[Bordermarch] Gulf Wars XVI

[Lathrop, Dave]

Gulf Wars XVI

 

  One would feel the ground shaking before the thunder drums were ever
heard, and the steady buzzing in your ears was the distant horde
fighting in a chasm the locals call the ravine

 As Lady Elisabeth and I approached this great gash in the earth we
witnessed a landscape that changed with every breath, a mass of colors
undulating between ancient trees, mimicking a giant multi-hued snake
slithering through towering stalks of river cane. Both banks of the
ravine were peppered with spectators caught up in the war cries of the
living and the death screams of dying warriors

Human nature compels one to lend a helping hand to another in need, but
the Marshalls and ropes stayed our approach to the battlefield. We
watched fighters slowly hammered to the ground, and then pick themselves
up to run back to resurrection point. Though covered in sweat and
sometimes blood, they would return to the melee to blend with a coherent
battle line alongside their comrades, knowing the ultimate price they
might pay would be another run back to resurrection point.  

 

  Since Gulf Wars XVI was our introduction to the annual gathering of
SCAdians from the southern states, and then some, Lady Elisabeth and I
were taken totally by surprised when we drove through troll and feasted
our eyes on thousands of people in medieval garb. The variety of tents
and portable camp accruements were eye candy to a self proclaimed "I can
make that" type of guy.

Abundant food, drink, merchant ware, A&S displays, fighting and some of
the most interesting people I've ever met were present all in one huge
campground reserved one week out of fifty two for the SCA. 

We were there for one week and we played hard. In the end we packed our
gear to leave, wiped the grime off our faces, and formed a caravan with
our fellow Bordermarchers, then headed back to home in the piney woods
of East Texas. 

Sunday night we were actually in a real bed, reminiscing about the
circle of friends sitting around a camp fire, sharing tales with each
other about our experiences at this Gulf War. We realized we would miss
the drums at night, the drone of the bagpipes, the singing and dancing,
the pageantry, and most of all, the fighters clanking by our camp in
full armor as they trudged off to fight another battle somewhere
beckoning us to follow in their wake. We knew we were headed to war and
would do whatever was asked of us, for we are here to serve and protect
our Kingdom of Ansteorra.

 

 

A Chronicle of Lord Santiago

Guardian of Green Mountain Keep

<mailto:'bordermarch at lists.ansteorra.org'>