Waaaaay back in Oct '09 I started out by saying "Hail, you hypothetical reader out there!"... and it's been a year:  these entries have been sporadic, intermittent.. even a bit haphazard.  It's been a few months since I last rambled on here on the soapbox- for which I don't beg your forgiveness (since I'm not even sure anyone out there is reading any of this *anyway*...)

Highpoints since our last entry: Events within the Dominion, Endless Hills and ACG.

The Dominion of Myrkfaelin's Candle against the Darkness event: ... was a nice, small, intimate afternoon. with plenty of fencing.  It featured a 10 fencer round-robin tourney that included Don Fergus, Don Alden and Don Mateo, as well as Cadet Helene, Capt' Thorpe, Their Excellencies Barons Gunnar and Edward... and your humble narrator.  Unlike the health and concentraion issues I had at 7 Pearls, my sense of humor was unchecked, my breathing wasn't labored and I therefore was under no disadvantage in finding my "zen zone" and with a song in my heart and a joke on my lips I swept the field- including my Don...  ...

Fasching in Endless Hills saw the irst year anniversay of Their Excellencies reign, the end of my second stint at Baronial Rapier Champion and fun for all.  Lord Mark won the rapier tourney and relieved me of the champion's regalia, including that wonderful rapier   [interesting side notes: this is the second time one of my students goes on to take the champion's spot, guess I'm getting old! heh, heh...  Lord Gwydion paid me a nice compliment by defining me as a consistent challenge... and Brother Andreas graduated out of the MIT program to be ACG's first rapier marshal in residence! -'twas yet another step in our insiduous plan for Steel-Therapy to take over this corner of the Kingdom and promote fencing as far as we can conveniently travel...  Oh- and like most EH events, we pertetrated more court schtick... like *that's* a surprise???? ]

ACG's F'n event marked Brother Andreas' first event as rapier marshal in charge (Vivat, Brother!) -what was to have been a day of tourneys became instead a day of authorizations as ACG, EH & Nithguard fencers took the opportunity to become authed- or add to existing auths... I can't complain, once again it fits into the master-plan to increase local fencing, and I was proud and overjoyed to have been a part.  We presented Andreas with his very own marshal's baton (complete with two scoops and a muffin - we'll do that story here someday soon, i promise...) in court- and then applauded Their Majesties decision to award Andreas A Golden Alce! (remember that age comment last paragraph? run that again right here, another steel-therapy student getting a 'golden goat'...)

It's going to be a less active winter this year- as no one has the same incredible inspirations that we had *last* winter to spend the season on-the-road at event after event every other weekend... should be nice to get a rest, with a small event or gathering at measured intervals, like Yule in Delftwood, New Year's Day in EH and mayhaps the Confed gathering in January.

Come Feb, we'll see things pick up again, with some traditional fencing events, 7 Deadlies and Ice Dragon... and 2011 will see the Queen's Rapier Championship held here within EH borders! (Not only within our borders... but 10 min away from Steel-Therapy's traditional location... in fact it'll be 5 min from my home!  At Wyo. Area HS where Jess teaches and Eric & Mike learn...  talk about a home field advantage!   I'm hoping all of Steel-Therapy turns out for this, showing the Kingdom our numbers, our abilities and our esprit de corps...)

Ok, having mentioned the upcoming QRC... In yet another attempt to drive me completely insane with curiosity and overthinking: at Fasching Their Excellencies called a listfield court, yielded it to Don Fergus who summoned me, charged me with appearing at QRC (as if I wouldn't?), with playing the tourney to win (again, as if I wouldn't??) and to be prepared to meet on the field an as-yet-unspecified swashbuckler opponent...  I have a suspicion or two already- which I may or may not commit to words here in this blog someday... We'll see.  

Sheesh- didn't mention EH elections, or "Debbie Does Dallas: the Musical", or several other interesting occurrences- guess I'll ramble about them in upcoming entries-

Parry!

Ok- First: Vivats To Naka Warmaiden and Lord Jehan for successful Braggart challenges!

Secondly: here's a Pennsic 39 tale, an in-depth story that augments the Pennsic Independent article about the 5-Man Atlantean Tourney...

AE fielded at lest two teams, "Steel Therapy" and "Roses and Thorns" (comprised of Ladies of the Rose and White Scarves)

Steel-Therapy quickly dispatched our first opponent, lost a hard-fought battle with our second opponent and the third bout was the one described in the paper- Against an Atlantean home team.

They took Gunnar out quickly- and even with a one-man disadvantage we rallied and took out four of theirs, driving the final fencer (a young man of no more than 189 or 20) to the edge, legging him, where a hold was called.

Not wanting to steam-roll over him, I offered single combat.  First Gwydion, then I, then Mark and finally Naka.  I have to say that had we been playing by AE rules (touch calibration and tip& push cuts) then our single opponent would have died against *each* of our four fencers- we each managed that much, but we were playing by his ruleset.  they were four wonderful bouts- and it stopped the rest of the tourney while people gathered round to watch.

When it was over, and I backed out of the list- I bumped right into Don Diego (I hadn't even seen him watching!) who said "Nice Po, very chivalrous, very sportmanlike... NEVER DO IT AGAIN! Next time, give him one single, then jump him as a group.  Now- go take that guy over and introduce him to Tessa- make a big deal of it for him..."

Now, while watching these events, Gunnar had run back to our dayshade and gotten his coronet and a baronial favor- and had started over to present it to this young Lord.  I caught up to him in mid-presentation and after he finished all 5 of us escorted him to the AE dayshade where HRM Tessa (part of the Roses and Thorns team) was resting.. and we did the introductions and lauded him nicely.

Having lost that match, we didn't make the cut to the next round- and watching "Roses and Thorns" apparently pack and depart as well, we decided to retire to the food court for lunch as a team (still giggling and feeling good about ourselves...)

15 min later- midway through our lunch, Don Christian and Dona Sasha (the Thorns pair of Roses and...) find us eating in the food court and proceed to tell us that after our departure- and at the tourney's end, HRM of Atlantia made a special presentation to "Steel Therapy" for Chivalrous behavior- and Dona Sasha presented us with HRM's blue-stone'd rings as tokens. (Our jaws dropped...)

a few moments after that Mark and I departed on a mission to the battlefield to return TRM's armor back to the encampment, so we missed the next part:

The High Rapier Provost-Marshal of Atlantia (who had been marshaling the 5-man tourney) *also* caught up with Steel-Therapy in the food court.. and he stepped onto the bench- up onto the table and "Oh Yea, Oh Yea"-d the surrounding feasters to silence and proceeded to regale the entire food court with the tale of what the team had done!

Throughout the last 2 days, Her Maj of Atlantia encountered each of the Steel-Therapy team for a personal audience (I got mine midway through the Cadet's tourney Fri afternoon (which is another story) after Stef and Liz's wedding (which is yet ANOTHER story...)

.. and finally, after the final rapier plateau battle, and the subsequent friendship battles, as Her Maj. Tessa was thanking the rapier army and the commanders, I said to her "My only regret is that 'Roses and Thorns' and 'Steel-Therapy' never got the chance to cross blades..." to which she replied "We can DO that!"

so.. right there on the battlefield, the two 5-man teams squared off for my final Pennsic melee...

Huzzah!

   Off to 7 Pearls, with Bronchitis...!

    Ok, even with the meds in my system, Sat morning I was still short of breath & coughing- just less uncontrollably... I did a bit of warm-up bouting with Fergus and went in to the tourney figuring that a long as I didn't draw things out too long I could rest between bouts... kept telling myself "short sprints, then rest, short sprints then rest".

    Mistake.

    Lost bouts during my first two matches that I feel I *could* have won- had I instead relaxed, found my rhythm and channeled the *fun*.  Lord Parion I expected to be an uphill challenge, and even wheezing I found myself losing bouts not to *him* but to *myself*. Still managed to take one bout and a double-kill out of 4 matches against him, which compared to the last time he and I crossed blades- makes for a major improvement in my opinion.  Lady Helene... provided a wake-up call- exploiting openings in my stance and timing that should *not* have been there- I was lucky just to take one bout from her- especially in a situation in which the '3-1' score could have been expected to go the other way.

    Feeling dejected, cursing myself, my lungs and downing bottle after bottle of tomato juice, I despaired.

    ... And that's when Chaos gave me my second wind, a better mindset, and a new lease on life. (Thank you, Eris!)

    The two most "expected-to-be-uphill-challenging" matches, Don Clewin and Don Iago- both brought out humor on the listfield.  Snappy repartee and Clewin's rendition of "Barracuda"... I laughed- no, I mean I *LAUGHED*.. and it was like a knot untied itself in my lungs- and in my brain.  I was not only able to breathe easier, but I realized that I had impaled myself on the tooth of the "soul of the shark"... I wasn't enjoying myself.
  (Ok- I hear you asking... "Barracuda"?  Just about everyone had been playing Buckler as their Parry form, and foolish I, I matched them the first two matches... But Don Iago was playing Stick instead, and this prompted me to bring out the Red Herring instead of the buckler... and it started my road back to 'functional eccentricity" <lol>... it worked so well that I brought it out again vs Don Clewin, who launched into "Barracuda"... more laughter, more release.. and my bouts against those two were lengthy, hard-fought, and FUN. (I'm also told they were impressive as all hell to watch...)

     -It was like opening a surprise package and finding my old-self waiting- and he was looking for a challenge.

    From those moments it was a different tourney for me, I went into my match against Lord Padraig and took him for three out of four, with almost the full feeling of zen smoothness and grace I would have felt BEFORE the bronchitis set in. What a difference!

    My last chance to redeem myself (at least to myself) was my final match 'gainst Lord Alexander- who had been presenting major challenges to just about everyone, hard-fought exchanges... I made a special effort to watch his style and choices as I sat between matches- and with my new-found zest I was able to put some observations together.

    Armed with zest, observations, and fun I hit that final four-bout match with everything I had.. and took 3 of 4 bouts... <grin>

    Final standings, tied for 4th out of 7, neck and neck with Lord Alexander.

    Sigh- if ONLY I could have started the tourney against Don Clewin and Don Iago... who knows what could have been possible had I had that insight, relevation and relaxation earlier in the day....

  I took the rest of the day off... Marshalled Melee, did some Auths, talked, listened, *learned*. and then- went Home...

More soonish!

S.

Ok- the weather is warming up.. SCA events at which there is camping space available become more and more prevalent...  and I spent this weekend (in part) by dragging my non-period, rip-stop-nylon cabin-tent out of storage, setting it up, airing it out, cleaning, sweeping, patching, mending, etc...

... and Again, the question arises, at least in my mind....

WHY does no-one make a period-style pavilion using modern materials?

 I have a number of friends who camp in period canvas pavilions- who will wax eloquently on the comfort of canvas.. and I will not dispute that.  *But*- it does increase one's payload considerably.. a trailer is often neeed.  My 14 x 14 cabin tent collapses into a bag that fits on the back seat of my Saturn...

Is it too much to ask that *someone* out there take advantage of this niche market? there are several thousand SCAdians and Rennies who would likely be interested in something that has the *appearance* and *style* of a period pavilion, utilizing modern materials and amenities...

I would dearly love a period Pavilion- with the pennants and the trim.. done in a rip-stop nylon.. with a waterproof floor built in.. maybe even some concealed mesh-screens to vent air and keep the bugs out.. etc...

The one time I *did* find something closely approximating such a pavilion, it failed miserably...  the workmanship was so shoddy that the second time I put it up, the center-pole ripped right through the top-point.   quite a bit of time and effort went into repairing it, only to find out at the third time I set it up (at the next camping event)- that *every* single seam- roof AND side - leaved like a sieve... sigh.. and this pavilion lacked a floor, so not only were we all rained upon, but we basically ended up camping INSIDE in mud...

Believe me, several lengthy letters went back and forth between the vendor and I, I eventually got a full refund, and now I have a cabin tent.

...But still, I would love to be able to have something more period-looking.. that would fit in my Saturn, with room enough for my fencing gear and other sundries...    sigh.

Someday...

PARRY!

Po

Huh? Eh? Ummm... Yeah.

Ok, It's been, what... 2-ish months since I last sat down to mutter and type to myself here? Ok.

Have to admit, that the whirlwind- nay, avalanche- of stuff since the last entry has kept me really too busy to do anything but react to things...

-The final few events of TRM's Henri and Elena's reign- the grand finale of being a Royal Guard, receiving a Sigil of Aethelmearc- and going through Guard-withdrawal... ("Halloo, I'm Po, and I have an addiction...." ).

-Design and tech for "The Adding Machine" at Phoenix Theatre- a *Little Shiny Things* production.

- Year's End Tourneys... An ACG Demo... An EH Bar-b-q practice... An EH Demo... The West Pittston Cherry-Blossom festival... Theatre... Too much... just too, too much. I even had to miss out on the Angel's Keep Nay-Day event... (sigh)

-Pennsic War planning, AE-Novice Planning... Melee Madness planning... (What was I thinking? why did I allow myself to get roped into co-autocratting? and heralding the EQ tourney as well????? *why*? )

-Plus, I've been geeking out on the new Doctor Who season. Matt Smith makes a very good Doctor, and Amy Pond a wonderful companion- *BUT*.. I have to admit that I very much dislike the opening 10 or so bars of the new signature tune, was underwhelmed by episodes 2 & 3, and totally *HATE* the unneccesary and ill-conceived re-design of the Daleks... (Humpbacked, colorform, power-ranger-pastel, VW-beetle-inspired Daleks? Really?? ). It's not until eps 4 & 5 that Moffat finally returns to his stride..giving us a brilliant one-two punch returning both River Song and the Weeping Angels to the screen.

-Eventually I'll either do a whole entry about what 3 ounces of blue cloth does to a person, or I'll put up a separate page for those musings... *Not* just how it affects the 2 people at ground-zero, but the other aspects too...

-Which brings me to other fencing matters- two more challenges for the Bragging Stick withstood. ...and plans for what I hope to be an interesting tourney next week -evening the playing field to intentionally inspire more of the Steel-Therapy inmates to make a bid for the Stick...

Ok- back to the avalanche!

PARRY!

s.

Good Eve, All!
      Hmmm. ok. Here I sit, after a relaxing 'sleep-late', a movie and a dinner... I think I'm rested and regrouped enough to look back on yesterday... <grin>

    The Feast of the 7 Deadly Sins is a tradition in Delftwood. It's generally the biggest rapier-focused event on this side of the Kingdom.  It was the first out-Barony event I ever tagged along to with Brother Stef, and over the past almost-decade of attending 7 Deadlies this event has featured prominently in my own personal career- both on the field and off.  I've got several "No-Sh*t, there I was..." stories from 7 Deadlies over the years...

    Added to this- this year's 7D was Delftwood's Investiture, making it also a Royal Progress event... So in addition to the normal fencing situation, please add a nice red Royal Guard sash to your mental image of Po in his listfield garb. <grin>

    It's safe to say, some schtick was planned...

    At his Excellency's request, I wordsmithed a peace treaty betwixt Endless Hills and Delftwood.  This was presented in Court, and was well received. (we were sung in beautifully by the Endless Voices Choir), and Baron Gunnar had a lot of fun declaiming the treaty as a performance piece.  *fun!*)

    At Her Majesty's request, I performed alongside the Endless Voices Choir- and solo'd the third verse of "The Escarbuncle" at the pre-feast bardic break...

    I fenced in, and marshaled the main tourney (which was *won* by m'lord Mark Gunnarrson of the Endless Hills- *Vivat!*), lost an Iron Ring challenge to Don Clewin...   and was called unto the field by Don Fergus.

    Ok, The Defence would like to enter the following facts into the record:

    While I had been introduced to olympic-style sabre fencing way back as a boy, I had progressed to stage-combat by my late twenties... and by my thirties I had been 'adopted' by Lord Stef as his pupil and I learned SCA-style rapier combat from him.  I guess I did ok (grin) because I eventually reached a point where Brother Stef saw and treated me as an equal. We worked together (and added Lady Dei as a third) to improve EH rapier conditions.

    And then everything changed in June '04...  the same day Their Excellencies saw fit to induct me into the EH Order of the Crimson Thunderbolt, an out-Barony Marshal who was visiting that day offered to get me into the Rapier Marshal-in-Training program.  At that time he was Lord Benedict Fergus atte Mede.

    I worked and became a Marshal... became a better fencer... became EH Champion... acquired an AoA  ...attended my first Pennsic (Merc Flu)... acquired a Golden Alce  ...adopted the AE-Novice tourney...

    ... and though it all, with the mutual support of my Comrades-in-Arms- I continued to look to Lord Fergus for answers, for guidance, etc.  When I did consider discussing a Cadet's Scarf - I realized that what I wanted in a Don was not an easy balance; I wanted someone with a mind-set and a style similar enough to promote understanding, but far enough ahead of me skill-wise to learn from.  Someone close enough to my side of the Kingdom so that I could interact and learn more frequently than twice a year in person..  Such a person didn't exist then. So I continued to use Lord Fergus as my lighthouse.. my milestone...  I was an "un-official cadet" to a fencer who was himself a cadet.

    .. And then at Pennsic 37, Lord Fergus was recognized as a White Scarf.

    ... and so I made my interest in cadeting with him known. and the 'Great Conversation' began.  It ran several months.  I heard opinions from other people, both Pro and Con- with valid points on both sides.  ...But in the end, Don Fergus and I both decided to aknowledge publicly what had been in effect for years.

    *This* is what I had expected back at Fasching when they started to ambush me with a Keystone- to be remanded into Don Fergus' custody as a Cadet.

    ... and so, at 7 Deadlies... the event that years ago was my first out-Barony evemt... and later was the event that triggered my receiving a marshal's warrant...  in the middle of a listfield, surrounded by my Friends...

    Don Benedict Fergus atte Mede bought me from Lord Stef for a ham sandwich.

    (Ok... done laughing?  <grin>)

    No, I'm not kidding.  A ham sandwich was exchanged.  Lord Stef got a ham sandwich and Don Fergus got "a whole ham"... <smirk>   Lord Stef even provided a green-turtle-topped cane and described me as "potentially one of the oldest AE-cadets" and intimated that I might be slowing down!  (believe me, He'll pay for that <grin>)

    Don Fergus asked for my oath on SceneStealer- using a nice exchange from B5... .  then he pinned the blue scarf ( a lovingly crafted creation from His Lady, Helene) onto my doublet...  and I presented him with an exquisite scale-replica of SceneStealer that had been crafted by m'Lord Leonardo as a token of my aknowledgement... and then he further surprised the hell out 'o me by presenting me with a sword... (oh my!)

    (brief related aside: months ago, when we were putting together the EH Champion's Rapier to be donated as regalia at Fasching, I suggested we try and get a hilt for it from Eric Gregory of Nightshade Armory. Not only does he do *incredible* work <I already owned one of his weapons> but I felt that symbolicaly having a hilt produced locally was more appropriate.  This led to some phone calls and emails and an afternoon spent helping Eric search his garage for what he thought was the last hilt he had left after stopping production <he's reconsidering getting back into it now, Huzzah!> - our search produced not one, but *two* swept-hilts.  Early ones. covered in rust and cobwebs.  Steel-Therapy purchased one and then Eric made a gift of the other to me.  Stef and I spent a few nights cleaning both up and mounting a 38 inch blade in the purchased one- which was then donated as regalia.  When I mentioned the second and final Nightshade hilt to Don Fergus, he expressed interest in it.. I offered to give it to him as a gift and suggested this be the first domino in a chain of gifts.. I present him with the hilt and in return he passes some other toy in his fencing bag to some needy or deserving fencer, and so on...     So when I entrusted him with the hilt, the last thing I expected was to get it back 10 min. later!)

    .. And that, Dear Reader, is how I came to possess a monster of a 43-inch heavy-rapier... and a teacher to help me use it  <grin>

Ok... firmly in the grip of the Ice Dragon- and having come home from work ealry to avoid being stuck there... I can sit in comfort with a mug of hot tea and muse on the immediate past- and the immediate future....

Even with the threat of imminent snowstorm last night, we still had a nice turnout for Steel-Therapy. How nice a turnout? large enough to allow us to run a series of 6 on 6 melees... and this didn't use up all the fencers in the room! Also braving the potential weather was a delegation of visiting friends from ACG to our west. The Bards sang, the Swashbucklers fenced, A&S and Heraldic arts continued going on at the tables... a fine eve was had by all.

Having waited (in vain) for two weeks in hopes that *someone* would challenge Lord Tufa for the Bragging Stick, I finally got impatient enough to provide Lord Tufa with the required "Yo Mama" joke (his challenge stipulation) and faced him in a best of 5 match. I can now claim to be the first "repeat" Braggart- and after waiting for people to pick on Tufa (to no avail) I was quite surprised to find myself successfully defending the Stick twice in quick succession! (once from Lord Taranach and once from His Excellency...) [Which is good, as I can use all the practice I can get along the path leading to 7 Pearls...]

With any luck the Ice Dragon will relent enough to allow EH and Steel-Therapy to journey north to the Feast of the 7 Deadly Sins (in Delftwood) this Sat. As I've mentioned in previous entries, this year's 7 Deadlies should prove interesting. *Several* pieces of schtick are in preparation, only one of which I'll speak of openly: Look to see a familar rogueish face performing a solo verse with the Endless Voices choir at some point. I'm sure there will be plenty of fun on the fencing field- with any luck I might be able to cross blades with Her Majesty (all the better to Guard her on the field!).. hmm.. I think I might sense a "vorpal bunny"attack in the offing! (smirk...) No Royal Progress event nowadays would be complete without a Heckyl & Jeckyl moment and i feel confident that at least one such moment shall arise... (smirk again...) 7 Deadlies also turns out to be the "White Scarf" stop on Their Majesties "Pilgrimage to Nobility" quest; I don't know *all* of what the Order of the White Scarf has planned for their contribution- but I'm willing to bet that whatever Don Fergus has planned will dovetail nicely into the day's theme...

Let the swashbuckling (and silliness) continue!

Dear Diary..  (or, Dear Hypothetical Reader....)

  Ok, a week has passed since the last entry- that's an event ago.. or a few practices... His Excellency and I road-tripped out to Brother Will's place (about an hour or so away)-not just to pick up an excercise machine, but to do a bit of sparring- (Gotta practice and get ready for 7 Pearls!) and found ourselves in the incredible "secret temple of rattan"- Will's basement Salle/Dojo.  I'll have to upload some photos, but for the nonce please just imagine (literally) over 50 rattan weapons hanging on the walls and ceiling of his rubber-floored sparring space....  (wow- I envy his setup...).

    Taught my very first SCA class: and it's the very class I swore I would never teach- Schtick 101.   [I've always felt that comedy and timing couldn't be taught, but after a decade of saying that I finally opened my eyes and realized thet there are things that *could* be taught.  mindset, how to seek allies, working as a team, doing the research and practicing.. etc. -so what I ended up doing was probably less delivering a lecture as a teacher and more moderating a round-table discussion as the group brought up and dissected past bits of schtick and looked at what worked and why.. and how it could have been improved...]   All in all- I think it went well... the class had a surprising turnout, people seemed to both think *and* enjoy the discussion, my fear that I wouldn't be able to support the dialogue for even half an hour turned out to be wildly inaccurate (when I finally asked for my first time-check we'd been running 57 min.).. and I had to throw people out at quarter-past the hour- we ran late because no-one wanted to leave.  (I'd apologize to Don F, who had to start his class late in response, but... Naaahhhhhh. Suffer, Sirrah!  <grin>)
.. anyway, 'twas enjoyable, I may do it again down the line- as long as I don't find out that what I've done is to hand a pack of matches to the pyros and sent them out into the Known World with my blessings... ("But Po told us we could get away with it!   *He* did!")

    Vivat to HIs Excellency, Brother Gunnar- who took the Bragging Stick last night from m'lord Ichabod- in a best of 5 match, using only his good arm.!  (Vivast to Ichabod for rising to the challenge of the match, fighting cleanly and with chivalry against an opponent lacking an arm...)  Baron Gunnar's got some interesting ideas for an off-hand tourney to find his successor, heh, heh, heh.

    With the new year firmly begun, 12th Night and Schola out of the way- the countdown to 7 Deadly Sins begins.  Not only is it traditionally the biggest fencing event on this side of the Kingdom.. not only is it Delftwood's Investiture <and therefore a Royal Progress, here comes Heckyl & Jeckyl!> ... (not only has this event figured prominently in my own personal history o'er the years...)   ... but this year promises to offer some additional interest.  I know of (and am helping to write and perpetrate) some court schtick, (including some singing...) and the AE Swashbuckling world may be a bit surprised at at least one development- We'll see. <grin>

    Well- enough rambling.. more Anon!

Dear Hypothetical Reader-

            Yes, it's been three weeks since I've rambled.  Yes, the holidays came and went (Fun!) Yes, New Year's Eve and Day came and went (More Fun!) ....  and even Kingdom 12th Night.

 

            Let me just say: The Compleat BlackAdder, Chocolate Fondue, a packed Steel-Therapy (a 7 on 7 melee! with even more fencers standing by!), David Tennant in Doctor Who and Hamlet, Brother Ichabod defeating Lord Stefan to become the new Braggart (Vivat!).. and The Commedia does Cyrano at Kingdom 12th Night.... (Redi-whip... in court... out of court...)... Brother Robert (Heckyl? Jeckyl? !!! LOL) gets Alced (and cloven-fruited), Lady Meg causes even more trouble...  hmm…  Baroness B asking “Why is that man wearing redi-whip in a heraldric holster?”  “Big Julie don’t dance! (except when he has to)

 

            Forthcoming: Sterlynge Schola & “Schtick 101”… 7 Deadlies.. and more…

 

Parry!

Two weeks! ...another fortnight past!


Let's see, Brother Stef still stands unchallenged as the Braggart... and if this "unchallenged" keeps up much longer I'm gonna come out of my self-imposed rest and challenge for it again...


What else? hmm.. Steel-Therapy is holding a special holiday session on Jan 1st- a combination Therapy practice and pot-luck dinner.


  Last Sat the Endless Hills diplomatic embassy road-tripped to Delftwood's Piratus Solemnitas: Their Excellencies, your humble narrator.. and *surprise* -Lady Dei- I mean.. Commodore Morghan...  A lot of fun was had by all.  (a full *quarter* of the Royal Guard got to joke about.. bemoaning the absence of our nice red sashes and a playful Queen to stalk!)  Even in the absence of Swashbuckling ('twas a peace-able event, Drat!) there was a lot of fun had by all!   (Thanks go out to Brother William, who donated an old, grey felt hat-blank at just the right time- I created my very own pirat- uhh.. PRIVATEER tricorn... timely!)


  I also spoke with Lady Marianna about teaching a class at Sterlynge Schola...  an outline on Improv and Schtick I've been working on for a few weeks.. we'll see how it goes over...


Anon!

Vivat my Sword-Brother Lord Stef- the new Steel-Therapy Braggart!

Stef took the 'best of five challenge' tonight- and relieved me of the Bragging-Stick.

... I *promised* Stef however- that I would mention that his was the 4th such challenge this eve.. I was challenged (and played best of five matches) with Ichabod, Lord Curt *and* Naka... and emerged victorious and tired...

3 challenges won.. and the 4th left me... (How did Her Majesty put it? Oh yes...) "Mostly"- Dead....

... it was a good run.. I was the Braggart for just over two months, entertained 8 challenges.. and went down fighting- and grinning..

Everyone fought with style and honor-and Kudos to the Marshal and MIT's in their handling of the bouts...

More fencing..... is MORE FENCING!  Let the challenges continue... and I'll be challenging back in soon!

Parry!

... Two weeks since Investiture. Life continues.


The voice is back to about 98%. I'm only having very sporadic shortness of breath moments.. more like that annoying tickle-in-the-back-of-the-throat feeling...


I was incredibly impressed and moved by Doctor Who's "The Waters of Mars" episode. It touched on all the right strings... Tennant's performance was amazing- I won't say any more.. Go- hunt it down and watch it.. repeatedly... (.. and then wait for the final two episodes in Dec.)


I was much less impressed by AMC's attempt to re-vision "The Prisoner"- as a fan of the original series I found this one disappointing. (more specifically.. it didn't *feel* like 'The Prisoner'... it failed to capture the essence.. Had the screenwriters used this same plot *without* the trappings and references to the original BBC masterpiece by McGoohan- the use of numbers instead of names, "Rover", "the Village", etc.. I would have enjoyed this mini-series on its own merits... But when they tried to force-feed it to me as an official "The Prisoner" story- Well- all I can say is."You failed. Be seeing you!"


Training on the new job moves ever onward. It may not be a non-stop party, but nor is it the innermost circle of Hell- and it's a damn sight better than Stalag B*rders... I'm looking towards my first non-retail Black Friday in decades... and I've even almost kicked the habit of regularly lurking at the B*rders livejournal. I will admit to missing bookselling though... (Hey, yesterday I got a promo copy in the mail! Some of my old reps are still sending me galleys! Huzzah!)


I'm currently working on a few new projects- researching leather-mask making (for the upcoming Kingdom 12th Night masked ball....) and also considering possibly teaching a class at one of the upcoming scholas.... we'll see if the outline convinces me one way or the other...


Onwards! Anon!

... At this point Memory (and Voice) become too fuzzy to trust.  Court dockets and reports cease before feast,  digital evidence is scanty, the videographer apparently running out of power or media or both...
    I therefore apologize if I get details after this point wrong. Mayhaps my silver-haired memory mis-remembers (or is trying to...)..

    I *do* recall:

    ... an incredible "pauper's feast" amongst the Ducklings and other non-on-board attendees...

...Escorting and Announcing Lady Mary the Other and her Bardic wonderment- her showstopping "Greensleeves, as sung by Bullwinkle J. Moose"  to *much* laughter and amazement...

... Announcing the "Duckpond Players"- embodied by Lady Mary, Lady Fiona, Lord Stef, Naka, and Their Excellencies... who- accompanied by *Her Majesty* -did in fact launch in to the aforementioned and thrice-damned "Shark" song....   (sigh...  even Her Majesty...  what is this Kingdom coming to?!?)...

... Which of course led into my explaining my now-infamous outcry "Why is it always Sharks? why not....."    which of course led into...

... The "Sea-Monkey" Song.

    (I decline to comment further, Your Honor- it's safer that way.)

... I also recall m'lady Cat capturing the audience's attention with her rendition of "John Cumber's Maiden"  (Her Majesty in particular commented upon the performance afterwards...)

... And I'm afraid I never will be able to forget Lord Stef and Lady Banshee in their acapella rendition of "Gunnar got run over by a white horse" (sung to the tune of "Grandma got run over by a reindeer") ... Nor will I forget running to join my fellow Guardsmen who unilaterally decided to arrest the two miscreants and haul them away.  In fact, I'm just sorry not to have suggested the arrest myself!

...  I know that the Incredible Sylvan Glen crew sung, and that Lord Eirik did the announcement of the Brewing results.. and I seem to recall an AWFUL lot of tramping back and forth between the High Table and the hallway...

... and there was that moment when Lord Owen keeled over in his chair, apparently poisoned by his own Queen...

... I'm pretty sure that my fleeting memory of dancing redi-whip cans must have been my imagination.. I distinctly remember NOT bringing any... Let's chalk that one up to exhaustion.

    Teardown. Strike. Load-out.

    Grinning Fare-thee-wells...

    A tired but smug drive home.

    Oblivion.

    (... and I'm still recovering, a calendar week later...)

Amazingly, "the Endless Hills unrehearsed schtick and improv" group (more formally known as Baron Gunnar & Baroness Barbary Rose's fledgling court) had survived our first performance, with little more Chaos than my failing voice and enunciation, and the arrival at ground zero of one well-placed marshmallow cream pie...


as far as I knew, the day's script held only one more Rapiermaniac moment- the fruition of the Letter of Marque project...  and after that, we could coast home-free into feast and celebration...


Silly, stupid, Erisian Me!  Standing behind Their Excellencies, in my bright new sash, feeling smuggish...


Ah!  Here we are, 4th on the Royal Docket!  (quoting from the official court report composed by THL Brandubh Ó Donnghaile, Silver Buccle Herald)


Royal Docket point 4. Their Majesties summoned the Steel Therapy Rapier Company to Them and Named Lord Po Silvertop the Rogue, Lady Deianeira Rodriguez y Aragones, Khristian Pykh, and Lord Stefan Verdi Lulfskyn as border guards and pre-sented each with letters of mark limned by the hand of Lady Fenris McGill. They were then charged to keep safe the eastern borders through river, sea and ocean from any threats and to deliver one full share of any booty seized as their taxes on such revenues.
They did in return present Their Majesties with some of the aforesaid booty which had been collected in anticipation of this moment.


    (Bliss. Victory! HUZZAH!  Since hearing about this Letter of Marque schtick- and how it was being used as mini-melee units for the fencers on the other side of the Kingdom- waaaay' back in March '04 at Ice Dragon... the 'Maniacs had been vying for this.  NOT to have something pretty to hang on the wall- but to get us into the game... to try and cajole more Endless swashbucklers into playing... this wasn't a scroll in out eyes.. it was Wonka's golden ticket... it was a backstage pass... an invitation to the ball.  We asked questions, got some answers, put together our very first petition and sent it upwards to the Crown (all the while putting together a small "tribute" chest.  


    We didn't get a response in '04....   or '05... or.....  etc...   Mayhaps it was the aftermath of the Merc Flu... Mayhaps it was just a succession of Royals who didn't find merit in the whole idea...  Who knows?  The small chest languised on a shelf, chocolate aging badly, mead aging well, everything else just growing dusty.   By '08 we had given up.. and didn't even submit a petition.  And of course two months after Lady Dei was part of the Marshalling team at Melee Madness that Authed Her Majesty Queen Bronwen we learned that King Khalek and Queen Bronwen *Liked* this schtick and had in fact bestowed *three* Letters on subjects in the Hael...  Had we but asked!  Had we but known!   - I instantly contacted Captain Bladegatherer out in the Hael and begged for the secret, and with more comprehensive information and renewed confidence I rewrote *everything*- petition, final text, you name it, it got revised.....   Our next submission again vanished without a trace- *but* when I got that fateful email from Don Corwyn asking me were I willing to submit myself to Royal Compulsion and join the Royal Guard... Well...  why send out emails into the void when it was now possible to petition (alright, plead...) directly?!?  ... the rest is history.. and a longer story than even *this* one. <evil laugh>


    The BIG tribute chest:  We wanted to make a statement.  We wanted to make it without subtlety or subtext.. with exclamation points!!!!  ...and I, for one, had been enjoying myself so smeggin' much with Their Most Sovreign and Sylvan Royals- this was time to go *over-the top*
  I combed through the stacks of promo books for nautical tomes, swapped out the small bottle of mead from the small chest and replaced it with one of the remaining big bottles, went looking and managed to find a ship in a bottle and a nautical laser sculpture, scavenged from the rest of the odds and ends in the house: added a wall plaque and a dagger (and a Discworld figure!), and asked Abigail Grey-Wolf for a small necklace (small?  HA!  right!)...  I saw Lord Stef adding glass tankards and fresh chocolate and wine and dozens of stuffed animals... Lady Dei made scroll after scroll blank, incredible Tea from Seasons of Gaia...  even I couldn't keep track,,,  I don't even know WHAT Captain Pykh added to the chest after I walked away to start court...   all I can tell you is that the final weight of the tribute chest exceeded that of my youngest, Mike.  - and we packed it all in an old footlocker Stef had given me years ago, painted and repainted and repainted to look like an old sea chest...    LUGGING it into Court was glorious!


    - and inspiration hit me as we knelt there listening to Her Majesty, Queen Elena riff on about how this was NOT an attack force aimed at our Eastern neighbors, here represented by Her Majesty of the East- I couldn't resist.. I just HAD to reach into the chest, pull out a stuffed dog and present it to Her Majesty "Your Majesty, THIS one had an Eastern dog-tag.. We would return it to You... this OTHER stuff.... had no serial numbers.....  sorry..."


    Huzzahs and Vivats and MAJOR Thanks to Lady Fenris of Angel's Keep for doing ALL FOUR Letters....  in record time... Impressive work.  I owe that Lady...  .. and already know where in Ankh-Morpork to go shopping for her... <grin> )



Royal Docket point 5. Their Majesties called for Chernislava Alekseeva known as Nishka to attend Them. They had been impressed by her Taiko drumming, her skills in fencing, making her way into the semi finals at the Queen’s Rapier Challenge, and her willingness to travel great distances to serve on Her Majesty’s Guard. They were so moved that They Awarded her Arms. Scroll limned by Lady Mariana Pietrosanti, words by Lord Po Silvertop, calligraphy by Evangelos


    (Brilliant! another "About damned Time!" situation... an easy scroll to compose, it practically wrote itself.. and had it been done earlier.. say prior to QRC.. it might have been sprung sooner... But then again- this way it was before her local friends....   Vivat, M'Lady!)


    (... and here MY foreknowledge basically ended.  My script was over.  I SUSPECTED that the feastly bardic performances were going to feature THOSE two songs.. but I thought that was all I had left to worry about.)


    (I was WRONG.)


Royal Docket point 8. Their Majesties instructed Their Guards to bring Lord Po Silvertop the Rogue before Them. Their Majesties charged Po that he did knowingly raise an army of fencers in the Barony of the Endless Hills, and that he did take it upon him-self to train marshals to keep control of this army. Their Majesties could not allow this behavior to go unanswered and so They inducted him into the Order of the Keystone. Scroll limned by Lady Maria Caterina de Ravvenna, calligra-phed by Lord Robert l’Etourdi, upon a text by Lady Meg the Mad and Lord Robert l’Etourdi.


    (Nuclear explosion. An asteroid-sized cream pie. and I *still* wasn't aware of the magnitude...

    Why?  Because.  Because the moment Lord Bandubh uttered the word "Trepidation" I knew what was about to happen... and I was dead wrong.


    Look. almost 4 years ago, a Court Herald said "Her Majesty, with no small amount of Trepidation would be attended by Lord Po Silvertop the Rogue..."  the Night they Alced the 'Maniacs...


    There was no WAY I was in line for a Kingdom Award- with only a few scrolls to my credit and only on Batch 4 on the mead?  Having only done some emergency stand-in stunt-double heralding...  and NEVER having autocratted an event...  


    ... and there was that 'walk and talk' with Don Fergus.... remember?  He asked me a question...  (never you mind just yet!)


    ... So when I heard "Trepidation".. and The Court brought me forward to hear the charges, I honestly expected to find myself remanded into the custody of.....   Brother Fergus.


    So. Imagine my surprise when I was remanded into the custody of the Order of the Keystone!  (I ALMOST got bleary-eyed... that came later...)


    Lords and Ladies, if it is ever in your power to have a Court (comprising the full bell-curve from the closest of your friends to the diametric opposite) list out-loud a laundry list of your accomplishments for a decade. in the tones normally used to paddle a wayward puppy.. as the crowd roars in laughter and approval.  I strongly suggest you do so.. it is a major trip.  as I said.. I almost went bleary-eyed. it was THAT close.


    (.. the scroll.. no, I mean the SCROLL!!  what can I say? it's HUGE. On par or larger than my AoA.. and even more Verbose. Done in My Colors- Intricately, With my Arms.... and a Keystone... and a Big Initial!  (I love the Big Initial style.. I do..)  Lovingly crafted by three people who know me.. two of whom have spent hours on the field with me...  Indescribable.  Priceless.  Wow.   M'Lord Robert... M'Ladies Meg and Cat.   I am ever and alway in Thy debt.  - and I'll be avenged someday, too...   heh, heh, heh...


    (Deep breath.  calm...  even now, almost a week later, I'm grinning...)


Royal Docket point 9. Their Majesites thanked all for coming and the staff of the event, and then Spoke of Inspiration, and how inspiration had recently come from the Kingdom of Northshield, where His Majesty Ziedfried had truly made Her Majesty Elizabeth a Princess Bride. Upon Consultation with Their Majesties of the East, Their Majesties Henri and Elena did make the following proclamation, knowing Her Majesty Elizabeth’s love for the movie the Princess Bride:
The movie "The Princess Bride" may be considered a historical document for the duration of our reign and as such may be used as a citation without penalty. To that end, the words "melee team" may be replaced by "brute squad," van-quished fighters on the field may be referred to as "mostly dead," and all tour-ney rapier fighters are encouraged to fight one round either left handed or with six fingers as they prefer.


We recognize that the Kingdom Flower of Northsheild will be the Buttercup for the duration of King Zigfried and Queen Elizabeth's reign. Quotation from the movie shall be encouraged by the crown.
As this decree was read in court the response from the assembled populace in unison was "As you wish".


    (This was cool.  More than Cool... and it bore repeating.. so I did.  Cool!)


    ... And then Court ended.


    ... And the very first people to catch me after Court were Lord Stefan and his New Fiancee Lafy Fiona.   And before I could congratulate THEM, Lady Fiona removed her cloissone Keystone from her neck, put it around mine and kissed me congratulations.  (... and refused to take it back. ever.  sigh.)


    ... And THIS is where 'Almost-bleary-eyed' went out the smeggin' window.. and I officially had to fight back tears.  (dunno how successfully)   (Remember what I said about Debt... and Vengeance?  run that bit again here too...)


    I could continue... I could.  I could discuss the larcenous things done in the name of artistic license...  I could rant and rave of sharks and sea-monkeys and bullwinkle (oh, my!)  -But that is a chapter for another night.  I think it justice to leave our poor protagonist hoarse and voiceless, grining and teary, amidst friends.  Swell the orchestra, cue the lights and (for the moment anyway-)


Fade to black, smiling...

Tuesday. Sweet, sweet Tuesday... Steel-Therapy... Blessed release.

 

Ok- where did we leave off? Ah. Right.

 

I had just been handed my first defeat of the tourney, by none other than Brother Will. A second such defeat would knock me to the sidelines. Following Will I met (and defeated) Lord Michael Gladwynne from Delftwood and Lord Taranach of Endless Hills.. putting me in the final round.

 

The final round.... against....

 

My Brother.. my Sarge.. Lord Will. <cue the ominous music!>

 

Their Excellencies requested the finals be held as a "best of five bouts" match.. with the winner of each bout deciding on the next bout's format. And again- Lord Will and I traded kills (and formats) back and forth... Case, Rapier & Dagger, Case of Daggers, etc...

 

The score stood tied at two to two- and with Lord Will's decision; we again faced each other with Cases of Rapiers.

 

It was a long and involved series of exchanges. Light fleeting blade touches. looking for an opening...but the bout was Will's to lose or win.. and you no doubt can guess which he chose!

 

<Ok.. some things take me longer to learn, ok? In hindsight, I KNOW Case isn't my strongest form.. I KNOW Bro Will's got an edge in speed and reach... I KNOW the way to beat him should be to fight MY game and not his... I SHOULD have played a defensive game, should have been patient and encouraged him to over-extend.. and then taken an arm or a hand when he over-committed. With an arm and a blade gone, I could have parried and killed him at my leisure. I know this.. ok? I had no business trying to close for a deep attack... So why was I channelling the terrier? damned if I know!>

 

Lord Will's mundane employment position is with a pharmeceutical corporation- one of the major ones currently involved in the swine flu vaccines- and this is the main reason he has recently been unable to make Therapy sessions for the past few months (.. it's also why he renounced his claim on the Steel-Therapy Bragging Stick a month or so ago.. resulting in our playing a round-robin tourney to determine who would become the new Braggart.) - and so- after rendering me .. "Mostly Dead" in the final 5th bout, Lord Will accepted the acclaim of the tourney-win but declined the responsibility of the Office of EH Baronial Champion.

 

Which, mathematically meant the the top-finishing EH swashbuckler was... your humble narrator. Who was promptly offered the Office of Champion.

 

<Ok- I'm going to digress here for a moment or three. I've been a marshal for 5 years now, I've been an authed fencer for practically a decade, and I have only once been champion. Why? Because I spent some years getting good enough to attempt it. and I succeeded the second time I fought the tourney. So I spent a year happily (mostly happily) as Champion. When the Office was offered to me that fateful day at Tourney by the Old Mill Stream- Her Excellency asked me to commit to attending the 7 Pearls Rapier Tourney... I was asked to commit to participating in the pomp and circumstance at court by taking a place on the dais behind Their Excellencies. And that was it. Those were the requests I agreed to. No more, no less. I was not then aware of any inferred responsibilities or traditions. ... And the fact that I had both my predicessors in the Office right besides me for months afterwards led me to believe I had a very good understanding of what I was being asked to do. I made a third commitment that day.. to myself... I swore that I would be the best damned ambassador of EH Fencing to the Known World that had ever been seen. Thus continued what was for me a banner year... A Thunderbolt, a Marshal's Warrant, Pearls, an AoA, my first Pennsic.... and the infamous Merc Flu... and the subsequent Penance Project... even an Alce....

 

I spent the next 5 years fencing, teaching, marshalling, seeing the Known World through fencing-mesh-colored-glasses- and NOT fighting to win the champion's tourney. I was followed in the office by Sir Murdoch, who was followed in turn by Baron Rob, Lady Dei and Baron Rob again. with the turnover of the Coronet in '06, I found no interest at all in winning that office at all. But with patience the wheel turns and times change.. and the reasons for my objections become no longer valid. This year I was hungry for it, and the rumor that was bantered about was that Their Nextilencies planned to hand it to me regardless of the outcome. I couldn't accept the Office under those terms. My goal was to sweep the field- and win it through skill of arms. ... And if I wasn't the last swashbuckler standing at the end, I was so close to it that I feel that I made my point. I took two of my three goals- the Champion's sash, the Bragging Stick.. I just wish I'd have done better at QRC... oh well...>

 

End of digression. Did I bore you? (and if I did, why ARE you reading my blog?) This digression was my way of explaining my hesitation and phrasing when I *did* accept the Office.. kneeling there on the field, besides my brother-in-arms- before the Crown and the Coronets.

 

I would have loved to play more of the paranoia-melee that followed the tourney- but by then the roller-coaster (still in motion!) had fallen behind schedule.. and as Their Excellencies sat in State and received well-wishers and gifts- I donned Heraldric Tabard and began to put together my very first court docket... Ok- wait. it was right here as I was trying to put my gear away (including the folding camp chair that I NEVER did get the chance to sit in!) that I was invited to a walk and talk with Don Fergus... Many thanks to Lady Meg.. who selflessly stayed behind and packed my gear and stuffed it in my car.. Thanks Pondslayer! I'm only mentioning the walk and talk here because the mere fact of it's occurence factors in to a court reaction yet to come...

 

Night was falling- and I was still running- prepping the docket. Adding names, juggling the order, making sure that signatures were on documents and that two special "plants" had their lines! (and on a personal note.. it was at this point, somwhere past the 4pm mark that I finally sat down for the first time! It lasted a whole 5 minutes, as I wrote out the docket... and the sensation was glorious! <smile>)

 

But all too soon it was showtime- and our little fledgling Baronial court found itself standing in line- behind Their Majesties entourage...waiting for the precession into the Hall. It was my first chance to screw things up big- and thankfully all went well on the entrance.. the (Po) show had begun...

 

That First Baronial Court- a full dozen items on the docket, twelve chambers in a revolver, one bullet... I knew we weren't going to get through this first court unscathed.. we were all too new and green.. somewhere ahead would appear the unexpected and how we improvised and met that challenge would tell the assembled populace.. and US... a lot about what would be expected for the next three years. (and by now what had started as a gruffness in my voice was rapidly approaching "full bullfrog".. and it was only years of projection classes in the theatre that kept me audible at all....)

 

Docket item 1: Baron Ulrich

Their Excellencies recieved His Excellency Baron Ulrich Drachendonner, who bestowed gifts, presented Their Excellencies with additional Baronial regalia and an instructive reading from a tome entitled "The Book of Weird".

(had I been asked to bet on which docket item hid the bullet, this would have been it. we had no idea what was going to happen.. and I'd be lying if I denied that there was no love lost betwixt the esteemed Baron and your humble narrator... I'd be lying further if i said that communications had been smooth between he and Their Excellencies since the election... but surprisingly Baron Ulrich was gracious and composed- and I give him full points for his schtick-reading.... (note to self.. get a copy of that book!)

 

 

Docket item 2: Sir Murdoch
Their Excellencies requested the presence of Sir Murdoch Bayne, who graciously agreed to step up into the vacancy in the Baronial Signet position, left by Her Excellency's departure. Sir Murdoch spoke to the Populace of the import and the unappreciated quiet glory of being a Scribe.

(No problem.. smooth sailing! Maybe we can get through this after all!)

 

 

Docket item 3: Lady Failend.
Their Excellencies received Failend Brecc O’Conaill, who requested that a wood-burned plaque be read into the court docket. The plaque commemorated certain activities at the past Pennsic War ( ie. the Great Marshmallow War Point and the Feast of Saint Maria, held at the Duckpond encampment)
(Plaque composed and burned by Failend Brecc O’Conaill.)

(BANG! I had expected a bullet- what I got was a cream pie... or more accurately, a marshamallow straight to the face! Their Excellencies handed me a wood plaque, face down and instructed me NOT to flip it over... just to read the printed page taped to the back.. little did I know- at least until midway through the reading.. was that I was presenting MYSELF with a plaque commemorating my part in last Pennsic's Feast of St. Maria and the Great Marshmallow War Point. .. and from the whispered glances and comments this was likely not to be a solo volley. Imagine if you will, Lord Po- a Herald with a target on his back.. a man about to enter... the "Schtick" Zone!)

 

 

Docket item 4: Lady Dawn
Their Excellencies received Lady Dawn De La Lune, who revealed that her Daughter, Chondra of Endless Hills was to celebrate her 16th Birthday. Birthday wishes were sung.

(Ok- equilibrium regained.. Wipe the grin (and the cream pie) off the face..... Bravely onwards!) (herewith omitted, several docket items that presented little or no trouble.. though I later apologized for mangling pronounciations...)

 

Docket item 6: Lord Po
In the absence of Their current Rapier Champion, Their Excellencies called forth Lord Po and asked if he was willing to accept the responsibilities, They then invested the Office and Regalia of the Rapier Champion on him.

(Ok- as you know.. I had hoped for this.. worked towards it.. and here it was.... and I needed a wheelbarrow for all that regalia (and I asked for one too! -better still this gave Baron Gunnar the perfect motive to relieve me of the heavy Heraldric tabard and request that I start wearing the champion's sash instead...

Docket item 7: Jackie

Their Excellencies requested the attendance of Jackie of the Endless Hills, and for her ever-cheerful demeanor and her constant desire to help, inducted her into Their Order of the Barnacle
(Scroll illuminated by Failend Brecc O’Conaill and words by Lord Po)

(a fun scroll to wordsmith... but it did take me two composition attempts to get the right feel to the text)

 

Docket items 8, 9 & 10 the Zule Waltz...
Their Excellencies again called forth the Baronial Order of the Zule, and asked them to accept amongst their number Baron Robert of Worster (in Absentia) for his many years of service in a multitude of offices... (Scroll composed and illuminated by Sir Murdoch)

(a scroll long overdue... I'm sorry Baron Rob was not there to receive his rightful acclaim...)

When Their Excellencies attempted to dismiss the Order, Sir Murdoch, speaking with passion on behalf of the Order informed Their Excellencies that the number of existing Zules were insufficient to meet the demands on their abilities, whereupon...

 

 

(Hey! remember those 'Plants' I mentioned a few paragraphs past? Here's our first... and Sir Murdoch played his moment beautifully- a touch harried, a touch arrogant... maybe a smidgen of impatient 4-year old to boot.... completely unrehearsed and unscripted... Go Murdoch!)

Their Excellencies called forth Edward Bytheway and for his unstinting work behind the scenes at event after even over many, many years inducted him into the Order of the Zule..., (Scroll composed and illuminated by Sir Murdoch)

 

(another "it's about time moment"...)

Whereupon... Lady Deianeira spoke from amongst the Order, pleading that their numbers required at least one further addition.. which prompted...

(Plant #2- right on cue! again, unrehearsed and unscripted.. and she correctly decided to take a completely different slant than Sir Murdoch- this time it was almost (but not quite) a whine.. a bit subservient, a bit "Oliver Twist"... Brilliant! Take a bow, 'Dot'angion!)

Their Excellencies to request the presence of Ian Erickson, who was inducted into the Order of the Zule for his continued service -which it was remarked has been a continuing family tradition.
(Scroll Forthcoming)

(Huzzah Ian! and Huzzah Eirik the Father! it was a touching familial moment...)

 

(Ok. speaking from the wordsmith and herald instincts.. it would have been BORING to Call our first Zule up, induct them.. and without dismissing the Order call up each successive Zule -thus ruining the successive surprises... it would have been too time-consuming to call the Order forwards and dismiss it each time... and I personally felt it would have been anti-climactic to call all three Zules up as a group... They earned their awards acting as individuals, they should therefore have their individual moments in the spotlight... Hence the 'argumentative Order' schtick... which the audience seemed to enjoy...)

 

Docket item 11: Lady Euriol
Their Excellencies invited before Them Mistress Euriol of Lothian and for her continued advancements in the Arts and Sciences inducted her into Their Order of the Golden Lamp. (Scroll composed and illuminated by Sir Murdoch)

(Hey! we're back on track! and approaching the finale.. it's concievable we might just survive this!)

 

Docket item 12: Lady Fiona
Their Excellencies requested the company of Lady Fiona the Prepared, but when she appeared before Them it was revealed that her presence was intended to facilitate certain matters of the heart between her and one Lord Stefan Verdi Luftskin- who promptly and officially (and successfully) requested her hand in marriage.

(The finale! and it's a biggie! I'd been watching Stef & Fiona orbit closer and closer for countless years... No one doubted it would end like this, it was always a question of when... and I'd been out with Brother Stef helping him shop during the week leading up to the event. The original plan had been to call her forward, getting her center-stage and unable to escape and for Stef to come up the aisle from BEHIND her... and of course, Stef, the original Rapier Thunderbolt turned out to be on the dais behind Baron Gunnar as a Guard at Court's end... ah well... it still worked out, for everyone.

There being no further business, Baronial Court was again suspended...

 

 

(and little did I know, more cream pies were waiting in the wings...)

<to be concluded....>

 

 

Wow.

<deep breath... relax... >

THAT was an interesting ride!   Ok, ok.. where to start?  <at the beginning, silly!>

Set the waybackmachine to Fri eve!  Lord Stef, m'lord Ichabod and I presented our tried and true, patented Rapier demo to a virtually packed house at a Masonic Temple in Olyphant.  it went well.. entertained, educated, had requests of business cards and for additional info about our Steel-Therapy practices... I think we may see as many as 3 or more people eventually...

Stef and I communed and conspired together- and I didn't walk in to my house until close to midnight...

and then Sat. Nov. 7th hit... like a Neo with a 42-inch blade... (grin)

6:30 AM- my alarm clock and my cell phone both spring into action... It's not a conspiracy, it's just Her Most Sylvan of Majesties- inquiring as to how easy it would be to get into my pants...  (I know.. rumor notwithstanding.... <smirk>)  <Her joke, not mine -surprisingly!>  Actually she was looking for a loan of sweatpants to fight in, having left Hers behind.

8:30 AM- Showered, Shaved, Prepped and Packed.. and bearing a fresh pair of black sweats I arrived at the scene of the crime... Investiture/Fasching.  By this time, My voice was already straining from allergies over the past 36 hours...

9ish- The Arrival.. Our Sylvan Sovreigns arrive and are asssited loading-in to the event site.  (Afraid that a small and delicate piece might go un-noticed, I present Her Majesty with Abigail's necklace early.. and it seems to have been worn most of the day....  Vivat the Fairy-Wolf!)

Time seems to lose all meaning as the Opening Court commences- this roller-coaster has been too long on the uphill climb- now that we've reached the peak- there's nothing to be done but hold on for dear life...

Opening Court- (from this point on, please imagine your humble narrator as the Tazmanian Devil- endlessly in motion- changing costumes and schtick faster than we've ever managed before... I'll try and keep you readers appraised as to which parts of the script were known to me beforehand- and which surprised the hell out of me...)

  I started Opening Court as Her Majesty's Guard.. and was right there for that grandest of moments- the transition of the Baronial Coronets.  (a moment I'd been waiting for for exactly three years...)   Watching Their New Excellencies swear fealty and take the Baronial Thrones for the first time put a smile on my face and a song in my heart- and Their very first official request was my temporary re-assignment as Their Herald for the day...  We opened Baronial Court, called for the Order of the Crimson Thunderbolt to request their services as temporary Baronial Guard and then I as Herald got to request leave for Lord Stef, Steel-Therapy and I to present Their New Excellencies with a new Rapier- regalia for the new Champion-to-be. (yes- all three of these bits were planned, and I enjoyed grandstanding, however briefly- as we presented the Rapier).  <-- The Rapier.. Steel-Therapy funded the rapier.. the blade was bought new, Brother Stef provided the bone grip, and I'd been in discussion for months with the Wiz of Nightshade Armory, Eric Gregory for one of his hilts- we wanted this to be as home-grown a project as possible...)

But the whirlwind continued.. and court was closed- and I found myself on the Listfield- acting as His Excellency's Second for "Beat a Baron" (a dollar buys you a rapier fight with Baron Gunnar, the corpse (oops- sorry! only "Mostly Dead!") owing another dollar to the toys-for-tots fund.  I marshalled 19 bouts and claimed the final one.. (and then Naka War-Maiden snuck a final bout in!)

The Rattan Fighters took the List next- and mid-tourney Their Majesties took it upon themselves to hold a Listfield Court and ambush a Steel-Therapy brother... William Deth with an Award of Arms for his abilities on the melee-field and for his teaching of the Arte of Melee.. (Vivat Lord Will!)  During the rest of the Rattan tourney, Her Majesty joined us Swashbucklers on the practice-field.. and I was honored to be her first dance-partner for the day...  (Warning! Fellow swashbucklers- heed my words!  For a putative Neophyte- this Queen displays an uncanny learning curve!  She improved with every bout- asking pertinent questions and never making the same mistake twice... Her prior experience as a Rattan combatant becomes even more evident when she gets a buckler in her off-hand.  Wow.  I'm sorry I didn't have the opportunity to dance with her at the END of the day's learning curve... I expect a successful auth attempt very soon.. and I hope to be on that Marshalling team!)

Between the Rattan and Rapier Tourneys- Their Excellencies decided to hold THEIR listfield court.. and They ambushed.. guess who?  Lord William Deth!  Lord Will recieved a Zule for his service to the Barony as Sargent of the Rapier Melee team he's taught...  ( I knoew of both ambushes months before- Lady Dei had wordsmithed one scroll and I the other....   )

Ok- The Endless Hills Baronial Rapier Championship Tourney...
   ... was held as a standard double-elimination tourney, with 11 combatants, I believe.  Several visiting Swashbucklers also took part...
    My first round dance-partner was His Excellency Baron Caleb Reynolds of Rhydderich Hael.  We joked... we laughed.. we danced.. and then I slew him... (Apologies, My Good Baron!)
    In round two, I faced that dread killer, Lord William Deth.  My Steel-Therapy brother and I have a long history of alternating wins and losses. (for a big guy, he's unexpectedly fast.. and genetics have gifted him with gorilla arms.. and he favors long 42" blades... sigh).  In our best-of-three match, Lord Will took the first and the third. I had my first defeat of the tourney....

Wow- I AM Verbose today... Y'know what?  This is a nice dramatic spot to come to a close...  Join me in the VERY near future as we pick up right where I left off... and Trust 'ol Uncle Po- the schtick will flow like water, and words like "Sea-Monkey", "Trepidation" and "Bracelet" will occur in the story...

OH! one thing I *would* like to point out.. a'seeing as our tale has arrived at somewhere past 2 or 3 pm...  look closely back at the text and realize what our humble narrator hasn't yet done...  Food has not reached his lips.. nor has his rump hit a chair.. not for a single second!  This rollercoaster stops for no-one!

<To Be Continued!>

    Ok, it's been a hectic few weeks since this website and blog have gone online- kindly forgive me for the lack of fresh observations and/or material.

 

    Not only have I been working my way through training for the new job (which as we all know from the previous entry is directly responsible for my *creating* this website).. it's not just teching, opening and then closing "Night of the Living Dead" at Phoenix Performing Arts Center... but with Fasching/Baronial Investiture rushing towards us all like a runaway landslide- well, it's been like juggling several dozen eggs simultaneously.

 

    Here, at "T Minus 72 hours" I can admit to knowing quite a bit of the planned schtick and activities.. (but I won't reveal anything sensitive!) -having said that, I *still* expect to be surprised at points throughout the day too...

 

    I will say this: Look to see the Rapiermaniacs and Steel-Therapy to be called into court more than once throughout the day- and you can expect to see the Letter of Marque project finally come to fruition.

 

    I've been working on refining my A-game on the rapier listfield- dusting off stuff in the tactical toolbox and hopefully adding some new tricks. Enough of our fencing students are progressing faster then expected that us 'old and silver' (heh, heh) veterans are enjoying rising to the challenge. The championship tourney should prove interesting. <small digression: I know the rumor-mill has already intimated that the choice of an EH Rapier Champion has already been made- and I know who they think 'the chosen one' is... and I could not disagree more... as far as I'm concerned the best way to dispel the rumor is to flat-out sweep the tourney and leave no doubts as to who *earned* that championship...)

 

    Tell you what- Why not join me here Sunday or Monday and we'll discuss all the events, courts, fencing and schtick that get perpetrated on Sat. (... and mayhaps (like a stage techie) we'll take a look behind the scenes at this Royal Progress event...)

 

Anon!

Hail, you hypothetical reader out there!

 

Ok- it's been quite a bit of time since I last had a "soapbox"- a regular outlet for stuff I write. I've never been much for the keeping of journals, and prior to the advent of the 'net and email I was a rather haphazard corresponent (horrible handwriting coupled with the genetic inability to remember to put a laboriously finished letter into an envelope and get the silly thing addressed and stamped and sent...)

 

On the other hand, I've been told on occasion that I have a happy gift for turning a phrase- I've always considered the English Language to be one of my favorite toys to play with- and I have written quite a bit over the years. This site will eventually archive stories, articles, book reviews, poetry, musings and the uncatagorizable miscelania that have managed to escape my fevered imagination into the real world.

 

-From '96 through '06 I managed an independent bookshop in NEPA, and while there I wrote and edited the store's newsletter, including a large number of book reviews. Many of these reviews also ended up in the local weekend newspaper. One of the perks for reviewing was access to pre-publication galleys of forthcoming books- alas, when the local paper, the bookshop and I all parted company, so ended my tenure as a reviewer- and also my access to the free galleys.

 

- From '04 through '06ish I was fortunate to be 'Deputy Chronicler' for the local SCA Baronial newsletter, and again was given the opportunity to spew forth opinions, articles and reviews.

 

-Since then I've had requests for other occasional writings, some of all these categories will also be represented here- I might even be tempted to review a book, movie or stage production now and again, who knows?

 

 Here I sit, a new website before me... ok, wait.. why am I doing this, you ask? Simply: my new employment situation comes with a website attached. "Some are born with websites, Some purchase websites.. and others have websites thrust 'pon them, I was one such, sir!"

 

Maybe I'll be posting here daily.. maybe once a year... It's an experiment, who knows?

 

Every journey begins with the same single step- asking if I should bring my fencing gear along!

 

Scott