Winter event schedule

The summer event season has ended but this does not mean we are slowing down. Her Excellency and I are planning to attend multiple events this winter and we welcome everyone to join us. The following is a tentative list of the events we are looking at attending. All attendance is subject to change based on weather and unforeseen issues. Please stay tuned for updates. For most of the events we are looking for guard and retainers (this is noted in the listing). If you are willing to volunteer for a few shift let us or our staff know. Ice Dragon will be a big one and our need for guards and retainers will be great (even more so for court). The more hands we have the easier the workload. Thanks ahead of time. If there are any questions please feel free to ask.

January - 2017

January 7, 2017 - Kingdom 12th Night 

Barony of Delftwood (With the Shire of Angels Keep)

Auburn, NY

Looking for retainers and guards: YES

Click here for event page...

January 28, 2017 - College of Three Ravens

Barony of Thescorre

Looking for retainers and guards: YES 

Click here for event page...

February - 2017

February 18, 2017 - February 19, 2017 - Adult Swim II

Shire of Abhainn Ciach Ghlais

Looking for retainers and guards: NO

Kingdom event page does not have additional information. 

February 11, 2017 - Feast of the Seven Deadlie Sins

Barony of Delftwood

Syracuse, NY

Looking for retainers and guards: YES 

Click here for event page...

April - 2017

April 8, 2017 - The Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon

Barony of the Rhydderich Hael

Hamburg, NY

Looking for retainers and guards: YES (all hands on deck for this one). 

Click here for event page...

Welcome Home!

This month we had the great pleasure to welcome back two wonderful friends to the Barony. Lord Abdullah al-Rashid and Lady Genevieve O'Connor. Jobs and life took them to the Middle Kingdom for a short time (Barony of Red Spears in NW Ohio), but we are fortunate to have them back with us. As some of the newer folks might not have had the pleasure of meeting them, I decide to ask them some questions and they happily agreed.

Lord Abdullah al-Rashid

Real Name: Frank Conner.

SCA name and title: Lord (or Sergeant) Abdullah al-Rashid formerly of the Barony of Red Spears Canton of Catteden (Findlay, Ohio).

Number of years in the SCA: 10 years as a card bearing member, although I had come to practices at least a few years before (I think around 2002). 1st event was Ice Dragon 1992.

Persona: Ottoman Turk.  I like to research middle eastern culture and have a decent library.

Interests/achievements in the SCA: I am authorized in heavy weapons (Sergeant in Red Company*), fencing, archery, and combat archery. I also enjoy leather working and garb making.I have been a Baronial exchequer, Canton chatelaine, web minister,  and Knight Marshal. I am a Midrealm martial in heavy, fencing,  and combat archery. I would like to hold an office again.

SCA goals for 2017: One thing in 2017 would be to enhance my fighting kit.

 Lady Genevieve O'Connor

Real Name: Jennifer Conner.

SCA Name and title: Lady Genevieve O'Connor.

Number of Years in the SCA: 10 years as a card carrying member.  the first event I went to was Ice Dragon in 1992. I have been more active in the Society for the past 6 years.

Persona: I like to research the Ottoman and Viking eras and have some books to on Viking.

Interests/achievements in the SCA: I became a Lady in The Barony of Red Spears in 2011. I recieved my Willow in 2013 in Weaving.  In 2015 I received my Purple Fret for Service.  I have been an Exchequer, Seneschal, and Chatelaine for the Canton of Catteden, I have also Co-Autocrated Pounce for the last 5 years.  For the Baronial side I was the Baronial Minister of Arts and Sciences. I like to weave and make garb. I also do pottery and some embroidery. I became a Protege to Mistress Isgerder in 2016. I am a member of The Sisterhood of the Red Spear** (2014).

SCA goals for 2017: In 2017 I would like to get back to weaving more, hold an office again, and do more service.

Notes: 

*The Red Company is an Order of the Middle Kingdom. It is awarded to those who have shown proficiency and leadership in melee and/or tournament combat. 

**The Sisterhood of the Red Spear is more a service household than an actual award in the Barony of Red Spears and is headed by the current Baroness. The Sisters of the Red Spear are responsible for organizing a project within the Barony to assist each Queen during her reign.

Rhydderich Hael Baronial 12th Night 2017!

Good friends and good times!

Come herald in the New Year at the Rhydderich Hael 12^th night! Join us for a night of casual fun, laughs, food, good conversation, and contests. Everyone is welcome to join the festivities so feel free to invite non-SCA friend and family. This is a great chance to bring out new people to meet the Barony in a casual setting. Potluck not your thing? In addition to the party the normal practice site will be open for people who would rather swing stick and poke steel.

Event info:

When: Wednesday January 4th 2017, starting at 7:00 PM. There will be a quick business meeting (very quick), then it will be time to party! Clean up will start around 9 PM. Site closes at 10:00 PM.

Where: Lancaster Elks Lodge #1478, 33 Legion Parkway, Lancaster, NY, 14086. The party and meeting will be in the meeting hall behind the main Elk’s lodge bar. Practice will be in the normal gym spot. Please see the map provided for directions on how to enter.

Cost: The party and meeting are free to attend. There is the same 5 dollar (suggested) donation for people using the gym for martial activities.

What to bring: Potluck!! Bring your best dishes to share! Soups, casseroles, briskets, and don’t forget desserts. We won’t create a formal list of who is bringing what, but please post what you are bringing to Yahoo or Facebook so people have an idea what is needed. The Baron will be bringing his pot luck survival kit including plates, bowls, silverware, napkins, power strips for crock pots, and so on.

Drinks: All drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) must be purchased at the Elk’s lodge bar. This is Elk’s lodge policy and there are no exceptions. Prices are subject to change, please bring cash.

Garb: Garb is not expected or required.

Good loot from last year!

Gift giving: There is a long standing tradition of exchanging gifts at Baronial 12th night. Some people will exchange personal gifts between friends and some people may bring something small to hand out to everyone. Gifts are not required or expected. Please don’t feel obligated to bring something and don’t feel bad if you only exchange gifts between friends (or not at all). The greatest gift is fellowship so please come and enjoy the night.

Court: We are not going to promise there won’t be some court, but if there is it will be brief and to the point.

Contests:

Oh that food coma look

We plan to have two contest this year.

Festive outfit contest: Wear your most festive (and family friendly) clothing, costume, hat, shoes, or similar adornment and compete in our second annual “feel the spirit” festive outfit contest. A celebrity judge will be selected to determine who has the best outfit and the winner will be awarded a super cool prize. Ties will be broken by Baronial death match. 

Largess (token) contest: This year we are going to try something new and it was suggested we have a largess/token contest. Participants are required to make some small token or piece of largess (think site token, favor, etc.). They do not have to be period. There is no set theme. Creativity is encouraged! It is asked that each participant make between 4 and 6 tokens (but can make more). 1-2 of the tokens will be donated to the Baron and Baroness for use as largess. The others can be exchanged between participants and other party guests as mementos of the night. The goal is that we have enough tokens that each person who comes to the party will get a memento to take home. The Baron and Baroness will pick a favorite among the entries and that person will win a super cool prize.

If there are questions about anything please ask otherwise see you all at the party!

What a bunch! 12th night 2016.

Magnus and Miriel

Happy one year anniversary Haelies!

Happy one year anniversary Haelies!

From Magnus: A year ago this month Miriel and I stepped up as Baron and Baroness of the Rhydderich Hael. While we have failed to produce the same fine weather as our investiture day, our first year has been very smooth (and in my opinion) successful. None of that success would have been possible without the help of our brave staff. Thank you to our Cofferer of the Wardrobe, Mistress Ysabeau Tiercelin, the Head of Retainers, Mistress Geirný Thorgrímsdóttir, Captain of the Guard, Minamoto Roku-i Sakurako (aka Saku), and our Court Herald, Baroness Ekaterina Volkova. In addition to the staff many thanks to the guards and retainers who helped us all year long. Having served as a Baronial guard myself I can say it is no easy task (likewise for retainers). With equal gratitude we recognize the officers, marshals, and other Baronial support folks who make the Barony run like a well-oiled machine. Without a strong Barony our rank as Baron and Baroness means nothing and your hard work and dedication continues to make the Barony strong! Lastly my personal thanks to my Baronial counterpart, Her Excellency, Miriel du Lac. I could not ask for a better partner in crime and I look forward to many more years of Baronial tom-foolery! It has been a pleasure to watch her grow into the role of Baroness as well as her continued dedication and success in the fencing lists. As many have often said “you cannot lead from the rear” and Miriel has certainly proven herself on the front line.

From Miriel: Well a year has gone by since I knelt beside His Excellency and we took our oath to become Baron and Baroness of the Rhydderich Hael. I couldn’t have imagined then how much I would learn about the people of the Hael and the barony itself in the coming year. Going to our Barony’s events and watching the busy beehive that is the autocrat and their team all working together to make the event come out great through highs and lows, always with pride and hard work. Staying with the Barony for Pennsic, the friendship and care people had for each other over those two HOT weeks. The beautiful quiet moments where food was enjoyed and music was played and we were together as a group, with friends from other lands to share it. Our Baronial Champions showing their perseverance, pride, and skills at the first Seven Pearl Championship. How they drove themselves to prove how outstanding they already were to the kingdom and other baronies. I was honored as their Baroness being able to stand with them, to show my support and pure joy in their deeds. Of course the quiet things we forget to mention sometimes, the meetings, the practices, and the get togethers, where we as a people grew and advanced with each other. Dance, Archery, A&S, Heavy, Fencing, Thrown, Food, and many more!! As I said in closing in the lovely video of Magnus and I’s Investiture last year, I still “Can’t Wait” to see what the future will hold for the Barony and me as its Baroness in the next coming years. Bring it on Rhydderich Hael, I’m ready!!

So what is next? The next Baronial event is Baronial 12th night, followed by Ice Dragon (and our return to the Erie County Fair Ground) in April 2017. Need more events? Winter is studded with tons of good out of Barony events. Please take a look at our Baronial schedule for the events we plan to attend…Kingdom 12th night, Adult swim, Three Ravens, and Feast of the Seven Deadly sins.

So in parting, may the snows replenish our lands and then quickly depart opening the passes with the warmth of spring once again heralding the arrival of the arrival of the great host of the Rhydderich Hael..oh and as always...Hael Yeah!

Magnus and Miriel

Was it already a year ago...A look back to a year ago

That is a Hael of a lot of Bacon!

THL Cynwulf Rendell

On December 2 our noble archer Captain THL Cynwulf Rendell called all archers to practice to compete for glory, to compete for honor, but most importantly to compete for Bacon! Eleven archers let fly at a series of pig and bacon themed targets with one goal in mind…win the coveted almighty bacon…did I mention there was bacon? I had a great deal of fun at the tourney and snapped a few photos to share with everyone who was not able to attend.

Rendell reported the results of the tourney: “Good archery practice and Bacon Tourney! With 11 archers practicing and competing in the tourney. Magnus (de Lyons) was first and won double smoke bacon, Theodoric (of York) was second and won discount store bacon, and in third place was Caleb (Reynolds) who won bologna for fried bologna”.

An honorable mention must be given to THL Eleanore Godwin who not only assists in the general organization of practice, but took a bath in bacon grease cooking the tasty snacks for the tournament that night (but that was some good bacon).

This tourney was a fine example of the hard work and imagination that Rendell puts into the Hael archery program. Under his watchful eye the archery program has grown to fantastic numbers and continues to flourish. He is a credit to both the Barony and the Kingdom. If you have not had a chance to come out to archery practice please consider joining us.

Now if you will excuse me I have some bacon to eat…hmmmm tastes like victory!

Don't hit that Bacon!

Hit the goat...negative points!

Out of the pan and into the fire!

Just when you thought there wasn't any more bacon!

Our Brave Team!