Nationally Certified Marshal Test - Study Guide

Over the years, it's become clear that we need more experts on the Book of War, weapons checking, and heralding to help Belegarth run smoothly at events. To obtain that, Sir Par, currently president of Belegarth, created an exam that Belegrim can take to prove their skills and become certified. The basics of what the exam is, who has passed, and who can administer it can be seen here:  http://geddon.org/Nationally_Certified_Marshals The next...

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Sewing for Belegrim: How to Applique

Short of owning an embroidery machine, applique is one of the easiest ways to add more professional-looking interest to any part of your kit. If you don't know anything about it, it's the process of tacking down an attractive design made of fabric to other fabric to create intricate and beautiful things. The master of applique in Belegarth right now is definitely Ellie Apland (who also supplies many wonderful pictures for this blog) of Lady Armstrong...

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Roleplaying in Belegarth

The following article is my personal opinion about roleplaying. It is not intended to attack any persons or groups currently in Belegarth who enjoy the practice. The eternal struggle of "LARP vs. Sport" comes down to one thing for many people: roleplaying. In sports, you don't pretend to be someone else. If you've been around Belegarth for any length of time, you know that it has its share of roleplayers among its fighters, and there are just as...

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Fight to the last man

It happens all too often - your team is overrun by the enemy causing you to flee the chaotic scene of slaughter. When you turn around to regroup and face your attackers you realize, too late, that there is no one left to aid you. It is just you against the world. What do you do? For some, they simply cut their losses, calling themselves dead or pushing for a quick mercy killing. They give up in the face of uneven combat and resign themselves to...

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Sewing for Belegrim: Double-Sided Tabards

Probably the most versatile and useful piece of garb I know of, the double-sided tabard is something always in my bag. It serves as emergency garb for newbies - just add a belt - and means I will always have marshal yellow on me. Everybody should own one. That's all good, you think, but I hate working with bias tape on regular tabards and don't want to deal with that weird curve around the neck. Making one will take forever. Not so! Here's...

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Anatomy of a non-modular passing arrow

Arrows can be immensely dangerous if they are not built properly.  Unfortunately, they are also one of the most complicated weapons to make for the first time. You'll probably want to get someone to teach you the first time you do it, or at least follow a tutorial. I've make this handy graphic as a quick guide to show the most important rules you'll need to know if you are making basic arrows. It also gives you an inside view of the construction,...

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Sewing for Belegrim: Basic Bias Tape Techniques

One of the most basic things you can do to make your garb look better in Belegarth is bind it with bias tape. It's an easy way to create color combos and finish raw edges without turning them under. You can even make it match your colors perfectly by making it from left over fabric instead of buying it. Although the basic concept of "wrap and sew" is very simple, many Belegrim don't know enough about bias tape to make sharp corners or finish...

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Hurt them, don't break them

With any full-contact game, there's some element of machismo that pervades the culture. In Belegarth, it tends to rear its head in the form of acts that are technically legal but painful or dangerous. Examples might include purposefully shield edging someone in the head or kidneys, taking full red swings on an archer, or attempting to seriously hurt someone to teach them a lesson about headboxing or sloughing. These actions are often applauded because...

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Approaching Sideline Sitters

I've now gotten this question a few times from fighters who want to be more inclusive to their Belegrim brethren who don't take to the field: What should I do to make them feel more welcome? I see them on the sidelines, but I don't know what to say. There is no easy or correct answer to that question, but I'm going to give it my best shot. First of all, be aware that plenty of sideline-sitters are introverts. The extroverts may sit on the sidelines,...

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I don't need to be good at fighting, just better than you

Sometimes you don't need to be a great fighter out there to win, you just need to make less mistakes than the other guy. Today, I’d like to explore a few very important unwritten rules of Belegarth in the form of a war story. Now, when I say “unwritten rules” I don’t mean etiquette, so much as “things to pay attention to if you don't want to be laughed at later”. My particular tale takes place during a small unit battle, with Heidoran and the Uruk-hai...

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