WARBANDS V
11-13th June 1999
Edzell Castle, Edzell, Scotland (no street address).

Shires of Harplestane and Egaill.

You've been around the camp fires, you've listened to the rumours about how good it is. You've seen the pictures and you've heard the "no kidding, there I was" stories. Don't take anyone else's word for it, this is not a virtual event. Journey to the North of Scotland and revel in the full, three dimensional, Technicolor, surround sound experience. Smell the atmosphere, drink the whisky, chase the sheep and impress all your friends. Eight out of ten Peers say that they prefer this event. The autocrats are waiting patiently by the phone, so make that call, confirm that booking. Go on, you know you want to.

That was a crude commercial plug made by the autocrat who has pawned his armour to pay for the event. There now follows a more dignified message on behalf of the sponsoring shires of Egaill and Harplestane.

Knights! Squires! Men at Arms! and other nerdowells, assemble thy companions and prepare for battle in, around and for the Historic Edzell Castle for a FIFTH year. The shires of Egaill and Harplestane invite you to form warbands of between three and five warriors and to put them to the test against the other bands and the castles defenders. Individuals with insufficient friends or who normally play with themselves, can either join a warband or be drafted to help the brave defenders.

All SCA legal weapons are permissible. Archers must use golf tube arrows. This is virtually the only restriction that the castle places upon us and is not negotiable.

REWARDS
Pints (sorry, that should be points) will be awarded for Warbands with pretty tabards, with extra points being available for matching shields and banners. To further spice things up, certain individuals will have bounties placed on their heads with the reward (in pints this time) going to the first person to kill them. The reward notices will be posted on the Saturday morning to apprehend the guilty

FEAST
A feast will be held on Saturday evening in the Historic Inglis Hall which is in the village of Edzell, less than a mile from the Castle. The feast hall seats a maximum of 80, so book early to avoid starving. All gentles are encouraged to bring personal banners to decorate the hall and as much of their humour and sense of fun as they can pack in a large hamper. Persons with specific food allergies should contact the organisers before June 1st. (see under reservations)

Be warned, it has now become a tradition that if Royalty attend the event, they will call for entertainment from each of the shires present. So prepare your songs, stories and other acts of daring do. Sir Arafel will be bringing his juggling balls and a variety of odd shaped fruit (or should that be the other way round !!).

MIDNIGHT PAS D'ARMES
After the feast on the Saturday evening, there will be a midnight pas d'armes for those of strong constitution and limited intelligence. This event will be sponsored by the Company of the Swan, the exact details of which are detailed on pages 12-13. Bring your best armour, most eloquent speeches and a light heart.

Schedule of Events

Friday
The event officially opens at 6.00pm although Harplestane will have shire members there from about 12.00ish. People tend to filter in anytime between 18.00 and midnight. So it's usually just putting up tents and catching up on gossip.

Saturday
10.00 - 11.00 Armour Inspection (we do mean 10am)
11.00 - 13.00 Warbands Event
13.00 - 14.00 Break for lunch/rest
14.00 - 16.00 A variety of different scenarios
16.00 - 19.00 Free time
19.00 - 22.30 Feast and much merriment
22.30 - 23.30 Hall Clean up, Set up of Pas
24.00 - ???? Midnight Pas d'armes

Sunday
An Isles meeting to be held in the Marquee at 10.00am. This will enable people who have long distances to travel home, to attend.

Andrew Montgomerie will meet any individual who cares to answer his Easter challenge.

Heavy Weapons Training: If there is sufficient time, there will be heavy weapons training for those with any energy left.

Please note times listed are not SCA times. We try and stick to real time as it allows more time to fight in the Castle and feast. You didn't travel all this way just to stay in your bed. No matter how enticing your companion, it just can't compare with the smell of sweat and leather, the feel of rattan in your hand and the adrenaline rush of charging through a castle gateway. (Or is that just us.)

SITE DETAILS
The site will open at 1800 on Friday and will close at 1800 Sunday, although most people leave by 1500. Gentles wishing to arrive/depart outwith these times should contact the autocrats for further information. The site and feast are discretely wet. Parents will be responsible for their children at all times and they should be kept on a leash, (the parents, not the children), muzzles are optional. People using public transport are advised to talk to the Autocrat to arrange pick ups etc. well in advance.

PRIVY COUNCIL
We apologise that we have only been able to supply chemical toilets this year. Historic Scotland asked us not to use the mains-connected toilet block, because the weight of it and the amount of manoeuvring needed to get it in position, disturbs the ground a lot. The area where the toilets are set has not yet been excavated for archaeology, and we don't want to risk damaging whatever may be there.

There are toilets available in the Castle shop during opening hours, 9.00am-6.00pm, and on Saturday in the Inglis Hall from 4pm until 11.30pm.; The Hall also has plenty of space and big basins if you want to wash and change. Showers are non existent on site, so bring lots of deodorant or an understanding companion.

WEATHER
Well it's Scotland in June, so come prepared for everything from tropical sunshine to snowstorms and you won't go far wrong. Something light in case its very warm, something warm in case its very cold and something waterproof in case it rains. If you are lucky you will get to wear all the garb you have brought in the space of a day, never mind a weekend. You have been warned.

SHOPS:
The nearest shops are located in the village of Edzell. You should be able to get all those essential event items. You know, beer, food, more beer, post cards, even more beer. They tend to close between 4.00pm and 6.00pm so don't leave it too late. There are a larger variety of shops in Montrose, which is not too far away. The Little Chief dinner is on the A90 heading towards Edinburgh and has kept many of us alive at breakfast time.

TAXES: Site Fee: £10-00, Feast Fee: £5-00
The tax collector's booth will be open on Saturday until the fighting starts at 11am. This will allow her to go and buy bread, start cooking etc. (The booth may also be open on the Friday evening as a special treat.) Even if you have booked in advance, you should pay by then, or your place at feast may have to be given to someone else.
Remember, the tax collector may not realise that Lady Madeleine, whose hat she was just admiring, is that same Tracy Higginbotham who booked in January - so come and register your presence!"
Advanced payment can be sent to Lady Anne Colet with cheques made out to "SCA Shire of Harplestane").

DIRECTIONS:

By Road: Take your best route north to Dundee, and from there follow the A90 towards Aberdeen. At the second turning for Brechin, follow the signs for Edzell (B966). Continue into Edzell village through the arch - the feast hall is the large building with a clock tower just inside the arch on the right, opposite the Glenesk Hotel and proceed through it to the far end. Turn left, following the signs for Edzell Castle. The castle is approximately 1 mile from the turn, down a long drive to the right (signposted). Please park as directed, to allow other visitors to the castle room to park.

By Rail: ScotRail operate services to Aberdeen or Inverness from Edinburgh which call at Montrose, the closest Railway Station to Edzell - time approximately 1hr 40mins from Edinburgh. Take a taxi from Montrose (expensive!) or arrange to be collected well in advance.

By Air: The closest Airports to Edzell are Edinburgh (2 hours by road) or Aberdeen (1 hour). If you wish to be collected from either airport, arrange this well in advance.

From the Company of the Swan

Unto all Dukes, Counts, Kings, Knights Squires and men-at-arms in the known World does the Company of the Swan send greetings.

In the Castle of Edzell on the 12th Night of June AS XXXIV, members of the aforementioned Company will gather at the hour of Midnight to practice those fighting arts appropriate to gentles of noble birth.

Illuminated by torchlight we will undergo a pas d'armes a plaisence, within the walls of that fortalice, in such manner that chivalry and honour do mean more than mere victory and where the vanquished can be adjudged the more valiant and deserving.

The venans will offer the tenans challenge, while bare headed and unarmed, so that all may clasp hands, see each other's faces and so be sure of peaceful intent.

It will be our pleasure to welcome in equal measure those who would engage us in such combat and those who would add to the spectacle by their presence in the gallery. For without our consorts to inspire us all that is done will be as nothing.

Alea Honoris Salutae

WARBANDS RULES OF ENGAGEMENT:

Each Warband must have a name. First group to reach 80 points wins.

Attackers :

• 5 Points for a Warband with matching tabards.
• 3 Points if Banner or shields match the tabards.
• 4 Points per bag taken to the Resurrection Point (RP) via the tunnel.
• Only one bag per person can be taken on each trip to the RP. Extra bags will be ignored. Don't worry, there will be lots of bags.
• 1 Point for each attacker killed from an opposing team.
• 0 points for killing defenders.

Defenders:

• 1 point per attacker killed.

Site specific Rules.

• No killing from behind in the tunnel.
• People coming through the tunnel with treasure can't be mugged by fighters coming back from the resurrection point.
• There is no fighting on the grass areas. This includes including standing on the grass and poking opponents on the cobbles.
• No fighting is allowed on the wooden stairs and upper gallery although you will still be a legitimate target for missile weapons. If you reach the end of these wooden areas and wish to move on to the stone, the defending fighter must let one of your group on to fight.

Your SAFETY and the public's SAFETY are the most important things on the day. The Courtyard is mostly stone and the footing can be uneven. There are also a number of low walls which people have forgotten about in the heat of battle and toppled over. So just to remind you, even though we know we don't need to: Watch out for each other and if in doubt call a HOLD.

PRE-FIGHT CHECK

The Marshall in Charge will take all the fighters round the site at 10.50am prior to battle commencing. The standard SCA war rules, site specific rules and the no go areas will all be explained fully. If any of it has not been made clear, ask him again, that's what he is there for.