Greetings!! Lady Thalia Papillon here, Gazette editor and proud inhabitant of the Kingdom of Æthelmearc, continuing with the tradition of populace in focus. Our Kingdom is a vast and wonderful place filled with many great people, but how many of these people do you see event after event and have never met, or maybe wondered more about?
This is open to the entire Kingdom and is not limited by rank, position, or time in the SCA. There is no deadline, when I have articles I will post articles. I am also interested in interviewing couples, households, fighting units, or any other element that makes up the Kingdom. Even if you don’t live in the Kingdom any more, but still call Aethelmearc home in your heart? We would love to hear from you too.
If you are interested in being interviewed please contact me (information below) and I will send you a series of questions to answer. When completed return the answers to me. Please include at least three to four photos to use in the article. One should be a good profile picture. Answers with no photos will not be published.
I hope to hear from as many of you as possible and look forward to learning more about everyone
Ever gotten to an event only to realize that your membership card is still at home? Never fear! A new digital version of your card is now available and can be accessed easily from your mobile device!
It will show your membership number, type, and expiration date, along with the names of other family members who are attached to a Sustaining/International membership. Cards have a blue background when there is a signed waiver on file, or a white background if not.
Step by step instructions to create a shortcut to your digital card on your device are now available at:
Over the last several months I have been working on updates to the Thrown Weapons Rules, and they have now been completed. Here are some of the major changes, but a good read through is highly suggested.
Closed toed shoes are no longer required.
Spears have only been added to the Royal Round part of the rules and are only for those who wish to do it…. So, NOT a requirement.
Sling ammunition/targets has been further defined.
Plumbata has been added to the rules.
ATL ATL has been removed from the thrown weapons rules, as it has been moved to archery at the Society level.
A Thrower’s highest rank achieved will be permanent regardless of the age of the thrower or current average.
With great joy, the Shire of Misty Highlands bids the populace of Æthelmearc welcome to the Crown Tournament of Maynard and Liadain as we begin to put the time of the plague behind us and slowly reunite with those friends who have been dearly missed for so long.
The Crown tournament will be held on Saturday, August 21 on the grounds of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, 71 Asylum Drive, Weston, WV. The site will open at 9 in the morning and close at 6 in the evening.
A detailed schedule of the day will be determined by Their Royal Majesties closer to the tournament.
Troll fees will be $5 for members and $10 for non-members, with gentles under the age of 18 attending freely with the welcome of the Shire.
Pre-registration is VERY MUCH PREFERRED via SCARS (link to be posted shortly) but may also be sent to the Reservations clerk,Master Otto Boese (Harry Marinakis) at 329 Sycamore Fork Road, Wallace, WV 26448 and received by August 14th. (Make checks payable to SCA WV Inc. – Shire of Misty Highlands.)
First, Crown will of course follow all coronavirus restrictions as laid out by the SCA, and that means that pre-registration will be required for all who wish to attend, although that number is no longer limited. NO ONE without a pre-registration will be allowed to attend the event. Please follow announcements from the Society Board of Directors as to the latest rules.
Second, the current restrictions on food means there will not be any prepared feast or sideboard offered at the event. The shire will plan to have bottled water available on site for the populace as long as restrictions allow.
Any questions on the event can be directed to the Autocrat, Baron Arias Beltrandel Valle (Alex Hines), 301 Arthur Ave. #1, Clarksburg, WV 26301, or at email or by phone at (724) 944-6547 (ABSOLUTELY no calls between 4:45 and 6:15 p.m. weekdays or from 5:45 to 6:45 Fri.-Sun.)
We look forward to welcoming the kingdom to the Shire of Misty Highlands as we once again greet each other in person for a grand tournament and in the fellowship we have long missed!
Folks, here’s the new signage that needs to be at all event notices, flyers, online announcements, and advertisements, as well as being posted in multiple locations at any and all SCA-sponsored functions going forward.
That means practices and gatherings, in event announcements, etc.
Basically, at any SCA function this notice MUST be posted going forward:
“Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.”
I first read about the Society in Dragon magazine, back when it was THE Dragon. That was pretty sweet. Mid 1980’s. Then I read about the Estrella war in a multi-age spread in Smithsonian, and I was really hooked. I was only thirty miles west of Pittsburgh, but without wheels of my own, I figured I was stuck. Then a guy invited me to a demo in the park at Bethany, WV. They put me in armor and smacked me around, and the rest is a beautiful love story!
Where did you start, what was your first event?
I was in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, and my first real event was a Shire halloween party in October, 1986 in Wheeling.
What is your persona? I’m a 15th-Century Scottish squire with a minor gift for poetry fighting in the Hundred Years War, except when I’m a 14th-Century forester chasing poachers on the Welsh border!
Why did you pick this persona? I saw Highlander in 1987. That was that! I wore a kilt for the next two years. I didn’t have garb that involved pants until maybe 1990.
Do you have any group or household affiliations? I fight with the White Company, and I camp at the Lusty Wench Tavern at Pennsic. I’m also a regular at the Chalk Man Pub, and I’m a member of the Forester Guild.
Tell us a little bit about your life outside the SCA. I am a high school English teacher who loves to ride his horse, run tabletop roleplaying games, learn new skills, and get to Europe as often as I can (when there isn’t a plague on).
What SCA activities do you or have you participated in?
Armored combat, rapier, cut and thrust, combat archery, equestrian, teaching, poetry, a bit of brewing, period wilderness skills, and stuff like that. I also started the Paladin’s pantry program, which I’m pretty proud of. I also teach a lot of classes, write poetry, and do research on a ton of different topics.
Tell us a little bit about your SCA experience (jobs, offices, duties, etc.)
Over the decades, I’ve done lots of different jobs at the shire and kingdom level. I was regional warlord one year and deputy for a couple more, which was pretty cool! I do work with the Watch at Pennsic up through point commander and deputy on duty. I’ve done most of my service in the marshallate, however, that’s what I got my Pelican for, I guess, along with the pantry stuff. I’m kingdom Earl marshal right now (which is cool, because William Marshal, the most famous Earl Marshal in history, is a distant ancestor.) I’m also working hard to get Aethelmearc its own branch of the Forester’s Guild (if you haven’t looked them up online yet, I really suggest it. It’s awesome stuff!). I’m a deeply lazy person, actually, but the SCA has so much good stuff to do I keep pretty busy!
When you started in the SCA what goals did you have? I wanted to be a knight, to have a totally insane suit of Gothic plate armor, and to own a percheron. My horse’s lineage is debatable, but I count her as a win. I got the armor!
What are your goals now?
Now I’d like to be a Laurel, a Master Forester, a Ranger (a specialized type of Forester focused on period wilderness survival and navigation skills, and making journeys over land and water), to keep Paladin’s pantry rolling, and to grow the Aethelmearc Forester’s Program into the best one in the Known World! I’d also like to get an experiment rolling for quarterstaff combat. It’s really kinda nuts that we don’t do that, I think.
What was the most intimidating thing you encountered in the SCA? Talking to women? I was a pretty sheltered Ohio Valley nerd… Honestly, I didn’t find the SCA intimidating. It was finding my tribe and the place where I fit, and it was wonderful. It still is.
If you could accomplish only one thing in the SCA in the next year, what would it be? Get to Pennsic! Good Lord, I miss that.
What advice would you give to a new person in the SCA, or if new yourself what question would you ask and who would you ask it of?
My advice would be to do everything. Do absolutely everything you want to do that looks cool. This is a perfect fit for a jack-of-all-trades person. Specialize later if you want, but first try all 39 flavors! (In the SCA there’s WAY more than 39, so this may take a while…)
If you magically woke up with an SCA talent you do not already have, what would it be? Leatherworking, maybe? Ooooo….making fire with flint and steel. I suck at that. Target archery? Dang, I still have a lot to learn!
Don’t be modest, what award or honor would you like to receive above all else and why?
I’d like another peerage. Laurel (for poetry, teaching, and wilderness skills) maybe, or the Omnibus Martial Peerage, if we ever get one! (I think we should call it The Chimera or The Manticore, because it’s an amalgam of dangerous stuff, and because the badge would look amazingly cool!
Please add additional comments as you see fit.
I have to say that the people in the SCA are a blessing. Overall, I’ve been dazzled by the rich variety, immense generosity of spirit, and essential decency of people in our game. VIVAT!
Interested in participating in Populace in Focus? Find out how below:
The Board has further announced that the language in the following resolution must appear on all event notices, flyers, online announcements, and advertisements, as well as being posted in multiple locations at any and all SCA-sponsored functions going forward.
Greetings onto the Throwers of Æthelmearc do I, Baroness Anastasie, send greetings and put forth this competition.
This isn’t a big competition but one to help challenge you and to help get you back in the swing of everything. I know we have trained ourselves to aim for the center of the target, this however will be a little more of accuracy than aiming for what we have trained ourselves to do.
This is to be done on a normal Royal Round target, scoring is as follows:
3-inch circle equal to 4 points.
8-inch circle equal to 7 points.
14-inch circle equal to 10 points.
Outside of the 14-inch circle equal to 1 point.
So as you can tell, you want to aim for the 14” ring. The number of weapons will be the same, 4 axes and 4 knives from the 10’ line and 2 each from the 20’ line. This can be done at any thrown weapons practice, a normal Royal Round score sheet can be used and you can email me the scores. Please only score per practice, only exceptions would be if you wanted to do something like trying it off hand (mark with OF) or a separate spear Royal Round (mark with SP, special categories).
This will start June 1st and will continue June 30th. I know it’s not a whole lot of time but there will be more to come after that.
There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and first for offhand and spear if anyone does them.
Please remember to maintain social distancing, wear your masks, do your best and I look forward to seeing the scores.
Maynard and Liadain. Photo by Duchess Anna Blackleaf.
Greetings unto Æthelmearc from Maynard and Liadain, King and Queen of these Sylvan Lands.
We are thrilled that the date for Our Crown Tournament has been announced for August 21, 2021 in Our Shire of Misty Highlands. Our Seneschal, Master Illadore, has provided an excellent video announcement with details here.
Our greatest wish is to host a grand tournament, boasting a large number of combatants and spectators showcasing and witnessing the prowess and chivalry of Æthelmearc.
However, as you may be aware, we are currently limited to 150 attendees. We therefore strongly request that combatants and consorts only submit a letter of intent for entry if they are confident of being present and participating in the tournament in Misty Highlands on August 21, 2021. Should the current attendance restriction by the BoD not be increased or lifted, this may result in those not running the event or participating in the tournament being unable to attend.
Furthermore, we ask that entrants into the tournament seriously consider what victory and being royalty during a pandemic entails. We encourage you to reach out to us with questions.
In order to get back on track as a Kingdom, the preferred date for Coronation is September 25, 2021. Alternate dates may include September 18 or October 1.
This is a very quick turnaround time, and entrants should consider the following prior to Crown Tournament as Our Heirs will be required to advise Us of their preferred option on the day of their victory; given that events and attendance are limited, Our Heirs may choose to have a virtual Coronation, at an event hosted locally or at another event scheduled on the dates above. Should none of these options be viable, Coronation will occur on the morning of October Crown Tournament.
Letters of intent are due to Us by July 21, 2021. We will limit those requirements outside of Kingdom Law to the following:
Prospective consorts must be present at the tournament.
Each combatant and consort must display a banner during the grand procession.
All modern armor and equipment must be covered. This includes modern sports equipment, company logos, bright-colored or blatantly plastic armor, etc. These may be worn but concealed with a heraldic tabard, surcoat, or similar covering. Modern footwear is acceptable if disguised or understated (i.e., black or brown).
Please also review the section of Kingdom law listing requirements included below. Contact us if you have any questions regarding any of these requirements. Be mindful that letters of intent must be postmarked or received by the Crown no later than 30 days prior to Crown Tournament (July 21, 2021). Confirmation of receipt will be provided as received. Please contact us via email if you have any concerns.
(Postal address included in email missive and available upon request.)
Letters of intent must include the following elements for both entrants:
SCA names
Legal names
Postal Addresses
Telephone numbers
E-mail addresses
Proofs of membership
Age (proof to be supplied at Crown Tournament) and
Proof of current authorization for Combatants.
We would also request that the preferred titles of both fighter and consort are included in letters of intent to ensure accuracy and promote pageantry (ex. Noble, Lord, THLady, Baroness, Sir, Mistress, etc.) There is also an online Letter of Intent Form available on the Kingdom Website here.
III-100 Entrants in this section of Law are defined as the combatant and consort entering Crown Tournament.
III-200 All entrants in the Crown Tournament must be members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
III-300 All entrants in the Crown Tournament must be 18 years of age or older as of the date of Crown Tournament.
III-400 The withdrawal of either entrant from the Crown Lists shall automatically eliminate both from that Tournament, except as provided below in paragraph III-1100. Either may withdraw at any point in the Tournament by notifying the Minister of the Lists.
III-500 In order to be eligible to fight or be fought for in Crown Tournament, a person must be a subject (as defined in Corpora) of Æthelmearc for one year immediately prior to Crown Tournament and be able to demonstrate a reasonable level of participation in Æthelmearc during that period.
The Crown may waive the above requirements if the entrants are subjects of the Kingdom and able to demonstrate to the Crown’s satisfaction by their own words or by recommendation of peers of the Kingdom that they have sufficient familiarity with Kingdom Law and customs and an acceptable level of participation.
III-600 Letters of intent must be sent to the Crown. They must include the following elements for both entrants: • SCA names • Legal names • Addresses • Telephone numbers • E-mail addresses • Proofs of membership • Age (proof to be supplied at Crown Tournament) • Proof of current authorization for Combatants
To facilitate complete letters of intent, a form is available on the Kingdom website as well as from the Crown and the Seneschal on request. Prospective entrants are encouraged but not required to use this form to ensure a complete letter. Letters of intent must be mailed, e-mailed, or hand-delivered to the Crown no later than 30 days prior to the Crown Tournament. The Kingdom Seneschal shall verify eligibility as defined in the Bylaws and Corpora.
III-700 No person shall enter the Crown Tournament without intending an honorable attempt to compete for the Crown. At the discretion of the Royalty whose Crown it is, the Kingdom Officers who administer Crown may step aside and have their emergency deputy administer the Tourney, so they may enter. In the event a Kingdom Officer should win Crown, the Law regarding Emergency Deputies and office succession will apply.
III-800 The entrants must be acceptable to the Crown or Their representatives.
III-900 No person fighting in or being fought for in Crown Tournament may administer the Crown Tournament.
III-1000 Any two people may champion each other in the Crown Lists (hereinafter referred to as a combatant couple so long as neither is championed by any other person.
III-1100 If one member of a combatant couple is removed from the Crown Lists for marshallate infractions or any infractions of the Rules of the Lists, both members are ineligible to continue in that Crown Tournament. If one member of a combatant couple voluntarily withdraws as a combatant in the Lists, the MOL and Marshal will confer with the withdrawing member to determine if they are also withdrawing as consort or if the other member may continue in the Lists. If the participant withdraws both as fighter and consort, both shall be ineligible to continue in that Crown Tournament.
III-1200 The preferred method of Crown Tournament is a double-elimination format.
III-1300 The winner of the Crown Tournament and the winner’s consort become the new Heirs to the Throne of Æthelmearc. They are each entitled to the Title of Crown Prince or Crown Princess, as appropriate to the individual’s persona.
III-1301 Upon ascending to the Throne, They may rightfully be acknowledged as Monarch and Consort with alternate Titles as appropriate to the dignity of the Throne.
My term of office as Earl Marshal will expire in January of 2022. Although these years have not been easy ones, it has been a pleasure and privilege to serve in this capacity alongside so many worthy and estimable people. As my time in this position comes to a close, I would like to put out a call for resumes from interested parties to take on this office after me.
Please make sure your resume highlights your experience in SCA and mundane service (especially in the marshallate), and any administrative or leadership experience you may have, offices held including dates, awards earned, and so on. The deadline for resumes will be September 1st.
Please send your resumes electronically to His and Her Majesty, as well as courtesy copies to Mistress Illadore (Kingdom Seneschal) and myself.
Greetings!! Lady Thalia Papillon here, Gazette editor and proud inhabitant of the Kingdom of Æthelmearc, continuing with the tradition of populace in focus. Our Kingdom is a vast and wonderful place filled with many great people, but how many of these people do you see event after event and have never met, or maybe wondered more about?
