Difference between revisions of "Plunder Tourney"
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====Why It Faded In Popularity==== | ====Why It Faded In Popularity==== | ||
| − | There are | + | There are three main reasons that plunder tourneys aren't held any more: |
| − | * Plunder tourneys were often derided as 'belt tourneys,' because belts were often the easiest thrift store item to find for a few dollars; at some tourneys, as much as half of the available [[plunder]] | + | * Plunder tourneys were often derided as 'belt tourneys,' because belts were often the easiest thrift store item to find for a few dollars; at some tourneys, as much as half of the available [[plunder]] was made up of belts. One Knight was heard to mutter, ''"Oh, well, off to win another belt,"'' when the plunder tourney at [[Reinholt]]'s midreign was announced. |
*People would often travel great distances to attent some faraway Amtgard event, only to arrive at a remote campsite and find that they couldn't take part in the tourney unless they had an item of plunder to contribute. | *People would often travel great distances to attent some faraway Amtgard event, only to arrive at a remote campsite and find that they couldn't take part in the tourney unless they had an item of plunder to contribute. | ||
| + | |||
| + | *Amtgard members come in a variety of shapes and sizes. More than once there was a really spectacular plunder item that everybody wanted... and it didn't fit the person who actually won the tourney. | ||
[[Category: Amtgard Things]][[Category: Tournaments]] | [[Category: Amtgard Things]][[Category: Tournaments]] | ||
Revision as of 22:23, 11 June 2008
A fighting tourney
What is a Plunder Tourney?
A plunder tourney was a type of fighting competition held in the Emerald Hills, the Golden Plains, and possibly in other places, in the late 1980's.
As an entrance fee, each participant was required to bring an item of "plunder"-- a bit of garb, costume jewelry, or functional equipment, which they had purchased for very little money at a thrift store or garage sale. The tourney's organizer usually set absolute limits on how much could be spent on a single item of plunder-- usually in the $5-10 range-- and part of the fun was looking for a worthwhile bit of treasure that still fell within this limit.
How It Worked
The tourney itself was usually a single-elimination event which was fought in brackets, with winners from one round going on to face other winners in the next round (and so on). At some point in the competition, a second set of brackets would usually be arranged to settle who won third place, fourth place, etc.
At the tourney's conclusion, the first-place winner would have the honor of being allowed to inspect the available plunder items and select his or her item first. Then the second-place winner would have second choice, and so on, until each participant had received an item that somebody else had contributed.
Why It Faded In Popularity
There are three main reasons that plunder tourneys aren't held any more:
- Plunder tourneys were often derided as 'belt tourneys,' because belts were often the easiest thrift store item to find for a few dollars; at some tourneys, as much as half of the available plunder was made up of belts. One Knight was heard to mutter, "Oh, well, off to win another belt," when the plunder tourney at Reinholt's midreign was announced.
- People would often travel great distances to attent some faraway Amtgard event, only to arrive at a remote campsite and find that they couldn't take part in the tourney unless they had an item of plunder to contribute.
- Amtgard members come in a variety of shapes and sizes. More than once there was a really spectacular plunder item that everybody wanted... and it didn't fit the person who actually won the tourney.
