Greetings
After the information introducing you to Amtgard there is a section titled
"Where Do I Start" to give a hand to those who are new to Amtgard and want to give it a try.
Following the "Where Do I Start" section will be a history of the Rising Winds.
The official "What is Amtgard?" answer would go something like this:
"Amtgard is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization that is dedicated to the recreation of the Sword and Sorcery genre
as well as educational aspects of both Medieval and Ancient cultures. Amtgard focuses largely on a Medieval-based combat
system but also encompasses the arts and sciences of the time, in a friendly, social atmosphere.
Amtgard uses safe foam-padded replicas of medieval weaponry. Anyone who is fourteen or older may compete in the combat
aspect of the game."
The unofficial answer would be more along the lines of:
"Amtgard is a Live Action Role Playing game where you get to safely beat on your friends and strangers while dressing in
funny clothes and having the time of your life."
We have Rules of Play to keep the combat safe and
everyone playing the same game. These rules have evolved from the very first Amtgard meeting in 1983 through today. Along
with the rules a distinct culture, or society, has developed within our game and we welcome everyone to join us.
For a more indepth history of Amtgard please visit the history page of the
Amtgard Wiki
After answering the first question to jump to your mind "What is Amtgard?", hopefully the second question would be
"How do I get started?"
The first thing to do is locate a group nearest you. There is no replacing the information and comradship you will get
from meeting members face to face. A great source for finding groups is the
ORK Atlas.
The Next thing is to read the Rules of Play. You do not need to,
nor do we expect you to, memorize the rules at the begining of you Amtgard expirience, but having a general understanding will help.
On your first day at Amtgard you will be required to fill out a liability waiver to participate
in combat. Your local group should have equipment for you to borrow your first time out.
To obtain you own equipment you can purchase it or make it yourself. On our Links page has locations to purchase
from and pages with instructions for making your own equipment, there will most likely be people in your group that will be more
than willing to help out.
Sir Grendel of the Iron Mountains in Colorado created a video to help with information needed for your first day of Amtgard.
Your First Day of Amtgard
The following is a written history of Amtgardia in the Midwest, and more
specifically the Lands of the Rising Winds, as written from the perspective
of one man, Chris Brooke (AKA Areth Nar and/or Spencer). I say this because
I do not want it to be perceived that this document is to be interpreted as
the entire truth behind the Foundation of the Rising Winds. The reality is
that many people have put their blood sweat and tears into this fine land we
now call the Rising Winds and it was not the intention of the author to
claim any credit beyond that warranted. It was determined that, due to my
length of Amtgard service, that it should be I that would compile the
written history of these lands.
I begin the story in the late summer of 1983. It was an August evening in
the basement of my parents (in O'Fallon, Ill) home that this where it all
started. About a dozen of us had been playing a well-known role-playing
game when there was a knock on the back door. To my surprise it was my best
friend Clifford Kinder, who had moved to El Paso, Texas just a few months
before. In his hands were a number of curious items. The first was a small
photocopied rulebook and in the other there were two, what appeared to be an
overstuffed cutoff jean legs. As I am sure you can imagine our curiosity
was peaked almost instantly. Cliff quickly explained that in Texas there
was this small group of people who made padded swords and would "reenact D&D
type stuff". Well within about 10 minutes our role-play group had put the
dice and papers away and were in the back yard beating each other. Within 2
hours several members had run out and gotten PVC and carpet padding and had
already made crude swords. Then what, I assume was the first battlegame in
the Midwest, ensued. It was a simple capture the flag battlegame that would
not be the last.
Weeks would pass and the number of weapons would increase. People would
explore the wide variety of classes.Warrior, Wizard, Scout and Healer (yes
that was all there was). There wasn't much point to worry about levels as
there was none, (with the only exception of wizard who could either be an
Apprentice or after 12 weeks a Master). Soon we had managed to recruit all
of the other RP players in my high school and a number of the football team
members. Almost from the start we would have battlegames that would range
from a few to a couple of dozen. We would hold the first 24-hour
battlegames, weekend games, etc. Unfortunately this group would be
disbanded almost as quickly as it started. For many of us 1983-1984 was our
senior year and although we came to love Amtgard the following June '84 was
dealt a killing blow, I would move from O'Fallon to Indianapolis, IN. With
the departure of many of the key players the group would never hold another
Amtgard event.
When I moved to Indianapolis, I was a stranger in a strange town, with a
closet full of duct taped spears, swords, maces, flails, etc. It would not
be long before I would find other role players and perform the ceremony of
presenting the "jean swords". I would form a lifelong friendship with Lee
Van (AKA Glavas Zorrollo) in the summer of 1984 and together we would hold a
number of small battlegames during that summer. In the fall, Indiana
Amtgard would come to a halt for a while, as Lee and I would go off to
College, where we would spend more time carousing rather than Amtgarding.
However the summer of 1985 would see another resurgence of Amtgard activity.
Small skirmishes and one on one fights would be the primary activity.
The following fall 1985 would lead to my moving from a School in Illinois to
a more localized University where we would begin the foundations of a larger
and more active Amtgard group. We would recruit a number of people who
would be notable figures for many years to come. Fred Winter (Beldareth),
Steve Jacobs (Jake the Wise), Kevin Vieth (the social Tyrannosaur), just to
name a few. We found a small park where we would attempt to avoid contact
with any mundanes (after all we didn't want people to think we were weird,
right?). Our Amtgard group would play, hidden from view, for the next few
years (until about 1988) when most of us would graduate and find careers or
move off to explore other opportunities in life. Amtgard it seemed was
dead. After all we were probably the only ones in the world who even had a
surviving copy of the rule book (which Glavas maintains to this day!).
By 1990 we felt that certainly Amtgard existed only in our memories now and
my contact with Clifford Kinder had been completely severed. The weapons
would sit idle in a shed for months on end, only being brought out
occasionally (perhaps half a dozen times during a year) to do battle in the
occasional 24 hour battlegames, Saturday capture the flag, or the like. We
would recount the good old days, while sitting around the role-playing
table. Like old warriors from forgotten wars, Glavas and I would bring
forth the weapons and show them to our role-playing groups, hoping that in
someway we could relive our previous glories. We would spark interest in
the hearts of a few Steve Schuh (Rigel Orionis), Steve Wells (Soskus), John
Givens (Borokotor), etc but dream it seemed was not to be rekindled. Years
would pass without even the slightest sound of clashing swords..UNTIL.
October 16th 1997, a day I will remember well. I was in my office surfing
the Internet for a project, completely unrelated to Amtgard. Suddenly, as if
some higher power determined my soul needed to be refilled, there was the
word AMTGARD at the top of my search results. Dumbfounded, I quickly
thought; "this can't be the same Amtgard I am thinking of". Yet it was.
Amtgard had not died in 1985 as we had come to assume. In fact it had
thrived and blossomed to encompass the entire country, in fact the world.
Strangely enough one of the few places it had failed to even get a foothold
was the place where it's first Battles had been fought 14 years before.
Within minutes I had fired off an email to Sir Ivar to request info about
getting info about becoming part of "Official" Amtgard.
Within a couple of days Sir Ivar introduced me to Sir Bag'em who helped us
form the Shire of Windmoor Crossing under the Golden Plains. Steve Schuh
(Rigel Orionis), Jason Alexander (Moonstalker), Fred Winter (Beldafred) and
I quickly formed the first Monarchy and began the task of assembling every
role-player and former Amtgardian we could find. We took Amtnames (the
first time any of our group had ever done so); quickly we adopted garb,
armor, improved weapons, etc. We immediately began weekly events and by
spring of 1998 our group had already grown to several dozen member and
quickly our weekly numbers rose to over 20. By Spring we would have brought
on some more notable names; Eric Carpenter (Friar Telamacus), Eric Barnes
(Shandril), Stan Barnes (Soram the Elder), and of course Dave Roby (Brock),
just to name a few. The summer of 1998 was the greatest Amtgard I had, to
date, been involved in. Finally this was what Amtgard was SUPPOSED to be.
But lurking around the corner was a surprise, which would change Amtgard in
the Midwest FOREVER.
In July of 1998, John Givens (Borokotor), received an unusual email one day
from a Dan Patterson (Hobbit) who had just moved to Indianapolis from Texas
and had formed a small Shire he was calling the Rising Winds, hailing from
the Kingdom of the Emerald Hills. We became even more excited than we had
in the past; now, finally we would meet real Amtgardians. We scheduled a
time to meet at our park and we determined this would be a great time to
make new friends, so we would hold a cookout to honor our neighbors. Well
we were completely unprepared for what was about to happen. We had about
12-13 people playing when suddenly the invaders arrived, in mass. With full
garb, face paint, a war chant and 20 or so screaming Rising Winds warriors
they took position in our park and gave us 10 minutes to ready ourselves.
Needless to say this was completely foreign to us. So of course we got our
heads handed to us. Afterwards we would talk with Shelby Williams (Talthyr)
and Dan Patterson (Hobbit) about Amtgard and how things worked in the "real"
Amtgard world. Our eyes were now opening to a whole new understanding. Now
we would have to repay these invaders. After all I wasn't about to let
these upstarts tell me what to do.
So the following week we would assemble every member of the Shire of
Windmoor Crossing to invade the Shire of the Rising Winds. And this time we
thought it would be different. But as the fates would have it, we were once
again smitten. Afterwards feelings had been hurt, ego's bruised and the
real world reality was that no one on either side respected or liked each
other. Yet the proposal to for a new land was broached. It was proposed
that both parks would become part of The Shire of the Rising Winds. At the
time I was the unfortunate Sheriff who made the proclamation that we would
indeed merge and be one park under the banner of the Rising Winds and would
swear allegiance to the Emerald Hills. (Note: The park that had bore the
Rising Winds would now be renamed the Shire of Lyon's Tomb while Windmoor
Crossing would maintain it's name as a park under the Baronial Banner.)
This decision would in the short-term lead to a huge rift. The two parks
would have a hard time relating to each other and would inevitably lead to
the loss of many fine members of both parks. Under the leadership of
Talthyr (Monarch) and Rigel (Regent) the Rising Winds would suffer several
significant set backs, not as a result of their actions but simply as the
result of two very different groups coming together. But as time would pass
the two groups would loose the members who had held grudges and maintain the
members with the greatest commitment to making the Rising Winds great.
During all of the Turmoil in Indianapolis, one brave soul would venture off
to College to start what would become The Shire of Crusaders Cove, which was
founded in the fall of 1998. Jalen Nathaniel Corbin would form the third
park of the Rising Winds in Valporaiso Indiana. His populace would explode
almost from the very beginning. He would attract many key people; Mark
Sievers (Xugx), Joe McFadden (Morgoth), Ben Kliemek (Gregor and many others.
Meanwhile back in Indianapolis The Shire of the Rising Winds would be
granted Baronial status by King Corbin of the Emerald Hills. Personality
conflict and egocentric behavior, mostly on the part of this author, would
slow the process of integrating these two populaces. It would not be until
early 1999 that most of the personality conflicts would slowly wane and
finally the business of running the Rising Winds, as a club, would begin.
During March of 1999 our first elected Monarch would turn out to be a huge
boost for the Barony of the Rising Winds. Brock Argenta would ascend to the
Baronial seat and with him would be ushered in a new and profound era of
prosperity for this infant Barony. This growth would begin immediately with
the fourth park, known as Ashen Hills (Haslett Michigan), swearing
themselves to the Rising Winds during Baron Brock's coronation. Within a
month a fifth park, Fireoak Hold (Findlay Ohio), would also join the growing
list of Rising Winds parks. This growth Barony wide would not end here. But
the next few months would see trying times for the two original Shires that
had propagated the Rising Winds.
In Indianapolis, the spring would not be so kind to the attendance of
Windmoor Crossing and Lyons tomb. Each park had seen a decimation of their
numbers to such an extent as by early summer both parks could barely provide
double-digit attendance. All that was left were the die hards of both
parks. Finally it was determined, by the urging of Baron Brock that both
parks should be disbanded and a single park be reformed with all citizens
from Windmoor Crossing and Lyons Tomb being brought under this new park,
Gryphons Perch. Most of the animosities and old hatreds from the previous y
ear had been weeded out and squashed. It was to be that Gryphons Perch
would now see unprecedented growth. By now the Barony had 4 parks under it'
s banner and as a unit they would march off to the Gathering of Clans in
July of 1999.
Our First Clan as a united Barony would be an experience to help harden and
bind the members of the Rising Winds. We would eat, fight and drink
together. Once and for all any distrust, disloyalty or other petty
infighting would be gone for good. Glavas as Prime minister would see to it
that we as a group would help in any number of volunteer positions that we
could, so as to get the name of the Rising Winds out and into the world of
Amtgardia. A fact that by the end of our first clan the Rising Winds would
be honored by Queen Kat of the Burning Lands (at the urging of Sir Ivar);
with the bestowment of an Order of the Zodiac. An honor I assure you are
most treasured to this day by members of the Rising Winds. We would in fact
be the only group so honored at Clan that year. This would only be the
beginning of our jubilation.
Within a matter of weeks after the Gathering of the Clans our Empress,
Shaylen from our Mother Kingdom, the Emerald Hills, would elevate the Barony
of the Rising Winds to the Duchy of the Rising Winds. This event would
coincide with Brocks reelection as Duke of the Duchy of the Rising Winds.
Furthermore we would see Glavas and Brock bestowed with the Noble titles of
Lord.
As fall of 1999 led into winter it might have been expected that in the
frozen wastes of the north, the Rising Winds would lay dormant. Quite to
the contrary, Brock would now go on an offensive to unite Amtgardia in the
Midwest. In December of 1999 Brock would lead the forces of the Rising
Winds on a conquest of Griffons Ridge in Dayton Ohio. The Sheriff Gothic
Sinclair would swear fealty to the Rising Winds, bringing the park count to
5. The reality had been that Griffons Ridge had submitted a petition to the
Kingdom of the Emerald Hills to sponsor them. It was at the urging of our
mother Kingdom that we aid this new group and provides the support that they
would be unable to, due to distances involved.
After the first of the year Brock would now seek to gain friends on our
borders and would start by raiding the Land of Black Rock Hills in West
Virginia. This event although would prove too much a match for the forces
of the Rising Winds but would indeed lead to an improved relationship with
the Kingdom of Goldenvale, who was the parent of Blackrock Hills. Quickly
following the eastern visit we would head west to another Goldenvale hold,
known as Western Gate in St Louis. There we would once again be stopped but
we would still come away with what I sense will be long term friendships.
Now with 5 parks, each showing some strength and friends on our borders,
Brock was planning on concluding his successful reign. But we would receive
one last petition from a group in Bellefontaine Ohio, known as Blackfire
Pass. Pollux Lightchild would swear his small park to the Duchy and thereby
ending Brocks reign with 6 parks. And with the end of a very successful
year for the Duchy of the Rising Winds we would hold what was to become our
crowning achievement to the date of the penning of this chronicle.
The Coronation of the next Monarch was to be overshadowed, and rightfully
so, by the feast of the outgoing Baron Brock Argent. Over 130 people from
all over the Amtgard World would attend the Coronation weekend and feast.
Most notably would be the presence of Queen Lady Eclipse of the Emerald
Hills, Duke Sir Lief of Emerald Hills, King Sir Tombo of Neverwinter, Sir
Roger of Neverwinter, Prince Regent Kitirat of Neverwinter, Baron Lorax of
Westerngate representing the monarchy of Goldenvale, as well as many other
well-known personalities from throughout the Amtgard World. Many of us
would be told that the Rising Winds indeed held what was good and true about
Amtgard and had failed to be corrupted by it's failing of the past. I will
look back for the rest of my life to this event as the turning point of the
greatness of the Rising Winds.
Finally the Rising Winds, after all of its trials and tribulations has come
of age. We were now recognized by most of the Amtgard world and had made
strides that have gained us great support and praise from those who we hold
in the highest of esteem. As the current Duke of the Great Land of the
Rising Winds I now look into the future with high hopes for, and recall the
humble beginnings of, this fine land. I will not forget, as long as I live,
those who have sacrificed and the friends won and lost in the pursuit of the
greatness, which is surly to become the legacy of the KINGDOM OF THE RISING
WINDS.
Penned by
Duke Areth Nar
4th Monarch of the Rising Winds
On June 1st, 2000
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