Guido of al-Barran
The Guido is a way for the Barony of al-Barran to recognize the heavy fighters of the Barony who travel to Estrella War and fight for the good of the Barony and Kingdom. To receive the award a fighter must petition the Baron and Baroness on their own behalf by the deadline set by the Excellencies. The only requirements for the petition are that the Baron and Baroness names, al-Barran, and Cordon Scorpion be spelled correctly. Many fighters use this as an opportunity to show case their sense of humor and/or their skills at a chosen art. The Guido is awarded Saturday night at Estrella during Guido Court. The last person to receive a Guido each year is dubbed the Baby Guido and given a banner to display for the next year until a new Baby Guido is named. The Guido is made by the ladies of al-Barran and is a flat round black cap with a yellow headband divided at the edge into three sections. It is often, but not always, this symbol that shows a fighter in the Barony to be a veteran.
Traditionally fighters will decorate Guidos to make them unique. This serves the dual purpose of allowing the fighter to show off their personality and to make the Guido readily identifiable should it ever be lost. (It is important to note here that the Guido must truly be lost or abandoned. Attempts to steal a Guido will often result in a sever drubbing of the would-be thief.) If a Guido is ever found after being lost it is to be returned to the Baron and Baroness of al-Barran for identification. Their Excellencies will then call a special court to inform the populace that a Guido has been lost and returned to them and ask anyone missing their Guido to come forward and claim it. After the fighter comes forward they must accept any and all challenges from other Guido Bearer's before they are allowed to retrieve the lost and Errant Guido. This can be a long and painful process, especially if repeated multiple times during a single event.
The one exception to the tradition of presenting Guidos at Saturday evening court was at Estrella War XXII in A.S. XXIX (2006 Gregorian). On Friday afternoon between battles the Baron at the time, HE Master Ryan de Caergybi, called together the assembled fighters of al-Barran on the field to present a Guido to Lord Marcel Reinard who would be unable to attend court because of impending military deployment.
