The 12th night team has sat down and had a think-in about how we can incorporate the theme of Nollaig na mBan or "Women's Christmas" into the martial activities at Coronation. Viscount Cernach, even Marshal-in-charge has taken these ideas and made sense of them! Their Royal Highnesses were please to approve them, so come Coronation weekend, the following will take place:
Morrigan Archery Shoot
A clout shoot with a 9 yard diameter target, from 20 yards. 0.5 yard gold radius , 1 yard red, 1 yard blue, 1 yard black, 1 yard white. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 points for hits, respectively , line breakers count towards the higher score. 4 ends of three arrows per participant.
Lines will be marked with twine, rope etc. Arrows will be special 'Flu Flu' arrows, with extra fluffy fletchings that slow the arrows and restrict range for safety. They also make a pleasing fluttering sound, to reflect The Morrigan' aspect of the Raven choosing the fate of the fallen.
Total field length of 40 yards (shooting line to circle 20 yards, 9 yard circle plus 10 yards safety behind), call it 15 yards wide.
Duration: 1 Hour
Grainne Mhaol Armoured Tournament
Sea Battles: 2 Timed rounds of 20mins each. Sides get swapped for the second round.
Fighters are divided into two sides, and further subdivided into groups of two fighters by lots (in case of an uneven number a less-experienced fighter will be added to make a team of three, selected by the marshals, to aim to maintain game balance).
Grainne Mhaol was a famous 16th century Pirate Queen operating along the West Coast of Ireland. Her name is often anglicised to Grace O'Malley. The Armoured Tournament named for her will consist of sea battles. Starting out, one half are Islanders, one half are Pirates. Islands (marked out by washable white line spray) each hold 2 fighters and bags of loot. The Islanders have to remain on their island at all times. Pirates may enter and leave. Pirate teams (each consisting 2 fighters) win loot by engaging islands in single bouts. If Pirates win - they get 1 bag of loot, if islands win they get all the Pirates loot. After each fight, the sides are reset to full strength. A pair of Pirates cannot engage the same island in two consecutive bouts. Pirates can engage each other when neither side is already engaged in combat - winner takes all loot.
When time is up, the List Minster makes note of the amount of Loot held by every Pirate team.
Then loot is reset and islands and Pirates swap places for the second round.
Queen Mebh (Maeve) Rapier Tournament
This scenario represents the ancient Irish national sport of cattle raiding. As in the conflicts of ancient Irish legend, battles are started by an exchange of challenges between heroes, to raise or lower the morale of the armies before full battle commences.
The participants are divided into two sides, with the aim to balance the forces by allocating fencers laterntekly by date of first authorisation (it's not perfect, but it's an indication...). One side is that of Queen Medb ('Maeve') of Connacht the other King Conchobar mac Nessa of Ulster. Medb's army has forcibly 'borrowed' Chonchobar's prize brown bull and is attempting to return to Connacht with him. She has finally reached this part of Galway before Chonchubar has caught up and started this battle of champions.
Stage 1: Challenges
Starting with the least experienced fencer on each side, challenges are issued to opposing fencers of their choice. Queen Medb's side goes first as she is on home territory. Each challenge is played out before the next is issued. Challenges are a big deal in ancient Irish legend and fencers are encouraged to issue challenges as creative and flowery as desired. Once a fencer has challenged or been challenged they are out of the challenges until all the fencers have been involved in a challenge (if number of fencer are high, we will run this until each fencer has fought once, if lower, each fencer gets to issue a challenge, regardless of whether they have fought already, thus giving more fights)
Option: Each fencer could pre-arrange a consort, who will issue challenges on their behalf to add extra pageantry and encourage more general participation.
The side winning most challenges gains a half point.
Stage 2: Battle!
Once all challenges have been completed, the warriors blood lust is now up and battle commences! Mebh's force attempts to get their captive bull, represented by a battle standard of a bull, to the other end of the field. Chonchuber's forces aims to stop them. Melee to the last fencer standing or the bull crosses the finish line. Due to the stubborn nature of bulls, the bull-bearer cannot run.
Then, due to the fortunes of war, Chonchubur's forces gain the bull. They now have to get it back to the other end of the field past Medbh's troops. A second Melee to the last fencer standing or the bull crosses the finish line.
Each battle win gains that side 1 point.
The highest point score wins.
A play-off final battle can be run in case of a tie.
We hope everyone will enjoy themselve and put on a good show for all the assembled Royalty and Populace!
Yours
12th Night Event Team