November Open Thread

[merlinscribe]

Starting a new open thread. Ask your questions here!


Harwing is alive and well and making complications for his author. Unfortunately, other characters are not so alive and well. Maybe.

Comments

[sparrow_queen]

So, this might be outside the scope and long past the close date of the post, but...

So what is a Winter Running Dance? it was referred to so many times, and yet, all we got as "a dance...in the snow...probably swift-paced". Is there any more detail than that?

Also, Flower Wars. The impression was it revolved around Jousting And Other Tourneys, in which one might lose symbols of knighthood, but, is there more to this than Knight's Tale would suggest? (Costume decisions aside).

[merlinscribe]

The Winter Running Dance has not (yet) appeared in a book, but think essentially of a set dance from the 17th or 18th centuries where the members of the set all start out about a mile apart. They run to their partners, perform the figures of the set at speed, and run to their next partners (finding them is often a challenge). This is a highly-ornamented version of "run for your lives!" but eventually all the dancers end up at the Unicorn Meadow. Points for speed and grace. And for getting through the whole thing without dropping in your tracks.

The Flower Wars have everything you need for a war--swords, armor, more swords--but it is all made out of flowers. And then everyone fights en meleé and in other set forms. (I have the impression it covers about a week, and obvs in the late Spring when flowers become available.) The point is to get through the entire set of wars with your arms and armor intact.

So it's sort of like the Pasadena Rose Parade crossed with the Pennsic War. With horses.

I hope this answers your question?

[sparrow_queen]

Yes, thank you! Several years of idle questions settled in about an hour! (now what do I do with my life - Shush, To Be Read list)

And, oh my, the Winter Running Dance - no wonder not everyone participates in it, even being Elves! (Also having done some of the dances of that period, I...fall over with no points for grace.)

Having seen both Pasadena and Pennsic, I understand completely! (So many flowers. Elves being Elves about it. With horses. Oh dear XD ).