ANST - New noncombat topic

[Michael F. Gunter]

> 
> Galen of Bristol here!
> 
> I have always felt that A&S competitions without Laurels
> were like tournies without knights.  Sorry Siobhan,
> I think of so much by analogy to combat, and this is
> one of those things.
> 
> For instance, Timo won Steppes Warlord.  He's neither
> a knight nor even a fighter of long experience.  In so
> doing, he outperformed Duke Mikael, HRM Kein, and
> myself, among many others, belted and unbelted
> alike.  This is far more impressive a victory for the
> fact that there were knights in the tourney.  If there
> hadn't been, we'd be on the sidelines going, "Yeah,
> he's good, but I can take him."  Of course, in real
> life, none of us did.
> 

I'm afraid I must disagree with you here, old bean.  While I agree that it is
perfectly okey-dokey for Laurels to enter A&S competitions, the analogy of a 
double-elimination list is incorrect.  In your example, Timo won a double-elim
tourney.  He did not defeat Duke Mikael, HRM Kein, or anyone other than the 
opponents he faced.  In many fighting tournies the big guns often take out each
other or have an off day or whatever.  Thus allowing someone who might not have
made it so far to win. This is not to disparage Timo but just using your example.
Whereas in most A&S competitions I have seen it is usually either everyone competing
against everyone and all showing their best or it is categories in competition with
each other.  So to continue your analogy, Timo would have had to face and defeat
everyone else in the tournament or face everyone who was a lefty (or been fighting
X amount of years, or who fought only sword & shield, etc...)

Now if there were an A&S competition where each entrant's goods were paired against
another entrant's and then the winner chosen for the next round...

I feel that the Laurelate should enter and demonstrate the abilities that made them
Peers but the competitions should be well thought out.  Hey, in a fighting tourney
a new fighter could be matched against HG Inman in the first round (It happened to
me and I wound up winning.) So also a new artisan would expect to go against Mistress
Branwyn.  Eventually with diligent effort that newbie could become one of the "Big
Guns".  A&S competitions will have to be thought out to allow the guns to enter
but also be encouraging to the others.

I, personally, love A&S competitions.  Being basically a talentless slob I thrill to
the art produced by our Society and most especially the incredible things produced
by our Laurels.  I say, "Let's let 'em show off their stuff!"

Yers,

Gunthar
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