![[The Arms of Dreiburgen]](../armory/3b-arms.gif)
![[The Barony of Dreiburgen]](../3b-name.gif)
|
|
|
|
Out of The Myths of
Time by Lord Darius "Is it food yet?" von Tannenburg I was attending an event and was occupying myself in the usual manner, gleefully pounding my friends about the head and shoulders. Or, was it standing in for the pell; the details are kind of fuzzy at this point. But I'm sure that fighting was involved somehow. It was during one of the scenarios that something happened. Something that we have all seen before or even been part of. Somebody who we all thought should know better was on the receiving end of a spear shot to the head, and called it light. I'm not going to waste your time reviewing the fighter handbook for you. Besides, if you're a fighter you should have your own copy by now. But I would like to talk about "Winners" and "Losers" and what those words really mean. If you're a winner, what sort of prize do you get? And if you're a loser, what did you forfeit? The Big Game, Cool Commercials and Supermodels We were just drowned in what seemed like a wave of hype rarely seen outside a pro-wrestling pay-per-view. I'm talking of course about a certain Sunday that comes but once a year. A day when even the most ardent couch potato will rise up and join in a gathering of strangers for ritual worship of Athletes, and partake of the sacrament at the altar. Otherwise known as having a cold one at the local sports bar. While watching six different TVs set on six different channels, all broadcasting the same game from a slightly different angle. Part of the ritual involves the recitation of each team's record for the year. How may victories, and near misses. Amazingly, other teams that did nearly as well are discounted as "just a bunch of losers," as if they qualified as lazy moral degenerates (arrest records not withstanding) just because they were not in the big game. While those teams that made it to that day are elevated to near god-hood. Granted, a lot of hard work went into those teams. A lot of guys put out a lot of sweat and effort to get there. But, I'm sure that no small amount of luck was there just when they needed it, too. It could just as easily been two different teams. But on that Sunday they were "Winners" and everyone else was not. After the game we will see the "Winners" on the covers of magazines and cereal boxes, while the "Losers" will quickly be forgotten. Coaches will be fired, players traded, all in preparations for next year. New statistics will have to be memorized. Tales of glory told and retold. The "Winners" will be held aloft as prime examples of manhood for all to emulate. Young people all across the nation will be told to eat their veggies so they can be just like (insert Sports Hero here). My mom used to use lines like that to avoid having to deal with leftovers. The message seems to be that "Winners" are the only ones deserving of respect, while the "Losers" deserve none. Interesting that our modern world seeks to reward only those at the extreme top of the heap, and not those below. Where would the victors be without someone to beat? Would the Championship still be desirable without the endorsements that follow? Are the "Losers" worth less as individuals because they gave it their all, and still lost? Chivalry, Melees and Bards, Oh My! In our Society, we compete for different things than the outside world. If my team wins a melee, you probably won't see our photo on the cover of the CP next month. Whether or not anybody cares about what I drink is directly proportional to how much noise I make that night at the war. In our Society, how I fight means more than how often I win. The way we conduct ourselves on the field tells everyone around us what sort of person we are. You might be the Baronial Champion, but few people will ask for your autograph. They will, however, tell everyone they meet how you behaved. The fighter who called the shot light might have been right; he won the fight but lost part of his reputation. The person who argued with him and questioned his honor also lost; he lost the chance to take away any doubt by re-fighting the encounter. He also diminished the amount of fun that he and everyone else was having. Fun is the reason we fight, not for any material gain. Our incomes do not depend on our victories. I put all that time into my armor so I could go play, not to waste time in a pointless debate. So, the next time someone calls your shots light, don't question it. If it looks like your opponent is not playing fair, everyone watching will see it, too. But if we lose our composure, all those watching will see that as well. In that case, no one is a "Winner" and there will be more than one "Loser" on the field. Let's all see to our own honor first, always giving the benefit of the doubt to our opponent. Keep it fun and we will all be "Winners!" Return to Chronicler's Page |
![[small tower]](../towr-sml.gif){kind=small}
