The Archery Tournament will consist of three rounds, held on separate days: Thursday, Friday and Saturday
This round will test your basic accuracy. Each archer will get a certain number of shots (depending on how many entries we get) to hit a stationary, fixed target (say a specific tree). One point will be awarded for a glancing shot (if it keeps going beyond the target), and two for a direct hit (bounce backward or sideways). A cumulative score will be kept for each archer, and the top scorers will advance to the next round.
This round will test your accuracy on volunteer human targets. Each archer will get a certain number of shots (depending on how many are left and time constraints) to hit a human target at a fixed distance. This target MUST keep one foot planted (like a pivot foot in basketball), but may do anything else within that limitation to dodge the arrow (twist, turn, duck, scream in fear, etc.). One point will be awarded for a glancing shot (as defined by the target or herald, who gets the final say, even scraping clothing counts), and two points for a solid hit, no matter where on the body it impacts. A cumulative score will be kept for each archer, and the top scorers will advance to the next round.
There will also be a late entry category for those archers who arrived on Friday and were not able to compete in the first round (no second chances if you lost in the first round!). They will be taken aside while the first round winners are shooting, tested against the same fixed target that the other archers fired at in the first round, and allowed to advance if their scores are high enough to qualify them. Then they will compete in the second round like everyone else.
This is the challenge round. The names of the remaining archers will be drawn at random and paired off until one is eliminated according to the procedure outlined below. This process will be repeated until only one archer remains, who will be declared the Champion. Each archer will stand on top of a hay bale, from which he will fire a certain number of arrows at his opponent, who is standing on another hay bale at a fixed distance away. He may fire at any rate he wants to until his arrows are exhausted or the herald gets too impatient and orders him to hurry up. Each archer can dodge the arrows as best he can without leaving the top of the hay bale. A glancing blow (judged by a herald) counts as one point and a solid hit counts as two points, regardless of where on the body it hits. If for any reason (a slip, attempted dodge, etc.), an archer falls or is forced from on top of the hay bale and any part of his body, clothing or weapons touch the ground, his opponent is also awarded one point. The archer with the highest number of points after the pre-determined number of arrows has been fired is the winner. In case of a tie, they will each be given one arrow at a time until one out-performs the other.
This is only a game, and we are out to have fun first and worry about winning second. GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP IS MANDATORY! All Heralds decisions are final, and losers are expected to congratulate the winners. We are trying to determine who is the best archer on a GIVEN DAY, not the champion of Dagorhir (although it will be inevitably be viewed as such). Leave your egos at home, and come compete just to enjoy yourselves! Anyone arguing excessively with the Heralds or caught cheating will be immediately disqualified. DO NOT FORGET THE 1OTH COMMANDMENT:
This tournament is brand new, and to run it as fairly as possible, we will need a large number of heralds. However, all they have to do is watch the targets and declare a hit or a glance. NO FAMILIARITY WITH THE ARCHERY OR COMBAT RULES IS NEEDED! Please consider helping us out here, it is the simplest job available. No, you will NOT be allowed to judge your friends shots. Hopefully we will have enough volunteer heralds so that every archer will be judged by someone from a different kingdom. If you are interested, come to the Tourney registration table.