[Bordermarch] Steppes Warlord

[Lathrop, Dave]

Steppes Warlord 2007

 

His Post Excellency, Don Armand the Forgetful, failed to inform me that
as a baron I may be called upon to perform some service for the Crown
that might not be on my list of things I have done before. That is
exactly what happened at Steppes Warlord 2007. 

We arrived late Friday evening and proceeded to set our pavilion up for
the next day's events. We avoided getting soaked that night by rooming
at the oh-so-lovely Super 8 Hotel in Canton. Of course it rained that
evening and everything in the pavilion was soaked in the morning because
it leaked like a sieve. For a while our area looked like we were hanging
our dirty laundry on anything we could find to get it dry before the
fighting started. 

My mind was awash with joy! Here we were at someone else's event with no
huge tents to erect and no gate to attend to. I could come and go as I
pleased or I could just sit and watch the fighting while sipping on some
cool libation. My pleasure was short-lived because Abd al-Mahdi, Baron
of the Steppes, came over and confronted me. He told me in no uncertain
terms that I was to act as herald on the lyst. I explained to him I had
no experience in heralding, but he just smiled and shoved the booklet
with the paired fighters names listed into my now sweating hands. My
running partner for the day was Donnchadh, Baron of Namron. He was kind
enough to explain the ins and outs of heralding to me so off I went to
the lyst armed with little knowledge and shaking knees.

When I saw that Sir Simonn was going to marshal during the fighting a
ray of hope beamed through the darkened scene that was my plight. I
would con him into marshalling my lyst fights, thereby assuring a ready
source for help which I knew I would need. Sir Simonn bailed on me and
went to marshal at a different lyst. He threw me to the wolves, but I
later found out that was his way of forcing me to learn the process of
heralding the lyst fights. It was still pretty cruel. All went well
except I didn't pronounce some of the names right. The guys were ok with
my mistakes, but the women were ready to hit me when I made their
flowery French names sound like someone trying to speak while choking on
a piece of hotdog. I yelled the names and proper salutes for all the
fights and finally went hoarse. I was then told by my marshal that I was
trying to speak with just my vocal chords, but I should be speaking with
my stomach or something else down there. I will make a point to get with
our heralds and learn the fine art of talking with your gut.

After the lyst fighting we ended up at Namron's Brewers guild table and
tasted some of their mead. HE Elisabeth was so impressed she threw a
challenge out to Namron's brewers that proclaimed Bordermarch's mead was
far superior to theirs. They called her bluff and will bring theirs to
Autumn Melees and compare it to ours. I reminded her Bordermarch does
not have its own mead. It's a good thing we have some people in the
barony interested in the new Brewers guild. This contest will be pursued
with vigor and have much product testing for quality control. If you
would be interested in saving your Baroness from an unfortunate
embarrassing outcome look into Bordermarch's new Brewers guild and
perhaps contribute time and knowledge to the cause.

We came to disassemble our pavilion and pack up the gear late Sunday
morning. As Sir Simonn, Countess Tessa , HE Elisabeth and me were
starting to tear it all down Lord George and Lady Kaithlen appeared and
commenced to help with the tear-down. What a much appreciated surprise.
They had all their gear packed hours ago but stayed just to help us with
ours. They once again exemplify the cooperative spirit Bordermarchers
are known for throughout the Kingdom.

After our stuff was packed and loaded we needed to say our farewells to
His Majesty. He was on the lyst field in full regalia watching the
melees happening at the moment. Since we were naked (dressed in mundane
clothes) we were stumped as to how to approach him without offending his
Royal eyes. Our Most Excellent Tessa of the Gardens came to the rescue.
She proceeded to wrap all of us up in one big period looking table-cloth
and walked us to His Majesty. We must have looked like some muti-headed
freak moving towards Him with a bombastic shuffling gate. He was was
wishing us well when we noticed the fighting had stopped since all the
fighters were looking at us with disbelief. As we departed our disguise
fell away just as His Majesty turned to wave one last time. He threw his
hands over his eyes to blot out the image of our nakedness from his
mind. I fear that our Kings royal brain is now soiled forever with that
horrible image of us running for cover as we begged forgiveness from Him
and all the fighters.

HE Elisabeth and I always have such a good time at events we wish all
our Bordemarch family could be there with us. The mundane world will
always win the war by pulling us in many directions, but we claimed
victory at Steppes Warlord by stepping back in time for a weekend and
just had fun!!!

 

 

Through our eyes to our heart does the dream now reside

 

A Chronicle of Lord Santiago

Baron of Bordermarch