I’m thinking of going, anybody else goes? Or is everyone else heading down to KapCon? 
I’ll be there as per usual. 
im hoping to go down
I wont be attending in 2010. I’m gonna hit KapCon (something I have planned to do for many years now)
I’m going, planning on coming as part of the Argent Lords .
Where/when is the Festival?
23 - 24 January 2010, Spa Park, Taupo.
airnewzealand.co.nz/holidays … nament.htm
laketauponz.com/events/january-2010.html
Is it my imagination or are the horseback fighters in the Facebook photo below using foam swords?
facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=2292761
Soft weapons would make sense for the safety of the horses. If so, it’s cool to see some bleed-over from larp gear to the living history community.
I think they’re more likely to have been using the SCA heavy swords which are rotund batons.
they aren’t SCA swords…
Was anyone there to witness the sound effects?
Clink = metal
Thud = rattan
Thwap = foam
I recall Nic importing foam swords for one of the events - I think possibly the one where they’re knocking crests off each other’s heads or something?
I once had a horseback fight with foam weapons. My horse went nuts when we clashed swords, and I had to learn how to ride at a gallop earlier than we had planned.
It takes a fair bit of training to desensitise a horse, they don’t even like being ridden towards each other much.
I love that they’re doing more freestyle horseback combat, as well as joust. Very cool.
I think those on the pic were indeed foam ones.
The one on the left looks like an Ex-Caliber blade with a different hilt added on.
My guess is that they’re foam weapons. Mostly because the width of the blade isn’t continued through the handle, which would be the case with rattan. Looks like fun, whatever they are.
I am defiantly looking at going (must to the aghast of GF and sister)
I would love to talk to people about what plans they have for this. I am looking at just being a weekend-long spectator, taking many many photos, and soaking in the hotpools with port and having fun at the feast. I will be driving down in my car
I have heard rumor that nzlarp might have a encampment? I’m keen if people are looking to pool resource for tentage (last time I borrowed from my sister’s scout resources)
I need to touch base with the Argents and S&S as well, see what they are up to…
[quote=“drrugg”]I am defiantly looking at going (must to the aghast of GF and sister)
I would love to talk to people about what plans they have for this. I am looking at just being a weekend-long spectator, taking many many photos, and soaking in the hotpools with port and having fun at the feast. I will be driving down in my car
I have heard rumor that nzlarp might have a encampment? I’m keen if people are looking to pool resource for tentage (last time I borrowed from my sister’s scout resources)
I need to touch base with the Argents and S&S as well, see what they are up to…[/quote]
There is no feast this time I’m afraid, but they say there will be some evening entertainments.
gatheringdarkness.co.nz/foru … php?t=1937
Apparently participants need to register as a group, and someone has to manage it, mind you Anna will not be with us this time. I think it was her idea about the encampment, but I don’t know how much we are able to organise ourselves without her 
If we are tenting in display area we have to look authentic in everything, and there will be people hanging around all the time.
But I’m with you on the list of activities Let’s not work this time
The idea of turning up as a living history encampment was one I was bandying around earlier this year, it’s definitely something I want to keep in mind for future years.
I’m pretty gutted that the joust and KapCon clash this year because, despite everything, I wanted to go to the joust.
My big question is, from the people going down, is there a significant interest in doing the gate work again, or is this purely a spectator trip this time? If there is interest, is there anybody who will take responsbility for being charge of it? I haven’t emailed Nic yet one way or another - he might’ve given the job to someone else already, I’m not sure - but I wanted to find out the community’s opinion (esp. from those going down) before I made an official statement either way
[quote=“Ryan Paddy”]Is it my imagination or are the horseback fighters in the Facebook photo below using foam swords?
facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=2292761
Soft weapons would make sense for the safety of the horses. If so, it’s cool to see some bleed-over from larp gear to the living history community.[/quote]
The swords are a thin layer of closed-cell foam over rigid pvc electrical conduit and then a whole lot of duct-tape over the top. They’re pretty heavy and not very padded, so totally inappropriate for larp, but pretty good for their uses, although most of the riders were supporting a few bruises from the melee. 
And that reminds me, I’ll try and track down some decent pictures but at the Tournament of the Pheonix in San Diego they’re using some great looking moulded uvc swords and polearms in the melee. Again, not appropriate for larp as they’re still to hard and rigid but far softer than the real thing.