12th night--more details
Jan. 12th, 2009 09:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kareinaI have been enjoying reading the various 12th Night summaries on my Friends page, with four different Kingdoms listed (at least). There is quite a bit of variety in the Known World as to how this event is done.
I've been in the SCA since the early/mid 1980's, but this is the first time I've attended a camping event for 12th Night. But then again, it is also the first time I've attended 12th Night in the summer, so no surprises that none of the others were camping events. This particular "camping" event was held at a scout camp, so there were bunk houses available, with preference for bunk space given to those who travelled here from out of state. (As it should be--there are only two ways to get here--by air or by sea, and by air is (usually) considerably cheaper and faster, but doesn't permit much in the way of luggage.)
So I booked camping space, and hoped I could bring my pavilion, but wasn't certain if I'd be able to, given how small our car is. It *is* possible to transport the pavilion in the car, but not much else, and one can't take a passenger, as the poles have to go diagonally from the front window on the passenger side to the back of the car on the left hand side, and they only just fit. This is only possible if the back seat is down, thus eliminating any legal way to transport people too. But the lovely![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
glass_violet had room in her car to bring the poles up early the week before for me, so all I had to squeeze into the car was the pavilion fabric, our clothes, feast gear, bedding, a small roll-up table, my computer, some sewing projects, and some socks, toiletries, etc. I wanted to bring my hammer dulcimer, but it wouldn't fit, so I let the guy who made it bring it to the instrument display at Cygnet Folk Festival instead. He tells me it had a good time there without me.
Another way Lochac 12th Night differs from all of the others I have read about is that it is a fully catered event. There is a feast, and other regular meals provided. This makes for a rather expensive event, but, fortunately, off-board options were available for people like me, who prefer to bring their own food to camping events. As usually happens, I nibbled on my food off an on during the early part of the day, and was done eating about the time the feast started being served. I did a bit of the serving, and spent time visiting with people at various tables during the feast. It is odd the way I lose interest in food in the evenings--even though it all smelled delicious, I simply wasn't interested in eating. (a large part of why I go off board--no point in paying for food I'm not going to eat, nor for them to count me as eating when I'm not going to--that path leads to too much food being wasted--much better that they shop for only the folk who will actually eat.
The thing which most surprised me about the event was the way they did the Coronation Court. I guess I expected that Lochac, as a descendant of the West, would follow the tradition of the outgoing King placing the Crown on the head of his heir. Instead they set up a story, which was well enough played out to provide entertainment for the populace.
During the final court of Siridean and Siban his Majesty announced that he was going away on Crusade, and he took the cross, left his Crown and his signet ring in the care of his Queen, and bid the people to care for her and obey her as they would him, and off he went, accompanied by all of his guardsmen, for the journey would be dangerous, and court was ended. Some time later Her Majesty conveyed court, attended by ladies in waiting and a single guardswoman and proceeded to present a few awards to deserving individuals. Then, abruptly, her court was interrupted by a band of noisy, armoured, sword-wielding men. Her guardswoman attempted to disperse them, but she was overwhelmed and carried out as the heir to the throne declared that the Kingdom had been left too long without a protector and therefore he was going to claim the Crown, as was his right. Lacking a guard, her Majesty, wisely, acknowledged his right to the Crown, and presented him with the signet ring and he crowned himself Theuderic, King of Lochac and offered up his oath of fealty to the Kingdom and her people. Her Majesty then asked if he meant to rule alone, or if there was one to stand by his side, and he called forth Engelin and Crowned her Queen and she swore her oath in turn. Then, before anything else happened they thanked Siban for her service to the Kingdom and presented her with a County that she may have a comfortable retirement.
Much later, during the evening feast, the merriment was interrupted as Siridean returned from Crusade and attempted to enter the hall, only to be stopped by a guardsman. He pushed his way in and demanded to know who dare deny him entry to his own hall, and who would try to usurp his Crown. Realizing that it was his own Heir, who pointed out that the Kingdom had stood in need of a strong leader, he started to back down from his challenges, and his Majesty then offered him an honourable retirement presenting him with a ducal rank to support him in his old age. (note: Siridean has also reigned over Calontir, which is why he's a Duke now, though he has served Lochac as King only the once).
I actually found myself enjoying the way they presented the story and played out their roles, but I am not certain that I would have, had I not been invited to be one of the ladies attending HRM during her final, solo, court. Not that I think that it is important for me to participate, but because it gave me a chance to hear in advance that they were going to let the new King crown himself, so I had the opportunity to get used to the idea before witnessing it, and so not have my sense of tradition unexpectedly flouted.
Another difference in the way things are done here, that I haven't decided if I like or not. When the Crown gives their oath of fealty back to the peers/officers/Landed Barons and Baronesses, rather than saying "so say we Theuderic and Engelin", they say "so say we, Lochac". This is good in that it underscores the fact that the Kingdom and the Crown are one, but if they say their names it helps the populace to learn and remember their names, which, I think, is also important.
For me the event was a nice, mostly relaxing, weekend. I did some stitching, some visiting with old friends, some meeting new folk, some singing, some dancing, one nice long walk to the quarry of metamorphic rock (low grade, but nicely folded schist), and even some (probably not enough) uni work.
Alas, sleep was also in the "some" category, rather than the "enough" category, resulting in my being largely useless today. I would have slept in much later than I did, but I needed to be at uni at 11:30 for a meeting. The meeting went well, and as a result I've made good progress at expanding the zircon section of chapter five. Then I took a short nap untilclovis_t was done with his meeting and returned home, where I've wiled away the afternoon getting more stuff put away and doing e-mail and other useful tasks. I sincerely hope that having had a, largely, lazy day that I'll be motivated to do much uni work tomorrow!
I've been in the SCA since the early/mid 1980's, but this is the first time I've attended a camping event for 12th Night. But then again, it is also the first time I've attended 12th Night in the summer, so no surprises that none of the others were camping events. This particular "camping" event was held at a scout camp, so there were bunk houses available, with preference for bunk space given to those who travelled here from out of state. (As it should be--there are only two ways to get here--by air or by sea, and by air is (usually) considerably cheaper and faster, but doesn't permit much in the way of luggage.)
So I booked camping space, and hoped I could bring my pavilion, but wasn't certain if I'd be able to, given how small our car is. It *is* possible to transport the pavilion in the car, but not much else, and one can't take a passenger, as the poles have to go diagonally from the front window on the passenger side to the back of the car on the left hand side, and they only just fit. This is only possible if the back seat is down, thus eliminating any legal way to transport people too. But the lovely
glass_violet had room in her car to bring the poles up early the week before for me, so all I had to squeeze into the car was the pavilion fabric, our clothes, feast gear, bedding, a small roll-up table, my computer, some sewing projects, and some socks, toiletries, etc. I wanted to bring my hammer dulcimer, but it wouldn't fit, so I let the guy who made it bring it to the instrument display at Cygnet Folk Festival instead. He tells me it had a good time there without me.Another way Lochac 12th Night differs from all of the others I have read about is that it is a fully catered event. There is a feast, and other regular meals provided. This makes for a rather expensive event, but, fortunately, off-board options were available for people like me, who prefer to bring their own food to camping events. As usually happens, I nibbled on my food off an on during the early part of the day, and was done eating about the time the feast started being served. I did a bit of the serving, and spent time visiting with people at various tables during the feast. It is odd the way I lose interest in food in the evenings--even though it all smelled delicious, I simply wasn't interested in eating. (a large part of why I go off board--no point in paying for food I'm not going to eat, nor for them to count me as eating when I'm not going to--that path leads to too much food being wasted--much better that they shop for only the folk who will actually eat.
The thing which most surprised me about the event was the way they did the Coronation Court. I guess I expected that Lochac, as a descendant of the West, would follow the tradition of the outgoing King placing the Crown on the head of his heir. Instead they set up a story, which was well enough played out to provide entertainment for the populace.
During the final court of Siridean and Siban his Majesty announced that he was going away on Crusade, and he took the cross, left his Crown and his signet ring in the care of his Queen, and bid the people to care for her and obey her as they would him, and off he went, accompanied by all of his guardsmen, for the journey would be dangerous, and court was ended. Some time later Her Majesty conveyed court, attended by ladies in waiting and a single guardswoman and proceeded to present a few awards to deserving individuals. Then, abruptly, her court was interrupted by a band of noisy, armoured, sword-wielding men. Her guardswoman attempted to disperse them, but she was overwhelmed and carried out as the heir to the throne declared that the Kingdom had been left too long without a protector and therefore he was going to claim the Crown, as was his right. Lacking a guard, her Majesty, wisely, acknowledged his right to the Crown, and presented him with the signet ring and he crowned himself Theuderic, King of Lochac and offered up his oath of fealty to the Kingdom and her people. Her Majesty then asked if he meant to rule alone, or if there was one to stand by his side, and he called forth Engelin and Crowned her Queen and she swore her oath in turn. Then, before anything else happened they thanked Siban for her service to the Kingdom and presented her with a County that she may have a comfortable retirement.
Much later, during the evening feast, the merriment was interrupted as Siridean returned from Crusade and attempted to enter the hall, only to be stopped by a guardsman. He pushed his way in and demanded to know who dare deny him entry to his own hall, and who would try to usurp his Crown. Realizing that it was his own Heir, who pointed out that the Kingdom had stood in need of a strong leader, he started to back down from his challenges, and his Majesty then offered him an honourable retirement presenting him with a ducal rank to support him in his old age. (note: Siridean has also reigned over Calontir, which is why he's a Duke now, though he has served Lochac as King only the once).
I actually found myself enjoying the way they presented the story and played out their roles, but I am not certain that I would have, had I not been invited to be one of the ladies attending HRM during her final, solo, court. Not that I think that it is important for me to participate, but because it gave me a chance to hear in advance that they were going to let the new King crown himself, so I had the opportunity to get used to the idea before witnessing it, and so not have my sense of tradition unexpectedly flouted.
Another difference in the way things are done here, that I haven't decided if I like or not. When the Crown gives their oath of fealty back to the peers/officers/Landed Barons and Baronesses, rather than saying "so say we Theuderic and Engelin", they say "so say we, Lochac". This is good in that it underscores the fact that the Kingdom and the Crown are one, but if they say their names it helps the populace to learn and remember their names, which, I think, is also important.
For me the event was a nice, mostly relaxing, weekend. I did some stitching, some visiting with old friends, some meeting new folk, some singing, some dancing, one nice long walk to the quarry of metamorphic rock (low grade, but nicely folded schist), and even some (probably not enough) uni work.
Alas, sleep was also in the "some" category, rather than the "enough" category, resulting in my being largely useless today. I would have slept in much later than I did, but I needed to be at uni at 11:30 for a meeting. The meeting went well, and as a result I've made good progress at expanding the zircon section of chapter five. Then I took a short nap until
clovis_t was done with his meeting and returned home, where I've wiled away the afternoon getting more stuff put away and doing e-mail and other useful tasks. I sincerely hope that having had a, largely, lazy day that I'll be motivated to do much uni work tomorrow!