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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Archers,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>At this weekend’s Sacred Stone Baronial Birthday event at the Castle Site (same site as War of the Wings) something happened that I think is cause for thought. The live weapons range, both archery and thrown weapons, was held WITHIN SIGHT of the heavy and rapier lyst fields. For those who know the site the area used was at shooting towards the small ravine that is between the main camping area and the battle field for WoW with our backs facing the castle area. Perhaps due to the visibility 1/3 of those participating were new. I personally assisted several new archers with shooting and putting their gear together.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>My conclusion here is that IF, big if, live weapons are VISIBILE, people will come over and want to give it a try. Of course having loaner gear helps a lot as well. But let us not forget archery and thrown weapons are the ONLY TWO martial activities in the SCA that do NOT require authorization. I have been a major advocate for attempting to keep these activities visible to the site and pulled out from the “back 40” where we are out of sight – out of mind. I strongly believe this is possible at most, if not all, sites used for our events safely but requires some degree of communication and coordination with the event autocrat.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Please consider it,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Christophe of Grey<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>