From the Frontlines: Warren War

This past weekend, the Canadians once again tried to invade the US, but the valiant forces of Aquaterra were able to stop them and capture Point Roberts at Warren War.

The weather was nice and mild. Warren War this year had possibly the vaguest schedule yet seen in the SCA, with morning court on Saturday being listed as "Opening court will begin at the time of Her Majesty's choosing."

At morning court Her Majesty was presented with a tiny cup of coffee grounds and informed that this was the entire crop grown on Point Roberts this past year. Both Aquaterra's own Baron Hauk and the Baron of Lion's Gate felt that they could do better, and were forced to go to war to determine who would get the land in order to prove it.

Eight fighters showed up for rapier; four Aquaterrans including myself, two other southerners, one local, and one Canadian. This rather small invading force was augmented by everyone except the native Aquaterrans, and further bolstered by a large arsenal of Rubber Band Guns, including an RBG musket. We fought hard, but ultimately lost. I did have some success in one scenario reloading RBGs and firing past my fellow fighters to pick off the opposition. In addition to a road battle with RBGs there was a Champion's Duel, a Papal Ascendancy scenario (Spanish and Italian Popes), Capture the Useful Chainmail Stick (with RBGs), and a free-for-all. In addition to loosing the war point, I was unable to find two of my RBG shot after the last scenario.

I threw knives, watched Bocci Biffy Ball between the Sergeants of Aquaterra and Lion's Gate (we lost), and then came evening court.

For those of you who didn't already look at the image above, look at it now. That, my friends, is an Award of Arms. :-) It was presented to my by the Queen herself, from her hand to mine. She also gifted me with a token of her favor (the necklace in the top-left corner) to mark the event. Now I *really* need to work on my name and device...

There were three entrants for Bardic including myself, including only a single person from Lion's Gate. Again, however, numbers failed to prevail. This was an unusual bardic contest, being judged mostly on keeping in persona for the pieces. I did the Prologue to Henry V. I couldn't restrain myself, however, from making my second piece 'Dear Kindly Local Herald': a filk of Officer Krumpke (West Side Story) about the trials and perils of submitting one's name and device to the college of heralds. Once again, the Bunny Bard is someone else. Sigh.

Despite the losses I witnessed, however, Aquaterra did prevail overall.