Incidental Padding

from the war journal of Milo Baines...

The woods battle at Ragnarok XXIV was quite an event this year. Fast paced fighting from all directions made it a battle to remember. While we've all seen field scenarios, bridge battles, and castle fights - woods battles bring out something different in most warriors. They take us Dagorhirim back to a more exciting time. They resurrect an older sense of adventure that used to happen years ago.

The Woods battle hosted this Ragnarok was a grueling one, with several hundred fighters attending a relatively small fighting area. The paths through the woods provided space for traditional combat. Shield walls were constantly on the move, and all types of fighters were able to find a niche in the battle. If they didn't want to fight more directly they were free to roam through the dense foliage and try to find opponents there.

The scenario was a straight capture the flag game, with two teams. Each team had a fortress that was pre-built with a single entrance. As both teams realized towards the end of the battle, the forts were great places to leave large groups of archers. As any opposing army made its way towards the base to make a snatch at the flag, they were plucked down by many skilled marks(wo)men.

It was rumored that a certain disabled barbarian was seen high up in the trees. His feeble attempts to throw baby birds at us did not pan out when the birds kept learning to fly before they hit the ground. Perhaps next year you will be able to kill us yourself, Nikulas?

This was just one of the many events at Ragnarok this year. Thanks to all who were involved with running it and all the preparations.

by Icy of the Guard

     "Havoc!" they cried and the Dogs of War were let loose on day 23 of month May in the beautiful land of West Virginia. The weather was comfortable, the fighting grueling, the characters fresh, the campfires bright, the garb excellent, and everyone felt the fires of Battle burning in their hearts.

By Adrius Stone, Mercenary

Picture this: you are standing behind the clash of two shield walls, a bow in your hand. Arrows are flying by you as you duck and weave, trying to find the perfect target. Your heart is racing and sweat is dripping down your face. It is your first Ragnarok.
   

Many new players start off arching at national events for a variety of reasons. It keeps you out of the clash of shield walls, so that you are more or less safe. It’s a lot less intimidating than a group of heavily armored tower shields rushing you. It allows you to survey the field and get a feel for what is going on.  You don’t really need armor to give you an edge. Probably most importantly, it is very cost effective.

by Ketch 

This is the first in a series of articles on "Period Ragnarok Food"

Some of the newer groups attending Rag for the first time have expressed interest in what type of meals that the various camps serve and how to prepare them. A brief history on medieval food is where we will begin, and then the basic utensils that are required for camp cooking will be listed.  We have provided a few beginner recipes that you might want to try.  As these articles progress we will address recipes that are more "period" authentic.  We plan to discuss vegetarian food options as well, there are a wide variety of vegetarian meals that even the non-vegetarian will enjoy. Finally there are some wonderful cooks in Dagorhir with some cool ethnic food history.  Please feel free to comment or submit a column for publication if you wish.

By Aethelfled (Jenny Ferragut) of the Guard

I am sorry.  I am so sorry.  I suppose you cannot understand me.  Even if you could, I suppose you would not listen, not with my thorns stained by your blood and my branches pinning your limbs.  I guess it will not hurt anything if I talk to you anyway.  I have been so lonely.  Even the birds stay away from here - away from me.  I don't blame them.

            It is not my fault I am like this.  Will you listen?  Your lifeblood is leaking into the ground now.  You can't struggle anymore.  At least you can know why you are dying this way.  Maybe... maybe you will forgive me for killing you.

Looking for something to eat while camping? How about tacos?

It takes:
A few bags of your favorite chips
Some plastic bags (or just use the chip bags)
A frying pan
Some meat
Packaged cheese

Fry up the meat in the fan until its cooked.  Throw it into the bag with some cheese and chips, close the bag and shake.  Its good for camping food and really easy to make and clean up. 

Do you want good garb pants? Here is a tried and true pattern developed by Brennan way back in Dagorhir's history. 

You will probably want to make the pattern out of newspaper first, and may want to make the first pair out of muslin or some other cheap fabric. Make sure your rope for your drawstring is washable and sturdy. And especially if you are fighting, put in a diamond shaped gusset in the crotch just before you sew that part together. It will give your pants more "give" while fighting and running. Good pants fabrics include denim (you can find different colors beyond blue jean blue at fabric stores), wool, and linen. Linen is especially nice in summer. 

Illustration by Jonah Hawkmoon

by Marrel I'rous O'Daiwen

Most of you have a vague idea of what Dagorhir is; you have either seen the YouTube video, watched it on Memorial lawn, or perhaps both. Many passersby have described it as "geeky kids running around and hitting each other with foam swords." While this may be a first-glance definition, many do not delve into the matter to discover the true nature of Dagorhir.

Contrary to its Geneva dialect, Dagorhir, meaning "Battle Lords," is not pronounced DAH-ger-hire, but DAH-gore-here, and is taken from one of J.R.R. Tolkien's Elven languages. Dagorhir is a full-combat live-action
role-playing game, where the art of weaponry is brought together with character play from historical and fantasy settings. This means that the player is not simply sitting at a table - they are actually living the event.

by Foghnan Neonach

Several years ago, I read a short story about a door-to-door computer salesman who had gained the right to canvas the land of fairie. I don't remember the name of the author, but he described the key characteristics of the land of fairie in a way that made me think of a real place that could have inspired the myth. First, time runs differently, and a man could grow old in a handful of days. Second, the landscape shifts about, making direction uncertain. In a time where the path of the sun served as the only clock and compass, there is a place where this actually happens--within the arctic circle. If the measure of a day is sunrise to sunrise, then one day lasts one full year in this strange land. If the sun rises just above the horizon and then hangs frozen in the eastern sky, then the distant mountains will seem to circle you as the endless day drags on. And so, the land of fairie is not a mythical place to the west, but a real place to the far north.

by Foghnan Neonach

In the Arthurian legends, there is a bit about how only the rightful heir to the throne could draw the sword Excalibur out of the rock or anvil into which it had been embedded. As our modern, egalitarian society no longer accepts the concept of divine or supernatural intervention making possible for one that which is impossible for all others, many will dismiss this as pure fantasy. Besides, we've never found a rock with a sword-shaped hole in it. I believe that what we have is just a slight misunderstanding due to cultural differences.

In Ireland, there is a big rock that the old High Kings used to have to stand on when they were crowned. When the minor kingdom of Dalriada moved from Ireland to Scotland, they took with them a small rock about the size and shape of a pillow that their kings had to sit on when they were crowned. This rock is still being used by the British Monarchy during coronations today. Large, flat rocks, natural and carved, fixed and portable, were commonly used as altars in a wide variety of sacred ceremonies throughout Europe. Every culture that still retains a monarchy has a ceremonial sword or two lying about.

Throughout pre-Roman and pre-Christian Europe, it was a fairly common practice for the warriors of each tribe or petty kingdom to elect the best of their number to be king. Sometimes, however, you would wind up with several candidates all backed by various factions, but with no clear consensus as to who would be king. As High Priest in this situation, you could let them fight it out to prove who is the best warrior and risk having it escalate into civil war, or you could do something like this: gather the eligible warriors around the altar-stone, lay the ceremonial sword across it, and proclaim "Let he who first draws the sword from the stone be king!" Think about it, this is a test, not of strength, not of divine right, but of boldness. The boldest, most decisive warrior, and therefore the most fit to rule (at least in theory) will not hesitate to pick up the sword while everyone else is still eye-balling each other and trying to calculate the odds.

By Morgan the Graymael, Dagorhir Aratari  

The first battle of what is now Dagorhir took place in October, 1977 -- 30 years ago.  Dagorhir began with one man's quest to become part of the battles he read about in "Lord of the Rings"..... to move through the woods as part of a wolf pack in search of battle.  Aratar's vision shaped the earliest years of Dagorhir: camping out (often by sneaking into parkland without a permit!), telling stories around the fire by night, battling by day - always capture-the-flag woods battles which involved scouting the forest to find the foe.  

As Dagorhir grew, we tried a new type of combat: field battles, where we fought many different scenarios in one day, with the enemy always in sight across the field. This opened up Dagorhir to spectators and caught the attention of the media (both these things helped it grow more) and made Dagorhir more fast-paced, making it more attractive to hard-core fighter types.    

By Sirilay

With thanks to the self-acknowledged unnamed

As I have never written nor played an assassin, I turned to a dictionary for the start of my investigation, where assassin was defined as a murderer, specifically of high-profile or political figures. Just a start, of course, because if that were it, any Joe Dagorhir who has clocked Dominus on the nose with an arrow would be considered an assassin. As a side note, the term hitman was also mentioned on the boards, and I have at last found a definition that works for me: a hitman is a specific type of assassin, one who answers to a crime lord.

The persona in my opinion cannot be defined without direct personal gain from killing. Among such gains are money, favors, repaying debt, sheer pleasure, or thrill of escaping authorities and/or enemies. These rewards come in exchange for their art, and I do mean art, for it takes months and years of dedication to master. It is not often you find assassins specializing in killing in addition to something else that is not directly related to killing. Making poisons or being able to identify certain carpenters' work may be crucial to eliminating specific marks, but you won't often find an assassin doubling as a talented carpenter or exceptional apothecary during the day.

by Sheila Nagig 

"Great vibe."  That's the phrase I've heard the most to describe the recent Battle of Badon Hill II, brought to Dagorhir by Eryndor and Rome.  

Beautiful weather (cold at night, but that's expected in late September in the mountains) with plenty of fighting.  I missed Friday's fighting, but EVERYONE who spoke about it said it rocked.  I heard a lot of people remark on the high degree of honor shown.  

Friday night saw dancing, drumming, and general revelry under the pavilion until the wee hours of the night, with a near-full moon shining down.  Many contests were held to decide who would win Excalibur (a wonderfully balanced Blue Sword donated by Eryndor).  

Saturday began cold, with fog covering the encampment...but the morning sun quickly burned through and warmed things up to a comfortable fighting temperature in the 60's.  Eryndor's weapons-check ran fair and efficiently, with the added bonus of Momma and Poppa running their diner right next to the pavilion, providing hot a la carte meals and cold sweet tea while we waited for equipment to be checked. 

With thanks to Sir Istvan, Sir Tobias, Sir Magnus, and King Shatterhaze

My first encounter with warriors was through a knight by the name of Sir Orin Neville Smythe, and yes, while merely a cartoon (don't believe Mr. Dickinson when he calls it "dire"), his story of legend held fewer romanticisms than most children were exposed to at my age. Most fairy tales, we know, are merely that; the average knight in reality was nothing more than an experienced soldier with land, horses, and servants. Historically, there were others with less than that, and those with more, and those in orders with codes, and those who were educated, and the list goes on. But the knights I talk about from here on in are knights in Dagorhir.

I'm using ‘warrior' here instead of knight because my definition of warrior (a fighter who upholds a set of standards higher than that of the best citizens and soldiers) can spread more widely than the term ‘knight,' as that was only known to certain parts of Europe. Any status that confers an equivalent level of respect and prowess, be it knight or samurai or kensman or hunter, is here termed as ‘warrior.' (All of those interviewed would adopt the title ‘knight.')

Let it be known, first, that I once used terms to differ between knights by title and knights by role-play, but not anymore. Why? Because there is no difference. After talking with them, I left each interview with a greater respect for who they are and what they portray, and could not tell you based on impression alone which was which. And no matter how I joke and show sarcasm, they all have my deepest respect.

Here at Incidental Padding, we try our best to highlight all areas of the Dagorhir community, including the wealth of innovative craftspeople who abound in our subculture. In the "Artisan Spotlight" series, different smiths of varying materials will be sharing their creations with the world of Dagorhir at large. This month, we're interviewing Zagref, who has made a water-formed leather mask.

Bahli, at Incidental Padding: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Zagref: In Dagorhir, I go by the name Zagref.  I have been in Dagorhir for 6 years, started making chain armor 5 years ago, and began attempting leather armor 2 years ago.

IP: How would you describe your piece?

Z: My mask is a single piece of leather, covering the majority of my face with the exception of the mouth, water molded to fit my face.  It was originally dyed dark green with a black highlight around the outer perimeter and eyes.  It also has a plain leather strip riveted to it to hold it on while wearing it without any other armor for support.

IP: Is the design of your own making?

Z: The design is partially of my own making.  I got the idea for it from a leather mask at a Halloween store, but couldn't hope to replicate it with my inferior tools, skills, and use of thicker leather.  The mask was initially designed with a much longer hooked nose piece that would overhang my mouth, which was later removed for better comfort and aesthetics.

IP: What gauge is the leather?

Z: The leather is around 3/16 inches thick towards the bottom and around 1/4 inch thick in the forehead.

IP: Was it made for a particular occasion?

Z: I made the mask for a masquerade party/dance at my girlfriend's high school.  I didn't feel like going with just some cheap plastic mask, and I figured that I could use the excuse of a masquerade to finally try my hand at making at leather mask to go with my maille coif.

IP: Why did you choose this particular design?

Z: I chose this design because I thought it looked decent, was easy enough to make, and did a pretty good job of covering my face where my coif did not.

IP: Was there anything that you found especially difficult about constructing this item?

Z: Forming it to my face was a bit difficult.  My girlfriend was helpful in that process though, holding the leather in place while I worked on forming it.  Unfortunately I neglected to put a barrier over my eyes when forming around my eye sockets, resulting in some irritation from the chemicals in the leather.

IP: A lesson learned, I suppose. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us!

So I went to a show in Cleveland one day to see a couple of bands with this girl I had just met named Melissa. Well we get there and I find out Most Precious Blood (one of the biggest reasons I went) weren't playing because their van blew up in Cincinnati, what a bummer. The first band, Daughters, plays and I'm left feeling dirty because their singer is a frigging weirdo. And after Give Up the Ghost I'm tired and thoroughly amused by their one armed singer. But the band that really got me thrashing was Cursed. They played all the song on their CD "One" and I fell in love. I bought the record that night and I still listen to it to get pumped.

The best way to describe the sound is obviously hardcore. But they use other influences intermittently and to such an effect to have a unique sound. There are a couple of relatively long instrumental parts that have a very barren and doomy feel but the overall pace is fast downbeats and crunchy guitar and bass. The singer and drummer are the obvious strong points, but isn't that what every really good band has at it's core?

I've only been in Dagorhir for a very short period, perhaps three months or less. The thought of Ragnarok was something that I was both looking forward to and dreading in many ways. It was a chance to improve upon my ever-growing skills, but also an opportunity to see if the rest of Dagorhir was as generally welcoming and open as those in my home realm are.

I arrived at the gates of Ragnarok on Saturday afternoon, for I was selected and volunteered to pull security throughout the week. From the moment I arrived, the second part of my hopes were indeed granted for I found near everyone to be of good cheer and happy to be there. All were welcoming and accepting of this grunt who had made an appearance at the Gates of Fire event for but a day and decided to stick around.

As Sunday rolled around into midmorning and afternoon, this did not change; by the end of the evening, almost everyone who I had escorted to their respective campsites had invited me back to share a drink or just to relax at some point in the week. I came to quickly realize that it is simply impossible to experience all that Dagorhir has to offer in the way of simply awesome individuals in just one week.

Practicing in quite possibly the most beautiful location ever, Wyvern Clan brings Dagorhir to Puerto Rico at San Felipe del Morro Fort Southern Wall and the historic city of Old San Juan.  Their story starts like so many others.  Akeron heard about Dagorhir from Tumbark (who since moved to Aratari lands), but had heard from similar games and organizations from friends at college - who happened to be gamers and had a small publication called "Wendigo" dedicated to the RPG players on campus.

Tumbark and Akeron worked together and talked for long hours about RPGs, armor craft and foam fighting. They also met with some friends at Akeron's place on San Sebastian street to play Eberron, a d20 D&D new Campaign setting.

Tumbark and his friends organized a Medieval Party (actually the second ever on the Island) to which they invited all the D&D crew, including Akeron. At that party Tumabark had the great idea of holding a small tourney. This hooked Akeron forever.

Akeron is not the only driving force behind the Wyvern Clan.  Gytanyya and Kudram have also been instrumental in the development of the Puerto Rican Chapter.

A very quick recap on Ragnarok XXII, since it is impossible to fit everything into one small article.

Rag was held on June 17-24, 2007 at Spring Valley Campground in Cambridge, Ohio.  According to Vanisia's careful records, there were 1262 people over the course of the week, representing at least 37 Dagorhir chapters.  On Saturday, 601 fighters were on the field.

Before you head off on your latest interstate (or international!) jaunt to yet another great Dagorhir event, it helps to be prepared for when you reach your destination, but many forget to be prepared for actual problems along the way. The old saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is absolutely applicable here!

The orc captain, the small town sitting quietly a hundred yards away, orders a charge. His brethren thunder down into the valley behind him, crashing to a stop only when he roars a second time. Their clouds of dust blow over a man not twenty paces from the town's edge, bearing worn pauldrons, a cracked breastplate, dented greaves, and one half gauntlet. His hand is steady, and his sword point does not waver from its target.

"Leave this place. You will find only death here," he tells the army.

The orc captain wastes no time in responding, "HA! You?! One puny human against a legion of MY orcs? YOU will only find death here."

He tightens his arm, raising his shield, and sinks into a wide stance.

"Then come."

The swarm of iron, stench, and battlecries consumes him, and it is the last he knows.

Brave or stupid? The timeless question. Out of my own investigations and responses from others, it comes down to fewer factors than I originally thought. For some, it is a matter of outcome. Others examine the situation itself, and still more say they look at what lies in the mind of the man (or woman-please, being PC detracts from an article, but if you know me, I'm all about equality).

Proof that Morgraughk-ptui and Auric Windwolf attended Ragnarok...before they starting counting.

(Picture courtesy of Graymael.)

The never-ending influx of the young and vigorous looks to the elders and veterans of Dagorhir to show them the ropes, be amazing (hopefully) role-models, and above all else, to teach them that age and treachery overcome youth and beauty...sometimes. Sometimes, though, even the most seasoned veterans feel a little run-down Looking for signs that your realm should have its own retirement home? Check the list!

It's that time of year again - when our thoughts turn to war, death, destruction, and the end of world.  Yes, my friends, it's time for another Ragnarok.

In an effort to better prepare everyone for Rag, especially the first-timers, I'm going to detail some of our major battles this year, from setup to strategy, what's worked in the past, and what hasn't.  I'm not covering all the battles for the week - that would be way too long for this article.  There are 3 themed battles every day, and these are just the highlights.

I've been kind of hesitant to use this record because Gojira has been getting a lot of exposure for it and that makes me uncomfortable. I heard a couple of songs as soon as it came out and I was just wanted to lay waste to everything. "From Mars To Sirius" does live up to a good chunk of the hype surrounding it. But people are comparing them to Mastadon, who are stylistically different, Metallica, oh Gruumsh, please no, and Meshuggah...? I think they sound a little more like Strapping Young Lad, but that's just me.

If I ask a group of Dagorhirrim to picture a ranger, it will result in as much variety as asking mundanes to picture a car. The average Joe Dagorhir has a mental image created by fantasy books, movies, online fanfic forums, and rpgs. But that image is just an image. Like the cover of a book, it hides the core of paper, ink, first and last pages, and concept; and this core--what a ranger TRULY is--is what everyone misses.

A couple of years ago one of my friends played me an EP from a band called Beneath the Massacre and I was blown away. They were so fast and heavy. Everything was technical and tight and well thought out. I listened to that EP for a good six or seven months and set it aside so I wouldn't get bored. Then they got signed to a fairly small American metal label. When I heard that I freaked out and couldn't wait until full-length came out.  Right before I turned 21 they put it out and since then I've been trying to wrap my mind around it.

The second and third generations of Dagorhir seem to grow faster every year. Ever wonder if you're being overrun by ankle-biters? Briar Rose and Bahli offer a few warning signs:

*The cutoff age in a Geezer Battle is 21, and that's if the older population is fond of 6-to-1 odds.

*Times/dates for events and practices are almost solely dependent on the schedule of the local public school system.

*Some of your members have taken to "adopting" kids that they're fond of, for the sole purpose of keeping track of everyone at events or Faire.

*If when you're all broke and 500 miles from Cambridge, your realm's biggest headache for Ragnarok still is finding enough chaperones.

TO: Ichiro, Incidental Padding Accounting Department

FROM: Leonidas & Graymael, Incidental Padding Roving Reporters

SUBJECT: Expense Voucher from Ides of March

Dear Ichiro-Sama,

Below are the detailed explanations you requested of the Voucher submitted by us for our expenses related to writing the article on "The Ides of March I" for Incidental Padding.  If you have any further questions, please follow up with us quickly; otherwise, we expect our reimbursement (in gold coin) to be delivered in next week's mail.

SINcerely,

Leonidas & Graymael

If any of you guys have about fifteen minutes to kill driving to practice or an event, or you're stuck waiting for everyone else listen to this First Blood EP. I would tell you to listen to their full-length version, but if you did that and then tried to fight someone would get severely hurt. Even if you were fighting in SCA armor with tap fighting swords.

Perhaps you have spent too many evenings at Dagorhir events with an overcooked bowl of prepackaged soup from the Orient, gulping it down just to ignore the lack of flavor. The truth is that a good meal from a campfire can be rather simple if you realize enjoyable food is made of 75% knowing what do to and 25% actually doing it. And while I had intended to walk you through some different recipes, I will instead give tips from all stages of cooking, and your newly acquired knowledge should inspire your own ideas for campfire meals.

"...a hauberk, iron chausses, helmet or lighter war-hat, espalier for the shoulders, solerets for the feet, padded gambeson to be worn beneath the hauberk, shield, lance, sword, ‘Turkish mace', and fighting dagger... a knife for bread, a third small knife, two shirts, two pairs of breeches, two pairs of hose, a small belt for his shirt, a small sack for his night shirt, another small sack for his quilted soft armor, a leather sack for his hauberk, a hat and a felt bonnet."    From the, Knight of Outremer, Warrior Series, Osprey Books, David Nicolle PhD. and Christa Hook

It may seem early to be preparing for an event in June but a week-long affair like Rag takes some forethought. While the above passage is romantic and even useful it does not speak to the day to day needs of a person on campaign. I will cover some of the things we have learned in our adventures so you can enjoy a weekend or week-long Dagorhir event and come home in one piece.

On February 3, 2007, about 100 Dagorhirrim came out in the cold for a Tournament and Feast in Aratari lands.

Seventy fighters signed up for the tournament.  The fighters were paired at random.  There were both veteran and newbie categories for almost all the weapons categories.

In between fights, people could go inside the hall to warm up, get snacks and hot drinks, and buy items from the yard sale.

The feast gear was a hot seller at the yard sale.  All of it sold, down to the last knife and sugar bowl.

For those of you who witnessed the Dagorhir debut of golf-tube arrows at Ragnarok XXI, many were curious as to how to construct these unusual-looking projectiles. Thanks to extensive play-testing out west, most notably in Aggelgorod, the design has been tweaked and the endurance of this new arrow format tested. Want to build some of your own? Read on!

There are always threads on the national Dagorhir boards about what our fellow fighters listen to when we get ready to fight, what we listen to on the way to events, and so on. Well, I'm here to help you all out with those decisions. Every issue, I'm going to review a CD that really gets me bloodthirsty and savage. To start off with, I'm going to introduce Amon Amarth's album "Versus the World".

Part Two:  The Kids

So now that the non-com adult is entertained, what about the kids?  The following tips apply mostly to the preteen and under crowd. 

First off, lose the idea that Ragnarok is a giant playground that is safe for kids without any supervision.  With hundreds of people of all ages from all across the country, you have to think of it like any big event.  You wouldn't take your kid to the mall and not keep some sort of tabs on him.  Same thing at Rag.  There are also hazards like a creek, lake, cars, and dogs who may or may not like children - for breakfast. 

I recommend that you take the kids camping before Rag if they've never been before.  Attend a local campout or just do a weekend at your nearby campground.  Let them get a feel for camping (noise, bugs, dirt, portacastles, heat, weather, cold, fresh air).  If they hate it, do yourself a favor and take them to Grandma's for the week instead of bringing them to Ragnarok.  One of our kids loves camping and one has decided he hates it.  It's not fun for anyone, including our unit-mates, to camp with Mr. Sullen so we spare everyone the experience.  You may compromise and rent a nearby hotel room.  If so, consider a small tent in camp for a playroom/nap area/storage.  If you do stay onsite, recognize that the bath house is a quarter mile from the nearest camp, so don't plan on being able to use it when Little Susie needs to go to the bathroom - urgently.

In this article, I'll try to lay out the pros and cons to consider when selecting the type of arrows to use. There are 4 types of traditional arrow shafts: Carbon, Aluminum/Carbon Hybrids, Aluminum, and Wood. The two main deciding factors are usually cost and durability. Golf-tube shafts are a fairly new addition to the Dagorhir archery world, and will sadly not be covered in this article, due to my lack of experience with them.

Greetings, longbow fanatics! In this article, I will be attempting to present enough basic knowledge so that anyone can select a wooden longbow for their use in Dagorhir.

Let's start off with the types of woods that can be used in bows:
Osage orange, mulberry, locust, black walnut (with the sap wood), red cedar, juniper, tan oak, apple wood, ash, eucalyptus, lancewood, washaba, palma brava, elm, birch, bamboo, yew, and hickory.

About this time every year people start asking, "I'm trying to convince my girlfriend or parent to go to Rag with me.  What can they do while I'm on the field?" and "I want to go to Rag, but what about the wife and kids?" Ragnarok is a whole new ballgame with the family in tow and it's a different experience for the non-fighter than a fighter.  However, Ragnarok can still be a great event for those who never set foot on the battlefield.

Settle in.  I'm going to cover this in two parts.

With even the earliest campouts of the Dagorhir season still a few months away, I hope you'll indulge me as I forgo the requisite campfire and instead use the power of the World Wide Intraweb to bring together the Dagorhir family as I spin a tale.  This is a story about two imaginary foamsmiths, in two imaginary places - but both having a very similar aspirations.

The Parable of the Two Foamsmiths

Dalnor and Begnor were two starry-eyed, imaginative people... who happened to both live in the most boring of places.  Dalnor lived in a quiet town in the north, Begnor lived in a quiet town in the south.  In an act of coincidence so preposterous that it could have only happened in an imaginary tale, a few years ago they both happened to stumble across the Dagorhir website at the exact same moment. 

Welcome to Incidental Padding, the Dagorhir Webzine for Dagorhirim, by Dagorhirim.  Every month we plan to feature reader submitted Dagorhir news, event reviews, advice, humor, stories and more.  Have advice for the new fighter?  Got a funny story from a recent event?  Need to hire or want to hire out your mercenary unit?  Submit it to the 'zine!  This not only exists for Dagorhir, but is fueled by Dagorhirim.

There are two types of people in the world: those who put people into groups, and those who don't. I'm the second type. But if I DID divide people, I'd break Dagorhir into two basic groups: Sword Jocks and Fantasists.

Sword Jocks are all about the fighting, and only the fighting. Generally the Sword Jock is just as happy wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt and fighting at a large practice as at a battle in garb. Some Sword Jocks own one tunic... others just put armor over their sweats.

Fantasists tend to care more about the flavor of the fight than the fight itself. Fantasists are the people who show up painted blue, wearing elf-ears, or wearing armor all the time not because they feel they need the protection, but because that's what Roman officers did. They're the ones most likely to have enough garb to wear two outfits a day at Ragnarok without going to the cleaners.

On Saturday, October 28, 2006, Eryndor’s first official unit, Senegal’s Finest, held their debut event, VooDoo. Despite the cold weather, the rain, and fierce wind, over 72 Dagorhirrim came out to Nike Park in Carleton, Michigan to take part in this momentous event.  Adeus of the Senegal’s had this to say about their first event: “Warm friends, hot food, and sexy battles!” “It was cold, rainy, and fun as hell!” said Maes, an attendee.

Some of the battles scenarios included: Unit Battles, Epic Shield - Team Battles, Pick up battles, and an amazing Legendary Scenario Battle.  A break was taken for an extended period of time in the mid afternoon so others could socialize and hot food could be served, provided by the Senegal’s.

In Dagorhir, characters run the gamut of types, from many cultures in a variety of real or fictional worlds. This article hopes to lay out some noteworthy thoughts as to what race you feel is best for your new character.

As to the matter of your species, we all choose ours for different reasons. Some like the way a particular race looks, others love the language, fighting style, or culture, and still others may have a hero of that same race. Maybe you want to choose a similar race to a friend, or maybe you'd like to be something different altogether. Some realms, units, or households require or prefer a certain race in order to join; others are open to all.

So maybe you've been to an event or two, and taken the time to marvel and/or salivate over the stylish garb and cool feast gear of those around you. Looking down at your shredded t-shirt and plastic flatware, you can't help but wonder: When will I have the money to look that good?

The answer, my friend, is that it doesn't take hundreds (or even dozens) of your hard-earned dollars to "keep up with the Tynans" of the Dagorhir world. It's actually pretty simple, as well as affordable, to look good and still have money to save toward a new tent or that helm you've been eyeing.

"How?", you ask. In this article and those that follow, I'll be covering several easy ways to get garb, feastware, and other necessary sundries for reasonable prices, and even how to get some of it for free! Ready to get started?