Held at Salt Creek Park, CA. Sir Elrrin of Hrassvelg and Bergen von Rauch were the autocrats. The troops from Adiantum invaded Shasta. Shasta called for help from the Southern Kingdom. A potluck feast was held.
Annotations:
“This is a pretty skimpy account for a three day event attended by the
King and the Prince of AnTir as well as numerous warrior peers and unbelted
fighters and their households.
“After an informal court Saturday morning the two
sides separated and scouted the park to decide on the locations for
their respective home-bases (where the resurrection tokens would be
kept during the major battle on Sunday). Adiantum and their Antirean
'military advisors' took the south side of Salt Creek's valley and
Shasta and the Royal 'peace keepers' took the north. After
both bases were selected and the respective banners posted, everybody
returned to camp to eat lunch and prepare for the afternoon's
scouting/skirmishing scenario. The object was for each side to
attempt to locate the other's concealed home base and prevent the
opposition doing the same. Mobile forces were limited to small groups
and deaths and woundings were permanent for the scenario (no resurrection).
The next hour or so was occupied with sneaking through the bushes
punctuated with small but violent armed clashes. By the end of the
agreed interval neither side had actually seen the other's banner, but both
had pretty well localized it. (War points were split, the scenario
being judged a tie).
“My memory is vague after all the intervening
years and events, but I think Saturday afternoon featured an archery contest
and a series of champions' battles and challenge fights on the lawn in
camp. (Shasta and its supporters won both).
“Sunday was the main battle, both
sides had the same number of resurrection ribbons (100 per side,
I think) and the objectives were to 1) Capture the opposing side's
banner (which could be moved, if accompanied by a minimum number
of fighters), 2) Capture the opponent's home base and resurrection
ribbon supply (which was stationary, 3) Have the most lives left
at the end of the time allowed. The Adiantum forces left camp first
with a fifteen minute head start to cross the valley and deploy.
The Shastan forces relaxed in the shade at camp until told that they
could now deploy (William the Lucky, Steven MacEanruig and two or
so other veteran road warriors lay down in a square - each pillowing
his head on the next knight's abdomen). Fifteen minutes after Adiantum had left
we armed up and deployed, ten minutes later the trumpets sounded from camp
and the battle was on.” – Kevin Peregrynne
“I still have some pictures around somewhere from this event. Actually, I think we were all lying in a row against our shields which were resting on our helms. It was hot. We were tired. We were experienced. You take your rest when and where you can.” – Steven MacEanruig“The Shastan forces launched a preemptive assault across the valley, ending in a charge up the fire trail in the general direction of the Adiantum HQ. About a hundred yards up the slope the charge bogged down as the wounded could not advance so a battle line formed around them. The Adiantum forces were constantly refreshed with resurrected fighters from their nearby base and soon had the advantage of numbers. Several minutes of bloody attrition ended as Duke Paul of Bellatrix led the Shastan remnants in a fighting retreat back to their base in the wake of the string of previously deceased fighters (including the King) heading back to be resurrected.” – Kevin Peregrynne
“We came, we saw, we got conquered. Somewhere along in this battle I got a cut from behind from Steingrim that just about bisected me with a rattan sword. I had a lovely welt running the length of my back said a few things to him about where I would put my sword if he hit me from behind again, and later apologized profusely when the adrenalin and agony had worn off.” – Steven MacEanruig“The second phase began while the hot, tired and disappointed Shastan partisans recuperated and discussed what to do next. Scouts were picketed all around the base in a perimeter guard to prevent surprises while the High Command debated. In the meantime Adiantum and its allies had executed a forced march up the valley and across the creek undetected (Sir Jerald of Galloway and a few others staging a feint from the willows along the creek to distract the Shastan attention) and had circled around behind and above the Shastan position. Fortunately, the scouts on the uphill perimeter detected the movement of the Adiantum forces - before they could spring their intended attack and catch the Shastans unprepared. Again the Shastans charged uphill into the Adiantum formation, this time with the advantage of rapid resurrection being on their side. Shortly the entire northern force was trudging back the way they came, in defeat (the Marshals ruling that having not carried the southern forces' position they could not proceed on down the hill and directly across to their base.” – Kevin Peregrynne
“I remember this as the "Up the Hill battle." We went up the hill (and it was a damned steep hill). We got killed. We went down the hill and got resurrected. We went up the hill. Repeat at least three or four times for me. This is, I think, the battle where I also got one of my prouder awards, my recognition as an Honorary Shastan. At one point a small group of us was facing a small group of them. I got tired of long distance fencing, shouted "Follow Me" and charged. No one followed. I got killed. And went down the hill again.” – Steven MacEanruig“The final phase was the result of the Shastans realizing that the Adiantum forces 1) Could not have many resurrections left and 2) Had farther to go to get back to their base than the Shastans did to get to the same place.
“Their hill wasn't as steep as our hill. Thank God.” – Steven MacEanruig“The two armies marched back to camp with their banners to the fore and the King and Prince leading. Everybody gratefully disarmed and recuperated in the shade (I haven't mentioned that it was >100 degrees) before resuming less grueling activities until the evening's revelries began.
“It's pretty much how I remember it. I have vague memories of Paul of Bellatrix running into a bee or wasp nest on one of the trips up the hill.” – Steven MacEanruig“I did walk through a nest of ground wasps. I only got one sting, however, at the inside base of my right thumb. This caused me to drop my helm in surprise, and it rolled down hill. Baron Gerhardt Kendall's son Andre was acting as my squire, and ran after it, right through the wasps. HE got stung over a dozen times.
“The thing I remember about the last battle was that my shield strap broke just before we deployed. I grabbed a glaive, and Ranulf of the Far North lent me his shield, just in case we ran into archers. The damned thing weighed about 35 pounds. When the Northerners were routed in their final attack on our position, I carried the #@$* thing all the way across the valley. Never saw any archers. I picked up stragglers along the way, and got almost to the top of the slope, just in time to hear Kevin yell "Retreat!". Luckily, in a maneuver more reminiscent of Shastens, the Northerners fell back from the edge of the slope, and allowed us up to the top. Then we killed them.” – Paul of Bellatrix“Just to make sure justice is done ... Paul tells it as it was - Andre was the main victim of the wasps (yellowjackets in local parlance). He was an un-armored scout and was, in addition, was fighting for the King instead of his own Prince with his father's permission. His loyalty and sacrifice was acknowledged at court that evening.
“And yes, my original version of Sunday's hostilities was somewhat truncated (who wants to hear "We marched across the valley and died then they marched across the valley and died" again and again?). One time when I was dragging my hot sweaty self across the valley (paved mostly with rounded granite rocks) I encountered two young demoiselles from Adiantum, who giggled and pointed and said "Look, another dead Shastan!" I growled something to the effect of "I'm no ~!@#$%^&* Shastan!" and trudged onward, then stopped, performed a one-step turn, gave them my best reveraunce and said "Pardon ladies, I mis-spoke myself ... WE are not a Shastan." then went on my way. I believe they were rather perplexed as to OUR identity thereafter.” – Kevin Peregrynne
Description of this event,
© Copyright 1980 by William R. Keyes (Wilhelm von Schlüssel)
This is from The History of the West Kingdom, Volume 1 (the only
volume produced). When reading this text, please keep in mind the following
disclaimer:
Disclaimer: This history may have errors in it, as much of the detail is “remembered” history, or as one of the cover pages of the original type-written manuscript states “The material within is derived from the information printed in The Crown Prints and in The Page, and from the memories of the participants.” The original document was typed on onion-skin paper, with hand-written notes (often in the margins). All attempts have been made to reconcile the notes with the original document.
Annotations, when they are added, are from The Annotated History of the West, Volume 1, which is the same text as Master Wilhelm's mentioned above, with commentary from members of the SCA who were active at the time of the event, and are added to help clarify questions and expand on what happened and why. This volume is copyright © Ken Mayer (Hirsch von Henford).
The West Kingdom History Website was created by and is maintained by Hirsch von Henford (mka Ken Mayer).