Greetings Gentles and welcome to the online home of the Swimming Serpent, a group of privateers in the service of her Excellency Countess Melissa Kendal of Westmoreland, patron of the Shire of Dregate in the Northern Region of the Kingdom of An-tir.
We are members of the Society for Creative Anachronism (or SCA), a group dedicated to the research and recreation of pre-17th-century European history.
“We won by sitting on our butts?”
– Capt. Williams
APRIL 25 – Fur and Feather Tavern is closed. Numerous bodies litter the streets around the tavern amongst piles or rapiers and (rubber band) guns. Dregate hosted 67 tavern goers with 24 being rapier fighters.
Saturday, 18 rapier fighters took part in a round robin team tourney. Randomly divided into teams of three, the fighters took positions amongst three blocks of buildings at the Okanogan County Fairgrounds. Two barns were open for people to use as hiding holes and sniper positions. In the middle of the tourney, three more rapier fighters sought to join and were enlisted as city guard to complicate the rounds bringing the total to 21 fighters. There were many memorable moments. A fighter had a boot pistol go off and take her leg, one team won by sitting on their backsides and letting the other team and guard fight it out, Herr Lyall Von Fuchs shooting two guards from murder holes in a barn and that is to name a few great moments.
In the end, the Captains’ Folly team won the tourney. Captain Andrew Williams, Captain William Von Bonn and Richard Thomes worked together to defeat the Rapier Irregulars in a fight to break a tie in the end.
As darkness crept over the site, the tavern doors were thrown open with hot food and incredible bardic offered inside. James the Obscure told fabulous stories, Herr Lyall sang and Shandrea belly danced her way to victory in the bardic competition.
Sunday morning 21 rapier fighters took to a pair of erics for a “war crown” style tourney. After round robin fighting in both erics, the top eight fighters met for single-elimination combat. The last two standing led teams in combat scenarios to determine the winner. Fighters were divided randomly to make the teams.
Enoch Sutherland, cadet to Maestro Don Guidobaldo d’ Aquila, and Brian Wolfsbane led their teams in a street battle, open field and bridge battle. Enoch’s team took the street battle and Brian’s team won the open field and bridge battle. Heat, fatigue and time needed for travel home changed the last two fights to single combat in an eric. Enoch won both bouts to win the tourney.
Pictures of the event are posted on the Dregatesite.
The captain and crew of the Swimming Serpent are recouping. Preparations are being made to set course to Lions Gate for Sealion War May 10-12.
APRIL 16 - The captain’s skiff returned from Ramsgaard. He brought tales of melee combats, a warm reception, excellent bardic and an enjoyable stay in the shire north of his homeport of Dregate.
The captain sailed north to Krakenfjord, where he traveled inland with the Silverhands and Dorian and his fine lady. Incredible company made the journey seem short. (Thanks for the ride Dorian!)
The brief stay in Ramsgaard was very pleasurable. The melee fighting was entertaining and the pick up fights challenging. It was also nice to see the rapier fighters pitch in to help with marshaling the heavy tourney won by Sir Owain (sp?). Draven and Petro changed armor and took the field to play in both the rapier melee and heavy round robin tourney. Damn impressive stamina!
(This message posted to make Ruaidhri Silverhand happy.)
APRIL 4 – The captain wrestled control of the Web site back and can finally update this site.
Attention all rapier and bardic enthusiasts! The Fur & Feather Tavern is open April 19-21 in Dregate at the Okanogan County Fairgrounds.
Rapier fighters can take part in a team tourney of capture the flag in a maze on Saturday, starting at 10 am. Inspirations and spectators are able to view the mice…er, fighters in the maze from bleachers. Afterwards, the rapier fighters take to the streets of Dregate. Numerous buildings on three streets are being used in a series of street battles. Erics are available for pickup fights during the tourney and after the street battles.
Got a Gerhard pistol and want to use it more? Not only are they allowed in the street battles but a shooting gallery is being set up for a tourney to take place on Saturday, April 20.
Saturday evening the tavern opens. Guests use coins, provided for by the site fee, to purchase food and tip participants in the wenching and bardic competitions. A “ships” dice tourney and darts tourney take place in the tavern in addition to the entertainment. Bards be prepared. Rumor has it the performances are being recorded for something called a “CD.”
Rapier fighters take to the erics Sunday morning at 10 am to take part in a War Crown-style tournament. Fighters start in round robin competitions. Top fighters from the round robins are advanced to single elimination fighting until two remain. The two fighters lead the rest of the rapier fighters through battle scenarios until a winner is decided.
The sun is already shinning in Dregate and should make for comfortable camping. The event is at the Okanogan County Fairgrounds, at 175 Rodeo Trail Drive, Okanogan. From the south, east or west, drive to Wenatchee and follow Highway 97 north. In Canada, drive to Osoyoos or Oliver and follow Highway 97 south. Okanogan is south of Omak by five miles. SCA signs are posted near the exit, which is labeled by mundane signage for the fairgrounds. The exit turns west and ends on Rodeo Trail Drive. Turn north (right) on Rodeo Trail Drive and travel north for about two miles until you see the fairgrounds on your left.
Site opens at 5 pm on Friday and closes at 3 pm on Sunday. Flush toilets and showers are available to people camping on site and fighters. Site fee and Saturday night feast costs $10 US per adult and $5 US for children under the age of 12.
If you have any questions, or need anything to accomplish the journey, contact the autocrat – Andrew Williams