From: Unter_den_Uebrigen (Original Message) Sent: 1/10/2002 2:43 PM
Let it be known, that on this day: January ninth, in the year two-thousand-two, at seven hundred hours Eastern Standard Time, the Low Caliber Club first came into existence; inaugurated by the founding Triumvirate and presiding Officers:

Chief: Odin
Treasurer: Unter_den_Uebrigen
Secretary: Aegus

the which offices are subject to change by executive decision of the Officers, but the identities of the founding Triumvirate remain fixed in the annals of Club History.

The Chief oversees the scrutiny of applicants and their proper training. The Treasurer is responsible for the maintainance of the server. The Secretary for the reading of Club email. (See Art. 3 below for details.)

The precepts of the Club govern the habits of 1) Fighting, 2) Deportment and 3) Governance.

Art. 1. Fighting

§ 1. It is the duty of each Member to perfect foremost the first three degrees of each weapon class, and to rather die a Roman death (s. Julius Cæsar act V scene v), than to rely upon the quick frag of the fourth and fifth degrees (s. Art. 2 § 1.1).

§ 1.1. The degrees of each weapon class in order of degree-preference within each class.

§ 1.1.1. Viking Short Sword; Roman Sword; Viking Broad Sword.

§ 1.1.2. Rusty Mace; Bone Club; Trial Pit Mace.

§ 1.1.3. Hand Axe; Goblin Axe; Viking Axe.

§ 1.2. Combat should prefer in the main the first two degrees of each class, the third being yet tolerable in exceptional circumstances and subject to the scrutiny of the Club.


Art. 2. Deportment

§ 1. Honor shall govern the actions of each Member, the particulars of which are subject to the discretion of each Member and the scrutiny of his Co-members, but which include these few precepts.

§ 1.1. The Good Fight is at stake, and never the quick frag. May all actions as a Member be directed at this one horizon.

§ 1.2. No death at the Trough. Let enemies feed freely between matches or in the case of severèd limbs, as this furthers the Good Fight, but do not let your enemy snack mid-fight. Smote him to the ground and insult him therefor.

§ 1.2.1. Should your enemy flee and hide in the weapons zone to heal his severèd limb, a peevish and dishonorable fellow who eats not in the open, smote him therefor.

§ 1.2.1.1. Exception: if there rules a barbarous Murder at the Trough, one may, in order to retain his rightful place between engagements and the liberty to feed in safety, enter the weapons zone.

§ 1.3. The ground is preferrable to the air. Our example is the Greek Phalynx, impervious turtles of the earth: let rather the enemy take the air in flight.

§ 1.3.1. A thrown weapon springs from an unstable situation or creates one where there was none before. Throw therefore in care and sure mastery of aim; preferably with a dramatic finish but always for a palpable advantage.

§ 1.3.1.1. If you are caught without a weapon, who can prevent you from a worser death? Truly, neither a spectator nor a fallen warrior, but a rodent.

§ 1.4. Never disgrace your manhood so much as to flee. If you find yourself amongst trough-murdering barbarians, or therein limbless, die a Roman death in the taunt, the manly stoop or the "suicide".

§ 1.5. A stowed weapon ("sword up") implies spectatorship, and spectators shall be treated as civilians. This shall not be used, however, to protect mid-fight knavery; cf. § 1.2.1.

§ 1.5.1. Taunt on your own time, and expect not impunity with a naked sword ("sword out").


Art. 3. Governance

§ 1. Duties

§ 1.1. The Chief shall be responsible for overseeing the general membership of the Club and primarily responsible for screening and scrutinizing prospective Members, in conjunction with the advisement of the Officers.

§ 1.2. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the maintainance of the server and web presence.

§ 1.3. The Secretary shall be responsible for the moderation of email and discussion boards, and tournament registration.

§ 2. Membership

§ 2.1. Election

§ 2.1.1. An Officer submits an applicant for membership, who then comes under the scrutiny of the Chief and the advisement of the Officers. The Chief shall designate training and testing rituals and submit his recommendation to the Officers for a vote; the Officers may then elect to hold a trial by fire. A majority vote is sufficient to a elect a Member, but a unanimous ratification is required to elect an Officer. An Officer must have already been elected a Member.

§ 2.2. Dismemberment.

§ 2.2.1. An Officer submits a Member or an Officer for dismemberment, who takes his case before the other Officers. A Member may then be called upon at the discretion of the Officers to come to his own Defense; an Officer has the unalienable right to Defense. A majority vote of the Officers suffices to dismember a Member; while a unanimous ratification is required to demote an Officer to a Member, and a further vote may be required to dismember him.