Shire of Al-Sahid Newsletter

Shire of al-Sahid Newsletter

Scorpion Tales

March 2006

This is the Scorpion Tales, a free publication of the Shire of Al-Sahid of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

Except where otherwise stated, all articles in this publication may be reprinted without special permission in newsletters and other publications of branches of the S.C.A, Inc. subject to the following conditions:

a) The text must be printed in its entirety, without additions or changes.

b) The author’s name and an original publication credit must be printed with the text.

c) You must send a letter to the editor of this newsletter, stating which articles you have used, and in which publication the material has been reprinted. THL Caitlin

March Events and Meetings

March Shire Meeting

The next Shire meeting will be at 3pm on March 12 at Doris Davies Park. Directions are in the March CP,

or you can contact Event Steward Lord Martin

Fighter Practice

There will not be a fighter’s practice on 3/5 due to Pagus Sancti Geronimo Anniversary in Riverside. Consider fighting in the tourney instead, lists open at 10am. Details in the CP. 3/12 practice is noon at the Shire meeting location, Doris Davies Park. 3/19 and 3/26 are back at Sundays at noon at Sir Killian’s. For more information contact Killian

A&S (Craft) Nights

A&S meeting on March 13 will be Greek Chitons with Lady Jane on 3/13 at Sir Killian’s and THL Teka’s.

Costuming Guild

The Costuming Guild meets on the third Monday of every month at Lady Jane’s. March’s

meeting will be 3/20. Bring your ideas, fabric, pictures, patterns, books and anything else.

February Officer Reports

A&S: Craft night 3/13 at Teka’s. You will need 2 yards of cotton or linen for the undergarment. For the overdress measure from wrist to wrist and double for yardage.

Will also do site favors.

Chatelaine: nothing to report

Chronicler -- New issue came out, no reported problems with the new format.

Constable – Nothing to report.

Exchequer – Read balance and report sent.

Herald -- next Herald meeting March 12

Lists -- Nothing new to report.

Marshal -- kingdom is experimenting with rattan thrust and throw javelins. Need to be

on list to do experimentation.

Children’s – ready for Anniversary

Presentations – Lady Blasé will do something for Starkhafn Anniversary.

Webwright -- still waiting for kingdom to put our website on their server

Seneschal — Trailer was worked on and extensive maintenance done. (Thanks

Lord Gregor!) New check list on how to take care of it. Lord Ryan doing inventory

of fixed assets, also taking pictures.

Target butts: Lyondemere is willing to let us store and use the 4-6 kingdom target butts.

Lord Ryan will pick them up from Lord Carolus.

Shire members will split remaining wood and pay for what they take.

Althing issue: Shire approved letter regarding next year’s Althing with minor

changes. Shire will not host Althing next year.

THL Teka now has a copier, so can do small print runs as needed.

“Consider your origins: you were not made that you might live as brutes, but so as to

follow virtue and knowledge.”

-- Dante in The Divine Comedy

Pentathlon 2007: Team Rules

From the Pentathlon Handbook: Team Pentathlon Rules

All of the applicable general rules apply.

A team is defined as a group of SCA participants (Barony, Shire, household, group of friends, etc.).

A team must be composed of a minimum of 3 members and a maximum of 8 members.

Each member must enter or contribute in a major way to at least one entry.

Entries may be constructed either by an individual member of the team or by several members of the team (a "group entry"). Anything entered in the Team Pentathlon may not be entered in either the Arts Fair or the Individual Pentathlon, even though it was made by an individual. Therefore all team entries are disqualified for each of the placement (1st or 2nd) awards in each section.

Each entry may be a group effort, but it must be designated as a group entry on the entry form and documentation. For example, if several members of the team helped

construct a chair, that chair would be considered one group entry for the Team Pentathlon.

The team is to enter at least five entries, from four of the above listed categories (see Individual Pentathlon rule #2). A fifth entry may be a second item in a chosen category.

No more than ten items may be entered, and no more than two items per class and category.

Categories are those as defined by the normal categories for the Arts Fair and Pentathlon.

All entries must have documentation. It is recommended that you supply 3 copies of your documentation.

The Team Pentathlon competition is in addition to, and not in competition with, the Individual Pentathlon. The team scores will be judged and scored in the same manner as all other entries. Group entries will only compete against other group entries, and not against other entries in the Individual Pentathlon. There will be a separate award for Team Pentathlon and Individual Pentathlon winners.

"The prince must be a fox, therefore, to recognize the traps and a lion to frighten the wolves."

— Niccolò Machiavelli from The Prince

Around the Shire

Notable News

Congratulations to Lady Jane! Her daughter is having a little girl in July, and Jane has

landed a costuming internship at Western Costume in N. Hollywood.

Highland War

THL Teka may have found a new hay vendor. There are still some questions around pick up and delivery, but they are very reasonable. She will continue to pursue it.

Anniversary

The announcement is in March CP and details are coming together nicely.

We secured a new site for Anniversary at Doris Davies Park in Victorville,

and will hold our March 12 Shire meeting to walk the new site.

On Anniversary morning, we will set up the Dragonwing and the Eric. Lady Jane needs

separate section for children’s activities, and we will also need to site Troll.

Lady Magdalen will check the site favor box for supplies, and we will plan on making site

favors at March 13 craft night.

Merchants will be on site. All officer positions are covered for the day.

The Shire voted up to $130 for contest and tourney prizes.

Highland war

Lady Blase and THL Caitlin will serve as event stewards, and we have secured

Schmidt Park.

Rights

Quotations are in the public domain. Used by permission: Sword graphic — http://historymedren.about.com/library/weekly/aa061898.htm

Woodcuts — http://www.godecookery.com/clipart/clart.htm

An Individual

I think I’ve finally found who I wanna be...

Through all the misinterpretations,

Exaggerations,

In my generation,

My personality,

My style,

I don't wanna stay in line,

Single file,

I'm gonna jump out of

my place,

Tell them my case,

And lead the world to

individuality.

—By Lady Alexis

Seneschal’s Corner

Well, it’s been quiet eventwise these last few weeks. No Shire events and not a lot going on at the kingdom level. After all we did last year; I guess we needed the break. Now it all starts to change.

March is the month when things really start happening. I counted 10 events in March, our own al-Sahid Anniversary being one. Even more in April, with Spring Crown and

Collegium.

There is something for everyone and plenty of chances for those new to the SCA to see

what it has to offer.

I was starting to go through event withdrawal, so this comes at a good time. I’m dusting off my garb, tuning up my bow, finding my arrows and planning which events I want to attend. So many of them, I can’t make them all. So we pick and choose.

And let others know which events you are attending. That way, someone can bring the dragonwing if there is a large enough group going. (I can tell you from experience,

however, that unless there are more than two families going, that dragonwing is way too

big and you feel lost in it.)

We are having the next Shire meeting two weeks prior to Anniversary, on March 12th,

at Doris Davies Park, the site of Anniversary. See you all there.

Ryan

Shire Birthdays

Lord Davi d’Orleans 3/6

Thomas the Potter 3/7

Jason 3/22

Lady Shehira of Alexandria 3/23

Happy

birthday!!

Principality of Caid Tournament

(printed by special request)

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Event Updates:

<www.sca-caid.org> calendar pages and at <www.scacaid.org/altavia/events.html>

SITE: Veteran's Park, 13000 Sayre St, Sylmar CA (a dry site)

Today’s SCA meets Yesterday’s SCA! The Barony of Altavia welcomes all to

hearken back to when Caid was a Principality.

Old Timers and Other Ancients: Anyone active in Caid's infancy is invited to bring memorabilia and tell the youngsters about The Good Old Days.

Newbies and Not-So-Old Timers: Anyone who wasn’t active when dinosaurs trod the earth are invited to see and hear Caid's past come alive again, to participate in fighting,

games, the bake sale, fabric swap and more. We promise a day filled with tradition, stories and fun!

Autocrats: Viscountess Lorissa du Griffin and Master Timotheus Zacharia von Zwilling

Schloss

Grand March: Bring your banners, add to the color of the day. No need to worry about where to stand, the heralds will be happy to tell you where to go!

Brotherhood of the Blade & Other Groups: What other early Caidan guilds, households, and fighting groups can we bring out of hiding?

Stories of Old Time Caid: You’ve heard some of the stories 4th and 5th hand, now get the story right from the source. Hear and record early SCA members recounting SCA days

of yore for your enjoyment and edification. You can ask questions of our incredible guests. In former years, story-tellers included Duke Henrik of Havn (first crowned King

of the SCA) describing his coronation entrance on a borrowed horse; Duchess Carol of Bellatrix (Queen of the West, before and after Caid became a Kingdom) Duke Gregory of York (only Caidan to sit the Western Throne); Duke Armand de Sevingny (first King of Caid), and Sir Charles of Dublin (first Earl Marshal of Caid); Master John ap Griffin (twice on the Board of Directors), and others.

Heavy Weapons Fighting: In traditional AS12 style, there will be 2 warm-up melees before single eliminations begin. Winner may declare a Queen of Love and Beauty. There will be single combat challenges as well as List events. In celebration of

the SCA’s 40th year, we’re pitting older fighters against younger fighters. The winner of both lists will fight each other to determine the grand winner. There will be prizes.

Rapier Fighting: This year there will be what was once called swishy-pokey activities, so bring your weapons and join the fun! For information contact: Don Robert Camulus

Brigantia

Memorabilia Display: All early SCA fighting groups, guilds, and households : come and display your history and historical artifacts! We’ll have a dry and well-guarded pavilion

to exhibit those photos, newsletters, garb, armor, crafts, mementos, etc, that you bring to help us assemble a temporary museum of Caidan History.

Games: Traditional AS12 games will be played: Tug-of-war; Duke, Duke, Duchess; Clencha-Wench and anything else we can remember from those long ago days.

Contests (with prizes!):

· Best authentic AS12 picnic tourney lunch (KFC buckets, etc)

· Identify that person contest : THL Isabeau’s famous “Name that peer” photo contest

· Oldest piece of non-usable armor

· Oldest piece of armor still in use

· Oldest costume no longer in use

· Oldest costume still wearable

· Lowest membership number

· Best excuse using the word ‘Seneschal’

· and other surprise on-the-spot contests

Fabric Swap: Bring that fabric (buttons, trim, thread, yarn, etc) that seemed such a bargain at the time, or that you really meant to use someday, and trade it for someone else’s goodies. If bringing buttons or other small items, please bag them.

Nothing to trade? Shop with real money! For details, contact Madelena

White Elephant Sale: Bring all those unused goodies to donate so next year’s Principality of Caid Tourney will be even bigger and better! Items do not have to be

SCA-related. They can even be romance paperbacks or those “Oh, Aunt Edna, you

shouldn’t have!” gifts you have stowed away.

Bake Sale! Bring something yummy to donate for sale to make next year’s Tourney

better.

Fiber Circle: We will have a spinning/sewing/needle arts gathering under the trees, so bring your projects and come play! Bring spinning wheels, drop spindles, lucets, inkle and card looms, embroidery, and anything else you wish.

Children: Thomas White Hart (aka True Thomas the Storyteller) will tell stories for our youth! (Adults are welcome!) We’ll have other activities for children throughout the day.

Merchants: No merchant fee, each booth gets 1 free site token, but the park requires

15% of your day’s gross profit. Contact Maestra Flavia Beatrice Carmigniani:

Site fee: $6 for SCA members, $9.00 for non-members, $3 for children 5-12, children under 5 are guests of the Barony.” Make checks payable to SCA Inc./Barony of Altavia

Schedule of the Day & Directions

Site opens at 8am, Grand March & Opening Court is at 10am, closing court around

5pm and site closes at 8pm.

Directions to Site: Take the 210 North (towards Santa Clarita) to the Hubbard exit. Turn right on Hubbard and follow it to Eldridge. Turn left on Eldridge and go to the first stop sign, which is Sayre. Turn right on Sayre and follow it all the way up the hill. Altavia signs will direct you to the event in park.

What’s in a Name? This event has variously been called Tourney of Reunion, and The Old-Timers Tourney. Unfortunately, ‘Tourney of Reunion’ doesn’t mean much to anyone,

and ‘Old-Timer’s Tourney’ not only indicated a boring event of creaky Aulde Pharts, but the name was unhappily twisted to ‘Alzheimer’s Tourney.’ So the name has been officially changed to the more descriptive title listed above.

Photographs & Recording is Encouraged! Please bring anything to archive these folk and their memories.

Be great in act, as you have been in thought.

— William Shakespeare