Archive : Minutes : 5-23-01 Minutes

Lord Nial opened the meeting reminding all to remember the tithe, we ask $1 from everyone, $2 from combatants, if this is your first or second meeting, please be our guests.

EVENTS

This weekend is Crown Tournament in South Dakota and Kingdom A&S

Coming up:
June 1-3 Castle Fever in Minnesota
June 2nd is Melee in the Marche in Columbus
June 1-3 Siege of Talonvale in Leslie Michigan
June 8-10 Clown Tourney in Peru In, but no one's going to that one, right?
Because that same weekend is

Northern Oaken War Maneuvers!
Lady Franscesca is in charge of water bearers again and she wants your gallon jugs! Please wash them well and don't put caps on wet jugs (eew, mildew!) also see her if you're interested in helping out with water bearing at the event.
Marsali is still looking for folks to help out with children's activities, anyone who'd like to donate an hour or 45 minutes to teach the children a craft, she'd appreciate it, wool felting, paper making, etc. (Note; those who have children and enjoy having them being watched and happy may wish to consider volunteering to help out for a while)
Please remember to pre-register for this event! Guenhwyfar will be happy to take your money.
There will be an archery champion shoot at the event, the Sunday previous the archery guild will be meeting at Lucus archery to make targets for the event (and hey, while you're there helping out, maybe you should bring your bow and shoot a little too?)
Baron Durr will grace the Hofla again this year with his excellent drumming as well as another excellent middle eastern musician (who's name I missed, drat!), Narrah (a well known excellent dancer) will be teaching at the event as well.
Rapier fighters, our Marshal of Fence Snowden wants to hear from you, there will be a novice tourney at the event as well as a regular rapier tourney.
Rutgar's lady has the gold key and would like help on the day of the event taking care of it as they will have little ones in tow.
I'm still looking for a few more classes for the event, if you're interested in teaching, see me :)
Gunthur is the shire reeve, please see him if you're interested in helping out
This is likely the last big court before Pennsic! Get your award recommendations in now! The on line form does not work, please don't use it, instead email their Majesties directly at TRM@midrealm.org with the subject set to: Award Recommendation Northern Oaken War Maneuvers June 8-10 (this helps their Majesties sort mail and not loose track of recommendations... you might want to shorten it to NOWM... just a thought.)

SCA Buisness:

Next week at desert revel the Mistress of Children will be holding a class for the kids on making simple pouches and favors.

Brewers will be vinting cordials on Tuesday, see Nial if you're interested.

Also, Nial will be working on ballistas and arrows for combat archery this weekend, see him if you're interested.

The armorers guild works! As proved by the fact that Timothy is finally in armor, they're meeting as usual on Thursday night at Valorians, see Timothy for details.

Write for the Forum! It's our chance to shine, remember not only does the barony read our newsletter, so does the king and queen, kingdom seneschal and chronicler and the regional chronicler... let's show them what we've been up to!

A note about the Melee in the Marche event, the add in the Pale is incorrect, there are no pets and no equestrian activities at that event.

The Archery guild will be meeting June 19th here in the shore center, the last meeting went well, it was decided that the guild master will keep the Dragon's Flight scroll (the second popular option being the archery champion) and the first Sunday in June they will be making targets for Northern Oaken. As always Archery meets at Lucus Archery on Sunday afternoons.

Anyone interested in scouting, see Darius

They're building a fort at Pennsic! okay, legally it's a snow fence, but it's big and cool! and there's a lot of work yet to be done, it's a short jaunt out to Cooper's lake, why not volunteer some time? There won't be any construction going on this weekend due to the holiday, there are photos on line linked to the Pennsic website of the construction so far, don't be deceived, there's still plenty to be done! Also, there is a rumor that if you put in more than 10 hours of work you'll be allowed to put your badge or device on the completed fort... hmm... wouldn't perbend nebuly look nice?

For those who are afraid they won't make the June first deadline for their Pennsic pre-registration... Katrina (sorry if that's a horrible misspelling of the good lady's name) will be /driving/ her registration to Cooper's lake, see her if you'd like her to take yours along too ;)

The Fellowship of the Oaken Blade is raffelling off a beautiful buckler and dagger made by our own very skilled Gladius the Alchemist. The pair is a $155 value, and only 155 tickets will be sold. Proceeds from the raffle will go to provide regalia for the Order of the Bronze Ring, this is the highest order for fencing in the Middle Kingdom and they have No regalia! Please help out in this worthy cause and your chances are good of winning for yourself or a beloved fencer. (If you don't have a beloved fencer, I'm sure we can sugest one for you!)

The scribe's guild will be meeting with the archery guild June 19th here in the shore center. If you've been thinking of making a blank scroll... do so now! Northern Oaken War Maneuvers is expected to be a big court and we want to have plenty of scrolls ready for that event. see Guenhwyfar for details.

Our Chatalaine is still looking for information for her newcomers packet! Guild leaders, she knows who you are! Also, Lady Alex can't be everywhere at all times, if you see a new person, direct them to herself or to Lord Nial or His Grace, remember, you are /all/ deputy Chatalaines!

The Cooks Guild will be meeting July 7th outside at Ealdred's house to do outdoor cooking, not certain what will go on, just that there will be lots of good food and Ealdred's talking about having three fire pits going.

As Pennsic is drawing near, it's time to stop and wonder "Oh my god... what will I wear??" in that sentiment, let's revive the desert revel fabric swap! And old garb swap... (remember, you can always donate old garb to gold key)

Non SCA:

Also, with Pennsic drawing near, it's time to stop and wonder "oh my gosh... what tent will I sleep in?" (much laughter and teasing from the crowd including Lady Alex admonishing Edward Fitzranulf that this is a family group) Edward Fitzranulf has two boyscout cabin style tents, 7 by 8 by 7 feet in size, they're good tents, one has all the stakes and poles, the other has a cracked pole, they're definitely 'fixer uppers' being painted in camoflage, a few coats of white paint will be a must. See Edward Fitzranulf if you're interested.

Gladius has three used wooden long bows, they shoot well and are all in the $50-$55 price range, see him if you're interested.

Alish won't be able to make it to desert revel next week, so she brought some desert this week! please, eat it up, she doesn't want to take it home

June first is the last of the Mundane English Country dance group's meetings before they break for the summer season, if you've been thinking of going, this is our last chance! It's a lot of fun, see Angharad, Aiden, or Hawise for details.

Marixa of Crawfordmere has returned to us from across the seas for a short visit, and she brought with her many Kimono and Obi! If you're interested in authentic Japanese dress, please gather about the trunk of her rental car and she'll sell them to you.

Demos:

This Friday, June 25th for LeMusse Middle school, Lady Alex and Nial are attending, see them for details

June 11, 12, or 14th the cub scouts are looking for a one day demo, probably in the afternoon
June 22nd there's another one for the cub scouts, Shlomo and Karl are going to be attending that one
June 16-23rd, again cub scouts looking for one day demo.

And Baycrafters is coming up soon! As attendance was low last year, this year they're giving us free reign to do as we please, if you have a period pavillion let Darius or Alex know, there will be full fencing and heavy weapons tournaments all weekend with prizes, classes... we're going to do it up right this year! see Darius or Lady Alex for details.

And, From His Grace the Most Honorable Duke Syr Laurelen Darksbane, Baron Cleftlands:

Things have been said, and allow me to dispel rumors of Duke Sir Andrew of Seldom Rest, this is not a eulogy.

For those of us who have been around and have had the pleasure and honor of knowing the man who made so many contributions to our society. Those who have been around twenty years ago and more will remember him with kindness as he made it possible for things to be the way they are. We recently had an event where we explored the history of our barony and kingdom, deeds done which made all this possible...

He was king at the first Pennsic war, and the second, and the eleventh, but there is more to being King than what brings you to that office, what you do once there is what really makes a King. Andrew formed the Curia Regis, every other kingdom in the society starts their laws with "The word of the King is Law" except the Middle Kingdom, that was Andrew's doing. He codified and wrote down the Midrealm laws, before hand most of the laws of the known world were spoken, general and vague, and he in 'british fashion' set the law above the crown. An important distinction. He formed the Curia Regis, the great officers of state, to govern and carry out the business of the society and set them above himself.

Andrew was the first Earl Marshal for our kingdom, he wrote and codified our first marshal's handbook and the first Marshal's handbook for the Society as well.

He was a poet and scholar, a man of great humor and high passion. He would look you in the eye on first meeting and assess you immediately. And he would hold to that opinion until you proved it differently, which was difficult to do, very few managed it as it usually involved looking him back in the eye.

He was a large man, very strong, strong enough to lift me in full armor completely off the ground one handed! I know because he did so in one crown tournament. When Andrew wanted to win a crown tournament, there was no stopping him. He was so strong that he could stand like this, his shield down, casual pose and just.. move his wrist, small movement, flick and crush your helm!

Andrew did some of the first arms and armor testing, he built himself a forge to make riveted chain mail, he wore the first suit of riveted mail, his armor researched to match his persona he made the first barrel helm, wore his mail over a gambeson, plate armor atop and his helm had the most reluctant and grudging padding... he felt that he should accept his lumps out on the field, of course not many could actually give lumps to him.

After his second crown tournament, dark things happened. Suffice to say we all face a dark night in our lives, some come out of the experience, some don't. Two years ago Andrew did battle with a tractor trailer. An accident any ordinary person would have died in, but Andrew was so strong and resilient that against the odds he survived. More than the physical pain he lived with was the mental anguish and despair which can cloud any life.

Andrew sent his suicide note to several mailing lists, to all the peers of the realm which knew him... it was not a plea for help. Andrew was not the sort of man to /attempt/ suicide. His note was very him, a "I'm checking out, good bye."

There was a time when he was a scion of an age of heros. Some day we will all be names associated with deeds. The Egyptians say the gods will exist as long as they are remembered. So is it with us. For those of you who know me, know how important our history is to me and my grand speeches, let me sum up what Andrew meant to me with

Andrew is the man who Knighted me.

There is a moment of silence... and then His Grace with humor ends it
And that's enough because Andrew would say you're being silly.

And that is all for this week.
In service,

Milesent