"Step not there -

it is where the gods sleep...

This is Vé."

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Preparing for battle...   This is the fight scene!   We're hosting the general outline here and, in the absence of skilled stunt coordinators (we're an amateur production after all) we're seeking input from skilled re-enactors on accuracy/authenticity.   Got some advice on making this scene even better? Got some examples? Please send the director a mail! mike@gitve.com

 

Episode 1

 

Wolves in Hallowed Places

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Combat Scene

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Choreography

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Scene: Marshall vs. Vargr

 

Location: The Vargr camp

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Players and armaments:

 

(M) Marshall, a Norman crusader

 

Marshall's weapons:

 

Short Mace, (rh)

1.5m Norman Kite shield. (lh)

1-H sword,  (lh)

 

Vargr: a outcast band of raiders (lit transation: "wolves i hallowed places").

 

(V1): Axe (rh)

(V2): Axe (rh)

(V3): Axe (rh)

(V4): Spear, leather armour, helm

(V5): Spear and axe, leather armour, helm

(V6): A giant. With throwing-axe, long axe, spear, Viking helm.

(V7): (Captain): With sword and shield. Maille-clad, Viking helm

 

Gutten, a spectator.

 

Dog, a spectator (Irish wolfhound)

 

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Preliminaries:

 

Vargr Chief (V7) and his group (V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6) are going through the spoils of a recent victory. V7 is resting on a bench. V4 and V5 are delivering items of interest to him at his table. V6 is feeding Dog. V1 and V2 are rummaging through clothes and bags. V3 is tending a fire.
 

Marshall has disturbed them in their camp, seeking the return of some valuables.
 

Marshalls companion, a young girl posessed by "the wolf mother" instructs the Vargr to fight him.
 

They willingly oblige.
 

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Combat Step 1:

 

Marshall drops his priests robe to reveal chain mail, and un-slings a kite shield and weaponry (sword, still sheathed, and mace).
 

The Vargr calmly allow him to dress for battle (honour among fighters etc).
 

The Vargr ready their weapons, armour etc calmly: business as usual.
 

M signals readiness, and steps forward with mace and shield (sword remains sheathed at belt).
 

V7 waves for V1 and V2 to close on M with axes. They do so happily.
 

M readies mace and shield. Using length of shield to advantage, M can outreach V1, and drives tip of shield diagonally into legs of V1 while using body weight to thrust upwards behind (left hand) shield, using it as wall to throw V1 back.
 

M fends off high blow from V2 Axe with (right hand) mace, and sweeps shield around to batter V2 down.
 

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Combat Step 2:

 

M kills V1 and V2 where they lay with Mace to skulls, as V3 runs in with high axe blow.
 

M blocks blow with mace handle against axe handle, and uses variant of half sword technique to wrap V3 axe with mace and capture it, confusing V3, who loses his grip and looks in astonishment at his bare hands.
 

M delivers blow to V3's face with captured axe.
 

V3 knocked to ground face down.
 

M kills him where he lays with own axe protruding from back: V3 dies with same astonished look.
 

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Combat Step 3:

 

V4 and V5 are spearsmen, and approach cautiously, spears down, from the left and right.
 

M steps towards V4, who moves closer to V5.
 

M steps towards V5, who moves closer to V4.
 

V4 and V5 now stand shoulder to shoulder, their two spears parallel.
 

M plants tip of shield into ground, so that it stands solidly by itself, as a barrier to the spearsmen, and rests his mace upon it, waiting for their double attack.
 

V4 and V5 aim some probing thrusts over the shield, independently of each other. Once-twice.
 

Each time M steps back, forcing V4 and V5 to direct longer thrusts over the barrier.
 

V4 and V5 look at each other, and then make a synchronised probing attack over shield rim, quite forcefully.
 

M now stands at 1 meter distance from the shield, but with outstretched arm and mace still resting its head upon the rim of the shield.
 

As spear tips approach again, M ducks towards shield and violently launches shield up, knocking the spear tip uselessly high, even as V4 and V5 step back.
 

The momentum of the Shield also pushes the resting mace up, and M swirls it in windmill motion to deliver an underarm sweeping blow to V5, stepping rapidly forward as he does so.
 

M is now beneath the spears, and they are useless: As V5 crumples to the ground, V6 steps back in alarm and drops his spear, attempting to untie the axe at his belt.
 

A quick one two with the mace and V4 and V5 die with crushed skulls.
 

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Combat Step 4:

 

An urgent shout from Gutten, and M barely has time to raise his shield as a flying axe embeds itself in the shield: V6 (A huge man) has thrown it, and snarls as he joins the fray. He carries a (RH) long axe and (LH) heavy spear.
 

Marshall quickly examines the shield: the axe is embedded too deeply for quick removal.
 

He drops the shield and pulls his sword out with his LH like a dagger.
 

M stands with LH sword down and RH mace up as V6 approaches aggressively.
 

V6 rests his spear expertly on his (upwards facing) axe head, with spear-tip aiming down towards M’s feet. He engages M with a savage thrust of the spear at M’s feet, as he sweeps the axe over arm to come onto M head.
 

It is a powerful motion: M manages to counter the spear with his mace, and sweep it to his right, but narrowly avoids getting an Axe through his helmet, barely deflecting it with his sword hilt, held high. The axeblow glances off his helm.
 

M still holds his sword like a dagger, and has positioned it so it points at the Giants belly. V6 realises this, and grunts just before the sword impales him.
V6 grabs at M's helmet with both hands and pulls him closer, face to face, determined to snap his neck.
 

M brings his mace up beneath V6's chin and smashes his jaw. V6 falls to the ground and dies with a sword to his chest.
 

Dog, who has been watching the battle, decides now is a good time to leave, and slinks away into the forest.
 

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Combat Step 5

 

The wrenching action on M’s helmet has snapped a strap, and M rapidly pulls off his helmet as V7 (Vargr chief) calmly steps down. He pulls off his sword belt, unsheathes the sword and throws the belt to the ground, picking up a round shield. V7, like M, is clad in maille.

 

 

Dialog:

 

V7 to Gutten:             "Mother - Why did you bring death here?"

Gutten:                       “You brought him here yourselves”.

V7:                              “Then we die well”

 Gutten:                      “Yes”.

 

V7 is a skilled swordsman, and takes a plough stance with his (RH) sword,  (LH) shield facing M.     
 

M stands with (LH) sword in plough position, and (RH) mace half handed, arm outstretched as a shield.
 

Both men circle each other.
 

M, attacking first, thrusts and sweeps his sword around the inner edge of V7's shield, pushing forward so that it slices through V'7s left side. M must raise his mace like a shield over his head to counter V7s almost simultaneous overhead sword strike.
 

Both men step toward each other, and come face to face in a grapple.
 

V7 has caught M's sword with his mailleclad ribs by pulling his shield back into his body. He aims several strikes into M's face with the hilt of his sword, each being barely countered by the head of M's mace as M desperately defends.
 

As V7 pulls his sword back for another strike, M delivers a blow to V7s face by bringing down the wooden point of his mace savagely.
 

As V7 stumbles back, M pulls his sword back, and impales V7 through the throat.
 

M, drenched in blood, surveys the scene grimly.
 

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End combat.