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I love this kingdom, I really do. But sometimes I do get wry amusement from it.

About 10 days ago, which was early, I received my spreadsheet with the roster of Crown List entrants, so that I can prepare my Order of Precedence march of combattants. It was 29 lines, which was 30 fighters (one combattant couple, as usual). Looking it over, I discovered that half a dozen of the "usual suspects" weren't there, so I created entries for them, figuring I can toss out the extra cards if the Crown doesn't opt those fighters in at the last minute.

Just now, someone leaked a list of the entrants on a household list, forwarded from one of the shire lists. 43 names. Including some but not all of my "missing" fellows, and a couple of people I'd heard through the grapevine had submitted letters of intent but had not confirmed. Snicker. I'll bet that list is slightly longer yet before the day.

Now, personally, I'd be all in favor of doing as several (most?) of the other kingdoms do, and posting the list of entrants a week or two before the tournament. Surprise only goes so far - and a posted roster would cut down on the nudging and whispers. Then it could be all corrected and updated before the tournament day, too. I know the secrecy thing hearkens back to the First Tournament years, when a fighter did not have to announce his inspiration's identity until his victory, and I'm enough of a traditionalist to respect that, but I think there is also much to be said for proclaiming as a joyous announcement who the contestants will be, both combattants and consorts.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

in AnTir, the lists are totally open. no letter of intent, the fighters sign up the morning of, and line themselves up (makes for a good long time of standing around)

we will have 100 fighters sometimes.

every now and then someone suggests asking for letters of intent, etc and for the most part, people act like theyre being asked to eat babies :)

heh :). you hsoul dhave heard the hue and cry when they started requiring memberships! OMG!!!!

AnTir is funny :)

See, I knew I was remembering right. Every single other Kingdom I've lived in they look like you like you've got extra eyeballs if you even suggest that Crown can work without an LoI.

To me, it's the First Test. If you can't get your act together enough to send in a piece of papaer that says "I just can't wait to be king," it implies heavily that you can't get your act together enough to run the kingdom.

I'm pretty sure the West doesn't require LoIs, either. I seem to remember hearing that they would routinely get, say, 160 participants.

By contrast, the first Crown I went to was in Atlantia. There were something like 13.

Westerners would have a reaction similar to the An Tirian one mentioned above, i.e., equivalent to baby-eating. 160 certainly isn't routine, though, unless you're counting both combattants and consorts. The really really memorable crown lists here have broken 100 combattants, and those usually involved reigning during some important anniversary or notable event (e.g., hiving off of new kingdoms).

I'm of the same mind as the comment two nodes up (sorry -- can't see the poster while in reply mode) who sees LOIs as a "first test", except that I've said that about the membership requirement. And yet somehow you still got Mr. Megaduke showing up the morning of with a photocopy of a fax record to the membership office dated that morning asking for special exceptions. (This was back before "instant membership" was a technological possibility.)

Same for the West, although I suspect you already had a good idea that was the case. <g>

yep, the west is funny too ;)
and I wouldnt have it any other way!

Yepper. I think our fighters are happy with the way it works ...

Crown

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If by "funny" you mean "awesome"

Re: If by "funny" you mean "awesome"

Re: If by "funny" you mean "awesome"

Re: If by "funny" you mean "awesome"

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