[Ravensfort] The Ansteorran 30th year celebration (The Raven's Fort Encampment)

[Dan Smith Jr]

A superb review, your Excellency.  Thank you for the refresh and the kind words.

-Alaric
  


From: John Reuter 
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 9:45 PM
To: ravensfort 
Cc: Dan Smith Jr 
Subject: The Ansteorran 30th year celebration (The Raven's Fort Encampment)



       After finely unpacking the last of my wagon and placing the last of the Baronial regalia back in to storage with the tents in their place, I can take a break and tell you all about the wonderful 30th year celebration our kingdom held this weekend.  

      Ansteorra is deep in history and its historians love to show it off. The fighters of Raven's Fort had many fields to take and test their metal on and lots of volunteer opportunities were available. 

      Don Charles and M'lord JC were the vanguard of the Raven's Fort contingency and arrived on Thursday to claim our land and to insure that it was a good location and of solid ground with water for the rest of the barony when we arrived. The Seneschal Lady Giovanna and her Lord husband Pace arrived to help give direction and organization to the encampment. As the day drew to an end more members of our populace arrived and placed their tent around the length of tents creating a long house of sorts with dwellings facing inward and tall pavilions with tables in the center. Lady Runa provided cool mist of air with her fanning machines that were well received and just the answer to the ansteorran heat. The nights were full of merriment and mirth as bards and story tellers worked their arts in the the night. it cooled just enough to call it pleasant. Friday was another day of fighting and the Grand Hall was full of activities. The Historians Display was a large exhibit to behold. Children and adults alike cam and went through out the hall talking, sharing, shopping and laughing. Kingdom officers were organizing among themselves and the occasional fighter came in out of the heat to cool down for a spell. Archers and fighters were all over the country side signing up on lists and loosing their arrows to long distant target. As the day grew to a close and the sun sat in the west the Ravens of the fort came back home to roost. Earlier that day Baron Brian and Baroness Fionna arrived. Looking at the land and how it was organized, they felt happy to see their populace busy and enjoying themselves with the days activities. As the shadows of the afternoon grew longer it was soon time to fire up the roasting pit and and populace gathered to share a feast in the camp. Lamb, chicken, beef and boar were cooked over hot coals a wonderful and succulent perfection. salad, vegetables and cool beverages were shared by all. Many members of the populace were at the camp by now and even a few guests. All were sharing tales and visiting camps that night while others cooled off and just relaxed in the dark with out the heat of the sun on their faces. Saturday morning was no different with the fighting lists being heralded to the crowd again. Raven's Fort had a few fighters in the Rapier lists again that day and M'lord JC distinguished himself quite well. In one list he progressed to the 5th round. I personally watched him fight the Queens personal champion and our current rapier champion Don Peiter Rauch. After the fight Don Peiter spoke with him and commented on his style and form. After watching M'lord JC do as well as he did that day he was recognized for his efforts on the field with a gift of a Byzantine style cross from Baroness Fionna and I. I believe that this was the most he had fought in any tourney or event since he picked up a Rapier. If I am not mistaken, I believe I did spy a heavy rapier in his hand in one round. That same day Lady Ayla did shoot at the archery range. She really enjoys loosing arrows and is quite good at it. Did you know that she is a past Bowman of the Fort? She said she had a good day but did not shoot for score. A few of us went shopping that afternoon and we looked at a few of the merchants. Lady Tirasia, lady Runa, Lady Ayla and I went looking for things we needed. Of course we don't need any thing but looking is half the fun. I did buy two shuttles for our looms to learn form Lord Anias just how to warp and weave on them. We all got separated and went back to camp. Baroness Fionna had to leave unexpectedly due to a family matter that could not go UN attended. She and Ivan were sorely missed the rest of the weekend. Latter that afternoon we were all cleaned up, dressed and primped and proper. With the help of Baron David St. David Lord Detlif, Lady Elki, Lord Devin and other populace members running here and there to get the last minute items ready we were ready for Grand Court. Lord Alaric has a natural calming effect on my for some reason. After he spoke with me for a bit I felt like nothing could go wrong. Lord Detlif Heralded us in to TRM Court. His works were the most eloquent and profound that i have ever heard. He placed the others to shame! I can not do it justice but he said that " Ansteorra was made a kingdom in 1979th year of our lord being the 14th year of our society and after the 7th barony was made it made Raven's Fort the 8th barony on its 10th year of being a kingdom. There was much more than that but like I said I do it no justice trying to repeat his words. I do wish Fionna was there to witness it. Court was Lonely with out her to talk to.  The Barony gave a gift of a ring with an ansteorran yellow stone set in it to the Queen. As a gift of love to our Queen since we will miss her at our fall event.  It was announced in the opening of TRM Court that Raven's Fort would be hosting the Winter Crown Tournament in January.   Don Robert McFarlaine was made a Lion of Ansteorra and Baroness Druin of Elfsea was made a Pelican that same night. She looked smashing! Many AOA went out and one fine lord proposed to his lady in court. She said yes.......I think. I was drinking a nice cool Shiner during court and as the court progressed my mug never went dry! Well I will tell you I felt pretty good by the time court was over. After many other awards and a few Kingdom officers changing hands court was finely over. We packed up and went back to camp. The  walk did me some good. After we all settled down and we all were gathered I recognized some of our populace members for their actions. Lord Anias for his work before our last event and all he has been doing in the A&S field. Baroness Kitsune for her work in the cooking guild and feeding the masses and her back stage help with the Raven's Guild. I also recognized Lord Michel FitzRamond of Twin Cedars for his constant reminder of " how it was" and to keep up the good work in telling us of how much better we have it and how much more fun it was back then. The days of freon tank helmets and foils. 
      He was absent at the time but we all gathered around him in camp the morning, when he arrived and gave him a small token of appreciation for being who he was and sharing the history of our kingdom with us. After the big group hug and refreshing our lips with more beverages we went to the Hafla near the list field. I sat and drummed with our Armored Champion Sir Evets, Lord Pace and M'lord Aaron. Aaron's lady Jessica and their lovely daughter danced in the circle with the middle eastern dancers. We drummed for about an hour or so and my hand grew numb from lack of good drumming for so long. Some of us retired to the Raven's Fort camp and what did we find.......? Music, singing and bards everywhere. DSD was playing, Alaric was playing and a well voiced bard who I can not remember was singing in our camp. We had guests and friends singing and giving requests. The camp was in full swing and revelment. I was just amazed lost in the magic of the moment. Mistress Nerrak of the Dark Horde was one of our guests and She was feeling pretty good too. we spoke of Ansteorran history and I listened to her story's of Sir Starhelm. Mistress Jalalhi was having a good time too. It was truly a magical moment for all to be in.

      Soon later I retired to my lodging and slumbered with the memories of what I had experienced the last few days.

      The days we sweat preparing for our events are truly long
      but they are always tempered by lyrics of a good bardic song.
      Together we toil, work and make ready our lands
      for our kingdom to see what we do with our hands.
      We brew our beer and ready our lysts for those to come,
      in hopes that our brothers and sisters always feel welcome.
      So make ready the banners and set deep the tent stakes
      and lets show them now that we have what it takes.

      YIS

      Baron Brian du Val


     
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