1. Keeping camp clean and trash ready for pick up by any means necessary.

2. Last one to leave to go home after camp has been inspected for clean up.

3. Incase of complaints a contact with in the camp.

4. Procuring land for land grab according to pre reg.


I HAVE HEARD THAT PERIOD VESSELS ARE REQUIRED THIS YEAR?

This year we would like all drinks to be in period vessels while traveling from camp to camp. This will help to cut down on the amount of debris and clean up on the field as well as broken glass. The exception to this is if you are staying in your own camp you may leave the beverages in the original containersor. It also does not apply to drinks taken to the battle field to consume durring battle such as Water or sports drinks. Please remember to pick up your trash when finished

WHAT ARE THE CAMPGROUND RULES?

Don’t be an idiot.
Okay, that isn’t really written on the campground rules, but it should be.
Respect Spring Valley Campground and don’t do stupid things. If you behave in a stupid manner, you will be asked to leave Ragnarok -- and that would suck. Examples of stupid things people have done in the past require us to point out the following commonsense rules (in addition to any other commonsense
rules posted by the campground):

If you get covered in mud during Mongolian Wrestling or any other activity, clean off by jumping in the swimming area of the lake -- DON’T trash the shower-house and clog the drains with mud. 

DRIVE SLOWLY ON SPRING VALLEY PROPERTY. Dagorhir is renting the entire rear half of this large campground, but there are “regular folk” camping at the front of the campground. When you arrive onsite, drive at a snail’s pace -- 5 MPH. The fighting will wait until you park.

No public nudity. If you’re swimming at the lake, don’t let your swimsuit or towel fall, no matter how funny you think your butt looks.

No pools/tubs in camp. Spring Valley gets their water from wells. At Ragnarok XIX, someone brought a sizable above-ground pool and filled it...draining the wells and leaving Dagorhir without water for most of a day. (DUH!)

HOW IS PARKING HANDLED?

After vehicles are unloaded, they are to be moved to the dedicated parking area.

We will allow one car per camp to be kept at the camp site.
If you are handicapped (demonstrated by your driver’s license), you are entitled to a FREE in-camp parking permit.

Each Dagorhir Chapter will be given one FREE in-camp parking permit to facilitate transporting members to their cars or making food/ice trips into the nearby town.

WHAT’S IN THE NEARBY TOWN?

Everything! Gasoline, hotels, groceries, camping supplies, beer store, a Laundromat. There’s a K-Mart and a gas station across the road from the entrance to Spring Valley Campground. The town even has a small airport.

WHERE DO I GET ICE, DRINKING WATER, FIREWOOD, AND FOOD

Dagorhir has asked the campground to arrange to have block ice delivered to the Camp Office.

We’re negotiating to have firewood, hay bales, and hopefully ice delivered directly to camps (probably for a small fee). Currently, these items can be bought at the Camp Store.

You may not cut down any trees or brush for campfires.

HERALDS & WEAPONS-CHECKERS

Every Dagorhir Chapter is required to provide veteran heralds according to the following scale, based on the number of participants attending Ragnarok:

0-4 Participants from the Chapter -- no Heralds/Weapons Checkers required

5-20 Participants -- At least One Herald and One Weapons-check staff person each day

Each Additional Increment of 20 participants (21-40, 41-60, etc.) -- At least One additional Herald and One additional Weapons check person.

Ragnarok is a big event. To ensure its success, we must all pitch in.

WEAPONS, ARMOR, AND COSTUME CHECK

Every morning, the Head Weapons Checkers will review standards and procedures with any newly arrived weapons check staff, to ensure consistent application and interpretation of the Dagorhir safety rules. 

Every weapon must be checked for safety at Ragnarok before it will be allowed to be used.
Weapons will need to be re-checked according to a schedule decided by the Weapons Checkers.
All missile weapons will be checked every day.
Armor will be checked to ensure it meets Dagorhir safety and construction requirements.

Plan on going through weapons check every day

COSTUMES will be spot-checked for adherence to minimum Dagorhir requirements by Heralds. If your costume doesn’t meet the minimum standards, you will be directed to modify it or leave the battlefield.

-- SUGGESTION: Mark all your weapons with your name, Unit, and Chapter, to ensure you always get them back from Weapons Check or if you drop them on the field.

WHAT IF MY WEAPONS DON’T PASS SAFETY CHECK THE FIRST TIME?

If your weapon fails safety check, the Weapons Checkers will tell you why it failed and give you advice on how to fix it. Bring foam and tape with you to weapons check for on-the-spot repairs. 

If you feel your weapon has been failed unfairly, you may appeal to the Head Weapons Checker for a final decision.

HOW ARE TEAMS CHOSEN?

New teams and commanders will be chosen each day. Sometimes, new teams will be chosen several times in a single day as scenarios require.

As fighters arrive on the Battlefield, the Heralds will write down the names of each Chapter or Unit, and the number of fighters they brought to the battle. 

Generally, Heralds will then ask for volunteers to command armies. If we have more volunteers than are needed, the volunteers will fight in a free-for-all; the last two alive become commanders.

All the Chapters/Units will form up so the commanders can pick teams. The commander from the Chapter with fewer fighters picks first and continues to pick until his team has more members than the other commander’s Chapter. After that, the commanders take turns; whoever’s team has fewer members picks next, until all Chapters/Units have been chosen. Fighters who aren’t in units (mercenaries), will be used to balance the teams.

For some scenarios, especially during Dagor Dagorath on Saturday, the Heralds may choose teams based on arbitrary criteria, such as “all Chapters older than 10 years on this side,” or “all Chapters East of the Mississippi vs. all West of the Mississippi.”

WILL THERE BE PRIZES FOR THE TOURNAMENTS?

YES! .

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS

Dagorhir always needs help marking weapons and running errands. Olaf is looking for participants who would like to help out by carrying messages and announcements to the outlying camps. If you’d like to help out, speak up to the Heralds, Troll, Security or Weapons Check staff!

WHAT ABOUT TOILETS?

There are flush toilets at the Bath House, and “portajohns” throughout the camping and battle areas

If a porta-john runs out of toilet paper, see the Troll Cabin - we carry spare supplies there.

WHAT COULD GET SOMEONE KICKED OUT OF RAGNAROK?

Endangering anyone’s safety through negligence or deliberate action.
Endangering Dagorhir’s use of Spring Valley Campground.
Violations of State or Federal laws.
Violations of the campground rules (especially speeding onsite) as noted above.
Violations of the Dagorhir rules.

ARE CAMP BOUNDRIES REQUIRED?

We are asking that there are visible boundaries (sheet walls, rope walls, etc) around each campsite. This will prevent people from cutting across your camp uninvited.

I HAVE FRIENDS WHO FIGHT IN SIMILAR NON-DAGORHIR ORGANIZATIONS. CAN THEY COME TO RAGNAROK?

ABSOLUTELY! All groups are welcome at Ragnarok. Make sure your friends understand the Dagorhir RULES. Some non-Dagorhir groups attend Ragnarok for the chance to have their whole group fight TOGETHER as one team! When you’re used to fighting against people regularly, you know exactly how they fight -- and that makes them a very strong ally when you have the chance to all fight together! 

CAN I BRING MY DOG TO RAGNAROK?

Yes, pets are allowed at Spring Valley, but you must clean up after your pet and keep control of your pet at all times. Pets must remain in the “Dagorhir” camping area (not allowed at the Lake).

I SEE THAT WEAPONS CHECK IS ON THE SCHEDULE EVERY DAY, DO I NEED TO HAVE MY WEAPONS CHECKED EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT I FIGHT?

Yes and no. All missile weapons must be checked every day, but hand held weapons and equipment like swords, shields and spears need to go through weapons check every second day. So if your sword is checked on Monday, you need to have it rechecked on Wednesday and Friday. All weapons will be rechecked on Saturday before the big battles at the end of the world. Of course, every participant in Dagorhir is expected to check their own
equipment before each battle, as you are responsible for your equipment regardless of who checked it and when. Checking them yourself also gives you a chance to catch problems and fix them before they go to weapons check.

WHAT IS RAGNAROK WEAPONS CHECK LIKE? IS IT DIFFERENT AT
RAGNAROK FROM HOW IT WORKS AT MY LOCAL CHAPTER?

In essence, it is the same as at your local event, just on a bigger scale. Every day at Ragnarok hundreds and hundreds of weapons are checked by a team of experienced Dagorhir weapons checkers. The first step is that your weapons and equipment will be measured for compliance with the rules, for example blade and pommel length, tip size, flail chain length, weight, etc. The foam will be hand tested for overall safety. The weapon will then be hit tested: the checkers will hit each other with every weapon that seems safe, and the foam on shields will be tested for safety too. Then if it passes, it gets marked with a sticker or symbol for that day’s check. The passed weapons are then tossed into a pile with other weapons that pass. Weapons that fail at any stage of this process, measuring, foam check and hit testing, will have all marking tape and stickers removed and will be tossed into a FAIL pile.

WHAT IF MY FAVORITE WEAPON/SHIELD FAILS?

You should pull your weapon out of the FAIL pile and first look it over to see if you know why it failed: exposed core, ripped weapon cover, foam loose on the core, foam breaking down in spots, loose pommel, low weight, etc. You can then ask the weapons checkers why your weapon failed. While they are extremely busy most mornings, you’ll often be able to talk to the person who failed your weapon and they can tell you exactly why it failed. Sometimes it is something simple to repair, like a ripped cover or a spot where the foam is breaking down. In that case, if you have time, you can repair the weapon quickly and have it rechecked (if weapons check is still open by the time you are done). The best thing to do is to check it yourself first and do any repairs BEFORE bringing it to weapons check in the first place. If the weapon cannot
be repaired or you don’t have the right foam, glue or tools, ask your friends for help or if they have a weapon to loan.

The important thing to remember is that every weapon must be officially passed by weapons check before it may be used at Ragnarok. If your weapon fails and cannot be passed before Weapons Check closes, then you cannot use that weapon or shield that day, period. Anyone who is found to be using unchecked or failed weapons is subject to being expelled from the event. Weapons check is a primary safety procedure for Dagorhir, so violating or evading these rules is a very serious violation of the rules of Dagorhir and of Ragnarok. So if you cannot get your weapon or shield passed in time, you will need to make arrangements to borrow a passed weapon from someone.

THIS IS MY FIRST DAGORHIR EVENT OTHER THAN LOCAL PRACTICES, WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

Take a look at the Ragnarok Schedule for all of the fun events that are scheduled. A typical day involves getting up and putting on garb, then heading over to weapons check if needed (see above). When you and your friends are ready, grab your passed weapons and form up on the battlefield. Before the announced battles start, there are often fighters willing to spar. As the time to fight approaches, the Heralds will call the armies to form up on the field. Any special rules for a particular battle will then be explained, whether it is the Battle of Five Armies (see the Schedule for details) or a unit battle. Once the rules are explained, the fighters will again be called on to prepare for battle, and then “LAY ON” will be called out, and the fighting begins. Like local events, things sometimes start slowly and other times happen quickly, but with hundreds of fighters the battle will rage on, with action in every direction and comedy and heroism in large measures. Every Dagorhirrim loves the glories of fighting on the battlefield at Ragnarok with hundreds of fighters. There is nothing that compares with seeing a wall of warriors advancing towards your line, or being in that wall and charging the foe.

If this is your first really big battle, the best advice I can give is to keep your eyes open and stay close to your friends. Things happen quickly in battle, and where your ally was a second ago can be a charging barbarian a second later. So look around, pay attention and be ready to move, fight or die in an instant. 

THE RULES SAY THAT I MUST BE SIXTEEN TO FIGHT, BUT I AM FIFTEEN,
CAN I COME TO RAGNAROK? If SO, CAN I FIGHT?

People of all ages attend Ragnarok, from little babies to grandparents. So yes, fifteen year olds are welcome to attend the event, but they must have a Waiver signed and notarized by their parent or legal guardian. Persons under the age of eighteen who do not have a waiver signed by their parent or guardian will not be allowed to attend Ragnarok, period. While you can attend Ragnarok, you are not allowed to fight in any Battles or Tournaments at Ragnarok, including the Orc Assassin or Hunt for the Witch King’s Ring (Highlander) Tournaments.
While this may seem unfair, Dagorhir fighting is a full contact sport, so this rule was enacted for safety reasons. But even without fighting in organized events, Ragnarok can be a lot of fun. There are lots of people to meet and things to learn and do. There are merchants to purchase neat stuff from and if you see something neat, just ask the owner about it and I’ll bet that they’d love to tell you about it and how it was made.

DO WE HAVE TO CAMP TO ATTEND RAGNAROK? IF WE DON’T CAMP, DO WE STILL HAVE TO PAY? ARE THERE CABINS WE CAN RENT?

No, there are many nice motels very near the campground, but whether you camp or stay in a motel, every person who attends the event must pay at Troll upon their arrival. The Fee is a sliding scale based on when you arrive. See the Registration page for more details. There are no rental cabins, but the large number of local motels should take care of those who don’t want to camp out.

MY DAD IS DRIVING MY FRIENDS AND I TO RAGNAROK. DOES HE HAVE TO PAY THE SITE FEE AND SIGN A WAIVER?

If your father or another person is doing more than dropping you off and picking you up, then yes he will need to pay the site fee and sign a waiver. Everyone who will be at the event must pay to help us cover the costs of renting the site for a week, pay for things like the porta-johns, refreshments at the revels, supplies for weapons check and battles, and running the event. Signed waivers help protect the participants as well as organizers and hosts of the event. 

MY DAD WANTS TO COME AND WATCH US FOR THE DAY AS A GUEST. CAN HE COME IN WITHOUT GARB AND WATCH?

We relize that some people want to come for a few hours and watch. Even those people who are only coming for a day MUST check in at troll to receive a guest pass. There is no cost to attend for the day, however they will be required to relinquish their driver's license to the person manning the troll booth. They will receive it back when they return their guest pass to leave the event. These guests can not be dressed in Renaissance style costumes and can not participate in any fighting event. All people under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. All guests are required to leave by 6pm. Anyone staying beyond that point MUST pay full Ragnarok Fees. We encourage visitors to arrive on Saturday so they may view the large battles. Many Visitors come on this day allowing our Harolds to explain the rules as they watch.  

I DON’T DRINK. I HEAR STORIES ABOUT DRINKING AT RAGNAROK, IS
THAT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM?

No. There are many Dagorhirrim who don’t drink or who aren’t old enough to do so. Despite some of the stories, most people don’t get sloppy drunk, and those few who do have friends to look after them and get them back to their camps. There are plenty of other things to do at Ragnarok, so don’t worry about that. Besides, with the heat at Ragnarok, you’ll have an advantage over those foolish enough to be hung over. 

I AM A PARENT AND AM BRINGING MY TEENAGER AND SOME FRIENDS TO THEIR FIRST BIG DAGORHIR EVENT, WHAT CAN I EXPECT? 

Dagorhir participants range in age from teenagers up into their fifties, so your child and their friends will find plenty of others in their age range. At Ragnarok, there will be small children, other teenagers, young adults and even parents who participate. Many of the participants are teenagers and young adults, so your teenagers will find lots of friends their own age. They will also have a chance to meet and get to know wide range of people, from fellow students to professionals who participate in Dagorhir. The neat part is that on the battlefield and in the camps of Ragnarok, all of those external barriers are removed. Your teenager will find themselves talking as an equal to a college student, lawyer, soldier or government official. They’ll be trading blows and then war stories with people from all over the country and from all walks of
life. Many of your other questions can be answered in this FAQ, or on the
Dagorhir Bulletin Board.

See you at Ragnarok XXII !!!