Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Anatomy of a Passing Sword

Along the lines of what I did for arrows, here's a visual guide to all the details of a passing sword. A special thank you to Sir Torrence for providing the cutaway pictures. Click image to see full siz...

Monday, June 23, 2014

Garb Enforcement at Practice

Every year, there's a debate over how to handle garb enforcement.  Subsequently, the community usually ends in the same place: everyone agreeing that garb should be worn at events, some people insisting garb should be worn at practices, while others argue that requiring garb at practice is a death-kiss to recruitment. I'm personally in the pro-garb at practice camp, with leeway given for newbies, because I've seen it done much more good than...

Friday, June 20, 2014

Welcome to Belegarth

AKA The Trials of a New Fighter Photo © Ellie Apland Hello, there! I couldn't help but notice you seem interested in what we're doing over here. Do you have any questions I can answer for you? Oh? Well if you're sure, why don't you give it a try? It'll only take me a couple minutes to show you the rules. I promise you won't hurt me if you're playing by the book. If it makes you feel better, you can take it easy on me while I'm teaching you....

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Static Guard: A-Frame

This guide is for newer fighters. Some concepts below are simplified to allow more immediate comprehension and application. Photo © Tiffany Tyler-Tyson The A-Frame guard is often the first taught to new fighters who fight sword and board. It is relatively simple and provides a solid static defense when executed properly. As your footwork, speed, and understanding of combat become better, you'll be able to branch out into other methods with more...

Monday, June 16, 2014

Fighting as Entertainment

Fighters just don't get people who would rather watch a battle than participate in it. That's not surprising, really - they all get the itch to grab a weapon when they're stuck on the sidelines. It doesn't compute why someone of perfectly fine health won't just pick up some gear and have fun, especially if they already know the rules. For that reason, I am often asked: how can you enjoy yourself just sitting there? Truth be told, I don't always....

Friday, June 13, 2014

Typecasting male event-goers

An overview of some of the men you will meet if you go to a Belegarth event. What type(s) are you? The Creeper - “Your garb is really pretty. Can I touch it?” The man who hides behind the cowl of social awkwardness to excuse his inappropriate behavior. He's uncomfortably forward, overly friendly, and invites himself into your conversations and personal space. Don't be this guy - everyone hates this guy. The White Knight - “Sure, I’d be happy to...

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

10 things you should know before your first camping event

Your home at a camping event will probably look something like this. Photo Ellie © Apland After weeks or months of practice, it's finally time: you're going to your first camping event. You've heard countless stories from veterans about how amazing they are with hundreds of people, incredible fighting, and a buzzing nightlife. It's a chance to see what the Belegarth community is really all about. Well, before you head out and enjoy, there are...

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

The Belegarth Guilds

Artificer Guild Crest For a very long time, Belegarth has struggled with how to appreciate and foster the growth of Belegrim who contribute beyond fighting. I'm not just talking about non-combatants; many fighters do amazing amounts of service and create fantastic garb as well! I'm proud to announce that we've taken the first steps towards both recognizing these people and giving them more opportunities to share, learn, and grow. With the...

Monday, June 2, 2014

Sewing for Belegrim: No-Pattern Tunic

Belegrim always have a lot of excuses for not wearing proper garb. My favorites are "I can't sew" or "It's too expensive to buy patterns" or "It takes too long". Well, for all those people, this tutorial explains how to make a tunic with nothing but a couple yards of cotton, scissors, needle and thread. It's nothing fancy, but it takes less than an hour to make, even with the edges finished. Don't let the length of this tutorial fool you...

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