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<P>To the Scattered Archers of Atlantia:</P>
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<P>Thanks for weighing in on the Pennsic question, COG. Experience is always the best teacher. Even though I am rather a new kid on the block, I refuse to be disuaded from this effort just because it hasn't worked out in the past. We can always keep trying and perhaps by sheer force of persistence, we will get somewhere this year. You never know when your luck will turn.</P>
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<P>However, COG, I am puzzled by your promotion of a two-day populace-championship shoot. Are you in fact volunteering to run this thing and give up your Pennsic? Because if you are not, then I believe we'd better stick to what we were working on, which is a short, expert-level, single day shoot that will not (hopefully) overtax any one individual. I'd like to focus on the possible.</P>
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<P>Siegfried, thanks for your hilarious and so spot-on suggestion about naming the shoot! I love it! Henceforth to be known as the St. Sebastian Prize . . . . this surely clears the air and takes the problematic and contentious words like "championship" and "Pennsic" and "known world" completely out of the ring. And think of the possible prizes! A handmade museum-piece reliquary containing linen threads from the very holy bowstring of our dearest Patron Saint of Archery, Saint Sebastian!</P>
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<P>We've gotten pretty close on this discussion board to a consensus on many of the elements we forsee in this shoot. It will be at Pennsic; it will be completely outside the Pennsic war; it will go up and get shot and come down before cocktail hour; it will be a concerted and joint effort by Atlantia's archers and their best eight targets; it will be an individual championship; and finally, it will be as inclusive as possible given the very real constraints of time and logistics.</P>
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<P>At this point, I am going to go out on a limb and propose that we form a committee to take this beyond the drawing board. I volunteer myself only because I am really tenacious and passionate and as far as I know, am the only person to freely (stupidly?) offer to take this on, and I volunteer Lorelei and Janyn (hope that's ok, guys!) because they have wisdom and power and are very politic and nice to work with. A number of individuals have volunteered to help with the shoot and prizes and targets and several have sent in numerous great ideas (yay!) Anyone else up for the politicking? Our first order of business is to draw up a document that outlines our task ahead and all the variables and possibilities, so we know we are on the same page, and our second order of business is to find out to whom we should be looking for help in the Mid Realm and East powers-that-be. </P>
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<P>When you really think about this, every archer out there should be happy about this initiative: it can only be positive for archery, for archery at pennsic, and for archery in all our kingdoms. We must stop thinking of this as an adversarial quest and try to share our joyful vision instead.</P>
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<P>Nuala of Needwood Forest</P>
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