Every Sunday afternoon, a local group goes takes part in a sporting event with a medieval spin at Phillips Park in Aurora.
Formed four years ago , The Realm of Vulden-Aurora Belegarth is part of the national organization Belegarth, which has more than 100 chapters across the United States and is dedicated to providing a martial arts experience within the context of the medieval world.
Dressed in medieval garb, the group can attract a bit of attention.
“We get folks in the park who come up and look at us and are a bit timid,” Kevin Malone, one of the founders of the local group, said.
On a recent Sunday, he said a group taking part in a bike rally at Phillips Park took some time out to give the sport a try.
“We try to make sure that everyone who wants to come out and try the sport is encouraged and welcomed,” Malone said. “That is one of the things I love about the community of this sport.”
The name Belegarth means “Great Realms” and was taken from the Sindarin language of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.”
“We are not a role-playing game, although we do have some elements of that,” Malone said. “It is a sport. We create a safe, fun martial arts scenario to recreate a fighting environment.”
Malone, who has been involved with Belegarth for more than 17 years, said he first got involved with it through a class he took at the DeKalb Park District when he was a student at Northern Illinois University.
“It checked all the boxes I was looking for. It was good physical exercise. The people were great, and it gave me something larger to shoot for such as becoming a better fighter and working as a group for the national events,” he said.
Even though many of the participants are in good physical shape, he said, everyone is welcome.
“We really have the whole spectrum,” he said. “Some people take it very seriously. There are also folks who come out once a week and jump in – with the team nature everyone can be really valuable to the team.”
Participants come dressed from the medieval time period and are equipped with weapons made from safe materials, he said.
“We do a weapon check before every event,” he said. “The game is super simple. If you get hit you are wounded or dead if hit in the chest.”
More Top Picks Best Winter Coats Under 100
Each battle lasts about 10 minutes, he added.
Every year, the group travels to an October tournament that includes more than 1,000 participants, Malone said. There the group engages in several battles.
Some participants have fully thought-out personas and do role-play as these characters, he said.
Aurora resident Josh Martinez often dresses in Viking garb, because in part it is his favorite mythology. Looking for an excuse to get off the couch, Martinez first started participating in the Elgin Realm of Belegarth.
“Slow-pitch softball seemed really boring,” he said. “I always have been a J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” and ancient history nerd. I like getting a three-dimensional fantasy view. From there I fell in love with the group. Everyone seems to find a niche within the sport.”
Cathy Janek is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.