Rattan Fighting

From our marshal in charge, Fernando:

This year’s Winter Court tournament will once more be the now-traditional multi-field bear-pit I have organized in past years.

In order to participate, you’ll need to provide a prize. And at the end of the tournament, everyone will leave with a prize!

Your prize must be gift-wrapped - ideally in such a way as to conceal or disguise it's contents.

Your prize must be something a significant number of other folks involved in the tournament would want (whether for themselves or as a gift for a significant other). This is not a white elephant. We’ve seen things such as a nice piece of fabric, pieces of armor, an armor repair kit, rattan, a custom tunic, beer and other tasty beverages, and much more.

Some people have been surprisingly creative and/or generous with their prizes, but please don’t feel this should ever keep you from participating. If what is reasonable for you, is a 6 pack of beer or cider, that’s just fine. If that’s currently beyond your means, just let me know. We’ll do what it takes to make sure every one of our friends who wishes to participate can do so!

The fighting field, will subdivided in various shifting challenges: a barrier, a bridge, an oxhide, a gate, an open field, and more. All fields will share the same line, and when an opening is available at one of the challenge fields, the next challenger can fill it. You’ll earn points for fighting, more for winning, and even more for beating someone above your fighting rank!

Fighting will run from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm. The sooner you’re there and ready to fight, the sooner you can begin to rack up points! But, you can always join in even if you arrive late – You’ll still take home a prize.

At the conclusion of the fighting, we'll play a game. Some folks call it the Rob-Your-Neighbor game or the White-Elephant game (I prefer avoiding the term White-Elephant, because all the prizes should things that people want). Essentially, everyone will have a turn (in an order determined by the number of points earned in the tourney) to open or steal an already opened prize, until everyone ends up with a prize.

Returning this year: Two bonus prizes!

I will be offering a reward for the person who brings the best prize. This will be based on a vote of the participants, so it will not necessarily be the prize that gets stolen the most often.

I will also be offering a prize for the most clever and/or misleading and/or creative wrapping job. Have fun!