Archery

[harry billings]

><snip>
>>So, you and your other seven bow-companions (if I may lump you together),
>>will then progress up to the Iris, then to a Laurel?
>
>Actually, the last few times I've heard this debated, archery is in
>never-never land without a "fixed" means of promotion in Ansteorra.
>Individuals such as Master Leon Dunne, Archer Extraordinaire, may receive
>the Laurel, but Leon crafts his own bows and painstakingly hand-crafts
>arrows, plus he sings (in the key of Z).
>
I belive that was/is one of the things that is hoped to be corrected by
ranking archers. Mainly establish a hierarchy of archery skill.

>I'd think the proper award would be based on (1) what kind of archery is
>being practiced and (2) level of activity.
>
>This archers who make their weapons and document this, plus teaching, are in
>an "archery-as-art" path, which would lead to: Sable Thistle (AoA level),
>thence to an Iris of Merit (GoA level) and eventually to a Laurel.
>
>Whereas target archers who encourage others and work hard promoting IKAC are
>in an "archery-as-service" path, which would lead to: Sable Comet or Sable
>Crane (AoA level), thence to the Star of Merit (GoA level), and eventually
>to a Pelican.
>
What about those of us that make some of our equipment, shoot IKAC, IKCAC,
and combat, but may never be truly great at any one of them. (I make my own
arrows but will probly never make my onw bow. I also have a large size
quiver that I made for combat arrows.)

>Finally, those whose efforts concentrate on war-archery are in an
>"archery-as-combat" path, for which we don't really have appropriate awards.
>Certainly service to the kingdom is involved here, making the Comet/Crane a
>possibility at the AoA level.  So far as I am aware, our only AoA level
>fighting award is the Sable Falcon, which I belive is limited to chivalric
>combatants.  We have a couple of GoA level combat awards, the White Scarf
>for rapier combatants, and the Centurion for chivalric combatants, thus
>extraordinary effort in combat archery still ends up getting a Star of Merit
>rather than a combat-path award.  And if the rapier community isn't eligible
>for a Knighthood, the archers certainly aremn't, either, leading the
>amazingly dedicated war-archer who has given up his whole life to promoting
>war archery as a Pelican.
>
We have one Sable Falcon in Ansteorra Loard Talon of Black Oak, also more
than one duke has ordered him to be on his side in melee that they and he
are there. I don't have a problem with not being able to be a Knight. Iwould
just to see Crown recognize the archers of Ansteorra.

>I really think we ought to recognize the contributions of our members in
>appropriate ways.  While no doubt there will be much squawking and
>fulminating over this proposal, I think Ansteorra should look into creating
>AoA and GoA level awards for archers.  Perhaps the AoA level award would be
>called the Sable Pheon, with its badge being Or, a pheon sable (or something
>similar).  The GoA would be the __?__ of Merit, and would carry a badge that
>would be worn like a Scarf, Iris, or Star (I think an arrow with its head
>replaced by Black Star might be nice heraldry).
>
>As for Peerage level awards, it's possible that the Known World should
>recognize Peerage level achievement for both rapier and archery, but that
>will take the BoD to do.  Ironically, I'd guess that we'll see Archery
>Peerages before we ever see Rapier Peerages, due to resistance (reasonable
>or not) from other kingdoms.  I suspect that most expert, dedicated,
>Peerage-quality archers will end up as Pelicans, for lack of a more
>appropriate way to reward their efforts.
>
I can think of at lest one archer that shuold recive a Pelican or some thing
similar,but am not sure about how to try and have it happen. Realy would
like to see the gentleman recive a Sable Thisle first I think. (The Thisle
would say for archery I don't know what the award would say on the Pelican.
 
>Wassail,
>
>::GUNNORA::
>
>
>Gunnora Hallakarva
>Herskerinde
>===========================================
>Ek eigi visa (th)ik hversu o(dh)lask Lofstirrlauf-Kruna
>heldr hversu na Hersis-A(dh)al
>
Plachoya Sobaka a most insignificant archer in Ravens Fort