The Masters of Arms were private or semi-private armies, organized on the same principles as other Masters organizations. They often acted as mercenaries. They were mainly active in the period before the establishment of the Stofonian state in 908. This was in stark contrast to the more official form among the Stofonians at the time, in which men were generally expected to provide their own weapons, thus making war much more of a rich man's pastime. The Masters have been active in Stofonian Restorationism.