<html><div style='background-color:'><P>Robert Fitsmorgan wrote.......<FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-FAMILY: tahoma,sans-serif"><BR></P>
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<DIV><SPAN class=gmail_quote>On 12/15/06, <B class=gmail_sendername>Robert Fitzmorgan</B> <<A href="mailto:fitzmorgan@gmail.com">fitzmorgan@gmail.com</A>> wrote:</SPAN>
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<P> One format I have used approaches the martial tournament form. The Bards in the competition all meet in the morning and are handed a number of tokens. Throughout the day the Bards challenge one another and wager tokens on the outcome. The Bards determine the nature of the challenge and choose a judge or judges acceptable to both of them. At the end of the day the Bards meet again and the 3 or 4 Bards with the most tokens go into a final round that is judged by the retiring Bardic Champion and the local Nobles. <BR> The Barony of Northkeep often uses this format with the added provision that the final round must be an extemporaneous piece composed on site to a given topic. <BR> It's a lot of fun, you get as much bardic in as you want, and it involves the populace in the process
of choosing the Bardic Champion. It also allows the people competing for, or running, the championship to do other things throughout the day without being tied to a particular place for a long period of time. <BR> </P>
<P>I agree and came in second in one of those competitions at Northkeep. I won the most tokens, but on the original piece i was second out of three. Even though I did not win, I had a fgreat deal of fun challenging other bards and letting the general populace be the judges. They judged on oure entertainment value or pure talent and even if you missed a word or two in a very old song, you could still get by. I know this will not appeal to purists who insist on all period pieces and I used some 18th century stuff, but it served my ONLY purpose for being in the SCA and that is for the FUN of it. When it quits being fun, I will hang up my harp and flute and just listen.....Lord Cormac of Skorrgard....who just fights and sings for pure enjoyment.........mine.</P></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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