Mudthaw XLIII

** MUDTHAW IS AT A NEW LOCATION (AGAIN) - indoors other than martial activities**
*Please note Mudthaw is a DRY site this year*

*NOTE TO ALL FIGHTERS AND FENCERS - You must bring proof of Gate check-in (not your site token, a special card will be provided to you at the Gate after you have checked in, make sure the Gate rep knows you are fighting) before you will be allowed to check in at the Lists.  Please be sure that you go to Gate first.  You can have a friend/family sign you in (if you do not need to sign a waiver) but you will not be able to sign into the list until that person provides you the proper documentation.  Gate check-in is located at the front of the building and List check-in and fighting is located at the back of the building (you can go through the building and out the other side or walk around).  There will be a walkable entrance (a sliding gate) from the parking lots to the fighting area so that you can more easily unload your fighting gear.  Please make sure you arrive early enough that you are able to sign into both areas before the fighting begins.  *

*PLEASE NOTE - NO CAMP CHAIRS IN THE GYM FOR COURT.  We will have the bleachers pulled out which will be the bulk of seating and there will be a few rows of chairs that the school allows that will be set out in front of the bleachers.  We are not allowed to use any other chairs in the gym.  Thank you!*

As winter turns to spring, their Excellencies Orlando and Charis, Baron and Baroness of Settmour Swamp, invite all and sundry to join in the celebration of the Thawing of the Mud!

The site is a heated indoor school with plenty of space for court, vendors, etc.  indoors.  Fighting and Archery will likely be outside but fencing may be moved indoors if there is inclement weather.  Please bring outdoor seating if you wish to watch the martial activities in comfort.  The marshal activities will be on blacktop. 

There will be no feast this year, but we will have a pre-paid Dayboard.  Further information regarding the Dayboard is below.  It will be limited to the first 200 individuals to register for it.  There will be no Dayboard sales at the door. 

Youth Activities will be available in the main gathering hall from the end of morning court through 3 pm.  Lady Roseia Posey will be providing various crafts and activities to entertain our youth. 

9 am:  Gate opens
9:30 am:  List registration opens
10 am:  Morning Royal court
10:30 am:  Armored & Fencing authorizations begin
11:30 am:  Armored & Fencing tournaments begin
11:30 am:  Youth Combat begins
12:00 pm:  A&S challenge opens:  Stranger in a Strange Land (full writeup below)
2:30 pm:  Baron & Baroness judge the A&S entries (please stay with your entry during this time!)
3:00 pm:  Gate closes
3:30 pm:  All martial activities end
4 pm:  Baronial court
4:30 pm or immediately after Baronial Court:  Royal court
8:00 pm:  Thank you for volunteering for clean-up!

* Martial Activities *
Armored:  Tournament format will be double elimination as is Mudthaw tradition - Fighting will be outdoors, on pavement

Rapier:  Fencing will be outdoors if the weather is nice, on pavement.  If the weather is too bad, we'll be indoors in the gym.  (If we're indoors, non-marking soles are required.  This means no hard soled shoes; only sneakers or rubber-soled shoes are allowed.  No "period shoes" with hard leather bottoms or hard plastic bottoms.) Reduced armor is allowed, per the EK Reduced Armor Experiment.  In addition, please be aware of the new armor (and other) rules introduced in the January 2024 rules update.  The tournament will be double-elimination in the early rounds, ending with a single-elimination ladder in the last three rounds (the last eight fencers).  The last rounds will be fought as best-of-three.  (If there are few enough fencers, we might use a round-robin format for the early rounds.) The tournament is also a qualifier for the Pennsic Heroic Champions team.  All of the pairings will be reported to them, and will become input to their team selection.

Finally, Cedric of the Floppy Hat has a challenge:  "This year marks my 30th year in this great game, and I would have 3 passes with all takers, to a minimum of 30 sets, one for each year of my time in the SCA." Come and join this challenge!

Youth Combat:  Please bring any protective gear from other sports you may have as we will have limited loaner gear.  Please be sure to bring your own groin protector as we do not have loaner groin protection.  Please bring any approved youth combat weapons you may have.  We may or may not have loaners, it depends on what we can get made in time for the event. 

A&S Display/Challenge:  Stranger in a Strange Land! 
Calling all artisans!  We invite you to display a collection of 1-3 items relating to a mix of your persona and a distant land.  This could be a new skill learned from a different culture but using materials you are familiar with, or art styled and inspired by friends from far away!  Come show and tell us all about them!

12:00pm:  Please set up your display at the designated table(s) in the main hall.
2:30pm:  Our Baron & Baroness will choose the winner as much on their art as their studies of other cultures.  Please stay with your items at this time.

Beverages
This is a dry site as it is located at a Public school. 

Site Opens: 9 am
Site Closes: 9 pm