Double Wars, the first few days
May. 28th, 2017 04:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kareina(Originally typed while on the road home, but edited after getting home to add links, fix some errors in time line and add stuff that I had forgotten when doing the first draft.)
Saturday I spent much of the day relaxing and catching up with people. My SCA sister, Tierzah, whom I first met in a winter mountaineering class and brought into the SCA saying "I know where you belong; come with me; here, put this on, its medieval" was visiting from An Tir with her husband and a bunch of others. We have only seen one another once since she left Oertha 27 years ago, so it was so wonderful to see her again.
The only class I attended that day was the dance class taught by Gaita.
Sunday afternoon I served as Lady in Waiting for the Queen, and then went to the evening dance class. Somewhere in there, while back in camp, I heard Sir Peregrine's kids ask him something about the next day, and he replied that he would be busy the next evening, to which Master SvartulvR replied "with that special thing?", and Peregrine confirmed that it was that special thing. Then SvartulvR commented to me that while no names had been named, Perigrin had been over to borrow the workshop, and the shapes of the things made gave him his suspicions. At that moment I realized (hoped?) that Master Ærikr would be knighted at this event. But, of course, I said nothing, only smiled.
Monday I started a bread sponge, then went to the unbelted fighter tourney, were I worked on sewing projects, and in the evening attended the Crown Prince during court, translating the Swedish awards for him when the Prince and Princess of Nordmark had their turn. However, when the Shire of Baggeholm came in to display their holy relic and declare that Wilhelm in Aarnimetsä is a saint (including a lovely painting of him in a halo), I couldn't follow it well enough to translate, so the Queen took over that part. Sadly I was standing on his other side do couldn't hear her translations, so possibly missed some of the more amusing details.
Tuesday I started the day with dance class, then baked bread over the fire and went to the end of the Young Blood tournament (open only to fighters who have first been authorized during the past three years) and then caught part of the music class. Then I put in a very brief appearance at the Weaver's tea before heading back to camp to get ready for Coronet Tournament. There were four couples entering the lists that had at least one Frostheim member, so we all processed to the tournament together, with fanfare and banners waving. Then we slotted into the processional line for the tournament based on order of precedence of the higher ranked of each pair, which meant that Eino and I marched right after the countess and her champion (who is Frostheim). So the two Frostheim banner bearers marched out with them as they were introduced and showed off the arts project they were displaying (a gift from the Countess to the wife of her champion, in thanks for letting him carry her favour). Then they doubled back and marched out with Eino and I (our Arts entry was my Prologue to Double Wars poem, which I recited). Then they doubled back and marched with the next pair of Frostheim entrants, and again for the final set too.
The tournament had 12 entrants, and was fought as a double round-robin, which meant it took hours to complete. It also didn't start until 19:00, which meant that the latter part was a torchlight tournament, because even with the long hours of sun compared to parts even further south, the event is still far enough south that it does get dark at night. My champion did better this time than he did last Coronet, and I can clearly remember 3 of his victories. They had the consorts sit in a line of benches on each side of the royals to watch the list, and the spot I was given was right next to His Royal Highness, so we had fun talking about the tourney as we watched it.
After the tourney I stayed up visiting with people till after 02:00, but still managed to wake up on time for the Laurels' meeting at 09:00 on Wednesday. After the meeting I caught the last part of the morning dance class before heading back to camp for lunch.
Then it was time for the Laurels' Prize Display. Every year when I see the nice tokens the other Laurels have prepared to give the participants I think I should make some too, but I have never figured out what I would want to make, so, once again, I had nothing prepared. Therefore I put some of my cookies into a Birch bark box, picked a few spring flowers, and offered the participants a choice of cookies or flowers.
Two of our new Frostheim members participated, one displaying a long bow he had made from a broomstick handle, with a detailed description of how he had done it, with photos, in both Swedish and English. The other displayed her first couple of embroidery projects, and was delighted when Mistress Lia taught her the difference between stem stitch and outline stitch (someday I will remember which is worked with and which against the twist of the thread).
Several people displayed the same projects as they had last Cudgel War, plus new progress since then, while others were totally new, like Beata's amazing buttons with metal thread osenstitch decorations. Sadly her class conflicted with something else that I attended, so I didn't get a chance to try it myself. Another of our new Frostheim members did make that class and reports that it is hard, doubly so as she suffers from hand pain.
During the display Her Majesty unveiled her plans for the Challenge Household: The Golden Egg, whose participants will need to undertake a major SCA project meant to take a year to accomplish to become members. I am thinking of trying to write a sestina for that.
That evening the amazing Kaarina and I were the only students in Master Otto's music class, and I was content to let them get deep into discussing theory while I worked on my Viking Cloak embroidery. I may not be able to follow much of it, but it is always a joy to see her passion for medieval music.
During that evening's court I sat with Kaarina and my minion. Late in the court they called up Sir Gilliam, to whom Ærikr is squired, and I wondered if this would be a lead in to his knighting. He did some sort of presentation on the Brewers guild, then the Royals suggested that since Master Fardang of the guild wasn't present perhaps his brother guild member and (and brother Master of Defense) Æerikr might come forward to accept on his behalf, so he did. After that business was done the Crown said that it was good that Ærikr was already present, and the Order of the Chivalry was called forward. The stunned look on his face at that moment was priceless! I was so glad to have been sitting both in front and far enough to one side to get a good view of it. Court was over after the Knights bustled the candidate off to stand vigil, and I hurried back to camp to add more wool and some fur, as the evening breeze after sunset (way early that far south!) had made me rather cold. Then my minion and I went to the vigil party and got our names added to the waiting list. He wanted to go in on his own, since Ærikr has been his biggest fighting inspection since he rejoined the SCA in his late teens (his parents had played when he was little, but they dropped out years ago).
When it wad my turn (some three hours later) I sang Ærikr Children's Inspiration by Colin MacLear, 2nd Bard of the West; and told him that the colour of his belt had been misleading for quite some time.
Saturday I spent much of the day relaxing and catching up with people. My SCA sister, Tierzah, whom I first met in a winter mountaineering class and brought into the SCA saying "I know where you belong; come with me; here, put this on, its medieval" was visiting from An Tir with her husband and a bunch of others. We have only seen one another once since she left Oertha 27 years ago, so it was so wonderful to see her again.
The only class I attended that day was the dance class taught by Gaita.
Sunday afternoon I served as Lady in Waiting for the Queen, and then went to the evening dance class. Somewhere in there, while back in camp, I heard Sir Peregrine's kids ask him something about the next day, and he replied that he would be busy the next evening, to which Master SvartulvR replied "with that special thing?", and Peregrine confirmed that it was that special thing. Then SvartulvR commented to me that while no names had been named, Perigrin had been over to borrow the workshop, and the shapes of the things made gave him his suspicions. At that moment I realized (hoped?) that Master Ærikr would be knighted at this event. But, of course, I said nothing, only smiled.
Monday I started a bread sponge, then went to the unbelted fighter tourney, were I worked on sewing projects, and in the evening attended the Crown Prince during court, translating the Swedish awards for him when the Prince and Princess of Nordmark had their turn. However, when the Shire of Baggeholm came in to display their holy relic and declare that Wilhelm in Aarnimetsä is a saint (including a lovely painting of him in a halo), I couldn't follow it well enough to translate, so the Queen took over that part. Sadly I was standing on his other side do couldn't hear her translations, so possibly missed some of the more amusing details.
Tuesday I started the day with dance class, then baked bread over the fire and went to the end of the Young Blood tournament (open only to fighters who have first been authorized during the past three years) and then caught part of the music class. Then I put in a very brief appearance at the Weaver's tea before heading back to camp to get ready for Coronet Tournament. There were four couples entering the lists that had at least one Frostheim member, so we all processed to the tournament together, with fanfare and banners waving. Then we slotted into the processional line for the tournament based on order of precedence of the higher ranked of each pair, which meant that Eino and I marched right after the countess and her champion (who is Frostheim). So the two Frostheim banner bearers marched out with them as they were introduced and showed off the arts project they were displaying (a gift from the Countess to the wife of her champion, in thanks for letting him carry her favour). Then they doubled back and marched out with Eino and I (our Arts entry was my Prologue to Double Wars poem, which I recited). Then they doubled back and marched with the next pair of Frostheim entrants, and again for the final set too.
The tournament had 12 entrants, and was fought as a double round-robin, which meant it took hours to complete. It also didn't start until 19:00, which meant that the latter part was a torchlight tournament, because even with the long hours of sun compared to parts even further south, the event is still far enough south that it does get dark at night. My champion did better this time than he did last Coronet, and I can clearly remember 3 of his victories. They had the consorts sit in a line of benches on each side of the royals to watch the list, and the spot I was given was right next to His Royal Highness, so we had fun talking about the tourney as we watched it.
After the tourney I stayed up visiting with people till after 02:00, but still managed to wake up on time for the Laurels' meeting at 09:00 on Wednesday. After the meeting I caught the last part of the morning dance class before heading back to camp for lunch.
Then it was time for the Laurels' Prize Display. Every year when I see the nice tokens the other Laurels have prepared to give the participants I think I should make some too, but I have never figured out what I would want to make, so, once again, I had nothing prepared. Therefore I put some of my cookies into a Birch bark box, picked a few spring flowers, and offered the participants a choice of cookies or flowers.
Two of our new Frostheim members participated, one displaying a long bow he had made from a broomstick handle, with a detailed description of how he had done it, with photos, in both Swedish and English. The other displayed her first couple of embroidery projects, and was delighted when Mistress Lia taught her the difference between stem stitch and outline stitch (someday I will remember which is worked with and which against the twist of the thread).
Several people displayed the same projects as they had last Cudgel War, plus new progress since then, while others were totally new, like Beata's amazing buttons with metal thread osenstitch decorations. Sadly her class conflicted with something else that I attended, so I didn't get a chance to try it myself. Another of our new Frostheim members did make that class and reports that it is hard, doubly so as she suffers from hand pain.
During the display Her Majesty unveiled her plans for the Challenge Household: The Golden Egg, whose participants will need to undertake a major SCA project meant to take a year to accomplish to become members. I am thinking of trying to write a sestina for that.
That evening the amazing Kaarina and I were the only students in Master Otto's music class, and I was content to let them get deep into discussing theory while I worked on my Viking Cloak embroidery. I may not be able to follow much of it, but it is always a joy to see her passion for medieval music.
During that evening's court I sat with Kaarina and my minion. Late in the court they called up Sir Gilliam, to whom Ærikr is squired, and I wondered if this would be a lead in to his knighting. He did some sort of presentation on the Brewers guild, then the Royals suggested that since Master Fardang of the guild wasn't present perhaps his brother guild member and (and brother Master of Defense) Æerikr might come forward to accept on his behalf, so he did. After that business was done the Crown said that it was good that Ærikr was already present, and the Order of the Chivalry was called forward. The stunned look on his face at that moment was priceless! I was so glad to have been sitting both in front and far enough to one side to get a good view of it. Court was over after the Knights bustled the candidate off to stand vigil, and I hurried back to camp to add more wool and some fur, as the evening breeze after sunset (way early that far south!) had made me rather cold. Then my minion and I went to the vigil party and got our names added to the waiting list. He wanted to go in on his own, since Ærikr has been his biggest fighting inspection since he rejoined the SCA in his late teens (his parents had played when he was little, but they dropped out years ago).
When it wad my turn (some three hours later) I sang Ærikr Children's Inspiration by Colin MacLear, 2nd Bard of the West; and told him that the colour of his belt had been misleading for quite some time.