[Ansteorra] Story from Crown Tourney

[kevinkeary at aol.com]

OK, as HL Emma (first) pointed out, the issues were more than just the heat and humidity. The sun was unchecked and there was no breeze. Some fighters (and spectators) has prepared inadequately for the heat (myself included). Since there AREN'T thermostats on any of the trees, what say we talk about what we CAN do. In the spirit of compromise of course.

We need to acclimatize more. I heard several of the fighters from Northkeep grudgingly acceding to the proposition that we have become spoiled by holding our fighter practices indoors in air conditioning in the evening. Not that they want to give that up. They're not stupid. But, also being not stupid, they are making plans to ADD outdoor daytime practices. This is good.

The procession and tournament started late, and lasted long. (Calontir's, on the same day and only a little farther north, lasted 55 minutes. Of course, they had less than a third of the entrants we did.) Speaking as someone who habitually daytrips local events, and considers anything closer to Northkeep than Eldern Hills a local event, I'd have hated to have to get there in time to herald a procession at 8 AM, but if that would have got the tourney going by 9, in hindsight it would have been better.

I looked around the field Saturday and saw all the shady spots filled with shade pavilions. Not that I blame them if the shade is available -- but would it have been such a bother to put the list field -- where people were going to be exerting themselves in armor -- in the best shade available, and then placed the pavilions around THAT as necessary? Barring that, could we look at renting or otherwise obtaining a canvas big enough to shade the list field? Yes, wind would make it unmanageable, but that much wind would also make it less necessary.

I don't know what could be done about the lack of wind. Maybe we could line bards up along one side of the list field and aim them at the fighters. (I'd suggest heralds, but blowing HOT air across them would be defeating the purpose -- and the dry humor might help with the humididy a bit.)

Yes, that last paragraph is facetious. The others aren't.

Kevin