The Armour Archive

For those thinking of attending Harvest Raid in the Kingdom of AEthelmearc the weekend of Oct 11th please see below:

Unto the most Noble Populace of the Kingdom of AEthelmearc do Baron Vladisla Nikulich and Baron William Freskyn Murray, brother barons of the Court of AEthelmearc, send greetings.

In an effort to rekindle joy in the hearts of fighters and share a day of combat, We do intend to stand the Field of Honor at the upcoming Harvest Raids in the Kingdoms beloved Shire of Herontir with an open challenge.

With the gracious permission of Their Majesties AEthelmearc and the event stewards, assistance of House Caithnes, and with the loving support of Our Ladies and children, a lyst shall be created separate from the tournament lyst of the day. We shall provide a pavilion for shade and water for your comfort, a marshal for safety and a herald should you require. We shall array ourselves in Our finest kit and provide for Ourselves and those who would meet us upon the field a wide assortment of Weapons and shields. Though We claim no mastery of any Weapons form, We are of no small skill and will provide the greatest challenge We are capable of to all who enter the lyst. We ask that all nobles who either seek to spread joy or find joy in what We do, come to this lyst and cry a challenge in the form of combat that most pleases you. We shall match any Weapons form of your choosing and face challengers in singles combat to a specified number of counted blows or, should melee combat be your joy, please bring a friend and challenge both of us at once. A barrier will be provided so that combat may take place in the open field or across a barrier if that be your joy. We shall take from these combats a great new depth of knowledge and will share what We know as is appropriate by the outcome.

There will be no winner’s bracket or loser’s bracket and none shall be turned away as long as the desire is to take the field and share in the joy of combat. The goal of this exercise shall not be victory or defeat (though We shall strive to be victorious as oft as We can), but the sheer joy of combat. The prize shall be the smiles and laughter of all combatants who participate, and the stories to share. This is not for vain glory, but to embrace that which We hold dear. No trinket or scroll would ever compare to the laughter and joy of Our comrades at arms as We strive to do honor for Our Lady Wives who allow us to take the field in Their names.

We do not wish to cheapen the tournament of the day. As such, We shall suspend activities during the days scheduled tournaments and ask that all fighters enter and participate in the Event’s tournament as We shall do as Well. We do this as a separate and independent act to share with Our brethren whose love is combat. We shall stand the field from the hour of 10 am until Their Royal Majesties call us for Court or physical exhaustion make it no longer possible to continue. Our hearts are great and Our desire to share the joy of this day greater, to that end We shall strive to stand the field until all challengers are faced to Their satisfaction.

Any questions please let me know.

Vlad posts on the Archive as well under the screen name scavlad

Will

Ok now that we have completed this Challenge I wanted to post some info about it.

First, I have videos up at www.youtube.com/williamfreskynmurray they are a mix of videos of Vlad & I fighting during the Challenge (Vlad is in the lamellar, I am in the blue, black & white surcoat with the eagle and crescent moons). Harvest Raid saw the Kingdom Heavy Weapons Champion tournament so we suspended our activities during the tourney and fought in it instead, since of lot of fighters were out our list was used for an impromptu bear pit until the finals were over and then we took our list back and continued our challenge so I have some video from the bear pit as well. I have one video I need to edit as it's to large a file for YouTube then it will be posted (I pushed record and went into the list then stopped it 40 plus minutes later when we took our one five minute break!).

All in all it was a GREAT day, I have not been that content at the end of a day of hard fighting since the woods battle my first pennsic, and I have never been that physically tired at the end of doing anything in my life.

We had a lot of people take up the challenge of fighting daggers or mace over the barricade, great sword over the barricade, etc. We allowed our challengers to pick the weapons style and if we fought in the field or over the barricade as they requested. In total for weapons I believe we brought 3 spears, 2 polearms, 3 great swords, 2 poleax, 3 mace, 4 daggers and 4 swords... I brought more weapons here then I do to Pennsic! I finished the kite shield last week and had not used it prior to the Challenge so it added another level for me and was great fun.

If anyone has any thoughts, comments, critique or was at the event and witnessed our stupidity.... I mean deed.... we would love to hear the outside opion for those that witnessed/waited in line to hit us!

in service
Will