The Armour Archive

Sir Bryce de Byram and I had a duel with greatswords at Blackstone. We had one a few years ago when Bryce was on his quest. That was my first deed of arms and it taught me that this whole deed of arms thing is not for pussies, which was my error before that. That was to 10 counted blows and the result was too close to call, so we did a rematch this weekend.

We each made a mucking huge greatsword, reflecting our particular presentation. Mine is named Four Ton Jack and he named his Fatboy.

It was awsome. We did it at the end of a full day of fighting melees in the hot sun. It was supposed to be to 12 counted blows, but the whole counting thing didn't work, even with our esteemed seconds, Brother Amos the pious counting for Bryce and Sir Graedwyne of Aethelmark counting for me. There was no blocking whatsoever, only the occasional collision as a few shots aimed at each other intersected.

They stopped it when they thought we were gonna actually die. Bryce gave me a beautiful necklace for my lady.

I love that guy. (Except for the singing)

A friend took some video, in which the herald gracefully stood right in the way of the best parts. Maybe someone else took some pictures. I would love to see some, as my memory of the specifics is a little hazy.

I am not familiar with Deeds as well as i would like,

Were there any more specifics on the rules?

Yeah, bring glory to your name
and that of all who love gentlemanly discourse.

These two were as generous with their blows
as they were with their admiration for each
other's prowess.
I salute them, and was proud to have been allowed
to witness this deed.

-Graedwyn

Double post

Actualy Sir William was Bryces second. I was franticly trying to take pictures with my crappy, slow diggi cam. I got a couple of good ones. here is my favorite

Sounds like it was excellent.
Of the things I have done in the SCA Deeds of Arms I hold most dear to me.

That was excellent!

-Aaron

The sounds of their combat drew a nice crowd, it was a fun deed to watch, a few blows made me wince

To be fair, Bryce did hit Nissan at least once that we can prove

Nissan,
I got to watch the footage on the big screen last night- a truly righteous slugfest! It should be available sometime this evening. My Lady also has some great footage of the main battles. Tadeus.

Oh judging from the condition of his crest, I think I might have gotten a lucky shot in.

Amazingly fun and inspiring time. Next time we do it (in a couple of years) we should just forgo even saying 'good' and let a reputable King of Arms just throw down the baton when we have done enough.

That is a damn shame about the video. I was really hoping to see that on YouTube. Damn!

This was, of course, an increadibly fun and fierce contest and I very much thank my friend Nissan for the oppertunity to cross swords again.

My sword, named FatMan in Nissan's honor (my dagger finally got an appropriate name - Little Boy - at this Deed.) will be cut down to a more appropriate length but I wanted us to match Nissan's No-daichi entirely for this fight.

We had an excellent time and I was happy to survive with only superfical wounds. As I stood in the hotel room mirror in my bike shorts, drinking beer out of a dixie cup, rubbing my gut, looking for all the world like a washed up minor league bball player, I said. "A-Yup!... I'm a Champion!"

Some pictures here, taken by Brother Amos the Pious.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89116136@N00/?saved=1

Sounds like it was a ton of fun - sorry I missed it.



.

Nissan was practicing with me for that last week.

It was brutally awesome!

Kenwrec Wulfe wrote:Nissan was practicing with me for that last week.

It was brutally awesome!

We each had one practice to get ready with the weapons. I fought Amos at mine.

Kenwrec I wish you had introduced yourself to me (if you didn't!) I would have liked to have met you.

BdeB wrote:

Kenwrec Wulfe wrote:Nissan was practicing with me for that last week.

It was brutally awesome!

We each had one practice to get ready with the weapons. I fought Amos at mine.

Kenwrec I wish you had introduced yourself to me (if you didn't!) I would have liked to have met you.

Regrettably, I was not able to attend the event. However, I did have a great weekend trail riding in Central IL with my wife, so its all good.

BdeB wrote:Amazingly fun and inspiring time. Next time we do it (in a couple of years) we should just forgo even saying 'good' and let a reputable King of Arms just throw down the baton when we have done enough.

Now that is sheer brilliance, I hope you don't mind that I'm stealing that idea.

B

Well, it is the way the Medival guys did it....Nissan and I got even closer this time than last time to it. Last time we at least said good when we were hit.

This time I sorta freaked out a bit (Nissan came at me screaming) and after his first blow that hit me I said "GOOD!" and then everytime I threw a blow for about the next four or five blows I said "GOOD!" like I was trying to will him into submission.

It was pretty funny after the fact. I remember thinking..."What a minute?!?! What the hell am I saying?!?!?" Luckily my seconds were more together than I was.

I just remembering seeing his shots coming in and thinking "This is going to hurt" and "DIEDIEDIE!!! Why oh God, WHY WON'T THIS END?!!?!?"

Where was Mick to throw in the towel, seriously?

I think I said "Cut me, Mic!" at one point...it was crazy.

And also just about perfect.

Bastior wrote:

BdeB wrote:Amazingly fun and inspiring time. Next time we do it (in a couple of years) we should just forgo even saying 'good' and let a reputable King of Arms just throw down the baton when we have done enough.

Now that is sheer brilliance, I hope you don't mind that I'm stealing that idea.

B

The herald started to cry and was largely ignored by a hot, weary populace after a blistering day of fighting. Then he announced that the number of blows would be twelve, and butts did leaveth seats.

As spectators we probably should have been counting the blows.

Unfortunately the magnificent brutality left me, personally, unable to do anything but stand slack-jawed with a grin slowly spreading as all thoughts of counting were forgotten.

"Epic" is overused these days and should be reserved for such displays.

Counted blows above six should be timed combats instead. It becomes impossible to count when that much smashing is going on.

With my helmet on I can't count higher than "one".

When I challenged Hedinn for the Couter we did 15 blows struck with great axe, We simply called them good and had someone else keep track.
I took a head shot that pretty much would have kept me from being able to count.

white mountain armoury wrote:When I challenged Hedinn for the Couter we did 15 blows struck with great axe, We simply called them good and had someone else keep track.
I took a head shot that pretty much would have kept me from being able to count.

That is what we have done both times. This time I said "good" and Nissan at his suggestion, said "great" so that there would be less confusion. Towards the end the really hard shots made even saying "good/great" too much, you just sorta took it and kept swinging.

Man this event sounds freaking nuts. Wish we had a video.

Cheers to you both for being awesome. Wish the atmosphere around here was more open to getting primal. I'd love to warcry, yell as I hit people, get smashed around and do some smashing around. You know what; popular tradition or not I think I shall .

BdeB wrote:

white mountain armoury wrote:When I challenged Hedinn for the Couter we did 15 blows struck with great axe, We simply called them good and had someone else keep track.
I took a head shot that pretty much would have kept me from being able to count.

That is what we have done both times. This time I said "good" and Nissan at his suggestion, said "great" so that there would be less confusion. Towards the end the really hard shots made even saying "good/great" too much, you just sorta took it and kept swinging.

Out of sick curiousity, how much does your helm weigh? Nissans weighs like 20-25 pounds or something (I think thats what he said in the interview). if your helm weighs like 10 pounds then big kudos to you. Getting smashed around with a huge ass greatsword over and over; and not falling out of the race is an accomplishment. I hope to one day get to rumble with Nissan; if I do get to do that I'm gonna fill my helm with foam and packing peanuts.

Feh, Nissan hits like a gentle falling leaf!



My helm with aventail is at around 13 pounds or so...(it's been a while since I weighted it.

Nissan's helm is crazy heavy though, I picked it up just this weekend.

It sure sounds like it was great fun. The pics are excellent.

It was a blast.

I hope the video will surface soon.

Sounds like it was a lot of fun.

Ragnar Ribcracker and I once had a best 2 out of 3 match of 5 counted blows each with greatswords. He won, 5-4, 4-5, and 5-4. That was a blast.

Bastior wrote:

BdeB wrote:Amazingly fun and inspiring time. Next time we do it (in a couple of years) we should just forgo even saying 'good' and let a reputable King of Arms just throw down the baton when we have done enough.

Now that is sheer brilliance, I hope you don't mind that I'm stealing that idea.

B

As the the two looney resident Vikings in Central Region of Drachenwald I forsee a Dane Axe bout of this nature coming sometime soon.

Thorvaldr

Thorvaldr Skegglauss wrote:
As the the two looney resident Vikings in Central Region of Drachenwald I forsee a Dane Axe bout of this nature coming sometime soon.

Thorvaldr

I'll turn those matched staves of rattan into matched axes and you find somebody with a video camera ...

B

Hmmmmmm..... video camera.... Got One!! Just need to find a camera person. I am sure I can talk any number of people into doing that.

Now we just need to find an event we are both going to .....

Thorvaldr

So no video afterall?

Ah, I found the first part...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU-hKkd6 ... annel_page

I am in the process of uploading a revised video to youtube.......the first did not contain the entire duel. My apologies.....I am new at this.