What to bring?

My knight's really good at hitting me with questions that make me think. And his latest one was a doozey. He asked me what I could bring to the White Scarves that would make it worth elevating me. Now he didn't mean how will I bribe them to give me a scarf, he meant: how will my becoming a white scarf add to the white scarves as a whole?

As I've mentioned before, earning your White Scarf takes more than just being good at fencing. Earning you White Scarf means setting yourself up as a role model for other fencers. It means constantly demonstrating those traits expected of the kingdom's finest both on the field and off: honor, courtesy, grace, style, service, and skills both martial and artistic. But that's not all. Everyone who aspires to become a defender of the White Scarf needs something that defines him or her. Something that makes them stand out from the other Defenders. With Don Niccolo, it is his dancing. With Don Albion, it is his music. You can even see among several of the up-and-comers their chosen trademarks. Cormac has his furs while Antoine has his service.

Which still leaves the question of what my trademark is, or will be. One thing that I've had a hard time wrapping my head around is the fact that this very much a "what has he done lately" situation. That, I think, is part of why it took almost 4 years for Albion to earn his White Scarf after his return. And it's part of what's slowed me down, too. If we were looking at historical accomplishments, I could make an argument for having given the White Scarves fencing in Northern Artemisia. But that was better than 15 years ago. What have I done lately?

More importantly, what have I done lately that I want to get credit for? Or what do I want to do?

My knight suggested I start singing, but I said no. It isn't a question of whether I can sing or not. Rather, it's the fact that Albion's trademark is singing. And the problem with that isn't that I might be compared to Albion, or take away from him (Lord knows he's been trying to get me to perform for years). The problem is that I don't want to limit other northern fencer's options for their White Scarf. If I somehow manage to get my White Scarf next, I'm afraid that the other fencers will look at the pair of us and think that the only way to get their scarf is through music. And, as wonderful a person as Albion is, I don't want to see a bunch of little Albion clones running around Northern Artemisia.

I want the fencers in Northern Artemisia to know that they can get their White Scarves by being themselves.

And I shot down service and furs for much the same reason. I have no desire to steal the spotlight from anyone on their quest for their White Scarf. Which still leaves the question of what's my trademark?

Currently, it looks like I have two possible routes, and one of those is accidental. One is through my creation of the Guild of Winter's Pass. My hope is that this will again allow me to say that I bring Northern Artemisia to the White Scarves. The other one - the accidental one - is the introduction of the curved sword to Artemisia. Okay, it wasn't an accident that I bought a curved sword, but my central position in it's spreading has come of a bit of a surprise to me. And okay, it hasn't exactly spread like wildfire, but it is spreading. In addition to the two shorter curved swords that were bought shortly after I got mine, I have orders for two more blades exactly like mine, both from experienced fighters.

But only time will tell what, if anything, will be my gift to the White Scarves of Artemisia.