An Interview with Ramfis Marquez, Clinician, Martial Artist, Author, and Cosplayer

Today’s interview was a little different. I had the pleasure of interviewing a good friend, Ramfis. He may not be a TTRPG player, but he is gaming-adjacent, and his background in psychology, martial arts, and more brings a unique perspective to our hobby.

Also, as part of my 40 Years a Gamer retrospective, he is directly involved. I met Ramfis, as he mentions in his reply to the first answer, when he worked in Comics at Plaza Las Americas. He sold me many comics and games while working there. I wanted to get Rifts when it came out, and they let me know that they did not have it, but I could get it at Role Playing Emporium, where I met Samuel “Sammy” Maldonado and got to know a larger game community in Puerto Rico.

Comics, the store, was an integral part of my gaming journey, and Ramfis was right there. We are contemporaries, and beyond being acquaintances at a local comic store, we became fast friends. We would hang out in our early 20s and remain in touch after he left the island.

When Hurricane Maria happened, Ramfis was an important support, personally and in his efforts to help and create awareness of the disaster on the island.

Ramfis has been a friend for over thirty years, and it is always a pleasure to talk to him. I am happy to share this interview so you can all get to know him better as well.

Introduce yourself! Who are you, and what do you do in the world of cosplay and Renaissance Fairs?

My name is Dr. Ramfis L. Marquez. Professionally, I am a psychotherapist, educator, and martial arts instructor. Still, outside of my clinical work, I have spent more than four decades immersed in martial arts, historical combat studies, historical reenactment, and living history. My primary martial art is Sin Moo Hapkido, in which I currently hold an 8th Dan rank, as well as a 3rd Dan rank in traditional Korean swordsmanship. Over the years, I have also trained in Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Judo, traditional Jujitsu, and a variety of Japanese and European fencing arts.

Martial arts have given me not only technical skills but also a deep appreciation for history, philosophy, and storytelling. I have also been a lifelong nerd, science-fiction fan, and historical fantasy enthusiast. Long before cosplay became mainstream, I was fascinated by knights, samurai, mythology, fantasy literature, Star Wars, military history, and the worlds that emerge when imagination and history intersect. People of our generation would remember me as one of the attendants at Comics in Plaza Las Américas.

In the world of cosplay and Renaissance Fairs, I am primarily known for portraying medieval Templar knights, crusaders, and historical warriors. At comic conventions, however, I enjoy mixing things up with Mandalorian and Jedi-inspired portrayals. I love combining historically inspired armor, martial arts principles, theatrical storytelling, and combat choreography to bring these characters to life. One of my favorite aspects of the hobby is creating and performing choreographed combat demonstrations that blend historical techniques, safety, and entertainment. For me, it is about preserving history while making it accessible, educational, and exciting for modern audiences.

Beyond cosplay and martial arts, I am also an author. Writing has become another creative outlet through which I explore history, mythology, and human nature. For more than a decade, I have been developing Hanzo, an alternate-history fantasy series set in a world where the Tokugawa Shogunate never truly fell and evolved into a technologically advanced imperial power. The story blends espionage, military action, political intrigue, historical revisionism, and martial arts adventure.

Over the past two years, I have also been developing a historical medieval fantasy series titled Friday of Ash and Steel. The story follows a secret order of warrior-monks navigating faith, war, politics, and supernatural mysteries during a dark medieval world inspired by the Crusades and European history. It explores themes of sacrifice, duty, brotherhood, and the tension between spiritual conviction and human ambition.

Most recently, I began work on a third project called Boat Unit Omega. Unlike my previous works, it is set in a contemporary military environment inspired by the anti-drug trafficking campaigns of the Caribbean and Latin America during the 1990s. While grounded in historical military operations, it incorporates elements of science fiction, horror, mystery, and the supernatural. Think of it as part military thriller, part naval special warfare story, and part cosmic mystery.

What draws me to all these pursuits—cosplay, martial arts, historical combat, and writing—is the opportunity to step into another world and invite others to join me there. Whether through armor, storytelling, combat demonstrations, or fiction, I enjoy helping people experience a sense of wonder, adventure, and connection to something larger than themselves.

How would you describe your art or creative endeavors when designing combat choreography, making props, or putting together your cosplays?

I see cosplay and combat choreography as forms of storytelling. Every piece of armor, weapon, costume, prop, and movement should communicate who a character is and what world they inhabit. The visual details matter because they help create immersion and emotional connection.

When I design combat sequences, I draw from decades of martial arts experience while adapting movements to fit historical themes and audience expectations. The challenge is creating something that appears authentic and dangerous while remaining completely safe for everyone involved. A successful combat demonstration should tell a story even if the audience never hears a single word.

When building armor or assembling costumes, I enjoy blending historical inspiration with practical functionality. I am not always striving for museum-level accuracy. Sometimes the goal is to capture the spirit, symbolism, and emotional impact of a historical figure while still creating something visually dramatic and memorable.

In many ways, my writing influences my cosplay, and my cosplay influences my writing. Whether I am creating a knight for a Renaissance Fair, a Templar character for a photo shoot, or a fictional warrior for one of my novels, I am ultimately asking the same question: “Who is this person, and what story are they trying to tell?” At its core, my creative process is immersion. I want people to feel as though they are witnessing a knight, crusader, samurai, warrior monk, or spacefaring hero step out of history—or out of a book—and into the real world, if only for a few moments.

With all this background in armor, history, and combat, do you participate, or have you ever participated in LARPing?

While I have not been deeply involved in formal LARP communities, many of the activities I enjoy share similarities with LARPing. Renaissance Fairs, historical reenactments, character portrayals, and combat demonstrations all involve stepping into another role and helping create an immersive experience.

I have tremendous respect for the creativity found within the LARP community. The combination of storytelling, costuming, world-building, improvisation, and performance is fascinating to me, and there is certainly a great deal of overlap with what I do.

From a clinical perspective, I also believe LARP offers meaningful mental health benefits. Research has increasingly suggested that role-playing activities can encourage creativity, social connection, emotional expression, problem-solving, confidence-building, and stress reduction. LARP provides participants with opportunities to explore different aspects of themselves in a safe and structured environment.

For many people, it can serve as a healthy outlet for imagination, self-expression, social interaction, and personal growth. It allows individuals to experiment with identity, practice interpersonal skills, and engage in collaborative storytelling while having fun. Perhaps most importantly, LARP creates communities. In a world where many people struggle with loneliness and social isolation, spaces that encourage meaningful human connection have tremendous value.

I know you don’t actively play TTRPGs, but from your perspective, what do you know about them?

What I find most interesting about tabletop role-playing games is their ability to combine storytelling, creativity, strategy, and social interaction. They allow people to create narratives collaboratively rather than consume them. From an outsider’s perspective, I see TTRPGs as a continuation of humanity’s oldest traditions: storytelling around a campfire, mythology, hero tales, and collective imagination.

As a clinician, I also see tremendous value in tabletop gaming communities. For individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, social isolation, or difficulties forming social connections, tabletop games can provide a welcoming environment where relationships develop naturally around shared interests and cooperative storytelling.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to observe these communities firsthand and have consistently been impressed by how welcoming and inclusive they are. Neurodivergent individuals, socially anxious individuals, and people who may feel like outsiders often find acceptance and belonging within these groups. A wonderful example is my friends at Comic and Gaming in Bristow, Virginia. Time and time again, I have watched them welcome newcomers, curious observers, and first-time players with enthusiasm, patience, and kindness. Communities like that represent the very best aspects of the hobby.

From a mental health perspective, tabletop role-playing games can foster communication skills, teamwork, creativity, emotional regulation, problem-solving, perspective-taking, empathy, and social confidence. While they are certainly entertainment, I believe they can also be meaningful tools for personal growth and human connection.

Would you like to try playing TTRPG sometime? What theme or type of story would catch your attention?

Absolutely. Given my interests, I would naturally gravitate toward historical fantasy, military campaigns, crusader-era adventures, samurai stories, alternate histories, and darker fantasy settings inspired by real historical periods. In many ways, the stories I write would probably make excellent campaign settings.

A game inspired by Friday of Ash and Steel could focus on warrior-monks investigating supernatural threats while navigating medieval politics and religious conflict. A Hanzo campaign could explore espionage, martial arts intrigue, and geopolitical struggles in an alternate Japanese empire. A Boat Unit Omega campaign could blend military operations, special warfare, mystery, and cosmic horror.

I am particularly drawn to stories that explore leadership, honor, sacrifice, loyalty, and moral dilemmas. As both a martial artist and a mental health professional, I am fascinated by what happens inside a person’s mind when they are forced to make difficult choices under pressure.

What projects, combat events, or upcoming fairs are you currently working on?

At the moment, I continue developing historical combat demonstrations and refining several knight and crusader portrayals for future Renaissance Fair appearances and historical-themed events. I am also deeply immersed in my writing projects. Friday of Ash and Steel has been a passion project for over a decade and continues to evolve. Hanzo has occupied much of my creative attention over the last two years. More recently, Boat Unit Omega has become an exciting new endeavor that allows me to explore military history, science fiction, horror, and mystery through a very different lens.

In addition, I continue teaching martial arts through seminars and workshops, which often influence the way I approach choreography, movement, character development, and storytelling. Like many enthusiasts, I am always searching for new ways to bring together history, martial arts, mythology, performance, and imagination.

Where can people see your choreography, your cosplays, and learn more about what you do?

People can usually find my work through social media, Renaissance Fair appearances, martial arts seminars, conventions, and community events. Much of what I create is shared through photographs, videos, creative writing, and collaborations with fellow enthusiasts in the cosplay, martial arts, historical reenactment, and fantasy communities.

I regularly share armor builds, knight portrayals, combat demonstrations, martial arts content, historical discussions, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into my writing projects and creative process. For me, one of the greatest joys is connecting with others who share a passion for history, storytelling, craftsmanship, and imagination.

Any closing thoughts?

One of the things I love most about cosplay, Renaissance Fairs, tabletop gaming, LARP, martial arts, historical reenactment, and creative writing is that they bring people together. These hobbies allow us to celebrate history, craftsmanship, imagination, storytelling, and human creativity regardless of our backgrounds.

In many ways, these communities provide something that has become increasingly rare in modern life: a sense of belonging. They allow people to be creative, explore different aspects of themselves, and connect with others through shared passions. Whether someone is wearing handcrafted armor, rolling dice around a gaming table, participating in a LARP event, writing fantasy novels, practicing stage combat, or simply attending a fair as a spectator, they are contributing to a community built around imagination and human connection.

As both a martial artist and a clinician, I believe these communities offer something truly valuable. They remind us that play, storytelling, creativity, and fellowship are not merely forms of entertainment—they are deeply human experiences that help us build resilience, friendships, meaning, and purpose. At the end of the day, that sense of connection and wonder is what keeps me coming back.