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The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, or more simply The Knights Templar, were a powerful monastic military order in Europe's dark ages. At their height, The Knights Templar had chapters scattered all throughout Europe, all of which ultimately answered to the Pope. The Knights Templar were at the forefront of many crusading armies during the Holy Wars and the high medieval period, often populating the vanguard of said armies.
In Dagorhir, we are the only major group representing the historical
Knights Templar. We represent a small fictional unit lead by Count William
within the larger context of the English chapter of the Christian Order.
We believe that Dagorhir is the most enjoyable way a person can get
exercise, role play, and simulate the excitement and exhilaration of being
in the midst of a medieval battle without having to worry about actually
dying. Our ultimate goal is to have fun and we are happy to incorporate
any ideas that can help make the experience even more enjoyable. Even
though some people may think Dagorhir only appeal to the nerdy or violent
by some people, we try to distinguish ourselves as a group by making it
clear that personality counts even more than the ability to fight.
Friendliness and fun aren't just encouraged, they are required traits a
Templar hopeful must possess. While victory is important to us, we believe
that by setting an example as a Dagorhir group that cares more about fair
mindedness, respect, and creating a laid back yet organized atmosphere, we
can help make Dagorhir more fun for everybody.
Rank and a general sense of order are extremely important to us but only
inasmuch as they ultimately help make the Dagorhir experience more fun and
satisfying for everyone. We encourage people to join regardless of whether
they wish to fight or not. For those who do engage in combat, however, we
try to live up to the prowess and zealotry of the military order from
which we derive our name. We fight fiercely and, barring legitimate and
reasonable concerns, we insist that all fighters incorporate Crusader
aspects into their fighting style such as yelling rousing cries of "God
wills it!" and kneeling for an archaic Latin prayer/blessing before a
battle. Role playing is just as important, if not more so, than the
fighting itself. We hope to achieve not only notoriety on the battlefield
but a sense of community within our ranks, built upon the personalities
that make up our group. By role playing as well as being friendly to not
only our own members but to other groups, we can foster a sense of
openness as well as gain a very good reputation with the rest of Dagorhir.
One of the truly excellent things about Dagorhir is that even a small
group can create an extraordinarily memorable iconography and style. As
the Knights Templar, our goal and hope is to continue to improve our
recreation of the style, ambiance, and general aesthetics of the
historical Order of the same name. Tangibly, as the group continues to
expand, we hope to have accumulated a larger arsenal of weapons, more
heraldry and decor, and most importantly seasoned members. Even as a young
group we have created a easily recognizable appearance and fighting style.
As The Knights Templar, we come from different backgrounds but we all
share a love for the historical/fantasy role playing, the camaraderie
involved, and, most of all, the fighting that Dagorhir offers. It should
be noted that, unlike some other Crusader/Christian themed Dagorhir groups
that have arisen over the years, we do not exclusively belong to any
particular religion or sect as individuals; we are only themed after the
Knights Templar. The maintenance and expansion of this unique aesthetic
coupled with the influx of good people is important for the growth of our
fighting group and community. We do not necessarily agree with or desire
to enact all of their values and philosophies as real life individuals.
Therefore, we seek to encourage people to join regardless of religious or
political affiliation. We do not discriminate nor do we tolerate
discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, ethnicity, race, sexual
orientation, or any other nonsense reason.
That being said, we do discriminate on the basis of personality. A
friendly, enthusiastic, and honest person will find it easy to uphold the
spirit and reputation that we are trying to establish. Though we are a
relatively young group, we have already begun to develop a reputation as
fun-loving, serious role players who care about history but most of all,
the enjoyment of Dagorhir.