Words from the Rapier Marshal in Charge
From Baron Felix Fitz Pierce of Dover , OWS, GdS
Dragon’s Laire’s annual June Faire is coming up in just a couple short months! I will be your Rapier MIC for the event (but will have a lot of people helping out as well.) This is a long post, but hopefully addresses a lot of questions – please read through all of it.
As you all know, things happen and are subject to change at the last minute. We’ll try to answer any questions you might have and do our best to make this a fun event for everyone.
Some General Rules for Rapier
- You must be authorized before the event. I will not be doing any authorizations. But if you arrange beforehand with a senior Rapier Marshal to be authorized on site, we will honor the authorization. You’ll just have to make sure it gets done early enough to register with lists before any tourney/scenario you want to participate in. There will be hard cutoff times for lists so they can prepare.
- Just so people get used to it: 60″ Total blade length (no case). This is generally the rule for QRC, so holding to it will keep people in practice. This is for Tourneys/scenarios only – if you want to go do pickups with 60+, that is up to your opponent.
- Reduced Armor rules: Yes. So much YES! As long as you are authorized, and your opponent is okay with it. Please stay cool and comfortable. Just be aware that if an opponent has issues with it, you may need to armor up for a fight.
- There will be plenty of space for us to have pickups running all day. Just make sure you have your armor inspected and have a marshal on the field while you spar.
Call for Volunteers
If you aren’t planning on fighting, but will be there, and have at least a Junior Rapier Marshal rating – we can use you as field Marshals!
Cut & Thrust Senior Marshal
There will be space/time for a Cut and Thrust demo. MoD Gregorio Cristovalez de la Vega will inspect/run the field.
Spears Demo / Practice
If you are participating in the Spear experiment, please bring your paperwork and spear. We can easily set up some space for demo/practice.
SATURDAY: Tourneys, MoD Invitational, and Scenarios
Pre-registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0D5M38dJKiCgP19otxajXUi15ZDFrBC1_2jOx2n-9_s7x5w/viewform
Tentative Schedule! Times may change depending on the number of people, Court schedule, weather, etc…
08:30 AM – 9:45 – Lists Open/close for all Tourneys/Demos that day. Even if you have pre-registered, you still need to check in at least 15 minutes before the tourney/demo. If you do not, you may be dropped. This is asked by the List Manager. There might be exceptions, and Lists may reopen/close during the day before each tourney. But it is completely up to them.
10:00 AM – Dragon’s Claw tourney. This is only for authorized fighters who have not yet won any sort of tournament. There may be a prize!
11:00 AM (Or thereabouts) – Open Field Tourney. Basically find someone to fight, find a field, and fight! This will be a on/off/on tourney. Meaning 30-45 minutes of fighting. Then a 15-20 minute break, and then back on for another 30-45 minutes of fighting. Report wins to Lists (only if you want). There might be a prize for this one too – (based on arcane and unknowable criteria.)
01:00 PM – MoD invitational. MoD Brighid has agreed to wrangle and organize the other MoDs present for this additional quick tourney. Each MoD will be asked to pick one (or two, or three) people to fight in a single elimination tourney. No prizes, but definitely bragging rights!
01:30 – 2:30 PM – Lunch break
02:30 PM – Scenarios and C&T tourney (depending on entries). I’ve got some scenario ideas : Tacoma Narrows Bridge Battle, Tavern Brawl, Hold the Field, etc. This will be just-for-fun fighting. Spear and C&T demos can also happen at this time. MoD Gregorio will be MIC for C&T.
After that, it will be free pickup time/space until 5:00 PM.
There will be Heralds announcing what is happening and when constantly throughout the day. Basically, if you want to fight – stick near the erics and listen for announcements.
SUNDAY: Dragon’s Laire Rapier Championship
Calling all rapier fighters! Come compete for the Rapier Championship of the Barony of Dragon’s Laire. Open to all authorized Rapier fighters who are SCA members (required), and over the age of 18. Sign up Sunday morning and be present in Court for Invocation of the Lists.
If victorious, you will need to swear either an Oath of Service or Fealty to Their Excellencies Dragon’s Laire.
QRC format will be used, along with a court of lov/chivalry. Fighters should be prepared to fight in any weapons style requested by Their Excellencies of Dragon’s Laire, Kloe of Thira and Arion Arion the Wanderer . Bring daggers, batons, cloaks, shields/bucklers and your sword, as they may request any and all weapons formats.
Restrictions: no case, no longsword, no more than 60” of steel (meaning sword and dagger together may not measure more than 60 inches).
Between each of the fighting rounds, all fighters will be required to participate in a Court of Honor, hosted by Their Excellencies, to answer their questions.
TENTATIVE Schedule:
08:30 — 09:30 AM – Lists open for Dragon’s Laire Rapier Championship
Court – Invocation of the Lists
After Court – Championship tourney
Thanks for reading all of this through. If you have any questions, feel free to email dragonslaire.rapier@antir.org
Merci,
Baron Jacques de Normandie, OWS, GdS
Provost to Master Andrew Williams
Protégé to Countess Aryana Silknfyre