Welcome to the homepage for UCONN SMAC. We are an official University of Connecticut student organization started in the fall semester of 2004. The mission of this club is to practice the mock-medieval combat styles used in the live action medieval fantasy role-playing game, The Realms. Our weekly combat practices are focused around developing and improving the skills necessary to become a developed fighter.
The Realms is a live action role-playing organization that is about three decades old. In that time it has become a large, New England wide community with events almost every weekend. The in-character world that The Realms takes place in is rich with a long history and unique culture. Becoming involved is an experience like no other.
Boffing, which is the name of the sport we practice, involves using padded weapons in a hit-location based combat system. In some role-playing games you become a better fighter by raising your stats with experience points or getting better equipment, but in our system of boffing, the only way you become a better fighter is with dedication and practice.
Boffing is great exercise, develops coordination and reflexes to a razor's edge, and teaches discipline and honor. But we wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't also a lot of fun. If you're interested in giving it a shot then we encourage you to drop by practice and ask to be trained. The basic instruction doesn't take long, and it might be your first step into a hobby you will love for many years to come.
See you on the field,
Jason
Members should sign up for the Official SMAC Facebook group to keep an eye on the calendar of upcoming events, for basic communication, and to see pictures and videos. Follow this link in order to join! Most of our communication and information comes through our Facebook page.
Practice happens weekly at the times and places listed below. Sometimes workshops or other activities will take place during normal practice times. Keep your eyes on the calendar for specifics and for upcoming Realms events and simmilar activities.
Warm Months Wednesday; 7:00-9:00 PM, Union Field, behind the Student Union Cold Months Wednesday; 8:00-10:00 PM, Inside Ratcliffe Hicks Arena
As we create instructional workshops to help our members learn the various crafts and skills of use in the Realms, we will be putting informational documents in this section for easy access. Once you have learned the basics of making this stuff you use these guides to make them again and again.
Tunic Worksheet
(Sept 06)Step by step instructions for making your first t-tunic. Used for the first weapon and garb workshop of the year. The standard t-tunic is always a useful piece of garb. It can be worn as a regular shirt or a covering over warm non-garb clothing for the colder months. Jason's Guide to Garb
(Oct 06)A wealth of advice about assembling your first set of garb. Not everyone has the time to make everything they want to wear from scratch, so here is some direction for where you can get great deals on medieval or semi-medieval clothing. Some of these sources are even places in your hometown, so you don't have to look too hard. Jason's Guide to Armor
(Nov 06)A rather in depth dissertation on the rules governing armor in the Realms. Contained within are basic descriptions of different armor types expounding on their merits and the things you should be wary of. You can also find suggestions on where to purchase new armor online and the basic principles of construction should you want to make your own. Jason's Guide to Simple Weapons
(Dec 06)A guide to the supplies and techniques used in making swords, axes, maces, and hammers. This document provides step-by-step instructions as well as descriptions of different additions and stylistic changes that the majority of the Realms use in the making of their weapons. Also provided are web-sites that will allow you to order the appropriate items for crafting.
The following are links to important resources for our members. These are the best places to learn all about the Realms, the rules that make it work, the in-character world we play in, and the out-of-character community that keeps it all going. We recommend reading through most of the material below before your first event.
RealmsNET The central webpage for The Realms. Here you can find lists of players, characters, upcoming events, mailing lists, and much more. This page is frequented by almost all Realmsies. The Omnibus The online printing of the official rules of the game, including rules for weapons, armor, and magic. Everyone should read this rulebook before playing in Realms for the first time. Check to make sure you're looking at the latest edition! Newbie Guide The most recent publication of the long-lived Newbie's First Year Guide to the Realms. This is a very useful orientation to the game and to the medieval-fantasy world in which the game takes place. People who know the stuff in here will feel much more at home at their first events. Channel Realms A monthly webcast that was once put out by Stephen Johnson. Among the topics in these videos are fighting and tactics instruction, stories and history lessons, and footage of events in action. These are another great orientation and learning resource. The Realms Map The world of the Realms has a specific shape, modeled on the New England landform the community inhabits. Understanding where the different nations are is by no means essential, but it is interesting information and cool to look at. The Bank of the Southern Wastes The economy of the Realms is not defined by the rules. It is a system where anyone can release currency if they can back it with goods or services. Here you can learn a bit about the history of coin in the realms and what current coins exist.
The following are links to homepages of various nations and groups in the Realms. Some of them have some really useful information on them, all of them will give you insight into the culture of the Realms.
Vinehaeven The area of the Realms represented by UCONN is known as Vinehaeven. Vinehaeven was started around the same time UCONN SMAC was first created. The Oaken Guard, which is the in-character representation of the members of SMAC, practice in a outpost known as Fort Oakenbrook in Vinehaeven. Of the original members of Vinehaeven, you will still see some of them around, but most have retired. The Southern Wastes In the Realms, Connecticut is roughly represented by a large area known as the Southern Wastes, a cruel and unruly land. Here is information on the country as well as some really great stories and pictures. Some of the veteran members of SMAC have joined the Southern Wastes. Rhiassa Rhiassa is a service based country, focused around giving back to the community of the Realms. They are a long-lived country that is responsible for holding one of the Realms largest and most grandiose tournaments, Queen of Hearts, every August and the largest of the yearly feasts, Feast of the Leviathan, every January. Many of the veteran members of SMAC have joined Rhiassa. Ashenmark A group dedicated to martial excellence and service to the community, Ashenmark is a relatively young nation that has risen to prominence very quickly. Many of the veteran members of SMAC have joined Ashenmark. Chimeron Chimeron has been around since the earliest years of the Realms. They are a kingdom which is made up of other countries that have sworn fealty to them. They are based out of Central Massachusetts. The City of Ivory The Realms has a pantheon of gods, and worship of them is common. Ivory is a group based around the worship of Aurora, the Goddess of Light. Here they have collected a library of information about different peoples and quests in the Realms. This page serves as the primary source of plot information in the Realms.