Fortune's Path Unitless Camp
A camp for the Unitless, Travelers, and Friends
Founding Wayfinder: Garnet the Earth Elemental
Approved First Nomads: Igua - Laeta - Kit
Social Media: Look up fortunespath on the Book of Faces for updates on which events we will be attending!
Mission
Fortune's Path is not a Household or a Unit. It is simply an organized, recognizable, safe place to camp for people who don't have a set place to camp at events.
This includes:
- New Fighters
- Cross-gamers from games like Amt or Dag who are in a unit in a different game but have no camp at Bel events
- People travelling without any other members of their unit
- People who recently left a unit
- People who have a significant other in a unit who don't want to camp with their SO's unit
- People who don't want to join a unit right away and want to take their time deciding who they would like to eventually join
- People who have decided formal unit life isn't for them
The mission is to give people a fun, safe, welcoming camp to be part of while they explore their options of joining other houses/units. You are absolutely still welcome to camp with FP camp even if you are already part of a unit or a house if you for some reason don't have a place to camp at the event.
You can come and go as you please, there are no camp meetings you have to attend (or be forced to leave camp for), and we encourage exploration of other houses and units by making introductions to other camps and also inviting other units to come visit Fortune's Path to meet new fighters.
All are welcome to visit Fortune's Path camp and stay as long or as short a time as you need.
For most people who camp with us, FP camp will be a great place to gather info, resources, introductions, ideas, and make new friends before jumping off into the bigger world of the game with a new unit or house. This is the main goal of Fortune's Path, so don't ever feel bad about leaving! We want you to spread your wings and soar!
(A handful who stay with us however may simply be folks who don't think formal Unit life is for them, and that is more than okay too! You are always welcome and we can certainly use the help to grow the camp to other events to give more folks a safe place to start!)
Our long term goal is to create a branch of Fortune's Path at each major event so that any Belegrim who doesn't otherwise have a place to camp knows they can have a safe home base at events even if they don't have a unit or are far away from their other unit mates.
Please reach out to Garnet or any of the other First Nomads listed if you are interested in helping, or just want more info on camping with us!
History
Wandering from town to town and battle to battle after suddenly springing fully conscious from the ground one day, Garnet the Earth Elemental became aware of the term "the path of fortune" - this is the nickname she heard given by traveling Belegrim the world over to the "one road" that connects all realms of Belegarth together.
As she wandered, learning as much as she could about this strange world along the way, she saw many travelers on this path... and she also saw that although most Belegrim were part of a Unit, there were still many who, like her, had no shelter from storms and no friends to laugh with through the journey.
As Garnet was a newly-formed Earth Elemental with no unit mates (and a great confusion about the units that these mortals seemed to enjoy), she decided that what the world needed was a camp for herself and other Unitless travelers.
This way, people who were new and had not yet joined any unit, or who had just left a unit, or did not care to join a unit would always have a place to camp during large battles that offers the shelter and camaraderie of a unit, without the often frustrating or isolating restrictions and requirements inherent in joining or camping with organized units.
She decided that she would found a "Fortune's Path" camp at any battle she attended and attempt to get other travelers involved in getting branches of this same camp set up at battles she was not able to attend as well.
Garnet set up the first Fortune's Path camp at the Battle of Twald 2019, and the second at Battle for the Ring 2020, and set up a virtual Fortune's Path camp on the Discord for Chaos Wars 2020 (Couch Chaos). Garnet's greatest hope is that soon all unitless Belegrim (or those traveling without anyone else from their unit) will know they will always have a home at the Fortune's Path camp at any event and that in time she will see the Fortune's Path banner flying at every major battle.
Lore
The feet of many Belegrim have trod Fortune's Path at one time or another. The unfettered freedom and endless possibilities for adventure on the path call to new blood and experienced muscle alike.
Similar to the shifting grains of the sand dunes, the nomads of Fortune's Path each have their own journey.
Some are just wandering until they find a suitable home in which to settle. Others prefer the excitement of constant change and the ability to move wherever the wind takes them.
Fortune's Path attracts all types, including hopeful recruits, enterprising merchants, galavanting bards, wandering mystics, lost monsters, employable mercs and may other unit-free or otherwise unaffiliated folks.
Due to the diversity of those seeking a future on Fortune's Path, the makeshift camps that pop up along its road are often colorful, vibrant, a mixed bag of both classic and monstrous Belegarth races and cultures, and occasionally a little raucous.
Bardic songs and tales by the fire, games of chance, impromptu markets, magic tricks, friendly competitions, feats of strength, hoop / poi spinning, tea-leaf or card reading and the like are not uncommon sights in these camps.
While normally populated by unitless Belegrim, given the open nature of the road, any and all are welcome to visit and make connections in these camps.
Keep in mind that each traveler is free to wander as they please whenever they like, relying on their own fortitude and cunning to make their way.
However, many do find participating in impromptu connection making activities in these camps to be well worth their while.
As such, we encourage you to bring your lutes, flutes, hand drums, and kazoos if you desire. Additionally, games, stories, songs, and gifts you'd like to share are welcome. If you have a skill such as fortune telling, massage, armor / weapon / garb repair, please feel free to offer your services in these camps!
Camps of unitless and unaffiliated folks following Fortune's Path can be found at many events and locations, and can be begun at any event by an approved "First Nomad" for those in need of a place to rest and good company. (More info below.)
Camp Rules
Walkers of Fortune's Path have few formal rules, but do share these three chief agreements:
- All are welcome unless they are or become a danger of any type to themselves or others.
- Consent is mandatory.
- All who stay under the banner of Fortune's Path are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct of the event.
First Nomad (the person who establishes the FP camp at the event) has the right to remove any person from the camp if deemed necessary.
FP's founding wayfinder, Garnet the Earth Elemental, has the sole responsibility of approving new First Nomads and allowing them to create a FP camp at an event. While highly unlikely, this approval can also be revoked by Garnet if deemed necessary.
(Additionally, while also unlikely to be used, in the event that the First Nomad is unable or unwilling to do so, Garnet retains the right to remove from Fortune's Path camp any FP camper or visitor to FP camp at any event where a branch of FP has been started, if deemed necessary.)
First Nomads are responsible for:
- Set up and take down of FP camp, including cleaning the campsite to a "Leave No Trace" level.
- Making certain the camp displays the FP sign, symbol, or banner so it can be easily pointed out to new campers.
- Putting up a sign at Troll so people without a place to camp know where to go to get to FP camp.
- Introducing themselves to each of the FP campers and introducing campers to one another as they are able.
- Ensuring the 3 agreements are adhered to, and that if one is broken, the camper who broke the agreement is removed from FP camp.
If you would like to become First Nomad for an event, see the info below!
How to get Fortune's Path at your event and / or become a First Nomad for an event:
Contact Garnet through the Book of Faces by searching for the user fortunespath and send a message to the page if interested!
Things to bring
- Your own tent
- Your own food / medications
- Your own drinks (this means your own alcohol AND your own water)
- Your own garb and weapons
- A camp chair
...as these are NOT guaranteed to be provided for you at each instance of the camp.
Much like the "man that burns", Fortune's Path requires Radical Self-Reliance and is only as cool as we collectively decide to make it. Participate and make it fun!
- Anything you want to bring to camp to improve the vibe
(...such as music, gifts, games, talents such as singing, card reading, jewelry making, armor repair, or poi spinning, etc.)
- Decorations
(Note: the general aesthetic of Fortune's Path as a whole is very "world traveler" or "Silk Road" inspired. Think tassels, colorful curtains and tapestries, rugs and pillows, and a pavilion lit up by solar powered fairy lights at night. We encourage you to deck out your tent with tassles or put up colorful banners, lanterns, and fairy lights if you like, to add to this aesthetic. Keep in mind that the main camp pavilion is careful not to use items that are specific or easily identifiable to any one real culture in particular. Appropriation isn't pretty. If you are actually an ACTIVE participant of a particular culture in your daily life and wish to bring decorations of your people, please do!)
Things to NOT bring
- Entitlement (Our travelers are prepared and self reliant. Though we quite often come together and share company and goods, it should never be an expectation that others will provide for you.)
- Creepy or dangerously erratic behavior
- Not caring that enthusiastic consent is mandatory
- Prejudice against other types of folks, both real and within Belegarth
Fortune's Path is a place where all kinds of folks and creatures camp side by side. If that bugs you, go camp elsewhere until you figure that out. <3
We can't wait to meet you all! Let us find our way on this path together!