ANST - Elfsea Defender

[Barony of Elfsea Baron and Baroness]

Unto the Good Folk of Ansteorra

from Galen & Allessandra, Baron & Baroness of Elfsea

Good Greetings!

By the time court on Saturday evening at Elfsea 
Defender had stretched to three hours, we were no more 
able to craft clever words of thanks and 
congratulations than was the audience able to continue 
to listen charitably.  And yet more thanks are due than 
we have yet made, so we wish to use this forum 
to "revise and extend" our remarks.

To Their Royal Majesties, Timotheus and Allyson, our 
sincere thanks for your attendance, for adding so much 
to the event, for your generosity in permitting us to 
grant so many awards in your name, and for your good 
company throughout the day.  We very appreciate all you 
do.

To the rest of you who attended -- all 500 of you -- 
thanks for all the many things you did to make this 
event so very special.

To our first-time autocrats, Lord Daniel Stewart and 
Lady Siobhan Ui Niall, thanks and congratulations on an 
event that was _such_ a great success!  We never 
doubted you, yet you still exceeded our best 
expectations.  Too, thanks to the many who worked this 
event, including (in no particular order) Willim & 
Rebecca, Lord Ceatta and HL Robyn, HL Darius & HL 
Rosalia, HL Raimond, Lord Daniel, Laird Sean, Lord 
Kerrick, Katerina, Lady Genevieve, Lady Bice, Lady 
Juliana and all the A&S sponsors, Lady Ameline, Lord 
Caelin & Lady Pyro, Mistress Stella, Herbert, Honour, 
Farrell (at his first event), HL Crandall, Lord Virgil, 
Earl Drake, Countess Kayleigh, Don Llywelyn, Lady 
Magdaleigha, Lady Elizabeth & Lady Innes, Juliana and 
Elizabeth, and Whitney too, Lord David & Lady Lavina, 
Lady Layla, Lady Brigid,  Lord Timothy & Dama Anezka, 
Loch Ruadh for the archery tourney, Dragonsfire Tor and 
Black Oak Keep for helping us strike our camp, 
Threebridges for bringing out 8 new members, the 
Steppes for running the Equestrian and for the loan of 
thrones when ours broke, the many we've no doubt 
shamefully forgotten, and the many more we didn't know 
about.  Thanks to all of you.

Special thanks to Mistress Xene, who -- knowing more 
than we did about what we were getting into -- spent 
much of the event making sure that Their Majesties and 
ourselves had food.  Likewise, thanks to Lady Arabella 
for taking such good care of us all day.

Thanks to Duchess Willow, Duchess Larissa, Duchess 
Deshive, Duchess Julia, Countess Regina, Countess 
Margaret, and all the ladies who took part under the 
ladies' pavillion.

The day began with the archery list, which ultimately 
grew to 30 entrants.  It was a formal tourney done with 
much pomp and heraldry, and most competitors really got 
into the spirit of things.  There were many impressive 
feats of skill and exciting moments.  It was a royal 
round format in which two competitors tied with 80 
points each, Lord Fearghus McKenna and Lord Aldwin 
Greenleaf.  In a shoot-off of three arrows each at 40 
yards, Lord Aldwin proved victorious, to become the new 
archer Defender of Elfsea.  Lord Artair Mac Mora was 
given a prize as the Baron's favorite. 

The rapier list had nearly 40 competitors.  Her 
Excellency was most impressed at the many great acts of 
prowess and courtesy, notably by Don Valyntyn Drake, 
who yielded a bout in order to bring word fame to a 
worthy opponent, Lady Simone.  The swiss five was 
shortened to four rounds because of schedule pressure, 
leaving three undefeated finalists to meet in a round-
robin: Don Stephen Hawkins, Don Aaron Harper, and a 
fellow named Christophe from Brad Leah, fighting in his 
first tourney.  Don Aaron and Christophe double-killed 
twice in the first pairing, and then Don Hawkins 
defeated each of them in turn to become the new rapier 
Defender of Elfsea.

The chivalric list saw 74 entrants, and many acts of 
chivalry and prowess.  Five rounds left us, again, with 
three undefeated finalists to compete in the round-
robin final:  His Grace, Duke Jean Richard, Sir Miguel, 
and HL Gideon.  Duke Richard defeated HL Gideon in the 
first pairing, but was then himself defeated by Sir 
Miguel, who was in turn defeated by HL Gideon, thus 
leaving the score tied.  A second time through saw Duke 
Richard defeat both his opponents to win the title of 
22nd Defender of Elfsea, fighting for the honor of his 
lady wife, Countess Anora Frayne of Winward.  Lord 
Skian Ruad was awarded a prize as the Baron's favorite.

Our congratulations go out to the new King's Lancer, 
whose triumph was described here by Sir Alexis.

Six heraldry-based A&S Competitions, a period games 
competition, and a children's bardic competition 
rounded out the activities of the day, and many fine 
revels were noted that night.

We also congratulate the winners of all those 
competitions, as well as all the award recipients, 
especially including HL Ceinwen ferch Rhuel, on being 
created a companion of the Iris of Merit, Lord HL Enoch 
Crandall MacCranon, Lord Padraig Ruad O'Maolagain, Lord 
Thomas de Ruthven, and Lord Daniel of Cameron, on 
joining the Order of the Azure Keystone of Elfsea, Lady 
Simone and Earl Drake on receiving the Portcullis of 
Elfsea, and Baron Llywelyn on receiving the Azure Grail 
of Elfsea.

It was our first Elfsea Defender as Baron & Baroness, 
and it was very special.  Thanks again to everyone who 
made it so.

- Galen & Allessandra


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