minstrel: A weekend in Emerald Keep (Ansteorra)

[Ken Comer]

>Okay ye Bards, Minstrels, Trouveres, Troubador, Minnesingers, etc.
>it is now time for ye illustrious ones to shares with your fellow
>entertainers what you did over the weekend.

It is my priveledge and honor to describe for you the events at the XXth 
Tournament of the Emeralds, held in the hospitable Shire of Emerald Keep 
in Ansteorra.  In the morning and early afternoon, lists for both heavy 
and light champions were held, ended when rainclouds and lightning 
loomed threateningly close.

In the heavy list, one particular bout merited especial note:  a gentle 
by the name of Timor fought a man twice his size.  During the course of 
the battle, he wounded his opponent's weapon arm.  When his opponent 
discarded his shield and switched his weapon to his off-hand,
so did Timor.  The marshalls cried "lay on", and shortly thereafter, 
Timor injured his opponent's leg.  After asking whether his opponent 
would yield and hearing in answer, "nay," Timor, too, went to his knees 
to continue the fight.  The round ended with Timor as victor, and he was 
cheered for his chivalry as he left the field.  (Later, Timor was 
awarded a prize by the ladies of Emerald Keep for the honor he had 
shown, and then won another award for the skill, craftsmanship, and 
scholarly research exhibited in Arts & Sciences.)

Another highlight of the day was -- surprisingly -- an auction.  The 
master auctioneer was HE Kahdi Mohadi who proved most adept at winning 
both coin and smiles from the assembled bidders.  More than $1,000 was 
raised by the auction, all items having been donated for the benefit of 
the shire.  One can imagine Mohadi standing before the auction block 
overseeing the disposition of "Genuine Crusader Relics" and "Trimaran 
Virgin Wool -- rarest of the rare."

Master-at-arms Duke Johnathan de Laufyson's squire, Wolf, (not to be 
confused with His Grace's other squire, Airiklee Wolf) claimed the title 
of chivalric arms champion for the day, and Don Brendan won the title of 
rapier champion.  There was a moment of good humor that evening when Don 
Brendan went to accept the title from the current champion -- also Don 
Brendan -- and bowed and scraped to himself.

The outgoing champion Bard, Brigid ni Shaughnessy, generously sponsored 
a contest for the best entertainer (as opposed to champion bard).  
"Entertainers" were those who wandered about and gave entertainment 
during the day, and were to have been judged by the populace.  I regret 
that I cannot report the outcome of this contest as I was occupied in 
racking up an unbroken record (un-undefeated) in the Rapier List.

The Bardic competition, is, I assume, of particular interest to this 
group, so I will give full details.  The format was "three pieces, at 
least two forms (poem/story/song/instrumental)."  The first two pieces 
were performed for the judge alone (Brigid), and the last piece was 
performed during feast in a large hall seating approximately 160 gentles 
and their children.  This necessitated a competition between bards and 
food, and heavily armed and armored individuals have been known to quail 
at the prospect of standing between Ansteorrans and their dinner... 
especially when feast is being served on "Scadian Time" (delayed about 
two hours).  Nonetheless, some entertainers successfully overcame their 
calorific competition to raise those spirits that can't be contained in 
a cup.  The two finalists were Siade the Bard and Simone, and a bard-off 
was held between the two.  The populace was invited to choose their 
favorite by their applause, but the cheering was loud for both and the 
judge could not determine the victor.  The impasse was resolved by 
naming the two as "co-champions", possibly the first co-champions in the 
Known World (other tales are hereby solicited).

Siade the Bard (co-champion Bard of the Shire of Emerald Keep)
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