<div>Greeting gentles of the Stellar Kingdom from Othar Morganson, Stargate's Knight Marshal.</div>
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<div>We here in Stargate would like to start a "new" tradition on the fighting fields. We're open to finding a name for it, but so far the lead choice is "dying."</div>
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<div>With the Crown and Earl Marshal's permission, we'd like to allow fighters to fall, crumple, drop, or in some other way fail to remain standing when struck with a blow sufficient to incapacitate or kill through our armor*. Sir William of Weir taught local fighters on this topic** often, for he also taught "Hit 'em until they fall down." </div>
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<div>To assist those fighters that complain that the ground is hard, is dirty and has fire ants, we also would petition the Crown to hear by declare that all list fields are now soft, clean and ant free.</div>
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<div>For the many non-fighting participants (marshals, heralds, waterbearers) and spectators (consorts, nobles, Crowns, mundanes, etc.) we thank you fighters in advance for trying out this "new" concept at your next list field combat. We know that your honest attempts at recreating a medieval combat will guide you to making the right choice when you are next struck by a good blow.<br clear="all">
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<div>Yours in Service to Baron and King,</div>
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<div>Othar Morganson, </div>
<div> Fighter, Trainer, Curmudgeon</div>
<div><font face="TrebuchetMS" size="2"><br>* Fully armored: </font><font face="TrebuchetMS" size="2">For the purposes of acknowledging blows, a fully armored fighter is </font><font face="TrebuchetMS" size="2">presumed to be wearing a lightweight, short-sleeved, knee-length, riveted-mail hauberk over a padded gambeson, with boiled leather arm and leg defenses and an open-faced iron helm with a nasal. (The helm may be presumed to include a very light chain mail drape permitting vision and resisting cuts by a mere touch of a bladed weapon.) Also, the hands, wrists, knees and lower legs, and feet, including the areas up to 1 inch (2.5cm) above the kneecap and 1 inch (2.5cm) above the bend of the wrist, are not legal targets.<br>
<br>** "Pick up your right foot, now pick up your left foot. No, no, I didn't tell you to put your right foot down. Keep it up while you pick up your left foot. I promise you can fall down if you do this."<br>
</font><br>-- <br>Full plate and packin' steel! </div>