Seadog
Okay, now that I've actually had the time to not only soak it all in but to sit down and write about it, Seadog Nights was fucking awesome. I've been to the first, second, and every single other one and watched it grow over the years. This year was its tenth anniversary.
So Myzeray and I arrive onsite and get checked in. We find our encampment with no difficulty, and attempt to set up in the midst of a puppy stampede (six puppies in camp, WAAAAAAAY too cute). We get the tent up only to find (bear in mind that neither Myzeray nor I are the owners of this tent) that while all of the poles and parts of the tent were indeed included in the bag, the poles of half of another tent (actually, I think it was a day shade) were also included. This of course made for the usual frustrations of setting up. Now I've been eventing for eleven years, and I accept that setting up is always going to be a hassle. Especially when you're Frederick the Reckless (tm).
So Thursday night after setting up we get changed into garb, and I wear my new outfit, one I wore at Olympus Among Us:
Myzeray also dresses to the nines, but we have no pictures of the outfit at this time. They will be coming however, as Dawlmesh the Imagemaker was very inspired, as he usually gets at events. And so as a rare treat, rather than set up and perform on the first night of the event, Myzeray and I go out roving. We find the rest of the Troupe and where they're camped, and then head off to Ignition's encampment. Now, allow me to reiterate (beacuse I've said similar words in the past) that if you event, and Ignition is there, and you don't attempt to get to know them on even the least level, you are short-sheeting yourself in the "knowing cool people" department. Khan and the gang are cool people, and that night we spend about an hour catching up before heading out to seek more noise. That's what you do, really, when roving. You follow the noise and seek the most interesting source of it. The night passes with much roving, drinking, carousing and catching up with friends, and I recount the story of how I lost my hair several times over, something I got used to at Olympus Among Us. Thursday night ends relatively early from my perspective, singe I tend to stay out all night at events...
Friday begins with me selling raffle tickets, something I do when I'm desperately broke, which is more often than I'd like of late... But enought lamenting the financial things. This year the prize was something I make and sell for one hundred dollars a set-- stainless steel talons:
I make three designs, and this style, the Classic, is my most popular. Each talon is laser cut, and made of 18 gauge stainless steel, hand formed and polished. I sell tickets for the chance to win them, explaining that there are two sets, and therefore two winning tickets will be drawn. When I run a raffle I offer a deal to sell more tuickets and give folks a better chance to win: One dollar per ticket or six tickets for five dollars. They sell well, given that in this economy very few have the money to buy a set outright. When you get the chance to get something this cool that sells for one hundred dollars for one dollar, even when you're in competition for it, you'll take that chance.
Friday evening is our first performance of the weekend, with two menmers of Ignition guesting with Fire and Steel. It's a "fire performance open mic night," as I like to call them, more a glorified practice than a show. Still, the audience enjoys them, so we do them, and it helps us keep our edge. Nothing beats lit practice, and even better when there's an audience. Myzeray has a brief accident-- During her double whip set, she catches her bandanna on fire. These things happen, even to the most experienced of all of us. She handles it without a stutter, swiping her bandanna off her head in a fluid motion, without dropping either of her whips and carries on with the rest of her act. I can't tell you how proud she did me there.
After the show there's a masquerade ball to get ready for, but we don't make it in time. I spend too much time figuring out Myzeray's outfit, something I planned out in my head but never rehearsed. She is dressed only in one hundred feet of rope tied into a body harness, and five yards of powder blue lace held to her skin by that rope. I do my best to arrange the excess so that it looks like a gown, and in the back it works well, but the front requires a revision by Myzeray in order to look right. Since we miss the ball due to dressing and pictures, we decide instead to carouse. More roving is in order that night, and we retire in the wee hours of the morning as the sun starts to rise-- very, very drunk.
Saturday starts with more raffle tickets, roaming about and such, attempting to bide the time til dark. There is precious little shade onsite, but there is an ice cold creek running on one side. We go there to try to cool off... Big mistake for me, really. I have asthma and am overheated, and the runoff in the creek is so cold that my lungs try to shut the fuck down. Seriously, I begin hyperventilating to the point where I can't stop, but I am in too deep already to really see any point in turning around and getting out. So Parlon (sp?) of the Criminal Dawn helps me across with an inflatable raft or somesuch, and I stand waist deep in a portion of the creek which gets sunlight, so it is a bit warmer. I stand there for about half an hour, and gradually cool my core temperature before crossing back to dry off and go out selling more tickets and meeting folks. Myzeray finds the creek to be invigorating and just what she needs to cure her hangover. I leave her to her own devices and roam about the site.
Saturday evening's show-- Can you say Chaos? Ignition is to be on before us, a rare opportunity for me to finally catch their show in its entirety. You see, usually we go on before them, and when the show's over I still have things to do. I generally have to get changed, move gear to whatever area I will be doing my Fireplay demo at, and then usually I return in time for them to close out their show. Seriously sucks, since just as they are fans of Fire and Steel, I as well as the rest of the troupe are fans of Ignition. But not this time. We get there early, and beforehand I change into my NEW STAGE GARB:
So, somewhat unrecognized, I make my way to the rest of the troupe's encampment and then out to stage. We set up before the show, and Ignition is still getting ready. So to fill the stage as the audience gets restless we have Brandon, a regular guest at Seadog's fire shows, and Pirate Technics, a new troupe, as well as the Fiery Dragons open for Ignition. Ignition's show-- AWESOME. I don't care that they run a short program, it is a treat for me. I finally got to see a full show for a change instead of a few acts at the beginning and the very end. We go on and rock the site as usual, but this year there's a treat for the audience- you remember about this year being the tenth anniversary of Seadog Nights? Well, I have a treat for Zorgon, the Autocrat for the event. I've learned a new trick that I like to do on special occasions. Ever heard of "Swordside Service?" It's the act of opening a bottle of chanpagne by way of cutting the top off with a sword. Ever seen it done with a FLAMING sword? No, didn't think so... Well, I call him out onto the stage, and give a short speech about the history of the event and how it's grown, and call for cheers for he and his autocrat team for running such a sensational event. I have my flaming goblet brought to me, and draw and ignite my sword. I take the bottle and with one quick, precise cut sever the neck of the bottle just below the cork. Ffyn the Ffool tries to catch the cork in a bucket, and the audience roars when they hear the thunk in the bottom. I pour Zorgon a mug full of champagne, hand him the bottle, ignite and raise my goblet. I toast him, the autocrat team and the event, and take a mouthful from my goblet. The audience explodes with applause as I breathe fire across the top of the goblet, proving that I did in fact take something from the flames as I tipped it back. Zorgon returns to the audience and the show continues.
That night is the night I have set aside for fireplay demonstration, a show I like to call "the Dark Side of Fire." Two things different about this year: Pirate Technics opens for me with their adult firedance show, drawing the crowd in. The other difference is Myzeray is helping me run the queue this year, having completed her training in torchplay. We take donations only for this night, as fireplay is costly, explaining that this one night will likely cost us seventy-five dollars in fuel and supplies to do. Most are accomodating, some grumble. Much of this is put down by my explanation that this year, rather than waiting in line up to three times to experience torchplay, fire flogging and fire whipping I will run one line, and you get the full fireplay expereince you're after all at once (in other words, if you want torchplay front and back followed by a back and front fire flogging followed by a fire whipping finishing up with torchplay over the fresh lash marks, you got it-- for a BUCK...). As for fire safety, instead of Zeke as per usual, I find an equally awesome substitute: Drake, of Ignition. He handles the job well, and it does NOT suck. You have naked chicks hanging on you while they get beaten with fire, what sucks about that?
Sunday we pack out as usual, say our goodbyes and head home. While it's been a fun weekend, I am still eager to be home again and even moreso to be next to my loving wife, Lorelai. She doesn't do Seadog because the site is too hot for her and the baby, and I miss them each time.
SEE YOU ALL AT BLACKTHORNE REVEL!!!