September Summits Coronet, 48/2013

Last weekend I day-tripped coronet. Unfortunately it was a rough start, showing up to site about 1.5 hours later than I anticipated, I was concerned at a point that I may even miss the start of the tournament. Fortunately that wasn't the case.

About two months prior, I developed a notion to prepare a song/poem extolling my consort's virtues as my inspiration.

Sonnet for Idonia

My inspiration's virtues must be told

To those here gather'd, this tale shall I spin

And speak these words of honored merit bold

Of she who would be Princess should I win -

I tell of fair and timeless classic beauty

That ever lifts my heart and stills my soul

It strengthens sword in executed duty

And melds my dream from parts into a whole

Still too with art and craft to yet inspire

A simple man to reach for greater heights

To honor and to glory I aspire

The Coronet is where I've set my sights

Because of fair Idonia this is true

Her virtues inspiring everything I do

While romantic undertones could definitely be interpreted, that is not the case (just to be clear).

I think it was a nice "send off", as I will no longer be fighting for Idonia, as she wants to focus on some aspects of her mundane life.

The sonnet was written by Visc Elizabeth Turner de Carlisle (I helped!), and recited by HL Rose Atherton during the tournament processional (being "on the spot" would've made me freeze up). I was doubly honored as His Majesty selected me to be a "challengee" because of the sonnet, as the first round is a challenge round.

My first round was against Corbin, one of HL Robert Engleson's introduced guys from Myrtleholt. I've fought him in a practice setting, and I knew of his aggressive combo flurries. He stuck one shot that was just below my gauging, but there was something I didn't like about it (totally not meant to sound as a rhino). I believe I eventually stuck him with a wrap to the head.

Second round was Visc Willy Jeffy d'Rogue

Obviously didn't go so well. I haven't fought with Jeff in over a year. I know his style, but was apprehensive about needing to close past his preferred range. He managed to stick me right below my rib, in the diaphragm, knocking the wind outta me. It was one of those shock-then-laughter sorta hits.

Third round was against Lord Aaron Brandson, another leftie. I struggled against his leftiness at the principality defender tournament back in June, primarily not being able to get around his shield. We had a couple of exchanges, but I believe I landed a J-hook wrap on him, one which Visc Sir Gabriel Luveday encouraged me to use in a practice the previous week.



Fourth and last round was against Duke Tjorkil. Having a few fights with him in practices some time ago, I felt I understood his fighting style, in that he tends to fight "just above" his opponent's ability, which I feel pushes his opponents to excel beyond what they are normally capable of. After a few exchanges he legged me, then stuck me with one of my primary weaknesses, offside headshot.

So once again, a coronet tournament that went four rounds. While part of me is glad I've maintained that "standard" of going four rounds, "breaking even", I now want to push myself beyond that, aiming for 3:2, five rounds, at least.

Somewhere between rounds, second and third, I believe, Visc Sir Gabriel took me as his man at arms, we had discussed things, and he offered that status as a trial phase with the prospect of squiring.

All in all, a good event and tournament, the fighting overall was very clean. And now I'm looking forward with goals in mind, and positive changes taken to heart.

Reassessment

Perhaps I'll recap some of the activity I've missed in not writing here. I've had some negative experiences on (or more accurately, near) the field, and I'd rather try to focus on the positives of Egil's.

I've made many changes in the past four months since I've posted here.
The immediate things on my mind:
I've began dialogue with Visc Sir Gabriel of Adiantum with the prospect of working together. I've realized that approaching a working relationship with a knight is something that must be done tentatively, and I was foolhardy and had my priorities misaligned when I first approached a knight over a year ago, and it turned out to be a poor match. The Path isn't something one can rush, and certainly not with an ill-advised mismatch.
I got burned out at West-An Tir War. Spending ~$200 and to not enjoy myself at all was a major downer, and I seriously considered just leaving the SCA. But it occurred to me that I need to make the SCA what I want it to be, and for me that is courtesy, honor, and sincerity, I want to share this version of the Dream with others, and I feel it is something that isn't a focus in this area. And with this change of disposition I've also begun expanding my friendships created in the society, rather than focusing on a select few individuals.

Practices and pell work have been interfered by a change in work schedule and fires here in Oregon causing terrible smoke. The latter is improving, so I can manage to work there, but presently I feel that what will allow me to progress in my Path is in-kit practice against other fighters, and assess my errors and deficiencies and work to correct/improve them.
Just today I put together a new 35" sword done with a 1.5" planked piece. And of all the sticks I've put together, it feels the best balanced, and weighted, especially compared to the monstrously heavy 2" plank I've been using.

My focus in fighting is currently: speed through proper mechanics, creating openings, employing measure as primary defense.

And because I get a lot of hits for image searches, here's a picture of June Investiture's Principality Defender Tourney. With some sweet lefty-on-lefty action (there were like five of us in the tourney!). Thorfinnius was probably my favorite fight that day.

And here's me, being hot and annoyed with format bungling at Egil's.

Suddently... A Pell!

Covered in open-cell foam & carpeting,
secured with a crapload of various tapes.

After eighteen months of fighting, I've finally put together my own pell. I cannot help but wonder at how far I would be if I had one earlier in my fighting career. That could be a discouraging thought, but I've had too much fun working on my flat snap today. Only about forty-five minutes working on it today, I've thrown over two hundred shots. I did work a bit on combos and right-handed flat snaps.
Last night I watched Count Gemini's measure video that Sir Rauokinn posted on youtube, so those principles were on the forefront of my mind. Next I heard Troy's voice in my head after about a half hour, reminding me I shouldn't be leaning forward, which also made me wonder if I had any other telegraphs. While I feel I am rather observant, a more experienced eye on my body motion would be beneficial.
I feel confident about my shot mechanics and power generation, and I hope that in the coming weeks it will develop into more complete muscle memory.

Plans for 2013

I've planned out my 2013 SCA season, and I like the way it is looking.
Hocktide Emprise in Glyn Dwfn. Still a local event. I'm not sure if I will be fighting in the tournament or running the lists. I'm not all that keen on the format for the tournament, in regards to the weapons.
Egil Skallagrimmson Memorial Tournament in Adiantum. This is looking to be the highlight of the tournament season for me, as I'm confident I could take the Never Won A Tourney tourney. I'm not crazy about the holmgang, though if I have a bastard sword by then I think I'll use it here. And there is to be a "gladiator" tournament, which looks promising.
Summits Heraldic and Scribal Symposium in Briaroak. I have a burgeoning interest in device heraldry, and I think it important in the context of historical interest to have a decent understanding of names and et cetera. Hopefully I'll also be able to take the voice heraldry classes as well. There is a prize tourney slated as well, but little info has been presented on that.
Summits June Investiture in Glyn Dwfn. I'm not very enthusiastic about this event, as I don't know the Summits heirs all that well. And as the defender tourney's format hasn't been announced, I don't know what to expect.
West-An Tir War in Tymberhavene. Its war. I'll be solely using pike during the war scenarios, but I hope to fight with as many knights as possible in pick-ups afterwards.
September Crown Tournament in Fire Mountain Keep. Tentative, but I'm excited to fight at a kingdom level.
September Coronet Tournament in Myrtleholt. Unsure what the format will be, so I'm not overly excited on account of that.

My focus in fighting will be on offense. Combinations, range, speed, reflex and torso mobility (5 D's of Dodgeball).
I'll be looking to go to Myrtleholt's practice on occasion, and work with the local knight as well (and maybe coerce him into putting on armor).

March Coronet '13

Reading the names of the previous holders of the Shield of Chivalry.

Bitter winds in the Northeast of the Summits; Corvaria, in Madras (north of Bend, OR). I largely wasn't paying attention to the tournament on account of the windchill.
I used a L38"xW1.25" sword and my aluminum shield, which was bought at L36"xW20", but has since been cut down to L30" to fit more to An Tir's ridiculous shield conventions.
I'm a particular person, and I had forgotten my gloves back at the hotel. Which means my demi's didn't fight properly, and my grip was questionable. Robert Engleson offered up "last season's" gloves, which I used, but they only alleviated the former issue, and not the latter.

For the first round, I received the bye fight of the 23 fighters, and fought Visc. Sir Gabriel Luveday. The fight went as well as my previous pick-ups last coronet went. Eventually my defense broke under combinations.
Second round was against Torsten, which I sunk a shot right under his shield and into his grill.

Fourth round against Robert Engleson.

Third round was against Keith, which contained a bit of ranging, a few exchanges. And ultimately I took a wrap to the head. Taran commented that the shot I took looked light. And perhaps on contemplation it may have.
Fourth round, Robert Engleson. I forget the particular killing blow (Perhaps a testament to the mind-numbing chill?), and with two losses, I was out.

Two coronets, less than a dozen tournaments in eighteen months of fighting, and once again, four rounds. I need to remind myself that is relatively decent.
What this coronet tells me is never go to an outdoor event in Corvaria (tongue in cheek), but mostly that I need to spend more time in armor, to focus and be active, and do less pondering and dreaming. And for fuck's sake, get a damn pell, because I find that my offensive capabilities are the most lacking of all my proficiencies.

September Coronet '12

Long overdue.

Processional

My first coronet I went four rounds, in a double-elimination format. The fourth round through the semi-finals were dubbed "gentlemen's rounds", being single-sword or hand-and-a-half (up to 42" in length). I used a L32"xW2"(planked) sword with a L24"xW17" off-center-grip shield.

My first round I had challenged (post-event) His Lordship Robert Engleson. A local (one shire over), senior fighter, and friend, whom I would like to see as prince some day. I consider defeating him in tournament a milestone achievement in my path. Not an obstacle to overcome, per say. I think he's aware of this in some way, and takes it as a friendly gesture. We had multiple exchanges on the field, but eventually he legged me. Being a sporting fighter (and as customary in An Tir) went to his knees as well. He kept me busy with whippy snaps and reverses, closed and got a thrust to my neck with his madu, which I wasn't paying attention to. Watching video of the fight I was mildly disappointed with my ground game, as I felt I let him work me over.

I do not recall which of the two fighters I had for my second and third rounds.
Lord Ulieum Haig fought two sword. It felt though, that he held his off hand sword (which was marginally shorter than his on hand sword) in a non-threatening manner, and did little with it, giving me little mind to fear it as a weapon. I eventually landed a snap on the right side of his torso.
Lord Tryggr Tyresson fought sword and center-grip round. We had several exchanged, and in a moment of his hesitation while toe-to-toe, I threw a high wrap to his head.

My fourth and last fight was single-sword against Sir Morgan the Truehearted, an older knight, and many consider him to be the prime example for behavior from a knight. We only had a brief exchange, he managed to juke me (though he felt he had hit me in the grill with his fist) and landed a blow to my head.

I was content with my conduct in the tournament, as well as my performance. I feel that I did quite well for my first coronet. As did Princess Telisia, who determined that I should win the Shield of Chivalry, also known as the Shield of the Summits. An award given by the princess to the unbelted fighter (a fighter who is not a knight) in the coronet whom she feels conducted themselves the most chivalrously. She decided that the honor should be shared between Herodocles and myself. He took the shield, his consort the scroll of names of previous holders, and I the fighting belt, and my consort the consort's baldric.
As Herodocles will not be at this coming coronet, Idonia and I will be turning the regalia to Princess Elizabeth. I'm looking forward to holding the shield for the first time.

The last piece of business in court that night was receiving my award of arms from Queen Astrid.