[Ansteorra] Siege the Day

[David Backlin]

MSKD is coming! This Labor Day weekend (August 31-Sept 3) the Shire of 
Smythkepe presents Mid Summer Knight's Dream XV:  The Siege of Malta.

Amir Rashid ibn Hilal will valiantly lead the Turkish invaders against the 
stalwart Maltese defenders.

This year promises to have something for nearly everyone from Heavy Weapons 
fighting (including a Boar Hunt) and Rapier fighting (featuring the return 
of the Flux Tournament) to Siege Artillery, Youth Combat and the Assassin's 
Tourney.

Looking for more? How about A&S competitions? The theme is "Helping the 
Siege".

  The seige is on. How will you help your fighters and staff? How will you 
repair the armor? How will you entertain in the evening to keep up the 
morale?  Who will keep record of what happened? Who will notify the 
families? What can you do with that tunic when the fighter no longer needs 
it? How will you see to do it?

Categories include Lighting, Armor, Entertainment (dance, songs, games, 
etc), Record Keeping (scrolls)... even Recycling (you used your father's 
tunic to make what??????) . There will also be an "open" A&S  category. 
Documentation is encouraged, but is NOT required.

More, you say? How about classes? How about Children's Activities? How about 
the infamous Smythkepe Quest?  Questmaster Seamas Mac Daibhid once again 
reaches into his bag of tricks to bring you yet another memorable quest. No 
he won't tell us what to expect.

Plus: Siege Cooking (aka "Cast Iron Chef") returns !  Teams will consist of 
a maximum of three people. At least two members of the team must be 
registered by July 31st. A third member may be recruited after that date, 
including on site for MSKD XV. Teams must have a designated captain.  Each 
team will be given a kit of supplies for either a Mediterranean or a Middle 
Eastern meal to be used as the foundation for your feast. Random lots will 
be drawn for determination of which kit your team receives. Teams will be 
notified 1 week before MSKD of the contents of their kits.

Now, here's the twist: entries will serve as the feast Saturday evening. The 
populace will participate in judging your entry and your "feast" needs to 
feed eight people. Lots will be drawn to determine which table you will set 
up on. So that no one goes hungry, spare tables will be provided for by 
event staff (and it won't be "Mickey D's").

Merchants? We'll have merchants as well. And in another twist: there will be 
a War Point for shopping... so shop early, shop often and support the siege.

This years site is the Rogers Scout Ranch near Ione, AR off State Highway 
23.  (Y'know, now that I think of it,  the Boy Scouts have a nice eagle 
statue at their site. Could it possibly pass as a Maltese Falcon?)

Site fees, event schedules and further updates will be posted soon on our 
website: http://smythkepe.org/mskd.htm