The Crown Province of Østgarðr is the greater New York City chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism, a not-for-profit educational and social organization dedicated to re-creating aspects of medieval and Renaissance culture. You can read more about the SCA at “About Us.” If you have any questions or want to get involved, email our newcomers’ officer. You can find links to our Facebook group, mailing list, and local sub-chapters at “Getting Involved.”
The year is coming to an end, but here in Ostgardr we have some new beginnings about to start! Commons this month will have officer elections.
Current officers, there is no position that has any challengers. The current list of positions up for election are the following:
Exchequer – Teodora Ivanić Chatelaine – Catelin Straquhin Arts & Sciences – Brandr Aronsson Knight Marshal – Albrecht Anker Minister of Lists – Ivarr Valsson Chronicler – Zahra de Andaluzia Social Media – Lada Monguligin Chancellor Minor – Pia Maletesta d’Rimini Herald – Kunigunde Wedemann Historian – Alfarr Skegglauss
Please send in your officer report by Wednesday and I will collate them together before the meeting.
The annual Yule celebration is back! Ostgardr invites one and all to join in honoring the Viking holiday of Yule with a grand event filled with warmth, cheer, and spirited competition.
As winter descends, an icy chill grips the land, whispering ominous tales of Fimbulwinter—the long, unrelenting winter prophesied to herald Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods. Darkness grows, spirits waver, and despair creeps into the hearts of even the bravest. Yet, amid the shadows, a spark of hope ignites! With Yule’s light and laughter, the Vikings rally to defy the looming end, decking the halls of Valhalla in a celebration of resilience, unity, and triumph over darkness.
Step into a Valhalla alive with the bustle of games, the wisdom of teachers, and the music of bardic tales by the hearth. Earn coins by testing your skills, learning new arts, and sharing your talents. Gather your treasure, revel in the fellowship of the hall, and compete for glory and prizes before the Yule feast concludes.
Let the halls resound with joy as we stand together against the cold and the night—Deck the Halls of Valhalla awaits you!
How to Earn Coins: Games at the Tavern Tables: Two-Player Games: Chess, Go, Castellan, Jaipur, Onitama Win: 2 coins | Loss: 1 coin Four-Player Games: Carcassonne, Tournament at Camelot, The King Is Dead 1st: 4 coins | 2nd: 3 coins | 3rd: 2 coins | 4th: 1 coin
Wisdom from the Scholar’s Alcove (Classes): (Classes will be announced soon!) Participation: 2 coins Teachers may receive coin tips for exceptional instruction.
Tales by the Fire (Bardic Performances): Performing earns 1 coin. Audience members may tip performers with additional coins.
Gameplay:
Each participant begins with 5 coins. Coin Commissars will distribute coins around the tavern and classrooms. Coins are turned in before court for counting.
Prizes:
1st Place: A Medieval related board game and a coffee crisp 2nd Place: A smaller Medieval related game and a coffee crisp 3rd Place: Three Coffee Crisps
Ties will be settled in whatever way the Vicerine’s decide
Timing for court, classes and bardic events will be updated as we get closer to the date.
PLEASE NOTE: No outside Alcohol. The Site has a full cash bar and a bartender.
Registration: Adult non-members: $40 Adult members: $30 Youth 6-17 years old : $10 Youth 5 and under are Free
SAVE THE DATE! The Northpass Sunday Solar on December 22will be a Medieval Soup Tasting! Research a period soup, bread, or flavored butter recipe, then create that dish and bring it to share. We will share our dishes and sample each other’s recipes.
The event will be in Mohegan Lake in northern Northpass from 3-6 pm RSVP via email with Vitasha Ivanova doch’
The Crown Province of Østgarðr invites you for a hands-on lesson on planning and preparing a meal for an SCA event.
Hosts Brandr Aronsson and Friderich Grimme will share their experience with cooking dayboards and feasts for both local and kingdom events. Topics will include menu selection, the planning process, and on-site logistics. We’ll talk about preparations for an upcoming event and will aim to get our hands dirty in the kitchen.
This session will be perfect for people who’ve already done a bit of cooking but have questions about how to build up from there to serving a historically-themed meal to a large group.
Join us on Sunday, October 27, from 11 AM to 4 PM, at Brandr’s home, located at 3208 Farragut Road, in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. The nearest subways are the 2 train at Flatbush Ave and the 5 train at Newkirk Avenue; the nearest bus stops are on the B44 and the B6.
All are welcome. No Society membership required. Modern attire. If you have questions, reach out to Brandr at 113751@members.eastkingdom.org.
The Kings County Fiber Festival celebrates the talented people who turn string and thread into useful objects and works of art — and the Crown Province of Østgarðr is joining in to demonstrate that the handcrafts of the pre-modern era still have relevance today.
This year’s festival will be held at the Old Stone House in Brooklyn, at 336 3rd Street, on Saturday October 12 from 10:00 to 5:00.
We’ll have a exhibition space at the festival and are looking for a few more talented people to help us show off the wide range of fiber crafts practiced in the SCA. If you spin, dye, weave, sew, knit, make lace, or otherwise craft with roving, thread, or yarn, this is an amazing opportunity to show off your work to a big crowd of handcrafting enthusiasts. (And of course there will be time to visit the many fiber vendors who are also part of the event.)
We also have room for a couple of folks who enjoy chatelaining and can explain to passersby how their interests in fiber arts can fit into the universe of our Society. Come out and help us introduce the SCA to an appreciative audience of crafters!
A sincere and heartfelt thank you to the staff and volunteers at this year’s Barleycorn. We had a wonderful event filled with laughter, jests, comradery, and valor.
We want to thank our outgoing marshals and champions for hosting our excellent tournaments:
Ronan Fitzrobert & Madwen Gam
Albrecht Anker, Samson of Ireland, and Alexander Krause
Alexander McLachlan and Ryouku’jin of the Iron Skies
Suuder Saran and Eanraig the Bonesetter
Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Arnora Ketilsdottir, and Rees Ragnarrson
Marin il Gondoliri and Foxy the Bard
We thank our day-board staff Gráinne inghean Uí Néill, Valentina, Anna, and Ramic for serving such a delicious meal.
We thank our volunteers Winifred, Franciscus, Evelyn de Trees, Conrad, Matty, Teodora Ivanić, Asta of Brokenbridge, Wojtek y Visby, Ilia Aleksandrovich, Iulian Ilia syn, and Magnus mac Gilleain for providing their hands and labor for this event.
We thank Arabella De Mere, Fenneke Jans, and Martina Maria De La Rosa for helping with the armored and rapier lists.
We thank Brendan Firebow and Eliayhu al-Tahli “Tally” for running Rapier authorizations, who authorized 4 new fencers at Barleycorn.
We thank our Youth Point and Minor Chancellor Kunigunde Wederman for hosting lovely activities for the youth of the province.
We thank our Excellencies Sofya Gianetta di Trieste and Angelica di Nova Lipa for gracing us with their presence and hosting court with us.
We thank Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin for heralding on behalf of their excellencies.
Our thanks to Drasma Dragomir for her excellent heralding of poetry regarding perfect lemons.
We thank Jenna Childslayer, Gibbs Morris, and Aislinn Chiabach for coordinating and hosting barter town.
We thank Antonius Gracchus for building and maintaining our online event page and information.
We thank Pia Maletesta d’Rimini for coordinating our registration point with Richard the Poor, the brewing showcase, collection of food donations, and for the creation of our tokens for the event.
Lastly, we thank the members of Northpass for coming together and coordinating with us to make Barleycorn happen. A special thank you to Meadhbh Mac Pharláin, Marcus mac Pharláin, and Richard the Poor for coordinating all the paperwork and legwork necessary for us to host Barleycorn within the Canton of Northpass.
Many apologies if we missed anyone or any activities that deserve to be noted. Please let us know, so we shall add them to our records.
Though the summer has parted, may we meet the season again with merriment.
In Service, Vitasha Ivanova doch’ & Catelin Straquhin
The Barleycorn Day of Champions we all are looking forward to is well underway in terms of preparations.
Find out more about the AS 59 (2024) event here – Barleycorn 2024 Event details on the official EK site here for pre registration – Official East Kingdom
Comments should be directed to our Seneschal, reachable via email at Seneschal @ostgardr.eastkingdom.org
The section of the charter dealing with commons meetings has not been amended to reflect the changes that were introduced during the Covid shutdown; at first we thought those changes would be temporary, but we’ve found they suit us, and we should formalize them.
— Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, February 2024
Charter Amendment: Commons Meetings
COMMONS MEETINGS — CURRENT TEXT
Commons Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of each calendar month.
A Commons Meeting may be rescheduled by the Seneschal if needed to avoid conflict with holidays or other activities.
The Commons Meeting for a given month may be canceled by the Seneschal due to officer availability or other issues, as long as at least one meeting is held in every calendar quarter.
Commons Meetings will rotate through various locations from month to month, and should include sites in each Canton and in the non-Canton areas of the Province on a regular basis to facilitate attendance by the Populace from all parts of the Province.
COMMONS MEETINGS — PROPOSED REPLACEMENT
Commons Meetings are scheduled for a weeknight during a given week of each calendar month.
The Seneschal may change which day of the week and which week of the month is designated for Commons Meetings so as to suit the needs of the Officers’ Council.
A Commons Meeting may be rescheduled by the Seneschal if needed to avoid conflict with holidays or other activities.
The Commons Meeting for a given month may be canceled by the Seneschal due to officer availability or other issues, as long as at least one meeting is held in every calendar quarter.
Commons Meetings will be held remotely, through a conference-call or video-conferencing service, to facilitate participation by the Populace.