Polk County
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Polk County Itemizer-Observer • February 8, 2017 10A
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Rain or shine, local Amtgardians meet Sundays at noon at Dallas City Park.
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
D
ALLAS — The rain was
pouring. On a wet and
muddy battlefield, a wiz-
ard, a barbarian, monster and
more charged at each other.
Swords were swung. Spells were
cast. Warriors fought for control of
a marker in the center of the bat-
tlefield. It was an epic clash that
would make Tolkien proud. A feast
fit for a king (or at least cake to cel-
ebrate a member’s birthday) was
shared.
No, this wasn’t the latest fantasy
movie being filmed.
This was a local gathering of
Amtgard — a nonprofit organiza-
tion dedicated to recreating the
sword and sorcery genre as well as
educational aspects of medieval
and ancient cultures.
The live-action role-playing
game, which has been around
since the early 1980s, has chapters
around the world.
On the surface, Amtgard ap-
pears to be all about combat and
quests — a live action dungeons
and dragons.
But if you think you know what
this is all about — think again.
—
Ryan Rendon doesn’t pretend
otherwise. He knows what gets
most people interested in Amt-
gard.
“I’d say the thing that attracts
people at first is we’re dressed dif-
ferently and we’re holding big
foam swords,” Rendon said.
The fighting and costumes — or
garb — are the most visible aspects
of the game.
On Sunday, swords, shields,
vests — and even a chicken suit —
charged the battlefield at Dallas
City Park.
Each week there are different
quests for people to take part in.
But there’s so much more than
that.
“The biggest misconception is
that it’s all about fighting,” Rendon
said.
There is a class system to bal-
ance, each with its own unique set
of skills and progression for quests
and certain battle events. From
scouts to monsters, healers to wiz-
ards, there’s a class for every type
of play style.
But if battle doesn’t suit your in-
terest, Amtgard offers plenty of
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Nearly all of the equipment used in Amtgard is homemade and must
meet requirements to ensure safety during gameplay.
chances to stay involved.
“There are people who are in-
volved who never take part in a
battle,” Amtgard member Mike
Chastain said.
Some players focus solely on
making weapons and equipment
— all of which have to meet strict
safety codes set forth by Amtgard.
Other players specialize in
cooking meals fit for the time pe-
riod or have taken up microbrew-
ing. Amtgard appeals to all those
with an artistic side and those
looking to work on leadership
skills.
“If fighting doesn’t appeal to
you, there’s something here for
everyone,” Chastain said. “We have
people who do a lot of crafting.
Others are focused on service to
the club. They’re here every week
helping us get set up, bringing
water and making Amtgard more
enjoyable for the people.”
The society part of the group is
as important as the combat, and
sharing knowledge and skills hap-
pens almost daily.
There’s a sense of community
that extends far beyond a local
chapter of the game.
Rendon said many members
travel to overnight camping events
throughout the year to interact
with Amtgardians from nearby
states.
It’s not uncommon to see
dozens, sometimes hundreds of
Amtgardians sharing stories and
tips in a single campground.
“They are awesome events,”
Rendon said. “Last September,
there was an event in Washington
with more than 250 people on a
battlefield. If you’re not experienc-
ing that, you’re missing out on
something. People had awesome
stories to tell. Others had these
amazing pieces of equipment they
made. That’s what makes this in-
credible. It’s mind blowing.”
That may be the true power of
Amtgard. There are other ways to
get your fix of fantasy adventures,
but what makes Amtgard unique is
Amtgardians Unite!
• Amtgard is a nonprofit organization dedicated to medieval and fantasy
combat sports and recreation.
• Local members meet Sundays at noon at Dallas City Park. New players
are always welcome.
• There is no cost to join. Loaner equipment is available for new players.
• For more information: www.facebook.com/groups/1212472868827100/-
?hc_location=ufi.
how it attracts people from all
walks of life.
“I think people are shocked by
the diversity of people here,” Chas-
tain said. “We have people who
were athletes in high school. I’ve
seen doctors and lawyers out here.
There are a lot of people with mili-
tary backgrounds.”
There’s also a wide range of ages.
Chastain’s 11-year-old daughter
takes part in Amtgard, while the
oldest members have been playing
for decades.
“I think sometimes people feel
they don’t have other people to
share these interests with,” Ren-
don said. “There is a group out
here where you can. We’re all
friends, and we play games and
hang out with each other. We’re
all just out here to have a great
time.”
—
When Rendon got his first
glimpse of the world of Amtgard, it
was through his older brother.
His brother is eight years his
senior, and when Ryan was 6 or 7
he’d accompany his brother to
watch Amtgard practices and
quests.
At first, it was the costumes that
drew him in.
“You had people in fur or capes
fighting each other,” Rendon said.
“It was cool to see as a child.”
Rendon had always been fasci-
nated by the fantasy genre, and
Amtgard was a way to take that
love to a new level.
But by the time he was old
enough and able to participate, the
Dallas Amtgard group had fizzled
out.
Rendon started attending a
group in Salem roughly six years
ago.
About five years ago, Rendon
tried to restart a Dallas Amtgard
group.
“It didn’t work,” he said. “During
the winter, if we had three people,
it was a successful day. I didn’t un-
derstand how to get the group
going.”
In the years that followed, Ren-
don learned more about Amtgard –
and saw how Amtgard changed
him.
“I grew more out of my shell,” he
said. “I can actually talk to people
easier now and make them feel
welcome.”
So, last July, he gave it another
shot to start the group in Dallas.
This time, things went a bit bet-
ter. The group has averaged
around 10 people a week. Two
weeks ago, that number ballooned
to more than 30.
“We want people to know we’re
not trying to intimidate you,” Ren-
don said. “If you want to come out,
we’d love to talk to you.”
There’s no cost to join and the
group has equipment and garb for
people to use at first.
It may be a sight to see a group
of people charging a battlefield to-
gether. But don’t let that fool you.
While Amtgard may appear to be
tailored to the “nerds” it can quick-
ly draw anyone in.
“Don’t be afraid to just come out
and try it,” Rendon said. “No mat-
ter what your interest, there’s a way
to be involved and I think people
will be surprised just how much
fun they can have.”
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Karl Dotter and Eric Sage battle during an Amtgard practice on Sunday afternoon at Dallas City Park.