On Sunday, November 8th, the votes were tallied at the Fall Harvest Barony meeting held at the castle of Their Highnesses, Prince Byron and Princess Ariella, and Maistir Brandubh Ó Donnghaile and Mistress Hilderun Hügelmann were elected to succeed Baron Liam and Baroness Constance as the next Baron and Baroness of the Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands.

Before the election, the Baron- and Baroness-elect commented on their experience in the SCA and their thoughts on serving as rulers of the largest barony in Æthelmearc:

We are Maistir Brandubh O Donnghaile and Mistress Hilderun Hugelmann, known to most of you as simply, Brandubh and Hilda. We’re very happy to have been nominated and to be running for Baron and Baroness of the Debatable Lands, and are pleased to be in such excellent company as our fellow candidates.

A little about us and our SCA lives. We both started in the SCA 18 years ago, just as AEthelmearc became a Kingdom. We began in College of Cour d’Or, where we both held offices for the several years we were active in the College. We enjoyed dancing, helping coordinate classes, and generally learning medieval stuff and going to events. We grew to participate in the Barony as well. Hilda found joy in the administrative aspects, serving as Head Troll for many events, as Exchequer for fours years, and lately as Seneschal for four years. She also participates in the Seneschalate at the Kingdom level and follows Society-level administrative communications. Brandubh served four years as Baronial Herald, and Kingdom Herald for four years, and currently serves the Barony as Captain of Archers. We were also both recently Reign Coordinators for a previous King and Queen. Our interests in the peaceful arts are numerous, where we both dabble and are serious: Brandubh is an accomplished brewer, woodworker, wordsmith, cook, drummer and dancer. Hilda has been a soprano in the choir for over 15 years, researches Livery Collars, and greatly enjoys hand-sewing. And other interests, too! On the martial side of things, our children, Otto and Carl, like archery, thrown weapons, youth combat and occasionally youth fencing. We both like to throw weapons when we can, and Brandubh is heavily involved in the archery community here. As long-time participants in the Barony, and as Peers, we are both very familiar with fighting in the SCA – both heavy and rapier combat. Hilda especially gets a thrill from watching combat, both melee and tournament, and has participated in army support in the past. Should we be elected, we are both very much looking forward to participating more in the combat communities.

A little about how we see the duties of Baron and Baroness. We have great respect for the various martial and peaceful arts communities that make this Barony great. We have some ideas as to how we might encourage these communities to grow and thrive (for example: more social get-togethers – including cross-over ones – where ideas can flow; fielding cohesive Baronial units in all martial forms; and using modern web and social media as a forum for sharing and discussing arts projects), but what we really want to do is hear your ideas about your areas of interest, and how we can all participate in growing them, and growing in them. And how the Baron and Baroness might best encourage this. Of course, this includes our beloved Canton of Steltonwald and College of Cour d’Or – we admire and respect the special place you have as independent from and an integral part of our Barony. We also understand the importance of welcoming newcomers, encouraging retention, as well as keeping the joy alive for established members. Additionally, the Baron and Baroness are the voice of the people to the Crown, and the voice of the Crown to the people. This includes us writing Kingdom award recommendations (which we already do and will continue to!) and bringing news of the Kingdom to the Barony, and news of the Barony to the Kingdom. We’re both very comfortable with this type of communication, having been involved in similar communications at local, intra-local and Kingdom levels before. We see our Barony as one of the Greatest in the Knowne World, and we will not let the Kingdom forget! We have a lot more ideas, and we’d love to discuss them more with you.

And a bit about our philosophy. Hilda’s personal motto is “Levitate et Caritate”, which means, “With Levity and Affection”. That’s why we do what we do – for fun , and for the love of it. And that’s what we hope to bring to you as Baron and Baroness – that’s what we see as the main duty of the position: to facilitate your joy and delight and true affection for whatever aspects of the SCA you want to try, or participate in, or have yet to experience. With our backgrounds as local officers, and also working very closely with both local and Kingdom Courts, we understand very clearly the time and energy and skill that must be dedicated to the Barony by the Baron and Baroness for our vibrant group to thrive. And we understand it can sometimes be challenging as well as rewarding. We’ve been asked by people who also know these things, ‘Why? Why do you want to do this?” The simple reason is Love. We love this Barony, and the Barony is its people. There is great satisfaction in bringing joy to people that you love. We hope to do that as your Baron and Baroness.

~Brandubh and Hilda

Congratulations to Maistir Brandubh and Mistress Hilda! Their investiture will be held on February 13th in the Debatable Lands.