HISTORY
A WEAPON IS BORN
04/12/16
The Esteban was created by Starfire Swords, now known as Creations, and donated in April of 2016. It is a stainless steel, hand-forged blade with edges blunted for stage combat.
This behemoth of a sword holds a place of honor as LANCE's largest and heaviest sword to date. It made its first appearance in LANCE's very first Live Combat Chessmatch performance with the Orlando Renaissance Festival in December of 2016. Appearing again in the 2017 Orlando Renaissance festival in it's debut fight, wielded by our very own Michael Corinella two years in a row.
This behemoth of a sword holds a place of honor as LANCE's largest and heaviest sword to date. It made its first appearance in LANCE's very first Live Combat Chessmatch performance with the Orlando Renaissance Festival in December of 2016. Appearing again in the 2017 Orlando Renaissance festival in it's debut fight, wielded by our very own Michael Corinella two years in a row.
ENTRY BY: Marissa Kraatz
edited by: oli Lanham
ENTERING THE FRAY
12/02/16
|
The Esteban’s first performance was during LANCE’s battle chessboard at the inaugural Orlando Renaissance Festival. The theme of this chessboard was The War of the Roses, and the great houses of Lancaster and York clashed on the field of battle while Lady Gabrielle of Orlando desperately tried to keep them from outright killing each other.
Wielded by the erratic King Henry VI, played by Michael Corinella, Esteban was held aloft over the heads of other combatants as the king charged madly through a hectic melee at the start of the show. When King Henry took his place on the chessboard, the royal blade Esteban was in his hands. Though it has not yet been tested in true combat, the massive broadsword lent a much-needed air of authority to the otherwise silly sovereign. |
Michael Corinella as King Henry VI stands with The Esteban
during the living chess match at ORF2016. |
ENTRY BY: MARISSA KRAATZ
GATECRASHER
01/28/17
Sword for Hire Donor Steve Kattell brandishes Esteban for the very first time at the Front Gate of the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire!
|
The next outing for the Esteban was the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire in Gainesville, FL where LANCE Orlando served the Faire as Gate Guards. The Guards manned both the front and back entrances to the fairgrounds and they welcomed, heckled, conversed with, joked at, and bade farewell to the patrons of the Faire as they passed through the gates. The Guards on the front gate were also made a part of each day’s opening scene that started the day’s festivities, and two Guards were included in processions every day as they led the Thieves Guilde performers to their chessboard matches.
Of course, Esteban was included in the armory that LANCE brought with them. The Esteban served the Guards both on the gates and in the processions, and was a favored blade between them all. Michael Corinella was the Guard most often found carrying Esteban, though Heather Loomis and AJ Harrett were also seen to be fearsomely armed with the broadsword. For many patrons, Esteban gleaming in the sun on the gate was among the first and last things they saw at Hoggetowne this year. During processions, the Gate Guards easily parted the crowds with raised voices and Esteban held high to make way for the day’s combatants. On the last day of the Faire, something special occurred - the man who donated Esteban to LANCE finally had the chance to hold the sword himself! Thank you once again to Stephen Kattell, a man of incredible generosity. |
ENTRY BY: MARISSA KRAATZ
PHOTO GALLERY
|
HOGGETOWNE MEDIEVAL FAIRE 2017
MISCELLANEOUS PHOTOS
|
ORLANDO RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL 2016
|