Where Video Game Meets Reality
July 10th, 2008
Amtgard-- investigating the national appeal of medieval role playing growing in the United States and world-wide to over 50,000 members.
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| Amtgard warriors ready for battle |
Salt Lake City--The last thing you might expect to see in Liberty Park on a beautiful Saturday afternoon is a Jack Sparrow pirate getting whacked to the ground by a medieval warrior using a nerf looking sword. These men aren't putting on a practical joke to intimidate picnickers, in fact they take their battles quite seriously.
This is Amtgard, a national organization which according to its website is "dedicated to the recreation of the sword and sorcery genre." There are currently two medieval societies in the United States (Amtgard and SCA-Society for Creative Anachronisms) which total over 50,000 members nation-wide. This report focuses on Amtgard, which according to twelve year Amtgard member Mathew Lindner (aka:Sable Al'Matnetne), all began as a hoax by a con-artist. The beginnings of Amtgard were the result of James Haren (aka: Peter LaGrue) posting an ad in the newspaper classifieds to celebrate "a birthday bash for Atilla the Hun." Offering a rule book for $30 dollars, LaGrue continued to accept money and members, claiming to spend member dues on legitamate expenses, all while pocketing the majority of the cash. Once LaGrue's scheme was discovered he was expelled as president of Amtgard, dues were then set at $6 per year, and have remained that amount ever since. Desipte the scam and financial loss, participants continued their meetings and growing the organization. That was in 1983. Today Amtgard has twelve "kingdoms", (a kingdom must have at least 75 members) and representation in almost every state. The group has merged their rules and games with the LARP (Live action roll playing) groups which combines the skills involved with games like Dungeons and Dragons with the physicality of contact sports.
Utah Amtgard appeals mostly to gamers, Dungeons & Dragons fans, and marshal arts enthusiasts. The Utah Chapter consists of around 200 participants, whose levels of commitment vary from once a week to once per quarter. Participants across the country range in categories from Knights, Wizards, Healers and Warriors. Weekly meetings are held in Liberty Park, where participants get together and eat, spar with their swords, practice moves then form two large groups that go after each other in a massive play battle.
The benefit for gamers is the physicality and the real-world human contact that many from the console gamer community lack.
Battlefield Play and Rules
The most confusing aspect of participation is the battlefield rules. Which Lindner attempted to explain by pointing out the basic rules:
If a limb his hit in battle (by the honor system) the warrior can no longer use that limb (be it an arm or a leg). If a warrior looses a leg then he must either hop on one leg and still continue to try to fight. Or go to the knees and fight while crawling (unless he has lost both legs and both arms). Lindner says that there is no biting, a warrior is assumed deceased if he is without two limbs-- More than "merely a flesh wound".
However, death in this battle, similar to video games, doesn't always mean game over. If an army's members include a healer with "spells" the healer can restore life and limbs. There are varying degrees of healers and some healers or sorcerers have a limited number of spells. However, sorcerers also have the ability suck the soul out of a dead body, which means the life of the deceased can never be restored-- "not just mostly dead but, completely dead." Although the associations with Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Princess Bride are easy to make, these men aren't joking while in battle.
Lindner says battles combine both strategy and physical sword fighting abilities. The battlefield strategy translates from battlefield tactics for real combat operations. This aspect attracts former and current members of the U.S Military. Company leaders or Knights, position their warriors to mount attacks in formations. The typical strategy is to take out the strongest or most powerful members, such as Sorcerers or Healers of the opposing team early in the game, so the lives of the dead cannot be resurrected.
Amtgard has national events whereby "Kingdoms" compete for honor and lands in their 'virtual' territory.
Not About Just Battles
Utah Amtgardians had a few athletes who demonstrated battlefield prowess, however, most of the men in Liberty Park seem more suited for dressing up then battle. Lindner says that in Texas, where he originally joined Amtgard, the participants are mostly former high school athletes or former U.S military personnel. Texas battlegrounds are highly competitive and sometimes quite fierce. However, the meetings aren't all about sport killing and battles, according to one of the websites associated with Amtgard, romance can be involved in the meetings too.
If one Amtgardian wishes to show favor to another he can give her a cloved orange. This is a practice common to a simialar medieval tradition. The orange can then be accepted with a kiss (showing acceptance) or refused and returned. Associated with this practice there are myriad rules and practices wich demonstrate a receiver's level of interest. For example is a lady removes a clove, peels the orange or eats the orange all tell the potential suitor how interested she it. The complete rules associated with the cloved orange can be found here.
Why The Popularity in Medeval Societies?
The success of Amtgard as well as another large organization know as SCA-- Society for Creative Anachronism (which has similar but even more harsh rules and more expensive member dues but with 30,000 member world-wide) begs the question as to why?
These battles likely find appeal in being something like a sport. The athleticism and strategy involved could be a learning experience for warfare tactics and history. Despite the fact that wearing a costume and playing a theatrical roll inside of a public park might appear odd to the laymen, the popularity of roll playing games (RPGs) is a fact of modern culture. This trend is even greater if included in this group are the Nintendo and console game addicts who "roll play" as they play games like Age of Empires and Final Fantasy, making the transition not difficult. For gamers, who might otherwise spend all day with their console, live action RPGs are a great benefit, both socially and physically. Amgard allows is their members to experience being a "character" in real life. In acquaintance with several D&D and Nintendo addicts, they are typically the very bright yet introverted. Perhaps Amgard and SCA are a form of escapism, but also a bridge for the anti-social computer geek to enter real and meaningful contact with the real world.
The traditions of SCA and Amtgard also incorporate traditions from European countries. Much of Europe still incorporates period music and costumes into their festivals, which remind communities of their origins and history; something lacking in America today.
If one examines popular America culture alone there are slim pickings on cultural offerings. Not everyone feels a sense of cultural pride from listening to Brittany Spears or Kanye West and all of the MTV promoted "artists or culture." The medieval recreation movement offers, history, tradition and fellowship. One Amtgardian, known as Loptr Fitz-Bane said as I was leaving, "What it comes down to is getting together with friends in the park being able to beat each other with our swords and not be arrested by the cops. What more could you want?"
Reader Comments
Kameron Billings
How would i be able to join something like this near the ogden/layton area? if anyone can tell me that would be great
response
The list for Amtgard can be found on Amtgard's ORK atlas
There are no sites for Amtgard besides Tooele and Salt Lake City. There isn't an SCA group either so you could either start your own or make a long drive to Salt Lake City. Good luck!
