[Artemisia] Major Connor's Rose and Butterfly Rapier Tourney

[Mike Bradley]

Unto the Black Wing Company, the rapier fighters and the general 
populace of Artemisia, Greetings.

I had mentioned to Lord Gilson that I wanted to run a tourney at 
Uprising, but I hadn't yet gotten around to the announcement of it.  
Because of that, I was thinking of cancelling it, but I saw that John 
already had it on the schedule of rapier events.  So, now, with less 
lead time than I had wanted, I am announcing the tourney and hoping for 
a good number of participants.  So, with all neccessary pomp and 
fanfare, I am pleased to announce...

Conchobhar's (First Annual?) Rose and Butterfly Rapier Tournament

Rapier fighters in the SCA have traditionally fought for the honor of 
the nobility of the fairer sex.  The original Black Wing charter named 
the Princess of Artemisia the patron; the current charter gives that 
honor to the Queen.  And, it is in this tradition of honoring the Queens 
and Princesses that this tourney was concieved.

The Rules
1. This tourney is open to anyone authorized in rapier combat, provided 
the other qualifications in the rules are met.  I would like to 
emphasize *anyone*, lest someone think that it is only open to members 
of the Black Wing Company.  This tourney is not sponsored by, endorsed 
by, affiliated with, or restricted to BWC.  It's just mine that I wanted 
to run.

2. Anyone wishing to enter the tourney must have a sponsor.  The sponsor 
must be a Lady of the Rose or a Lady of the Papillion.*  A Lady may 
sponsor one fighter for each order that she is a member of.  So, for 
example, Duchess Corisande could sponsor one fighter as a Lady of the 
Rose; Duchess Renee could sponsor two fighters, one as a Lady of the 
Rose and one as a Lady of the Papillion.  All fighters will be required 
to have a letter from their sponsor to enter the list, but the sponsor 
need not be present (or even at Uprising, or in Artemisia).

* Or, any of the other Lady of the X orders from other principalities.  
I know most have one, I just don't feel like looking up the names of all 
of the orders at the moment.

3.  After getting a sponsor, each fighter will also need to bring two 
symbols of their sponsor's Order.  Thus, a fighter sponsored by a Lady 
of the Rose would need to bring two of something with roses.  They can 
be real live roses, glass roses, a tankard with a rose carved into it, a 
bottle of Tequila Rose, whatever.  If the sponsor were a Lady of the 
Papillion, it would be butterflies instead of roses.

4.  The tournament will be fought in standard double elimination 
format.  It will be fought weapon of choice unless (a) I change my mind 
between now and then and decide to do random weapon drawing for the 
rounds, or (b) a sponsor mandates that Her fighter use a specific weapon 
form.  In addition to winning the tournament, there will be a benefit 
for 'best death' and 'most chivalrous'.

5. The tourney is scheduled to run concurrently with the mixer tourney, 
and I have no problems with anyone being in both, so long as massive 
delays are not caused because of it.

If anyone has any further questions about the tourney, feel free to send 
them to the list and I will get them answered as soon as I make up an 
answer.  Also, sign up for the tourney is officially opened as of now.  
Any fighter that gets a sponsor can send me a message at any time with 
their name and the name of their sponsor and I will put it in my list.

In service

Lord Conchobhar mac Michil
Order of the Golden Scarf
Major of the Black Wing Company
Lieutenant at Arms of the Baroness' Musketeers of One Thousand Eyes

**PS  Lord Gilson, feel free to copy whatever of this you need to and 
put it on the Uprising web site.