Wet Raglan part 4 - more fencing, and a vigil
I'm trying to keep this all straight in my head, but it's jumbling up in the longer event.
So far:
Wed - putting up pavilions, lots of rain
Thurs - lots of rain overnight, archery, more rain, marshalling ransom tourney, salon, passage of arms
Friday - lots of rain overnights, flooding, near collapse of the royal pavilion, the Miracle of the Drains in our encampment,
What I'd left out of Friday was the morning fencing Progress through the castle, whereby her Majesty aryanhwy, in a borrowed helm and chain shirt, armed with rubber band guns, is accompanied by a group of fencers through different scenarios to reclaim the castle from bandits.
With the wet weather, and the fighters occupying the fountain court, the fencing concentrated on the gatehouse scene and the bridge-to-the-tower, which are excellent fun, and the shortened trip meant everyone could take part attacking or defending on multiple tries, first in twos then in threes or fours. hobbitomm made certain everyone had a chance to do everything, with different mixes of experienced and novice fencers together.
This scenario was first tried with HE Judith as queen, and was so much fun for everyone it's been a firm favourite ever since - I enjoyed it immensely as princess myself.
I opted to marshal this scenario, so as to gain some experience marshalling melee (I've been trying to complete my MiT requirements for awhile). Again, the youth of the fencing community made the most of death from behind, but aryanhwy managed to reach the tower all the attempts but one, which says a lot for her defenders. One of them included the Lady heir of the principality Lena, who did some defending in her own right.
Friday evening was court - the last court of Clancy and Ursula as P&P investiture of the heirs of the principality Richard and Lena the red. C&U opted to hand over the coronets to the Crown, and depart, leaving Ary and Paul as prince and princess of Insulae Draconis for about five minutes. (I was reminded at this point of an investiture of Diane and Cordigan, briefly, where the Midrealm queen toyed with the prince, saying she'd always liked the title of princess of Ealdormere.)
As it was drizzling, no scrolls were handed out at this court, but many honours, including PCS for a trio of sisters. Their parents had already received their farewell awards, but in this case the crown opted to honour the girls (aged 7-ish to 13) as well, which was well received. Certainly the family will be sorely missed in Flintheath.
...and it was my call to vigil. I'd put on my best new gown, the russet and black early 16th c one with the silly hat, and had to carry the puddle-hem skirt around me through the castle. I'm really happy with this gown - and I was winked at by *two* different peers of the realm. Golly.
goncalves and I had decided earlier in the event that one of the 'finished' rooms in the castle would be best for a vigil - it had previously served as a scribing room.
I felt a bit weird, actually asking other people to sort this, because it felt like the kind of work I typically did - oh, you need a Raglan room furnished? ok, I'll find the banners and stuff - so I wasn't so much sorting it, as asking goncalves if *someone* was sorting it. (The weirdest part was coming upon an impromptu 'meeting' of my friends, who were all Pelicans - they were all standing together, talking amongst themselves - and I wondered 'should I go talk to them? or should I let them finish their meeting?')
At any rate - I was escorted to vigil by goncalves, Floris and Hannah, and all the other Pelicans followed along. It felt quite strange not staying for the end of court. And I found the room hung with banners, with a table laid with sweets, candles and drinks, and seating for three (or more if people were friendly). It was lovely, and wonderfully strange at the same time - this is for me? really? *really*? Wow.
I'll not go into the vigil in detail - everyone's is different, and I think mine was blessed with friends and goodwill.
I was amazed, charmed and humbled by the number of people who came to speak to me - who waited patiently in poor weather to tell me their thoughts and wish me well. Fortunately, there was an adjoining room for holding the beautiful vigil book maryf had made me - and somewhere dry to write in it - and goncalves ' gambling den was right next to it, so if people got bored they could pass their time and lose their money in good company. We left the jug of beer there at the end of the evening.
It was a mix of serious considerations, and simple happy wishes. I was charmed by how some folk took their responsibility to advise me very seriously - people I'm not especially close to. There were a couple of themes that were touched on several times, which hints at their importance overall. And little can compete with HG Elffin's advice, of course.
There were no 'best' visits, but interesting ones were from people who brought questions - the shire of Pont Alarch visited en masse, and asked questions, which was excellent, and I hope I did them justice. It was hard to keep to the time limit Floris set, but I appreciated him keeping time so that others could speak as well.
As asked, the doorkeepers (Floris and Robert) closed the vigil at midnight; I'd said I wanted to go to bed and not stay up all night so as to be some use the next day, and they honoured that request. The rain had stopped, and the sky was packed with stars, in a way that you cannot see in the city. I felt tired, and very, very blessed, and wrapped in the warmth and the genuine-ness of the Society at its best.
It's not always like this, and I know it, so you have to treasure the times it does come through.
So far:
Wed - putting up pavilions, lots of rain
Thurs - lots of rain overnight, archery, more rain, marshalling ransom tourney, salon, passage of arms
Friday - lots of rain overnights, flooding, near collapse of the royal pavilion, the Miracle of the Drains in our encampment,
What I'd left out of Friday was the morning fencing Progress through the castle, whereby her Majesty aryanhwy, in a borrowed helm and chain shirt, armed with rubber band guns, is accompanied by a group of fencers through different scenarios to reclaim the castle from bandits.
With the wet weather, and the fighters occupying the fountain court, the fencing concentrated on the gatehouse scene and the bridge-to-the-tower, which are excellent fun, and the shortened trip meant everyone could take part attacking or defending on multiple tries, first in twos then in threes or fours. hobbitomm made certain everyone had a chance to do everything, with different mixes of experienced and novice fencers together.
This scenario was first tried with HE Judith as queen, and was so much fun for everyone it's been a firm favourite ever since - I enjoyed it immensely as princess myself.
I opted to marshal this scenario, so as to gain some experience marshalling melee (I've been trying to complete my MiT requirements for awhile). Again, the youth of the fencing community made the most of death from behind, but aryanhwy managed to reach the tower all the attempts but one, which says a lot for her defenders. One of them included the Lady heir of the principality Lena, who did some defending in her own right.
Friday evening was court - the last court of Clancy and Ursula as P&P investiture of the heirs of the principality Richard and Lena the red. C&U opted to hand over the coronets to the Crown, and depart, leaving Ary and Paul as prince and princess of Insulae Draconis for about five minutes. (I was reminded at this point of an investiture of Diane and Cordigan, briefly, where the Midrealm queen toyed with the prince, saying she'd always liked the title of princess of Ealdormere.)
As it was drizzling, no scrolls were handed out at this court, but many honours, including PCS for a trio of sisters. Their parents had already received their farewell awards, but in this case the crown opted to honour the girls (aged 7-ish to 13) as well, which was well received. Certainly the family will be sorely missed in Flintheath.
...and it was my call to vigil. I'd put on my best new gown, the russet and black early 16th c one with the silly hat, and had to carry the puddle-hem skirt around me through the castle. I'm really happy with this gown - and I was winked at by *two* different peers of the realm. Golly.
goncalves and I had decided earlier in the event that one of the 'finished' rooms in the castle would be best for a vigil - it had previously served as a scribing room.
I felt a bit weird, actually asking other people to sort this, because it felt like the kind of work I typically did - oh, you need a Raglan room furnished? ok, I'll find the banners and stuff - so I wasn't so much sorting it, as asking goncalves if *someone* was sorting it. (The weirdest part was coming upon an impromptu 'meeting' of my friends, who were all Pelicans - they were all standing together, talking amongst themselves - and I wondered 'should I go talk to them? or should I let them finish their meeting?')
At any rate - I was escorted to vigil by goncalves, Floris and Hannah, and all the other Pelicans followed along. It felt quite strange not staying for the end of court. And I found the room hung with banners, with a table laid with sweets, candles and drinks, and seating for three (or more if people were friendly). It was lovely, and wonderfully strange at the same time - this is for me? really? *really*? Wow.
I'll not go into the vigil in detail - everyone's is different, and I think mine was blessed with friends and goodwill.
I was amazed, charmed and humbled by the number of people who came to speak to me - who waited patiently in poor weather to tell me their thoughts and wish me well. Fortunately, there was an adjoining room for holding the beautiful vigil book maryf had made me - and somewhere dry to write in it - and goncalves ' gambling den was right next to it, so if people got bored they could pass their time and lose their money in good company. We left the jug of beer there at the end of the evening.
It was a mix of serious considerations, and simple happy wishes. I was charmed by how some folk took their responsibility to advise me very seriously - people I'm not especially close to. There were a couple of themes that were touched on several times, which hints at their importance overall. And little can compete with HG Elffin's advice, of course.
There were no 'best' visits, but interesting ones were from people who brought questions - the shire of Pont Alarch visited en masse, and asked questions, which was excellent, and I hope I did them justice. It was hard to keep to the time limit Floris set, but I appreciated him keeping time so that others could speak as well.
As asked, the doorkeepers (Floris and Robert) closed the vigil at midnight; I'd said I wanted to go to bed and not stay up all night so as to be some use the next day, and they honoured that request. The rain had stopped, and the sky was packed with stars, in a way that you cannot see in the city. I felt tired, and very, very blessed, and wrapped in the warmth and the genuine-ness of the Society at its best.
It's not always like this, and I know it, so you have to treasure the times it does come through.