How I see lotteries working

[Uberto (Uberto Renaldi)]

Each couple* wishing to enter the lottery would submit an application to the Kingdom Seneschal or nominated deputy. They must meet certain minimum criteria, both as individuals and as a couple.

Each application is checked (by whom?) and on the appointed day, all valid applications are put into The Goblet of Fire an appropriate container in the presence of the Crown, the Greater kingdom officers, and at least twelve peers of the kingdom from the polling orders and royal peerages (none of whom have entered the lottery).
The Crown draws an application at random from the container. Those named on it are then declared as the heirs and successors to the kingdom.

The drawing could be public, or could be done in private with an announcement then made in court that the heirs had been elected or chosen (to create some theatre and give a whiff of historical authenticity to it all).

* "couple" in this context obviously refers to any two people jointly applying for entry to the lottery, of any combination of relationship or genders.

[Sekai (Sekai)]

This by far the most straight-forward option, and would reflect the "random chance of birth into a royal family"

Sadly, while I think it is a very sensible option from an equality standpoint. As it is the most fair and equitable option, as it removes physical ability, monetary & time resources and levels the playing field to desire to service the kingdom and random chance. 

I worry without some sort of public tournament/measure of skill it would remove a level of magic from the SCA forever. As it would functional turn the role of Crown into little more than six-month admin position. (Which I understand that the crown is functional a figure head in many ways already) But that sense of looking up to the Crown as an example of skill, that sense that this someone that has worked and earned the Crown, being removed could lead to level of awakeness that could do some real damage to the dream of the SCA and its appeal in the long run.

[Kinggiyadai Orlok (Kinggiyadai Orlok)]

A single lottery selection would be so, so boring.

Maybe it could be spiced up by elimination selections until only one candidate pair remains. The eliminations could be spaced out amongst the other activities scheduled at an event, say one elimination every ten to fifteen minutes.

To illustrate, there were seventeen couples in the most recent tournament, and this would take three to four hours to process in the above format, and all the while event attendees would presumably be doing other activities like feasting, games, combat, socialising.

[Uberto (Uberto Renaldi)]

A single lottery selection would be so, so boring.

You're working on the assumption that the selection method has to be exciting.
Also, unless heavy fighting is one of your interests, or you know someone who is competing, Crown Tourneys are also probably quite boring. The fact that heavy fighting is not everybody's cup of tea is, after all, one of the reasons we are considering different methods of choosing our royalty.

Maybe it could be spiced up by elimination selections until only one candidate pair remains. The eliminations could be spaced out amongst the other activities scheduled at an event, say one elimination every ten to fifteen minutes.

We could have quite a lot of silly fun with this, perhaps with each unsuccessful pair being "assassinated" one-by-one during the event until only one remains.

Or each candidate pair could come forward and attempt to petition/persuade the Crown to choose them over all the others. It won't change the outcome, but it could be entertaining.

I'm sure there are other ways to make the event interesting, and that's sort of the point. With the current system, every Crown Tourney event is very much like every other Crown Tourney event, with little flexibility for creativity or artistry. So boring! 

[melissawijffels (Melissa Wijffels)]

A single lottery selection would be so, so boring.

We could have quite a lot of silly fun with this, perhaps with each unsuccessful pair being "assassinated" one-by-one during the event until only one remains.

A suggestion I want to put out there as window-dressing for any selection method (but especially this one!) -- the lottery is drawn by the council you suggested in private. The winner is informed, and they must then do arrange a bit of theatre in which they form a coup and assassinate the previous Crown.

This would potentially be even more engaging than a heavy tournament for the populace if the lottery contestants really go for it with their performance.


The benefits of assassination:
1. Very historical!
2. Makes XXX and XXX the IV reigns funnier

The Crown is Dead! Long live the Crown!

[aelfredseleof (Ælfred se leof)]

This by far the most straight-forward option, and would reflect the "random chance of birth into a royal family"

I like this way of thinking about it. Someone born in to a royal family does at least have the advantage of being trained into the position from birth (or at least I assume they do). Should someone selected by lottery have to serve an apprenticeship first?

Maybe I'd miss the pomp and spectacle of Crown Tournaments, but I'm sure we can find other reasons to hold tournaments.

[Felicia ad Aquam (Felicia ad Aquam)]

I am unsure what the current Prince/Princess do in the months between crown and coronation, but I would imagine that period would work as an Apprenticeship period, if it didn't already.

We could add some pomp and spectacle, the crown presenting their heirs to the populace in a court with huge ceremony after the selection has been made in the background (in closed doors with all the candidates present to watch or something) and contests and tournaments for those that like to participate for the fun of it, perhaps with the winners having an advisor to the crown role for their reign, or present their victories with a piece of advice as in the name of the incoming crown or something like that. For the glory of the king and all that.

[Kinggiyadai Orlok (Kinggiyadai Orlok)]

Lottery process could be done via an elimination tree like our current tournaments: two contender pairs in each bout, but there would be no human influence, just some flip of a coin or other randomiser device.
This way would still have bouts and rounds, with spectators able to follow their favourites through the rounds and spurring speculation.

[Sekai (Sekai)]

I have been thinking about the lottery "spectacle" question for a while now. No matter the shine you but on it, it will quickly become very mundane. Because, put simply it is a very mundane act. There is a moment of thrill to a drawing for sure. But it isn't the same thing as watching competitive play, by a long shot. If we are going to go this route we have be okay with that. Simple as that.

We would be trading the drawn and appeal of a high level competitive event for the fairest and most equal path to Crown. If that is a fair trade or not is another question.