Barad Duin
a kingdom within the High Fantasy Society, located in Austin, Texas.
Contents
Heraldry
The device of the Grand Duchy of Barad Duin was a white banner adorned with a Black Tower with crescent moons and stars over a blue river.
The name Barad Duin is Sindarin for "River Keep".
History
The second contracted Amtgard group outside of El Paso, the Grand Duchy of Barad Duin was founded by Nithanalorn in early 1988. ,Barad Duin was elevated to Kingdom Status by the Burning Lands holding it's first coronation on September 9th 1988. The people of Barad Duin chose to continue to call themselves a Grand Duchy for role-play purposes. Dissatisfaction with Amtgard began with a dispute with the Burning Lands over Barad Duin's right to modify their rules of play via kingdom Althing. The thousand days of Amtgard lists this dispute as beginning on September 30th of 1989. The first 100 day goes on to further mention that Barad Duin achieved the status of a Grand Duchy on April 29th of 1988. Later conflicts between the Barad Duin citizenry and members of the Emerald Hills resulted in the populace of Barad Duin voting to leave Amtgard and found their own LARP, the High Fantasy Society on January 20th of 1990. HFS uses a similar but distinctly different rule set and is founded on a policy of local autonomy for its member groups. Read first hand accounts of the Barad Duin split here.
A former Barad Duin shire, Turris Lunae, joined with Bifost, an Amtgard Freehold in late 1990 to form the Celestial Kingdom. About a year after the split, dissidents from Barad Duin founded Tori-Mar, and joined the fledgling Celestial Kingdom.
Time Lines of Barad Duin
Late 1987
Nithanlorn moves to Central Texas. Begins to recruit, maintains ties with the Burning Lands.
April to September 1988 1st Reign
The first Reign of Barad Duin. First battlegame is played in mid-April. The chapter was founded as a duchy under the Burning Lands, and its Monarch Ahrmaand was called a "Duke". Sylaina of the Greenwood was Consort, Sionnach served as Champion and Nithanalorn served the first nine months of Chancellor. ( Confirmed in Volume 1 Number 2 of the Tower News letter, issued may 1988 )
During Ahrmaand's reign as Duke there were Quests for the Shield of Absorption, Thor's Hammer and Terras Ember won the Sword of Frost.
September 1988 to March 1989 2nd Reign
When Sionnach stepped into office the Burning Lands had already granted Barad Duin Grand Duchy status and so he was called a Grand Duke. Tanaide served as Consort for this reign, And Tholden was Chancellor.
March to September 1989 3rd Reign
Grand Duke Derydlus steps into office. Rufus Grimwulf who had also been running for the office of monarch was elected Regent instead. This apparently being the first use of the word 'Regent' to describe the position. Wizard Black here began serving the first of his two reigns as Chancellor.
During the latter part of his reign Derydlus created the first and only Amtgard Knight of Barad Duin; Ahrmaand. This was considered by some of be a faux pas, because it occurred before BD achieved Kingdom status. Ahrmaand was not named a knight of any one order, but recognized just as a "Knight" an example of all disciplines even though the knighting occurred after the belts had been split.
During his reign, Derydlus traveled to El Paso to the Coronation of Gilos Dawnhope. During this event Barad Duin was granted Kingdom Status, to be conferred at the coronation of the next monarch. For roleplaying reasons, the populace of Barad Duin elected to retain the name "Grand Duchy", rather than be called a Kingdom.
September 1989 to March 1990 4th Reign
Nithanalorn stepped into the role of Monarch this reign but instead of Grand Duke he called himself Pharaoh, and used the name Fean Cala Ra. Aganar, who would later be one of the founding members of the Chosen, served as Regent and Wizard Black served as Chancellor again.
The Midreign of Pharoh Fean Cala Ra was held at Camp Ben McCullough in Driftwood, Tx. It was called "The Night of the Pig". During the event any one could say anything they pleased to the monarch "With out fear of reprisals".
In September or November of 1990 The Emerald Hills invaded Barad Duin. The experience did not engender good will and was a sort of surprised of the BD folks. They had enjoyed the previous EH Monarchy in the person of Queen Reyna. Soon afterward the vote to leave Amtgard was held. There was a separate Allthing to chose the name of the new game and The High Fantasy Society was chosen.
March to September 1990 5th Reign
Conner Axbringer is crowned Grand Duke, During his reign he knights Tholden.
September 1990 to March 1991 6th Reign
Ard-Rian (Grand Duchess) Syliana of the Greenwood steps into office. Sionnach serves as her regent. Derydlus is knighted.
Barad Duin documents of historical record
issues of the Palantir newsletter
Houses and Companies
- House Dwarvenhelm
- House Seregon
- House Impossible
- Clan Babu
- The Chosen
People
Note: Just so you know, the following paragraphs don't really make sense. EVERYONE was there before the split ...EVERYONE was there after the split. However, after the split, some like Nithanalorn stayed on and then eventually quit because of disinterest, others like Booga stayed on until there was a political schism and then went on to help found Torimar. Some, like Richard Plantagenet, stayed on indefinitely. -arthon
Before Split
- Sir Nithanalorn Draconis Dignitatis brought Amtgard to central Texas,
- Sir Ahrmaand Seregon, the Vampire Lord, first Duke of Barad Duin, first and only Amtgard knight of Barad Duin
- Slyaina Greenwood, first Consort, Grand Duchessof Barad Duin
- Sionnach O'Ros Sidh, first Grand Duke
- Derydlus Greystone, second Grand Duke
- Rufus Grimwulf, first Regent of Barad Duin, first Regent in Amtgard history.
- Tholden, first knight of HFS
- Nithanalorn, first King of Barad Duin (called Pharoah Fean-Cala Ra)
- Count Sir Aganar Ky'Slaron helped to write the first HFS rulebook
Vicountess Raederle, Namarie, Thariand, Raven, Sudakahn, Caduesan, Zorin, Sir Sinjen, Arioch Montaskew, Olric, Tanaide Saerlithe Cu Chaille, Naka-Toshi, Kubishi, Viper, Romerian Landsinger, Smooth Walker, Manrel the Alchemist, Caduesan, Amros, Wizard Black, Terras Ember, Sparhawk, Sharjinka, Drintex, Lord DeHugh, Conner Axbringer, Arthon, Drakknar, Dorian, Aurendir, DOA, Deja Vu, Dalos, Dargoth, Koranada, and many many more...
After Split
- Sir Booga
- Tobre
- Sir Sasha Windwalker
- Dame Kaitlyn of GreenWillow
- Lord Blackstar
- Sir Prophet
- Dareth
- Cogatora
- Xavier
- Onyx Grymwulf
- Marcus Asylus Cotta
- Sir Richard Plantagenet
- Raptor
- Brigid Catriona Leslie of Pendragon
- Sir Viscount Terwin
- Viscount Warrick
- Viscountess Bella Peregrina,
- Warlord Sir Azar of Chaos, who crowned a fish at his stepping down as King of Barad Duin
- Francesca d'Pisa Bella Note Dolce Vita Vecchio Havas Grande Corleo
Contacts and Directions
Barad Duin's weekly battle games are held on Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Marymore Searight park, Austin, Texas. Contact: Queen Bella Peregrina mka Skye: skyeds(at)tex1(dot)net, 5 1 2 - 2 6 9 - 6 3 0 9
