MELEE GATHERING
of the Summer Solstice
MELEE GATHERING
of the Summer Solstice
was held Saturday, June 26th at Doolin's Keep
109 in attendance ! ! !
11:00 AM Sign-in & Arms Inspection
11:30 AM Temper's Guild
12:00 PM Ironman Battle Royale
Mercenary Auction at 12:30p 1:00 PM High Squad Tourney
1:30 PM Champions Tourney
& NoviceTourney 2:00 PM High Faction Conflict
3:00 PM Romans VS. Celts - FINAL
3:30 PM Thane Battle for Deed Parcel I
Willow vs. Takeda 4:30 PM Women's Tourney
July 3rd - Feast & Awards Ceremony
Special Gathering Survey Contest
IRONMAN BATTLE ROYALE:
This "every man for himself" battle will require that one combatant secure TWO victories. The battle will be fought to the death for as many rounds as it takes for one person to win two. Truly a battle for the heartiest of fighters to see to fruition. Prize = Badge of Deed conferred by the Crown Earl of Broknarra.
Staged at the very foot of Doolin's Keep, the numerous faction encampments staged atop the Keep were afforded an excellent view as combatants sought to each be the first to win the Battle Royale twice. A series of fine and exhaustive battles were fought ultimately yielding native veteran Fentonius Maximus as the VICTOR. Well done, Fentonius!
CHAMPIONS TOURNEY:
After nearly three months of qualifiers, the final battles will decide who will become the Champion of the Summer Solstice This tourney will consist of those who placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the five prior qualifying tourneys (Single Sword, Dagger, Pole, Shield, and Two-weapon). The Champions Tourney will be a double-elimination with combatants selecting their weapon combination of choice. PRIZE = Badge of the Champion!
After five preliminary tourneys, over thirteen weeks, and requiring that contestants place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the prelims in order to be eligible to fight, this ultimate tourney event (open to all sexes) was underway. Being double-elimination, every contestant was afforded ample opportunity to grasp for the glory. Contestants present who had earned the right to participate were: Wesimus of Dark Order, Chiam Ravensblood, Zero Crane, Lance Almekia, Lord Magnvs Mvnro, Daimyo Takeda, The Stork, and Tatsumaki. Lord Karl Hungus, while present, was recovering from surgery but watched on. The Champions Tourney pits a particular seasons best of the best against one-another in a double-elimination weapon-of-choice tourney. Some of the best individual fights were witnessed during the several rounds that led to the last three to place. After a series of gruelling bouts, Tatsumaki had earned his placement in third leaving Lord Magnvs and The Stork to fight for the Champion's title. Neither had suffered any defeats in the prior battles and they agreed that this single battle would be sufficient to determine the champion. The Stork fought two-weapon combination against Magnvs's roman longsword and shield. Matched-up were youth and virility vs. elder cunning. Several blows were exchanged among the well-matched pair with none finding purchase. Both men appeared greatly winded from the series of fights that had been held leading up to this one. In the final frenzy of blows it was Magnvs who had the good fortune to land a fatal blow to the Stork's side; narrowly earning the victory. A fine showing was put forth by all contestants. Congratulations Magnvs.
3rd = Tatsumaki
2nd = The Stork
1st = Lord Magnvs - CHAMPION
NOVICE TOURNEY:
Free to enter, this tourney is for the up and coming combatants and will be single-elimination weapon-of-choice for all contestants who have been a Citizen (only requirement for entry) for less than six months. PRIZE = Badge of Deed
Fought in parallel with the Champion's Tourney, this tourney afforded a contest opportunity to all MELEE folk who've been involved for less than one year. Always well-attended, a host of up-and-coming fighters turned-out for this single-elimination fray; so many so that it lasted long past the double-elimination Champion's Tourney; affording the exhausted veteran fighters an opportunity to watch on while recoverying. When the last blow had landed, three new names were afforded the top three placements:
3rd = Sean Parrish
2nd = Melania of Legio IX
1st = Dalkar of the Grey Nights - VICTOR
ROMANS VS. CELTS - FINALS:
At the MELEE Gathering three battles will be fought worth 2 points each. At the conclusion, the High Captain with the most victory points will become the Broknarran Warlord of the Summer Solstice.
In the final installment in the more than three-month conflict among Celts and Romans, the forces of Lance Almekia faced the forces of Redship Rory. With Lance in point lead, Redship Rory's only chance would be to win each of the three two-point battles. Lance, on the other hand had to win but one.
To add zest to this final fray, both High Captains agreed to employ archers. As a result, Mentor Tiegin and Charlie of Helt were the archers for Redship Rory and Mentor Lobo lent his bow to Lance. With the combat dynamic altered in a surprisingly fun way, the Romans formed the fame shield 'tortoise' and marched closer to the Celts. The Celts, with more archers, rained death upon the advancing Romans but were ultimately overwhelmed by their superior numbers and armor. Nonetheless, an outstanding time was had by all and more battles will be held in the future employing archery.
HIGH FACTION CONFLICT:
Multiple battles will be fought until one Faction has won three battles thereby becoming the victor of the High Faction Conflict. Each faction will be required to have five Citizens of Apokrypha and a standard (or pennant, for flag, etc.). The first side to secure three victories will win the conflict. NOTE: points from the Conflict will go towards the "Faction of the Year ACI XXIII" tally. PRIZE = Seasonal Faction Victory Pennant
A record five factions graced the famed Broknarran fields of Doolin's Keep: The Dark Order, Dragons Storming the Mountain, Crusaders of the Grey Night, Legio IX, and The Black Howling (formed just that day). Never before had MELEE witnessed the mass of spears nor the abundance of armored folk making ready for one of the pinnacle battles of a Gathering. To win, one faction must be the first to secure three victories and the fighting continues until this occurs.
When the call was given, five enormous contingents nearly filled the Northern planes of Doolin's Keep. Battle was immediately enjoined with the Crusaders of the Grey Night engaging the Dark Order and the Dragons Storming the Mountain engaging The Black Howling. The Grey Night and Dark Order battle was a pitched frenzy that lasted long past the quick smiting dolled out to the Howling by the Dragons; who were virtually unscathed. After allowing the Dragons time to recover, Legio IX engaged them in a fierce onslaught. Meanwhile, the Grey Night folk were finishing the remnants of the Dark Order and tending to their wounded. When at last a sorely reduced Legio finished the last of the Dragons, they faced more than twice their number of Crusaders of the Grey Night. With little chance for a breath, the fight was on again. Thanks to a sustained press by the folk of the Grey Night, Legio IX was kept on a constant movement. Bit by bit though, they whittled at the edges and eventually bested their opponents to secure the day's first faction victory (and one point towards the full-year total).
Battle two was moved further East onto a smaller open field ringed with trees. It was in these trees that the Dragons Storming the Mountain regained their footing and steam. They went on to win the second battle.
The third battle was an epic struggle among the Grey Night folk, Dark Order, Legio IX, and the Dragons as the Black Howling deftly looked on at the attrition that followed. As a result they were able to sweep in and finish the remnants of Dragons that remained; thereby winning the third battle and scoring their first victory point since inception.
The fourth battle pitted Legio IX against the folk of the Grey Night while the Dragons engaged Dark Order and the Black Howling. After finishing the Crusaders, Legio turned it's attention to the Dragons who were taken-up along the edge of the woods in a defensive perimeter around their wounded. As Legio engaged it realized too late, that the Dragons had wisely position folk in hiding; folk who made good use of the surprise. Dragons went on to win the fourth battle securing their second point of the day.
In the fifth faction battle, the Crusaders adopted the remnants of the Black Howling in a joint fight against the Dark Order while the wearied folk of Dragons and Legio looked on. When the folk of the Grey Night had finished the last of the Dark Order, Legio IX engaged them. Legio's onslaught proved effective at first but at length their ranks were penetrated with several of them falling to
subduals. The few remaining Crusaders of the Grey Night were left to face an unscathed Dragons Storming the Mountain. The Dragons scored their 3rd, and winning, victory point to become the High Faction of the Summer Solstice; their second such victory in a row as of winning the Spring Equinox High Faction conflict as well.
Congratulations to the VICTOR, Dragons Storming the Mountain. Well earned!
Victory points towards MELEE Faction of the Year ACI XXIII are now:
-- Dragons Storming the Mountain = XLII
-- Legio IX = XVI
-- The Dark Order = XIV
-- Crusaders of the Grey Night = V
FEAST & AWARDS CEREMONY (held from 4 PM until...):
This feast will be held under the pavillions at Deed Parcel I (WHITESIDE PARK) and costs are $4 for Citizens and $5 for all others.
HIGH SQUAD TOURNEY:
This tourney is the culmination of a series of preliminary battles among both the sagacious and the up and coming leaders of MELEE in order to hone the skill of their squads. Each leader is required to enlist four others to form the traditional five-man "squad" (the smallest fighting unit of the Broknarran Free Company). All of the squads then face off in several one-on-one (single squad vs. single squad) bouts and battle one-another through a double-elimination tourney. Each squad submits 3 syn to enter the tourney. Awards are as follows: 3rd Place = 10% of the syn coin, 2nd Place = 15% of the syn coin, and 1sf Place = 25% of the syn coin.
Several weeks of preliminary Squad trials had been held in preparation for this increasingly popular contest. With the field littered with squads, each unit would fight another through several rounds of this double-elimination event. After some of the hardest fights yet witnessed the final round came down to an undefeated Kronin Squad vs. an Takeda Squad with but one defeat. To win, Takeda's squad had to best Kronin's twice. In their first match-up they even the score by delivering Kronin Squad's first defeat. The next battle would be the last for both and would determine the High Squad of the Summer Solstice. With so much riding on this last battle the fighters, though weary, fought in earnest with Lord Kronin's Squad ultimately securing the final victory. Well fought, Squad Takeda (and all Squads for that matter), and congratulations to Squad Kronin.
~ CONTESTING FACTIONS ~
~ ARMIES OF THE ROMANS & CELTS ~
~ CHAMPIONS TOURNAMENT ~
~ REVELRY, AWARDS ~
PAN-MELEE WOMEN'S TOURNEY:
By the will of Earl Felcyn, this season tourney for the women of all of MELEE will bear witness to the finest fighting lasses from throughout the realm. PRIZE = Badge of Deed
In a record turn-out, several of our fighting ladies turned out to contest one-another in this seasonal tourney of MELEE's top female fighters. On hand were: Lady Katherine Wallace (victor at the Women's Tourney of the Spring Equinox), Bethanil, Willow Crane, Valeria, Derry Bohannon, and Melania of Legio IX. Similar to the Champions Battle, the Women's Tourney is a weapon-of-choice double-elimination bout.
After a series of cunning battles, two ladies faced one-another to determine who would be 3rd: Derry Bohannon vs. Lady Katherine Wallace. Both ladies favored two-weapon combination. Katherine with her sabers and Derry with an impressive dual-axe ensemble. At the last, it was Lady Katherine who delivered Derry's second, eliminating, defeat. With but one defeat herself, she would move on
to face Melania of Legio IX who was undefeated.
In the final round, Lady Katherine and Melania exchanged several hearty blows as they manuevered all about the list field. At last Melania scored a blow to Lady Katherine's leg which rendered her immobile. From there Lady Katherine defended herself for quite some time before at last falling to the persistent strikes of Melania's roman short sword. Congratulations Melania!
3rd = Derry Bohannon
2nd = Lady Katherine Wallace
1st = Melania of Legio IX - VICTOR
SUMMARY
We are very pleased to report that the MELEE GATHERING of the Summer Solstice was an astounding success. We witnessed 109 participants compared to the 65 attending last year's Summer Solstice. More importantly we added an amazing 18 newcomers to MELEE, 7 new citizens and 2 renewing citizens. This brings total citizenship to a new high of 121!
Our additions include: Dalkar (mka. Cody Emerson), Jack Smythe (mka. James Fox), Steve Johnson, The Stork (mka. Matt Comstock), Adean Ravensblood (mka. Kevin Franklin), Kragan (mka. Mike Harvey), Melania (mka. Melanie Morton), Sean Parrish, Jeff Simmons
May you each accept our warmest Broknarran welcome!
SIGN=IN & ARMS INSPECTION:
All attendees are required to check-in at Sign-in where they will receive a program of the day's events, their syn (the coin of MELEE), if they are citizens. Weapons and shield inspections are also conducted by the Reeves during signing and such items that are combat-approved will receive an an adhesive badge unique to the day's event. Weapons without sudh badges are not allowed on the field. Newcomers/guests going through Sign-in will be directed to "Temper's Guild" which is a required instructional class for ALL first-time fighters.
THANE BATTLE FOR DEED PARCEL I (Whitside Park):
Declared contenders to date will be..PRIZE = Thane's Badge and Deed Parcel
In what looked to be a nearly uncontested victory for Willow, newcomer Dalkar stepped-up to fight for the property as well. To win, one of the contestants would have to secure three victories out of a potential five battles. Willow's slightly larger force won a swift battle in the first round and matched that success in the second. In the third battle, Dalker's forces fought with renewed fervor and captured his first victory of the contest. Marshalling her forces, Willow entered the fourth battle determined not to suffer another defeat. As fortune favored her, she was able to best Dalkar and secure the Deed to Parcel I (MELEE's new practice field, Whiteside Park). Her choice for the property's new name is "Willow's Meadow."
RECORD-SETTING MELEE GATHERING OF SPRING EQUINOX, 3/27 ACI XXIII
click on this imagine to view updates of the last MELEE GATHERING!
vs.
GATHERING SURVEY CONTEST (conducted throughout the day on July 3rd):
By popular request, the Gathering Survey will return to recognize our Citizens and Factions in the following areas:
* Who wore the most impressive garb?
* Who displayed the most impressive shield?
* Who wore the most impressive armor?
* Who was deemed the best overall fighter?
* Who was the best overall roleplayer?
* Who was deemed the most honorable fighter?
* Who was deemed the most improved fighter?
* Who was judged to be the most impressive crafter?
* Which person most makes Broknarra a great place to be?
* Which faction has the most 'period' gear (garb, weapons, etc.)?
* Which faction has the most 'esprit de corps'?
NOBILITY CONFERRED:
As the day drew near its closed, it was declared that the Feast and Awards Ceremony would be held the following weekend, 7/3, at MELEE's new practice field WHITESIDE PARK (N. side of 41st halfway between Yale and Harvard). Nonetheless, our Earl, Lord Felcyn Fistophilus, stood atop the highest tower of Doolin's Keep and gathered Broknarrans about him along the top of the keep at the foot of the tower. Beside him were Mentor Lobo and Mentor Thalyn. For their
extraordinary service to Broknarra, spanning more than fourteen months (Lobo as Minister of Artillery and Chancellor of Reeves and Thalyn as Minister of Rewards and Chancellor of Arms), with the majority endorsement of the Broknarran Lords and Ladies, and by his final consent, Earl Felcyn conferred Lordship upon them both while onlookers cheered.
VICTORS
VICTORS
VICTOR
THANKS
To be certain, Broknarra/MELEE would not be experiencing the growth, prosperity, and successful events if it weren't for the hard work of the people who are there week after week keeping it organized, safe, and fun. Special thanks are due to:
Minister Willow Crane (sign-in and record-keeping)
Minister Kristoph Reichmann (loaner weapons and Longhouse walls)
Chancellor of Arms, Lord Thalyn (organizing the crafters; safety)
Chancellor of the Ward, Lord Magnvs (organizing events and practice)
Chancellor of Reeves, Lord Lobo (organizing the Reeves; safety)
Reeves (for ensuring safety and fare play):
Lord Wolfgang, Lord Motomushi, Arawn, Kristoph, Lord Edmund, Lord Thalyn,
Lord Magnvs, Mentor Tiegin, Lord Tristin, Lord Kronin, and Lord Arconis.
Faction leaders: Arawn, Lord Tristin, Mentor Tiegin, Lord Magnvs, and Zero
Special Gathering THANKS are due to Mentor Tiegin and Charlie of Helt
for brining 10 gallons of water for everyone's consumption, and to
Aavid Logan for her diligent aide to the Broknarran Pub.
All content © 2006 M.E.L.E.E., Inc.,1988 MELEE unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved. (SM)s used with permission.
