Battle for the Ring opens its doors to people with all kinds of hobbies-cosplay, SCA, LARP, tabletop games, historic re-enactment-and provides a space for people from all walks to have a fun, safe, weekend event. At Battle for the Ring, you will experience four days full of camping, Medieval combat, tournaments, Arts & Sciences competitions, performances, feasts, gaming, camaraderie, and a great deal of...revelry. In order to get the most out of your Battle for the Ring experience, expect some of the following:
Expect to see the Troll. The first thing you should do after you have arrived at Battle for the Ring is come to Troll to sign your waiver, pay your event fee, and have your weekend wristband assigned (which you must wear at all times throughout the event and will be required to participate in any of the event's festivities). Troll is located at the community room near the campsites.
Expect to wear a costume/garb! While the only time you are required to wear a costume (rules outlined in the Belegarth Book of War) is when you are taking place in any combat activities, in order to create a truly medieval atmosphere, we encourage our attendees to wear garb for the entirety of the event. If you don't have any garb, don't worry, you can purchase some from vendors who will be present at the event.
(If participating in combat) Expect to a full-contact game. Unlike many other LARPs or boffer games, Battle for the Ring offers a heavy-impact, full contact game in which shield bashing, shield kicking, grappling (some restrictions apply), charging, and hard, fast-paced swinging is not only allowed, but encouraged! Shots do not count if they are not placed with "Sufficient Force," and thus, you may hear many people call "light" if they do not feel the shot was heavy enough. But don't worry, we have Heralds (referees) in place to identify anyone who abuses this.
(If participating in combat) Expect to have your own weapons. Weapons are checked for safety under the guidelines in the Belegarth Book of War and will be inspected every morning. Not all weapons will be passed for safety and those that fail the safety check will not be permitted for use until the issues are fixed. The event does not provide materials to repair weapons, but other event attendees may be able to help you. The event has a few weapons available for loan, but there will be a number of vendors selling weapons and armor at the event.
Expect all the hardships of camping! If you are camping overnight at the event, expect to bring all camping necessities, including, but not limited to: a tent, sleeping bag, air mattress, cooking utensils, firewood/charcoal, flashlights/lanterns, solar-powered items, etc. The Battle for the Ring site at Prado Regional Park has quarter-activated showers, laundry machines, as well as bathrooms and water spigots at campsites. The event will also provide Port-o-Potties throughout the campsites for your convenience. There is very limited access to electrical outlets and is mainly reserved for use by event staff.
Expect to feed yourself. The event provides some snacks and meals for volunteers and dessert treats Saturday and Sunday evenings for all attendees that are prepared by a certified food vendor. During the rest of the event, feeding yourself is your responsibility. There are grocery stores within a few minutes' drive from the event site, and there will be permitted food vendors on-site throughout the duration of the event. There will be a volunteer breakfast Sunday morning and a dessert at the awards ceremony (evening time) Sunday at the event. Everyone is welcome to come and eat prepared sweet treats Saturday and Sunday night. Anyone who has volunteered during the event, in any capacity is welcome to come to eat Sunday “thank you” breakfast.
Expect a range of activities appropriate for different age groups. The vast majority of Battle for the Ring's attendees are of legal drinking age, and thus, you can expect there to be alcoholic beverages present at all times during the event. Every event attendee will receive a wristband which designates their age group after their government-issued ID has been checked at Troll. There will be parties, performances, and gatherings that are hosted independently of the event. The event will sponsor the Dragon's Inn (game room) in which event attendees can play games such as Magic the Gathering, chess, Settlers of Catan, and many other card games and tabletops. The Dragon's Inn is open to all ages. The event will also host Children's Activities at select times throughout the event near the fighting field. The event does not sponsor a daycare, so parents must not leave their children unattended during these times. There will also be many classes available to attendees of all ages. The minimum age to participate in event-sanctioned combat is 14.
Expect the event to be warm during the day and cold at night. The event is held in Southern California, which means that the weather can be a bit fickle at times. Expect temperatures ranging between 70 and 85 during the day, and between 40 and 50 at night. Dress accordingly! Slight chances of rain.