What is Dagorhir
Trying to describe Dagorhir is difficult, as it is many different things to many different people. On the surface, it is a medieval/fantasy combat system that uses padded equipment. However, on deeper inspection, it is so much more to many people. Some people see it as a game, some see it as a sport, some see it as a unique culture, and others perceive Dagorhir to be something entirely different. Perhaps some of the best descriptions of Dagorhir can be found in the words of some of the earliest developers of the game, Graymael and Dominus of Aratari.

Dagorhir allows us to build our fantasies into a shared reality. To experience Dagorhir is to grasp at the unobtainable. Dagorhir allows us all to realize our dreams beyond the mundane existence of everyday life.
-Dominus of Rome

A game, a sport, a martial art…a chance to live an adventure.
-Graymael of The Guard

Click this link to explore the national website's description of Dagorhir.

History of Dagorhir
Dagorhir is the original Live Action Roleplaying (LARP) game. Dagorhir has existed for about 30 years, with immense national growth occurring particularly in the last decade or so. The roots of Dagorhir begin with a man in Washington D.C. named Aratar, in the lands of the later-named Aratari chapter. A brief history of Dagorhir and Ragnarok (our largest national event) can be found here.

Garb and equipment has come a long, long way from the early years of Dagorhir. To check out the Dagorhir world 20 years ago, check out Gwynedd's classic pictures in Gallery #1 and Gallery #3 at this link.

Dagorhir circa 1980s, equipment technology has
come a long way since then. Check out that "sword"! (from Gwynedd Gallery #1)

Explore the Website
The Eryndor website is filled with important information about our chapter. From the marketing materials and storyline maps located in the Culture section, to the always-growing Crusaders page portraying some of the 130+ members of Eryndor, to the epic sketches and drawings of the Artwork section, to some mysterious secrets sprinkled throughout the site -- Eryndor is packed full of interesting content. Set your browser speed on cruise and enjoy the ride.

Read the Essentials Packet
One of the best ways to discover more about Eryndor is through the Essentials Packet. Inside contains a great deal of information about our chapter's history, storyline, philosophy, and people. It also includes useful information about Dagorhir in general. Even more, it includes a detailed explanation of the various ranking and award systems in Eryndor. Click the front page of the Essential Packet below to view the PDF file.

Eryndor Essentials Packet

Browse the Forums
Eryndor has an extremely active forum community, as it is one of the only ways to keep such a large family connected! We encourage and appreciate when new or prospective members scan our boards to get a "feel" of the Eryndor community. If you'd like to post and ask questions, by all means feel free to do so. Although it goes without saying, we take pride is keeping our boards a positive and useful community for our members and fellow Dagorhirrim, please use the same care when posting.

Check Out a Practice
All Eryndor practices are welcoming to first-time fighters. No garb is required (but always encouraged), and we almost always have some community gear so you can participate in the battles. Generally, the age for participation is 16 and over, with written parental permission required for those under 16. To find out about a current practice near you, check out the Official Practices forum on our boards. Be ready to get dirty, get tired, meet some great people, and have an absolute blast!

Another lazy afternoon of slaughtering your friends...

Attend an Event
Practices are fun, but they're only the appetizer. For the real main course, come feed your inner-warrior at an upcoming event. Our day events regularly pull over 100 combatants (and still growing!), while campouts range from 80 people to over 1,000 attendees (Ragnarok). To participate at an event, you MUST meet minimum garb standards, and you may need your own equipment. However, if you will be attending your very first event, be sure to contact Eryndor ahead of time, we may have some loaner garb and gear for you. Or, even better, make your own gear by using the great weapon tutorials in the Gear section (be sure to watch the Flash Blue Sword Tutorial). Be careful, though - one event and you'll likely be addicted to this game for life! Upcoming Eryndor events can be found on our Message Board.

... or 120 fighters killing each other on a sunny day. (pics by Zagref)

Joining Policy
Ready to jump into Eryndor? Joining is simple. If you like what the Crusade is about, simply announce your allegiance to the Eryndor banner. Eryndor's philosophy is "you choose us, we don't choose you." We are a non-exclusive group of people and are welcoming to just about any type of person, so long as you afford us the same courtesy. Our policy emphasizes YOUR decision to join Eryndor because it eliminates any potential conflict or drama. No longer want to be with us? No problem, we'll be happy to direct you to any of the other foam fighting groups in the area: no heartache, no drama, no bad feelings. We want the game to grow, and for you to be a part of it, even if its not with us - more people to fight is always a good thing!

"You choose us, we don't choose you."

Making Your Own Gear
One of the biggest misconceptions by people starting out in Dagorhir is that making your own fighting equipment is difficult. Not so! We have an interactive Blue Sword Tutorial that will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know about making your own first sword. It has received the "newbie thumbs up" from many new groups, like Greyglade and Albion. Check GEAR section of the website for many construction blueprints, or click the link below to watch the tutorial.

Seven-year-olds have built passing swords based on this tutorial. Seriously.

Having your own gear lets you personalize your equipment, ensure that you always have plenty of gear for events and practcies, and instill you with a sense of personal pride and accomplishment. For less than $25, you could make yourself a pair of swords, fighting pants, and a tunic that would last you up to a year of use! That's less than half the cost of a video game, and video games rarely deliver you a whole year of enjoyment!

Eryndor Units
Additionally, you may desire to join one of Eryndor's several official units. The policies for joining units are decided by the unit leaders, we'll help you contact them if you're interested.

Also, you may live far from the rest of the main body of Eryndor, or you may have the drive, determination, and vision to create a unit under the Eryndor banner. In each case, starting an official Eryndor unit may be a great option for you. We encourage you to contact and speak with one of the three High Council members (Athron, Daeris, Mithris) to talk about the benefits, risks, and challenges of starting your own unit. To find out the requirements to start an official unit, read the last section of the Eryndor by-laws.