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Contract FAQ's
 
 
 

Contracts - Contract FAQ's

 

  1. CLICK HERE FOR SPECIFIC CONTRACT INSTRUCTIONS
  2. Where do we send the contract?
  3. Can we send only the first and last pages?
  4. What do we need to begin playing Amtgard?
  5. Why is a contract needed?
  6. We will not be sponsored by the Burning Lands, why must we sign a contract with you?
  7. What is the contract process?
  8. What happens if we choose not to sign a contract?
  9. What happens if we do not achieve kingdom sponsorship?
  10. What corpora will be followed if we sponsor under another kingdom than the Burning Lands?
  11. Does the contract need to be notarized?
  12. We have been a group for a long time, but we have no proof of a contract, what can we do?
  13. We are not on the "Contracts of Amtgard" page!
  14. Can we still play while our contract is pending?
  15. Do our class credits count if we've had no contract to this point?
  16. Why are defunct chapters still listed?

 

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  1. CONTRACT INSTRUCTIONS

    2. Answer:
    PLEASE, FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WHEN REMITTING A CONTRACT TO AMTGARD INC
    (Please limit files to under 10mb. If your file is larger, send the remainder in a second email)

    1) SIGN ONLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CONTRACT. THE LEFT IS FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF AMTGARD INC. WE WILL NOT PROCESS CONTRACTS THAT ARE SIGNED ON THE WRONG SIDE.

    2) WHEN THE CONTRACT ASKS FOR TITLE, THIS IS YOUR POSITION IN AMTGARD (FOR INSTANCE: MONARCH, REGENT, ET CETERA). THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO PUT YOUR AMTGARD NAME, HOUSEHOLD, COMPANY, OR ANYTHING BUT THE SIGNATORY'S OFFICIAL POSITION.

    3) NEVER ATTACH THE GROUP STATUS TO THE GROUP NAME. (SHIRE, BARONY, ET CETERA) AS STATUS IS FLUID, IT MAKES NO SENSE TO CALL YOUR GROUP THE SHIRE OF WHATEVER WHEN THAT STATUS IS LIKELY TO CHANGE.

    4) DO NOT NOTARIZE THE CONTRACT AND SEND COPIES OF THE SIGNATORIES IDS. WE DO NOT REQUIRE BOTH. OUR PREFERENCE IS ID COPIES. SEND ONLY THOSE UNLESS THERE IS SOME REASON WHY YOU CANNOT.

    5) THE CONTRACT REQUIRES TWO SIGNATURES ON YOUR END. ONE WILL NEVER SUFFICE. IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNING, YOUR CONTRACT WILL BE REJECTED. IF YOU ONLY PROVIDE AN ID COPY FOR ONE OF YOUR SIGNATORIES, YOUR CONTRACT WILL BE REJECTED. ALWAYS PROVIDE TWO SIGNATURES (TWO DIFFERENT PLAYERS) AND CORRESPONDING ID COPIES FOR EACH.

    6) ALL SIGNATORIES MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. IF EITHER IS UNDER THE LEGAL AGE, YOUR CONTRACT WILL BE REJECTED.

    7) GIVE US THE INFORMATION FOR YOUR GROUP. LOCATION (CITY, STATE, ET CETERA), HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE, REASON FOR FORMING A GROUP, AND MAYBE SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT THE GROUP.

    8) IN MANY CASES, AMTGARD INC WILL NOT PROCESS A CONTRACT FOR A GROUP THAT WANTS TO START A GROUP A SHORT DISTANCE FROM ANOTHER EXISTING PARK. IF YOU ARE STARTING A PARK A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM ANOTHER PARK THAT SIMPLY IS NOT TO YOUR LIKING, YOU WILL PROBABLY BE REJECTED. AMTGARD INC IS NOT GOING TO APPROVE CLOSE PARKS SIMPLY BECAUSE OF PERSONALITY ISSUES. THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES TO EXPLORE GIVEN THIS SITUATION. USE THEM.

    9) BE PATIENT. AMTGARD IS A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION THAT RELIES ON THE SACRIFICE OF PEOPLE'S TIME. WE DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE IT. IF YOU HAVE APPLIED TO BE AMTGARD (SENT IN A CONTRACT TO BE APPROVED), UNLESS THERE IS SOME OBVIOUS REASON WHY IT SHOULDN'T BE, YOUR CONTRACT WILL BE APPROVED. YOU MAY PLAY AMTGARD, EARN CREDITS, AWARDS, ET CETERA, UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT YOU ARE AMTGARD. YOUR CONTRACT WILL BE PROCESSED AND RETURNED TO YOU WHEN POSSIBLE. YOU HAVING IT IN YOUR HAND IS NOT A NECESSARY COMPONENT TO BEING AMTGARD. OUR APPROVAL IS. IF WE'VE APPROVED YOU, YOU ARE AMTGARD, CONTRACT IN HAND OR NOT.

    10) PLEASE MAKE ALL EMAIL COPIES EITHER JPEG OR PDF. WE OFTEN RECEIVE ODDLY FORMATTED COPIES THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN OR REQUIRE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAN WE HAVE AVAILABLE. KEEP IT SIMPLE. ALSO, DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS LARGER THAN 10MB. DUE TO SEVER RESTRICTIONS, ATTACHMENTS LARGER THAN 10MB WILL BE REJECTED BY THE SERVER.

    11) MAKE THE COPIES LEGIBLE. IF YOU SEND US A SIDEWAYS SCAN THAT CUTS OFF A SIDE OF THE CONTRACT, OR BLURRY, UNREADABLE COPIES, WE WILL REJECT THE CONTRACT.

  2. Where do we send the contract?

    3. Answer:
    As of 2-1-2008, all contracts must be remitted by email to: contracts@amtgardinc.com
        
    Scan the signed pages and send them as an attachment. Contracts will be returned in the same manner.

    If you are unable to do so, please send the contract to the following address:

    Amtgard Inc.
    PO Box 640186
    El Paso, TX 79904-0186

    NEVER SEND CONTRACTS CERTIFIED MAIL OR IN ANY MANNER THAT REQUIRES A SIGNATURE AS IT WILL NOT BE CLAIMED.

    *NOTE: Do not include the group status (eg shire, barony, et cetera) in the name of the group. As status is fluid, it does not need to be included in the title.

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  3. Can we send only the first and last pages?

    4. Answer:
    Yes. In fact, we would prefer you only send the first and last pages. This will minimize the copying required on both ends.
However, understand that by entering into an agreement with Amtgard Inc, you are bound to the terms contained within the entirety of the contract regardless of what portion was sent.
  1.  
      If the contract is remitted by standard mail, then all pages of the contract must be included.

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    2. If the contract is remitted by standard mail, then all pages of the contract must be included.

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  2. What do we need to begin Playing Amtgard?

    3. Answer:
    You will need to print out copies of both the Amtgard Rules of Play, and the Corpora, then sign a contract for your new group. The rulebook has nearly everything needed to begin play; the Corpora delineates the organization and hierarchy of the game and the organization; and the Contract/Agreement covers the legalities. They all go together. All lands are held to both copyrighted documents, and are only recognized by contract.

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  3. Why is a contract needed?

    4. Answer:
    There are two aspects to the answer. First, and most important, the documents are copyrighted. You are signing a contract to abide by that copyright. It gives you permission to copy the documents for your members, charge a copy fee, and call yourselves Amtgard. The second part of the answer is that signing a contract sets the date your group became an official Amtgard entity, and holds you to a standard of play to which all groups must agree.

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  4. We will not be sponsored by the Burning Lands, why must we sign a contract with you?

    5. Answer:
    No other kingdom owns the copyright for the game and the name of Amtgard. Those are held exclusively by Amtgard Inc., Kingdom of the Burning Lands through copyright via the Library of Congress, Agreement/Contract, and Not-for-Profit Incorporation by the State of Texas. Secondly, Amtgard Inc, by signing with you, officiates the start of your land. Status in Amtgard is gained over time. A contract held by Amtgard Inc., Kingdom of the Burning Lands ensures that the time and status of your group are officially recognized and recorded no matter which Kingdom sponsors you.

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  5. What is the contract process?

    6. Answer:
    1. Print out a copy of the contract from the Core Documents page located on the menu.
    2. Ensure it is done correctly using the Contract Instructions
    3. Make sure you have all four pages of the contract for your personal records. Only the first and last are necessary for electronic remittal.
    4. Attach a photcopy of the identification cards (drivers license, ID, military ID, passport) for both signatories. This is essential as it replaces the need for the contract to be notarized.
    5. Draft a cover letter that introduces your land and has a legible return email and physical address, a contact name, and phone number. Two names and addresses would be better.
    6. Send a scan of the first and last pages of the contract to Amtgard Inc via: contracts@amtgardinc.com.
    7. Make sure that all the information is correct and attached before you send it to Amtgard Inc.

     

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  6. What happens if we choose not to sign a contract?

    7. Answer:
    We will probably not hunt you down, nor take you to court. However, your group will not be recognized as part of Amtgard, and any rise in status within the Burning Lands, or within other kingdoms, will not be recognized by Amtgard Inc. You can not legally call yourselves "Amtgard." Further, any recourse of action or grievance brought to the Board of Directors for Amtgard Inc. will only be considered from contracted lands.

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  7. What happens if we do not achieve kingdom sponsorship?

    8. Answer:
    You will be considered a Freehold. All freeholds are considered part of the Burning Lands for issues of contract, corpora and game but are not considered to be sponsored by the kingdom of the Burning Lands. However, as freeholds they are not under consideration for higher orders beyond those available to shires, no matter their numbers. Further, regardless of numbers, freeholds can not raise in ranking without sponsorship. In all, it is in the best interest of every new land that expects growth to find sponsorship. Since all new groups are held to the Burning Lands Corpora by default, finding a sponsoring kingdom is not an immediate need, but one that can be thoughtfully and carefully investigated.

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  8. What corpora will be followed if we choose some other sponsoring kingdom?

    9. Answer:
    You will follow their corpora if they have one that differs from the standard corpora of Amtgard Inc., Kingdom of the Burning Lands. As the copyright holders for the original document, Amtgard Inc. oversees all Kingdom corporas to ensure fairness, continuity, and precedent.

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  9. Does the contract need to be notarized?

    10. Answer:
    As of 2-1-2008, NO.

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  10. We have been a group for a long time, but we have no proof of a contract, what can we do?

    11. Answer:
    Use any of the contact emails for any member of the Amtgard Inc, and let us know the circumstances. Each case will be considered on its own merits. Be aware that the normal response is for a contract to be signed immediately with the name of the group and the dating of the contract worked out in accordance with standard business practices. Sending a cover letter is always a good idea.

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  11. We are not on the Contracts of Amtgard page!

    12. Answer:
    There could be many reasons: contacts are no longer known, partially completed contracts with no way to contact the lands, illegible return addresses, but in the end, reasons do not mattter. It is the responsibility of all the groups of Amtgard to secure and have a copy of a contract, signed by representatives of Amtgard Inc, on file. See #4 for exact assistance.

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  12. Can we still play while our contract is pending?

    13. Answer:
    Yes!

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  13. Do our class credits count if we have had no contract to this point?

    14. Answer:
    You betcha! You need to think of sign-in's as one act doing two functions. On the week to week level, your sign-in's, even if you are not a currently contracted land, do count as anywhere else in Amtgard. They count to raising of an individual's class level. Apply #5, above. The BL-BOD understands that word on the impotance of the contract is not always getting to all the lands that need the information, and will not act like the protocol police in this matter. However, when it comes to your land raising in status, those sign-in's will normally only count from the date of contract. What class Fighter Fred signed in as will not really be looked at for that purpose, only that he has a unique sign-in 55 times in the year since the contract was signed, recognizing that a few of those were for multiple day events.

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  14. Why are defunct chapters still listed?

    15. Answer:
    Two reasons:
    #1. Sometimes we do not know they are defunct.
    #2. The residents of that area know what chapter once existed. If they choose to restart the land, it can be done under the old contract. Although a new signing is often requested, the age of the land, upon request to the Board of Directors, may be grandfathered to the older date of the first contract.

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