Tournament for Rites of Spring: Birds and Bees
Greetings, dear friends.

As you may have noticed, (or not), I have not sent any descriptions for this weekend's Rites of Spring Tournament. This is not normal for me. (chuckle)

I apologize that my personal life has gotten in the way of this, but rest assured, if you come to the event, a grand time will await you! In the spirit of expediency, I will not describe the tournament in any kind of stylized speech, but speak plainly. (for once).

This year's tournament will be no less grand than any previous one, and, if you have participated in the past, be it fighter, or Gallery, you know that the day will be full of opportunity for fun and pageantry.

This year, we are sliding the time machine back a few notches, and will be modeling some aspects of the 13th century High tournament style. This means group combat, for you melee types. (smile) Have no fear though, there will be plenty of opportunity to show your personal prowess before the gallery, as befits good men of coat armor. (just like our ancestors did it)

We are arranging the list field as is described in many accounts. The Gallery will be protected, in the middle of the field, and the combat will range all around it.

The day will be divided, as last year, into three parts. The First and second segments will be the tournament proper, the Middle segment will be for personal feats of armes, so that brave men at armes may distinguish themselves.

As many of you know, a 13th century tournament (sometimes called a William Marshal Tournament in the SCA) is a rowdy affair, full of great opportunity for fame, or ruin. A Knight or Duke could lose his entire fortune faster than at any horse track, and a lowly yet skilled fighter could raise himself to the heights of power.
Each fighter will be given a "fortune" to finance his tourneying. This fortune will be in the form of precious gems (really lumps of colored glass. I'm not rich hehe) The fighter's starting fortune will be based upon his rank. (roughly mapped our SCA rank to historical equivalents. You can argue with me about rank later.. (laugh))

Man at Armes = 3 gems
Knight = 6 gems
Baron = 9 gems
Count = 15 gems
Duke = 20 gems
King = 50 gems

The tournament will range between two "towns" with the gallery in the middle. Participants will fight and capture (or be captured) as the tournament unfolds.

Question: "how do you capture somebody?"

Answer: an opponent must be `stunned" to be captured. This is simply done by applying three counted blows upon the opponent's person. Those who have been to a Rites of Spring before, will remember how counted blows work.

Question: "ok, I'm captured. Now what happens?"

Answer: The person-team who captures you must take you to the "exchequer's table" so that he may pay ransome from his "fortune" Once paid, he is free to rejoin the fray. (providing he still has any fortune left)

Question: "I'm captured, can I escape?"

Answer: Firstly, being a man of coat armor, it would be very un-Chivalric to actually escape. You must passively follow your captors to the Exchequer's table (or list table, in SCA nomenclature) However! Should your team dispatch your captors BEFORE you are claimed for ransome...Well, that's just the nature of the game
Now, each fighter starts out with his own personal fortune. As you can imagine, single tourneyors will be easy prey for groups of tourneyors. (very medieval)

Question: So, how do we form groups?

Answer: Well, you have money, hire them! Or band together as brothers, I don't care. This is where it really starts to get "medieval". A Duke is worth a lot of money, so maybe you and your buddies decide you will split all profits from the tournament evenly, and go hunt Dukes as a pack.

One catch...Dukes HAVE a lot of money, so they can HIRE fighters. (or perhaps they already have squires bound to them) so maybe they aren't such a tasty target after all... Maybe you should join up with another group, or pay for fighters from your own pocket to increase your odds…

This MAY sound a bit complicated, but it really isn't. Trust me.
Mechanically, here's how it will work.

Once you have "captured" somebody, you take him to the table, so that he may pay his ransome. There is a table with a tablecloth. Each fighter will have his own square. (your bank, as it were)

You will tell the Exchequer (list person) that you have captured Sir Killsalot, and he is here to pay ransome. The Exchequer will transfer the money (gems) from his square to yours. You are both now free to rejoin the combat.

Question: So, how much do I pay if I am captured?

Answer: Depends on your rank.
Man at armes = 1 gem ransome
Knight = 2 gems Ransome
Baron = 3 gems Ransome
Count = 5 gems Ransome
Duke = 7 gems Ransome
King = 15 gems Ransome

Question: So, What happens if I run out of money?!

Answer: This happened all the time in Period. Their answer is the same as yours...Find a sponsor. The gallery will have many wealthy benefactors, you must prove to them in some way that you are a good investment. How you do that is up to you.. A VERY good way would be to show you are prowe by challenging others to single combat. Or perhaps, you can woo the love of a Courtly lady by writing a sonnet.. In any case they will have money (gems) to finance your endeavors. Procure them how you will. Once you have the money, place it upon your square (your bank) on the Exchequer's table, and go forth to win fame and fortune!

Question: So, what keeps me and my gang from sitting in front of the gate waiting for newly ransomed single warriors to come out? Obviously they will be easy prey by themselves!!

Answer: Primarily, this would certainly NOT demonstrate those qualities of Mercy and Fair play that is so often prized by ladies of the gallery. Just like they did in our Ancestor's time, the Gallery has the right to pull you out and answer for uncouthly behavior. (and while you are answering for this, your fellows are winning rich ransomes without you.

Like I said, it actually sounds more complicated than it really is. I think it's going to be a blast.

So, to recap, here is how the day will lay out:
10:00 AM Inspections/authorizations
11:00 Novice Speed tourney
12:00 Tournament begins
a. Each fighter announces to the gallery how he styles himself, or his herald does this for him.

b. First tournament segment (until all are satisfied)

c. Second Segment for Personal deeds and challenges (a great time to get sponsors!!) Until all are satisfied

d. Third Tournament segment (until all are satisfied)

Side note: Gallery participants will be given funds to distribute as they see fit. Remember, this is fun, but do not degrade noble fighters. Be Courtly. (at least outwardly. The monks tell us many dalliances occurred during these tournaments in the Abbey cloisters. That's up to you, but we have no abbey, and your dalliances are your own affair, as befits a noble Lady/Lord. (chuckle)

Second Side note: If you want to bestow personal favors to those noble men at armes you find thrilling t o watch, GO for it!!! There is room for all kinds of magic here. Let your imagination go!

third side note: For all you Melee folks who don't like "pas". Well, this should be a dream come true, my friends!! Come on down and have a ball. I swear it's gonna be great fun.

yours
Baron Robert Downey

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