Tag Archives: Ice Dragon Pent

One entry can win all! No more cross-entry limits at Ice Dragon

15 Tuesday Feb 2022

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Starting this year, the Arts & Sciences Pentathlon competition as part of the Passing of the Ice Dragon Festival has made the decision to drop its cross-entry limit. It makes the 5-in-1 special category obsolete, as well as wondering which cross-entry will be most efficient for your shot at a full Pent… This makes me so happy as I have always found the challenge of finding that one perfect entry that can be entered, and win!, in five different categories the biggest challenge of the Pent! Many a long car drive home from an event far away did we brainstorm about what could make that one perfect entry… Some artisans have done so, and quite successfully. Let me show you what they came up with, and who knows, inspiration might yet strike.

As every once in a while, someone will come up with that one perfect entry that covers the whole pent. One year someone almost won the entire Pent having submitted only one item. Madog ab Emrys reminisces: “I forget who submitted it but they made this amazing hand carved wooden Chess Set. I believe it was based on a set that was made for King Louis XI, with carved and painted pieces that were Heraldic representations of his family tree. With the documentation they had done I think it qualified for about six or seven different categories. I remember a group of us were in back [of court] chanting “Chess Set Chess Set” as they were reading off the winners in each category…. and the Chess Set was doing very well.”

The decorated toono and a sample of lattice work, entered by Lady Umm Samin at the 2017 Pent

I sadly missed to see the chess entry in person, but I was able to ogle another single entry copiously that was successfully cross-entered in five different categories through the Five-in-One category. I did notice the 2017 Pent entry tables contained odd pieces of equipment but it took a minute before it dawned on me I was looking at a complete yurt in its disassembled state – someone had built a freaking yurt from scratch and entered it in the Five-in-One category! I was not the only one to track down the artisan at the end of the event to ask for more details. The creator Lady Umm Samin bint Asad al-Isfahaniyya had already used the yurt before entering the Pent: “everything that needed to be made was completed – three days before Pennsic. Yes, I went. My brother helped me set it up once in the yard to make sure it all went together and then it was packed into the trailer. But it was not finished yet [… meaning the decorations].” The object that fascinated me most during the Pent was the highly decorated keystone ring – the toono which holds the ribs of the roof up and secure. It was beautifully decorated on the side I could see, and it being an active competition I did not touch it at the time. Afterwards, I found Lady Umm Samin had gleefully written in her documentation that “since the other side of the toono would face up towards the sky there was not need to decorate it, but as the ring was leaning against the wall I noticed it looked like a familiar object from one of my favorite TV shows… so it too, was painted. It had to be done, yes, I have my own Stargate! It is never seen unless the [yurt] is dismantled” (or you check her documentation pictures).

Lady Umm Samin setting up the yurt – it has a fully decorated functional wood door.

A project like hers is not for the fainthearted: the frame alone took several weeks to make and sewing the cover took at least another three weeks. Her brother helped with some of the finicky construction details but she had no help sewing the cover, and decided that next time “I would get two very patient friends to help with the sewing one to feed the fabric to me and one to pull the fabric away. Having to jump up and walk around the room every 6 or 7 inches for that much sewing was tiring and really slowed the entire process down.” But not so much she won’t tackle a similar project again, as she is currently in the process of making a smaller weekend yurt. Perhaps less authentic but easier to move and put up by herself. The original one can be handled by one person but it sure is a lot easier with help. She found “Actually camping in it is awesome. Very comfortable. It is great with all the Pensic rain. Not a drop inside ever.” And besides; it won her the Five-in-One category; entered in Woodworking (Embellishment), Applied Research, Curiosa, Fiber Arts and Household.

Kasteel Nijenrode in sugar paste by Sir Ian O’Kennavain at the 2015 Pent.

During a similar time of more restricted cross-entry limitations, some entries got quite far regardless. In 2015 Sir Ian O’Kennavain won the full Pent with his cross-entered sugar paste Kasteel Nijenrode, as well as two other entries. He wrote: “While discussing the upcoming Kingdom 12th Night with Duke Cygnus the Blissful, he asked if I would like to make a sweet subtlety to present at feast. I readily agreed, mentioning that I had always wanted to do a sugar sculpture. The scope of this project was somewhat more grand than I originally anticipated. There were five distinct phases to the project: sugar subtletys, Kasteel Nijenrode history, sugar paste recipes, wooden mold carving, casting and construction.” Because of the more limiting cross-entry rules of that year, the castle could only be entered in Culinary, Woodworking and Heraldic Display. Sir Ian thought “the heraldic display was a weak entry, but garnered a few points and served as my fifth entry…” and successfully entered a mead and a piece of leatherwork as his side entries. He reflects: “The pent rules fluctuate every year. Sometimes one entry can be in many categories and sometimes it’s very limited. I rather like the concept of an entry bridging multiple disciplines.”

While I did not get to see either his 12th Night or his Ice Dragon castles, we did get to see a later iteration at Harvest Raid. And what an impression that made: a large sugar castle filled with Jordan almonds the kids were invited to shoot at with miniature trebuchets and eat whatever they broke down! My Simon still remembers that to this day; hoping, someday, it might happen again… Sir Ian found “the whole project was a fantastic learning process. There were so many rabbit holes to go down from carving molds to period colors to the sugar paste itself. I entered the Pent that year to learn the ropes & ended up winning! That & the positive feedback from many inspired me to keep working sugar and that lead to my Laurel. Then a few years later Drachenwald brought me to Double Wars to teach sugar work for the week. I taught sugar in the morning & fought all afternoon. Best gig ever!”

Most of the examples I found got close, so close, to winning a full Pent with a single entry… but could not quite reel it in completely, either due to exploding their fifth part – in the case of Creador’s fishing entry – or by being restricted in the number of cross-entries. But we did locate one! In 2006, The Honorable Lord Pearce Redsmythe entered a stunning book and book protector titled the “Kingdom of Æthelmearc Heralds Book and Cumdach.” He explains “The interior of the book itself is lined with panels of red and gold brocade. The ‘book’ has no interior pages, it is basically a fancy folder that a court herald uses to hold award scrolls and other such items for presentation by the Crown during court.” The corner pieces on the cover of the book and on the front of the cumdach are quarter-sections of the Æthelmearc heraldic escarbuncle, and the fretwork tracery is backed with red velvet. The book is secured within the cumdach with red leather straps, fastened with locking turn-clasps which are patterned as closely as possible on a copper-alloy belt-fastening from the London Finds ‘Dress Accessories’ book.

Kingdom of Æthelmearc Heralds Book and Cumdach by the Honorable Lord Pearce Redsmythe

The item itself took well over a hundred hours of hands-on time to create. The documentation also took about another forty hours of dedicated research, writing and editing and took up an entire 3-ring binder. The entry itself was extremely well-received, both by the judges and by the general populace who was able to see it on display at the event. The item was specifically created as a five category single-entry into the Pent. Pearce had originally intended to gift it to the Kingdom as regalia for use as a high-end herald’s book after the competition (he had previously created the official Kingdom of Atenveldt herald’s book). However, once the item was completed, he realized: “that it was honestly far too fancy, and required much more care and basic caution in handling and maintenance, than could ever be even optimistically provided by typical Royal retainers, especially as ‘just one more thing to remember & jam in with a massive Royal Retinue’.”

Some years after it won the Pent, something neat did happen: “I was at least finally able to see it in actual use in an Æthelmearc Kingdom Court, as I lent it for what I believe was Maynard & Liadain’s 2nd coronation, which was an honor.” The Æthelmearc Heraldic Book and Cumdach was cross-entered in five categories: Metalwork (domestic); Leatherwork; Heraldry; Woodwork (decorative); and Material Manipulation (Bookmaking). It took first place in the first three categories and second place in the other two, and ended up winning the Individual Pentathlon by a landslide. Honorable Lord Pearce is proud to say: “I believe this is the first and so far only time that a single entry has taken the Pentathlon.”

Will you be the one to take on the challenge of being the next? With the retirement of the cross-entry limit this year this is once again possible!

Feel inspired to enter, without wanting to do a full Pent? Don’t hesitate to enter that one special project that makes you happy – single entries are absolutely allowed and encouraged (and use the same form to register). Or participate in the Display: for those artisans who rather do not wish to compete there will the option to Display, as well as the option to show off our spectacular failures in the Failure display started by Master Thorpe some years ago. Both of these will be on-site only and neither require pre-registration.

However you choose to participate, do make sure to register by March 1st. There will be no opportunity for on-site walk-in registrations – judging starts promptly March 2nd. No more last minute hemming of your entry in the car, or running to Kinko’s the night off for that final version of your documentation … and honestly, I won’t miss that part, not at all. I’d rather be thinking of cool and unusual five-in-one projects on my way to enjoying whatever cool and beautiful the artisans of our Sylvan Kingdom have the offer!

-elska

Aside

Cool and unusual Ice Dragon Pent entries of the Past

11 Friday Feb 2022

Posted by in Arts & Sciences, Ice Dragon, Research

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Over the years, the Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon has seen some cool and unusual entries. I’ve mentioned a few in previous articles about the Pent and Pent group projects earlier this year, like the fantastical entry of three generations of ferret breeding by John the Artificer. Current Pent coordinator Cori remembers the hubbub that one created: “He can’t enter ferrets!” “Why CAN’T he enter ferrets?” and told me “if I recall correctly the next year the rules said No Live Animals.” Oh, to be the one a rule is named for – our word fame would last forever!

I must admit I had so much fun tracking down rumored entries through the grapevine I figured I’d write yet another Pent story. It’s not a chore at all as these pretty much write themselves! Did you hear about the year someone entered a full size Viking bed, which had to be stood up on its hind legs against a wall? Which, I now realize, explains the comments Hrólfr and I overheard when walking his tree log warp-weighted loom, in pieces, down the hallway towards the Pent room… “is that a bed? or a loom? no… I think a bed!” One time there was a painted-on-canvas tapestry of a whopping 25 feet long – recreating part of the Bayeux embroidery – and even a juggler that did tricks requiring 20 feet of clearance – he worked with five clubs and needed to throw high to have time to juggle all five – so he performed outside while the judges watched through a window.

One particular entry I personally would have liked to see up close was one of the first ceramic entries: a puzzle jug. This practical joke jug had holes at in the bottom and another one on the handle, for the thumb. If the thumb did not cover that hole on top, the water in the jug would sprinkle out the bottom. I do not know if the documentation mentioned this bit of information at the beginning, or at the end… and in my mind I see surprised and slightly damp judges! I was not able to track down this particular artisan to ask for clarification, but I found plenty of others more than happy to chat about their cool and unusual Pent entries.

A soapstone lamp entered by (then) Honorable Lord Cynwyl

A more recent entry that caught the eye of the audience was a beautiful teardrop shaped soapstone oil lamp by Master Cynwyl (then Lord). He remembers everyone loved it and said “I still use it at feasts sometimes. Since my persona is 11th cent. Irish, there would have been contacts with the Vikings in Ireland, so I thought it would work.” To shape the soapstone he used a coping saw, files and a sharp spoon-like tool called a scorp, and has used both linen and hemp twine for the wick. He uses vegetable oil for the fuel and lights it by dipping the wick in the oil, putting it in the grove and lighting it. He found that it will burn for about 9 hours and that the soapstone will heat up while it’s burning. The biggest challenge? “The hard part was tracking down the soapstone locally. Luckily there is a [local] geology/fossil store that had some.”

A much less impressive entry – perhaps, at first glance – could be the candied ginger by Mistress Honnoria of Thescorre (Order of the Sycamore at the time of entering). But while she is a Society renowned potter, she is not an SCAdian cook! She explained she had entered the candied ginger two years in a row: “The first year the scores were good, and I took the comments from that year to help my entry the next year. The second year I entered my scores on candy ginger were the best I had for the entire pent. I want to say I scored over 55 points on a scale of 60. It is absolutely worth taking feedback and improving once entry for the following year. That’s part of what good feedback does. I would say as long as someone is actually making the object again, I have no issues with them using the same type of item the year after. It was my best of the five scores that year and I believe ever.”

Like most artisans, she found it is often the hardest to find the fifth entry in the pent, and goes on to say (I love this part!): “At least personally it really challenges an individual into doing something they may not normally do. I would also say that one of my most interesting entries in terms of feedback was a weaving entry that I used based on a museum of London find. It was a card woven d-shaped cord. I tried to replicate it using cotton and the number of threads in the original. It was supposed to be round. I absolutely could not get it round and it wound up being the same D shape as the one in the book. By actually making it I figured out that the reason it was d-shaped and not round is you couldn’t pull it tight enough and there wasn’t enough warp threads to actually make it round. I broke a lot of thread in the weft making that cord. I wrote all of that up in my entry. It took a higher score than some beautifully done belts. The belts were beautiful, but they didn’t explain anything on why they chose to use acrylic versus wool or silk. They also didn’t explain any problems or issues they had. It is so important to put in to documentation if you had issues, what they were, why they were issues, and what you did to resolve them if you were able.”

The malt house miniature entered by (then) Honorable Lord Madoc Arundel

My personal favorite was a malt house miniature entered by fellow brewer Master Madoc Arundel (then THL). The 5 foot miniature was fully functional although not very efficient, mostly due to scaling. He remembers he “did have some challenges with the heat sink between the kiln and the drying rack… again, because of scale. Since I could not get a very large fire in the small kiln, getting it hot enough to actually draw heat through the sink was a challenge. I was using actual burnt-wood charcoal and had to soak the base layer liberally in lighter fluid to get them to set a good enough coal bed to keep the temperature up. Unlike a full-size kiln which I would have been able to fire-and-forget, I had to constantly tend the fire to keep it hot enough.”

Madoc’s malting kiln spouting nearly a foot of flame.

Madoc shared he learned a number of new skills for this project, including how to do mortise and tenon construction for the half-timber framing. And he harvested grapevines to use in the wattle and daub walls, and wove them before applying the plaster. He wrote: “The coolest thing, though, was the first time I fired up the kiln to see if it would draw through the vents… at its hottest, I had flame shooting nearly a foot out the top of the chimney.” Or course, it being a malting kiln, the real test was running a batch of grain through the process. He did two dried batches – one that was left just dry enough not to start growing again before the event and the other dried, left sit overnight, then ran through another kiln cycle to ‘roast’ slightly. “Honestly, I am as surprised as anyone that it actually functioned correctly.”

Another, fiery, project was entered by Master Creador (then Lord). In true artisan frantic, he wrote his documentation the night before the event as he almost did not enter! One of his pent entries had literally blown up: “The poor kitchen ceiling was covered in lead. Actually the modern, less toxic version of lead.” Creador recouped and did enter his fishing research in 4 categories instead. He did so well he now wonders if he would have won the full Pent if he had had that one last entry! The project came about when he finally located his primary source the month before the Pent, after researching fishing for many years.

His entry consisted of fishing line and wool for the flies and using dye recipes from the elusive Treatise (dyeing and weaving), as well as cork bobbers (wood working). He also entered fish bait made from rabbit (cooking), and entered the whole project in the mixed / specialty art category (the current categories are slightly different). His fail was with the lead weights (metal working). He used a handmade mold of tempered clay and wrote: “Unfortunately there was some moisture in the mold so it blew. Luckily I have quick reflexes.” Sadly for us, there are no pictures of the fail nor of the project as this all happened back in 1995 before project photography was a thing. Creador remembers, back then “I did most of my research through interlibrary loan.”

Openwork honeycomb turnshoes, part of (then) Honorable Lord Robert’s Roving Shoe Show in the Pent Display

Not all cool and unusual entries to enjoy during the Ice Dragon Pent end up in the competition: the Pent also hosts a vibrant display. In the last pre-COVID Pent, Master Robert (then THL) made good use of this non-competitive opportunity. In his own words: “The genesis of the shoe show project came over a year before – it was not a last-minute idea. It seemed like a good way to display a corpus of work in order to draw attention – as [my Laurel] so often encouraged me to do – in a highly visible space. With that display in mind, I set about making a number of pairs of shoes designed to represent some broadly topical footwear-related items across time and space covered by our period.” Anyone entering the Pent room halted in awe and just had to come take a closer look at Robert’s amazing, and amazingly colorful, Roving Shoe Show!

But the one entry that brings home the cheese, pun totally intended? That was “that amazing kid’s cooking entry from the last in person pent.” Indeed, Cornelia won our hearts by appealing to our stomachs with her wonderful medieval mac & cheese. She says that she was excited to win, and nervous during the judging. But then, aren’t we all!

Cordelia with her mouth watering medieval Mac & Cheese entry

Want to learn more about entering the Passing of the Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon? Check the website here. Anyone can enter, and if you are not sure you can enter your cool and unusual project, just shoot Pent Coordinator Cori an email – she’d love to hear from you!

Yours in service,
elska

 

What is the Pent in the Ice Dragon A&S Pentathlon?

11 Tuesday Jan 2022

Posted by in Arts & Sciences, Competitions, Research

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The Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon, often shortened to the Pent, is an arts and sciences competition dating back to the second Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon, held in 1978. But what exactly is this Pent? We’ve all seen arts & sciences displays at events, perhaps even entered a competition or two ourselves, but apparently the Pent different? While it has had many forms over the years, the most recognizable and often used is the current format of multiple categories anyone can enter and win individually. But what is unusual is that the Pent also has an overall competition among those who have chosen to enter a minimum of five different categories. And true to its name – a pentathlon is a sport that includes five different athletics events – entering the arts & sciences Pent can be quite the endeavor!

A wealth of judges and Her Majesty Margerite Eisenwald admiring a Scribal entry, at the 2017 Ice Dragon Pent.

The challenge here is more one of creative time management than of pure skill. Most artisans can’t plan a whole year, or more, to work on five separate high-level entries. What makes the Pent fun is to find those one, two or three entries that are complex enough on their own that their research and creation can be spread around several categories. The real challenge is to figure out how! Researched a unique beverage? Enter a Research Paper as well as a drinkable brew. Created a garment from scratch? Enter your garment in Fabric Construction, but enter the process of making the yarn, with nicely presented samples, in Fiber Arts. If you are especially nifty, you could even take a swing at an Applied Research Paper by documenting the dye used to color the yarn!

The pinch is that only entries from completely separate categories count towards the Pent (see the website for a list of the official categories). Anyone can enter up to five entries in any category, but only your highest scoring entry in that category will score towards your overall Pent score. Thankfully, entrants are allowed to cross enter one entry into one additional category, phew! Made a bag with wood handles? Enter the bag as a whole in Fabric Construction (formerly Accessories) and cross-enter the handles in Woodworking – voila, two entries!

Applied Research “Vinegaroon” entry by Lord Snorri skyti Bjarnarson at the 2018 Ice Dragon Pent

A category close to my heart, and quite useful in teasing out five separate Pent categories I find, is Applied Research. Extremely well researched items too simple or modest to compete fairly in a more traditional category fall under this. A fun category – experimental archaeology on a small scale – it is also one that does not seem to be utilized very often and why I wanted to spotlight it here. Some of the examples that come to mind are my entry of six simple soap ball recipes, accompanied by a veritable compendium of medieval soap research and recipes, as well as the unique Vinegaroon experiment, accompanied by ‘please try it!’ samples for the judges and general populace.

Be aware that due to the anticipated length of research papers (nothing to do with the soap compendium, I am sure), the paper/research portion of the Applied Research entry must be submitted in advance (received electronically or postmarked by February 15, 2022).

From a small local arts & sciences competition, the Pent outgrew its locale quickly to become a competition with Kingdom impact. Although, initially, not the kingdom you might think. Back then, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, our Sylvan Kingdom was only in the early planning stages and Ice Dragon was the premiere A&S event of the East Kingdom. It drew people from up and down the East Coast and could get in excess of 200 entries (so many judges…)!

Some of the more memorable entries, according to Pent autocrat Cori: the tiny dead people by (now Mistress) Luceta and the real poison (by THL Rue). And then there was the time John the Artificer entered his ferrets (I wonder if the populace could pet them?) and the agricultural entry that was a miniature of a rabbit warren (did the ferrets have anything to do with that?!). And then there was (now Mistress) Alizaunde de Bregeuf from the East who entered her upper torso covered with real woad… probably did not have trouble finding judges for that one. And what do you think (now Master) Clewin and (now Mistress) Fredeburg entered, “made with all authentic materials and processes”? They entered their newborn baby! With documentation. I can not confirm first hand how detailed, though, that you’d have to ask them.

Table of beautiful Fabric Construction entries at the 2019 Ice Dragon Pent.

Ice Dragon Pentathlon is for young (very young…) and old, for the beginner and the accomplished; even for the competing as well as the artisan more interested in display. The Pent organizers always arrange for a dedicated Display area. They also gladly make room for the infamous Misfit Table, brain child of Master Thorpe, for those projects that didn’t quite do what they were supposed to do. Now, if only we could enter a Misfit Experiment as a 5th Pent project… wouldn’t that make for an intriguing entry!

elska

Special Instruction Categories at the Ice Dragon A&S Pentathlon

04 Tuesday Jan 2022

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Are you thinking of entering the Passing of the Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon? And perhaps in any of the following categories: Beverages, Culinary Arts, Curiosa or Performance Arts? Then you should be aware that these entries are handled a wee bit different as before the Plague, and now have their own deadline, too!

The Special Instruction Categories deadline is February 15, 2022

Beverages category: German Roggenbier or rye beer, entered in the Passing of the Ice Dragon, AS 51

As the Beverages, Culinary Arts and Curiosa categories have special preparation needs, especially this year, entrants are required to contact the Pent Coordinator before registering to make sure their entry can be processed. The Pent Coordinator is preparing a ‘double’ event – so to speak – to be prepared for the preferred in-person even but also to have a virtual option as a back up.

Assuming the event is in person, then judging will be on site. You would come in, register, and drop off / set up entries – business as usual. Similarly, Performance entries will be scheduled for the theater and times will be assigned when you sign in.

But, if we are not in person, then the Pent Coordinator will make every attempt to make connections between entrants and judges / judge groups to get materials from the entrants to the judges. This system worked adequately well last year, both at the Pent as well as with Kingdom Champs – but this will only work well with enough warning to make arrangements. For the Performing Arts, we’ll set up zoom performance venues (which seems so easy now, right?).

A double Culinary Arts entry: leavening or yeast cakes, and the Pompeii bread made with them, by Cristina inghean Ghriogair at the Passing of the Ice Dragon Pent AS52

More questions? Please check the Pent website or contact Pent Coordinator Cori.

We are all looking forward in anticipation to seeing what the artisans of our Sylvan Kingdom will share with us at this second year of the Plague Pent! I’ve already heard rumors of full pent entries in development… and will cross my fingers for an in-person event as I really want to peruse the tables and see the wondrous entries in 4K…uh, I meant, 3D – obviously!

– Elska

 

 

Thinking about a research paper for Ice Dragon 2022?

24 Friday Dec 2021

Posted by in A&S Competition and Display, Arts & Sciences, Ice Dragon, Research

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Are you thinking about entering in the Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon this year? Great! It is fantastic to see our Sylvan Æthelmearc artisans get back in the swing of things – although some did not seem at all slowed down with the transition to virtual competitions in the past few years! We have faith next year’s Arts & Sciences Pentathlon will happen in some shape or form – preferably in-person, of course – which means we need to get our act together soon. The entry deadlines are starting to creep up… with the first one being:

Research Paper deadline (category Literary Arts): February 15th

The category Literary Arts includes, but is not limited to: Poetry & prose, Research paper, Musical arrangement & composition. Entries are not to exceed 10,000 words (approximately 40 pages double spaced exclusive of images) and should be sent electronically or via hard copy in the mail.

But what exactly makes a written work a research paper? Ideally, a research paper should do more than simply summarize known information. It should ask a question, make an argument, prove a point or present a conclusion about a topic of interest to those in the SCA. The subject might draw from history, or it might relate to the way in which we attempt to accurately recreate the past in the SCA. The end of the introductory paragraph of the paper usually includes a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved (called a thesis) and would offer a neat summary of the main point or claim of the paper. And like the literary arts, research papers come in different types, too.

Research papers can come in different flavors – which one is yours?

A research paper can be Argumentative: this would be a good one for writers presenting a debated topic. First clearly explain and present two opposite opinions on the issue at hand. Then take a position in the paper with your view for one side of the topic. Present facts, data and authoritative opinions in support of your position to persuade and convince the audience and argue against any contradictions. Argumentative papers can be quite fun to read!

Any paper by Baron Caleb is a fun read, and his example of an argumentative paper What the Norse Greenlanders Ate (2017/2020) is once again memorable. It was entered into the Kingdom Arts & Sciences Championship, 2020.

A research paper can Compare & Contrast: this type of paper is used to compare two different subjects, or concepts, and how they relate to one another in both similarities and differences. The paper’s statement provides clarity on the contrasts and comparisons throughout the paper. The goal is not to persuade the reader, but to neutrally inform the reader about distinctions between varying viewpoints of related topics or genres.

An example of this would be my comparison of medieval gruit beer with modern gruit ale, using oft contrasting viewpoints to figure out why and how gruit ale changed so much from its historic origins. It was entered in the 2018 Ice Dragon Pentathlon.

A research paper can be Analytical: here, you would focus on facts instead of opinions. It is informational in nature and uses a large variety of viewpoints and sources on a subject without a specific opinion. It provides the reader with as much information as possible, but allow the audience to draw their own conclusions. However, instead of merely presenting the information, you should be able to present a factual analysis of the data you are working from.

A concise example of an analytical paper (research does not need to be many paged to be effective) would be A Brief Survey of SCA Bardic Music by Gwendolyn the Graceful. Another, yummy, example would be Krupnik and the Plausability of Landrace Honey Cordials by Lord Cassiano da Castello, entered into the Kingdom Arts & Sciences Championship, 2021, and smartly accompanied by a practical, sip-able, example.

A research paper can be a Report: Report papers are merely an organized and detailed list of facts about a topic. In many cases the report works to outline details related to a case study or process. The statement of the paper would describe the subject being explored and define the scope of the report, and can include your personal experience related to the topic under consideration. Authors of reports choose a subject, research it, and convey the evidence to the reader using quotes, graphs, tables, interviews, experiments, a summary and appendix

Period zombies? Why, yes! Draugarnir: Revenants in Old Icelandic Sagas by Baron Fridrikr Tomasson would be a (somewhat creepy) example of a report paper, as would Luceta di Cosimo’s paper Dead Men Walking – an Overview of Apotropaic Burials, entered in the 2017 Ice Dragon Pentathlon.

A research paper can show Cause & Effect: These papers guide the reader through a series of “chain of event” scenarios. Such papers work to study results; considered, expected, probable or, perhaps, unexpected. Cause-and-effect papers are not written based on opinion, but on quantifiable evidence with supporting documentation. With supporting evidence, this format can be both informational and quite intriguing for the reader (especially when accompanied by YouTube videos!).

Experimental archaeology, finally! An practical example of a cause & effect paper (I did this, and that happened) would be Experiments with Bone Ice Skates and Their Associated Poles by Master Robert of Ferness, entered as an Applied Research paper in the Ice Dragon Pentathlon 2019.

I hope you enjoyed my TED talk on research papers; for sure a topic close to my heart.  Of course, don’t expect all papers to neatly fit into these five broad categories. SCAdian artisans are known for their out-of-the-box thinking and category mash-ups happen just as much in writing as elsewhere, of course. I do admit it took me more days to track down (mostly) appropriate research paper examples, than I did writing this post – so if you know of a better example, let me know. I can’t wait to see – and read – what will be entered in this year’s Pent – you’ve got winter break to start thinking if you have not already… nudge, nudge, wink, wink!

Yours in service,
elska

Want to know more about the Passing the Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon? Look no further, the website is updated with the latest information, including updated deadlines.

How to navigate the largest Arts & Sciences competition & display of our Sylvan Kingdom, and have fun doing so!

11 Wednesday Mar 2020

Posted by in Arts & Sciences, Competitions, Ice Dragon, Research

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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!

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Category Pottery, ID 2018 – Richard and Saladin floor section by Ian Campbell

Factors to consider before jumping into the challenge of Arts & Sciences competitions:

  1. Critiques must be consensual
  2. Judges are volunteers
  3. Know what the entrant wants out of the competition
  4. Use the judging criteria, it is there to help
  5. Documentation is not meant to be homework
  6. 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”.

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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.

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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.

Feeling a little overwhelmed? Check out “Don’t know where to start your documentation journal? Have trouble “reading” the judging criteria? Don’t you worry, we’ve got you!”

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.

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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).

GCC map 1st floor

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.

What the heck is this Ice Dragon Pentathlon these crazy people keep talking about?

04 Wednesday Mar 2020

Posted by in Arts & Sciences, Competitions, Ice Dragon

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That’s quite the question!

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)

These criteria may be found here

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.

Youth criteria may be found here

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.

Youth category at the Ice Dragon Pentathlon

25 Tuesday Feb 2020

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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

Youth Entries page of the Passing of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon
Youth Judging Criteria page of the Passing of the Ice Dragon Pentathlon

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.

 

Ice Dragon Pent Live Performance Criteria Released

13 Thursday Feb 2020

Posted by in Arts & Sciences, Bardic, Competitions, Ice Dragon

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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.

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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.

Ice Dragon Pent Research Paper Criteria Released

06 Thursday Feb 2020

Posted by in Arts & Sciences, Ice Dragon, Research

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The Passing of the Ice Dragon Arts & Sciences Pentathlon has released the judging criteria for its second category, and just in the nick of time! The literary deadline listed for the Ice Dragon Pent, originally scheduled for February 1, 2020, was recently extended to February 14th as the judging criteria were not available ahead of time for this category. The Pent Organizers apologies for this delay, and are happy to share them with you now. To download your own pdf copy, please click here.

If you have not yet sent in your entry, you are welcome to utilize the judging criteria to self-score your work and tweak any areas you feel might benefit. And if you have, not to worry, you can resend – and we promise next year they’ll be out on schedule now the heavy lifting is done.

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Hard copy of the research paper Black Parchment – displayed at the AS 53 Pent. Make sure to come and check out the literary art entries, as well as the general A&S entries!

Entries may be sent electronically or via hard copy in the mail. If you do not receive a confirmation email that an electronically submitted entry has been received within 24 hours of sending it, contact the Pent coordinator. Please also contact us in advance if you are sending hard copy.

Research Papers are part of the Literary Arts Category, which may include, but is not limited to: Musical arrangement & composition, Poetry & prose and Research paper. A research paper may be written in any style which the entrant chooses (e.g. Chicago, ALA, etc.). The entrant is strongly encouraged to be consistent in the use of the style they choose. The judging of the research paper is to be focused on the research presented, and any theories or conclusions presented. You can read more on the different types of research papers, like the argumentative paper, the analytical paper, the compare and contrast paper, &c., on the A&S Pent/researchpaper webpage.

In the next week or two we will add the remaining judging criteria for Live Performance and Youth entries. 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.