[Ansteorra] Janet of House Morningstar, R. I. P.

[Jay Rudin]

I have just heard that Janet of House Morning Star has passed away.

Many of you don't know her, or know her as a merchant in her later years.

When I joined she was a dynamo of action in all fields -- service, arts and 
fighting.

Though of small stature, Janet was a fierce competitor on the field.  Her 
shield was well known. I can still picture it --tierced  per chevron 
throughout azure, gules, and vert, overall an Egyptian hawk displayed Or, 
crowned of a bezant and maintaining two bezants.  She was loud, joyous and 
fierce.

The records show that she was the fifth Queen of Love and Beauty in the 
Steppes, as Amra of Acre won the fifth Steppes Warlord tournament carrying 
her favor.  What the records don't show is that, going into the final 
round, she already knew she'd won.  She just didn't know which title she'd 
have yet.  The finalists were Amra, her husband Telbyrne, and Janet 
herself.

In a war in which her knight, Sir Simonn, was legged, she stood at his side 
to defend him.  A blow was aimed at Simonn, but Janet threw her own shield 
out to cover him, exposing herself for a half-second.  Asked about it 
later, she said, "I did that?  That's dumb."

But nobody who knew her is surprised that, instantly and unconsciously, she 
did something dumb in service to somebody else.

She was equally aggressive in everything she did.  Disagreeing with Janet 
was never fun, because she would fight for her beliefs with every fiber of 
her being.  She carried her passion into everything she did.

She was known for her arts, but her greatest contribution to Ansteorra was 
her work with the Texas Renaissance Festival.  She co-ordinated our 
extremely well-paid activities there, and thus made huge contributions, not 
only to her own group's coffers, but also those of every active branch in 
Ansteorra.  If your branch dates back to the seventies or early eighties, 
then Janet materially helped you fund your events and activities.  All 
Ansteorran branches were relatively rich, at a time when the rest of 
Atenveldt (our home kingdom then) were close to scrounging Coke bottles on 
the side of the road to help pay for events.  Her arms had three gold 
coins, and it was quite appropriate.

But it isn't about the money.  She was part of Ansteorra developing its own 
character and its own identity, and was therefore instrumental in the 
rising of the Star from a principality to a kingdom.

The Egyptian Eagle is no longer displayed.  It has soared into the heavens, 
and has a crown more glorious than a bezant.  But as long as Ansteorra is a 
kingdom, there will always be an Egyptian hawk following the Black Star.

Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin