Syrinx was introduced to Avalon in the year 607. Until one hundred years ago magic combined with land and sea barriers had kept the Empire isolated for as long as anyone remembers. Then a massive volcanic eruption and magical outburst caused the waterways to deepen and created a pass through the mountains to the Kingdom of Stonegate. It took a while, but soon trade and travel has flourished between the kingdoms. 

I thought I would give you a bit of history before I told you about Syrinx. I cannot make a claim to its validity, but it seems to be the common belief. If they know what caused the magical explosion, no one will speak of it. I came here with the first wave of merchants from Stonegate. It was a wonderful opportunity to study a whole new culture. 

The Government of Syrinx is Imperial, the empire consisting of twelve individual City-States that each have their own rulers called Magistrates. The Magistrates meet monthly to discuss the Empire business. The Emperor died during the eruption, his only heir has been missing since. Steward Cerellius is acting as Emperor for the time. 

Each island City-State has a Citadel in its capital. Each Citadel is dedicated to an Element and the people, animals and fauna of the islands seem to have taken on some aspects of the Element. The Citadels of the four Celestial Elements Stone, Air, Water, and Flame each hold an arm of the Celestial Scholars Guild. That guild frowns on Scholars that cast opposing elements. 

The Citadels of Life and Death have taken it a step further and it is illegal for casters of Earth Magic to cast Chaos and Chaos Casters, known as Necromancers, may never call upon the Earth to heal. This also extends to Life and Death Spells. Death is the domain of the Necromancer and life is that of the Healer. 

The culture of Syrinx is widely one of civilization and some representative aspects of government. Magistrates meet with the people once a year to hear their issues. Magistrates and the Emperor have Archons that serve under them. All politicians can have Centurions that serve them. There are also Centurions that work directly for the Empire. They can be identified by their red cloaks. They are the common guards that police towns and buildings. 

To relate the politics of Syrinx to other kingdoms one could think of: 

• The Emperor as equal to a King.
• The Magistrates fall somewhere between a King and Duke (Some magistrates rule their City-States, some are simply the representatives chosen in some way, all participate in the governing of the Empire as a whole)
• Archons are about the rank a Lord would be elsewhere.
• Centurions are the equal of Knights and Dames in other lands.

THE MAGISTRATES 
The Magistrates each rule differently, usually influenced with the Element of the Citadel of their realm. The one Magistrate that must be noted here is the Magistrate of Death.
The Pharaoh Ahmentet is an Ancient Undead Mummy. Undead serve him and are considered citizens of Syrinx. They generally keep to their City State on West Helekia, but may be seen in the public areas at times.
This might take outlanders by surprise since Undead are considered evil in most other lands. To identify the Undead of Syrinx look to their clothing. They dress in gold and cotton with adornments like snakes and beads. (They look Egyptian.)
No Necromancer is permitted to raise undead without authorization and may never use Control Undead on legal undead. Registered Necromancers may gain permission to raise undead if they follow the path and pass some testing.

THE GOBLINS
The enemies of Syrinx are many, but none are as heinous as the Goblins. The Goblins of the area have been the natural enemies of Syrinx for as long as any can remember. The years of fighting has had an effect on them as well as the people of Syrinx. They have become fierce and ruthless. They know nothing of the virtual innocence of the goblins of other lands. They know only the art of war and torture. They are quick and dexterous and know much of fighting. Woe to the lone soldier or adventurer that finds themselves alone with even a few Goblins. Goblins of outer Syrinx can be identified by their unusual dress. The wear head coverings and brightly colored vests and pantaloons. (Think Persian.)
The Goblins inhabit the land to the north of Syrinx proper and the unexplored land to the north.

QUEEN KUSUMA AND THE OGRES
From within comes the next threat. Ogres. The Ogres of Syrinx are led by the half breed Queen Kusuma, who also professes to be the true Queen of Syrinx.  They believe that the civilized races long ago stole their intelligence and beauty that they once possessed. Kusuma’s advisor and Shaman Brackius Zorios has achieved some method of taking the intelligence from others and infusing it with the Ogre’s. They make their home primarily on Cygnus, but are able to travel with the aid of their blue skinned Ogre Magi to any island.
 

SEA RACES
The Empire is at war. Beings from the sea that appear to be the twins of their land counter part races. There are under water elves, Gypsies and all of the races of the surface. In all ways they appear as normal surface races with the exception of their skin being blue and some webbed appendages.

FORMIANS AND DRIDERS
Two new threats have recently reared their heads. The Formians are an ant like race of humanoids that are more a force of nature than an intentional enemy.  Hives that are known are currently around the Haven Outpost and a relocated hive on Deaths side of Helekia. Each has its own queen that appears to be independent of the other.  

The strange spider like creatures calling themselves Driders have declared that they are the mortal enemies of the Formians.  They seem quite insane in their hatred of them and have recently declared themselves the enemies of the Haven Outpost adventurers. We do not know where they came from; some rumors have placed them on the Island of Orphne but recently they have been around the Haven outpost.

CYCLOPS
There are numerous tribes of Cyclops in Syrinx. They vary in culture, but one thing is known. The Dark Skinned ones are evil creatures of ill intent. Their black heart must have seeped to their skin. The others can be as varied as any race.

What is a boffer?

The term “boffer” refers to a contact weapon (swords, spears, clubs, arrows, hammers, etc.) that is made from light weight materials and padded with foam to prevent injury.

What are boffers used for?

“Boffering” or “boffing” is the act of using boffers to play a form of mock combat. The combat is used for different reasons by different people. The most common reasons to use boffer weapons include:

• It is a great means of exercise.
• It lets you get out your aggression in a safe way.
• It promotes teamwork and active play amongst groups.
• It allows people to reenact historic battles without the dangers of real weapons.
• It allows fans of movies such as Braveheart and Lord of the Rings to enjoy the stories in a “real-life” way.
• It allows people to practice a martial art in a safe way.

Does boffer fighting hurt?

Boffering is a contact sport and because of this it is not entirely painless. It is possible to get a bruise or welt if you are playing too rough. However, with properly padded weapons, there is very little chance of injury. The pain in boffering is about equal to a pillow fight. Other sports, such as football, baseball, or hockey, are more dangerous than boffer fighting. If you can handle those games, you should be able to handle boffering with ease.

Sounds like fun, how can I get involved?

There are groups of people all over the world that use boffer combat as an exciting means of recreation. A boffer directory will be created soon where you will be able to find a boffer group in your area. If there aren’t any groups in your area you can always start up your own.

How do I make a boffer?

The techniques used for making boffers changes depending on what type of boffer you’re making. If you’ve never made a boffer before, you should start with the short sword or dagger to learn the basics, and then work your way up from there.

What is a LARP?

LARP stands for Live-Action Role-Playing. It’s similar to the traditional table-top RPGs except everything is done in real life. Because LARPs often utilize live combat, they often use boffers for safety reasons.

Is this some sort of cult? Do you kill people? Are you Satan worshipers?

As silly as these questions sound, they are legitimate, so here is the answer: People from any walk of life may enjoy boffers. Any race, creed, culture, religion, or ethnicity can enjoy the benefits of boffering withou fear of it having a negative impact on their life.

CORES
PVC
3⁄4” PVC is an excellent basic weapon core for one-handed weapons and spears.
Generally costs about $3 for a single length
Can be found at most hardware stores in 6 to 10 foot lengths
Graphite
Good weapon core for light weapons, slightly more expensive than PVC
More brittle than PVC
Can be found in various forms for about $6 to $10 per sword length
Aluminum
1” or 7/8” Aluminum tubing is a good core for long weapons, particularly polearms (make sure it
is an acceptable core for the game you are attending before building a weapon with an aluminum core)
Can be cut to size with a hacksaw
Costs about $10 for a 6 foot length and can be found at some hardware stores
-most Home Depots do not carry aluminum tubing

TAPE
Duct Tape
Duct tape comes in a variety of colors and sizes
-Gray, black and white are most common
-blue, red, green, brown, teal, purple, silver, camouflage, and other colors are available
-red duct tape signifies claws, try not to use it for your weapon
One average roll will cover several weapons
Gray duct tape can be found in almost all hardware and department stores
One average roll of duct tape costs $4, a large roll is $7 or $8

Kite Tape
Comes in variety of colors, black is the most common
One roll will make at least one long sword
Less durable but lighter than duct tape
Costs about $8/roll and can be found in some hardware stores and hobby shops

FOAM
Open Cell
Pillow cushioning
Can be found for about $5 per scrap chunk, or buy seat cushions and cut to the size you need
Can be found at fabric and craft stores

Pipe Insulation
5/8th inch tube diameter (see picture).

Make sure it fits snugly the core, but not so tight that it doesn’t fit.
Can be found for about $5 for 4 3’ lengths at hardware stores.
-most Home Depots do not carry 5/8” foam.

TOOLS

Hacksaw
Use a hacksaw or the proper specialized saw for cutting cores to the correct length.
Can be found at hardware and department stores for $5 to $15.

Scissors
An old sharp pair will serve well, since they may get “gummy” with tape glue.
Clean scissors after each use with rubbing alcohol to keep them from sticking.
Can be found for about $7 at hardware, craft, and department stores.

Knife
A sharp unserrated knife works well for cutting foam and tape.
Clean and sharpen your knife after each use.
Can be found at hardware, department, outdoor and kitchen stores.

Exacto Knife
A triangular pointed blade will work well for cutting and poking holes in tips
You may need to replace the blade after making a few weapons.
Clean the blades with rubbing alcohol after each use to keep it from sticking in
the weapon tip.
Can be found for about $3 at hardware, craft, and department stores.

Weather Stripping and Double Sided Tape
Double sided tape or weather stripping will make the pipe foam fit more securely
on the core.
Can be found for about $3 at hardware and department stores.

Boffer Weapon Safety
Where to Find What You Need

Thrift Stores
Thrift and second-hand stores are a great place to find costuming. Even though a thrift store is not
a reliable source of costuming, you can find leather belts, odd boots, shirts that will pass as medieval
and all sorts of other things at a great price.
Hardware Stores
This is where you can find weapon-making materials. Make sure that you buy the right types of what
you need. Exacto knives can be found at hardware stores as well.
Craft and Fabric Stores
Your best bet for open cell foam. You can also get Exacto knives at a craft store.
Magic and Costuming Shops
A local store that has supplies for magic tricks and costumes will often have the make up that you may
need to play a race that requires makeup or prosthetics. Party City and other chain stores may have
some things during the Halloween season, but a local store is more likely to have pancake makeup, elf
ears and many other items a LARPer can use.
Department Stores
Department stores such as Walmart and Kmart are likely to have plain sweat shirts and sweat pants
that you won’t mind getting dirty. Tights and Spandex pants can also be found for a reasonable price.
A variety of notebooks, pens, and other items can be found at many of them as well.

Web Sites
There are a number of LARP related web sites that can help you find everything from weapons to
make-up. With a little research you can find finished weapons that fit your personal needs and even
get them delivered to your door step. You can order armor to your specifications and find all of the
trappings you might want for any character.

Boffer Weapon Safety 
Weapon and Shield Specifications

Weapon Guidelines
All weapons have a minimum and maximum length, grip, and blade length requirements. Certain
weapons including Polearms, Axes, and Maces, requires an additonal part called the head. The head is a open
cell foam part of the weapon that represents a striking surface. All weapons must be created with 5/8 inch
wall closed cell foam. Each weapon must have both a thrusting and waylay tip. The thrusting and waylay
tips are used to cap the ends of the weapons. Tips are constructed using open cell foam, approximately 2”
in depth. All surfaces of the weapon must be covered with duct or kite tape. The tape should be in vertical
strips running the length of the blade to avoid compacting the closed cell foam. The parts of a sword are
labeled on the diagram below.

Below is a list of Minimum and Maximum sizing for many types commonly used of weapons.

Shield Specifications
Shields can be constructed out of almost any strong and light material. Thin sheets of corrugated plastic,
metal or wood work well. The total shield size cannot be greater than 531 square inches, and the longest
dimension cannot exceed 36”. Any voids gaps, holes or recesses, will be included in the overall shield area.
The shield must have 5/8 “ thick foam surrounding the edge. No bolts or other protuberances are allowed.

Boffer Weapon Safety 
Test Your Weapons

You can test your weapons by checking for the following:
1. Check the tips for sharp edges, uncovered foam and general softness
2. Check the base of the tip by squeezing firmly to make sure that you cannot feel the core of the weapon
3. Make sure the length of the weapon is soft and not squished or dented
4. The thrusting tip of the weapon should be approximately 2” deep, and should be as wide as the rest of
the weapon.
5. The waylay tip should be at least 1” deep and should be the same width as the rest of the weapon.
6. The closed cell foam should be firmly attached to the core of the weapon and should not slide or twist
when pulled.
7. The closed cell foam should not be visible anywhere on the weapon.
8. Nowhere on the weapon should the weapon core be visible.
9. The weapon must be taped in a lengthwise manner. This reduces the weight of the weapon.
10. The waylay and thrusting tips should be firmly attached to the closed cell foam. They should not come
off when pulled or twisted firmly.
11. The open cell foam should not rattle when the weapon is shaken. If it does, the foam is not fitted
properly on the core.
12. No foreign objects should be put into or attached to the weapon core to balance the weapon.
13. A weapon cannot be designed to “trap” other weapons.
14. All parts of a hilt of any weapon should be made from open or closed cell foam, and should not be sharp
or hard to the touch.
15. The overall weapon length should not be more than the maximum allowed. Allow for weapon tips when
you measure and cut your weapon core.
16. A weapon should not bend even when swung strongly. In particular, check longer weapons for this problem.

Maintenance
A well-made weapon should last several events without much maintenance, but you will want to check
it carefully before and after each event. Store your weapons in a dry cool place, since direct sunlight can
wrinkle or peel the tape. DO NOT lean your weapons on the tips when you store them, and NEVER lean
on the tips.

Your weapon tips will probably have to be replaced more often than the cell foam.