A Fursuit Question for 08, no not 07.
Yes, i do indeed mean 2008.
My question is this, when i go to AC in 08, my FS will FINALLY have been bought and it will include a real Claymore Sword, although I intend for it NOT to be sharp. As you may of guessed, my question is that can i bring it to AC 08?
Also, i noticed in several YouTube and Google Videos that several suiters had also had swords, some real, some of them crap.
Part one of this new paragraph:
Now i know that you are thinking, "If they can bring their swords, why wouldn't you beable to?" Well, thats because those swords weighed at most 5 pounds, while mine will weigh about 32 pounds. See the difference?
Part Two:
My SECOND question is that, is it possible for there to be one on one sword fighting between Suiters? I think that would be fun to do and to watch.
Sorry if this entire post is confusing! ^_^
Not to be rude:
Please stop responding to this! I got it already!
I too have a sword and I would like to wear mine to AC 07. but mine's made of wood and (I think) is very hard to mistake to mistake for a real one. its spraypainted aspin, and really soft so I wouldn't swing it or anything for fear of damaging it. It also goes really well with my chain maille for photos. Last year I was told by one of the security that I could carry it if I was a sponsor. is that true of next year?
Your membership level shouldn't have anything to do with carrying weapons. (Which is good because it keeps our chairman from carrying around his bullwhip! 
)
I would recommend sending email to security.2007(AT)anthrocon.org and asking them your question.
-- Giza
Then what about a kendo sword?
I can't spell worth...
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Alright, it said on the INSIDE, but what about on the out side? Outside of the building but on the property of the DLCC? I Think that would be allowed?
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The point is this:
Anthrocon takes its lessons from the experiences of other conventions. Organizations such as Philcon, who have been around for sixty billion years, have learned that all it takes is for one nervous mundane to call the police and scream "There's a guy waving a sword around on the street!" or "There's a weirdo inside this hotel I just passed and it looks like he has a gun!" to completely ruin a convention chairman's day.
Our policy is written to keep my day from being ruined. Please, no weapons, or anything that from a distance can be mistaken for a weapon, except as part of the masquerade.
Out on the street, you're entirely on your own. Just don't come crying to me if someone sees you with a sword and gets the wrong idea.
One problem with that (I am sure of this), and that would be that said 'weapon' is not concealed. As long as it is NOT being concealed, I and others are OKay (on the street). Now two people kendo fighting on the sidewalk just for show shouldn't be a problem. I mean, as long as we arn't desturbing others, we are fine.
Also, can someone point me to both the AC Security page and the DLCC Security page?
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Our weapons policy is here.
I do not know if the DLCC has a security page, but I do not think it is particularly relavent to the discussion at hand, since our security policy is likely the more restrictive of the two.
It would be wise for you to check Pittsburgh city ordinances about carrying weapons openly on the street. As for performing on the sidewalk, you would almost certainly be at the least inconveniencing people who just want to use the sidewalk for its intended purpose.
Also, there are Federal offices (Air Force, etc.) the next block over from the Westin, with a lot of armed security guards hovering around the entrances who would likely go on alert in the event of an apparent disturbance a couple of hundred feet away.
I think it would be better keep the swords at home, or bring them only for a Masquerade performance.
--
PeterCat <art@anthrocon.org>
Oh how funny, two people who credit them selves with having genous level IQs didn't even THINK of the Masquerade. Well, i asked Eillo if he would like to do that, and he said fine. Now the question is, CAN we do that?
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Well, there's a method of securing a weapon called "Peace Tying" that can ensure the steel won't be shown around; unless you were thinking of drawing it, in which case I can assure you it's not going to happen. If you just want the thing strapped to your back, sometimes there's a way to get the thing in peaceably.
Peace tying appears at a lot of renn faires, and for them it really works. Renn costuming involves a certain number of big sharp pointy things almost as a matter of course; and since renn faires are generally set up in fairgrounds and other such areas with big clear boundaries out in the middle of bumfudge, fairgoers are really the only folk you have to worry about. Fairgoers generally have a good idea what they're getting into and really only care about knowing, when up close to you, that you have no intention of actually using the weapons you carry.
With a gather like AC, however, some different circumstances make peace-tying less practical. The convention center is, quite literally, right smack in downtown pittsburgh, towards the center. We also take over a couple of hotels, which no renn faire has ever done to my knowledge. That means we have a lot of traffic from ordinary, non-cocgoing folks who may not even know a gather is supposed to happen until they walk into a fursuiter. Some of them are nice reasonable folks who may even think swordplay demos are pretty. But it's almost inevitable that someone far more paparnoid will walk past and panic, or even just get disgruntled because we're blocking the sidewalk. And that's just the sort of stuff that always manages to get back to the media, shown in the worst possible light.
Some gathers have decided that they want to brave this kind of potential flak in order to let folks carry weopon replicas; AC has not, and much as i adore big sharp pointy things, i have to agree with them. If there's even a remote possibility that anyone could confuse it with a weapon, save the dorsai a headache and save it out for the masquerade. Better not to push the boundaries then to push them and have the dorsai going back and forth about whether something counts as a weapon.
To participate in the Masquerade, you must have a performance that includes at least one costume prepared. Please see the Masquerade FAQ and Rules here:
http://www.anthrocon.org/masquerade
http://www.anthrocon.org/rules-masquerade
You will need to have a performance that conforms with the rules and participate in the mandatory rehearsal at 9am on the Saturday of the convention. Your weapon will need to be approved by the Dorsai and possibly kept in your room at all times apart from the Masquerade.
However, if you are planning to participate in the Masquerade as a loophole to permit your weapons at the convention, I would strongly recommend just leaving them at home. I don't like weapons in the show.
Neither does our insurance broker.
(of course, it depends on how it is to be used. I recall that the gentleman who wanted to juggle the atomic bombs was asked not to.)
In Summary, Theyain: No weapons are allowed under any circumstances at Anthrocon.
The pittsburgh city ordinances state any weapon(Concealed or otherwise) within city limits will accrue a 500 dollar fee(Plus, depending on the weapon, but 500 is base), plus a maximum confinement sentence of 10 days, with or without some public service.
This isn't to forget that fighting on the street will damage the reputation we have tried arduously to maintain. We would like to come off as civilised and average human beings. This will hopefully stem off any past incidents of negative media coverage.
You will want to refer to the Weapons Policy in Anthrocon's Standards of Conduct:
"To ensure the safety of all those attending the convention, Anthrocon maintains a very strict weapons policy. These policies are enforced at all times. Anyone who has questions about this policy should speak directly to the Chief of Security.
No weapons or any item that can be easily mistaken for one may be carried either openly or concealed at any time in convention space, regardless of any concealed carry permits you may possess. Padded swords, bokken and similar striking implements used to practice swordplay may not be used in any convention area. Weapon replicas may be worn as part of a costume only at the Masquerade and during convention-sponsored costuming events at the discretion of the Masquerade Director, and must be cased or otherwise secured when being transported to and from that event. If you have any questions as to the permissibility of a prop for your masquerade performance, please contact the Masquerade Director prior to the convention.
An exception will be made for folding pocket knives such as Swiss Army knives provided they contain no double-edged blades and no blade longer than four inches (which would make them illegal to carry in Pennsylvania). If at any time these items are held or used in such a way that would be construed as threatening, however, they will be considered weapons."
Based on this policy, the answer would be no in both parts of your question.
KP
Anthrocon Programming Director