Teresa Nelson had just come home from a long, hard day when her good friend handed her a “sword” made from a pool noodle covered golf club and encouraged her to hit him with it.
“I was like, ‘Dude I’m not hitting you with that,’ ” Nelson said.
After he showed her the weapon didn’t even leave a mark, she had at it.
“It’s great if you have anger management,” Nelson said with a laugh.
The experience drove Nelson to learn more about her friend’s interest, Amtgard, an organization that recreates different activities in medieval and ancient times. The curiosity turned into a passion, and Nelson and her family helped start the local group: the Nomadic Tribes of the Emerald Coast.
View a slideshow from one of the group's meetings at Fort Walton landing.
“The more you get into it, the cooler it is,” Nelson said. “I just want to do more.”
Participants are encouraged to come up with their own character based on someone born before the year 1650. They have about 14 different “classes” from warrior to bard they can enter depending on their interests.
One of its members, Saben Schmitt, has been involved in Amtgard for 17 years, after being drawn to the weaponry and sword fighting. He’s a warrior with aspirations to become a sword knight. He practices about three days a week, in addition to the Sunday practice.
“It’s not something you’re used to in everyday life,” Schmitt said of Amtgard.
At major Amtgard events, there are thousands of people interested in a number of different activities, Schmitt said.
“You find massive amounts of friends,” he said.
The main focus is creating foam-covered weapons and battling, but participants also try the different activities of the time period. They sew clothes, craft, make chainmail — whatever interests them.
“You try and make it as authentic as possible,” Nelson said.
Kristina Howard was first interested in learning to sew the practical items needed by a warrior. Now, in addition to becoming a knight, she wants to sew court garb.
“It’s nerdy in a good way,” Howard said.
Howard thought Amtgard players were “absolutely nuts” at first. As she met other players and got their help on her projects, she realized how much of a family the group is.
“It’s not a normal experience,” Howard said. “You make some good friends.”
Her 5-year-old daughter loves Amtgard as well.
“She gets to hit people with a stick,” Howard said with a laugh.
TO LEARN MORE: The Nomadic Tribes of Emerald Coast meets every Sunday at 2 p.m. at Fort Walton Beach Landing Park for combat practice.
Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Delgado can be reached at 850-315-4445 or ldelgado@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenDnwfdn.