Thursday 3 October 2013

Ardchreag Library Demo (June 25, 2005)

By THLaird Colyne Stewart

On the 25th of June, under a blazing hot sun, the Canton of Ardchreag hosted a demo in the lands known as Oshawa for a library called Northview. Though helmed by members of Ardchreag, people came to help from the Barony of Ben Dunfirth, the Canton of Skeldergate, the Canton of Eoforwic, the Shire of Bastille du Lac and the Barony of Septentria at large. When you first entered the site you were greeted by wonderful posters created by Lady Tarian verch Gadarn, displaying various aspects of the Society, from fighting to garb. You could then follow the wall of the library around the back to a treed park where the library staff had erected a tent under which they sold provisions (and did a very brisk business). Beside this tent was the Welcome to the SCA tent, where Lady Isotta Gianfgliazzi, Lady Tarian verch Gadarn, her baby son Ethan, and Jennifer of Ardchreag answered questions, handed out flyers and had a large portfolio of Lord Eirik Andersen’s pictures to be looked at, as well as copies of Ardchreag’s Newcomer’s Handbook. Across from them, Lord Hamish Gunn and his young daughter Jordan spread out a blanket and laid out books about various medieval subjects and a carved Galbraith horn.

Master Rufus of Sewell also spread a blanket on the ground, where he displayed chain mail and weaving. Beside him was another table, at which Colin of Greenhithe, Lady Naja Kesali Orekh and Lord Ludwig von Eisengrim spread out chain mail, weaving and other crafts. Next to them Lord Normand Hauberkker had a table also displaying chain mail, and other crafts. Lady Eithne bjarnsdottir and Glynis of Ardchreag wandered the site, talking to visitors.

The line of exhibits then turned away from the library wall, to where Lady Unnr of Eoforwic and Lord James of Eoforwic had their blanket, upon which they sat and played music or taught arts and sciences. Next to them was another tent, under which Lord Serion d’Ivri and Lady Ayla d’Ivri stood watch over several other arts and sciences displays, including illumination, shoe making and naalbinding.

The final A&S tent was a large canvas shade, under which Lord Berend van der Eych and Lady Mahault van der Eych had set up an armouring shop, with pieces of armour n display, and the chance for visitors to actually dish some armour.

To finish things of there was the Lists, upon which Lord Iago della Zagatto, Lady Dagmar halvdan, Lady þorfinna gráfeldr, Snaebjorn sverðsbrjótr, Rattanicus, Baron Sir Siegfried Brandbeorn, and Lord Thorulfr smithr battled throughout the day under the eye of Laird Colyne Stewart, who acted as King of Arms and List Minister. The fighters battled not just each other but the searing heat as they met over a barricade painted with the knightly virtues, fought in a grand melee and worked their way through two tournaments. After the barrier fighting, Colyne handed out tokens to the crowd that they could present to their fighter of choice. The most popular recipient was the dashing Sir Siegfried, with many young maidens giving him their tokens. In the final tournament of the day, each fighter picked a member of the crowd to fight for. Sir Siegfried, having won, presented his inspiration with three metal cups. Sir Siegfried himself, as winner of the earlier tournament, was presented a wooden box from the hands of about two dozen eager youngsters.

Thanks go out to Naja, Tarian and Colyne for donating the tokens and prizes. Many of the fighters distributed the tokens they had won amongst the attendees, and at least one young girl was heard to say she needed a chain for it because she would wear it forever.

In between battles, dances were had in the Lists, and the young ones got to fight with boffer swords and talk to the fighters with awed looks in their faces.

Estimates place the crowd at about two hundred people, and the Welcome table quickly ran out of recruitments flyers, so hopefully our game will soon be enriched by some new eager recruits. It had been—all agreed while later cooling down and eating fudgesicles—a very good day.


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