It's Friday afternoon. The sun is shining, birds are singing, and some nerds are about to beat the snot out of each other in the funniest way possible. The game is named Dagorhir, and it's one of many options for foam-based medieval warfare in North America.
At my little college of Frostburg State University, it's the only such option. Dagorhir, or rather just “Dag,” has been a usual staple in the lower quad of FSU for at least the last eight years. Anyone and everyone is welcome to play or watch, and the little group has seen turnout of over 90 participants at one time on campus alone!
Three years ago, our local event “Journey to the Land of Frost,” dominated the lower quad for a chilly afternoon that saw not only a number of players travel here, but also saw a HUGE response from the student community. It was a blast!
The game is simple, using the national rules of the LARP-sport(live action roleplay), adapted to fit the safety requirements of the campus.
To keep it short:
Weapons come in colors of Red, Blue and Green. Blues are basic swords, hammers, axes, etc. Reds are big, two-handed things like clubs, halberds, and glaives, and swing like trucks to break down defenses by “breaking” shields and armor. Green weapons, alternatively, are usually stabbing weapons like spears and daggers, and can “puncture” through armor in single strikes, as well as incapacitate armor. For safety, we don't allow archery on campus, but thrown javelins are a-OK!
As for the rules, they're even easier:
You get hit in the arm or leg, you “lose” the limb and stop using it. You lose another, you're dead. You get hit in the torso, you're dead. Headshots are nationally banned in the rules, for safety, and hitting someone in the skull is not only frowned upon but worthy of either a talking-to or taking someone off the field completely until they get their act together.
The game itself is incredibly fun. Instead of the focusing on being in-character constantly, the main focus of Dag is to develop a persona of your own fighting and to hit your fellows while having as much fun as possible. Larger events have rules about time-period-only garb and outfitting, but as far as public practice goes, as long as you're safe, you can fight. Skill ranges from 20-year veterans to 20-day newbies, and as a game of physical skill, everyone has the chance to improve and fight equally.
Battles can range from free-for-all style fights to organized line battles with shieldmen protecting spears and clubs, working together to beat other teams. There are tactics used, especially in larger events that can see upwards of 600 people on a field!
The game itself, while looking like the nerdiest thing on the planet, is actually really physical and skill-demanding. It's not a far stretch to call Dagorhir a sport of its own. Many players seek to keep themselves in good health (not a requirement, anyone of any type is welcome to play) and see the benefits of strength and mobility over time. I use Dag myself as a very vigorous and fun way to work out each week (though rain has kept us out-of-practice these last few weeks) on top of my gym time.
On that note, there's another aspect of Dag that can't be beat: the community. I have never met a player in Dag, either locally or at the larger regional and national events, that wasn't able to connect with the greater group in some way or form. I've made some lifelong friends just by going to that first awkward fight in spring of 2012, and I’ve never regretted it. I have a gym group with people I play with. Dagorhir is a social circle that emphasizes openness to new people, and the warm welcome I received is a great testament to that philosophy.
Dag is an experience that cannot be compared. Either as a spectator or a fighter, Dagorhir offers a brand of nerdiness that most people second-guess as “Dungeon's and Dragons Gone Wild.” And, in a way, it is, but it is also so much more. Dag is recreation. It is physical activity. It's running and swinging and sweating for four to five hours a week, having a blast all-the-while.
So, next time you see a group of nerds hitting each other with foam swords, feel free to take a seat or take a sword and hop right in.
