Modern Games as part of an event (was Perosna Issues; Game)

[Ric & Joanne Loll <rics_am_cafe@geocities.com>]

Poster: Ric & Joanne Loll <rics_am_cafe@geocities.com>

Brian Matthews wrote: 
>Hank Harwell wrote:
>> <snip>
>>  As players you are being brought before "The Inquisition".  If you
>> answer their questions correctly, you may be spared...
>> <snip snip>
>>   If you can last the longest in the questioning, you will go free.
>> Every one else dies.<snip>
>
>here we go again ... Is this the Society for Creative Anachronisms or
>The Society for let see how many ways we can get D&D or Monty Python
>involved?

	Since D&D and Monty Python both took on elements of the actual middle ages
and warped them for profit (or comedic profit in Python's case), it would
be difficult to find any SCA activity that couldn't be linked to them.  My
question is what's wrong with involving elements of modern things into the
SCA, if the medieval theme of our recreation isn't destroyed?  If the
activity is both fun and educational, why should we condemn it, if the
game's only sin is being invented in modern times?
	Your post seems to imply that any type of game that we use at an SCA event
should be an actual medieval game.  I am an advocate of the medieval game
9-man Morris -- I constantly have a cloth game board and glass pebbles in
my belt pouch.  I have taught many people how to play the game at events --
as recently as in the Seneschal's meeting at Unevent.  9-man Morris is a
great game for two players, is simple to learn (I've taught children as
young as 6), and can be played almost anywhere/anywhen.  
	The problem is that you can't involve an entire event in a single game of
9-man Morris.  You can stage a gaming tournament; like Highland Forde is
doing in a few weeks.  I have never seen where such a concept is actually
medieval though - so this fails your test of being actually medieval.  You
could also have a 9-man Morris board with human pieces - like human chess.
The problem is that the pieces would be rather bored and you only use 20
people (18 pieces and 2 players).  I believe (but can't prove it - don't
ask) that human chess MIGHT have been medieval, whereby we could extend the
argument to human 9man Morris.  I think we fail on the FUN element for this
one though - it would be dull dull dull!!!
	Why play "Inquisition"?  It might be fun.  It might encourage people to
think about their persona.  It might be a fantastic way to introduce
newcomers to the types and varieties of personas in a local group.  How
about linking "Inquisition" up with an on-site library of books on various
periods and cultures?  You could publish some (not all) of the questions in
advance, and then give a few hours for people to do research before the
court was held.  That could encourage both research and fun.  The best
thing about "Inquisition" is that you could involve the entire event
population in the game!
	My Lady, Michelina La Rosa D'Oro, designed a game we played a few times in
the Midrealm, Machiavellian Monopoly.  We took a 1250 map of Europe and
assigned a Prince to each distinct geographical area ~~ we ended up with 52
"States".  Each State was grouped with others in the region into colors,
roughly forming the Kingdoms of the 15th Century.  The Prince had to
assemble an army, corner the market on a commodity, make alliances through
the marriage of children, please the Pope, and jump through various other
hoops to be declared a "High King".  In the end all "High Kings" turned in
their collection of treaties, gems, horses, men, etc to the Referees, and
they determined who would be declared "Holy Roman Emperor" at evening
court.  The rules were about two pages long, mostly to discuss what the
various game pieces meant.  
	Was Machiavellian Monopoly an actual medieval game?  NO NO NO!  Was it
fun?  You betcha!  The game took on a life of it's own at times.  We put
horses in the game, because you couldn't wage war without horses ~~ one
fellow appointed himself Stable Master and walked around inspecting all the
horse, writing names on the cards and giving them all personality traits.
We had an assassin - and someone assassinated our Pope!  Very medieval
thing to do...
	Did people learn about the actual middle ages?  Yup!  We had a person
handing out cards that either helped or hurt your play, based on actual
medieval events.  The Geography lesson alone was very valuable.  
	Both "Inquisition" and Machiavellian Monopoly are totally modern.  That
doesn't make them bad, if they are fun and foster education.  From the
sound of it "Inquisition" fills both those qualifications.  I don't see how
this is bad.  YMMV.  
	Does anyone know of a medieval game which could involve the entire
population of an event?  I'd be very interested in hearing about such an
activity.

	Yours in Service and chasing the Creative stars
	Magnus McKinley

Ric & Joanne Loll
"Just a trip down the alternate rabbit hole"...
=======================================================================
List Archives, FAQ, FTP:  http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
            Submissions:  atlantia@atlantia.sca.org
        Admin. requests:  majordomo@atlantia.sca.org