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Mark Your Calendars! AEthelmearc Pennsic Happenings!

27 Wednesday Jul 2022

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Pennsic is just around the corner! What’s going on in, for and by our Kingdom? Read on for info about The Kingdom Encampment, Volunteer Opportunities, Royal Courts, Vigils and Elevations, Kingdom Activities, Populace War Points, and more! (Disclaimer: All info gathered from reputable sources, but may be incomplete, and/or subject to change.)

All About Royal

Æthelmearc Royal (“Royal” or “AE Royal” as it’s commonly called) is the heart of our Kingdom’s Activities. Located in block N04, next to First Aid Point, it features:

  • A Hospitality Tent and Table with greeters, schedules, retainer & guard signups, and a message board detailing happenings of the day and changes in schedule. You can even leave messages for Royalty, Their staff, and officers!
  • There’s also a large populace pavilion at the front where anyone can stop in and rest, with  breezes from fans, cold water, and charging ports (limited availability).
  • An inner courtyard area with a meeting tent, firepit, open space, and more (must be on the schedule to use).
  • AE Scribal tents with classes of all kinds! Check the class list and message board!
  • A private area in the back where our beloved Royals live (must be invited).

Volunteers Needed for the Kingdom!

Æthelmearc Royal is an incredible resource, but it’s big and robust! Something of that grand caliber doesn’t spring forth from the field like Athena! Many volunteers are needed for both set up and tear down. It takes a while, but it can seem like a breeze if there’s lots of people to help. Consider spending a couple hours:

  • Set up is Sunday, 7/31, starting at 10am (will go into the afternoon)
  • Tear down is Friday, 8/12, starting at 10am (will go into the afternoon)

Volunteers are also needed to staff the Hospitality table. Some might call it the cushiest volunteer opportunity at Pennsic. A nice seat in the shade and breeze, with plenty of water, opportunity to charge your phone, and lots of smiling faces! Plus, you’re in the know!

You can also sign up to volunteer a little of your time to retain or guard for Their Majesties or Highnesses. There will be sign-ups at Hospitality, or better yet, contact Their staffs ahead of time! (Sign up for the King & Queen, Sign up for the Prince & Princess). You’ll see so many sides of our War you may not see otherwise!

Of special note: The Herald’s Office and Signet will have a backlog scroll binder at hospitality – look at it for your backlog scrolls and your friends, too! Leave a message for the Heralds & Scribes to let them know how to get that beautiful new scroll to you!

Let’s Celebrate! Kingdom Celebrations!

Come participate in Opening Ceremonies! Sing and march and show the Knowne World who we are! We have the BEST seats in the house, as the home Kingdom! Muster 11am middle Saturday at AE Royal (bring water, shade, and your Kingdom and Baronial colors!). We’ll march out together in time for the ceremonies to begin by the Castle at noon.

The Æthelmearc Kingdom Party, one of the most anticipated gatherings of the War, organized by THL Sumayya al Ghaziyya, with food by Lady Sorcha MacKenzie… This years theme is Carnival! We will have delicious foods, libations, games, favors from our potters, fire performers, and a special musical guest (yeah, it’s totally that one)! Monday 8/8, 8pm, AE Royal.

Let Us Entertain You! And Fight You!

Our amazing populace is talented, indeed! Check out these amusements, put on by our people, for the enjoyment of all!

  • Wed Peace Week (8/3) come all bards for the Haakon Oaktall Anniversary Bardic Circle in AE Royal
  • For the Scribes, Monday 8/8 from 2 to 6pm, join the Æthelmearc Scribal Tea to meet and greet your fellow scribes! In Scribal Tent 1 in AE Royal
  • Seneschals, come for the AE Seneschal Happy Hour (No Business Allowed) 5pm Mon 8/8 in AE Royal (big tent)
  • Mon War Week (8/8) 7:30pm – the Debatable Choir performs at the Performing Arts tent
  • Mon War Week (8/8) 9pm – I Genesii (THE GREATEST COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE TROUPE IN THE KNOWNE WORLD) performs at the Performing Arts tent, as they search for their missing Vecchi. We won’t reprint the entire announcement here, but it does involve the word “sploosh”!

Enjoy participating in, or spectating these special sporting events, put on by our people:

  • Rapier Novice Tournament – super fun! Rapier novices (less than 5 years fencing, no Kingdom fencing awards, no tourney wins) will NOT want to miss this! A perennial favorite organized by our own Master Po Silvertop the Rogue – so MANY PRIZES! Wed 8/10 at 10am, Rapier field.
  • Need more fencing? Our Kingdom hosts the Ladies’ Rapier Tourney from 10 to noon on Monday 8/10 (inclusive of all non-male genders)
  • Oh yes, yes it is! The Return of Helga Ball! Sun 8/7, 6-9pm. Let’s just say it involves some folks in aprons viciously defending their territory with a cabbage. It’s amazing! No experience necessary. No equipment needed besides an apron (cabbages provided). Ladies team sport, 18+ only.
  • Youth combatants pay heed! Tarl’s Youth Polearm Tournament is Monday (8/8) from 7 to 9pm on the field.
  • But wait, there’s more! Wed 8/10 from 6 to 8pm, adult and youth fighters team up for the Æthelmearc Tag Team Tournament. It’s not one to miss, and a favorite of our youth fighters!

Vigils and Courts and Elevations, OH MY!

The largest Æthelmearc Royal Court at Pennsic is Tuesday of War Week (8/9) at 6pm in the AE Royal Encampment (CHANGE of venue!!).

There will be multiple additional Courts throughout the War. Here they are presented copy-and-pastable, and organized by the known Æthelmearc Vigils and Elevations (other awards will be happening at these times, too!):

THL Renata le Rouge: Vigil Sat 8/6, 6pm, Debatable Lands N10 (Fletchers). Elevation to Laurel at additional Kingdom Court Sun 8/7, 6pm AE Royal at Debatable Lands Party (Baronial Court at 4:30). [Note: Morien McBain & Michael of Northwood will be sent to vigil from this Kingdom Court.]

THL Ottlige Rappoltsweiler: Vigil Mon 8/8, 4pm, Hunters Home encampment on Mt Eislinn. Elevation to Laurel at main Kingdom Court Tues 8/9, 6pm AE Royal

Master Morien MacBain: Vigil at Sun 8/7, 6:30pm, Lusty Wench camp E17. Induction to Laurel at additional Kingdom Court Monday 8/8 6pm (before Kingdom party) at AE Royal.

Sir Michael of Northwood: Vigil Sun 8/7 evening, at Kynges Bridge camp. Induction to Pelican at main Kingdom Court Tues 8/9, 6pm AE Royal

Mistress Caroline of Burgundy: Vigil Wed 8/10, 11am (after Novice Tourney), Rapier Field. Induction to Master of Defense at additional Kingdom Court Wed 8/10 ~4pm Rapier Field [Note: Vigil is in combination with vigils of THL Guillaume and Countess Kathryn, lately of the Mid]

THL Guillaume le Noir: Vigil Wed 8/10, 11am (after Novice Tourney), Rapier Field. Elevation to Chivalry at additional Kingdom Court Thurs 8/11 ~1pm (after the Bridge Battles) Heavy Field [Note: Vigil is in combination with vigils of Mistress Caroline and Countess Kathryn, lately of the Mid]

Order Meetings and Booze

The Æthelmearc Brewers’ Guild Bar is open for Order Meetings! And also various events in and about AE Royal throughout War Week. Huzzah!

Laurel Meeting, AE Royal, Sat 8/6 at 10am
Pelican Meeting, AE Royal, Sat 8/6 at 5pm
Gage Meeting, AE Battlefield Pavilion, Wed 8/10, 2pm
Chivalry Meeting, AE Battlefield Pavilion, Wed 8/10, 3pm

YOU Can Help Us Win!

In addition to joining your comrades-at-arms on the heavy and fencing fields of honor (see schedule for details), in the many field War Point opportunities, you can score some points in non-field activities as well!

  • A&S Populace War Point – Take or teach classes, most of War! Teaching a class gets you 5 points (5 points total no matter how many classes you teach), attending a class earns one point per class attended. Make sure to add your tally mark at the end of your class! Read more!
  • Archery & Thrown Weapons Populace War Points – throughout War Week! Check the Pennsic Martial Schedule for details.
  • Service War Point – it definitely exists, but remains mysterious at this time. All we know is that there is a Google document to record your service hours to the War.

Of General Interest

Pennsic War will be following Æthelmearc’s Covid Policies. You cannot get into the War without proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test within 72 hours from a medical facility. You’ll need to mask up at troll and other areas (but not most). Read the FAQs here.

The A&S War Champs War Point will be held Wed 8/10, from about 10am to 5pm in the Great Hall – cheer on our team!

Would you like to help the War itself? You can volunteer for the War! Just go up to your area of interest and volunteer. [Hint: Children’s Point is greatly needing some folks!). Read a bit more about the options here.

Families take note! The Known World Children’s Fete (Ages 4+) returns on Wed 8/10 from 10am to 1pm (registration begins at 9am) in the Great Hall! Arts, crafts, games, entertainment, snacks, and more! Read more here.

At 4pm, Wed 8/10, there will be a Known World Equestrian Meeting in AE Royal

The Memorial Ship Ceremony will be Thurs 8/11 from 1p to 6pm. Visit White Wolf & Phoenix merchant booth for details. It will feature in particular for Viscount Edward Zifran of Gendy. He was a long time icon of the Pennsic War, the East Kingdom, and friend to many here in our Kingdom.

Feel the need to run? The Unofficial Half Marathon starts at 7am middle Saturday, meet at First Aid Point (right by AE Royal!)

Want to know more about Pennsic happenings? Check out the full schedule here. Other resources (including a printable handout, event guide, and university booklet) HERE.

SEE YOU THERE!

In Memoriam: THL Clarissa da Svizzera

18 Friday Feb 2022

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THL Clarissa and Lord Coinneach

The Honorable Lady Clarissa da Svizzera (mka Heidi Wright) died unexpectedly at home on February 11 at age 63.

Clarissa was best known as a chirurgeon, a needleworker, and a purveyor of tart observations and acerbic humor. But she was also known for her bountiful kindness and generosity.

Mundanely a nurse, Clarissa served as Baronial and Principality Chirurgeon and spent many years working at Chirurgeon’s Point at Pennsic. She received her Award of Arms in A.S. 22, a Keystone in A.S. 25, and the East Kingdom’s Silver Crescent (roughly equivalent to a Millrind) in A.S. 30, primarily for that work.

Over the years Clarissa and her husband, Lord Coinneach Mac an Leigh, lived in many places. She joined the SCA in Thescorre as a student at the University of Rochester nursing school, although she learned about the Society when she was in high school, through college students at SUNY Geneseo where her father was a professor. After graduating from nursing school, she moved to the Rhydderich Hael to work at the Roswell Cancer Center as a pediatric nurse. It was while living in the Hael that she met and later married Coinneach, who was from the Shire of Riversmeet in Charleston, WV (now Blackstone Mountain.) After marrying, they lived in Riversmeet for six years, then moved to the Barony of Red Spears (Toledo, OH) in the Midrealm where they lived for seventeen years. Their final move was back to Thescorre, where they cared for Clarissa’s ailing father until his passing. Along the way they had a daughter, Rebecca (‘Becca), who is now 30.

At one time, Clarissa was a member of one of the cannon crews that mark the start and end of battles at Pennsic. Many Chirurgeons remember her fondly from their time together at Pennsic. Mistress Amaryllis Coleman, who served as Principality and East Kingdom Chirurgeon as well as Head of Chirurgeon’s Point at Pennsic in the 1990s, remembers “The most difficult part of the Pennsic Chirurgeonate was not the battles; they are intense, but there are also plenty of people around. The long, dark, cold nights, with the partying, the blades, the fires, and storms, staffed by a few dedicated crews, can be the scariest. Being Pennsic Chirurgeon and in charge of the Point, one thinks of plenty of things that can go wrong. However, as so many have observed, Clarissa would take that difficult shift, which lifted a great burden from me, but made it fun and attracted others to her team!” She also noted that Clarissa “had magnificent hair, but it had a mind of its own. She loved to have it braided whenever we were together.”

Viscount Brocc of Alderden, OP, OL, worked with THLady Clarissa for about 15 years at Pennsic, and recalls “Clarissa was always cheerful, fun and helpful. She managed to keep the seriousness of what was going on in chirurgeon’s point there, while not letting it become depressing. She was a good leader for us. I will always remember her smile.”

Members of the Pennsic Chirurgeons’ Point Staff.

Mistress Mairghead Stíobhard inghean uí Choinne says “I remember Clarissa attending every monthly A&S meeting when I was A&S minister for Thescorre for three years or more. She was always doing needlework and her blackwork was exquisite. She cheerfully painted game boards for Pennsic Childrens’ area, stamped napkins for Pax or whatever was requested sprinkled with her salty humor.

Specifically with respect to children, I remember Clarissa (and Coinneach) basically sponsoring an entire family with five or six children when Thescorre was trying to recruit new members as far as Geneseo where they lived. Clarissa and Coinneach transported the family to events and A&S and social meetings in Thescorre. Her patience and fairness was a joy to see. In addition, when the last Yeoman’s Event was held in Thescorre, Clarissa taught me and some others how to play what I believe was a form of Nine Man Morris on a lovely blackwork gameboard she had crafted.”

Lady Simonetta d’Alfassi recalls “A HARROWING trip we made to Dragonship Haven [in Connecticut]. We were attending the investiture of Baron Joseph of the Red Griffin and Baroness Bronwen Rose of Greyling, who was a friend of Clarissa’s. We drove through one of the worst winter storms I can remember – going 20 MPH on the highway. Then we went shopping in the most epic needlework shop ever, The Thistle in Glastonbury, CT — IN GARB. The patrons gave us the usual “are you in a play?” looks but the staff LOVED it and kept showing us “the special stock” because they thought we’d be more interested in the more historic-inspired pieces they had.”

Mistress Arianna of Wynthrope remembers the many kindnesses Clarissa bestowed on her friends. “As all parents know, the first few weeks with a new baby can be really rough, especially on the mom. When my older son Kenneth was born, Clarissa dropped everything and drove to Pittsburgh with her then-four-year-old daughter to spend a week with us to help out. She also embroidered baby quilts for both of my sons.”

Clarissa with Arianna’s then one-week-old son in 1996.

Her kindness to others was noted by many of her friends. Mistress Áine inghean Fhlaithimhin said “In the entire time we worked together at Chirurgeons’ Point, I never once saw her kindness or compassion for others wane, no matter how busy [we were] or how many gentles were waiting to be treated. That is what impressed me most as a new Chirurgeon. Clarissa’s empathy for others was something I tried to emulate with every person seeking treatment at CP.”

Viscountess Hodierna Miriglee of Lincludin commented “Clarissa and I became friends more years ago that I can remember. I remember long chats over tables and tasks. Reconnecting time after time as I moved around the Known Worlde. As I drifted away into daily life and our connection became virtual, she was quick with a supportive word, kind thoughts, encouragement, and a kindly shared laugh or joke. Her heart was so open and all-encompassing, she lived the example of loving and serving others. Our world is dimmer for her absence and better for her presence with us. May her memory ever be a blessing and the tales of her deeds inspire others.”

THLord Robert Pour Maintenant recalls that Clarissa always noticed when people needed something, even when it wasn’t obvious to others. “At an Ice Dragon years ago, Clarissa was working as one of the Chirurgeons during the tourney. Partway through she made sure that the marshals received some water to stay hydrated. The marshals were not exerting themselves like the fighters were, but were stuck in their lists, unlike the fighters who could step out to get a drink.”

THLord Richard Tyler of Swiftwater was another beneficiary of Clarissa’s kindness. “We were both living in the Midrealm when I had gall bladder surgery. One day shortly afterwards, she stopped by my house on her way home just as I was leaving for work, and provided a “drive by nursing.” I was already in the car, so she had me roll down the window. She checked and adjusted the bandage on the incision before I left for work.”

Clarissa was also noted for her quirky sense of humor. THLord Gareth the Eccentric of Saint Albans, former Principality Chronicler, says “I met Clarissa through the SCA almost exactly 35 years ago. She was wonderfully kind, caring, and funny. Clarissa was a nurse, and also connected to heraldry. At the time, the heraldic device that the Chirurgeons’ Guild used was a red cross on a white teardrop on a red background. Clarissa had a hard time remembering if it was red cross on white teardrop on white background or white cross on red teardrop on white background. However, one day she said “Oh! It’s ‘Sperm for Christ!'” and NONE of us ever had a problem recalling that [badge] again.”

Another bit of humor Clarissa loved was flaunting her leeches. In the middle ages, practitioners of the medical arts were sometimes called “leeches” because leeches were used to bleed patients to rid them of “bad humors.” Clarissa attached several small fabric leeches (basically stuffed animal versions) to her straw hat which she wore often at outdoor events. Aine commented “The hat with the leeches and [Pennsic] badges was legendary! No need for heraldry when she was wearing that hat on the side of the battlefield.”

While she did not use a pen or paint, Clarissa produced award medallions and SCA scrolls with her amazing embroidery skills. Mistress Sadira bint Wassouf, says “Clarissa met Saleem long before he joined the SCA when he was in college at Geneseo. Her dad was my biology prof. She was a prolific needle artist both in the SCA and in modern life. Every piece was perfect! One of her most intricate pieces was Saleem’s Pelican scroll, which now graces my gallery. It is a beautiful memory of her friendship and her artistry.’

Pelican scroll Clarissa made for Saleem in Alefan, based on a copyrighted design by Theresa Wentzler. Photo by Mistress Sadira bint Wassouf.

Pelican and Pel-Laurel medallions made by Clarissa. Photos courtesy of THL Richard Tyler of Swiftwater.

Mistress Amaryllis also shared this photo of a needlepoint that Clarissa made as a gift for her, of her favorite flower – the amaryllis, of course.

A funding campaign has been set up by Clarissa’s daughter, Becca, to help defray the cost of her mother’s final arrangements. Donations can be made here.

In Memoriam: Master John the Artificer

08 Tuesday Dec 2020

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Master John the Artificer of the Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands passed away unexpectedly in his home on November 25th, A.S. LV, at the age of 66.

Master John the Artificer

John was an SCA member for over 40 years, and was honored with the East Kingdom Orders of the Silver Crescent (service) and Maunche (arts) as well as a Laurel in 1987. In 1999 he received a Millrind from Æthelmearc. Until her passing almost three years ago, he was champion and companion of Mistress Achren of the Debatable Lands.

Lady Bronwyn Jourdemaine notes “More recently, John had retired, and was enjoying himself. He had become involved with Mistress Siobhan ingen Ragnaill, a fellow companion of the Order of the Laurel, originally from the Kingdom of Trimaris. They traveled together to New Zealand and England, and were planning a trip to Scotland next year.

Master John had a keen interest in medieval sciences. Mistress Kris Gilibari recalls: “John really was about investigating medieval technology, he was always up to some project or other. I once remember Master John doing a demo in Mistress Achren’s living room, to show how cochineal was made. This is a messy, chemical process that can even “boil over”, which is to say it can foam up and you end up with pink dye everyplace. Chemicals and raw materials went in, and out came some bright pink goop that will later dry out and become a useful pigment. But he did it, and made a rather complicated operation look pretty simple. This is what he was about, investigating old processes and recipes, drawing from ancient accounts of how to build, make, or brew countless concoctions and devices just for the sake of knowing, and then explaining to others how to do the same.”

Lady Bronwyn said, “An engineer, it would surprise no one that his interests included alchemy and other medieval sciences. His researches in those subjects were known throughout the Known World. It was through them that he got to know Mistress Achren. who would be his partner until she died three years ago. He would be a large help to Achren’s family, including her two children who live abroad now.” Lady Bronwyn also notes, “John was truly a renaissance man, interested in brewing, cooking, dye making, metal working, printing, painting, and theater.”

Master John was probably best known for the replica Norwegian stave church that served as his merchant booth at Pennsic. Before he purchased it, the stave church was used at the Carnegie Mellon University annual Spring Carnival. Mistress Kris remembers: “His little stave-church shop was a fixture for so many years at Pennsic, serving as both a store and as a meeting place for any and all comers, and the benches out front provided shade and rest for weary Pennsic shoppers. At night, the warm golden lights inside the tiny building made it look so inviting and joyous, and more often than not, laughter or song could be heard from within. To be honest, once you stepped inside it was difficult to leave, since one story or joke just led to another, and on into the summer evenings. And that is how I’m always going to remember him, laughing and telling his tales, explaining how things worked, there in the shop of many things.”

Master John’s stave church at Pennsic

In that booth John sold a variety of goods, many of them scribal. Mistress Kris continues, “John kept the scribes and artists of the Barony well supplied with pigments and other period tools. In fact, I have a piece of sterling silver rod that I bought from him years ago for silverpoint drawing, and I still use it at my desk every day.”

Mistress Filipia Cupbreaker shared John’s merchant booth and also traveled to Europe with him. “I will always treasure the time I had with him at the stave church, putting period materials into artist’s hands and knowledge into their heads. “Cennini-weight gold leaf – go on, touch it.” He provided a cornerstone for the community and a nexus for information exchange.”

Mistress Una de St. Luc remembers how hot it was in the church at Pennsic. “The filtered light through the wood, surrounded by various artistic things. John was such a lover of the arts and supporting artists. I remember he was really getting into trying to make block prints. We would talk about block print scrolls and designs. I think some people received some of his block print scrolls. For scribes, I feel like for a long time he was the place to go to buy pigments. I went there many times and sat with Master Brendan Brisbane and John, taking notes on art. Master John… was one of the foundation stones for the scribal community by providing the artists with needed supplies. He helped to bridge the gap for many scribes to go from modern day artist to using medieval equipment.”

Mistress Ts’vee’a bas Tseepora recalls, “I remember one time he tried to grow flax to make linen, but the smell of the retting flax made his neighbors complain. The stave church he sold out of was originally built for CMU carnival. It made him happy to have people come in and let him [explain] what it was modeled after. The pigments he sold, he ground himself.”

John was also involved with one of the first theatrical troupes in what is now Æthelmearc, called Commedia Forensica. Master Dani of the Seven Wells recounted an incident when Comedia Forensica was rehearsing on Mistress Achren’s lawn. “John felt the frolicking wasn’t up to snuff (the play was “Undine”), so he demonstrated how to frolic – a combination of dance, leap, and make a bad landing. Okay, the bad landing may not have been intended. When they asked him in the emergency room how he’d hurt his ankle, he said “frolicking”, and that’s what they wrote on his chart.”

Mistress Filipia took a trip with John to Italy, and says “John and I often looked at the same artifact and had a different intellectual experience/association. My favorite memory, though, was climbing the newly restored and opened tower of Pisa, and laughing as we wondered if it was safe to have both of our massive egos on the same side on top.”

Sir Maghnus an Chnoic na n’Iora recalls that, together with Mistress Achren, Master John founded the Chiurgeons, Hermeticists, Alchemists and Thaumaturgist’s (or CHAT) Guild, which met monthly in the Debatable Lands. “I went to several [meetings]. I remember a lot of talk about Hermès Trismagistus, as one would expect. I also remember the discussion of the high level of technology indicated by the Antikytheria Mechanism, and the terrible impact that the Pompei eruption must have had on the civilization of the Mediterranean Basin.”

Lady Arcana, daughter of Mistress Achren, recalls “I was an apprentice to the erudite Master for Artificing; the myriad projects were ever shifting from notorious Lexan armour (stormtrooper-esque, which appalled authenticity police) to astrolabes to massive period pavilions. Not to mention Viking oar tents, rope beds, hand ground illumination pigments, the Pennsic Stave Church, a gigantic bread oven for giant feast loaves, leatherwork belts and shoes, metalwork, to printing, exploding mead, and a beautiful and loud bronze calyx. This is but a sample.”

Master John’s “peer card” by THLady Rufina Saavedra

Lady Arcana also noted, “John used to sneak ferrets into Pennsic, codename ‘Geraniums’. People thought he was horticulturally minded as he often nipped out to ‘water the geraniums’. He was in fact into gardening as well and grew some of his plants for dye paints though never gave me the long promised blue turnsole. His mind flit rapidly from subject to subject, thus he was well matched with SCAdian life. ”

Lady Arcana continues, “John was mundanely part of my family and remained so unto the end. We traveled on Medieval and Renaissance research in US, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain and Portugal. We toured obscure museums and sites of historic interest. He always had thoroughly studied for these trips, and made travel plan packs with maps and highlights. Life without John will be considerably less interesting. He was rather eccentric, thorny at times, yet generous of nature with an unusual brand of kindness. There was inside a good heart.”

Lady Arcana’s children also recall Master John fondly. Her son Arden said, “Master John the Artificer, with his partner Baroness Achren, graciously hosted me at Pennsic many times since the 80s. He got me my first ever job, as an SCA paper boy in the early 90s, and brought me to my first sword fighting tourney. I assisted Master John with his stave church for a couple years in the early 2000s. A beautiful Norse treasure chest on wheels; gems and gold, precious pigments and scrolls, incense and all manner of craft and luxury items occupied every dark cool corner of it.

At Pennsics 25 and 30 each Scadian received an astrolabe designed by Master John the Artificer as their ID band medallion. These beautiful works, engraved in metal, were functional for star gazing and navigation. Master John’s diverse skills and learning were a great light for many, and our loss is deeply felt.”

Her other son, Art, has “fond memories of John at the war helping him in his church. He would be selling all kinds or interesting and wonderful things including limpet shells as paint tins, which I would collect for him from when I was a young age back in Ireland at Streedagh beach (where 3 Spanish Armada ships had crashed).”

At this time funeral arrangements are not known.

Remembering Lord George the Greek

07 Wednesday Aug 2019

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In July, Æthelmearc saw the passing of one of its beloved populace, Lord George the Greek. The announcement came from his Daughter, Baroness Isolda filia Georgii.

“My Dad, George Petrakos, known in the SCA as Lord George the Greek passed from this world shortly after midnight. I was able to be in the room with him and he passed so quietly and peacefully…Thank you to everyone who has been so kind and supportive to me, my Dad and all of our immediate family. We are truly blessed with the most kind and wonderful cadre of friends, family and family of the heart that anyone could ever dream of”!

Lord George joined the SCA late in life, but it did not slow him down or limit him. Lord George was made famous in a Pennsic Independent article when he attended his first Pennsic at the age of 92!

Is George the Greek the Oldest Person at Pennsic?

George Petrakos with His Royal Highness, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent at the 150th Anniversary of the Lorne

In the SCA many of us play the part of the brave hero, but for Lord George this was no fiction. Lord George served in the Canadian Armed Forces with the Lorne Scots Regiment during World War II, serving during the Liberation of Holland. In 2015 he was chosen as a delegate representing the Canadian Armed Forces to go to the Netherlands for the 70th Anniversary commemoration of the Liberation of Holland.

The Liberation of the Netherlands

Highlights from VE ceremony in the Netherlands

For those who will be at Pennsic, there will be a memorial shield in remembrance of “Lord George the Greek” on the Pennsic Memorial Ship on Thursday, August 8, 2019, weather permitting.

 

Peaceful journey Lord George. You continue to shine as a wonderful light not only on the people you met in the SCA, but on a world which was made a better place by your life.

In Memoriam: Lady Amanda of Kirkby Lonsdale

21 Thursday Feb 2019

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Amanda with Owen

Lady Amanda at Crown Tourney in 2014 with her son. Photo by Baron Rhiannon Elandris of Glyndyfrdwy.

We are deeply saddened at the unexpected passing of Lady Amanda of Kirkby Lonsdale  (Suzanne Veter) in December.

She was second generation SCA, and Principal of the Order of the Tyger’s Cub in the East Kingdom (equivalent to the Silver Buccle, for children). She grew up in the Rhydderich Hael, traveled extensively, and has lived in the Debatable Lands for the past 7 or so years. Amanda was a sweet lady, and the loss of her light is felt strongly.

Baron Rhiannon Elandris of Glyndyfrdwy recalls “When I first met Amanda, she must have been about 8 or 9. At 17, I had just started fighting, but was frequently asked to be a bodyguard for her and a gaggle of other little girls. It made me a little unhappy because I wanted the practice and they were not easy to keep track of. As an adult, Suzanne  remembered this and said she had always felt safe with me as a guard. She also mentioned that all the girls knew I wasn’t really happy about the job and apologized for the way that they had acted to drive me crazy. She was a kind and very caring lady who reminds me very much of her mother. She included me in things that I never expected. For the last 10 years or so she made sure to send me a postcard from Pennsic, so I would feel that I was there. It has meant so much to me to know her as an adult. I am very proud to call her a friend. Adult and child, she will always be remembered in my heart. ”

Mistress Elizabeth nic Iain, formerly of Østgardr (NYC) the East, now in Atlantia, recalls, “We first met at either a Twelfth Night or a Coronation upstate [in NY] when we were children. We were both maids in waiting to the queen. She was so pretty, I was initially intimidated by her, but she was so sweet, and helped me know what to do, and we became lifelong friends from that day.”

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Lady Amanda as a teen. Photo courtesy of Laura Peskett.

Mistress Arianna of Wynthrope recalls, “I met Amanda when she was a child of 8, and was immediately impressed with her good nature and eagerness to help out. Within a short time she became so adept as a server at feasts that she was routinely put in charge of serving High Table. She was made Principal of the East’s children’s order, the Tyger’s Cub, at the  age of 10. By the time she was 11 she had received her Award of Arms and served as a page to multiple Queens of the East. But I remember her fondly for more than her hard work; she was unfailingly kind, friendly, and generous to everyone she met. She will be missed.”

We offer our condolences to Lady Amanda’s husband, Viscount Ariel, her two children, her parents, Sir Raimund of the Strait and Viscountess Angharad of Lion’s Tower, and her friends.

In Memoriam: Lord Ruben MacUrsus

09 Saturday Feb 2019

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Reuben at an eventThe Æthelmearc Gazette is saddened to report the passing of Lord Ruben MacUrsus from the Shire of Port Oasis in early January as the result of a motor vehicle accident.

Lord Ruben (Reuben Sayre) was a Companion of the Keystone and Silver Buccle as well as Blackstone Mountain’s Black Onyx. He was known for his big heart and enthusiastic service, especially in kitchens. He was also a fighter and heavy weapons marshal.

Lord Ruben’s sister, Lady Crystal MacUrsus, said of her brother:

“Ruben MacUrsus was a lifetime member of the SCA. His mother was still carrying him at their first event, Pennsic. He is preceded in death by his father, Frederick the Bald, a rather scurrilous merchant of a variety of knives and other odds and ends. Ruben received a Silver Buccle when he was 8, and thus began a lifelong relationship with service and the kitchen. There are many stories of him cooking; at one White Hart he was requested in court so they had to pull him out of the kitchen. It took a few minutes for the guards to divest him of various knives, and Sir Gareth even considered requesting that he leave the wooden spoon behind as it may have been considered threatening. Given that they were surprising him with an award, that may have been warranted. He was always there to lend a hand, be part of a ‘goon’ squad, or just lend a shoulder and listen. Many nights at Pennsic he could be found wooing ladies late into the evening, then fighting in the morning. There have been many people who asked him to mix a drink or bartend. While the spirits may have been strong, he rarely made one that didn’t suit the person requesting it.”

Reuben in armorShe continued, “He also worked as a blacksmith. During demos he was always patient, showing newcomers and the public how to heat the metal and strike it to produce the desired shape. He made metalwork items for friends and family in his spare time.”

In honor of Lord Ruben, Lady Kismira Rothiem, Seneschale of the Shire of Port Oasis, is taking up a collection for a memorial.  She posted on Facebook:

“On behalf of the Sayre family, in memory of Reuben Sayre, we will have a table set up for him people can donate items that remind you of Reuben. More importantly, Reuben loved telling stories, we will have a notebook present for people to share their favorite memories and stories of Reuben. This memorial will travel with me and Lord James Freeman (James Schmutz) to White Hart, Blackstone Raid, War Practice, and Pennsic. At the end of Pennsic, all items and stories will be given to the Sayre family. For those who have stories to share but cannot make any of these events please feel free to email me at locascio3@gmail.com or James at james_freeman14th@yahoo.com. Thank you all.”

Lord Ruben is survived by his mother and step-father, sisters, and his uncle and aunt, Baron Kire MacUrsus and Baroness Catherine Wert, and his cousin Michael.

Photos courtesy of Lord James Freeman.

 

In Memoriam: Baron Leonard the Younger, OL

20 Friday Apr 2018

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Leonard0012The Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands is saddened to report the passing of Baron Leonard the Younger, OL, last week at his home in Pittsburgh at the age of 71. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Baroness Anna Georgievna of Kiev, who passed away in 2008.

Baron Leonard joined the SCA in the early 1970s and was one of the founders of the then-Shire-Marche of the Debatable Lands, which encompassed more or less all of western Pennsylvania at the time. He received his Award of Arms in April of 1973 from the East Kingdom, of which the Debatable Lands was then a part. Leonard went on to become the second Baron of the Debatable Lands in 1979, and was its longest serving Baron, stepping down in 1992 after 13 years.

The current Baroness of the Debatable Lands, Mistress Hilderun Hugelmann, recalls, “Baron Leonard, more than any one single person, is why the Debatable Lands is the way it is. He stepped up to the Baronial throne in 1979, following a short but intense period of foundation, division, and chaos for our Barony, which at the time encompassed two-thirds of what is now AEthelmearc. He (along with his Baroness, Anna Georgievna of Kiev, who joined him on the Baronial throne shortly thereafter as our first Baroness) ushered in a long period of stability, growth and prosperity. They brought with them the strong, independent spirit of the Norsemen; an insatiable curiosity and interest in both the peaceful and warlike arts equally; kindness, loyalty and inclusiveness; and most of all, a fierce love of our game, all centered on an unbending backdrop of merriment and humor. He brought all of this to his beloved Barony, and it spread and grew and became who we are.”

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Leonard and Anna in the 1970s.

Mistress Marian Greenleaf, formerly of the Debatable Lands and now living in AnTir, served as first Baronial Bard and was also Baronial Seneschale under Leonard and Anna. She remembers “[Leonard] invented the Orders of the Comet and created the scroll texts as well as the scrolls themselves; Anne sewed the pouches for the various Comets. Len’s mottos for the awards will stick with me for the rest of my life: For the Comets, “Wear as much honor as you can win”; for the Baroness’ Bard, “May your gifts touch hearts in many a warm hall.” To me, the first is about consciously modeling the service and the high standards the Comet recognizes, and the second is about using your gifts to share with others.

Mistress Odriana vander Brugghe, current Seneschal of the Debatable Lands, says “Baron Leonard and Baroness Anna, were near mythical figures for a new SCAdian. They exuded what I can only describe as “Old Money”, that sense of comfort and extravagance balanced by warmth and kindness. I respected them and was so pleased that such kind, wonderful people were my Baron and Baroness. I had the pleasure of getting to know them a bit during those early years of my participation, mostly talking to Len about his time in Ethiopia, which fascinated me.”

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Baron Leonard and Baroness Anna

Leonard was known for his expertise in all things Viking, for which he received a Manche from the East Kingdom in 1982, a Fleur d’Æthelmearc in 2000, and a Laurel in 2007. However, his interests ranged widely across many fields, including ancient history and African cultures. Mistress Marian noted, “One of the things I’ll always remember about Baron Len is that he had spent time in East Africa in the 1950s working with the British, and that’s where he learned to use a spear, from Africans who hunted with spears. He was the only person I knew who had been presented with an Ethiopian Magic Scroll, by Ethiopians.” Even into his late 60s, Baron Leonard made frequent trips to Jordan to volunteer on archeological digs.

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Leonard and Anna process into court at Pennsic

Leonard could be a rather colorful spinner of yarns. Sir Graedwyn mab Teyrnon recounts, “When I first met Len at Pennsic 2, he regaled me with stories of all the battles he had been in and of his fierce prowess. Little did I realize that he was speaking of table-top war games, and that he was also attending his first SCA event that day. But, being a starry-eyed, easily conned sixteen year old who was agog at the pageantry on display, I decided that I would follow this Beowulf-like person into battle until the stars fell out of the sky.”

Baron Brandubh o Donnghaile, who now wears the Debatable Lands’ baronial coronet, says “When Hilda and I joined the SCA, Baron Leonard and Baroness Anna had already stepped down from the Office of Baron and Baroness of the Debatable Lands, and Leonard was running the Baronial Vikingr Guild meetings to discuss various aspects of Viking Cultures. I found him to be a charming man, and became quite fond of him over the years. It became one of my Pennsic traditions to stop by Len’s camp, have a drink and just chat about anything and everything. This was an easy quest, and many did the same as Leonard was a storyteller and enjoyed spending his Pennsics telling stories and listening to others’ tales, such as how one should never challenge Thor while holding a hammer in the middle of a rain storm…The last time Leonard did that, it didn’t stop raining at Pennsic until everyone left!”

Leonard0005Sir Graedwyn was present for the incident that inspired that tale. “[It was] at Pennsic, at least twenty years ago, when Len was hanging onto his dining fly, being lifted off his feet by the fury of the storm and calling to Thor to let up before our entire camp was blown away.”

Mistress Odriana recalls “Over the years, Leonard continued to be one of my favorite people. When I started doing research into Frisian culture, he was my first stop, and his encouragement and guidance were what drove me through the difficult beginning of that research. I loved talking with him about our now shared interest in Viking-era culture. I always made time to sit and visit with him when I could and while those opportunities were further between in recent years, it was something that I always looked forward to and enjoyed. I am so grateful to have had him as part of my life over the last 30 years.” A recipe that Odriana received from Leonard appears at the end of this article.

Mistress Marian notes, “In addition to his contributions in researching and teaching Viking-era culture, Len touched many lives for the better and the legacy of his service to the Society lives on in the healthy path pursued by the Barony-Marche in his time and up to the present. He and Anne provided an excellent foundation and stable, long-term leadership. It was my privilege to know him as the Baron of the Debateable Lands.“

Leonard0007Baroness Hilda said “Most of you may have joined after his time, and may not have even met or spoken with him in these last years, but Baron Len’s character and spirit are everywhere, all around us. Baron Len may not have been our founding Baron, but he was very much our foundation. Our Barony, the Kingdom, and the world are a lesser place for his loss.”

Mistress She’erah bat Shlomo recalls one of Leonard’s favorite sayings from Viking lore:

Cattle die,
kinsmen die,
we also will die.
But I know a thing that never dies:
the good name of one who has earned it.

(Hávamál 76)

Baron Len’s name will surely live on forever. May his days in Valhalla be filled with mead overflowing and happy meetings with old friends.

Len’s Recipe for Doro Wat – Ethiopian Style Chicken Stew

This recipe requires two pre-prepared ingredients: niter-kebe and berebere powder. The recipes for those are below.

NOTICE: This is the way that I learned to make this stuff in Ethiopia. I don’t write cookbooks. So, work with it.

First assemble the amount of chicken that you want to cook and start the preparations from the point.

In an appropriate sized pot, put the niter-kebe, one cup of red wine, two cups of water, the juice of one lemon, one quarter cup of olive oil and one cup of barley. When simmering, add berebere powder until you get a creamy-textured broth (you will probably use at least a cup). If you’ve made it a bit too thick, thin it with water. If you want to strengthen the brew, add more of the berebere powder.

After the barley begins to soften, add your chicken parts after puncturing each piece several time with a fork. The broth should cover all of the chicken. When the chicken is just about done, add a few hard-boiled, shelled eggs to the stew. Fold them in gently, so as not to break up the eggs.

While that is stewing, cut up a large red onion and a large green bell pepper into 1” pieces. Mix these gently into the stew (remember those eggs), simmer for about fifteen more minutes, and serve over thin pancakes [Note: Injera]. The chicken should come off the bone easily.

Niter-kebe

Cover the bottom of a frying pan with butter and melt. Add:

1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp. finely chopped ginger
½ tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground clove
1 ½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp nutmeg

Cut up a large red onion and one green bell pepper. Fry them in the spiced butter until soft. Add butter if necessary to keep the mixture from burning.

Berebere Powder (makes about two cups)

1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cardamom{sic}
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground fenugreek
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground clove
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp salt
1 ½ cup paprika
½ cup ground African red pepper
1 tsp Bishop’s Weed (Aswan seed)

Many thanks to Mistress Ts’vee’a bas Tseepora Levi, who provided the photos of Baron Leonard included in this article.

Wolfgang’s Crusader Ale, and Other Anachronistic Brews

04 Sunday Mar 2018

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wolfgang
In memory of THL Wolfgang Starcke − a brewer, a teacher, a barkeep − the Æthelmearc Guild of Brewers, Vintners, and Meadhers is hoping to assemble a SCAdian brewing book.

Of you we ask: please share with us your recipes. Help us remember Wolfgang as we hope he would appreciate.

The general idea is to collect recipes and anecdotes (preferably anecdotes to go with the recipes) from all the brewers and others that Wolfgang and his brews have influenced over the years. We’re hoping for a mix from the lowliest Pennsic utility brew to the loftiest of documented Ice Dragon entries.

Show us your recipes, show us your memories, show us your photos, sketches, and illustrations. Share what you know he liked−or not−or what you think he might appreciate. Help make Wolfgang an even more lasting presence in our community, and an inspiration for those who come after – now, as well as in life.

The Kingdom of Æthelmearc Brewers Guild has dedicated a page (also found via the Events & Activities tab) to this endeavor.

Guild_Badge
You can use the link at the bottom of the page to enter your submission, including contact information, your story or anecdote, historical inspiration, if applicable, and modern recipe.

For your inspiration, and to take a sneak peek at previous submissions, we chose to offer you the option of viewing previous submissions. How the final brew book will look like depends on the type and volume of submissions: so let’s all pull together and aim for something BIG!

Yours in Service,
Elska, Maggie Rue, and Madoc Arundel.

In Memoriam: Mistress Achren of the Debatable Lands

29 Friday Dec 2017

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Mistress Achren, with Master John the Artificer in the background. Photo by Mistress Ts’vee’a bas Tseepora Levi.

The AEthelmearc Gazette is saddened to report the passing of Mistress Achren of the Debatable Lands, also known as Achren Ancyros (Ruth Reilly) on December 18th after a long illness. She was 88.

Mistress Achren joined the SCA in the late 1970s along with her son, Lord Rolf Schwartz, and later her daughter, Monica. She served as Baronial Chirurgeon, helped autocrat events, and cooked feasts, including a memorable late period German one for which she was positively gleeful at being able to show documentation for potatoes within period. However, she was better known for her poetry and work in theater arts. She organized performances of comedies by members of the Debatable Lands at events, with a group initially dubbed “Commedia Forensica,” but later renamed the “Dismal Players” in honor of Earl Yngvar the Dismal, first King of AEthelmearc, who agreed to be their patron.

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A performance by Commedia Forensica. L-R: Lord Rolf Schwartz, Mistress Achren, and her daughter Monica. Photo by Mistress Ts’vee’a.

Being older than many of the other members of the Barony-Marche, Mistress Achren became an adopted mother to many Debatable Landers. She opened her home to Scadians, fed them, advised them, and helped them in many ways. Mistress Linette de Gallardon, once a student in the Debatable Lands and currently living in the Shire of Owlsherst in the East Kingdom, wrote: “Achren was so very kind to me when I joined the SCA almost thirty years ago. She hosted many a gathering in her home – all of my fond gaming memories are around her dining table. She knew I was struggling financially and always found a subtle way to sneakily give me something to eat or take home “oh, no one here will eat it, will you take it?” Conversations at her house were never boring, flitting from subject to subject with lightening speed. She was such a wonderful person.”

Commedia Forensica petition scroll

Scroll petitioning then-Prince Yngvar and Princess Caryl to become Commedia Forensica’s patrons. Photo courtesy of Earl Yngvar the Dismal.

Sir Maghnus de Cnoc an Iora of the Debatable Lands, who fought for the honor of Mistress Achren in a number of Crown Tournaments, recalls, “I met Achren some time before I finished my PhD, which would make it at least 35 years ago. She opened her home to me as well as to many others. I lived in a bedroom on her second floor for some months back in the day. Achren did a good deal of painting with period pigments; that is the art for which I remember her. She, along with Rolf and John, ran the CHAT guild- Chirurgeons, Thaumaturgists, Hermeticists, and Alchemists- which met on the 5th Tuesday of every month. She was brilliant, and I learned a great deal of history from her. I remember talking at length about the Bronze Age, the Antikythera Mechanism, Pompei and the volcano at Thera. This was a large part of the inspiration for the Bronze Age Events, the two events that I have ever autocratted. I will say that though her lungs were giving out, her mind was undimmed when I last saw her. We talked about politics, science, science fiction, and philosophy. She was an amazing and compassionate woman.”

Achren was known for her keen wit and brilliant mind. Dame Margaret Makafee of the Debatable Lands remembers her “brain shifting to high gear in a conversation, because Achren, with that sweet sly smile, asked the question that drove through the gaping hole in your thesis.” She continued, there was “the joy to know she was in camp and feeling well, or how she made you feel right at home — in her home, in her camp, or wherever she was.”

Mistress Achren received her AoA in 1982, was made a Court Baroness in 1988, added to the Order of the Silver Crescent (East Kingdom’s order for service) in 1994 for founding Chirurgeon’s Point at Pennsic, and eventually inducted into the Order of the Laurel in 1998. She also held numerous Comets from the Debatable Lands for arts and service.

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L-R: Mistress Roxane the Tempting, Mistress Achren, and Duchess Morgen of Rye. Photo by Mistress Ts’vee’a.

Maistir Brandubh o Donghaile and Mistress Hilderun Hugelmann, Baron and Baroness of the Debatable Lands, said, “We are greatly saddened by [Mistress Achren’s passing], and have missed her quick wit and mischievous smile. Our heartfelt condolences to those that were close to her. We welcome ideas on how to honor her memory here in our Barony.”

Mistress Achren is survived by her children, Lord Rolf (Paul Reilly), Vincent Reilly, and Monica Reilly; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; her former apprentice, THLady Margery of Kent; and her long-time companion, Master John the Artificer. Her obituary is available here.

In Memoriam: Viscountess Ivone la Doucette de Rouen

26 Tuesday Dec 2017

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Viscountess Ivone with her husband, Viscount Yoshina.

We are saddened to report the passing of Viscountess Ivone la Doucette de Rouen on the 17th of December.

Her Excellency joined the Society in the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael in the early 1980s. Her costuming abilities were recognized immediately, and she received her Award of Arms in 1985 for her sewing skill. She would go on to create many amazing gowns, such as the very complex Elizabethan—her preferred period and style. Only a few years later, she received a Court Barony from the East Kingdom.

Ivone blue ElizabethanAfter a whirlwind courtship, she and Atai Sir Yoshina were married in 1985. Sir Yoshina was serving in the Air Force at the time, so she ended up traveling the world with him to places as diverse as North Dakota and Germany. While in the Middle Kingdom, she received its mid-level arts award, the Willow, again for her amazing skill as a seamstress. She and Yoshina also began building their household, House Atai, with many young military men joining as Yoshina’s squires. Ivone served as a surrogate mother for them all.

During their time in Europe, Sir Yoshina won the coronet of the then-Principality of Drachenwald, and together he and Ivone reigned over that fabled land from June of 1989 to January of 1990 as its 19th Prince and Princess.

Viscountess Ivone was recognized again for her skills as a seamstress by Drachenwald with their Order of the Panache in 1990, and the Orden des Lindquistringes for service in 1992, as well as by the East Kingdom with the order of the Silver Crescent for service at Pennsic 21 and a Laurel at Pennsic 22.

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Ivone and Yoshina’s son, Aaron.

Viscount Yoshina and Viscountess Ivone returned to the U.S. in the early 90s, eventually settling in the Shire of Coppertree, where they have lived ever since. They adopted a son, Aaron, in the mid-1990s. Aaron was a youth fighter who eventually authorized to fight as an adult alongside his father. He is currently a college student studying to become a pharmacist.

Though health issues kept her from participating in the Society much over her last few years, Viscountess Ivone still continued her love of sewing, dogs, and horses.

Sir Anton von Hagenstein, formerly of Drachenwald and now of Calontir, lamented, “We have lost a fantastic Lady. I’ve known these fine people since the mid-1980s and both of them have played a very large part of my life. Ivone hand-made my vigil clothing (which still hangs next to my court garb), and [added] embroidery with important phrases of my native language. She always had a smile and open arms to everyone, and if she knew you had a problem large or small, she was helping you get through it. Together they laid the Accolade of Knighthood upon my shoulder, and made that moment … That moment that changed my life, in so many ways.”

Mistress Geirny Thorgrimsdottir of the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael said: “Ivone was my Laurel. She was one of my most important mentors. But most of all she was my friend. Everyone should be so lucky as to have a friend as loyal, witty, and impassioned about the things she loved as Ivone was.”

Ivone ice blue gownCountess Genevieve Chastellain D’Anjou of the Barony of Rising Waters in Ealdormere wrote: “Yesterday I lost one of my dearest and longest friends – Mary Ann Edgar [Viscountess Ivone]. We met when I was only 20. While I know her suffering from her longtime illness with COPD is over and she is at peace, I cannot stop the tears. Tears for her devoted husband she leaves behind. Tears for her beloved son (my godson) who made her so proud. Tears for her family and loved ones who grieve with me. Tears for myself for I will miss her sorely. Mary Ann taught me so much. Some were hard lessons and we sometimes butted heads, but I always knew that she loved me. I loved her for her unique fierceness and passion for her arts and her hobbies. In the SCA she was my Laurel, my mentor, my inspiration, my pain-in-the-neck, and my confidante. My heart is aching for my own loss. And I hope that she knew how much I loved her.”

Lord Deerwulf the Druid, formerly of the Shire of Aachental (now defunct, once located at SUNY Geneseo near Thescorre) and currently of Ansteorra, said: “At Pennsic one year, House Atai had encamped at Willow Point. The solar showers were pretty new, and there was only a little warm water in the mornings. The menfolk took to Morning Water Purification Ritual: basically an early version of the Ice Challenge. We would gather around a collected water container, and take turns immersing our arms, heads, whatever, into the icy cold water. On the morning in question, we were engaged in our ritual when a rather un-coffeed Ivone came out of her tent, saw us gathered around splashing the water. She harrumphed … and returned to the tent, muttering how silly Japanese were.”

The Æthelmearc Gazette extends its condolences to all of Viscountess Ivone’s family and friends.