Welcome to Dragonspine!!!

This handout is intended for newcomers to Amtgard, to familiarize you with who we are, what we do, and how you can get involved. The information contained herein is condensed: longer descriptions are available from many sources, but this should give you a good introduction.

WHO WE ARE: Amtgard is a medieval and fantasy society, created with the intention of letting people, on a regular basis, play the parts of fictitious characters they could otherwise only dream about.

SETTING: Amtgard was started over 10 years ago in El Paso, and has spread nationally. Recently, new chapters have even begun to spring up in northern Europe.
     The El Paso group is referred to as the Kingdom of the Burning Lands (there are several other kingdoms in other parts of the country). The Las Cruces chapter is the Duchy of Dragonspine, named after the mountains you see to the east of town. According to our legend, those mountains are the spine of a sleeping dragon who will rise to defend us if we are ever attacked. Dragonspine owes allegiance to the Kingdom of the Burning Lands, and in turn the Barony of Pegasus Valley (Albuquerque) owes allegiance to us.

WHAT WE DO: Our main function is our Saturday morning meeting in Apodaca Park at the intersection of Madrid and Solano. We officially start at 10:30 a.m. and usually end at around 3 or 4 p.m. This is our main weekly chance to fully play our characters, with all their abilities. The main activities are referred to as "battle games." The typical battle game is a variation on "capture the flag:" We start by choosing team captains and picking teams. Each team starts with a team flag at their base, and the other team tries to capture it while defending their own. Rather than ending the game when the flag is captured, we play to a time limit and see which team has had the flags the longest. Due to the large size of the teams and the fact that they change with every game, we often wear brightly colored armbands to identify which team we are on. During a battle game, if you see someone with a gold headband or armband, that person is being a "reeve" (referee), and is there to keep the action flowing smoothly, as well as to settle any disagreements or answer any questions which may arise. If you "die" in combat (explained later), you walk to an area called "nirvana" and wait 5 minutes, then you return to your team base and "come back to life." Different types of characters have a different number of lives they may use per battle.
     The second most common activity is the "ditch battle." In these, two teams form randomly, and at the call of "lay on!" engage in battle. They fight using hand to hand weapons only, until one team is completely wiped out. At this point, the winning team gives their member who died first to the other team, and the battle re starts. This continues indefinitely, and is a great chance to work on combat skills. This is the main activity at our Thursday night (6:30 p.m.) "fighter practices" at Apodaca Park.
     In the style of the viking era Icelanders, we sometimes have an "Allthing" during our Saturday meetings, which is a chance for all of us to discuss the affairs of Dragonspine and Amtgard. All are welcome to contribute to the conversation.

CHARACTERS: Each of us has created a character based either on historical settings or fantasy novels. The only restrictions we ask are that your creation be original (not a real person or a novel character), and that your character be from before 1650 (if historical) or from a swords and sorcery background (if fantasy). Titles such as Sir, Lord, Lady, Baron, Baroness, Duke, Duchess, and others must be granted by someone in authority within Amtgard, and they are not given out lightly. Try to come up with a history of your character as well, and a reason why they've come here. If you are having trouble coming up with ideas, many of us would be glad to find out your interests and make suggestions. Our Guildmaster of Heraldry is in charge of keeping a record (written by you) of your "persona."

CHARACTER CLASSES: When generating your character, you may want to keep in mind the "class" you would want to play. The longer you play a given class, the more abilities you receive: after every 12 weeks of playing that class and signing in as such, you go up one "level," to a maximum of 6th level. (The Prime Minister is in charge of keeping track of levels.) Each level has its own new benefits. The best person to go to with questions regarding a particular class is the "Guildmaster" of that class. Guildmasters are also responsible for having a spare class specific identifying marker to loan to any newcomer who wishes to play their class. You are welcome to play different classes from week to week: your progress in each class will be recorded separately. (By the way, if you do not wish to fight, we have many other areas, such as cooking, garb construction, weapon or armor construction, acting, music, and heraldry, in which you may wish to participate!) What follows is a brief description of what each class does, as well as how to recognize them on the field...
     ARCHER - Obviously, their main weapon is a bow, though they are not the only class to use bows. Amtgard bows have a 35 pound and 28" limit on their pull, and the arrows are specially constructed to prevent injury. An archer's distinguishing characteristic is the presence of a bow without any indication of the other classes.
     ASSASSIN - Those who wish to hide in shadows and behind rocks and trees, waiting for the perfect moment to run in and kill from behind, may wish to try this class. An assassin wears some kind of mask on their face.
     BARBARIAN - These brutes are so powerful that they cannot be held by magical means, but at the same time they cannot be protected by magical enchantments either. Barbarians tend to wear lots of fur or leather.
     BARD - The wandering entertainer can use their words to hypnotize you or lead you into a false sense of security, and at the highest level gains the use of druidic magic. Bards wear a blue sash, normally over a brightly colored tunic.
     DRUID - These are people with an affinity for nature, and their magic reflects this fact. They call upon nature for a mixture of offensive and defensive spells. Their marker is a brown sash, belt, or robe.
     HEALER - These are invaluable assets to a team, mainly for their ability to restore wounded limbs or bring a dead player back to life (at higher levels). Their magic is largely defensive. They are usually marked by a red sash.
     MONK - Patterned partially after the oriental practitioners of the martial arts, they can block arrows with their weapons with impunity, and can heal themselves through mental discipline. Monks wear a grey or black belt.
     SCOUT - These are the rangers. As people familiar with the outdoors and roughing it, they are good at tracking others or finding traps. They can also perform simple first aid. A high level scout can carry two enchantments at once something normally forbidden to others. Scouts wear a green sash or belt.
     WARRIOR - These are the front line fighters. Since they have more lives in a battle than do other classes, this class is often recommended for beginners who want to work on their fighting skill. They have no distinguishing clothing.
     WIZARD - These are the wielders of powerful offensive magic, calling upon the powers of the universe to destroy their foes from a distance. Wizards wear a yellow cloth belt or sash.
     Note: There are two other fighting classes - Paladin and Anti Paladin - but these are only available to those who have achieved the status of Knighthood. In brief, they are powerful opponents.

COMBAT: We are here to have fun! Therefore, we emphasize safety in our combat. Our weapons are typically made of plastic pipe padded with various kinds of foam rubber, and are relatively light. Any weapon which is judged capable of causing actual harm in normal combat will be removed from the field until it can be made "legal." Also, strikes to the head and neck are considered to be off limits, so as to avoid accidental injury.
     In standard combat, a hit to a limb means you lose the use of that limb. If it is a leg, that leg no longer works, and you must drop to your knees. Further hits to that leg have no effect, though the other leg is still vulnerable. If the first hit is to an arm, you signify the loss of that arm by holding it behind your back. Any second limb shot (except to a "dead leg"), or a torso shot at any time, results in a "death." If this explanation is unclear, any of us will gladly demonstrate the procedure for you.
     In battle games, combat results may be adjusted by the presence of "armor." (A description of armor types may be found in our rule book.) In general, they allow the part of your body thus covered to take more hits before being wounded.

MAGIC: In battle games, several of the fighting classes have the ability to use "magic." (Like our "deaths," this is just pretend.) There are several basic kinds, and most need to be cast while the caster's feet are planted firmly on the ground.
     Verbal magic is cast by pointing at someone and reciting a poetic incantation specific to the "spell," often repeating it several times. If the caster manages to finish the spell while the intended victim is within the range of its effect, the victim is affected.
     "Spell balls" are made of foam or other soft materials, and covered with cloth, color coded to indicate the spell they represent. They are charged by the spellcaster holding one up while reciting a "spell," and they stay charged for two minutes or until discharged. The spell caster throws the charged spell ball at the intended target: if it hits, the spell takes effect.
     Personal enchantments (usually some form of magical protection) are cast by having the caster tie a colored strip on you while reciting a spell.
     Fixed enchantments are indicated by markers on the ground, set up while the caster recites a spell.

SUBGROUPS: Many of the members of Dragonspine belong to a "company" and/or "household." In general, companies are fighting units, while households are geared toward service or artistic endeavors. It is recommended that you wait until getting to know the members of a given group before asking to join or accepting their offer to join. There are also many respected Dragonspiners who have chosen to be independent of these groups for various reasons, so do not feel you must join one to be accepted by us.

SPONSORSHIP: This is another invention of Dragonspine. Most newcomers adapt to Amtgard on their own, without specific help from any one person. However, if you wish one of us to be your official mentor, please ask that person. If they are not available, or if they feel they are not appropriate for you, they may suggest someone else who would be better suited for you. In general, a sponsor makes sure you come up with appropriate clothing and weapons, makes sure you understand the rules, acts as a resource if you have needs or questions, and encourages you to keep coming to Amtgard.

EQUIPMENT: Equipping yourself for play in Amtgard can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you wish it. We would love to give you tips (and/or help) on weapon or clothing construction. Try to come up with an image that fits your character, and dress and equip your character accordingly. We only ask that you avoid the following reserved clothing: white/red/yellow belts, spurs, and unadorned chains. (These symbolize honors received in the club, and must be earned.) A small amount of club-owned weapons and garb are available on a loaner basis while you're getting started.

DUES: As a non-profit group, we cannot legally charge dues to our members. However, those who wish and are able to support us financially with donations are encouraged to do so. The standard amount is $1 per month, or $5 for 6 months. (We also have an introductory package for newcomers which is $10, and includes one year's "donations" and a set of rulebooks.) Those who so contribute are eligible to vote in major elections (minor elections are open to all), and to receive Amtgard publications for free or at a reduced price. Those who cannot contribute are not penalized, except that they do not receive the benefits just described.

AFFILIATION: Amtgard is officially affiliated only with other chapters of Amtgard. Despite outward appearances, Amtgard has no official connection to the game Dungeons and Dragons, its trademark holder (TSR), or any other fantasy roleplaying games; though we share many of the same ideas. In addition, we are not connected to any religion, faith, or "cult." You will find among the members of Amtgard followers of several different faiths, as well as those who for the sake of role playing pretend to believe in yet others. All are welcome here.

(Compiled by Egil Njalsson. Last updated 11/00)

Return to Egil's home page