Ealdormere’s Unbelts go 5-3 at Murder Melee 22 (Murder Melee XXII, June 15 – 19, 2005)

By THLaird Colyne Stewart

Unbelted Team Roster

Mistress Ælfwyn of Longwood, team captain

Baroness Domhnail Galbraith

Baron Tynne Duair ap Beul

THL Kaylah the Cheerful

THL Ulvar van der Nederlanden

THL Baldric Leeman of Newcastle Emlyn

THL Corrig McKail

Naga-san

Lord Ioannes

Laird Colyne Stewart

Lord Wat of Sarum

Lord Tarquin Bjornnson

Rattanicus of Bastille du Lac

Unbelted Team Record: 5 wins, 3 losses

Rain threatened on the day of the 10-man melee tournament held this year at the Barony of Ben Dunfirth’s annual Murder Melee in the Meadow Event. Luckily, it did not materialize, and the resulting weather was excellent for fighting: cool but not cold, overcast and with a refreshing breeze. This year for the tournament the 10-man melee teams were not restricted to the number of chivalry who could be on a team. Each team could have as many people on it as you wished, but only ten people could be on the field at once, and people could only belong to one team. (Unless they were an Unbelt, in which case they could take part on the Unbelt team and one other team.) To face each other in this round robin tournament came nine teams: Baldric’s Cunning Plan, the Barony of Ben Dunfirth, the Blackswords, the Barony of Septentria, Marines A, Marines B, the Barony of Ramshaven, the Rozakii, and the Unbelts.

Battles against the Unbelts did not count as victories or losses for the other teams (basically, we were a by that everyone had to fight.)

The Unbelts drew our two hardest fights first: Baldric’s Cunning Plan (which most people were calling ‘the knights’ because six of its members were Chivalry) and the Rozakii (which had three members of the Chivalry on it). We showed well, but ultimately lost. However, as the day progressed the team began to jell much more solidly and there was at least one battle (maybe two) in which we did not loose a single member. Our third loss came in our battle with Ben Dunfirth, in which I was legged and left far behind the fighting. As I slowly made my way up the field on my knees, the rest of my comrades were felled. As the Ben Dunfirth fighters were about to leave the field the marshals pointed out to them that I was still alive, so His Excellency Sir Malik came over to face me. He allowed me to set myself for his onslaught before he attacked and sent me toppling into the grass.

My personal highlight of the day was while facing Baldric’s Cunning Plan. I had been legged, and two of the knights were pressing me. Count Sir Rory Cennedi then came up behind me and tried to tangle up my weapon. Turning to look up at him, I managed to take him out before Baron Sir Siegfried ran me through.

All the teams were fighting very well that day (and, may I add, very cleanly). There were very little disagreements or arguments that I saw or heard, and the battles were great fun to watch and to be a part of. In the finals, Baldric’s Cunning Plan (which was undefeated) faced the Rozakii (who had only been defeated by Baldric’s Cunning Plan). Baldric’s plan must indeed have been cunning, for they won the tournament.

The members of the triumphant team of Baldric’s Cunning Plan were: Count Sir Rory Cennedi, Count Sir Aaron Preslee Worganson, Viscount Sir Mordain Blackcloak, Baron Sir Menken Brechen, Baron Sir Siegfried Brandbeorn, Sir Evander MacLachlan, Lord Derfel, THL Baldric Leeman of Newcastle Emlyn, Lord Iohannes of Skrealing Althing, Lord Benedict de Charteris and Lord Wat of Sarum.

There then followed several great melees in which I got to embarrass myself. In the first, I was standing with my knight, Sir Evander MacLachlan. We were in the second line, and as we advanced he saw a hole in our front line. “Go right!” he yelled, and I promptly ran left. “That’s left!” he shouted, to which I mumbled, red faced and engaging a foe, “I know.” In the next battle we were again in the second line. “Watch out for that javelin,” Evander said, as it plonked into my leg.

Sigh.

After that I did better. (Really.) I even got a kill in while I was legged. After a while a break was called, followed by more grand melees for those so inclined. I rested through the second set, waiting for the Royal Tournaments. The rest didn’t seem to help me much as I was out in two in the first Tournament, which Count Sir Rory Cennedi ended up winning. The second unbelted Royal Tournament was then held, in which I did much better and was out in five; Baron Konrad Mattias Jaeggar von Dubrau being the winner this time through.