Weapons at Shadow Accord are a great addition to not only combat but also RP. The Safety and Deco teams work hard to help player immersion and safety at game. What follows is some general information for players about what is used and expected at Shadow Accord for weapons.
We have two types of melee weapons for our game: latex and boffers. The maximum length for any weapon is 72 inches.
Latex weapons such as swords, daggers, hammers, etc. , are made to look like what they represent.
You can get latex weapons either by making your own or purchasing them. To purchase latex weapons online, you can use sites such as http://www.epicarmouryunlimited.com and https://www.medievalcollectibles.com. Within the community, we have several artists who do commissions; additionally, other people sometimes sell weapons that belonged to previous characters. To contact people within the community, please post in the Shadow Accord Facebook group or on the Shadow Accord forums.
No latex weapon is allowed for play unless it passes a weapons check. Sometimes, even newly purchased weapons do not pass weapons check. The above suggestions do not guarantee that weapons from these sources will pass weapons check.
Boffers are weapons that are typically handmade. They are typically constructed of pool noodles, golf clubs, black tights, and duct tape. These represent "natural weapons" that are part of your body, like fists, claws, and tentacles. Each of these categories has a different rules-required length:
Fist: 12-inch striking surface
Claws: 20- to 24-inch striking surface
Tentacles: 26- to 30-inch striking surface
Safety has released a ruling that duct tape is not safe for weapon construction and should be used as little as possible, and not at all on the exterior of weapons. Please consider this while constructing your weapons.
Bow/Crossbow: Max limit 35-pound pull
Arrows: Store-bought LARP-safe arrows only; no homemade arrows allowed
Throwing Weapons: All throwing weapons must be coreless
Packets: Representing spells; made from a square of fabric and a few tablespoons of millet seed (bird seed with sunflower seeds is not suggested and may not pass safety check)
A shield shall be no wider than 30 inches and no longer than 36 inches. An easy way to check the width is to see if you can hold your shield out and walk through an open door since most doors are 30 inches wide. The length was determined by the average measurement of the knees to the shoulder on an average-height person, in order to keep fair ratios. This means a shorter person cannot use a longer shield to create a situation where they can be totally covered from legal hits (such as leaving only their heads exposed).
Shields can be purchased from the same stores that latex weapons are purchased from or can be handmade. If you are making a shield, note that shield must be covered in foam on the front and all edges. The core of the shield cannot be made from metal. Please also note that construction of homemade shields and their safety will be considered at the discretion of the staff doing Weapons Check.
All weapons and shields must be inspected at check-in at every game. A weapon that has been previously approved must still be approved at each individual game that a player attends. Weapons will not be checked outside of check-in without prior approval from a Safety team member. Everyone must have their weapons checked: NO EXCEPTIONS. If you are coming to late check-in at ST camp, have your weapons checked by an ST. All weapons to be used in-game must be brought to Check-In every game to be reviewed by a member of the Safety team.
Will My Weapon Pass Safety Check...?
When Safety Team examines a weapon, they look at several specific characteristics:
How hard the weapon is
How close the core is to the top and the surface on the main striking area
General wear and tear on the weapon, such as any breakdown or breakage
All of these could result in a safety hazard, which is why Safety Team evaluates each weapon at each game.
The main striking area of a weapon tends to be the last four or so inches of blades for Safety team. Also, as an aside, Calamacil made weapons tend to run very hard and many, many of these weapons have failed weapons checks. Because of this, we do not suggest players purchase from this manufacturer.
When in doubt, Safety Team suggests that you use the friend rule to test your weapons. This test is a simple question: would someone still consider you a friend after being hit with a moderately powered swing by this weapon? If yes: good! Bring it to game for a weapon check. If no: try something else, and leave that weapon at home.
Striking surfaces should not be rested on the ground (including tips). This breaks the weapons down faster and can cause the weapon to pick up debris. A weapon with debris on the striking surface becomes unsafe and hazardous in LARP combat. This is even more likely to happen when weapons or the ground are wet. If you are seen doing this, you will be warned. Repeated offenses may be taken up with the XOs.