The Challenge of the Lion

The Challenge

HEAR YE, HEAR YE: THE CHALLENGE OF THE LION AWAITS

A call is here sounded, to all of strong body and will! A testament to courage, honor, and the strength to fight!

Here, in the Kingdom of An Tir, a gauntlet is thrown down! The Gifts of the Lion await all men and women brave enough to seek and defend them. What man among you has the deftness of blade, the soundness of mind? What woman among you brings the flash of steel, or the sureness of foot? Be swift - and bear the markers of our kingdom with pride and valor.

It will take great speed and cunning to catch the Tail of the Lion - should you cross its bearer, be certain of your swiftness - for the one who holds it is known to be the fastest in all lands!

Have you the deftness to bear the Claw of the Lion? If you would cross swords with they who hold it, put trust in your steel - for the one who bears it is known as the most cunning of swordsmen.

Think you honorable enough to don the Mane of the Lion? If your path should carry you to its bearer, may you fight with all the courage and conviction of a knight - for its heavy burden can only be shouldered by the truest of blades.

So verily - peel the eyes, and be vigilant! The Challenge of the Lion will test even the hardest of combatants, and though those who fail will be forgotten, those who bear these sacred marks of our Kingdom will be remembered for eternity in song and story! Should you cross paths with these bearers, beware - they are the very best that this Kingdom has to offer! Challenge them not lightly, but do not tremble at the thought - with a single stroke of your sword, you may become the stuff of legends!

~Christopher Stanley

(Azure, on a chief embattled argent three thistles proper.)

Cadet to Don Samuel McTavish

House TOAD

The Rules

• While holding a garter assures that you are skilled in the proper use of a blade, it gives no other titles or rights aside from bragging (which you should do loudly and often).

• All challenges should be held with as much pomp and ceremony as possible (we ARE rapier fighters, after all). A second for each participant is recommended to discuss and haggle over the forms for each of the passes.

• A bearer of a garter may be challenged up to three times a day. He MUST accept the first challenge, and if successful in defending it, is allowed to take up to two more (though he does not have to). A challenger may only fight for a garter once a day (so he cannot keep on challenging if he loses the first time).

• All challenges will be the best 3 out of 5. The bearer of the garter will choose the time and place (within reason), and the challenger will choose the forms for the rounds (which must be agreed upon by the bearer). The forms must include a rapier (no double daggers).

• Any garter may only exchange hands once in a given day. If it is won, the bearer cannot be challenged for the remainder of the day.

• Any garter must be worn prominently when in period garb. It may only be challenged by another in period garb (ie, No passing it around at practice unless you're both well dressed).

• A person may hold multiple garters (see below).

• The garters may not be taken by someone that resides outside of An Tir. If someone that bears a garter is leaving An Tir (and not coming back), they must return it to the previous bearer.

• It is the duty of the previous bearer to explain all of these rules to the new bearer.

Multiple Garters

• If you are skilled enough to collect multiple garters, the challenge changes for you. When you are challenged, you MUST be challenged by a number of people equal to the number of garters you hold (ie, If you hold the Tail and Mane, 2 people would challenge you and you would fight against both of them for the 3 out of 5 matches).

• If the challengers win against a bearer with multiple garters, they split the garters (ie, Two people challenge someone with 2 Gifts and win, they each receive one of them).

Lineage of Bearers

Mane of An Tir			Tail of An Tir			Claw of An Tir
NAME	DATE	EVENT	NAME	DATE	EVENT	NAME	DATE	EVENT
No current bearer	xx/xx/xx	July Coronation	No current bearer	xx/xx/xx	Tournament of Armies III	No current bearer	xx/xx/xx	Border War

Credits

Created by Christopher Stanley

Garters made by Mistress Melusine d'Argent

Pewter buttons cast by Master Sean O'Conner

The Challenge copy written by John Dupras

Inspired by The Iron Ring of the East