Fencing in Meridies

[Chris and Elisabeth Zakes]

At 08:55 PM 11/14/96 -0800, you wrote:
>>Kateryn asked:
>>What happened?!?!
>
>and posted the letter from their Majesties Meridies that included:
>>
>>Due to a variety of factors, We must bring the fencing experiment in Meridies
>to a close, effective immediately. <snip>
>
>which mentions several excuses for their decision, including lack of
>interest and safety concerns.  I do not believe that any of these
>excuses are valid.  They did not consult their own marshals, or even
>inform them.
>
>Lack of Interest?  In 9 months, Meridies authorized 50 fighters.  After
>1 year of fencing, Ansteorra had about 5.  


I suppose that depends on when you figure that "year" in Ansteorra. 

At my first event (Thanksgiving weekend 1975), there were more than five
fighters in the "Swashbuckling list". The following year, I was able to
scrounge up three or four for a demo for the Queen of Atenveldt. By 1977-78,
we could routinely field a dozen or twenty.

(snip)

>In another situation in Atenvelt, a blade broke and the broken end hit a
>mask.  It slid off the mask and tore the vinyl padded edging.

A minor correction. That was Outlands, not Atenveldt.

        -Tivar Moondragon