amtgard would not mandate wearing garb!

Starter Garb - The Tabard
A tabard is the easiest way to start with medieval garb (more specifically European medieval garb for men, although women can also use these ideas, especially for fighting garb). A tabard is simply a large rectangle of cloth with a hole in the middle. Put your head through the hole and you're ready for fighting!

A tabard (laying flat)

There's not much to making one, In its simplest form, just cut out a hole in the cloth. As shown above, it works better if the hole is slightly off center. You may want to hem the edges and facing. This tutorial provides more information about making a tabard.

What to Wear under Your Tabard
A tabard alone won't make you look medieval if you are wearing it over modern, mundane clothing. For example, a tabard over cargo pants looks out of place. Fortunately, you can create a decent look by pairing your tabard with regular clothing that is not too modern. The key is to find modern clothing that approximates medieval styles.

Some examples of medieval clothing

One thing you may notice in the picture above is that the men typically wear long sleeves. You want to emulate that if you want to look more appropriate. In contrast, wearing your tabard over a short-sleeved t-shirt will look like a mish-mash of modern and medieval.

Here is an example of some garb I quickly threw together

The tabard is made from a bedsheet and thrown over a long-sleeve shirt. I find it surprisingly effective!

There are ways to make your tabard-shirt combination look more medieval. Here are some tips:

• Cover the shirt’s modern cuffs and collar. In the picture above, the gloves and mask hide the cuffs and collar. You can also hide the collar with a hood (see the Accessorize section below).
• Make the tabard long enough – knee-length is good. Yes, it will look like a dress; get over it. We already look silly running around with foam weapons; might as well go all out.
• Create a more medieval look by flaring out the bottom, like so:

• Convert the tabard to a surcoat by joining the sides on the bottom half of the garment. It will look like a sleeveless shirt. You can either sew (which will be sturdier) or use fabric glue.

Appropriate Pants
To complete the look, you want pants that don’t appear modern. Cargo pants or athletic shorts just won’t cut it.

If you look at the examples of medieval garb above, you'll notice that the men are wearing legwear that fits tight to their body. They are wearing the most common form of medieval men's legwear known as hosen or chausses. It is very easy to replicate this look using modern clothing; just get a pair of tights. If you are scared of wearing tights you can call them compression pants.

There are a few of things to look for:

• Stick with plain, basic colors (like black) - even though medieval people liked bright clothing they would not have had access to vivid fluorescent colors or wild patterns.
• Avoid or hide logos - again, we want to be basic. However, logos on the waistband are OK because those will be hidden by our tabard
• Try to find material that is not too shiny - natural fibers don't have a sheen like modern synthetics do.

Accessorize

Another way to dress up your medieval garb is to add accessories to your outfit. Here are some ideas.

• A leather belt - belting your tabard will prevent it from flying around, exposing your mundania. It also creates the common medieval silhouette. You want a long belt so you can follow medieval fashion and leave the end hanging down
• A hood or other headwear - medieval men typically wore some kind of headwear. One of the most convenient is a hood, It hides our modern collar and it just screams medieval, You can buy one or find a pattern online (here is one example). You don't have to go with a hood, however. Any medieval-style headwear, even a simple leather circlet, will evoke the proper mood.
• Shoes - medieval footwear is a tall order for beginners so it's fine to wear modern shoes. The key is to avoid something too modern. Stay away from white sneakers! Instead, find plain back or brown footwear (boots are fine).

Upgrade Over Time
The ideas above will get you started with medieval garb. From here you can upgrade over time, adding new and better pieces as you go.

A Topsy Turvy Order

One of the things that irks me about knighthood in most medieval re-creation organizations is that they are misplaced on the order of precedence (which shows how the different titles rank in the official hierarchy).

Let's take Amtgard as an example and compare it the the actual hierarchy in England

Amtgard Order of Precedence

• Barons
• Knights
• Baronets
• Lords
• Warlords
• Masters
• Squires

Source: http://amtwiki.net/amtwiki/index.php/Order_of_Precedence

English Order of Precedence

• Barons / Lords
• Knights of the Garter / Knights of the Thistle
• Baronets
• Knights
• Squires

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_precedence_in_England_and_Wales#Barons

Notice the relative position of knights. In real life, they rank below baronets and lords while Amtgard has them above. In Amtgard (and other medieval re-creation organizations) this creates a topsy turvy hierarchy where there are more lords than knights, and lords get less respect. A more realistic structure would have a smaller number of lords, each having a retinue of knights, squires, and men-at-arms at their command.

I'd also like to point out that the English order of precedence actually has multiple levels of knights. For simplicity I only show 2 (regular knights and Knights of the Garter / Knights of the Thistle) but there are more. Most medieval re-creation groups only have 1 level. This is one thing I liked about the Adrian Empire - they had a 3 level system of knighthood. For example, a combat knight would start as Knight Bachelor, progress to a Knight Banneret, and then to a Knight Champion. A multi-tiered system would allow a player to have further goals after getting that initial knighthood.

I have a lot more thoughts about knighthood but I'll be splitting them across multiple posts. Stay tuned.