[MR] An Observation Concerning Fighting Events

[jbrmm266 at aol.com]

Most who read the Merry Rose know my name, but for those who may not know who I am, allow me to introduce myself.
 
I am Donal Mac Ruiseart. When His Majesty at Coronation mentioned seeing a few faces that were there from the earliest days of Atlantia, mine was one of the faces to which he referred. I've been in what is now Atlantia since before Atlantia was even thought of. My first event was East Kingdom Twelfth Night in AS VIII. That's right, VIII. I attended my first Pennsic War the following summer: Pennsic III. There were about 300 or so there.
 
I am a fighter, a herald, a marshall, and a sometime target archer. I sing, play recorder, dance, work with leather and wood, and used to do calligraphy.
 
I was the Founding Baron of Marinus and have the Golden Dolphin.
 
I say all that to give an idea of what leads me to say what follows:
 
I believe that the fighters often do not have a proper appreciation of all the other people whose efforts go into allowing them - us - to engage in our sport.
 
At a fighting event, it's all about the fighters, isn't it? Consider:
 
A group of people come in ahead of time and set up the list fences, pavilions, tables, watering-station, and other "infrastructure."  And then take it all down afterwards.
 
The duty Ministers of the Lists spend a great deal of time at the table, taking sign-ins, checking waivers, documenting authorizations, filling out cards, organizing the pairings, and all the other tedious administrative work; including whatever reports they have to submit.
 
The marshals inspect the armour, examine the fighters, observe the fights for safe conduct, often place themselves at some risk in a crowded arena with little or no armour, and then have to submit their report after it's over - which if all went well can be brief, but if anything went wrong can be really complex.
 
The heralds make their announcements, often having to shout over a buzz of conversation that does not cease when they call "Oyez!" and try to ensure that the fighters know when to come in and whom to fight. All the while attempting to add an element of elegance to the proceedings.
 
The waterbearers scurry about with their containers, offering refreshment and sometimes admonishing the various others to drink.
 
All so the fighters can go out and play their game.
 
Now of course, all of the support people do what they do of their own accord - well, there may be a reluctant squire or protegé or two, but we're all in it for some form of pleasure or satisfaction.
 
[stand by . . . impending rant]
 
But considering how much effort goes into enabling the fighters to fight, we fighters, out of courtesy, OUGHT to extend ourselves to make the jobs of those in supporting roles as easy as possible. 
 
This should include taking the little extra time and effort to write our full names and titles (or the annotation not to use them) on a piece of paper before we enter the arena. And to have our fighter cards and membership cards out and available when we sign in.
 
This should include being quiet when a herald gives an announement, including the rather lengthy and repetitive lists of pairings that precede each round.
 
This should include keeping out of the way of the MoL's (and the Royals') view of the Lists. And for that matter, the other spectators' view.
 
This should include keeping our gear out of the way of the spectators and others at the event, setting it where they do not have to step over or around it in the areas where most people walk.
 
This should include reporting the results of matches quickly and clearly.
 
[secure from rant]
 
I could continue with even more, but it would become tedious to do so. I think the above get the point across.
 
It has been my custom for several years, to give a toast to the waterbearers, whom I have long considered the unsung heroes of many an event [Y'er a better man than I am, Gunga Din!].  
 
But perhaps we ought to include ALL the support people in that toast, because while they don't come out perhaps as sweaty as the fighters, they - we - collectively to a lot of work so the fighters can play.
 
I salute you all, those whose efforts, seen and unseen; heard and unheard, public and private, enable the fighters to engage in our specific aspect of the Dream. 
 
Your servant aye,
Donal