Upcoming In & Around Østgarðr: November – December 2018

November 10, 2018 Posted inCalendar

Recurring practices

Outdoor weekly practices will probably start wrapping up until spring in November, as the weather gets colder and snow begins to fall – keep an eye on our mailing list or Facebook page for the latest news!

Outdoor weekly practices include:

  • Central Park dance practice, Tuesdays 6:30pm (already ended for winter)
  • Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park, Tuesdays 7:30pm
  • Central Park rapier practice and bardic circle, Wednesdays 7pm (bardic has ended for winter, rapier has not yet as of November 10)
  • Lions End archery practice, Sundays 9am, Cedar Creek Park (already ended for winter)
  • Staten Island archery practice, Sundays 12pm, Willowbrook Park (already ended for winter)

Note also that Northpass is starting a monthly indoor dance practice in Port Chester. Email dance@northpass.eastkingdom.org to be added to the mailing list for Northpass dance practices. There was a practice last Sunday the 11th, and there will be another on Tuesday the 27th (see below for link).

As always, weekly events in Østgarðr can be found at our provincial calendar.

The rest of November

Sunday, November 11: BrokenBridge Commons & Lucet (Facebook link)

Friday, November 16 at 7:30pm: Ostgardr Commons, at Greenvale Diner in Lions End.

Friday, November 16 through Sunday, November 18: we are hosting Musicians’ Day in Peekskill, NY

Saturday, November 17: our neighbors in the Shire of Rusted Woodlands are hosting 100 Minutes War in Sparta, NJ

Sunday, November 18: Ostgardr Scribal – Gold leaf (Facebook link)

Saturday, November 24: Metropolitan Museum Trip (Facebook link)

Tuesday, November 27: Indoor dance practice in Northpass (Facebook link)

December

Sunday, December 2: Garb workshop for Day of the Decameron, 12-6pm, Mistress Sofya’s place (Astoria, NY) (contact moas@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org for more info)

Saturday, December 8: our neighbors in the Barony of Bhakail are hosting Bhakail Yule Revel XL in Philadelphia, PA

Tuesday December 11: Northpass dance practice, 6:30-8:30pm, for information contact dance@northpass.eastkingdom.org

Saturday December 15: Yule Revel in Østgarðr (Facebook link)

Sunday December 16: Northpass dance practice, 1-4pm, for information contact dance@northpass.eastkingdom.org

Happy holidays! Hope to see you around at one of these events!

 

edited, November 12 and December 7, to add Northpass dance information

Upcoming In & Around Østgarðr: September – October 2018

August 25, 2018 Posted inCalendar

Outdoor weekly practices may be cancelled if the weather isn’t good – keep an eye on our mailing list or Facebook page for the latest news!

As always, weekly events in Østgarðr can be found at our provincial calendar.

September

Saturday the 1st at 12pm: Archery / Thrown Weapons Practice (Facebook link) in An Dubhaigeainn

Sunday the 2nd at 9am: Lions End Archery Practice at Cedar Creek Park

Sunday the 2nd at 12pm: Staten Island Archery Practice at Willowbrook Park

Tuesday the 4th at 6:30pm: Central Park Dance Practice

Tuesday the 4th at 7:30pm: Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park

Wednesday the 5th at 7pm-9pm: Central Park Bardic Circle and Rapier Practice

Friday the 7th through Sunday the 9th: we are hosting The Feast of John Barleycorn, in the Canton of Northpass – North Salem, NY

Saturday the 8th (at the same time as Barleycorn, unfortunately) our neighbors in the Barony of Settmour Swamp are hosting Brennan & Caoilfhionn’s Ducal Challenges, in Pittstown, NJ

Tuesday the 11th at 6:30pm: Central Park Dance Practice

Tuesday the 11th at 7:30pm: Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park

Wednesday the 12th at 7pm-9pm: Central Park Bardic Circle and Rapier Practice

Thursday the 13th at 7pm: Whyt Whey Special Commons (in Manhattan), focused on prep for the Cloisters demo at the end of the month

Thursday the 13th at 7:30pm: Northpass Commons (in Manhattan)

Friday the 14th at 7pm: Lions End Commons (in Nassau County)

Saturday the 15th: our neighbors in the Barony of An Dubhaigeainn are hosting Axes, Arrows & Ales at the Feast of Michaelmas, in Middle Island, NY

Sunday the 16nd at 9am: Lions End Archery Practice at Cedar Creek Park

Sunday the 16th at 12pm: Østgarðr Commons and BBQ, held concurrently with Archery Practice in Willowbrook Park on Staten Island

Tuesday the 18th at 6:30pm: Central Park Dance Practice

Tuesday the 18th at 7:30pm: Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park

Wednesday the 19th at 7pm-9pm: Central Park Bardic Circle and Rapier Practice

Saturday the 22nd through Sunday the 23rd: we are hosting a Demo at Queens County Fair

Tuesday the 25th at 6:30pm: Central Park Dance Practice

Tuesday the 25th at 7:30pm: Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park

Wednesday the 26th at 7pm-9pm: Central Park Bardic Circle and Rapier Practice

Saturday the 29th: our neighbors in the Barony of Dragonship Haven are hosting the Coronation of Wilhelm von Ostenbrücke and Vienna de la Mer in Middletown, CT

Sunday the 30th: we are hosting the Cloisters Demo in Fort Tryon Park, NYC, NY

October

Tuesday the 2nd at 6:30pm: Central Park Dance Practice

Tuesday the 2nd at 7:30pm: Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park

Wednesday the 3rd at 7pm-9pm: Central Park Bardic Circle and Rapier Practice

Saturday the 6th: Lions End A&S – Kimchi workshop in Nassau County, NY

Sunday the 7th: An Dub Archery/Thrown Weapons Practice (Facebook link) in An Dubhaigeainn

Sunday the 7th at 9am: Lions End Archery Practice at Cedar Creek Park

Sunday the 7th at 12pm: Staten Island Archery Practice in Willowbrook Park

Tuesday the 9th at 6:30pm: Central Park Dance Practice

Tuesday the 9th at 7:30pm: Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park

Wednesday the 10th at 7pm-9pm: Central Park Bardic Circle and Rapier Practice

Thursday the 11th at 7pm: Whyt Whey Commons/Evening in the Solar

Saturday the 13th: BrokenBridge Commons & Garb care (Facebook link) in Brooklyn, NY

Sunday the 14th at 9am: Lions End Archery Practice at Cedar Creek Park

Sunday the 14th at 12pm: Staten Island Archery Practice in Willowbrook Park

Tuesday the 16th at 6:30pm: Central Park Dance Practice

Tuesday the 16th at 7:30pm: Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park

Wednesday the 17th at 7pm-9pm: Central Park Bardic Circle and Rapier Practice

Friday the 19th at 7pm: Østgarðr Commons (in Manhattan)

Saturday the 20th through Sunday the 21st: we are hosting Goat’s Tavern III in Northpass

Sunday the 21stat 9am: Lions End Archery Practice at Cedar Creek Park

Sunday the 21st at 12pm: Staten Island Archery Practice in Willowbrook Park

Tuesday the 23rd at 6:30pm: Central Park Dance Practice

Tuesday the 23rd at 7:30pm: Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park

Wednesday the 24th at 7pm-9pm: Central Park Bardic Circle and Rapier Practice

Sunday the 28th at 9am: Lions End Archery Practice at Cedar Creek Park

Sunday the 28th at 12pm: Staten Island Archery Practice in Willowbrook Park

Tuesday the 30th at 6:30pm: Central Park Dance Practice

Tuesday the 30th at 7:30pm: Brooklyn Armored Fighting Practice at McCarren Park

Wednesday the 31st at 7pm-9pm: Central Park Bardic Circle and Rapier Practice

Queen Caoilfhionn is in need of favors!

April 13, 2018 Posted inArts & Sciences

We’ve uploaded directions for creating the favors as well as a digitized format for embroidery machines. All interpretations on this design are welcome and encouraged. Favors can be done with embroidery, fabric paint, appliqué  beadwork, and any other techniques that showcase your own creativity

Favors can be given to Her Majesty’s Favor Coordinator, Dona Anastasia da Monte, myself,  any member of the Royal Staff or they can be mailed to Anastasia: Whitney Sternberg, 54 Shea Dr, Marlborough, MA, 01752.

Please be sure to include a note with your SCA name, modern name, mailing address and email with your completed favors.

Special thanks to Noble Apollodora of Delphi for digitizing the design. If you have any questions, please message me an email to: moas@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org

Mistress Sofya Gianetta di Trieste
Minister of Arts & Science
Crown Province of Ostgardr

The SCA: a view from middle school

April 3, 2018 Posted inUncategorized

What if we learned physics through weapons and armour? What if our physical education was through practice fighting with models of the same weapons and armour? What if we learned history from emulating history? I do many activities that other kids don’t do, including a more “full time” renaissance fair. The Society of Creative Anachronism(SCA) is dedicated to informing and teaching others about the world during the medieval era.

One thing I do is Youth combat, which is made to emulate Joust, which was not just about horseback riding and lances, but also just practice fighting in general. The way the base idea works is if you get hit on the head or the body, you’re dead. If you get hit on the arm, you lose that arm, and if you get hit above the knee, you lose that leg. I learned trough that, overtime, as people developed better armour and weapons, people would be given less and less mercy, as if you didn’t kill the other person first, then they would kill you. I also learned about a different way of fighting, hand to hand sarong fighting from indonesia and the philippines which relies on a scarf, belt, or other flexible piece of cloth. My mom learned how to make fabric and cord using 7 medieval techniques. My dad learned how to make a medieval “bender” tent. There are things for anyone who wants to join, if you want to learn how to cook food, fight, build, play games, or more. it’s also a good way to spend time with friends and family, as you can make some cool art, or weapon, or banner, or ring, or whatever you make, if there’s two or more people working on the same thing, together.

I also learned about physics from learning about weapons and armour. Celtic swords were heavy and unbalanced, not very useful for stabbing, but could swing strongly. From Celtic swords, Norman swords were lighter, more balanced, better at stabbing. Katanas were the bane of anyone foolish enough to get close – or not fast enough to get very far away to a samurai when unarmored, due to spreading out the force over the cut, and not one spot. Made as an stop all, end all solution to blades of all kinds, Plate armour was heavy, but good luck trying to kill the person in the armour with a bladed weapon. Due to the plates, you didn’t need a shield, and from that came the greatsword. To stop plates, there were the peasants, wielding mauls – giant hammers for wheat crops, useful for denting the armour. From that came double sided war hammers, half pick, half spiked hammer. It was an arms race, full of science the people using the weapons might not have fully understood, nor the builders. But it worked – and made some of the scariest weapons people had at that time, excluding war chariots. We don’t talk about the chariot, and definitely not the mongolian horses. Those are in their own category of weapons.

There are so many ways that people could use history to learn, not just about the past, but also about physics, languages, architecture, government, the arts, and even medicine.

Alaxandair wearing his shiny helmet.
Alaxandair helmed.

Unclaimed Raffle Prizes from King’s and Queen’s A&S and Bardic competition

February 11, 2018 Posted inUncategorized

Three prizes went unclaimed from the raffle at the King’s and Queen’s A&S and Bardic competition on Saturday, February 10 2018 (AS 52). They are:

Lot Red 21 – Ticket Red ending -033: A Royal blue needle and sewing roll

Lot Red 4 (?) – Ticket Red ending -071: A dragon-head wrought-iron paper-knife

Lot Blue 17 – Ticket Blue ending -013: A body painting kit

Please contact the raffle organizer to arrange collection. After February 28, 2018, unclaimed prizes will return to the keep of the Kingdom to increase the store of largesse and gifts Their Royal Majesties may at their pleasure bestow.

 

 

 

A fundraiser in aid of the Royal travel fund

December 28, 2017 Posted inArts & Sciences, Event

At the Kings and Queens Arts and Sciences and Bardic Championships there will be an auction by raffle to add to the Royal Travel fund.

A call for donation of prizes

We are asking gentles of the Kingdom to donate items that can be auctioned by raffle at the Championships.

We envisage two kinds of donations:

  • Goods of interest to the populace: mundane books, pictures, or other media that speak to our Society and its Arts and Sciences
  • Works by the artisans, artists and artificers of the East

Handling of the prizes

We would ask that any donor who will also be present at the Championship kindly bring their donation to the auction on the day (or, if not attending, send it via someone who is attending). Please indicate:

  • What the item is, if otherwise unclear
  • The name of the donor / creator
  • Whether it should be classified as Goods or Works

Forms with the headings above and a space for personal words will be available

The raffle

Event attendees may purchase tickets for the two kinds of prize, one eligible for Goods ($2 mundane) , the other, at a somewhat higher price, for Works. It shall be fruitless to use a Goods ticket for Works, and folly to do the reverse.
Some Goods and some Works will require a minimum of two, three, or even more tickets.

The tickets will be placed in cups before the items. Any gentle may place as many tickets as they desire in any cup (but heed the minimum where in force).

Drawing

At the close of the day, just before Court, the draw will be cried. The draw will then be made by a gentle of good standing and impeccable renown and the winners announced.

The event attendees are invited to attend the drawing, and each winner to claim their prize.

Should the winner not attend the draw, their ticket will be affixed to the prize for the remainder of the event. Winners are cordially invited to repair to the auction house and claim their prize by forfeit of the matching ticket to the steward of the auction.

At the end of the event, unclaimed prizes will return to the keep of the Kingdom to increase the store of largesse and gifts Their Royal Majesties may at their pleasure bestow.

Questions or comments?

Please contact Simon Talbot at Simon Talbot

Ostgardr Commons (business meeting) 8/19

August 17, 2016 Posted inCommons, Regularly Scheduled, Uncategorized

August Commons will be Friday, August 19, 2016 at the home of Norana Cantrell, 273 Argyle Road, 1st floor in Brooklyn. If anyone gets lost, the phone number is 917-297-2356.

Take the Q train to Cortelyou Road, walk three blocks left, and take a right on Argyle road.
Apartment 1.
There is a cat and small dog in residence.

The meeting will be available on Skype. But if anyone wants to access via Skype, they’ll need to email the Webminister at ArnoraKD [at] gmail [dot] com

Ostgardr Commons – August 19th

July 28, 2016 Posted inCommons, Regularly Scheduled, Uncategorized

I’m happy to host Ostgardr commons on August 19th.

My address is 273 Argyle Road, 1st floor in Brooklyn. If anyone gets lost, my phone number is 917-297-2356.

Take the Q train to Cortelyou road, walk three blocks left, and take a right on Argyle road.
Apartment 1.
There is a cat and small dog in residence.

I’ll put the meeting on Skype. But if anyone wants to access via Skype, they’ll need to email me at ArnoraKD [at] gmail [dot] com at least two days ahead of time to get the info and do a test call.

-Arnora/Norana Cantrell