With Story and Pen...The Champions for A&S and Bardic announced

THL Minamoto Roku-i Sakurako - A&S Champion

On August 22nd the Barony celebrated the annual "Post Pennsic Potluck" dinner. Her Excellency and I took this opportunity to hold our Baronial Arts & Science and Bardic champion tournaments. The  A&S was decided by Her Excellency, myself, and our Baronial Heirs. After a long discussion it was decided that THL Minamoto Roku-i Sakurako was the winner and accepted the position of our new Arts & Science champion. The Bardic competition was decided by populace vote, and after several moving performances the people declared Lady Logan Lotta de Kent the winner. Her Excellency and I offered her position of Baronial Bardic Champion and she graciously accepted. We would like to thank our outgoing A&S Champion THL Eleanore Godwin and outgoing Bardic Champion (and 2017 Seven Pearls Bardic Champion)  Lady Éadaoin Gaelach Rua for their service to the Barony. 

Lady Logan Lotta de Kent - Bardic Champion

With the final competing Champions determined our next stop is Seven Pearls (August 25th). We wish all our champions good fortune in their quests! Have a good time and enjoy the day. You are already winners in our hearts. The final 2018 Baronial award holders and Champions Iron Man, Queen Ann, and Chivalry will be announced at Summers End on September 22nd. The choice of new Equestrian Champion will be determined by our heirs at a later date.

Meet the Officers: Minister of Arts and Sciences

Now it's time to meet the next officer of the Hael, if you do A&S in our barony this officers wants to help you and guide those who are interested to the art they love. Time to learn about it from THL Eleanore Godwin our Minister of Arts and Sciences

What does the Minister of Arts and Sciences do?

The Minister of Arts and Sciences is a facilitator of education. The officer does a few things that are connected to learning. MoAS's make sure people wanting to learn about a subject are connected to a teacher or place they can have access to the subject they are interested in. The minister also finds students for someone wanting to teach, or opportunities for teachers to teach others.

The MoAS also helps artisans find opportunities to display their work. The MoAS is responsible for arranging classes for their group in subjects that are wanted or helpful to newcomers. Another responsibility is to maintain records of demos, activities participated in by members, who has taught, who took classes, and who made something.

The final responsibility is filing quarterly reports of all these activities. The reports are easily written with the on-line report form provided by the Kingdom Minister of Arts and Sciences Office.

Populace in focus - Lady Malleen Fenella Menzies (AKA Rivin)

A while back Her Excellency and I started a tradition of interviewing members of the populace for the blog. The goal was to slowly introduce members of the Barony, new and old, in an attempt to foster new connections. Normally, when a possible interview candidate was found Her Excellency or myself contacted them with a standard interview form, asked for some pictures, and then made a blog post. This time around is a bit different. As Chronicler it is a constant challenge to find material for the newsletter. However one member of the populace has made that job so much easier for me and that is Lady Malleen Fenella Menzies (AKA Rivin). This quiet kind woman is often seen at practice sitting at the table working on this or that. I was very familiar with her artwork and when she offered to draw things for the newsletter I quickly accepted. Recently she started on a project of creating page boarders in the form of scrolls. The finished product was amazing, but what was shocking is that when other artists started to see her work they could not believe she was sitting on such a hidden talent. So I quickly formed a plan to put her on the spot with a blog post that showcases her talents. To that end please enjoy some of the work she has done for the Barony over the past several months. I thank her for her efforts and I know we will see more from her in the future.

The Arts & Sciences are in good hands again!

Her Excellency and I have selected a new Arts & Sciences Champion! The setting for the contest was the Cooks Collegium held in the Barony on June 24th. There was a small (but impressive) display of projects that focused heavily on the scribal arts. Her Excellency and I spoke to each entrant about their work and their plans if they became our champion, and after a short deliberation, determined a winner. We are pleased to announce that THL Eleanore Godwin is our new Baronial A&S Champion. Eleanore's work and display was above and beyond, and her plans for Seven Pearls is....well that is a Secret for now. In an Ironic twist of fate Her Ladyship was also assigned to create the scroll that we would ultimately award our new A&S champion. Her Excellency and I offered to have another scroll made for her, but Eleanore was pleased to finally have some of her own work to keep and display. We agree she deserves it. Her Excellency and I would also like to thank our outgoing A&S champion Lord Wolfgang Starcke. Wolfgang thank you for your service as our Champion and your continuing dedication to the Barony and the Kingdom. Shown below is a selection of the work Eleanore displayed at the contest.

Another declares! Art & Science and Thrown.

Unto the Baron and Baroness of The Rhydderich Hael, does  THL Eleanore Godwin send greetings.

I am putting my name forth for consideration for two champion positions in the Rhydderich Hael.  First; as A&S Champion for the Rhydderich Hael. I have served the Barony and Kingdom for many years, putting forth many beautiful works of awards, and prize scrolls. I am involved in the baronial scribal community and in the kingdom scribal community as well. I work hard to improve my craft, encourage others to participate, as well as supporting the growth of the arts. I intend to attend War Practice, Baronial Champs, Spring Academy, Pax, Seven Pearls, Fall Academy, and Kingdom A&S Championship.  Herein is a sample of my works.

Second; It is also my intent to declare that I wish to be considered  for the position of Baronial Thrown Weapons Champion. I have served the Barony as Champion many years ago. I am good thrower, I am a good teacher, understanding the safety on the range , and love the thrill of seeing a new thrower be successful on the range. I have competed many times, both inside the barony, and in more than one kingdom, in Aethelmearc Kingdom Champs, and have won the Lady Mary Memorial Tourney for Thrown Weapons in the Barony of Rising Waters, in the Kingdom of  Ealdormere.  I will be attending War Practice, Pax, Baronial Champs, Brass Ring, and the Seven Pearls event. It is my wish to carry the honor of the Barony to other places, and show others the vibrancy of life in the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael.

  

In service;

THL Eleanore Godwin

Another Champion hopeful vying for all but two Champion positions!

A man of many talents Lord Wolfgang Starcke throws his hat into the ring!

"Greetings from Lord Wolfgang Starcke, once and future Iron Man of the Rhydderich Hael. Disturbing word has reached me of a great shortage of contenders for various champion positions in our fine barony. To help remedy this, I offer my services to your Excellencies as rattan champion, rapier champion, thrown weapons champion, archery champion and Arts & Sciences champion. I would add equestrian champion, but the horses are all plotting against me. I consider my absence from the bardic competition a service to the entire Kingdom, not just the barony.  

With all that said, I will happily serve in whatever capacity you desire."

Now we need that bardic hopeful.....?

Seven Pearls Championships

This year the Kingdom's Seven Pearls Championships will be happening all at one event!! This weekend long event will be held August 19-21, 2016 in the wonderful Barony of Saint Swithin's Bog.

All the assorted Barony's of the Kingdom will be bringing their champions to this event to compete to see who will hold the title of Kingdom Baronial Champion in their field. Heavy, Rapier, Thrown, Archery, A&S, and Bardic. (and maybe more..)

So if you are looking to become our Baronial Champion this year, you need to save this date because you will be required to attend and represent our Barony.

So stay tuned for more information, His Excellency and I will be posting more about the Baronial Championship as it draws closer, and we can't wait!

Link to Kingdom Calendar Event Page

"In My Humble Opinion"...Words from the Current Bardic Champ on being a bard...

In My Humble Opinion

In Which Brother Bobby Ruminates On Being a Bard and of Things Bardic

Good gentle, you are, by some misfortune, or happenstance, finding yourself doomed to read this random spattering of letters, which, some, who are far wiser than the author, would consider only slightly less damaging than the contents of the Necronomicon. “Beware!” They would tell you, “Those are the dark thoughts of Brother Bobby entrapped on those pages. Your wits and, possibly, your very immortal soul are imperiled merely by proximity to their dark humours!”. “Balderdash!” I reply. Hardly anyone has ever been driven mad by my wordcraft and besides, it was a long time ago, if it ever actually happened, and they never proved anything.

Be that as it may, good reader, with the advent of another Baronial Championship in the offing, I feel compelled to impart what may pass for wisdom, if viewed in a dim light from a great distance, on what it means to me to be Baronial Bard in the Rhydderich Hael here In Glorious Æthelmearc. I disclaim at this time that these thoughts be my own and are not to be considered policy or whim of Our Fair Barony but merely my perceptions and attempts to hit the perpetually moving target of what it means to be a Bardic Champion. If some of what I throw here sticks to your shield, you are welcome to it. Allons-y!

Firstly, the biggest responsibility the Baronial Bard bears is to represent their Barony at the Seven Pearls Bardic Championship. The Bardic Champions from the Baronies of Æthelmearc perform before the assembled landed barons and baronesses to determine the Seven Pearls Bardic Champion. If ever there is a reason to bring your “A” Game, this is it. When Baroness Isolda called for bards to compete for Baronial Champion, she stated quite succinctly that one should consider competing only if they could fulfill the obligation of performing at the Seven Pearls. To me, this is one of the greatest honors and responsibilities of being Baronial Bardic Champion.

Now, follows a list of what I keep in mind as a Baronial Bardic Champion. Call it Conventional Wisdom or An Old Man’s Ramblings, take what you will from it.

• Being able to sing, or play an instrument should not be considered mandatory.
• Talents such as storytelling, puppetry, theatrics, comedy, acrobatics, juggling, magic, pantomime, and slapstick are just as legitimate as being musical.
• There is nothing wrong with being a One-Trick-Pony if the Trick is very, very good.
• It is beneficial to be familiar with the history, laws, and customs of one’s local group and kingdom.
• It does not hurt to have some knowledge of actual medieval history and customs.
• Performance is like gift-giving: the packaging is part of the gift.
• Serve your Baron and Baroness with love and pride.
• Practice.
• Keep a book of your compositions, and journal your experiences.
• Learn and share with other bards.
• Better to perform for too short a time than for too long: leave your audience wanting more, not begging release.
• Involve and engage your audience.
• There is a time and a place for every performance; perform pieces appropriate to the venue and audience.

Finally, I leave you with the most excellent advice I was given ages ago, which can be applied to every facet of life, not just being a bard: Love what you do and do what you love.

Baronial Commentary: Champs is drawing near and Her Excellency and I still need candidates! Please don't leave us hanging :)- Magnus

Æthelmearc A&S Faire! April 23rd.

Her Excellency and I are big fans of A&S and want to support any event that features the talents of the Kingdom and the Barony. A new event on our radar is the Æthelmearc A&S Faire. The event is scheduled for April 23rd 2016 in the Shire of Hartstone. We plan to attend and encourage people to not only join us but consider entering something or sponsor an entrant. Here are some details on the event from the Ministers of Arts and Sciences as well as some important links. We suggest that you direct any questions about the event to either the Autocrat or the Ministers. Contact details are included in the links below. 

From: Fridrikr & Orianna, Kingdom Ministers of Arts and Sciences

To the gentlefolk of Æthelmearc, greetings!

On April 23rd, the Kingdom A&S Office, with the great help & generosity of the Shire of Hartstone, will hold the first Æthelmearc Arts & Sciences Faire. 

As part of the event, we will be holding an A&S Prize Tourney. As this type of tourney is new to Æthelmearc, we would like to briefly explain how it is designed to work.

First, the name “tourney” is a bit misleading. The tourney is actually an exhibition, open only to gentles who have a Sycamore or no kingdom A&S award. The purpose is to display the talents of these gentles.

Second, there will an evaluation of the displays that are entered. We intend to have teams of 3-4 evaluators, each of which will look at and comment on one or two displays per hour. The evaluations will consist of viewing the exhibit and the documentation provided, then discussing the exhibit with the entrant. If you were at Kingdom A&S Champions last October, then you will be familiar with the process we’ll using.

Third, we are asking companions of the Fleur and the Laurel to do two things: first, to sponsor entrants in the tourney. This means to provide guidance, advice, and moral support to the entrants sponsored, and to provide a small token or present which will be given to an entrant of the Tourney. For every entrant a Fleur or Laurel sponsors, that Fleur or Laurel should also provide a present. Second, we are asking the Fleurs and Laurels to attend the event and act as evaluators. This is anticipated to be an all-day task, or least take as long as there are exhibitions that have not been evaluated. We encourage the evaluators to look at all the exhibitions, even those they are not evaluating. After the tourney has finished, the evaluators will meet to discuss what they saw during the day.

At the end of the day, during court, the presents will be presented to the entrants by the Fleurs and Laurels. We also hope that the sitting Barons & Baronesses and the Royalty who are present will bring tokens to present to their favorite displays of the day.

Further details on the Prize Tourney and other A&S activities during the day will be forthcoming. Thanks for reading this rather long message. We hope that you will be able to attend the A&S Faire!

Important Links:  

A&S Faire Event Page

Minister of A&S Home Page