[Western] Steppes Warlord 34th Year - Has Become Part of the History of Ansteorra

[Mike]

 Heilsa,

Time outside of the Dream
Calls for One and All
To remember why 3 Days
Set  aside for such Remembering
All who came before
And since into the Present
Taking up Arms when
The Call was sent forth
Near and Far
Far different FIelds
Of Conflict involved
And the Call was answered
Take a moment and reflect
Upon these poor words
That can not do justice
To all of those who answer
That Call and the ones who loved them
(Respectfully to One and All)


Time as Marked by Father
Upon Walls of Stone and Wood
Reckoned as One Score and Fourteen

A Call for Warriors
One and All
Regardless of Skill
Journey forth in response to that Call

62 Warriors gathered to meet the Test
Test of Might and Honor
And Chivalric Dreams upon a Tournament Field
All Three of Above were witnessed by one and all

Even High on Above
Gather Those who always enjoy such feats
Beyond time immeasurable

Clouds gathered They
Given One Item to remove
Heat was not a factor
Upon those 62 Warriors
Who don armor, weapons and shields
To fight for Those above
As well as those on mortal ground

Cooling liquid fell at Time
Upon one and all
Including that Field of Honor
Was it rain or perhaps
Those Above weeping for Joy
For such feats this day witnessed

Years before only One would be recognized
Upon such a Field of Honor
The Time of March forward
Measured by One Score and Fourteen -
Three more would be this day
Grand indeed to recognize
All Skills of Warriors as known within the Lion and Crane

Each level of Combat within Kingdom of Lion and Crane
Would receive its own due
A title for each - written upon scroll
With Leaves of Gold
Produced by Scribes
Calling Home where Acorn and Oak rise
Gently upon Steppes
Given forth by One newly risen
Upon said Acorn and Oak

Skill at all levels allowed
To challenge for the Right and Honor
To be Warlord of Steppes

The Grant Award of Centurion of Sable Star
Or be there of Noble rank - yet without the Chain and Spur
Stood proud and all who held that rank or lower
Allowed to Challenge for the Right and Honor
To be know as the Preux Warrior of Steppes

Sable Talons and/or Optios were next upon that field
Each stood proud with weapons, shields and skill
Along side those who were lower in rank
Allowed to Challenge for the Right and Honor
To be know as the Valiant Warrior of Steppes

The Final List of Four was in turn took the field
To say that those who held no rank nor award as those Above
Do not hold these Warriors as to be lesser in any way -
If you do so, then woe upon you
For They don their armor and armed themselves
Took the field to Challenge for Right and Honor
For they may not be polished nor civilized as those above
They yet stand with heads held high
Shields and weapons ready
Either attack or defense
It matters Not such as They
Upon the field they come forth and battle one and all
Allowed to Challenge for the Right and Honor
To be know as the Pata Orior Warrior of Steppes

Thus, Field was prepare to receive one and all
Crew of wide ranging boundaries was gathered
A bit of rain upon ground and in the Air
Weapons, Shield and Armor Checked
For there was No Waiting allowed

Babes of the List - with knowledge of past Fields
Pairings made and lessons learned
For there was now Four instead of One
Yes, there was more to do
And as the day worn on
The toil and labor became one
Of Joy within and without
For as each Warrior stepped up
A smile was seen upon their face
For it meant so much more
Than just to the Warriors to be allowed to battle
The Babes of the List knew it was good
Beyond mere words could tell the tale
Warriors were receiving what they crave most
Fighting beyond what came before in Time

Another group comes to mind
One Score and 3 were the count
They moved among the Warriors
Providing refreshments
Water
Gatorade
Pickles
Oranges
Salted sticks of bread in shapes
Without these Score and 3
None could continue to the Final Round
A soft "Thank You" were heard from each Warrior
As they made their rounds

Yet a third group
Loud were they
For They inform each Warrior
The Pairing and whom they must face
These good gentles
Be they Knight or Noble or Lady or Lord
It matter not
For They knew how important was this Day
So the Heralds of the Lion and Crane
Announced each Round

Safety as always is a Concern
List of those Who Step Forward
Indeed long and well known
To stand with Staff in Hand
Inside the ring
With each pair of Warriors
No Armor - for none was required
Each was held in high regard
And Honor was observed
By One and All this Day

Warlord of Steppes
Highlighted by stopping all others
For Final Round
The fight was indeed worthy of such
Total of Ten Rounds went the List
As those who came before
Were named Warlord
One more took his place among those so named -
Sir Tomas Niallagain (KSCA - Knight in SCA)
                       - Central Region Knight Marshal
      and his lady,
      HL Rixende de Rouen (Cadet to Master Robin),
by his side and watching from the side lines.
HL Rixende as well became the
Queen of Beauty this day
All by Sior Tomas Strength of Arms

Preux Warrior of Steppes
Archaic word, if there was ever one
Yet it holds such meaning
To describe Great Warriors of Knightly Valence
Recognize this Warrior's Skill this day as he take his place -
Centurion Hrafn Olafsson (Squire to Sir Duncan)
        and his proud lady,
        Lady Elizabeta di Valore della Rosa
           (Apprentice to Duchess Larissa) -
             Steppes Equestrian Marshall
by his side and watching from the side lines.
Centurion Hrafn Olafsson as Preux Warrior of Steppes

Valiant Warrior of Steppes
Well known word within that of Chivalric Dreams
Recognize this Warrior's Skill this day as he take his place -
Optio Evan der Fultime as Valiant Warrior of Steppes

Pata Orior Warrior of Steppes
These two words come from a distance time and place
Place - Steppes of Russia
Name of Steppes lives on here among the Lion and the Crane
And the time - that is of myth and legends
Some items remain of that time and people
 Such a mixture of civilized and barbarian
One and the same as some of legends say
Yet these people were the beginning
Others traveled with lessons learned
A future was build
As Time moved forward
Thus this Warrior is the future of the Lion and the Crane
Randall Lee Smith as Pata Orior Warrior of Steppes

Meaning of the Pata Orior Warrior
The word "Pata" - means "To Kill"
While "Orior" - means "Man"
Thus we have "Pata Orior" or "To Kill Man" Warrior of the Steppes

Time as always march forward
As it awaits for None
Day After dawned with still Joy from Above
Being shown off in the Distance - Waiting
Ten and Nine gathered upon Field of List
Poles and Ropes removed
Melee - War - Practice was the reason
Two of the Score and One
Practice with far different form of weapon
Two fighters whose main weapon
Sent Greetings flying from a far
Now make total of Warriors
Score and One
Scenarios involved smaller vs larger
Defense and Offense with those Two
Facing always one direction
Spears and light upon shields
Facing heavy of shields and light of spears
All the while Rapier folks where in the Hall
Rest of those who arch - none could be seen
Could was the day to end that
Heavy fighting within Warlord Event

One who has strive hard and long
Called forth before HRM
Sir Romanius Scipio Vesperanius (KSCA - Knight in SCA)
And the Order of the Centurions of the Sable Star
Gathered around this good gentle
One Star was added to that Order of the Centurions
Upon the Melee/War practice field
Vivat to the newest Centurion
Centurion Cionaodh O'Hosey


The last and perhaps the least of All
A Humble and Very Thankful Knight Marshal
Bows his head to one and all
Assisting this Day upon that
Field of Honor
And saying a soft and heartfelt - "Thank You!"


Now for something completely different - none of my poor attempts at 
rhyming. More straight forward reporting of this Day of Warlord.

I, Michael Kettering, Knight Marshal of Steppes - had the honor of 
execution of this format when I stepped up earlier this year (January 
2007) to become the Steppes Knight Marshal.

The list is long of those whose help and advice I sought in attempting 
to execute one of the oldest Heavy Tournaments in this Kingdom. And the 
list must start with (in time order I hope :)):

Mushir (Duke) 'Abd al-Mahdi Jamal ibn Hakim - Baron of Steppes, (KSCA - 
Knight in SCA), then Baron of Steppes,
and his lady,
          Duquesa (Duchess) Valeria Richila Navarro, then Baroness of 
Steppes
Sir Morgan Buchanan (KSCA - Knight in SCA)
Centurion Hrafn Olafsson (Squire to Sir Duncan)
  and his lady,
           Lady Elizabeta di Valore della Rosa (Apprentice to Duchess 
Larissa) -
             Steppes Equestrian Marshall
HL Chiara Francecsa Arianna d'Onofrio
Lord Damon Xanthns
HL Margarite McBridin - Seneschal of Steppes
Lady Katheryn Cunningghame - Baroness of Steppes

I know there are others, and at this time - I am unable to remember them 
all and must apology to them. To one and all - "Thank You".

The concept for this year's Warlord list was suggested by Cionaodh 
O'Hosey last year (2006) to Mushir (Duke) 'Abd al-Mahdi Jamal ibn Hakim 
- Baron of Steppes, (KSCA - Knight in SCA) and his lady, Duquesa 
(Duchess) Valeria Richila Navarro, and when their heir was announced, 
Lady Katheryn Cunningghame approved as well.

Warlord of Steppes or the 1st level of the list:
The 34th Warlord of Steppes and his Queen of Beauty -
  Sir Tomas Niallagain (KSCA - Knight in SCA)
                       - Central Region Knight Marshal
      and his lady,
      HL Rixende de Rouen (Cadet to Master Robin),
by his side and watching from the side lines.

The Warlord list was opened to one and all. This was the only list that 
was allowed to be double elimination until the final round.

Preux Warrior of Steppes or the 2nd level of the list:
Centurion Hrafn Olafsson (Squire to Sir Duncan)
        and his proud lady,
        Lady Elizabeta di Valore della Rosa (Apprentice to Duchess 
Larissa) -
             Steppes Equestrian Marshall
by his side and watching from the side lines.

The Preux Warrior of Steppes, Preux is an archaic word used to describe 
great warriors of knightly valence. Preux list was single elimination.
The Preux Warrior list was only open to those who held the fighting 
award of Order of the Centurion of the Sable Star, or Noble that was not 
a Knight, and lower.

Valiant Warrior of Steppes or the 3rd level of the list:
Optio Evan der Fultime

The Valiant Warrior of Steppes was fought as single elimination and was 
open only to those who held the fighting award of Optio and/or Sable 
Talon or lower The Optio level was closed a few years back.

Pata Orior Warrior of Steppes or the 4th level of the list:

Pata Orior Warrior of the Steppes was fought as a single elimination. 
Pata Orior comes from an ancient culture and people that lived upon the 
Steppes of what is now Russia. Their history for the most part is lost 
to the mists and legends of time. Although there is on going research to 
understand the few items that have been discover todate, which includes 
half dozen words that have been translated over to English. What has 
been discover reflects upon a people that was equal parts civilized and 
barbarian.

Two of those words are "Pata" and "Orior". Their is: Pata is "To Kill" 
and Orior is "Man".

Pata Orior Warrior (To Kill Man) of Steppes is
Randall Lee Smith

There were 4 separate lists being run inside the Warlord Tournament this 
year. And from the feedback received from the most skilled to the least 
skill - Wonderful! Excellent!

To the one question that was asked over and over again - will this 
format of having 4 levels of fighting be held again? The simple response 
and my answer is "Yes".

The driving force behind this format was to promote more heavy fighting, 
especially at tournament levels, to encourage all skill levels to meet 
upon the tournament field and display their skill against one another, 
while allowing for each skill level the opportunity to fight against 
opponents of equal or lesser level but not greater skill level. This 
included the Deadly Bye.

I believe this was accomplished.

In speaking with the list babes, Duquesa (Duchess) Valeria Richila 
Navarro, HL Margarite McBridin - Seneschal of Steppes, and HL Katya over 
the course of the day and reviewing the list cards several interesting 
items came out:

The Warlord list when 10 rounds.

The average number of rounds that each fighter was able to have (read 
round as fights) was 8 to 10 rounds.

The highest number of rounds that was accomplished was 14 rounds of 
fighting, which happen due to this format.

Total number of rounds or fights for all Warriors yield approximately 
600 rounds or fights on this Day.

At each level of the 4 lists, individuals was asked if they would become 
the "Deadly Bye", earlier on some of these were still competing and they 
came forward. As the Sun marched across the sky, the available pool 
increase by those who selected by fate saw an end to their progress at 
whatever level they were competing, was also asked if they would 
continue fight as the "Deadly Bye" and always the answer was "Yes".
Some whom was the "Deadly By":

Sir Louis le Blaireau (KSCA)
Centurion Hrafn Olafsson (Squire to Sir Duncan)
Yoisa (sp?)

Assisting Marshals:
Inspection - Sir Morgan, Sior Tomas, and Centurion Hrafn.

Tournament Field Marshaling - Sir Simon, Lord Damon, Centurion Daire, 
Viscount Hightowner, Centurion Tarqyn (sp?), Ld Herries, Karlous (squire 
to Sir Gunthar), and various others that was waiting for their turn to 
fight. There was host of others as the day progress.

I do apology to one and all if I have failed to recognized any you here 
in this message for your support, stepping forward to assist, etc.. This 
year Warlord could not have been the success that everyone has said it 
was without all of you.

Once again - Heartfelt "Thank You!"



YIS
Lord Michael Kettering
Steppes Knight Marshal
Combat Archer for the Condottieri