“We will have individuals standing around ready to train you how to fight. You come up and sign a waiver, and they stamp your hand and then you’re ready to go,” said Alex Olsen, head administrator for Anvard Dagorhir and the event’s organizer. “We will teach you the basics of the sport.”

Anvard Dagorhir , a local fantasy group that hosts medieval-style melees using faux weapons, is planning to bring one of its gatherings to Boston Common this month, and it’s welcoming those unfamiliar with the unique combat sport the opportunity to join the fray.

Grab your (foam) swords, strap on your (foam) shields, string your (foam) arrows, and prepare for an epic battle of “Game of Thrones” proportions.


Dagorhir is a full-contact activity. Anvard is the Massachusetts and Rhode Island arm of the national sport, according to the group.

The hobby involves fast-paced warfare that relies on swinging and tapping of padded weapons to take down warriors from an opposing team, as participants gather face-to-face on the battlefield and charge at each other.

“Participants engage in combat and attempt to defeat their opponents in a variety of scenarios ranging from duels to castle sieges,” according to a description on Anvard Dagorhir’s Facebook page. “We use swords, shields, spears, axes, grappling, archery, and more.”

Dagorhir is similar to “larping,” or Live Action Role-Playing, in that it transports participants to the days of kings and queens. But larping, Olsen explains, relies more on character development and acting.

“You’re expected to get into character,” Olsen, 21, said. “But with this, it’s combat-centric. We get together, organize ourselves into teams — some events they have wooden castles to stage castle sieges. The role playing isn’t as present in our organization.”

Still, he said, if people want to dress like orcs or elves, meet at a pub, and converse in character before the battle, there are no rules against it.


“If that’s what you’re into,” Olsen said.

This month’s event, which is free, will be the first time the group has made a big push to market itself in the Boston area.

Olsen said members — there are chapters all over New England — typically get together in suburbs around the state, where they engage in fighting while wearing armor and costumes.

After Olsen navigated the permitting process for a few weeks, he was able to secure a permit for Sunday, May 21, at 8 a.m.

Olsen, who lives in Allston and has been part of the Dagorhir community for nearly a decade, said a preliminary event page on Facebook that listed the battle garnered more attention than he had anticipated. Within a few days, more than 100 people had said they would attend, and more than 1,000 clicked the “interested” button.

Olsen said people can feel free to show up with their own homemade gear when the battle goes down. Each item will be checked by designated members, for safety reasons.

“You can building anything you can dream of — as long as it fits to our rules and it’s safe,” Olsen said.

Steve Annear can be reached at steve.annear@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @steveannear.