The time has come!

The time has come! Three years has come and gone. On December 1st Miriel and I will step down as the Baron and Baroness of the Ryhdderich Hael. During the reign one of my fondest pleasures was running and updating this blog. Each time I visited the blog I was reminded of all the great adventures we had and the many friends we made along the way. The blog was a personal project and will not continue when we step down. I will leave it up so people can visit and enjoy the many years of posts, but this will be our last official post here. Thank you to the people who contributed to the blog over the years and for the many compliments it received. Miriel and I will post additional thanks elsewhere before we are done, but for the M&M blog this is the final flight, we are signing off.

Good to luck to our heirs…and as always and forever HAEL YEAH!

Thrown weapons season comes to end but the memories remain

It was a dark and cold night on the thrown weapons range yesterday, but that did not stop the last tosses of knife and axe into well used targets. Granted it was a short practice, but it marked the end of a fantastic thrown weapons season.

Practice struggled with numbers this year, but thanks to watchful eye of Master Caleb and the steady dedication of Lady Thalia the range stayed active all season long. We shared many good laughs and saw the making of a new Champion (Lady Thalia). Thank you to Lord Akayuma for running our 2018 thrown weapons champs tourney and many thanks to THL Maeve Ni Siurtain for the use of her home, yard, and storage shed. Thanks to everyone who visited us when time allowed, it was good to see new and old and faces alike.

As winter sets in I ask everyone to keep thrown weapons in mind for next year. The Barony has a proud legacy in the thrown weapons community and I encourage everyone to come out and give it a try. I imagine as soon as the sun returns and the ground is dry you will find Caleb, Thalia, and myself out on the range again. Come join us!

Presenting the new Champions and Baronial award holders!

As Her Excellency and I enter our last few months and Baron and Baroness of the Rhydderich Hael it was our pleasure to name a new set of Champions and Baronial award holders one last time. This task is one of the highlights of the Baronial reign and we consider it an honor. The Champions represent the Barony as a whole and we ask that you join in congratulating and thanking our new Champions. Please note that Her Excellency and I have decided to leave the choice of the next Equestrian champ to our Heirs.

Lord Theowyndwood Keyote- Heavy Champion

Fuego - New Baronial Fencing Champion & Most Improved Fencer

Lady Thalia Papillon - Thrown weapons champion & Baronial Keystone holder & Iron man

Lady Logan Lotta de Kent - Bardic Champion

Lord Abdullah al-Rashid- Archery Champion

Lord Fearghus mac Eoin - Chivalry Champion

Grimnir the Handsome - Most Improved Fighter

THL Maeve Ni Siurtain - Equestrian (current)

Queen Ann - awarded to the populace of
 The Barony of the Rhydderich Hael and the Canton of Beau Fleuve

In Memory of Those Who Have Gone Before Us

Each year one of the honors handed out during champs is the Queen Ann Trophy. The award was created in Honor of Kent Weed and was originally bestowed to a person in recognition of their  excellence upon the field in both conduct and martial skill. Over the years the nature of the award has changed. Now the award is bestowed to people who have suffered hardship or loss, but despite that, remain strong and continue on both with life and in support of the SCA. Some may feel the award no longer represents its original intention, but I must disagree. Not all challenges are met at the end of a sword and conduct and courtesy are not limited to a list field. Recently the Barony and Canton has suffered great loss, and while it was hard for many, it did not break our resolve. During this time Her Excellency and I watched as people stepped forward, picked up the pieces, and continued to work to make the Barony and Canton strong. This was not restricted to Peers, veterans, or officers. Help came from the newest of members,veterans, and from young and old alike. This year instead of awarding the Queen Ann to a single person Her Excellency and I have decided to recognize The Barony of the Rhydderich Hael and the Canton of Beau Fleuve as a whole. We are so proud of each and everyone of you. Thank you. You share this honor with each other.

The Names as displayed on the award*: 

• Lord Sylvanus Huntsman
• James Ahern 
• Benedict Feargus McMead
• THL Don Behrend von Elmendorf
• Lord Robert I Etourdi
• Lord Daidalos Pagkration
• Lord Henri DuPont
• Lord Aquila d' Athos
• Lady Logan Latta D'Kent
• Sir Sextus Plinius Callidus
• THL Augusto Giuseppie de San Donato
• Alyce B Green
• Lord William Freskyn Murray
• Lord Dominic D'Artus
• Lord Belgraunde
• Lady Biotta
• Lady Lilionde Lyondemere
• Lord Dedrick Schweickhradt Von Schwartzwald
• Miriel du Lac
• Lord Rendell
• Lady Eleanore
• Lady Theowynwood Keyote 
• Linda the Stong of Will

*apologies and respect to changes of rank or name that do not appear on the award. 

Most improved fighter awarded

Each year Her Excellency and I poll a selection of heavy fighters to determine the recipient of the "Most Improved Fighter" award. This award is given to the the heavy fighter deemed to show the most improvement for the year. It is not limited to new fighters and can also be awarded to experienced fighters who have shown great prowess, or otherwise made contributions to the Heavy Community. The award is special because the recipient is determined by the opinion of their peers and not just the choice of the Baron and Baroness. This year the heavy community has spoken and determined Grimnir the Handsome the new "Most Improved Fighter". Normally this is announced in court, but Grim has recently accepted a job that has him away from home. Her Excellency and I did not want to wait to honor him so this blog post must suffice until we meet up with him again. Please take a moment to congratulate him when you see him next.

Her Excellency and I would also like to thank our out going "Most Improved Fighter" THL Jairus of the Darklands for his service.

Most Improved Fighter  - regalia

New Chivalry Champion announced

Lord Fearghus mac Eoin

Last weekend at Summers End Her Excellency and I continued selecting our 2018 Baronial Champions by naming Lord Fearghus mac Eoin as the Baronial Chivalry Champion. He graciously accepted. Lord Fearghus is a regular presence on the battlefield and at practice, fighting in both tourney and melee, teaching new fighters, and is an example of honor and chivalry. On the same day he was recognized by the King and Queen with induction into the Order of the Golden Alce for his prowress in battle. We thank him for his service to the Barony and Kingdom. Please congratulate him when you see him. We would also like to thank our outgoing Chivalry Champion Lord Chebe for his service.

Populace projects! - New Baronial Keystone regalia bag and cord

In 1999 The Barony was awarded a  Keystone for service to the Kingdom. Each year the Baron and Baroness are tasked to pick a new member of the populace to carry the Baronial Keystone. Traditionally the person does not have a Keystone of their own, but exemplifies the qualities of a member of the order. The medallion was once contained in small wooden box and hung on a simple black cord. Our outgoing Baronial Keystone holder Lady Artemisia da Manarola graced us with a new bag to carry they Keystone as well as a upgrade to the medallion cord. She also made a nice video documenting the process. Thank you for this wonderful addition to the Baronial Regalia!

Video - the making of the bag and cord

Lady Artemisia da Manarola