The History of the Term of Grom thegn and Anneke bannthegn
of Septentria.
By THLaird Colyne Stewart, AS 49-AS 50 (2014-2015)
Septentria, proud land and wood
Within which dwells the just and good
A special kind of soul is in need
When it comes the time to lead
And special souls have led the way
Since Finnvarr landed in the bay
And founded fabled Eoforwic
Around which grew a city quick
And from that town a barony
Of wolf and wild and
rock and tree
A line of legends sat their seat
While worthies knelt down at their feet
First Gillian of spear and wit
The first of ursine’s might to sit
Then Aedan and proud Caffa came
For a decade long they reigned
Then Cordigan and Diane d’Arnot
Shortly sat but had to go
Fierce Ieuan and Adrielle impelled
For the north the heartlands held
‘Til Iuean away on crusade went
And Adrielle her heart-blood spent
Until the Broc
and Gaerwen bright
Gave the poets deeds to write
Then Corwyn tall and Domhnail
Sat with axe and spear and mail
Then Percival and Christiana
Fed the people gifts of manna
Until their duty full they’d done
And birthed a daughter and a son
A thegn called Grom from Denmark-land
Softly spoken, swift of hand
And Anneke the banthegn bright
Who was the northlands brightest light
With words of bard and Pelican
They stood before the Queen and King
Young Qullium and the Raven-born
Listened to their oaths right sworn
And on their brows the ancients placed
While new cloaks their shoulders braced
Now the keepers of the bear
The thegn and banthegn riches shared
To Lucrece and Lady Kat
A bear of gold on their necks sat
While at the feast a ship set forth
Known as the Great Bear of the North
Which was eagerly devoured
By the people so empowered
Septentria was fully blessed
At Grom and Anneke’s first fest
To Ben Dunfirth traveled they
To witness what the elders say
As new rulers took the throne
And with time their family grown
When kingdom heirs were proclaimed
In Caer Draeth, rightly famed
Then they to martial duties turned
Under suns that slowly burned
And turned the people scarlet red
As for the northland bold they bled
At the Pleasure of the Pikeman
Grom led to fight the ursine clan
Then to the Meadow took a team
That made the banthegn brightly beam
Then Trillium War called to their band
And from their right and noble hand
They named their righteous heimþegar
Who for the bear would fight and spar
Aurelia who would bend the bow
While Brendan’s steel the field would sow
Young Jasmine would the youth defend
Christiana to the axe would tend
And Geoffrey went to rapier field
To the north, these all, a shield
Which shortly tested hard they were
As heroes put on mail and spur
And marched ‘til feet were raw and sore
To stand and fight at Pennsic War
And though the rain fell on the hill
No tears from northern eyelids filled
Songs of home and hearth and kin
Raised above the battle’s din
And gods above looked down in awe
At the fierceness that they saw
With battles done and swords resheathed
Heroes homeward turned their steeds
And northern line again grew long
New royals crowned in deed and song
And when heirs again were claimed
Among them many bear-born named
Tiberius
and Streonwald, thegns
Sir Nigel
with his knightly chain
And Tannon,
wild man from the wood
All fought well and just and good
And in this hall of shield and flag
Adrielle, with hooded dag
And Nigel, with their House in tow
Won renown with their processional
And then the king and noble queen
With a gentle noble mein
Called before them Baron Berend
And to the Laurels said to send
This man of skill with pen and ink
All toasted this with word and drink
A month went by, much too soon
And A&S began to loom
Another Laurel
there was named
Lucrece, whose name is rightly famed
While others Pent they strived to win
Which Bethoc won with demure grin
White winter blew down from the north
Septentrians and Skraels set forth
For Greyfells held a joint event
Where hours merriment were spent
With fools and food and taxes new
Of banners for the Pennsic crew
And gifting of the special cup
To Conall who would pick it up
For virtue of his mighty heart
And always doing of his part
Tradition then took them east
To Bastille to fight and feast
Tourneys of both sword and foil
To win both would require toil
Yet Princess entered both the lists
And took the prizes in her fists
Then the bear went dancing sweet
Upon its great and hairy feet
Until the Massacre came round again
And the Laurelate made gain
As Master Berend took his cloak
While many people for him spoke
And Percival, our baron past
Showed his dedication lasts
As on the field he won his fight
Proving once again his might
Now fianna proudly stood
With his fellows as he should
In Thule
then arrows took to sky
As archers nocked and let them fly
Then again the Crown changed hands
In the western Ram-held lands
Which meant new heirs must be found
Which was done on boar’s home ground
The bear-born once again took part
With love of consort in their heart
Barons many and Scottish earl
Caused their banner to unfurl
Proud Nigel won for Adrielle
On his knee before her fell
Once more the Crown would be secure
Held by those whose souls are pure
Summer came with heat and sun
Campaigning prep was thus begun
With barked command and steady hand
The halberds raised at Grom’s demand
And marched to turtled bog and fen
Where long they fought and bled and then
At court the arts of peace held sway
As Italian lord went vigil’s way
A vigil sat in AEthelmearc
Piero stayed up in the dark
To hear what words were given him
Until the sun rose on the rim
And before queen and stalwart king
He took the cloak and disc and ring
But among joy sadness too
For back at home the ravens flew
To mark too soon the passing of
One who held the kingdom’s love
With war time done, and fall come in
The Althing called where War had been
Supported people each their side
From the speaker none could hide
Then Nigel took the northern crown
And to his queen in stately gown
He gave it her to wear and rule
His lady stately Jewel of Thule
Then in October tourney held
And the royal family swelled
As Siegfried, De Taahe favoured son
For love of Ragni tourney won
Winter blew in cold and white
Yet could not stop Eleventh Night
To Magistra was passed the Cup
Who kindly held the vessel up
Taxes then were read out loud
To the eager bear-born crowd
Largesse they asked from all at hand
To give to those throughout the land
Then to Monadh away they went
To dance and leap until t’were spent
A Game of Queen’s then turned their heads
Until they fell spent in their beds
But they awoke to bend the bow
And stand with archers in a row
To send the shafts to rapid flight
And shoot from morn until the night
Then to the land of waters rising
For a treat of bold devising
As Siegfried took the lupine throne
And set his foot upon the stone
While Ragni, regal, scepter held
Pride in hearts immensely swelled
For heirs the Royals headed west
Where the rams know what is best
And with their line once more secured
They the kingdom gladly toured
In May the thegn a letter wrote
To recommend a man of cote
Bold Hans as Huscarl was to be
The fyrd to lead on land and sea
Huscarl fame went on to win
As White Bear Fian he fought in
Strong winds then blew across the land
But Þunraz
kindly stayed his hand
Though home and hearth may have broke
No lives were lost, no need black cloak
Trillium War again broke out
And Fianna faced a fighter stout
Brave Rorik, former champion
Won the day and challenged in
And with the army traveled south
To take the tiger by the mouth
At a war of mud and rain
Þunraz his wrath he sent again
And sent a bolt from out the sky
In attempt to make men fry
But Nuno thumbed his nose at fate
And smoking still he pulled his weight
Once back home again at ease
Among the wolves and wild trees
Proud Eoforwic its feast day held
In halls where many legends dwelled
A mayor took office with her chain
While puppet law began its reign
And thegn and bannthegn tearful spoke
With a voice that oft times broke
And told their plans to leave their seats
And with their people walk their streets
Then king and queen again came ‘round
Were Crowned upon Septentrian ground
And heirs they sought, from far and near
And found a lion from An Tir
Who fought for Liðr in the fray
And for her glory won the day
The arts of war gave way to peace
For hands of skilled folk never cease
In Thule
they gathered, new and old
And of their treasures proudly told
And Ailis of the Marche
won praise
For work that took a year of days
And merriment once more held sway
While gnome and princess led the way
For costumed lords and ladies fair
To gambol for the Great White Bear
‘Til herald called for fun to hold
And court was held within the fold
Sweet Baroness, who’d led the way
A Pelican was made that day
Our prince then sought out many folk
Who’d face him on a spread out cloak
Crossed swords with thirty worthy foes
For in his heart a true wolf grows
He faced a legend without fear
And earned our love in rousing cheer
More Peers were made in days to come
The first in Trinovantium,
The Hospitaller, black and white,
Took up the name of worthy knight;
The next in rams lands was upraised,
At fair where crafters all amazed,
The phoenix rose up bright anew,
On wings of Pelican he flew.
While phoenix flew bright overhead,
The lupine heirs met those they led,
To hear their words of counsel true,
And in our hearts more love grew.
Until the day came by the lake
Where Oracle the bones did shake,
And lion-wolf and Urðr’s skein
Became our newest king and queen.
And finally the skalds all met
To pay the owing glory debt,
As Anneke and Hersir Grom
Gave sharp axes from their palm,
And cup of fame they then bestowed,
Before departing on their road,
Among the cheers and roars of kin,
The people raised a riotous din,
Great love was held within their heart,
And though saddened that they had to part,
The lands they leave in able hands,
As Dafydd and Mahhild claim bands,
And are enriched by Royal word
To lead the ursine folk and fyrd.
So now with future looking bright,
This skald falls silent in the night,
Awaiting further glorious deeds
To immortalize in song and redes.
APPENDIX A: Notes on
the Composition
Written in the style of Erikskrönikan,
which is a 14th century Swedish chronicle that used a knittelvers
rhyming scheme (rhyming couplets). Like my source, I have written in the so-called
“free knittelvers”, which means each line does not have a set number of
syllables. If it was done in “strict knittelvers”, each line would have eight
or nine syllables. Knittelvers can, or cannot be, split into stanzas. The
Swedish knittvelers do not seem to utilize any set meter (such as iambic
pentameter), or, at least, Erikskrönikan
did not seem to, and so I didn’t either.
APPENDIX B: The term
of Grom and Anneke
Baron: Grom meinfretr
Baroness: Anneke the Furious
Warlord: Hans Thorvaldsson (2014-2015)
Armoured Combat Champion: Brendan Hunterson (2012-2013),
Rorik of Septentria (2014-2015)
Rapier Champion: Geoffrey Richardson (2012-2015)
Archery Champion: Aurelia Gabriana (2012-2013), Einar Inn
Austrifara Josepson (2014-2015)
Thrown Weapons Champion: Christiana MacNamara (2012), Keatelfastr
Morgansson (2013), Gerart vander Borch (2014-2015)
Youth Champion: Jasmine of House Galbraith (2012-2015)
Bard: Ailis de Marche (2012-2015)
Armed Forces: The Septentrian Army, the White Bear Fian
Special Award: Bergiefu Cup (pronounced bear-yi-voo): Conall
MacEarnain (2013), Nicolaa de Bracton (2014), Normand Hauberkker (2015)
APPENDIX C: Report
from the Ursus
April 21 2012 – Investiture of Grom and Anneke Eoforwci
The Septentrian Baronial Investiture event was held in Lindsay, ON
on April 21. The focus of the morning court was the retirement of Their
Excellencies Percival and Christiana, and the investiture of their successors,
Their Excellencies Grom and Anneke. In a simple yet moving ceremony, Percival
and Christiana released their retainers and champions, and then to a haunting
song sung by THL Asa Gormsdottir, Their Majesties Quilliam and Dagmar took back
the baronial coronets. Percival and Christiana than swore fealty as members of
the populace and commended to Their Majesties THL Grom and Lady Anneke before
retiring from the hall.
The investiture itself began with words from Master Hector,
Pelican to THL Grom, and Her Highness Rylyn, Pelican to Lady Anneke, commending
their qualities to Their Majesties. They then promised to take up the burden of
the Coronets in exchange for fealty as well as certain privileges such as
taxation. Our new Baron and Baroness were invested with the ancestral coronets
once worn by Aedan and Kaffa and the much newer baronial cloaks, before
swearing fealty to Their Majesties and making covenant with the people of
Septentria to rule with honesty and integrity. With the new Baron and Baroness
safely sitting the High Seats, court was suspended for the day's activities.
Multiple tournaments were conducted for armoured combat,
rapier, and youth combat, with one of the list fields being taken over by
dancers later in the afternoon. A tasty lunch was provided by Baroness Anne. A
number of artisans displayed bear-themed works on the A&S display table,
and the afternoon was capped by the auction, conducted by Baron Gunther, which
raised $501 for the Septentrian travel fun. THL Percival and THL Christiana
(who were not yet again Excellencies) received guests during the afternoon. Many
gifts were given, including the memory book assembled by THL Asa.
Evening court saw Their Excellencies' first awards--Golden
Bears to THL Lucrece and Lady Kat, who had made their investiture clothing.
Their Majesties also bestowed Court Baronies on Percival and Christiana, who
then swore an oath of fealty as Barons of Court. Lady Lyda was also presented
with a 250 lb scroll in recognition of being added to the Order of the Wain,
and THL Augustyn was made a member of the Order of the Crucible.
Dinner ensued quickly thereafter, starting with delicacies
of the Middle East followed by more Norse
fare. Lord Hans kept the menu simple but filling. While every dish was a
delight, nothing produced such sounds of pleasure as the smoked chickens. The
evening was crowned by the sailing of the Great Bear of the North, a sugarpaste
longship (where everything but the masts and string was edible). The sugarpaste
was the work of THL Medb, with shields with the devices of all the Barons and
Baronesses of Septentria being painted by various members of Eoforwic. Solid
chocolate bears dressed as our new Baron and Baroness and crafted by Lady
Jocelyn rode in the ship. The evening concluded with dancing coordinated by
Lady Rosalyne.
While the hosting group was Eoforwic, members of every
Septentrian canton were involved in some way in running the event. Special
thanks go to Petrea Thule and Countess Adrielle in particular for booking the
hall, helping with setup, and loaning of tablecloths, pitchers, and candle
lanterns.
Reporting by:
Magistra Nicolaa de Brachton of Leicester
APPENDIX D: Sources
Erikskrönikan, http://runeberg.org/erikkron/
Knittelvers, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knittelvers
Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199208272.001.0001/acref-9780199208272-e-631
Poetry Magnum Opus, http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?/topic/1076-knittelvers/
Pulsiano, Philip, ed., Medieval Scandinavia: An Encyclopedia,
USA, 1993, p. 83-84, 145; http://books.google.ca/books?id=d-XiZO8V4qUC&pg=PA83&lpg=PA83&dq=knittelvers&source=bl&ots=bvK6sj4YLz&sig=wAriJMqZoeKlyfHmixBj0XtyAlU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2wwNVITDHsncoATtjIK4Bg&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBTge#v=onepage&q=knittelvers&f=false
This year tragedy struck the kingdom while many of its
populace were away at the Pennsic War. Lady Aevianna of Nordengel was reported
missing in the Barony of Skraeling Althing. Those within her barony gathered
together to search for her, while those away at Pennsic prayed for her safety.
Unfortunately, on July 28, it was discovered that she had been lost to
violence. The kingdom was shaken. Never before had the people lost one of their
own in such a way. In her memory, Lady Morag made a banner depicting Lady
Aevianna’s arms, and this banner was carried into all remaining battles at
Pennsic.
On the 26th a terrible storm blew through
Pennsic and Nuno of Eforwic was struck by lightening. Luckily, this good gentle
survived unscathed, and was even awarded the Brass Balls of Septentria for
continuing to set up tents in the storm.
The Coronation of Trumbrand III and Kaylah III, was
held on September 27, 2014, in the Canton of Vest Yorvik.
Fall Crown Tourney was held on October 25, 2014, in
the Canton of Caldrithig. Sir Steinnar Aggarson won, fighting for THL
Liðr Lang-Akason. Steinnar originally hailed from the kingdom of An Tir
though he now lived in Septentria. Other Septentrians taking part in Crown
were: Duke Nigel MacFarlane fighting for Duchess Adrielle Kerrec, THL Graem de
Cherbourg fighting for Mistress Aurelia Gabriana, Baron Tiberius of
Warwickshire fighting for Baroness Anne Tinker, THL Brendan Hunterston fighting
for Lady Kaisa Haapalainen, and Lord Jack Mungo fighting for Lady Eeva the
Restless.
Queen’s Prize Tourney was held on November 22, 2014,
in the Canton of Petra Thule. Lady Ailis de le Marche won the Judges’ Prize for
her display on herbs. Baroness Christiana MacNamara was put on vigil for the
Order of the Pelican.
Septentrian 12th Night was held on January
17, 2015, in the Canton of Ardchreag. The Lord and Lady of Misrule—Bjarn
Aaronsson and Orlaith—were dressed in period garb based on the Travelocity
gnome and Princess Leia. The cantons paid their taxes of largesse items. They
are asked to do the same for the new baron and baroness to come, and to make
them a welcome basket. The Bergiefu Cup was not awarded as the recipient was
not in attendance. Baroness Christiana MacNamara was elevated to the Order of
the Pelican.
On March 7 at Winter War in the Shire of Trinovantia
Nova, Baron Tiberius of Warwickshire was elevated to the Order of Chivalry.
On April 11, in the Barony of Ramshaven, at Kingdom
A&S, Sir Siegfried Brandbeorn was elevated to the Order of the Pelican.
TRHs also held a vigil that day to converse with the populace.
On April 25th, the Coronation of Steinarr
and Lyðr was hosted by the Shire of Bastille du Lac.
On March 11 it was announced that Dafydd and Mahhild
would be the next Baron and Baroness of Septentria. On May 2, in the lands of
Septentria, Skeldergate hosted Septentrian Investiture. Before stepping down,
Grom and Anneke awarded the Cup of Bergifu to Lord Normand Hauberkker for
exemplifying the virtue of generosity. Dafydd and Mahhild were then invested as
the new Baron and Baroness of Septentria.