ES - New Project: Traditions of Elfsea

Estella Flather eflather at flash.net
Fri Jul 21 14:10:04 PDT 2000


Greetings from Mistress Stella-
	There are some traditional things that I can think of off the top of my
head. I will note them down now, and add more on later as I think of them.
	Inducting new members into the Order of the Azure Keystone of Elfsea had
been done previously at Dragonsfire Tor Yule Revel. This last year, they
were given at Elfsea Defender. Usually only TWO are given out each year.
Occasionally as many as three have been given. This awards is usually given
to people who have done outstanding work for the Barony for a long time.
	Past Barons and Baronesses have had their own non-armigerous awards which
can be given out without consultation with the Crown. These included the
Ant of Elfsea (TEs Arthur & Robin), and the Portcullis (which was
instituted by TEs Seamus and Margery, but has been continued by TEs
Llywelyn and Xene as well as the current Excellencies Galen and Allessandre
(or however she feels like spelling it that day.) This award is usually
given at each event as an introductory award for people who have been
helpful to the Barony. 
	Elfsea Defender is traditionally a Swiss Five Tournament with the first
round being a Reverse Order of Precedence Challenge. In other words, people
line up in order of precedence and the person of lowest rank gets to make
the first challenge. It is with great fondness that I remember my very
first tourney, Elfsea Defender in 1992. I got to be the first to make a
challenge. (Which was rather daunting, because I had never been to a
tourney where you had to do challenges and I had no idea what one normally
said, but I made something up on the spot and somebody gave me a beautiful
necklace because they were impressed that I challenged a Duke.) The current
Defenders are also consulted as to what input they would like to have in
how the next tourney is run.I would like to see this tradition continue.
	Elfsea's Rapier. Archery and Chivalric Defender Tourneys are usually held
at Defender. In the past the Rapier and Archery may have been held on
Sunday, but lately we have tried to hold all three on Saturday so that the
Rapier and Archery Defenders can get equal recognition with the Chivalric
Defender at Saturday evening's court.
	The scribe's and Illuminator's guild have tried to produce nice
photocopied and painted invitations for our events. Stewards should ask for
interested parties to help well in advance of the event. Currently the
Guild is doing original award scrolls for all our champions.
	Elfsea's King of Fools and Bardic Champion are normally selected at Spring
Faire. King of Fools is usually populace choice by use of voting tokens, a
bead, scrap of cloth, etc. The Bardic competition is normally judged by the
Baron and Baroness with consultation by the current Champion. They
sometimes ask for other's input.
	Spring Faire is frequently based on a theme. We have had two Viking
oriented Faires, a Byzantine one, Celtic cattle raids, and Renaissance.
Originally the Elfsea Spring Faire was a Bear Pit, but now the tourney is
usually based on the theme of the event and tries to do something different
to make it more fun.
	The practice of asking people to volunteer to sponsor different parts of
the event has worked very well. That way people aren't always doing the
same thing and the Stewards can delegate more of the responsibility of
running the event and not have to do everything themselves.
	Our Artisan is usually chosen at a Baronial College held in the Winter.
This date has varied from Nov. to Feb. Lately we have tried to get away
from the Holiday time, as people are very busy then. Usually the
competition is a body of work sponsored by the current Artisan and judged
by the B&Bs and past artisans. In the past, artisans have supplied original
award scrolls for their successors. Usually we have photocopied and painted
award scrolls for a wide variety of category winners, so that many people
can get a prize not just the overall winner. 
	Classes at the Baronial College are usually organized by the current
Minister of Arts & Sciences, leaving the Steward responsible for the site
and feast, if there is one. There have been times when we had a full feast,
times when a sideboard was supplied and times when it was potluck. The most
successful way lately is to include a sideboard in the price of the event.
The only problem this has led to is when people decide they don't want to
pay for a sideboard if they don't want to eat. 
	If a site is used for Baronial College and Artisan that is dry, special
accommodations must be made for brewers and vintners. At times in the past
we have done the alcoholic entries at Spring Faire.
	Passage at Arms, where the Baronial Guard is selected is usually held the
Sunday after Baronial College. Members of the Guard are usually asked to
present themselves to the B&B and declare their intent to go out for the
Guard. The tourney is usually a bearpit. Members of the guard are selected
by their honor on the field not by who wins the most bouts. The Guard
members are usually asked to attend one Baronial function a month, i.e.
Moot, or an event, and act as escorts, etc. during court. They have tabards
with the City Ensign.
	Our title holders plus their consort or a guest, the current Crown and
current and former Barons and Baronesses are given free entry and food at
our events. This list includes: Their Royal Majesties, Their Royal
Highnesses, Chivalric Defender, Rapier Defender, Archery Defender, King of
Fools, Elfsea's Bard, and Elfsea's Artisan. If there is a high table at
feast, all these title holders are usually asked by the B&B to sit at it. 
	Now that we have four sets of B&Bs do we want to continue this for the
former B&Bs?
	For events such as Dragonsfire Tor Yule Revel, which we attend instead of
a Baronial Yule Revel, we usually pay the canton the fee for our defenders
that attend their event, as they also have their own title holders to let
in and feed. At the Tor's event, usually their title holders sit at the
high table and a second table is used for the Barony's title holders. DFT
usually holds their artisan competition at their Yule Revel. 
	We stopped holding our own Yule Revel, as the holiday season gets so full
of events. 
	July and August Fighter practices at Randol Mill Park are usually moved
back to 5 P.M. on the theory that it starts to cool off a little by then.
In September practices go back to 2 P.M.	
	The dates for use of the Coors Hospitality Room must be renewed every
Dec.1st. It is first come first served. So somebody needs to get to the
person in charge there ASAP on the 1st. They will not save the current date
for us.
	The Arthurian Company is usually dissolved at Spring Faire and reformed at
Highland Games. The commander is appointed by the B&B. 
	HE Stella (me) currently handles the gift for the incoming Crown, which is
traditionally stationary and stamps. (I'll let you know when I get tired of
doing that) I have the original artwork and enough paper and envelopes to
do two more sets. After that we will need to buy more paper and envelopes.
I usually get linen finish off-white paper and matching envelopes by the
ream or box from a wholesale paper dealer. (Remind me so I don't forget!)
	We try to pair new Stewards with someone who has previous experience, so
they can get input from someone who has done it before.
	That is all I can think of right now. I'll add more later, when I think of
it.
	In service,
	HE Stella


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