NR - Northern Regional Tribute

[Aunt Dwen]

Greetings, Unto the List, Baroness Ceridwen here:

    Actually, my memory of the first few NRT was that there were individuals
from each group in the North who volunteered to "Autocrat" a particular
facet of the event.  Great pains were taken to include each group at some
level.  For instance, in '94 (which may well have been the first NRT) Don
Juan Wang was the Wastelands' Autocrat responsible for Rapier Combat. My
memory is that in addition to other issues many had been vexed by the whole
"pay for play" and non-member fees taxation from Milpitas in the months
prior to NRT.  The event was as much, I thought, a show of the solidarity of
the Northern Region behind the Crown and Kingdom of  Ansteorra for having
weathered the western winds.  Seems there was much discussion of the
phone/travel bill incurred on our behalf at the time.   Of course, I'm an
aging woman and my memory fails me, but that's what stuck in my head about
the event.

    My Lord Johann and Master Artorious are wise in saying that the issues
being discussed are primarily Namron's business.  Certainly some of the
issues of "personality" are.  However, the event in question is a "regional"
event.  The way in which the Regional and Kingdom Seneschal approach that
event, I believe, is of import to all of us.  If the role of Regional
Seneschal is being expanded to include coordination of Regional events this
seems new to me.  Not necessarily a bad thing, it is certainly a change and
may have a few kinks to work out as it is developed.  Perhaps a bit of
pre-structuring for us kids--a bit of warning that there is going to be some
change and this is what it might look like--would help to diffuse matters
before they get out of hand?  Perhaps if folks were made explicitly aware
that the Seneschal and other Regional Officers were going to take a more
direct role in the production of Regional events it might have gone
smoother.  OK, so maybe not, but at least it would be worth a shot.  If this
was made explicit and I missed it or have slept and forgotten I am willing
to be corrected and shown when/how that information was disseminated.

    Further, I will await with interest clarification of the issue of Master
Richard's "sanctioning" of Namron as reported by Master Baron Ulf.  As the
founding Seneschal, former Reeve and current Chronicler of the Wastelands,
I'd have had a ring-tailed fit before I would support this Shire's
sponsorship of an event without an Autocrat or "CO"-Autocrat appointed from
the Shire.  (Why hasn't anyone ever discussed the fact that an event so
large could do with more than one autocrat, by the way?)  Was there no one
from Namron willing to be an autocrat?  If that was the case, then there
seems to be wisdom in having another group be the lead group for the event.
(Bless Northkeep's heart for consistently stepping in to offer support).  If
there were qualified persons from the Barony willing to serve as Autocrat or
co-Autocrat, on what basis was the decision made not to appoint him/her?
How does this lead to the sanctioning of a group?  In what form does that
sanction become inacted?  By the Kingdom Seneschal or by Royal Edict?  Or is
it simply a personal matter between the Kingdom Seneschal and the Barony of
Namron?  I really am asking for clarification here and welcome insight or
information on the matter.

    I find discussions about how things work and how decisions get made to
be, on the whole, good for the populace.  None of the events we attend
simply happen.  There is an awful lot of hard work that goes in to their
production.  It is my hope that this forum can remain a place where what
works and what doesn't work is analyzed and corrections are made to be more
respectful of the feelings of groups of people large and small.  When people
have more information they tend to make better decisions....

In Hope,

Baroness Ceridwen Tir Gwastraff
House Wizard's Keep
Chronicler, Shire of the Wastelands

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