Song Qingzhao Zhufu
The Chiv Hunt was a personal challenge undertaken during the 2024 calendar year (January 1 – December 31, 2024). The idea was simple: seek out members of the Order of Chivalry across the Known World and fight them. Each encounter was an opportunity to learn from fighters who had dedicated years to the art of armored combat.
At the start of the year, I set a tangible goal for myself: fight 50 knights in 50 days. The challenge was meant to push me outside my comfort zone and help me approach members of the Order directly rather than hesitating because of rank or reputation.
That goal was completed in 47 days.
After reaching the initial milestone, the hunt continued for the remainder of the year. Events, wars, practices, and tournaments all became opportunities to step onto the field with members of the Order and test what I was learning.
By the end of 2024, the hunt had reached a total of 123 knights fought. These encounters took place across multiple kingdoms and at a wide variety of events throughout the Society.
The Chiv Hunt was never about simply collecting signatures or chasing numbers. The real purpose was to learn. Every knight brought a different style, different timing, different range control, and different lessons about fighting.
Through these encounters I experienced a wide range of regional fighting styles and approaches to combat. Some fights emphasized speed and aggression, while others were lessons in patience, control, and positioning. Facing so many different opponents forced me to adapt my own style and grow as a fighter.
The hunt also helped break down the hesitation that newer fighters sometimes feel when approaching members of the Order. The knights I fought were generous with their time, their knowledge, and their willingness to step onto the field with someone seeking to improve.
Knights encountered during the hunt came from several kingdoms across the Known World, including Meridies, Atlantia, Aethelmearc, Gleann Abhann, and others met at wars and interkingdom events. Each kingdom carries its own traditions and fighting culture, and the opportunity to experience that diversity was one of the most valuable parts of the challenge.
The hunt was documented throughout 2024 using a combination of a physical signature book, event notes, and social media posts. Because of the way the project was recorded, the public documentation may not include every single fight or signature from the year.
The focus of the Chiv Hunt was never perfect bookkeeping, but the experience of learning from members of the Order across the Society. If you fought me during the hunt and notice something missing from the record, please feel free to reach out so it can be updated.
More than anything else, the Chiv Hunt became a journey of learning, travel, community, and respect for the fighters who make up the Order of Chivalry.