Darkon Onboarding & Handbook

One of the most common concerns for new players is acquiring battle gear. Do not worry if you do not own any padded wargaming equipment! Darkon is an exceptionally welcoming community, and you do not need to buy or make anything before your first day.

• Loaner Gear Available: Veteran players, countries, and local Marshals gladly provide loaner swords and shields to new participants. Just ask at check-in or when you arrive on the field!
• Core Safety Specifications: All wargaming weapons must have a stiff, non-metallic core (no metal allowed) padded with thick, closed-cell foam. The striking surface must be covered in durable fabric, and the core must never be felt when squeezed.
• Inspection Required: Any equipment you build or buy must pass a safety inspection by Marshals before it can be used on the battlefield.

To preserve immersion and recreate a medieval/fantasy atmosphere, all active combatants and participants must wear medieval-style costuming, which we refer to as garb.

• 5-Event Grace Period:As a new player, you have a grace period of five events. Garb requirements are suspended for your first five events so you have plenty of time to learn the rules and design your character.
• Simple Dress Code (During Grace Period): While in your grace period, please follow these guidelines:
  • Shirts: Wear a plain, solid-colored t-shirt with absolutely no visible modern logos, graphic prints, or slogans.
  • Pants: Wear dark sweatpants, neutral trousers, or kilts. Strictly avoid denim jeans and cargo pants.
  • Footwear: Sturdy brown or black boots or athletic shoes are permitted (cover or blackout any neon designs or modern logos). Hard cleats are strictly prohibited.
• The White Belt Rule: White belts are reserved exclusively for **Knights of the Realm**. Please do not wear white belts or white sashes on the field.

Your very first stop when arriving at a Darkon event is the Check-In gate. This is the registration area where the Secretary tracks event attendance and records character credits.

• Waiver and Registration: Every new player must fill out and sign a release waiver. Under 18 requires a parent/guardian signature. You can print and sign the release waiver form in advance to speed up registration.
• Event Fees: There is normally a small event fee (check the Events Schedule page) that helps the club cover field rentals, liability insurance, and wargaming equipment costs.
• Weapons Checking: If you brought any of your own weapons, shields, or armor, present them here to the safety Marshals. They will inspect each item for safety.
• Nomad Status: New players start out as Nomads (independent combatants). As you meet people, you can join a Country (team) or remain an independent adventurer.

At the beginning of every battle, the Knights and Squires of the Realm gather all new players for a quick orientation. This is mandatory for your first five events and is key to keeping battles safe and fun.

• The Honor System: Darkon combat is based entirely on honor. There are no referees watching every swing. When you are struck by a weapon, you must immediately call your own hit, deduct points from your armor, or take the appropriate wound.
• The "HOLD" Safety Call: If someone yells "HOLD!", combat ceases immediately. You must freeze in place, repeat the call, and go to one knee. This is used for safety issues like injuries or bystanders on the field. Do not move or speak until an Elder calls "LAY ON!" to resume play.
• Safety Zones & Targets: Learn the legal hit zones (torso, arms, legs) and restricted targets (the head is off-limits except for specific weapons like flails). Face, neck, and throat hits are strictly illegal strikes from weapons and may only be struck with spellballs.
• Spell Balls: Spell balls are soft balls used to simulate magical attacks.

Welcome to Darkon! Our game operates on a foundation of role-play, teamwork, and tactical combat. The system relies heavily on the **Honor System**, and every player is expected to maintain maximum integrity.

Character Battle Names

Every participant must create a fictional battle persona. To maintain gameplay clarity, adhere to these guidelines when selecting a name:

• Refrain from Famous Names: Steer clear of common fantasy, historical, or mythical names like Merlin, Ivanhoe, or Red Sonja.
• Refrain from Pre-existing Titles: You cannot use occupational or noble prefaces (such as Sir, King, Lord, or Magistrate) as a preface to your name until earned.
• Battle Shouts: Keep names short (one or two syllables) so teammates can easily shout them in the chaos of battle.

Character Advancement: Credits & Ranks

Your character advances in levels (known as Ranks) by attending events. When checking in with the Secretary, you record your participation for the day.

• 1 Day = 1 Battle Credit: Every event you participate in earns your checked-in character 1 credit.
• 5 Credits = 1 Rank: First rank covers credits 1-5, second rank covers credits 6-10, etc. Higher ranks unlock class-specific spells and skills.
• Switching Characters: You can play multiple characters. To switch between characters during an event, you must sit out for a full "Hades" period.
• Bonus Credits: You can earn additional credits by acting as an Elder or NPC for an entire event, introducing new members (once paid in full), or participating in a Senate meeting that lasts over 30 minutes.

Credit Transfers

You can pay an extra $1 at check-in to transfer 1 credit from another character to your active character (limit 1 transfer per event). Additionally, you are permitted a Bulk Transfer once per year: you pay $1 per credit transferred, up to a maximum equal to the credits you already have in that target class at the time of the transfer.

Countries vs. Nomads

Players who are unaffiliated are called Nomads. Players can join together to form a **Country** an in-game faction with out-of-game voting rights. Country requirements include:

• A minimum of four active members.
• A registered country **livery** and **banner**.
• Defunct Status: A country that goes 6 consecutive events without checking in at least 4 countrymen in livery loses its country status, structures, land, and treasury.

To preserve immersion and recreate a medieval/fantasy atmosphere, all participants must wear appropriate historical or fantasy costuming, referred to as **garb**.

Garb Regulations

A basic costume consists of a tunic-style shirt paired with neutral pants, kilts, or skirts. Take note of what is permitted and strictly prohibited:

• Prohibited Modern Items: T-shirts, cargo pants, blue jeans, modern shorts, camouflage prints, and spandex/Lycra shorts are strictly banned on the field.
• Footwear: Hard cleats are prohibited. Modern shoes are permitted but must be solid black or brown with matching laces.
• Modern Logos: All modern logos on safety gear or shoes must be covered, painted over, or removed so they are completely invisible.
• White Belts: White belts are reserved exclusively for **Knights of the Realm**. Do not wear a white belt on the field.

Livery, Banners & Heraldry

Livery is an article of clothing (tabard, coat, or belt square) depicting a country's or knight's unique registered heraldry. Banners are visual representations of a country's team:

• Capture Rule: Banners can be captured during role-play battles, but they remain personal property and must be returned in good condition at the end of the event.

All wargaming weapons must have a stiff, non-metallic core (no metal cores allowed) padded with closed-cell foam. The core must never be felt through the padding, and all striking surfaces must have a cloth cover.

Missile Weapon Guidelines

Missile weapons such as bows and javelins do Red damage (2 points). They must hit tip-first to deal damage; glancing blows do not count. They can be blocked normally by shields.

Shield Classes

Shields must be rigid (cannot flex 45° or more, or "taco") and have a non-metal core padded with at least 1.5 inches of foam extending past the core. Shields can block all normal non-siege weapon strikes.

• Bucklers (7" - 18"): You can wear one on each arm, but cannot combine a buckler with another shield. Note: Strikes hitting a destroyed buckler inflict normal damage to the arm.
• Small Shield (18" - 24")
• Medium Shield (24" - 36")
• Large Shield (36"+)

Armor Classes (AC) & Coverage

Armor only protects the physical area it covers, and must cover at least 75% of an appendage or torso to count as armor. Hits to unarmored spots are considered to hit AC0 (see below). Multiple overlapping armor types only grant the rating of the highest single type.

Damage Resolution

To resolve a hit, subtract the weapon's damage points from the armor class of the struck zone. For example, striking AC3 chainmail with a Black weapon (2 points) reduces the armor to 1 point. When armor is reduced to 0, subsequent hits inflict wounds according to this AC0 chart:

• Hit to Torso: 1 Hit = Mortal Wound | 2 Hits = Death
• Hit to Head: 1 Hit = Death | 2 Hits = Death
• Hit to Limb: 1 Hit = Light Wound | 2 Hits = Mortal Wound

Legal Hits

A strike only counts if it is under control, hits with the designated striking surface, lands on a legal target zone, is swung with intent, is distinct, stops/changes direction on contact, and has sufficient force. *Sufficient Force:* Swung weapons must strike with enough force that a player wearing 10 oz. leather can distinguish it as an offensive blow, not incidental touch.

Hit Zones

Target zones are divided into three areas:

• Torso (Groin to Neck): Front and back. Acts as a single hit zone.
• Head: Back of the neck, back, and crown of the head. Sides, ears, and face are illegal target zones. Only flails and morning stars may legally strike the head.
• Limbs: Arms (above wrist, below shoulder) and legs (above ankle, below waist). Hands and feet are illegal target zones unless they are weaponless/shieldless or off the ground.

Wounds

Wounds occur when hits strike unprotected areas or exhaust armor:

• Light Wounds (Limbs Only): Struck limb is disabled. Struck arm must drop everything and dangle lifelessly. Struck leg knee must be locked; you must drag the leg, cannot lead with it, and cannot run. Two light leg wounds forces you to fight from your knees. *Yellow weapons cannot advance a limb beyond a light wound.*
• Mortal Wounds: Struck in the torso, head, or a previously light-wounded limb. You cannot stand, fight, or cast spells. You can crawl, scream, or quaff potions. You will die in 5 minutes unless healed (Cure spells) or stabilized by another player using **First Aid**. Any subsequent hit while mortally wounded causes death.

Death & Memory Loss

When you die, lie down or sit up with your weapon on your head. You cannot speak, move, or interact for 2 minutes. *Memory Loss:* Dead players returning to life via Hades have no in-character memory of the 5 minutes preceding their death (magical resurrection within 12 minutes preserves memory).

Hades Regulations

Hades is the out-of-play area where players wait to respawn, repair armor, or heal. No combat is allowed within a 10-foot radius of Hades. You must announce **"Alive!"** when leaving. The Hades Elder records entries and monitors these standard timers:

• Light Wound: 4 Minutes
• Mortal Wound: 8 Minutes
• Death: 12 Minutes
• Shield / Armor Repair: 4 Minutes
• Relic Recharge: 4 Minutes per charge

Shield Bashing & Kicking

• Shield Bashing: You can push or bash an opponent with the flat of your shield, from the front only, against an aware opponent. You cannot bash players on their knees.
• Shield Edge Strike: You can strike below the neck with the edge of a shield. Edges do no damage. Shields with rigid or metal handles are prohibited from edge strikes.
• Shield Kicking: You can deliver a front **push kick** to an opponent's shield, provided one of your feet remains planted on the ground. Snap kicks, kicks to bucklers, or kicks to players on their knees are prohibited.

Grabbing & Grappling

• Grabbing: You can grab shields and non-striking surfaces of weapons (e.g. spear shafts). Pinning a striking surface against your body is illegal and counts as a mortal wound. Grabbing a striking surface directly results in an immediate light wound to the hand/arm.
• Grappling: Grappling is permitted. No grabbing sensitive areas, hair, head, or neck. Players in AC3/4 players can only initiate grapples with other players in AC3/4. Takedowns must be from the front, controlled, and you must go down with them. Takedowns in hazardous terrain (such as wooded areas) are prohibited. Submissions (chokes, joint locks) are strictly illegal.

The "HOLD" Call

If anyone shouts **"HOLD!"** (due to safety, injury, or terrain hazard), all combatants must cease action immediately, repeat the shout, and freeze in a squat or kneel. Drop weapon tips to the ground. You must remain frozen until an Elder calls **"Lay On!"**.

Night Fighting & Looting

At night, missile weapons are banned, and melee headshots are illegal. To loot an NPC, get within arm's reach and say "I'm looting you!". Transferable items (coin, potions, scrolls) can be looted from NPCs, but players may only be looted via the Rogue's **Cut Purse** skill (which requires attaching a large 12-inch clothespin unnoticed to a target's pouch).

Fortifications

Fortifications represent castles or keeps with 20-foot-high walls. Spells like Fireball and Dispel Magic do not pass through walls. Attackers must enter through the gate (except Agile or Passwall users). *Gate Mechanics:* Gates are min 5' wide. Gates can be destroyed by: 1 hit from a green siege weapon/Fireball, 3 Lightning Bolts, or 3 hits from a battering ram (requires 4 players, 10-step charge). Destroyed gates must be moved to the open position immediately.