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Autocratting I -
guideline for running an event

First, pick the type of event and date you want. Be aware that in some kingdoms you must have the date reserved 12 to 18 months in advance.

Once you know what you want to do when, and the Keeper of the Kingdom Calendar (usually the Kingdom Seneschal) has given you the go ahead, find your site.(I recommend doing this with as much lead time as possible for reasons explained below.)

If you are hosting an overnight tourney, you will want enough space for the list field plus camping and parking space.How much space this actually means depends on what calendar conflicts you have, how well you advertised your event and whether you are doing a local tourney, a baronial championship or a Crown List.Talk to former autocrats to get a feel for how many people you will have and try to get a site which will support half again that number but you can break even on with 3/4 that number.

Remember that if your site needs porta-privies your site cost will include privies, and be sure you have enough privies cleaned out often enough to last through the event.

Remember that your event cost will include the cost of the prize if you are doing a prize tourney.

Once you know how much you need to spend for the site and privies, talk to your exchequer.Do you have that much money?(Ideally, you will have twice that amount in the branch coffers, but ours is not a perfect world, so-- if there's a shortage—can you find a cheaper site?(Remember that your site must be confirmed (and preferably paid for or at least had a holding deposit paid) no later than three months before your event so you can put information in the kingdom newsletter.The more months your event copy runs, the larger your turnout is likely to be.)

If you can't find another functional site, you need to know how much money you need to raise in time to go about raising the money.Bake sales, auctions, raffles, et cetera are all ways to increase your available funds.The sooner you know you need $300, the easier it will be to raise the money.

If you can't raise the money, can you do the event in conjunction with another nearby group?(This does mean working out in advance which group will pay for what, and how much of the net profit (if any) each group will receive based on who put up the money and who did the work.If groups A and B both pay half the financial cost, but group A does all the work, A should get more than half the profit.

Okay.You have your calendar date.You have your site.You can afford your site.Now what?With luck, you have 3-5 months left so you can put the event in the newsletter for those three months.

One month before event:

Now you need to talk to your local officers and make certain they or their representative will be there.

• Constable
• Chiurgeon (If there's fighting.Not required, but handy.)
• Waterbearers (under chiurgeonate, but good to check with waterbearers and be sure.)
• Marshall
• Herald
• Feastocrat(If there's a feast.Servers and cooks are his responsibility.)

If any contests are being sponsored, make sure the sponsors know the contest is still happening as far as you're concerned

If merchants are welcome at your event, tell them so.Tell them in your copy, and tell them in person (or over the phone.)

If you are doing a prize tourney, make sure you have your prize (or a strong assurance the prize will be ready the day of the tourney.If the prize is a custom piece, the fighters should know in advance.)

At the event:

Make sure you have enough toilet paper, and have someone keep an eye on the privies to be certain none of them run out.

Be sure your schedule is well prepared, and if Royalty will be there, be sure to ask them if they plan to do a court and if so ask when they want to hold it (it is ok to have a time in mind, but the final decision rests with the Crown.)

Make certain you have a place to hold court, if there is going to be one.

Be flexible with your schedule.Try to keep things on time, but be realistic, and build that realism into your schedule. Don’t block activities directly back to back, so there is still time left once an activity runs late.If an activity finishes early, be prepared to move other things up, or add in something to fill the extra time.

Have your parking and camping areas clearly defined, so you don't have people parked in the camping area.

Any or all of these things can go wrong, and the autocrat's primary job at the event is to correct the problems, without stressing over them.This sounds difficult, and sometimes is.Simply find a workable solution, and don't fret if the event doesn't go precisely the way you envisioned.

One final note: If you are an officer, turn your duties over to a deputy for the event.

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