This winter, join the Barony of Thescorre at our annual schola as we move our festivities to a virtual space for the year’s C3R…. The COVID Corvid College of Three Ravens!
We are gathering together on Saturday, February 27, 2021 and using Zoom, Facebook, and our Barony Website to organize and run the event! While we are still physically distanced from one another, this is an opportunity to join in classes, A&S, workshops, bardic activties, feasting, and court from the safety of our homes.
This year, we are celebrating all that we love about the SCA and we have the unique opportunity to share that love with any and all who want to participate. We hope that this virtual format will allow gentles from Æthelmearc and the Knowne World entire to join in our fun as we work to learn together and come together in the safest ways possible.
If gentles have any questions, please reach out to the Event Autocrats, Lady Gwen Cooke (Jenn Bigelow-Carlson) or Lord Torbjorn Sigurdson (Jon Carlson).
REGISTERING FOR THE EVENT
You must complete the Google forms appropriate (listed below) to get the Zoom log-in information.
To register to attend the event and access the ZOOM Rooms, please fill out this form.
To register to teach a class for C3R, please fill out this form.
To submit an entry for A&S or Largess, please full out this form.
(Entries can be traditional SCA projects OR can be projects you have worked on during the pandemic to help your neighbors using your SCA skills, such as mask making, cooking for neighbors, etc.)
To perform during our feast (singing, playing instruments, or storytelling to name a few things), please contact Torbjorn.
We look forward to seeing everyone in this digital platform this winter when we come together for this year’s COVID Corvid College of Three Ravens!
To the Known World,
This was a difficult decision, however Gulf Wars 29 is cancelled due to the risk of COVID-19. We, like you, are saddened but this is necessary as we follow the recommendations of the Mississippi Department of Health.
Per their recommendation:
Among new recommendations as of March 12, 2020:
–Avoid gatherings of 250 people or more, especially if there is evidence of transmission in your county or adjacent counties . If you do attend, remember to practice the hygiene and distancing steps above.
–To prevent illness in those most vulnerable, anyone 65 or older OR with a chronic medical condition should avoid any gathering of 50 people or more.
If you need a refund, please contact the Exchequer@GulfWars.org within 30 days. For other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at Autocrat@GulfWars.org and Seneschal@GleannAbhann.net
Thank you for your understanding and your support.
Master Erik, Master Stephan, and Mistress Kalisa
While there are no known or suspected cases of (COVID-19), novel coronavirus, at Genesee Community College, the College continues to monitor its potential risk to students, faculty, staff and guests.
In accordance with the guidance from Governor Cuomo, SUNY and CUNY campuses remain open, but will implement protocols in support of reducing density. As such, the Ice Dragon Festival scheduled to be held on Saturday, March 21 will now no longer be held.
Our Exchequer staff will be processing full refunds for all pre-registered guests and merchants over the course of the next couple weeks.
NOTE: DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS AT THE COLLEGE WHERE THE EVENT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE HELD, AND DECISIONS BY THE GOVERNOR OF NY, ICE DRAGON HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THIS YEAR.
Are you contemplating entering the largest Arts & Science competition of our Sylvan Kingdom, the Passing of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon? And perhaps you are intimidated by it’s size, it’s reputation, and even a bit overwhelmed…? So, why do artisans enter competitions? Most of our artisans enter for feedback and/or for exposure. Which one you value most can help you to figure participation, and have the most Fun!
If you already know what you would like to do, the preregistration forms for both judges and entrants are NOW LIVE! Please consider preregister, this allows the organizers to match skills as much as possible, resulting in more constructive feedback. Thank you!
Category Pottery, ID 2018 – Richard and Saladin floor section by Ian Campbell
Factors to consider before jumping into the challenge of Arts & Sciences competitions:
Critiques must be consensual
Judges are volunteers
Know what the entrant wants out of the competition
Use the judging criteria, it is there to help
Documentation is not meant to be homework
This is supposed to be fun and helpful!
1. Critiques must be consensual.
Unless an artisan specifically invites someone to critique their project, feedback should be kept to compliments. Once an artisan enters into a judged competition, that will be considered consent to critique. Unfortunately, not all commentary from judges will be helpful, and the artisan may not like or agree with what a judge has to say about their project. That’s part of the deal though – take what you need, disregard the rest.
For entrants, don’t let the judging sheet be the end of the dialogue, especially if you don’t like something or feel like you can gain more from a longer conversation. Follow up and – hey look! You made a new friend.
For judges, keep your commentary focused on the project and serve the compliment sandwich (constructive critique sandwiched between two feel-good compliments); make sure every part “tastes good”.
Category Cooking – leavening / yeast cakes; and another Category Cooking – Pompei Bread Both by Cristnna MacTavish
2. Judges are volunteers.
Sometimes judges are the perfect person to judge your project, sometimes they step in at the last moment to help fill spots and they know little about your project. You never know who you are going to get. Your job as an entrant is to present your project in a way that someone who has no clue about what the object is can come in, see the object presented in a pleasing way, learn about it in a few minutes via documentation & presentation (project plus visual aids, clearly labeled), and have enough context to have a semi-intelligent conversation about it, with references and sources so they can follow up if they want to.
3. What do you want to get out of the competition?
If you are in it to win it, make a show piece, use the judging criteria, have several people proofread your documentation journal, practice your presentation, test run your display and ask for critiques before the competition. Will you win then? Maybe. That’s always the answer – you have no way of knowing all the factors ahead of time, just make it the best you can each time. Take the critique and make the next display/project/documentation/presentation better. Up your game any way you can.
For entrants, see above. If you are just there to share your cool project and get feedback, tell the judges that “tangents,” also known as “rabbit holes,” are welcome and encouraged.
For judges, if someone is clearly there to win, offer the next better step suggestion, score them honestly, and tell them why you scored them that way – don’t leave them guessing.
Category Youth: Made from scratch list-legal wood arrows with silk wrapping, by Mary of Harford (Myrkfaelinn); three (pest) animal illustrations by Hannah. So you realize, these are YOUTH entries! Really!
4. Use the criteria, they are there to help
The judging criteria, a grid of scoring criteria, is not only intended to guide judges to score less subjectively. Judging criteria are also intended to give entrants – or even just those wishing to improve – guidance on how to improve their art. Keep in mind that the highest score of the judging criteria reflects expert work. Reaching this level should be the goal of every entrant, but don’t expect it to happen overnight. Then when you do reach this milestone, it will be an achievement to be rightfully proud of – a true masterpiece!
For entrants, by reading the judging criteria and self-scoring your entry beforehand you can discover any shortcomings while you still have the opportunity to do something about it.
For judges, the judging criteria can help facilitate feedback to reach the entrant, even when under time constraints, by marking each topic on the form that applies to the entered project. Keep in mind that the highest score should be for entries so good that the most authentic recreator would consider it perfect.
5. Documentation is not meant to be homework
Unless you intend to write a research paper, a graduation thesis is not what the judges are looking for. Your documentation should be a combination of historical context combined with a project journal. It should tell the judges what you made, how it was made, and why it is historically authentic. And ask yourself: could a stranger to the topic understand and recreate your project using only your documentation journal?
For entrants, how much time will the judge have on average per entry? At an average reading speed 1500 words per 15 minutes, this limits the length of your journal. If judges need to speed-read supply keywords and highlights, and move side-quests to the appendices. Use a cover sheet summary, step-by-step instructions and photo journals to help organize the information and simplify navigation.
A few things to keep in mind about judges and judging:
– it is LOUD in A&S competitions, and not everyone reads well in noisy rooms with lots of distractions.
– stupid questions and assumptions are going to happen, and sometimes have to happen for clarity. Note them and recheck your documentation. It could be that the judge missed that due to distractions, or you could have mentally filled in with your own prior knowledge and your audience has no way of knowing.
Category Illumination; Second scroll ever by our very talented Crystal Bradley.
6. A&S competitions are supposed to be fun!
While most judges are careful about serving edible compliment sandwiches, sometimes you are going to get anchovies & pineapple on the same pizza. It is unfortunate when that happens, but it does happen. It’s a risk of competition, which is why #1 is so important. Take the feedback as it applies, disregard the rest.
A&S competitions are supposed to be educational. They are supposed to be fun. If it’s not fun for you, don’t do it. If you aren’t looking for feedback, don’t do it. But if you are, we are very happy you found us! Together, we can challenge and inspire each other to reach the stars!
To help find us, below is a map listing Troll (William Stuart Forum), the Pent rooms (T119A+B) and the Performance Arts (Stuart Steiner Theater).
For more information on the Ice Dragon Arts and Sciences competition: Kingdom Event page on the AS 54 Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Passing of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon.
The Ice Dragon Pentathlon is an arts competition that dates back to the second Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon ( basically, a long time ago). While it has had many forms over the years, the most recognizable and often used is the format we’re using this year: multiple categories anyone can enter and win, with an overall competition among those who have chosen to enter a minimum of five different categories.
☞ You can enter one item in one category at Ice Dragon.
☞ You can even enter up to five items in one category at Ice Dragon.
This enters you into the competition, but only for that category.
So essentially, we’re having 19 separate arts competitions.
If you choose to enter the Grand Pentathlon, you will need to enter a minimum of five separate categories. You can enter more. Only your top score in each of five categories will count. The 19 categories are listed here with explanations.
The folks who choose to enter the Grand Pentathlon will have their top score from each of their top five categories added together to determine their Grand Pentathlon score. So
If you entered Culinary Arts with five entries and got five perfect scores, only one of those will count toward your Grand Pentathlon score (but we WILL be at your next feast).
If you enter ten categories, only the top five scores FROM FIVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES will count towards the Grand Pentathlon.
There are nineteen categories. If you enter – and win – ten categories, it is possible for someone to enter – and lose – five categories, and still beat you in the Grand Pentathlon based on the scores because it only counts each competitor’s top five scores in five separate Categories.
How does the SCORING work?
To determine an item’s score, each item is evaluated on five criteria on a scale of 1-6 by three judges. These are added together for a potential score from 15 to 90 points The criteria used are dependent on the category entered and are broken down into four groups:
Material Culture (THINGS, including all written word entries except research papers)
Live Performance
Research Paper
Youth (minors are welcome to enter as adults if they wish to do so)
The winner of each Category is based on the best individual or group score of all items entered into the category. Winners of major categories will be announced and prizes awarded for them at the event.
An entrant’s Grand Pentathlon score is calculated by taking the entrant’s single highest score in each Category they are entered in. If the entrant has entered more than five Categories, the top five are used. These are added together to produce a Grand Pentathlon score. The Winner of the Grand Pentathlon is determined solely by the scores.
It is possible for a person to win five or more Categories and lose the Grand Pentathlon to another person who has won NO Categories. We have 19 Categories. A person scoring 50 in each of five Categories, winning those Categories, has a Grand Pentathlon score of 250. A person scoring 60 in five other Categories, but coming in second in each to five other people thereby NOT winning the Categories, will have a Grand Pentathlon score of 300. This is why we base the Grand Pentathlon on score, not on the number of major categories won.
And what about YOUTH ENTRIES?
People 17 and under may – but are not required to – enter in these categories. They may choose instead to have their work judged as an equal to any adult entry in the category appropriate to the materials and/or construction.
I also heard there are SPECIAL COMPETITIONS, separate from the general categories…
Special competitions are established at the discretion of the Pent Coordinator in consultation with the Event Autocrat and the Rhydderich Hael Baronage.
FIVE-IN-ONE PROJECT
Any ONE item that can qualify for entry in a minimum of 5 of the above listed Categories. This item may not be used to qualify for the grand Pentathlon Prize. Scoring is based on the same criteria used in the Pentathlon. To determine an item’s score, each item is evaluated on the five criteria on a scale of 1-6 by three judges. These are added together for a potential score from 15 to 90.
KING AND QUEEN’S CHOICE
Chosen at the discretion of the Æthelmearc Royalty. All items in all displays are eligible for and automatically entered in this competition.
BARON AND BARONESS’ CHOICE
Chosen at the discretion of the Rhydderich Hael Baronage. All items in all displays are eligible for and automatically entered in this competition.
Looking forward to your entries.
– cori
Pentathlon Coordinator
Kingdom Event page on the AS 54 Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Passing of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon.
Do you have an artistic youth, or two, itching to share their work with the Knowne World? Then perhaps they’d be interested in entering the Youth Category at the Passing of the Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon. Each year, the Pentathlon receives about a dozen of entries of our your young populace, who took up our challenge and prepared something special. Nothing is too simple or too unusual! From basic embroidery to scratch-made macarouns (mac-and-cheese), these kids have something to show that could teach even us know-it-all adults!
Youth Entry: fabric block printing
Projects that have been entered over the past few years included block stamped silk fabric, self-knock arrows, a decorated youth heavy fighting shield, a woven viking backpack, paintings, a machine-sewn tunic with trim, illumination, an embroidered wood-handled Viking bag, inkle woven trim, a rabbit-fur lined pouch, and even some silk brocade. We welcome whatever your youth is enthusiast about! Our Æthelmearc youth is a treasure and we are looking forward to what they’ll come up with each time.
Youth Entry: home-made macarouns – two versions, one spiced and one not spiced.
This year, the Youth Entries will be evaluated using Youth Entry judging criteria and the feedback will be tailored to the entrant’s age. We understand not each age range, nor all individual youths, process and produce at the same level and welcome adult guidance to help make the challenge of creation as much fun as possible. To help the evaluators evaluate the entry fairly, we request the youth or instructor to keep track of the division of labor, which is explained in more detail on the Ice Dragon Pent website. A simple list of who did what is often plenty.
Of course, we do love for a Journal to accompany the entry, to give us a glimpse behind the scenes of the creation of the entry. The judging criteria available on the Ice Dragon Pent website can be used as guidance to help explain what the evaluators are looking for when they look at the entry. If your youth is not yet at a point of making one, there are several ways the instructor can help. For instance, they can interview their youth entrant, or use the criteria questions as an on-paper interview. Whatever format your youth is comfortable with, we are too! We’re in it to inspire the next generation, and can’t wait to see what will happen next.
Youth Entry: Youth Heavy legal fighting shield (with a cereal bowl boss).
But wait a minute – now you want to enter too, but you are not a Youth?! No worries, we’ve got you covered! Check out the Pent website for more information – there is plenty to peruse – especially the Material Culture Entries (physical entries; anything not literary or visual) page and judging criteria.
If you have any questions, you can contact the Arts & Sciences Pent Coordinator Cori, or you can contact me. My youth has entered many times, and we are happy to share our experiences with you.
Yours in Service,
Elska á Fjárfelli
Deputy Pentathlon Coordinator
Kingdom Event page on the AS 54 Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Passing of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon.
Their Royal Highnesses are looking for entries for the Pennsic 49 Arts & Sciences War Point competition.
Lord Malys MacGregor, entered Pennsic War Point AS 48 with the category Objects with Bookbinding.
Their Royal Highnesses will be scouting out talent at Ice Dragon and at the A&S Faire. There will also be a dedicated A&S display to scout for talent at Æthelmearc War Practice and Æthelmearc Spring Academy (June 20th in the Shire of Coppertree). Entries are not required to be finished at that time, but should show what we can expect to see at Pennsic. Preliminary documentation will be highly appreciated.
Details of the competition may still change, but as this time the rules are very similar to those of last year:
The competition takes place on Thursday in war week, there will be 10 entrants from each side competing for a total of 4 war points.
Entrants may enter a single project or a body of closely connected work that was completed since Pennsic 48. Unfortunately, entries cannot consist of research papers, food, beverages, or performing arts.
Judging will be face to face. There will be 4 one-hour judging blocks, entrants will be required to be present for their judging slot. Judging is done by a panel, based solely on a rubric, which will be shared with the entrants ahead of time.
Documentation should be submitted by July 15th (it may still be modified after that, just bring a summary of changes if they are significant).
This is your chance to shine and to show what Æthelmearc’s Arts & Sciences community has to offer! Please consider entering, I can personally attest that it will be a wonderful and inspiring day of drooling over the best A&S entries that you may see all year. And keep in mind: the War Point Arts & Sciences Competition is open to the general populace throughout the day.
Mistress Leonete D’Angely entered Pennsic War Point AS 48 in the Scribal category.
Feel free to approach me or Elska with any questions you may have, here, by PM, by email or by finding us at your favorite event. We will be hosting A&S consultation tables at many future events throughout the Kingdom and look forward to see you there.
Yours in Service,
Hrólfr á Fjárfelli
Kingdom Minister of Arts & Sciences
The Passing of the Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon has released the judging criteria for its third category: Live Performance! Examples of this category can be instrumental performance, vocal performance, dance, juggling, storytelling, drama, comedy, improv, oratory performance as well as historical combat showcase (no entry of any kind will be accepted if the presentation requires a Marshall or safety equipment to be present). Entries should not exceed 15 minutes unless you have made prior arrangements. As there are time and space limits, the number of longer performance entries may be limited and are at the discretion of the Coordinator.
For more details on the Live Performance category, please visit the Pent website.
The Stuart Steiner Theater, now available to our performing arts as part of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon!
The Pent room will be open for registration from 9:15 AM to 10:30 AM. At 11:30 AM all Pent Performance Judges and Entrants gather at the Stuart Steiner Theater. The theater can be accessed from the theater lobby, either from the main entrance (which leads into the lobby) or by walking through the building.
And the populace is welcome to witness our Live Performance entries! We are able to use a beautiful professional theater and the performers would be sure to enjoy the live audience. Please keep in mind the doors will be shut during the 1 hour sessions to prevent disrupting the performances.
Documentation for Performance Art may be verbal this year. If an entrant chooses this option, there will be a 5 minute time limit. The entrants are welcome to utilize the judging criteria to self-score their work ahead of time and tweak any areas they feel might benefit.
Keep an eye on our website and on social media to see all we’re up to. The end of March is creeping up fast, and that pesky Ice Dragon sure is in need of some slaying!
Looking forward to your entries.
– cori
Pentathlon Coordinator
Kingdom Event page on the AS 54 Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon. Home page of the Passing of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon.
(b. Ca. 1450, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, d. 1516, ‘s-Hertogenbosch) Web Gallery of Art, searchable fine arts image database. Accessed 11 November 2019.
Medieval and Renaissance. Leeks. Accessed 12 November 2019. Tacuinum Sanitatis (BNF Latin 9333), 15th century
This year at Pennsic I took a basketry class to make a market basket. I found that I liked basketry and wanted to do more. I’ve taught two classes so far and am going to teach another. I based the design off of the document above using the same weaving technique and material. I made the basket as a birthday gift. Recently I taught a class, and am planning to teach another in the future!
I made a pack that is more-or-less shaped to fit the back. It took several days of working one to two hours each day to complete, using an over two, under one weave (outside two spokes, inside one). The entire basket took one to two pounds of reed to make. The image’s straps looked uncomfortable so I decided to make straps like a modern backpack. However, these straps are medieval (right medieval image). My dad and I added the straps from spare leather and he added the buckles.
My backpack worn by my Dad, and on display at the Arts & Sciences Championship.
What I would do differently in the future is bend the spokes outward from the beginning to keep the basket’s shape straighter. The reed towards the top wants to bend in, as making the weave tight and there being nothing to hold the spokes out makes the opening smaller. I found that putting a brick over a paper towel was useful to add weight to help keep down the basket as I weave.
Mary of Harford, of the Dominion of Myrkfaelinn.
The two medieval images are from: (L) b. Ca. 1450, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, d. 1516, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Web Gallery of Art, searchable fine arts image database. Accessed 11 November 2019 (R) Medieval and Renaissance. Leeks. Accessed 12 November 2019. Tacuinum Sanitatis (BNF Latin 9333), 15th century.
Enjoying the spoils of our labors – a small barrel of Robert’s hopped gale ale, and a large barrel of Elska’s grape mead. Photo by Robert of Ferness
This past Saturday on February the 1st, the Region 5 Brewers Guild organized their annual Championship and Round Table and the Feast of the Seven Deadly Sins at the Barony of Delftwood. Each year, the different region brewers representatives host a Brewers Championship Round Table to find the best their region has to offer, as well as share the spoils of many hours of fermentation magic with their drinking friends. Region 5 generally uses round table style judging where everyone judges everyone, with forms available from the Æthelmearc Brewers Guild Competition Corner, and we decide the scoring collaboratively. This year, region 5 excelled with 14 participants, 5 competition entries and another handful of bottles to share, and the experience was once again very enjoyable! We had a great variety of brews to sample and a number of new people to enjoy them with.
The results of the AS54 Region 5 Brewing Championship are as follows: the winner of the Beer category, and overall Region 5 Champion was title defending Robert of Ferness with a hopped bog myrtle cask ale – walking away with 4 bags of specialty malt and hops; and the winner of the Mead/wine category was Fuego with Satyr’s Cyser, who also received specialty malt as well as a bottle of grapefruit Craft Puree. All this loot of course we hope to see back in liquid form as next year’s entry!
Brewster Fuego receiving her accolade and prize in court. Photo by Michael Higgins.
Runners up were Richard Baldwin with Buzzerbee, a wonderful chamomile kveik beer, Justin Lymner with a Red Currant Cordial, and Elska, with a documented non-period Framboise. There was also, among others, a 5 gallon barrel of concord grape mead – 3 month old grape mead aged for 2 and half weeks in an oak barrel which was as smooth as a 3 year old vintage (only about half of the 5 gallon barrel made it back home) – two yummy melomels by Robert l’Etourdi including a black currant mead, and a wonderful dry cider as well as some rumtopf liquor by Katerin Starcke.
As you can see, Æthelbrewers sure know how to party! Keep in mind: the next brewers Round Table will be in Region 3 at Ædult Swim in just a few weeks. The Region 3 Round Table will be hosted in the mid-afternoon by Master Gille MacDhonuill in the general A&S area, and there will be signage to help you find us, in the unlikely event our merriment is not enough!
While there are no known or suspected cases of (COVID-19), novel coronavirus, at Genesee Community College, the College continues to monitor its potential risk to students, faculty, staff and guests.
