Hearts and Honor 

February 6, 2016

 

In honor of Valentine’s Day we will be presenting our annual

Hearts and Honor Event February 6th

 

EVENT: Hearts and Honour Pas de Arms

WHERE: Sunset Park (Ren Faire camp site)

DATE: Saturday, Feb 6th

TIME: 8am, Imperial Challenge and Archery to follow,

Archery will be held at Old Silverbowl Park Archery Range

 

No site fee (except $5 for each Imperial Challenge)

Please bring potluck contribution.

 

AUTOCRATS: Sir Ricchar and Dame Rhianna

 

Pas d’Armes a’ la Albion~Rayonne

 

The Pas d’Armes Tournament has had a multitude of incarnations over the past 600 years or so, and the documentation these events (period and modern) do not seem to hold to any one particular format. This being our modern middle age and the allowed time and requirements of our game being what they are; I (in Swift fashion) make the following modest proposal for an Adrian Empire Pas d’Armes Tournament.

 

The Players:

The Gallery: Every lady (not currently fighting), the Royalty and any other non- or semi-combatant minstrel and artisan, and whomever else The Gallery sees fit to be a member of its body. These are the epitome and reason for the event itself and the final judge, jury and arbiters or all that occurs on the field of honor and glory. The Gallery is in attendance to witness displays of honor, skill at arms and artistry for their pleasure.

 

The High Court Herald: This herald plays the role of the traditional “King of Arms” in documented Pas d’Armes tourneys. The High Court Herald is the formal liaison between the Gallery and the Field of Honor. Members of The Gallery make their requests of the combatants through the High Court Herald. Combatants may make petitions with the High Court Herald to be decided by The Gallery. The High Court Herald is the position of honor that separates and communicates between the finer graces and the dangers of combat.

 

The Combatants: All those who wish to bear arms to display their virtues, prowess and graces before The Gallery. The combatants will be ranked by official order of precedence from Imperial to local. Those at the high order of precedence will be considered the “Tenants” and those of lower precedence will be considered the “Venants” by division of equal numbers.

 

The Process:

Unlike most casual tournaments this one takes a bit of planning and preparation.

Archery should be held early in the day and the results recorded for later award.

Upon arrival at site all participants should sign in and make clear their intentions for which events they will participate in.

 

Immediately after set up and sign in, fighters should be in full kit to await challenges in opening court.

 

After the immediate business of opening court, the High Court Herald will list the combatants in participation by order of precedence. Starting from the lowest precedence the combatants (the Venants) will issue challenges to those of higher precedence (the Tenants). The Venants will name their challenge and conventions of combat to the Tenants who will either answer the challenge or forfeit either their sword or spurs in ransom.

 

The Venants may select the convention of combat:

A single combat, best of 3 with weapons of choice.

A barrier battle, best of 3 with weapons of choice.

A combat of 5 counted blows with weapons of choice.

 

The Venants may further challenge the Tenant to additional conventions:

Allowing Pommel or Quillion strikes, half-swording, etc…

Punching, grappling, wrestling, full on Knightly Combat, etc…

Challenges of skill or prowess with the approval of The Gallery.

 

Having all challenges answered, the list tree will be populated and combat begin.

All fighters are to be formally announced upon entrance to the list field, arrival of combatants follows precedence from highest to lowest.

 

The highest regard for decorum will be followed during every match. All proper addresses and salutes will be made.

 

At any time that combat is not fully engaged, a combatant may petition The Gallery. The Gallery may make petitions of the Combatants when not engaged in combat as well. Yes, the High Court Herald is a very busy man during this process, but that is his job.

 

After the resolution of one tier of combat, a new round or challenges are issued following the previous method. Upon the discovery of the final round of combatants, The Gallery will decide all conventions of combat for the final contestants.

 

Combat will proceed from Steel to Cut and Thrust, then to Rawlings, then Rapier, and conclude with Shanai. Each category will follow the procedures of challenges and resolutions.

The lists will conclude with tournament victors in arms (the official tournament resolution), as well as categorical “Champions of the Gallery” awards decided arbitrarily by The Gallery. Combatants are encouraged to win the graces of The Gallery over simple skill at arts at all times.

 

Sir Ricchar Terrien the Goth, MoJ&W

**I think the steel has something to do with Spears at a barricade**