The Editorial staff of the Gazette has regained control!
To explain, several weeks ago a new editor joined our staff. Some members of the Gazette team were suspicious of this individual. Their e-mail address, Ninja.MacNinjaface@SCAllion.org, might have been a clue as to their intent. We all thought it was a very generous offer when they volunteered to act as Editor-of-the-Day while the rest of us were at Coronation. Boy, were we surprised.
The Editor-in-Chief has suspended Ninja MacNinjaface for 52 weeks.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.
All of the fighters know it. The MoLs know it. The Crown knows it. Even the Duke, himself knows it.
Timothy just keeps winning too many tourneys.
His Grace recognized the problem several years ago, and decided to reduce the size of his shield. When that wasn’t enough, he reduced it further until it was barely the size of a buckler. But he still kept on winning.
“It’s been pretty frustrating,” said Earl Arnthor, who stepped down from the throne today. “You train and train, and you think you’ve got a good chance of beating him, but then he throws that snapshot and the next thing you know you’re lying on the ground trying to remember which way is up.”
Sir Thorsol agreed. “I thought for sure that heart attack would slow him down, but no, he just came out and beat the snot out of everyone at Ice Dragon last weekend.”
Duchess Gabrielle has declined to comment, but some of Duke Timothy’s squires have come up with an ingenious new method to slow him down. Baron Friderich Swartzwalder explained, “At first, we thought maybe we could tie one of his arms behind his back, but that was too obvious. Instead, we decided that we’re going to tie his legs together right before each tourney. It’s an old technique used with horses, called hobbling. We’re hoping that will create a more level playing field in the heavy fighting community.”
Duke Byron disagreed. “I just don’t see it. He can kill me just as well standing still as he can moving around.”
A taskforce is brainstorming alternate solutions and is expected to finalize a plan prior to Crown Tourney in Sylvan Glen on May 6.
Immediately upon being Crowned, Their Majesties, Andreas and Kallista, announced that They are creating a new award for the worst garb or armor. It is to be given to subjects who have been in the SCA more than 2 years and are still wearing ratty T-tunics, their High School prom dresses, or carpet armor. They said it is Their hope that this award will inspire these subjects to “up their game” in an effort to beautify the Kingdom, especially for the upcoming Pennsic War. The award would be analogous to the Golden Stirrup or the Golden Mirror, but for the opposite reason.
They welcome your recommendations for possible recipients of this non-armigerous award, to be called the “Order of the Sad Accoutrements” pending approval from the College of Heralds. The proposed badge is “On a demi-woman proper in a prairie dress azure and argent, a bend and a roundel voided conjoined gules.”
The autocrat for the A&S Faire in Nithgaard on April 29th has announced two new competitions in addition to the already scheduled Arts & Sciences display, Queen’s Prize, rapier tourney, and heavy weapons tourney.
The Beer Pit Tourney
This contest will occur after the rapier and heavy weapons tourneys are completed. Judges are requested; we will need at least one judge for every six entrants for reasons that will become evident.
Each entrant is expected to being a six-pack of some potent potable and a designated driver. One can/bottle will be given to the judge. Contestants will then consume however much of the remaining five bottles or cans they desire while they regale the judge and the audience with tales of their derring-do, martial prowess, and ability to best the other entrants. While alcohol is expected to be consumed, this is not actually a drinking contest. It is a storytelling contest, lubricated by some adult beverages. Points will be awarded for a good story, good kit, and good contributions to the judge’s cup. Extra points will be awarded to entrants bringing their own home brew.
While telling their tale, contestants may swing a stick to demonstrate their smooth striking, their majestic might, or their focused fury. However, actually striking another contestant or the judge will result in immediate disqualification.
Designated drivers will then be available for both the contestants and the judges.
Asked about this new competition, Master Morien McBain said “It’s about time that we had a contest recognizing both bardic and drinking prowess!”
New A&S Category
A prize will be awarded for the best entry that was completed on the car ride to the event. This will include the drive from wherever you slept the night before to the site, or for larger projects the drive from your home to wherever you crashed the night before the event. Entries must be accompanied by an attestation from the driver of the vehicle in which the entry was completed. Drivers are not allowed to enter physical items as we do not sanction unsafe driving. Spoken word or sung entries may be entered by drivers, but they will need an attestation from a passenger that they heard the driver rehearsing their entry.
THLady Fede di Fiore lauded this new contest as right up her alley, but lamented “The drive from my house to the event site is too short to get much of anything done, especially with the baby wailing in the back seat. Why couldn’t they have held it at Ice Dragon?” Her husband, THLord Cassiano da Castello, grumbled that brewing in a car would be quite hazardous, but agreed that this was a competition whose time has come.
The autocrat, Baroness Elena de la Palma, hopes contestants and spectators will enjoy both of these new activities.
Bacon Bash is fast approaching! We hope to see you there on April 15th at 3860 Academy Street, Utica PA.
There will be a boxed lunch available at a cost of $10.
The boxed lunch will include:
Half a Pound of Bacon!
Bacon Bread Twists
Bacon Wrapped Dates
Boiled Egg
Cheese Cubes
Fruit, and
Dessert
Vegetarian option available upon request when you preorder. To preorder a boxed lunch please SEND AN EMAIL to ottilige@rocketmail.com with ‘Lunch’ in the subject line. Please preorder by Noon on April 10th.
Lunch fee is payable to troll at the event. The only confirmed preorder is an EMAILED preorder!
Greetings Æthelmearc, especially all webministers:
We are happy to announce that our form server has been moved to the Kingdom server, in line with some of our current goals and data policy requests from the SocWeb. This was the final outstanding item from the Kingdom server move of 2020.
You may now start filling out web forms again, such as the Award Recommendation and Webminister Report Forms. The Form Server looks and feels the same as before, except for the URL. Previously, the URL started with https://ae.scaforms.org, but now it should start with https://aeforms.aethelmearc.org. All links to forms have been updated on the Kingdom website.
We have requested that the old server be shut down as soon as possible. We kindly ask that you check any links on your website, especially those related to Officer websites or bookmarks on your Internet browser, to ensure they are updated as well.
If you notice any issues or forms not functioning properly, please notify the Æ Helpdesk at helpdesk@aethelmearc.org. If possible, please include a screenshot.
Thank you for your patience during this transition. In service,
The Festival of the Passing of the Ice dragon is less than a week away. The time of year has come in the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael to celebrate the passing of winter and the welcoming of spring and warmer weather after a long snow-filled winter!!
Activities for the day will include the traditional A&S Pentathlon, a hall of Merchants with a wide selection of items, Martial tournaments, a host of Bardic and other performing arts performances, and activities for adults and youths.
There will be a Quiet Room available for any attendees that need a break from the activities of the day. A children’s activity area will be available for unstructured play time and crafts.
SCHEDULE FOR DAY OF EVENT:
8:30 a.m. – Site opens
9:15 a.m. – Pent room opens – Room G200 – 2nd floor – Student Success Center
– Pent registration begins
– Pent judges check-in
10:00 a.m. – Morning Court (LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED)
10:30 a.m. – Pent registration ends
10:45 a.m. – Pent judging begins
10:00 a.m. to 1 hour before court – Heavy fighting bear pit Tourney – GYM
11:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Fencing list opens for authorizations,
instruction, warm-ups—GYM
– Youth Heavy combat tournament begins. – GYM
11:00 a.m. – Vigil for THL Eleanore Godwin- Room S103 – Student Union
– Children’s Activities begins—Room B252—2nd floor above cafeteria
12:00 p.m. till finished – Heavy fighting Elimination tourney – GYM
1:00 p.m. – Fencing tournament begins – GYM 1:00 p.m. – TROLL CLOSES
– Children’s Activities Ends
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Bardic Tavern – T102 (No Food or Drink)
3:30 p.m. – Pent judging ends
4:00 p.m. – Merchants close
5:00 p.m. – Afternoon court (LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED)
6:00 p.m. – Pickup pent entries + prizes
7:00 p.m. – Pent room closes
8:00 p.m. – Event closes, all attendees be off site by this time
MERCHANTS THAT WILL BE SELLING THEIR WARES:
Sleepy Unicorn
Medieval Misfits
Aries Design
TheCoribirdDesigns
11th Century Badger Ltd
Goblin Parlour Games
Rencraft
DrKimsFineArts
good clean fun soaps and crafts
Duchess Sir Rowan stuff
Earth and Loom
Cool Craniums
Rapier Rose
Lions Tower
Snoods by Moniczka / Sun Moon and Starflowers
HEAVY COMBAT TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:
Bear Pit tournament. 1 point per fight, 1 point per win. There will be a max number of wins before cycling though based on attendance but no more than 5. There will also be an Elimination tournament. Last one standing is the winner. Single or Double Elimination depending on attendance.
YOUTH HEAVY COMBAT TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:
Tournament will be a prize tournament. The Wheel of Fate will choose your weapon. (Weapons will be available for all options on the wheel of fate). A casting of the dice (large and foam) will choose your (division appropriate) opponent. This will be a bear pit style tournament. 1 point for entering the list. 1 additional point for victory. There will be a prize for the most points earned as well as the fighter that shows great courtesy and chivalry.
FENCING TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:
For those participating in the Reduced armor experiment, Reduced armor will be allowed. The format will be a bear pit and an unlimited win list with wounds retained. The morning will be open for authorizations and instruction.
THE FOLLOWING RULES OF GYMNASIUM ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Non-marking shoes are required by EVERYONE, not just fighters. This includes things like buckles, spurs, hobnailed boots, etc… not just the soles themselves. Please be respectful and inform others.
Next, going to knees is forbidden. Two leg shots will suffice as a kill. Acknowledge the first leg blow from your opponent, then announce dead for the second. Armor cannot be placed on the gymnasium floor!!
There will be some bleachers to watch from… but the first few rows will be for armor dump. Please sit higher up if you’re watching and keep your armor footprint small as there is limited space. To that point, there will also be mats around on the floor for armor to go on.
For additional information regarding the event please visit the Facebook page here.
There is also information on the Ice Dragon website found here
For any further questions regarding the event, please contact the Co-Autocrats Lady Genevieve O’Connor at email here and Baroness Miriel du Lac at email here
The Society is currently assessing the Anti-Drag Legislation recently passed in Tennessee, in addition to the proposed similar legislation in 14 other US states. The Corporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, in conjunction with SCA Inc.’s Legal Counsel and President, is undertaking an impact assessment for the Board.
This aims to determine potential impacts for the Society’s participants in terms of public interaction and other potential safety consequences.
