2008 State of Amtgard Report

Chapters

If there where to be a word of the year it would be 'Growth'. Forty eight new or reestablished chapters are known to have formed this year, with florida taking the prize for most chapter's formed in one state at nine. The former is due in large part to the absorption of most of the Sakura Moon Shogunate, which at the time told it's members that they were a legal amtgard kingdom. This was not the case. From this interaction we gained six new chapters.

Of the chapters founded this year eight are known to have failed, the remaining forty continue. Six other chapter have also failed this year, leaving 243 active known chapters in the wiki, the ORK which only lists chapters that use it's record keeping or Atlas services lists 235. Rewth and his deputies are working to get every known chapter included in at least the atlas portion.

By state

Two of these new chapters were founded in Canada Kitchener, and Ottawa, Ontario. One was formed in Alaska, in the city Anchorage; This is he third chapter known to have formed ever in alaska. Griffin's Lake reformed in Jacksonville, Arkansas. West Hammer a group that claims to be amtgard but doesn't follow our rules is formed Modesto, California. Three chapters form in Tampa, Florida alone, Soaring Phoenix, Tetsu Bonazi and Red Dawn; all of them chapters or splits from SME. Florida also gained chapters in St. Petersburg, Clear Lake, Brooksville, Titusville, and Gainesville. Although many of them have had trouble starting with attendance and travel issues. Enchanted Falls was created in Twin Falls, Idaho, the only known chapter to form there this year. Indiana has gained big as well with at lest four new chapters, LaFontaine, Greenwood, Elkhart, and Bremen. Morluck the Merciless an old Burning Lander founded Quadravidium in Salina, Kansas. Loa's Landing was founded in Glenwood, Maryland, raising the number of active chapters in that state to five, the highest ever known to exist at once.

Michigan also gained two chapters, on in Haslett, and one in Rochester Hills. The chapter of Darkwolf is rumored to have formed in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota but there has been no meaningful contact with their members. Montana saw it's first new chapter since the formation of the Northern Ice Realms which went defunt sometime in 2003, Skystone was founded by Loup in Billings. House Springs, Missouri also has a new chapter, the Rolling Hills of Baal. Ohio gained three chapters in; Oxford, Girard, and Vaughnsville. In Oklahoma, previously the bastion only of freeholds, most of the established chapters joined the Emerald Hills with an eye to forming a principality. They also gained two new chapters, in Stillwater and Tulsa. Clarksville, Tennessee has a new chapter, Dragon's Hollow, built on the ashes of the previous chapter, Crimson Stag. Texas, ever strong picked up at least five chaters; Pleasanton, Deer Park, Ft. Worth, Waco, and Giddings. Chapters were also formed in Alexandra and Yorktown, Virginia but the group in the former, Shattered Lands, has already failed due to poor management. The Chapter in the Later, Harbour of Rhye is a consolidation of Sea of Rhye and Veles Harbour. West Virginia also saw growth, with chapters in Nitro and Wheeling. Iron River, Wyoming also has a new small chapter in the form of Arcadia. Wisconsin also gained a new chapter in Menomonie, Mithril Forest, full of new blood and learning quickly.

We were blessed this year with a new Kingdom, the Desert Winds located mainly in Utah at the Gathering of the Clans. The CoM voted unanimously to grant them this elevated status. Two principalities were also formed, both under the Iron Mountains, from the remnants of the Rosetta Pact, Rivermoor and Olympus.

Knightings

40 players were knighted this year, the first being Venus Hünüwhogod, she is also the only known person to be knighted in Neverwinter this year. The Wetlands knighted by far the most people, belting nine individuals. The Rising Winds and Goldenvale were second runners up each creating five new knights.

Eighteen new knights of the flame, were created Ten Knights of the Serpent, Nine of the Crown, and three of the Sword. Tweleve of those belted had already been inducted into other orders, and Twenty eight were new knights.

At the time of writing there have been 521 knights created ever. That's an average of twenty knights or so, (20.8), per year. 129 of those Knighted have been of the Crown, 250 have been in order of the Flame, 174 have been of the Serpent, and 103 have been of the Sword.

By Kingdom

With 40 knights and 13 kingdoms, you have an average of 3.077 knights per Kingdom, that is not however how it fell out. Some have commented on what is apparently a large number being knighted this year, however, 33 knights were created last year. So considering our new kingdom, and the large number of Wetlanders belted, the numbers haven't actually jumped that high.

• Neverwinter, 1
• Emerald Hills 3
• Goldenvale 5
• Blackspire 4
• Celestial Kingdom 2
• Wetlands 9
• Rising Winds 5
• Burning Lands 3
• Dragonspine 2
• Golden Plains 3
• Crystal Groves 1
• Iron Mountains 2
• Desert Winds 0

By month

March was the most popular Month to get knighted in, probably because of the four knightings which took place at Spring War.

• January (1); Venus
• February (1); Logan T. Black
• March (8); Sanchez, Tseng, Lynae, Chango, Zane, Slyddur, Teth Bloodthorne, Tangeena Skythasis
• April (2); Little John, Caliana
• May (2); Keluric Tryst, Dughan
• June (4); Vladimir Vladavostock, Denah hap Tugruk, Rayel Greenholde, Ren
• July (5); Angela Mastersinger, Jynx Mercades, Deathstalker, Sindari Elfstone, Randall Andalsa
• August (7); Feral Lynn, Mara, Ce'dar, Nathanial Goldenleaf, Goliath, Blackhawk, Celdic Fitz Caliston
• September (6) Garth, Damian "Dogboy" Coradren, Moonshadow Everdarius, Darrian de Craymore, Flare, Hexloc
• October (1) Megiddo sel Esdraelon
• November (2) Grumish Arowyn, Atog
• December (1); O'Banion

Rules

2008 saw the release of the 7.5 version of the rulebook. It's release was later than some would have liked, but understandable given the number and scope of the changes made, including some major organization changes. The rulebook now also contains the Kingdom Boundaries and Park Sponsorship rules, a guide line for which kingdom may claim a new chapter.

Award Standardization ratified by the Circle of Monarchs in 2007 is now also included in every Kingdom's corpora save the wetlands which has a committee working on the change over, to be submitted January 17th.