Black Wing Company
The official rapier
company of the kingdom of Artemisia.
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Company Charter
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The
Black Wing Company Charter
Unto
their Royal Majesties, assembled nobles and populace of the great kingdom of
Artemisia greeting. We are the Company of Black Wing. By the grace of their
Majesties and these letters of mark the official rapier company of the kingdom
of Artemisia.
The insignia of the Company is as the ensign of
our Kingdom; It is to be respected by it members and feared by its enemies. To
serve the crown and the kingdom while promoting the art of rapier combat is
the purpose of the company. We fight not for victory, but for the Honor of the
Queen, The glory of Artemisia, and the joy of combat.
We
of the Black Wing Company strive to set a higher standard for ourselves. We
have taken upon our selves not only our own honor, but also the honor and
glory of our Queen as our patron and our kingdom as our home.
To vigilantly strive for this ideal as a code of conduct, and this is
what we as a company expect of ourselves. Our ranks are open to any who would
take these ideals as their own and aid the company in this quest. So by now by
these hands is this chart ratified. In service to the crown, for the glory of
Artemisia and the honor of our Queen.
Governing
Documents
I.
Always fights to the best of your abilities
with honor, chivalry and courtesy.
II.
Always leave the field of
combat with your honor intact.
III.
Keeping an advantage gained against an opponent shall not be considered
dishonorable.
IV.
Always look good on and off the field.
V.
Behave as a member of a civilized court; treat all individuals with
courtesy, grace and respect, on and off the field of combat.
VI.
Offer your service to the kingdom and your local area and to anyone
that may have need of it.
VII.
Use period-style weapons, terms and armor.
VIII.
Competition between the Condottieri of the
Company exists only on the field.
IX.
Give freely of your knowledge and skills to those who may have need of
it.
X.
Kingdom & Society rules govern all combat at SCA related functions.
XI.
Have fun while playing with respect to the fun of others.
Captain General: - Functionary Head of the Company
First Officer – The assistant commander to the Captain General
Second Officer– The lead junior officer of the Company.
First Sergeant: The First Sergeant of the Company
Gentleman-Usher: - Keeper of the Rolls of the Company.
Usher: - Keeper of the Rolls of the Local schools.
Should the need arise the Captain General may create or disband Command
Offices or Places of Honor not listed above without need to change this
charter. The creation of such a
Command Office will require the Captain General to state the name of
condottieri assigned to, general obligations of, and powers granted by this
Command Office to the Gentleman Usher, so that this information may be made
known to all members of Black Wing Company.
Dons:
Members of the Order of the Defender of the White Scarf granted the
rank of Captain.
Defenders of the Sable Rose:
The Current and prior Kingdom Rapier Champions.
Banner men & Bearer of the Arms:
Carries and protects the banners of the company at tourneys and wars.
Condottieri
and Companions of the Company
Companions:
Those members of the Company who do not serve by the sword, but whose
service is most valued in the company for without it we would surely lose our
way. They wear a companion scarf.
Generals:
Those who have served as Captain General of the Company. They may wear
a gold scarf with a white strip down the center or a rank badge for generals
of the company.
Captains:
Those Condottieri that have been recognized by the Crown of Artemisia
as Defenders of the White Scarf. They may wear a rank badge to show their
captains of the company.
Lieutenants:
The veteran, well-experienced Fighters of the Company. They wear a
yellow scarf.
Provosts:
The well skilled fighter of the Company. They wear a yellow scarf with
black stripe.
Free Scholars:
fighters skilled in the basics of the Art. They wear a black scarf with
a yellow stripe.
Scholars:
Those just learning the Art of Defense of the Rapier. They wear a black
scarf
Novices:
Those prospective candidates of the Company. They wear no scarf or
tabard.
The Companions of the Company
The Companions of the Company are one half of the Company. The Company has
two sides, those who fight and those who do not. The Companions of the Company were created when Lady
Lucia Malatesta appealed to Don Tarkash, the CG of the Company at that time,
that there should be a branch of the Company for those that love the Arte and
support the endeavors of the Arte. After consultation with Lady Eirinn
O’Riordan and Lady Katerina d’Clisson, also supporters of the Company, it
was agreed that there should be a way for non-fighters to be recognized as
Black Wing. The name Companion was
formed to reflect a non-gender specific portion of the Company.
The
Companion Scarf is Insignia of the Company, as is the Tabard the Condottieri
wear.
The Captain General has final
say over who becomes a Companion, as he does over the elevation of any
Condottieri. The Sponsor of the Companion or the CG will oft time be the one
to present the Scarf. There does not need to be a sponsor to become a
Companion, again, support of desire to join the Company is all that and the
Arte of Rapier is required.
The Scarf of
the Companions of the Black Wing Company shall be 50” to 54” in length and
be about 1 ½ to 2 inches wide. It will have three bands at one of the scarf.
The first of yellow or gold about 2 inches long, followed by a white band of
about 3 inches long, with a second yellow or gold tip about 2 inches long. In
the center on the white band will display the black and red rose of the
company. The non-fighters who are recognized as members of Black Wing Company
for their commitment wear this scarf.
Rankings are given with the
approval of the Captain-General. Letters
of Recommendation for Promotion of the Condottieri should be jointly sent to
the Captain-General and Gentleman Usher. Novices may be elevated to the rank
of Scholar with approval of the Captain General. All company members are
granted the responsibility and the honor of recruiting new members. You then
will help to find a sponsor or becoming the sponsor for that person. Because
of the responsibility of teaching the novice about the charter A limit of 2
novices per sponsor at a time will but in to place. The sponsor then presents
that person to the Captain General for approval to become a novice. Upon
approval the sponsor becomes responsible for the novice and their actions. The
sponsor begins to instruct the novice about the charter, the kingdom rapier
rules, and the requirements to become a scholar in the company. Next by answer
any questions they might have. Once the sponsor feels the novice is ready to
be made a scholar a recommendation is given to the Captain General for
consideration. When the novice is promoted to scholar the sponsor’s
responsibility has ended and a job well done. Anyone in good standing with in
the company may be a sponsor regardless of rank.
Novices shall be those individuals who:
Have
expressed a desire to be a member of the Company and wish to learn.
Are
not allowed to bear the symbols of the Company, nor wear the tunic of the
Company.
Will
remain a novice until the sponsor gives their recommendation for elevation to
the rank of Scholar in the Company. The Captain General after receiving this
recommend will welcome them to company.
The Novice wears neither scarf nor the tunic of the company.
Scholars shall be those individuals of the Company who:
Are studying to fight in a period manner.
Are in the process of obtaining their own period equipment
Must
become a member of the SCA and an authorized fighter under SCA rules of rapier
combat.
Are
allowed to bear the symbols of the Company and wear the tunic of the Company.
The Black Scarf of Scholar: (Solid black scarf).
Will
be offered by the highest-ranking individual of the area with approval of the
Captain-General.
Free-Scholars shall be those individuals of the Company who:
Fight with a rapier in a period manner.
Show good command of one ward and knowledge of at least one other ward.
Have a good command of at least two off hand combinations.
Own your own period style weapons and armor.
Must maintain your SCA membership and fighter authorization currant and
Fight in Tournaments
Demonstrate knowledge of the arts and skills of a man
or woman of a civilized court (i.e. knowledge of period games, courtly graces,
etc.)
Have
a consistent activity within the local group and school, Have a working
knowledge of the Kingdom Rules governing Rapier Combat and the Black Wing
Charter.
The Black and Gold Scarf of Free Scholar: (Black with a Gold vertical
stripe).
Will be offered to those individuals who satisfy the
requirements of the Company, acknowledged by their peers as worthy of the
Honor, and with the playing of the Free Scholar's Prize.
Provosts shall be those individuals of the Company who:
Fight with rapier in a period manner.
Display consistent ability in tournaments and combat.
Show good command of the four basic wards: High, Broad, Low and Inside.
Are
knowledgeable of the different weapons combinations with competency in at
least three.
Owns period style weapons and armor.
Assist in teaching at practices.
Demonstrates
good knowledge of the arts and skills of a man or woman of a civilized court.
Has consistent activity within a local group and
school with occasional activity in outside groups.
Shows leadership in melee combat.
Has good knowledge of Kingdom Rules governing Rapier Combat.
Is
in the process of registering their arms of device
The Gold and Black Scarf of Provost: (Gold with a Black vertical
stripe).
Will
be offered to those individuals who satisfy the requirements of the Company
and are acknowledged by their peers and companions as worthy of the Honor, and
with the playing of the Provost's Prize.
Lieutenants shall be those individuals of the Company who:
Fight with rapier in a period manner.
Display
excellent ability in tournaments and combat through consistent placement in
the top rankings.
Show excellent command of the four basic wards: High, Broad, Low and
Inside.
Are competent with all the different weapon combinations
Owns period style weapons and armor.
Regularly teaches at practices.
Demonstrates
knowledge of the arts and skills of a man or woman of a civilized court.
Has consistent activity with the local group, local school, and
neighboring groups.
Be a good leader in melee combat.
Is acceptable to the Patron of the Company.
The Gold Scarf of Lieutenant: (Solid Gold).
Will be offered to those individuals who satisfy the requirements of the Company and are acknowledged by their peers and companions as worthy of the Honor, with the approval of the Captain-General, The Patron of the Company, and with the playing of the Lieutenant's Prize.
Captains Shall
be those individuals of the Company who:
Are recognized by one of the Crowns of the Known
World to those individuals whom they deem worthy of the honor as a Defender of
the White Scarf. Captaincy is the
grade given by the Company to those thus acknowledged.
On the wearing of scarves and tunics in the Company
The recognition scarves of the Company
are to be worn with honor. These
scarves of rank are to be cared for and displayed proudly and properly.
If the scarf becomes stained or badly worn you will replace it with a
new one. The proper wearing of
the scarf is:
A:
Worn looped over the left shoulder and clasped with a pin of the wearer's
choosing.
B: tied about the left arm.
Scarves shall NOT be worn from
the belt, as a baldric, or in any other such manner. To do so is to dishonor the Company and your fellow
Condottieri. This edict on
wearing of scarves includes the scarves worn by the Companions of the Black
Wing Company.
The wearing of the Tunic
(Mandaley, Tabard.) of the Company is reserved to the rank of Scholar and
above. The tunic will be kept clean and in good repair. To do otherwise is to
dishonor the Company and your fellow Condottieri.
Condottieri
rank scarves shall be of suitable materials (broadcloth). They shall be
approximately 3 to 3 ½ inches wide and be able to be looped around the
shoulder comfortably allowing them to be overlapped to pin to the breast.
(Approx. 44 to 50 inches in length.) The
stripe on the Scarf of the Free Scholar and Provost shall be 1 to 1.5 inches
in width, running the full length of the scarf.
Tradition allows an individual to embroider their initials on the end
of their rank scarf so later owners may determine its linage.
Companion
scarves shall be of similar materials and length and be about 1 ½ to 2 inches
wide. It will have three bands at one of the scarf. The first of yellow or
gold about 2 inches long, followed by a white band of about 3 inches long,
with a second yellow or gold tip about 2 inches long. In the center on the
white band will display the black and red rose of the company.
(An
introduction by Don Tarkash.)
The
playing of the prize for advancement in the Black Wing Company has its roots
within period schools of defense. As a student progressed and either he or the
master of the school deemed the student ready, the gentleman would be told to
play his prize. This was not a thing to be taken lightly, as there was
considerable cost involved. The student would issue invitations to masters and
higher-ranking fighters throughout the area, with the offer for them to come
and test his skills. The student would be required to cover the cost of their
travel to his location, the cost of their stay, as well as provide for them
food and drink, a costly endeavor. Once the invitees were duly assembled, the
student would pit his skills against those whom he had invited. If the student
performed well and met the standards of those gathered, he would advance,
however, if his performance were below what the assembled fighters felt was
needed, the student would not advance. No refund, no discount, no advancement.
As said an expensive task, not one to be taken lightly.
In the Kingdom of Artemisia, the playing
of the prize was started during the reign of King John & Queen Alana. I
was fortunate to be the first to play a prize for the elevation into the Order
of the White Scarf, for which I am eternally grateful. Afterwards, we
incorporated the playing of the prize with the advancement through the ranks
of the Black Wing Company, with a few needed variations.
When a member has met the requirements for
advancement within the company, they are told to play their prize for the new
rank. However, receiving the rank is not dependent upon their
performance during their prize. It is an opportunity for them to display their
skill and right to the new rank to their peers within the Company, but the new
rank is theirs regardless of their performance. The only way the person would
not be given the new rank would be if they themselves felt their performance
was below standards and they declined the scarf. NOTE: This has been
done, it is not a mark of shame or dishonor, quite the contrary, and it is an
additional display of great self-honor and respect for the requirements of the
Company within the person.
Another variation is the fact we do not
require the player to cover the cost of travel and upkeep for those invited to
play in their prize, as this would be by far too cost prohibitive. Instead,
the player is asked to provide a gift or token to all who accept the
invitation and come to participate in the playing of the prize for the
individual.
There is no set standard for what the
gifts or tokens may be. It is up to the individual. Each rank has different
meaning to each individual. The level of dedication within the company and the
time & effort to advance one's skills for each rank becomes increasingly
higher as one achieve each rank. Thus it would seem that each level of prize
be reflected in the gifts or tokens given. Obviously, a gift or token for a
Free Scholar prize would be less elaborate than that of one playing their
prize for their White Scarf, or so it would seem. Still, the gifts or tokens
are up to the individual playing their prize. Remember this is your
opportunity to shine all eyes are upon you. You will, within your time as a
rapier fighter, have but four, perhaps five opportunities to fight a prize. It
is up to you how memorable they are for you, the company and the Kingdom of
Artemisia. Fight well and with great honor. Be graceful, stylish and
courteous. And most of all have fun and always look good.
H. L. Tarkash, Defender of the White Scarf, Kingdom of Artemisia,
Premiere, Order of the Gold Scarf, Principality of Artemisia,
One time Defender of the Golden Papillion, One time defender of the Sable
Rose.
To play the prize, a minimum of two individuals of
superior rank must write Letters of Recommendation sending copies to both the
Captain-General and the Gentleman Usher. The individual wishing to play their
prize may solicit these letters. Those of higher rank will then decide if they
wish to write said letters. The Captain-General will, upon consideration of
the Letters of Recommendation, invite the candidate to play their prize. The
Prize shall fight bouts with a number of fighters whom have already passed
that ordeal. Members of the Chivalry & Royal Peers may be measured as of
this rank or greater. The Prizor shall send invitations individually to those
persons they requests attend. In this letter of invitation shall be stated the
location, the time, and the forms to be fought, of the Prize. The
Captain-General must be invited to all prizes. Upon completing The Prize, the
Prizor shall be asked if they are satisfied with their performance of their
Prize and whether they still wish to proceed with the elevation. If so they
shall be welcomed to their new rank by their peers. When possible Promotions
shall be done in Royal Court or in the presence of their Majesties. This will
depend on the Crown’s wishes and their availability. All 12 invited are not required for the prize to be played. Those who are
able to attend shall bring the invitations for admittance to the Prize and
test the Prizor thusly. It is the Duty of those invited to place their honest,
constructive, thoughts in a Prize book for that person to review and gain
insight. Prizes are not required to have a duration longer than 2 hours.
The Free Scholar’s Prize:
The Candidate shall choose 12 challengers to test and demonstrate
their skills against.
10 of these Challengers must be of the rank of Free
Scholar or above.
2 of these Challengers may be of the Prizor’s choosing
regardless of their status in the Company.
Shall consist of one off hand weapon combination and
single rapier.
The Provost’s Prize:
The Candidate shall choose 12
challengers to test and demonstrate their skills against.
10 of these Challengers must be
of the rank of Provost or above,
2 of these Challengers may be
of the Prizor’s choosing regardless of their status in the Company.
Must be played at an event the
Captain General can attend.
Shall consist of three off hand
weapon combinations and single rapier.
The Lieutenant’s Prize:
The Candidate shall choose 15
challengers to test and demonstrate their skills against.
10 of these Challengers must be
of high standing within the Company.
5 may be of the Prizor’s
choosing regardless of their status in the Company.
Must be played at an event the
Captain General, and preferably the Queen as well, can attend.
Shall consist of all weapon
forms included in rapier combat.
Awards
of the Company
Order
of the Commanders Of Rapier Defense (C.O.R.D.)
I.
There shall exist within the Black Wing Company (BWC) an Order to
Identify and express the appreciation of the Company for those persons who
continually demonstrate the highest level of excellence in leadership in the
BWC.
II.
The Order shall be called the Commanders Of Rapier Defense, stylized as
Companions of the C.O.R.D.
III.
The Symbol and regalia of this Order will be a Royal Blue shoulder cord
worn on the right shoulder, clearly visible on clothing or Tunic.
IV.
Membership is open to Companions, Condottieri, and Honorary Members.
V.
Companions of the Order shall be selected at the Captain General’s
discretion.
VI.
This Order carries no precedence in the SCA, inc. Kingdom of Artemisia,
SCA inc. or any branch of said organizations. It is solely an internal
acknowledgement of accomplishment, as are the rank scarves of the Company.
VII.
The Premier of this Order is Lady Gwynnyth
Done this 21st day
of March, being the Vernal equinox of the year 2003 A.D. and year of the
Society XXXVII.
Captain General Sionainn
Padraig, Don Caimbeul Black Wing Company
Disciplinary
Action
If a transgression of the code
of conduct by a member of the Condottieri occurs. There will be a 3 phase
disciplinary action taken. If the situation warrants phase two can be
circumvented and proceed to the third phase.
Phase 1: The
senior most individual of the company will counsel the transgressor verbally.
Phase 2: The individual will
receive a letter of reprimand from the Captain-General
Phase 3: A courts-martial or
Tribunal will be held allowing the accused to present a defense of their
actions followed by a ruling of the selected jurors.
Each situation will be dealt
with case-by-case in an attempt to be as unbiased as possible. The option of
mediation by the Crown, or their appointees is also a possibility.
Transgressions
of the code of conduct will not be tolerated and will be dealt with swiftly
and harshly.
An example of possible reprimands that
might be handed down by a courts- martial is as follows.
Transgressor
is expelled from the Company.
Transgressor is reduced in rank
& flagged against promotion for at least 6 months.
The Transgressor is denied the
wearing of the insignia of the Company for a set time.
Transgressor is flagged against promotion.
Once
you are a member of the Condottieri or a Companion you are forever part of the
Black Wing Company. Only when you as a member of the Company chose to break
that tie or the Company for serious transgressions breaks it.
First Under Royal Charter to Their Artemisia
Majesties John and Alyna second crown of Artemisia AS XXXI.
Charter
first drafted by Master Albert Faulke during the dawn of rapier in Artemisia.
Signed by the Crown of Artemisia this 8th Day of December A.S. XXXIV
Revised By Lord Azir de Lucera, Captain General A.S XXXIX
Download the Charter This link will be updated to the updated version of the charter as soon as it has been approved by the Captain General.