The Barony of the South Downs cordially invites you to attend

Red Tower XXXVI

and the return of the Drying Flagon Tavern!

September 19-21, 2008

Camp Rutledge at Hard Labor Creek State Park, Rutledge GA

This event is in the past. News from the event is added below.

This year we are reopening our fun-filled tavern, complete with the return of board games, card games and of course - gambling! Throughout the day you will find classes and fighting scenarios designed to entertain both the fighters and spectators. As always, the centerpiece of the event will be the traditional Red Tower Tournament!

What’s new?

10 Sept: Menu/ingredients for Traveller's Fare and Sunday Breakfast
08 Sept: TAVERN MEAL MENU AND INGREDIENTS

22 August: Added much detail on combat activities - especially Baron Cathal's Prize List.

Also, Guillaume is now in charge of the "games and related silliness."

Fees and reservations

In recognition of the rise of food and travel costs we are changing to a Tavern Meal format so that we may keep the cost at $6. You will still receive a gracious amount of food, but there will not be as many different dishes. [Note: The tavern will serve no more than 100 people.]

Our event fees are a-la-carte

Adult site fee:     $11.00
Child site fee:      $5.50
Bed & breakfast:     $7.00
Feast:               $6.00
Non-members add:     $3.00

An additional $3.00 parking fee per vehicle (or an annual ParkPass) is required by Hard Labor Creek State Park. You can pay this at the gate/troll.

Family Pricing

Per Meridian Kingdom law, no family shall pay a site fee higher than three (3) adult member prices for admission to an event as long as the children are 15 years of age or younger and they are all members. Proof of membership, immediate family relations, and age may be required.

Please make checks for reservations payable to

SCA, Inc., Barony of the South Downs

When you send in your reservation, you can save time at check-in. Send a note to Andreva with your modern name, SCA name, membership number, expiration date, and what you're buying (adult, child, site, B&B, feast, non-member) for who. If Andreva has your email address, she can send you a confirmation or contact you if she has any questions about your reservation.

Staff

Tavern Cook

Maestra Serena da Riva

Food and Games

Traveller's Fare Menu and Ingredients

Veggie Soup

Onions, carrots, celery, green peas, lima beans, pinto beans, Great Northern beans, potatoes, rutabagas, mushrooms, bell peppers, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. No meat or meat by‑products will come in contact with the veggie soup.

Beef Stew

Roast beef, corn starch, onions, celery, carrots, green peas, lima beans, potatoes, rutabagas, pinto beans, Great Northern beans, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.

** There will be egg noodles for topping with the veggie soup or beef stew. **

Chicken & Rice Soup

Chicken, onions, carrots, celery, green peas, mushrooms, rice, butter/margarine, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.

Beverages

Coffee, sweet tea, plain tea and water.

Dessert

Cakes (four kinds), fruit cups (from frozen fruit) and cookies (possibly).

Lunch

NOTE: There will not be a fund raiser lunch; there will be space for eating on the field and in the hall.

Tavern Meal Menu and Ingredients

Netherwallop Sausages

Pork, Pork Belly, Bread Crumbs, Egg Yolks, Cream, Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg, Sage, Ginger, Mace, Natural Casings

Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Chicken, Butter, Rosemary, Salt, Pepper

Brown Mustard

Brown Mustard Seeds, Malt Vinegar

Sauce Gauncile

Milk, Flour, Saffron, Garlic, Salt, Pepper

Benes Y Fryed

White Beans, Olive Oil, Onions, Garlic, Thyme, Cloves, Salt, Pepper, Sugar

Spinach Tart

Pie Crust (see below), Spinach, Eggs, Butter, Cottage Cheese, Nutmeg, Ginger, Salt, Pepper

Tarte of Ryce

Pie Crust (see below), Rice, Egg Yolks, Butter, Sugar, Orange Juice, Cinnamon, Ginger, Salt

Pie Crust

Flour, Eggs, Salt, Water, Vegetable Shortening

Not included above were the sweet and sour vegetables (carrots and parsnips), melons (watermelon, musk melon), and three types of bread. Outstanding quality from Serena and George and their many helpers. Amusing banter from and between the tavern wenches, which included a certain mild-mannered Laurel in drag.

Yes, fellow SCAdians, you CAN be quite satisfied with the equivalent of two removes for supper. The same food in a rustic restaurant could easily cost many times what we paid.We're spoiled, I tell ya!

Games and Related Silliness

Lord Guillaume des Pyrenees is overseeing this.

Sunday Breakfast

• Eggs scrambled with some milk
• Flour tortillas, corn tortillas, Grated mild cheddar cheese
• These will be cooked and served separately: onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, potatoes corn/canola oil
• Bacon, sausage, salsa
• Uncooked garnishes: onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, scallions
• Packets of oatmeal and of grits
• Butter/margarine
• Fruit cups (from frozen fruit)
• Beverages: Coffee, sweet tea, plain tea, orange juice, milk

Current schedule

FRIDAY
 5:00 pm   Site opens
 6:30 pm   Traveler's fare and tavern games
 9:00 pm   Bawdy Bardic Circle (led by Mikal Isernfocar)

SATURDAY
 8:00 am   Breakfast
 9:00 am   Armor inspection
10:00 am   Classes begin, Red Tower Tournament, Rapier authorizations/etc.
 12-1 pm   Lunch break
Afterward  Baroness Caroljane's Prize List (rapier) and more
             rapier activities afterward
           Baron's Prize List, Knight's Tournament, Tavern Brawl
           Guild meetings

After 4 pm.... Court (as it please Their Excellencies)
After Court... Tavern Meal
After Meal.... Combined European and Middle Eastern revel

SUNDAY
 8:00 am  Breakfast
11:00 am  Site closes

Owing to fatigue, I decided to come in Saturday morning, but I heard from one source that Friday was a bit on the quiet side. The weather was Really, Really Nice by Red Tower standards [about 76 for the high with some breezes, maybe 56 for the low].

After fea... the tavern meal, I mean, the tables were moved aside. Lorenzo Petrucci led several sets of dancing for a few enthusiasts interspersed with dancing by Jadi and other ladies to live music from Aylwin Watkins (on strings) and myself (on percussion).

Armored combat activities

List table and armor inspection will begin at 9am. The marshal in charge is HL Mikal Isernfocar.

Red Tower Tournament - starts at 10am

This will be a standard double-elimination tournament. It will be open to all, with no weapons restrictions.

From a field of 32, Count Gunther van der Aachen defeated Duke Maximillian Racheengel, both of the South Downs.

Baron's Prize Tournament

For unbelted fighters only. Weapons: single-handed weapon or single sword only (no Florentine). We'll be doing this Holmgang style: The fighters will be restricted to a circle. If you step out of the circle once, you lose your legs. If you step out of the circle a second time, you are dead.

A missive from Baron Cathal about his prize list

Unto All Who To These Presents Come, Greetings:

There will be at the Red Tower Tournament 2008 a foot combat in the armoured lists for UNBELTED FIGHTERS, the winner of which shall receive for his victory a cruciform broadsword with leather wrapped wooden scabbard and leather hanger. [[Click on the image for a larger view.]]

The sword is from the “Kingdom of Heaven” series and is a copy of the one carried by the Templar Guy de Lusignan.

Let any unbelted fighter who wishes to essay in arms for the honour of combat and the prize of this sword present themselves at the hour appointed at the Red Tower and there offer their skill for that endeavour.

Done this 21st day of August being the eve of the Feast of St. Martial, A.S, XLiii

The winner was Lord "Vargus" (a.k.a. Ulrich Wulfeken) from the South Downs.

Knight's Tournament

For Knights only. Weapon: bastard sword (hand-and-a-half sword) only. However, each knight will be allowed two shieldmen, one at a time on the list, to help defend the knight. Shieldmen will not have weapons, only shields. We will provide large shields if the participants wish to use them.

Results forthcoming!

Tavern Brawl

This will be a timed event, 15 to 20 minutes. This will be open to all fighters and will allow non-fighter participation as well. Armored participants only may be in the "tavern" area and no weapons are allowed.

"Customers" in the tavern may use whatever is in the tavern to participate in the "brawl". When a customer is struck in the head or body with a sanctioned item, they are "knocked out" for a period of ten seconds - after which they revive and may continue to participate in the brawl.

Non-armored audience members outside of the tavern may participate by throwing sanctioned and inspected items into the tavern. We will provide some implements of mayhem but participants (both armored and non-armored) are encouraged to make and bring their own. Sanctioned items are items made of foam and wrapped with duct tape to look like items you would find in a tavern such as large cookies, pork chops, frying pans, mugs, plates, etc. We will also allow stuffed toy animals (i.e. the proverbial 'dead cat') up to a reasonable size. Be creative, but the marshal has the last say on what may be used.

This was hilarious fun! Reminiscent of mass pie throwing from old movies without the stickiness.

If you're interested and there is any time remaining, we can do some melees.

They did - I remember seeing some "knights vs. the world" matchups.

Rapier combat activities

Morning...

Authorizations for those who want to attempt or assist. For everyone else, we could do melee challenges, or melee practice for field battles, or classes, or something else. This will depend on the preference of the fencers present.

Baroness Caroljane's Prize List - to commence at Her Excellency's pleasure

This will have two stages. Stage 1: participants are divided into pools. Each fencer bouts with each of the other fencers in their pool. A double-kill counts as a loss for both fencers. Only the top four or eight finishers will advance. Stage 2: a single-elimination list in which, time permitting, each round could be best two-of-three. This should give both plenty of fighting AND a big finish for the spectators.

Afternoon...

Depending on the preference of the fencers present and the time available, I can run a three-person roleplaying scenario (prisoner, guard, rescuer) and/or a team tournament where each team on one side fights all of the other teams on the other side.

Marshal in charge: Jean-Michel d'Aix-en-Provence (Drakenmere)

Scenarios and schedule: Yves de Fortanier (deputy marshal, South Downs)

Fifteen fencers took the field, including myself at the tail end of the day (smile). Cillian mac Cauldwell and his Red Sword Company literally brought the field – including two tents, snacks, beverages, and the field accoutrements.

In the morning there were several authorizations (including two new fencers from Owl's Nest, one from South Downs) and general sparring with both rapier and cut and thrust style.

Her Excellency's Prize List had 14 entrants, so I ran two pools of seven fencers. Rather than random assignment, I roughly split the pools by geography and skill for balance.

In Pool "A", William MacAuslan and Mikolaj Pilypas, both members of Red Sword Company, were the top two finishers with records of 6-0 and 5-1. In Pool "B", Jean-Michel qualified with a record of 5-1 and three more fencers had records of 4-2: Cillian, Charles de Joscelynne (Owl's Nest), and Kurt der Hager (Vulpine Reach). What to do, eh? For the remaining contests, I decided to make them best two-of-three.

To determine who would advance, I paired Charles against Kurt again. Kurt won after having lost to him in their earlier bout. Then I paired Cillian with Ursus Grim (Vulpine Reach) from Pool A; Cillian won. Then Cillian defeated Kurt to make the final four. Notably, Cillian brought only one sword to Kurt's two. Now I had my final four fencers.

To allow Cillian some rest, I paired the top two from each pool: William defeated Jean-Michel. That left the other two: Mikolaj defeated Cillian.In the finals, Mikolaj defeated William.

It was a spectacular day for my friends in Red Sword Company. Cillian, Mikolaj, and William all made the final four.

In the 42 (not 72 as I announced there!) preliminary bouts between the two pools, any double-kill result counted as a loss for both fencers. This happened ONCE. Other than that and a couple of "owies", the list was trouble-free.

After that, the younger fencers (mainly) took the field for a Pool A vs. Pool B melee for fun, so there were a few rounds of that before we devolved into more sparring to end the day.

Merchants and vendors

Merchants will be allowed at the field. There are no merchanting fees, but you'll have to bring your own equipment and furniture. For the sake of ambience, loud generators are not allowed. Electricity is not available. Please contact Jadi if you would like to set up at the event.

Directions

Driving directions / maps online:  Yahoo .. Tobias Morgan's Google Map

From Atlanta or Augusta

Take your best route I-20 in Georgia. Take Exit 105 (Newborn Rd) and go north a bit over 2 miles.

At the fork with the trees, stay left to go into town. Cross over US 278. [**]
This is your last chance to pick up any supplies. The road will dead-end shortly.
Turn left, take the next right (Fairplay St), crossing over railroad tracks.
Go about 3 miles, during which you'll cross through town (watch your speed) and enter the Park.

Go past the sign for Camp Daniel Morgan. The road will be ahead on the right.

From the turnoff, it's about two miles. About the first third of the road is paved.

From Macon

Take your best route to US 129 northbound.

Once it merges with US 441, keep going north for 23.8 miles.

Looking for signs for US 278, bear left on GA 24 Spur (Ward Road) and go 0.5 miles.
Bear left on US 278 and go 8.1 miles.

Turn right at the light on Newborn Road and continue at [**] in the directions above.

From Athens

Take your best route to Macon Hwy (US 129/441) at Hwy 53 on the north side of Watkinsville.
That's the starting point used here.

Go south on Macon Hwy for about 3.8 miles.
Pass GA 186 (High Shoals Road), turn right onto Price Mill Road. Go 6.6 miles.
Bear right on Wellington Road. Go 0.8 mile.

Cross over GA 83 (the main road through the town of Bostwick).

The road becomes Malcolm St. Go 0.4 miles.
Turn left onto Fairplay Rd. Go 7 miles, during which you'll enter the State Park.

The road to the site is a switchback on the left.

Bostwick may be your last chance to pick up any supplies. They have a gas station. To get back on track, you can take First Street going south and it will become Fairplay Road at the edge of town.

If you need something a gas station won't have, I know some people avoid 'em, but here they are:

Wal-Mart (Exit 93 on I-20); open 24 hours
10300 Industrial Blvd
Covington, GA 30015
(770) 787-8030

Wal-Mart (Exit 114 on I-20); open until midnight
1681 Eatonton Road
Madison, GA 30650
(706) 342-9988

About the event site

Camp Rutledge has four units of cabins with four single beds each that cannot be moved. Some cabins will be reserved for other guests and staff - they will be marked as such. "Common rooms" will be reserved - please do not sleep in them without permission.

Each unit has a bath house (two toilets and showers each -- actually one side has a toilet and a stall with two showers; the other side has two toilet stalls) and there is another much larger bath house near the feast hall. Each cabin has electricity. Bring bedding and electric fans for your comfort. Sorry, no overnight tenting on site is allowed.

The terrain is heavy mixed forest and slopes down from the entrance/exit where the staff cabins, royal cabin and the feast hall are down to through the cabin units to the field and thence to the lake about 60 feet in altitude. Google Earth says it's about 680 yards from the road in front of the staff cabin out to the edge of the pier.

Looking at it from the sky over the lake, the field is shaped a bit like Australia. Size: about 160 yards by 80 yards. The sun's path in the sky goes from the road up to camp diagonally across the field and down towards the lake.

Do you need to contact the web site owner?

Yves here... My nifty email form stopped working ... but you can still send me email if you would like to. For questions about the event, please contact the staff directly.

Page first posted: August 4, 2008 * Last tweaked: September 24, 2008