Tuesday 22 October 2013

A Day at the Winter War (Winter War 2002)

Lord Tormod of Kirk Andreas

Trinovantia Nova is always farther away than I remember it being.
I have had some of my best days fighting at Winter War however, so I always make the effort to be there. This most recent Winter War was no exception. The day's activities for myself centred around the fighting.After greeting people and making a couple of preliminary purchases (rattan) I hurried into armour.
The fighting began with a three-man bear pit. My Knight, Syr Edward the Red and my squire brothers Naga-san and Lord Yrik, along with myself took turns forming a three-man team and at one point we held the list for 7 rounds.
After the bear pit the fighters were called for an every man for himself, last fighter standing melee.
It turned instead into a multi-small group melee as individuals formed small alliances and held to them.
It was during this melee that I faced my first division of loyalties. I am a Septentrian but I am squired outside of the Barony.Her Excellency Domhnail called me over and asked that I fight along side her.I had already formed up with my Knight and squire brothers.Her Excellency must have seen me hesitate because she then extended the invitation to all of us and the matter was resolved.
After two or three of these melees we moved on to a resurrection melee in which you could not resurrect until the fighter who had defeated you was defeated.  Then we fought a folding warlord tourney.The format is simple.All the fighters line up in order of authorization date.The line is then folded in half.  The person opposite yourself becomes your first opponent.When that fight is finished the pair of you find another pair to fight.After each fight the winning team becomes the leadership for the rest of the team.This continues until there are only two teams left.
By this point in time many of the fighter were feeling worn.I myself had taken two hard tumbles to the floor, each time landing on someone else.After the second tumble I lay on the floor for a moment resting. It was at this point that the first practice of the Unbelted Champions team was held.Those of us who wish to be part of that team formed up on one side while the remainder of the fighters present, including all of the chivalry, formed up on the other side.  Then we fought more melees.
I was wrung out by the end of those melees.It had been an excellent day of fighting but I was done.
Court was held that afternoon before feast.There are three things from court which stuck out in my mind.
The first was the award of the Maiden's Heart given to Lady Gabrielle de Champaign, a member of my home canton. (Chronicler’s note: Gabriel received her award for her hard work as the Commisariat’s second in c0ommand for the past two years and the aid she has given to the Pennsic chirurgeonate for many years.)
The second was the presentation by the household of Leonthus.They had come up from Pentamere in the Middle Kingdom for the event. Their fighters had participated in the melees.In court they spoke of their strong friendship with Ealdormere and presented the sword of their household to Sarnac Bahadur.He in turn presented it to their Highnesses.The presentation of the sword came with a promise.If Ealdormere and the Middle are allies this summer at the Pennsic War then Leonthus will fight alongside us.It was difficult to hear the rest.Which brings me to the third most memorable item from the Court.
The noise in the hall.Despite requests from the Heralds and a statement from His Majesty himself,
those persons in the hall who were not participating in court made a great deal of noise.There was no
effort to remove themselves from the court area, nor any effort to keep the volume of their conversations
low.That made it very difficult to hear what was occurring in court.
It was unfortunate to end on such a note.Feast I am told was excellent.I did not eat on board.Instead a small group of us went out.We returned after feast and enjoyed the company and conversations of those around us.After listening to a few stories from Master Garraed I packed up my things and headed home.

Trinovantia Nova is always further away than I remember it being, but it is always worth the trip.

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