Do Something!

In Meridies, it is my opinion that we believe…

That we don’t just talk about policing our own, we actually do.

That includes on the field and off, throwing or calling excessive and throwing too light, or acting an ass etc…

 

It’s about reputation not Honor. We each hold our honor to ourselves, it is our own and only we have control over it, no one can do anything to our honor. It can not be damaged by anyone’s actions but our own, and no one else can “steal” it. Our reputation however is held in the hands of others, but it is our actions that shape it.

 

We treat fighting as a spectator sport. So we put on a show, we fall down when we die and we don’t discount the spectators opinions. After all perception is reality…if everyone thinks you are THICK, then no matter what you think…you’re THICK. The only person who can change that perception is you. (If you are not sure you are thick or not….ask a member of the Chivalry, we will tell you)

 

We each hold our own honor but the populace and our opponents hold our reputation. So we’d rather lose a fight than be considered “thick”.

 

We also view each shot as a question, but we aren’t asking was I better, or were you (that gets ego’s involved and that’s never good). We are asking if I hit you with a good shot, or not.

 

1) We teach people how to throw good shots and what a good shot feels like to receive from the beginning. So when you receive a shot you know right off the bat if it was good or not…

 

2) Questionable is good since – if it was good enough to make you think about, it must have been good, or you wouldn’t have given it a seconds thought. Generally all that happens when you think about something is trying to figure out a way not to take it…and that’s an escalating scale up to not taking anything. (See the “ego” comment above)

 

3) What if the sword was pulpy – doesn’t mean the shot was bad…”hey that hit it was good but a little mushy…you should check your sword”….or hey that hit but it was kind of light…is your sword okay. (That’s what talking on the field can get you issues worked out, problems solved and, reputations saved)

 

4) Your armor/equipment is your own responsibility – if you have a spot that’s over armored, if you have a piece of clothing/armor/equipment that makes it so you can’t feel/don’t know you’ve been hit in a specific spot. Then it is your responsibility to figure out when you’ve been struck there. And if you can’t someone will figure it out for you.

 

We have a 5 step charge rule – because the King said so…he’s the king he gets to do that.

 

If you are on your knees…with the exception of “no corkscrewing” it’s fighting as usual…you can move on your knees so long as you keep the injured leg grounded.

 

That the rule for face thrusts is “Directed Touch” because that is what the rule is called not “Directed Positive Force” because it isn’t called that. (i.e. if a thrust is heading toward your face and it contacts the face of your helmet it was good.)

 

Thrusts to the sides and top of your helm are not good.

 

There are very few single handed swords with thrusting tips, because it is generally accepted that they build bad form for our combat.

 

We believe in following the rules, even the ones we don’t like.

 

It isn’t that we can’t hit hard, it is that we choose not to.

 

That single handed swords can indeed be swung with excessive force.

 

That if someone fighting is continually struck and refuses to call their shots, or if they are acting an ass, then they are no longer in compliance with the rules of the list, and can be removed from the field. (Not told they are dead…that is against the rules).

 

That not blasting your buddy when you have him flat footed (your engaged but he doesn’t see you in a melee for example), is just the courteous thing to do.

 

That there is no such thing as light to the cup, that intentionally targeting the groin is outright rude.