Crouching Ice Tiger, Hidden Dragonslayer

[jamesq]

Hidden Treasures/Dragonslayer was this weekend and I had a great time.

I wasn't going to camp, on account of my recent back sprain, but I changed my mind at the last minute. Thankfully evilscientist was there to help me assemble my camp. One problem with last-minute decisions is that things get left behind. I forgot my toothbrush.

conejita_diabla joined me in my camp and we hung out for a good chunk of the event.

Friday night's highlight was night-shoot. Two dozen archers, three arrows each, glowsticks taped to the back.

Saturday was the Dragonblinder championship, which I was favoured to win (I didn't). I'll leave the exact details of the shoot to garething (the outgoing Dragonblinder champion). I'll just say that it was designed to trap decent archers who are also somewhat OC - like me. You can go for the glory or you could go for the points. I went for the glory and ended up tied for third place with eight other people. Heh. It would have been so cool to be the Dragonblinder who actually blinded the dragon. Oh well, woulda coulda shoulda.

After that was the Hidden Treasures roving range. The targets were "heroes of Avacal", so each one was a personality from the Principality. Unfortunately, there was one target that would have given me great cathartic glee to murder repeatedly. Someone I've wanted to be rid of for longer then I'd care to recall. Naturally his target was removed at the last minute. Thwarted again.

As for the range itself, I don't know if it was my back, or the heat, or maybe I was just off my game. I just didn't do as well as I know I could have. I still did quite well though. Of course, it was over thirty degrees on the range and I was out there for three-four hours. I drank lots of water, but even still the heat took it's toll. I was pretty wiped by the end of it. Still sweating though, so I didn't actually come down with heat stroke. I did get a weird sunburn - My quiver had, over the afternoon, gradually pulled my shooting tunic to the left. I had sunblock lotion on or course, but now I have a two inch wide lobster-red stripe at the top of my right arm, marking where the tunic ended and the sunblock began.

The Calgary Archery Club catered the feast with a wonderfully tender and tasty roast beef. That, and copious amounts of water, were just what the doctor ordered.

Court was pleasant. I got to watch my good friend garething get his AoA and be inducted into the Order of the Dragon. I also got to see conejita_diabla win the Bardic Championship. Unlike my own awards, theirs are richly deserved.

Next came the drinking and the socializing. And even a little flirting (a talent I desperately wish I could cultivate more often - and without the benefit of a few drinks). Got to hear lots of singing at the bardic circle.

At one point in the evening I thought I was propositioned. A lovely lass from Borealis said to me "We should go to bed soon". Thinking I had misheard, I said "pardon me?", and she said "You should go to bed soon". Damn. I'm about 90% sure this was just my poor hearing, but about 10% of me thinks the exchange really did happen exactly as recounted, and I missed my chance by seconds.

Later I got the opportunity to rescue a damsal in distress. A wee bit too much to drink and a distant camp were her problems. Several of us managed to get her back to her camp without mishap. This is my second D-I-D (the first being recounted here) and I must say I enjoy the job immensely. I'm never going to get rewarded for it (If they're drunk enough to need rescuing then they are far far too drunk for me to accept any offers, carnal or mundane) but that's OK.

Returning to the bardic circle, I somehow managed to almost freeze to death (not sure what was up with that), The timely intervention of SL, and her warm cloak saved me. Then conejita_diabla forced me to participate in the circle. Up to this point I was content to simply watch quietly. I had sobered up after the last several hours to the point were my inhibitions came back so the thought of singing terrified me (maybe Quad war though, if the stars are right and I actually have a song memorized). As punishment I broke the circle by telling a joke instead of singing. Other jokes followed and, lacking song, the circle scattered. Sorry about that.

Woke up, broke down the campsite and said our goodbyes. I almost had the opportunity to give a hott librarian a ride to Quad War, but the timing simply wasn't right. Oh well.

Going home I spent about an hour under the shower, brushed the hell out of my teeth and went out to lunch. Returning home my couch called me to nap. I planned on 1/2 an hour, but it turned into four. Clearly I was burning the midnight oil this weekend. A good use of scarce resources.

Comments

[snooness2]

Your joke was not the one that scattered the circle. It was definately something/someone else. Jokes don't scatter the circle other things/people do. Trust me it wasn't you.

If you are comfortable telling jokes... tell them more often at the circle - theoretically it will make you less nervous the first time you sing (and you can then sing while being more sober - which is a better idea anyhow).
:)

After you tell a joke - if you are in a circle that is doing a bardic stick thing pass the stick off to someone you know is going to do an upbeat song.
;)

[jamesq]

I like to think I was joking when I wrote that, but honestly, I'm startingt o wonder if I can tell the difference anymore. You'll have to tell me what really did clobber the circle sometime (perhaps at Quad War if I can get an uninterrupted 5 minutes with you).

[snooness2]

Well if you find where the kiln is - on the hill beside the archery range (which won't really make sense since there are many hills by the range... but there is no better way to describe it) I'll be there, in hermitage to get the thing to work damn it. Which means I'm mostly stuck in that spot (can't leave fire unattended... fire must occur for 48hrs + (I must be nuts). Find me I'll explain what caused it to disolve.