[Ansteorra] Pas was - A&S issues

Harris Mark.S-rsve60 Mark.s.Harris at motorola.com
Wed Aug 28 14:47:58 PDT 2002


Lady Vivaine d'Agincourt said about the Pas' type of tournament:
> First, preparation.
> Pas': It is alot of work to prepare for a pas if you don't  have your "pas'
> kit" together. This can consist of some or all of the  following: banner(s),
> an honor shield, torse/mantling/crest for helmet, cleaning, repainting,
> redying, shining up or even building new armor for the time period,
> largesse, gifts for their excellencies, new fighting  tunics/tabards, finding
> and paying a herald, finding and paying a bard, building and
> paying for an entourage, providing tabards for heralds, pages, men-at-arms,
> etc, letters of intent, documentation, if required, etc, and not to
> mention playing a character. Oh did I mention practice and train?

> It can also be incredibly
> intimidating to a fighter who's never participated in a Pas because its
> difficult to find a list of everything required and how to, or even find members
> of an entourage to help.  Heck even the etiquette is quite different.

And in a later message:
> Knowledge. Someone mentioned to me the guidance involved.  I had to seek it
> out in lots of different places. There is no SCA Pas' book that you can get
> a list of materials and what to say and when (unless i missed it and THAT is
> possible) or you even if there were, you can't beat the counsel of a
> seasoned Peer w/ experience.  I was VERY lucky in that i have such a rich
> resource to draw upon.

I was not at this most recent Pas' tournament, but I have seen similar
ones such as Lyonesse done by Bjornsborg. I like these types of
tournaments. To me, they are harken back to the real medieval tournaments
much better than our usual cookie-cutter tournaments that remind me
more of "Mad Max" or a modern sports game.

I think Lady Vivaine has a good point about the knowledge that is needed
to put these on and how this knowledge once acquired can filter into
our other tournaments. But as she also points out, there is no good
source for getting all this information easily.

If Lady Vivaine or anyone else would be willing to write some articles
on this for the Florilegium, I'd love to have them. And since the
copyright remains with the author they could also be reprinted in
local or other newsletters or journals.

I can see several types of articles:
1) The Pas' and similar tournaments for the person organising such
a tournament. The materials needed. Site requirements. What to do
to add the necessary color. Organising it.

2) The Pas' for the fighter who has never entered such a tournaments.
The Challenges and other similar flourishes and requirements. Recomendations
on various support staff. Working with them. Making them feel involved.

3) The history of the Pas' tournaments in period and how it relates
to recreating them in the SCA.

4) Various auxillary related activities. Such as information or forms
on writing letters of intent. I have files on ideas for largess,
field heraldry and banners and such that can easily be adapted to
this purpose, but more ideas and articles are always welcome.

There are probably numerous other article possiblities that haven't
occurred to me.

If you feel strongly about this type of tournament and would like to
encourage its use throughout the SCA, please consider writing an
article to help this idea along.

Thank you.

THLord Stefan li Rous
stefan at florilegium.org
or stefan at texas.net



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