[Northern] traveling

[Lori Campbell]

> I'm sure someone who likes to keep track of these sorts of
> things can give counter-examples of all the other principalities
> in the Known World.

I don't know about counter-examples.  You have to remember that
almost every single one of the 15 (or is it 16) SCA kingdoms began as
Principalities.   If the Board is making Principalities with the
intent that they will never be anything but that, then it is a very
new trend.  The overwhelming majority of Principalities seem to be at
least potential future Kingdoms (based on land area, population base
or number of groups.  Here's some random information to help people
make up their own minds.

Existant Principalities (9) are as follows (with their mother
Kingdoms and approximate mundane locations):

The Mists (West - San Francisco, CA)
Cynagua (West - N. Central Valley, CA)
Oertha (West - Alaska)
Lochac (West - Australia)
Crown Principality - the North (An Tir - W. Canada)
Avacal (An Tir - Midwest Canada)
Summits (An Tir - S. Oregon)
Northshield (Midrealm - Canada & upper midwest states)
Gleann Abhan (Meridies - AK, MS, LA & W.Tennessee)

11(12 when Lochac is elevated) Kingdoms have no Principalities.

If you research these groups you will find that many (Oertha, Lochac,
the North, Avacal, Northshield) encompass large land areas where
travel distance (and Royal Representation) was a major issue.
Looking at the numbers of groups in each area I would think becoming
a Kingdom is well within the realm of possibility (Oertha - Alaska -
being the exception).

The Mists and Cynagua are exceptions to the distance rule, but are
huge groups population-wise.  Both also have large numbers of groups
making up their areas - the Mists with 18 and Cynagua with 20.

The Summits seems to be the only anomaly in the mix.  It has been
around since '96 and is small, both landwise and in numbers of
groups (9). Maybe it's got that West Coast high population thing
going on.

Gleann Abhan, the newest principality, isn't huge, but it doesn't
really qualify as "small", since it encompasses 3 entire states and a
hugely populated city in Tennessee.  I don't know anyone from that
area, so I can't even speculate on their long-term intentions.  Given
their population base, the number of groups they have (21) and their
land area they could certainly shoot for Kingdom status if they
wanted.

Based on these figures, I would have to conclude that most (The
Summits and Oertha being exceptions) principalities are created
with at least the potential to become Kingdoms - based on population
levels, land area or number of groups.  Anything less seems a dead
end to my way of thinking.

Kat  >^.,.^<