The Great Unpleasantness

We were talking at Love Revel this weekend and the topic eventually turned to the difference between northern and southern fencers. Is there a difference? It doesn't really matter. Northern fencers think there is, that's all that matters.

For many northern fencers, southern fencers are seen as arrogant and stand-offish, who make looking good more important than being good. By contrast, many northerners see themselves a friendly and open people who care more about who a person is than how they seem. I won't touch on the validity of these views, as I said all that matters is that there is an "us versus them" feeling in Northern Artemisia. This feeling isn't helped by the fact that there haven't been any home-grown fencers to rise above the gold scarf - and relatively few to reach that exalted rank.

But the northern fencing community has adapted to this perceived lack of recognition. We have substituted warrants for awards. Marshals at Large are treated as if they wore the White Scarf while warranted Marshals take their place next to their brothers, the Gold Scarves. Yes, it is true that a warrant does not make a skilled fencer, but in a region lacking in officially recognized skilled fencer, people will gravitate towards where the authority and knowledge lies: the marshals. The only downside to this is that those who have earned their white scarves are lowered in importance to that of a local marshal: yes, what they say is important, but where's their warrant?

Probably not the best environment for improving north/south relations. Even if that was the only difference in perceptions.

The other difference is in how northern fencers view the top fighters in both regions. They see White Scarves as skilled duelists with a collection of students. While I doubt anyone can take offense at that view, it is in distinct contrast to how the skilled northern fighters are seen. The skilled northern fighter is seen as a commander, with an army at their disposal. The best example of this is Cormac, and his Ever Growing Army of Darkness. Cormac can, at need, field an army of (I think he said) eighteen skilled melee fighters (the same number of fencers Artemisia fielded at Estrella two years ago). Even among the skilled fencers without a standing army at their beck and call (His Lordship Albion, Baron Antoine, etc.), all they need to do is ask, and the Northern masses will rise up to their banner. And what's more important, they will lead their troops, and lead them effectively.

Call it Dahoud's Legacy.

Of course that cultural focus on melee minimizes the chances of a Northern White Scarf - after all, a soldier is not a courtier - but until Northern fencers raise the importance of tournaments to above that of melees, there is no way to improve the odds.