Wreckreation Nation and Dagorhir

My daughter will be on this new show [Edit: I have been told that this particular episode will air on Tuesday, January 20th]:



She'll be on the segment about Dagorhir. They fight medieval-style battles with foam weapons (the making of which is called "foamsmithing").

Back from the battle at the end of the world - Ragnarok XXIII - with pictures

RAGNAROK XXIII

PICTURES

My daughter and I are safely back from our week at Ragnarok. There were several evening storms which meant we got a little bit damp, but it was, once again, an experience to remember. I don't fight, my daughter does. I did my fighting thirty years ago when Dagorhir was first starting out. Below are some more Ragnarok XXIII pictures.

Here are people gathering on the battlefield:

Many people put a lot of effort into their "garb" and their armor:

Here are some things on the ground:

And here they are on a person:

More interesting people:

Now for some action:

Looking down a front line during one of the battles:

More of the front lines:

Fighting is thirsty business:

Surveying the battlefield:

One of the most impressive sets of leather armor I saw the whole week - she's from the Narnia camp:

Ready for battle:

One last shot:


So that's Ragnarok. A full week of medieval/Tolkienesque battles. Any questions?

P.S. If you like fantasy, I have a short story up on my other blog for your enjoyment. It's called The Fairy's Tale. In it you'll find a little Celtic myth and legend, warrior women, manticores, leshies, and of course fairies.

Tech Woes, Next Week Ragnarok

My computer is having some problems so I have to sneak time on other family members' computers in order to check email, check the blogs, etc. Also, I've been busy with my daughter's graduation party, so nothing new has been posted since the 10th. Until now.

This week I'll be getting ready to go to Ragnarok XXIII. Anyone familiar with Ragnarok will say, Ragnarok XXIII? Isn't Ragnarok the big battle that will happen at world's end, according to Norse mythology? How can there be 23 of them? This is how.

It's run by Dagorhir, a group that fights medieval battles using foam weapons. Ages and ages ago, when I was in high school, I participated in the original Dagorhir (see small TV dagorhir clip from 1982 with link at right under fun and interesting links).

I mentioned this to my kids a few years ago and we googled Dagorhir. I was surprised to find that the group still exists, and that it has gone nationwide. They get together once a year for an epic, week-long battle, which they call Ragnarok.

My daughter got involved with a local Dagorhir unit and she went to Ragnarok XXII last summer. I went with her because she wasn't allowed to go alone. We're going again this year. This year there will be an old geezer's night. Old people like me will sit around and tell battle tales from ages long past (only I can hardly remember that long ago). I don't fight anymore, I'm more into bringing a pile of books to read when I'm not watching my daughter fight and watching the fireflies come out in the evening around my campsite.

So that's where I'll be next week, and I'll have zero access to a computer. It's a week-long camp-out. But when I get back I'll post a few pictures. Last year just over 1,000 people participated. This year I think the're expecting about 1,500.

So this week I'll be getting everything together that my daughter and I will need for a week of camping. I'm sure I'll be able to get some more posts put up too, as long as I can manage to kick someone off of their computer - that shouldn't be hard, should it? After all I used to be pretty good with a two-handed broadsword :-)