Dagorhir Requires Athleticism, Dedication

Set aside what you think you know about Live Action Role Playing, or LARP as you may have heard it called. The sport of Dagorhir is not about calling out fantastical spells to opponents during game play. It’s members are serious, athletic and full of enthusiasm for their favorite sport.

Armed with foam weapons, fighters both male and female battle each other in full-contact, live-action combat. Most unfitting from the term LARP, combatants create wargame scenarios while often dressed in period costumes.

Student Joseph Carpenter, President of the IPFW Dagorhir Club, has been playing the sport for four years.

According to their purpose and goals as stated at IPFW’s Student Organizations website, Dagorhir Club is meant “to train, practice, and play the sport of Dagorhir in a safe friendly environment, and to promote exercise through alternative methods.”

For Carpenter, that means organizing club practices, gathering people for events and restructuring the group for serious game play.

“We are in a growing period right now,” he said. “We’d love to have more people who want to try the sport out. They only know what their friends are saying, and we’d love to give them more certaint — show them the positive side, and provide them the tools and techniques to be successful and try new things.”

Currently, the club holds weekly practice and workshops once a month. As part of an effort to legitimize the club’s standing, Carpenter requires that interested students attend at least three practices for a total of three or four hours before they are considered members of the club.

During this period Carpenter and veteran club members work with individuals to familiarize them with equipment and combat. After three workshops, Carpenter said that anyone would be “set to go anywhere.”
Carpenter also noted that Dagorhir emphasizes sportsmanship and competitiveness. He said, “even when you lose, you still learn something.”

Rules for organized gameplay are based on a basic system called The Dagorhir Manual of Arms. Consisting of safety, playability and realism, enforced rules means there is more to the sport than clobbering your opponent with a foam sword.

Players are encouraged to participate in character development ranging from Roman and Medieval to more fantastic elements of Tolkienesque Lord of the Rings.

Carpenter said that because Dagorhir is a “fast paced game,” it becomes easy to get animated during battle because there is no system of numbers slowing down gameplay. He said that this less technical approach allows for a greater development of tactics and strategies.

In an effort to transition the Dagorhir Club into a more mobile, regionally competitive team, Carpenter is working to organize with nearby universities such as ITT and BSU to set up more competitions.
Carpenter also works with the local Fort Wayne chapter to increase practice size and encourage more people to get involved.

On the whole, Carpenter said that “the Midwest is pretty big into the sport.”

Indianapolis will host the event “War” on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Paul Ruster Park, 11300 E. Prospect St. Two teams will fight to conquer and defend territories among several different terrains. The Communicator will be present to recap the battle.

For the many who take up a foam weapons, Dagorhir is not only a game — it’s an athletic sport and a thrilling adventure.