[Artemisia] Winning or Just Not Losing?

[Illora]

I would be happy to respond, Your Grace!
My very FIRST event was in BSK and it was a Crown Tourney. I honestly knew
NOTHING about the SCA. I had no idea what was going on. I was so stupid, I
even got talked into entering the Bard of Artemisia Competition without even
knowing what it was! At this particular Crown, when it got down to the last
two fighters, neither of them would call their blows. The fight was stopped
at least twice by the King and they were privately admonished to play by the
rules. In the end, the King consulted the Chivalry and the two fighters were
disqualified and the tournament was started all over! It was quite shocking
to everyone.

I think the King and the Chivalry need to step in and question things if the
consensus is that the fight is being fought dishonorably. It is a hard thing
I am sure, but when everyone comments on what a clean Crown the last one
was, it kind of suggest that clean tourneys are not the norm anymore. That
should not be. I have seen many dishonorable fights and it is disappointing.
I do think most fighters fight honorably. Sometimes when their blood is up,
they miss blows or it registers too late. That happens. But if it's
happening to someone consistently there is a problem. Someone needs to talk
to that person. Is it their armor, is it their training, or are they blowing
off hits? Someone they respect should talk to them earlier rather than
later. 
If it is a repeat offender and the King and Chivalry agrees they are a
rhino, I think it is their responsibility to call the fight in any tourney.
I liked how in the infamous Crown that was my first, they were pulled aside
and spoken to privately, then warned, then pulled out of Crown. There needs
to be more of that until it isn't happening anymore. 

Illora