Re: [Middlebridge] event/demo

While we're on the topic, here's "Da Spiel" that we use for our demos...
Those of you from the Constellation Region will probably recognize it:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Text in {}'s are comments from gathered fighters.
Text in <>'s are actions.
Text in []'s are comments.
-----------------------

[after a crowd has gathered to the sound of two fighters "shield-bashing"...]

"... we are the Society for Creative Anachronism; an international,
   educational, not-for-profit organization that believes that the
   Middle Ages should be studied actively, not passively. Like most
   scholars we do the research, learn the facts, etc... but then we
   go out and we _do_. We make and wear the clothes, we dance the
   dances, we cook and eat the food, we brew and drink the liquor
   {yeah! hubbah!}... but perhaps our most spectacular activity is
   our re-creation of Medieval tournament combat."

<wield real broad-sword>

"The most common weapon of the Middle Ages was the broad sword; easily
   capable of cutting off a limb, running a man through, or neatly and
   cleanly removing a man's head from his body. (Or sometimes _not_ so
   neatly and cleanly.)"

<wield rattan>

"However, we do not use steel and instead we make our weapons out
   of rattan; a dense, fibrous plant grown in the Phillipines and
   Indonesia who's purpose in life, when we can't rescue it, is
   to become lawn furniture. {boo! hiss!}"

<bring out fully-armored fighter ("corpse-to-be")>

"Our fighters are on their honor to act as if the weapons were
   real. Therefore, you may see blows that have no apparent affect.
   This might be for any of several reasons. They might hit with the
   <bang> flat of the blade... or <tip> just the tip of the blade...
   or the <slap> blow might glance off of the armor. And then there
   are the blows that are just too wimpy, too feeble to penetrate
   the armor. If you hit a warrior like this he's going to just
   laugh at you and stomp you into the mud. But! To defeat your
   opponent, to win the day, you must strike your opponent truly and
   thus: <BLAM!>..."

<corpse fall down and go boom>

"A blow to the head or body is considered fatal. If a fighter is
   hit on one of their limbs then he is honor-bound to continue the
   fight without the use of that limb... which is a serious handicap
   for us, but great good fun for you to watch. Our fighters are
   encouraged to die as dramatically as possible... and as you can
   see, some are more well-known for their dying than their fighting.
   However, we are not into permanent injury or death and firmly
   believe in ressurection..."

<gently tap corpse on the foot... he rises>

"... although, this may not be the case if you tried this at home
   in your backyard with your little brother or sister... or your
   mother-in-law for that matter. And so with that, may we have
   our first two fighters!"

---------------

[various weapons and styles are described as they are used]

"Here we see the most common weapon combination; broad-sword and shield.
   It provided a good balance of offense and defence. The round shield was
   one of the earliest shapes to appear, while the estuchion (or sometimes
   called a `heater' because of it's resemblance to a old-fashioned iron)
   appeared later during the middle ages."

"Here we see two weapons being wielded. This style originally developed
   in Florence, Italy and is appropriately called `florentine'. In French
   it's also called `cuisinart'."

"Here we have a polearm. They came in an infinite variety of shapes and
   sizes but all were basically a long pole with some sort of hackey-pokey
   thing on the end. The idea was that it was preferable to reach out and
   touch someone over actually being there."

"Here we have a mace. It was basically a short heavy club with an
   attitude... much like its wielder."

"Here we have a sword called a hand-and-a-half sword... or sometimes called
   a bastard sword because it's a little big to be a one-handed sword and is
   not big enough to be a true two-handed sword."

"Here we have a two-handed sword... also called a great sword. [after
   thought] ... well, it's an 'okay' sword. [and/or] ... well, it's a
   'pretty good' sword."

[various situations described as they happen]

  * Typically a two-on-one situation after several one-on-ones:
"Sometimes... actually, oft times things were not always fair in war
   and you found yourself facing multiple opponents... [etc.]"

  * Various points of honor... granting single combat... etc.

  * Melees
"You will now see a melee... which is a French word that means 'all
   mixed up'. <all fighters take the field... warn the spectators to
   take a step or two back>"

  * Double-kill
"Some days, no one wins!"

[various taunts from the 'crowd']

"Don't play with your food!"
"Kill the cripple!" [PC people *really* love this one]
"Are you dancing or fighting?"

[other schtick]

  <previous fighter draws line in dirt with toe... dares opponent to
  step over. Next fighter draws line... opponent finishes drawing
  tic-tac-toe... draws X, etc...>

  [after a quicky kill...]
"<another fighter runs out on the field> You killed my brother! <fighting
   continues with new opponent>"

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From: Gwydion.ap.Myrddin@blah.bsuvc.bsu.edu
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Received on Sun Jun 11 13:44:19 1995