A letter from our Seneschal

January 1, 2024 Posted inPositions, What's new

To the Populace of the Crown Province of Østgarðr,

Happy New Year to all my fellow Østgarðians!  This is my first official hello as your new Seneschal. This will be an exciting time for me as I work to get up to speed with everything that is going on within the Province.  I am truly looking forward to working with you all to make the Crown Province excel in this coming year.  

I first want to thank Lord Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi for all your hard work as Seneschal of Østgarðr.  Your leadership has been valuable to the Province and I hope that I can continue all the good work you have done for us.  

To all the Canton Seneschals, I can’t wait to work with you all.  I will be reaching out this week to formally introduce myself and see what help you need and what major issues you are dealing with.  I want to make sure our Cantons are strong and healthy and will help where I can.

To all the returning officers of Østgarðr, thank you for your continued service.  Your knowledge and experience of the workings of your position will be invaluable during this time. You are the backbone of our Province and appreciate your continued support.

To all the new officers of Østgarðr, thank you for stepping up.  As a new officer also, I probably know some of the feelings you are experiencing right now.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. If you are in a position that you need help or guidance with, please let me know and let’s work on it together to help you succeed!

And last but by no means least, to the populace of Østgarðr, thank you for your support.  Thank you for being with us and being part of the SCA.  I have heard some exciting things are coming and I look forward to what we all can accomplish together.

-Ragnarr Blaskegg

Seneschal of Østgarðr

Welcome to the new Ostgardr Officers

December 31, 2023 Posted inPositions

Congratulations and welcome to our new and returning Provincial Officers. All of those listed below are beginning new, two year terms on January 1st.

  • Lord Ragnarr Blaskegg – Seneschal
  • Armiger Catelin Straquhin – Chatelaine
  • Bóaire Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin – Herald, Historian, Chamberlain
  • Lord Albrecht Anker – Knight Marshal
  • Lord Alexander MacLachlan – Fencing Captain
  • Lady Arnora Ketilsdottir – Youth Marshal
  • Baron Suuder Saran – Archery Captain
  • Lord Antonius Gracchus called Twyg – Webminister

A New Acting Chatelaine and Accepting Chatelaine Candidates

December 19, 2023 Posted inPositions, What's new

I would like to extend my thanks to Lord Albrecht Anker for his service as Provincial Chatelaine and for his continuing service to the Province. I would also like to thank Armiger Catelin Straquhin for stepping up as our Acting Chatelaine. 

The Province is accepting nominations for Chatelaine until December 26th. If there are no other candidates, in accordance with our charter, the Provincial Officers will vote starting on December 27th and ending December 31st. 

If there is another candidate, then the election will be open to the populace of Østgarðr who are registered members of the SCA and are at least 14 years old. The earliest the election would take place will be January 28th.

Yours In Service,

Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi

長島 一路 宇治道

He/Him/His

Østgarðr Seneschal

Upcoming in Østgarðr: November 27th to December 10th

November 28, 2023 Posted inA&S Night, Arts & Sciences, Business Commons, Calendar, Canton of Northpass, Commons, Positions, Regularly Scheduled

Here is what’s happening this week in Østgarðr. Come join us for…

Wed.
11/29		7:30 p.m. –
8:30 p.m.		Meet the Candidates for Provincial Seneschal
Crown Province of Østgarðr
(online)		Details
Sun.
12/3		CancelledCancelled Cooking Class: How to be a Dayboard Head Cook
Crown Province of Østgarðr
(Brooklyn, NY)

And next week…

Mon.
12/4		7:30 p.m. –
8:30 p.m.		Northpass Business Meeting
Canton of Northpass
(online)		Details
Sun.
12/10		2:00 p.m. –
5:00 p.m.		Northpass Sunday Solar: Brewing – Tasty Winter Drinks
Canton of Northpass
(New Rochelle, NY & online)		Details

Ostgardr Provincial Officer Election 2023 – Voting Information Included

November 21, 2023 Posted inPositions

Provincial Seneschal Election

The Crown Province of Østgarðr is currently holding elections for the position of Seneschal (local chapter president).  The winner of this election will hold the office for a two year term, beginning January 1, 2023. 

There are two candidates for the office (listed below with links to their respective letters of intent for the office and East Kingdom Wiki pages):

All Østgarðrians 14 years old or older who are currently registered members of the SCA, are eligible and encouraged to vote for the candidate they would prefer to have as Seneschal of Østgarðr.  Voting ends on December 19, 2023.  To vote, please complete the online form linked below:

Østgarðr Election Voting Form

Please note, due to ongoing issues with the SCA member database, you may be asked in a follow-up email to confirm your membership status.

If you have any questions about the election process, please contact their Excellencies, the Viceregents of Østgarðr at Viceregents@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org.

Confirmation of Other Officers

Additionally, there are seven other Provincial officer positions where only one candidate stepped forward to serve during the nomination period.  They are:

  • Knight Marshal: Albrecht Anker
  • Herald: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
  • Marshal of Fence: Alexander MacLachlan
  • Youth Marshal: Arnora Ketilsdottir
  • Webminister: Antonius Gracus (called Twyg)
  • Historian: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
  • Chamberlain: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin

When only one candidate has stepped forward for an officer position, the Provincial Officers Council votes on the approval of the candidates in accordance with the Provincial Charter (section V.H).  The results of this vote by the Officers council, will be announced at the Provincial Commons meeting on December 20, 2023.

If you have questions about this selection process, please contact the Provincial Seneschal at seneschal@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org or their Excellencies, the Viceregents of Østgarðr at Viceregents@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org.

Officers without Candidates

Currently there is one provincial officer position without a candidate:

  • Archery Captain

If you are interested in filling this position please contact the Provincial Seneschal at seneschal@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org for more information.

Meet the Candidates for Provincial Seneschal next Wednesday

November 21, 2023 Posted inCalendar, Positions, What's new

With the upcoming officer election we have 2 candidates for the Crown Province of Ostgardr Seneschal office.
Candidates are:

– Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi
– Ragnarr Blaskegg

We will hold a virtual Meet the Candidates night to have give the populace an opportunity to get to know the candidates and as them questions.

When: Wednesday 11/29/2023, 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Where: Google Meet https://meet.google.com/dnd-yzpw-beq?hs=224

When there is more than candidate for an office all residents of the Crown Province who are paid members over the age of 14 are able to vote in the election. Election will be held via electronic ballot.

Questions can be asked live during the meeting or submitted to Their Excellencies Angelica and Sofya at viceregents@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org if you wish to have your question asked anonymously.

Officer Positions in Need of Candidates

November 8, 2023 Posted inPositions

The provincial officer elections for the upcoming year will include the following positions. We are still taking letters of intent from those interested in serving in any of these offices. The current tally of candidates willing to assume office is as follows:

  • Seneschal: 2 candidates
  • Herald: 1 candidate
  • Fencing Marshal: 1 candidate
  • Knight Marshal: 1 candidate
  • Web Minister: 0 candidates
  • Historian: 0 candidates
  • Archery Captain: 0 candidates
  • Youth Combat Marshal: 1 candidate
  • Chamberlain: 0 candidate

We are open to receiving Letters of Intent (LOI) for any of the positions mentioned above. Please be aware that the deadline for LOI submissions is November 14th. To submit your LOI, please send an email to both the Seneschal and the Viceregents. In your email, specify the officer position you are interested in and provide any relevant information that highlights your qualifications for that role.

Yours In Service,
Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi
長島 一路 宇治道
He/Him/His
Østgarðr Seneschal

Provincial Officer Nominations and Selection

October 16, 2023 Posted inCalendar, Positions, What's new

The current terms for the following positions are coming to a close: Seneschal, Herald, Webminister, Historian, and Fencing Marshal. Additionally, there are several Provincial officer positions that currently have no incumbents: Archery Captain, Youth Combat Marshal, and Chamberlain. Furthermore, the position of Knight Marshal currently has an interim officer.

It’s worth noting that some offices, namely Seneschal, Fencing Marshal, Knight Marshal, and Historian, have incumbents who are willing to continue their service. However, we are still welcoming Letters of Intent (LOI) for these positions. Please be aware that the office of Knight Marshal will be filled mid-term, and whomever assumes this position will complete the previous term, which concludes on December 31, 2024. All other positions mentioned here will begin a new two-year term starting on January 1, 2023, and ending on December 31, 2025.

Descriptions of responsibilities for each office are available, along with links to the kingdom websites that outline relevant policies and procedures: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VIThUCBgOQSvMaj5fE120s-bwnMTHDUfutHFMnv5vSE/preview. If you have questions about any of these positions, please reach out to the current office holder or to others in provincial leadership (such as the Vicerienes or Seneschal) for more information about what the position entails.

The Province is inviting individuals who can fulfill the responsibilities of these roles, including maintaining an active SCA membership and attending at least 50% of the commons meetings to submit their LOI. We will be accepting LOIs until November 14, 2023. To submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), send an email to the Seneschal and the Viceregents. In the email, state which officer position you are interested in and any pertinent information that outlines your qualifications for said office. A link to your East Kingdom wiki page or other resources might also be useful to include.

If there is only one candidate for a particular office, the Officers’ Council will hold a simple majority vote to confirm the appointment on November 15, 2023. For positions with multiple candidates, a special meeting to introduce the candidates will be scheduled between November 15, 2023, and December 19, 2023. An online voting period will occur during this time as well. The results will be announced during the December commons meeting on December 20, 2023.

If you think you might be interested in eventually serving in one of these offices, but aren’t ready to take on the responsibility quite yet, please volunteer to serve as a deputy or assistant to the office for the coming term, which will let you get hands-on experience in a supportive environment.

Yours In Service,
Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi
長島 一路 宇治道
He/Him/His
Østgarðr Seneschal

Upcoming in Østgarðr: September 11th to September 24th

September 9, 2023 Posted inBusiness Commons, Calendar, Commons, Fencing, Heavy Fighting, Positions, Regularly Scheduled, Social Commons

Here is what’s happening this week in Østgarðr. Come join us for…

Tue.
9/12		6:00 p.m. –
10:00 p.m.		Østgarðr Fighting & Fencing Practice
Crown Province of Østgarðr
(Brooklyn, NY)		Details
Wed.
9/13		7:00 p.m. –
8:30 p.m.		Post-Pennsic Virtual Social with your Vicereines
Crown Province of Østgarðr
(online)		Details

and next week…

Tue.
9/19		6:00 p.m. –
10:00 p.m.		Østgarðr Fighting & Fencing Practice
Crown Province of Østgarðr
(Brooklyn, NY)		Details
Wed.
9/20		7:00 p.m.
–
9:00 p.m.		Østgarðr Provincial Commons & Social
Crown Province of Østgarðr
(online)		Details
Thu.
9/21		7:00 p.m.
–
8:00 p.m.		Class: You Can’t Have an Event Without an Event Steward!
Crown Province of Østgarðr
(online)		Details

Barleycorn Provincial Court Report & Announcement of New Champions

September 4, 2023 Posted inEvent, Positions

At the Barleycorn and Provincial Championships, Their Excellencies Angelica and Sofya did hold Their court.  First, the steward of the event, Alexander MacLachlan, was given thanks and presented with a cup and a promise to fill it with liberations not allowed on site at the next possible time.  Then Perez ben Meir Gershon, Ilia Aleksandrovich, and Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi were invited into court as the available dayboard cooks, where they each received gifts of wooden cutlery for their future endeavors. Concluding the usual business was the gifting of all newcomers for whom this was their first, second, or third event.

Their Excellencies then turned Their attention to the main events of the day.  First, current champion Albrecht Anker was called up to report on both the Sir Edward’s Memorial Tournament and the armored rattan championships held throughout the day, where it was reported that Guillaume du Chantier was the overall winner of the tournament, and Alexander Krause was named the new champion.  Fencing champion Ozurr the Bootgiver was called up to report on the fencing tournament and championship, of which the populace learned that Johannes of Confed was the best with bets and Ryouko’jin of the Iron Skies named the new fencing champion.  Mongo Chinua, outgoing archery champion, then announced that the championship was to be passed to Eanraig the Bonesetter as the outright winner of the day’s archery tournament. Samson, running the thrown weapon tournament in the outgoing champion’s stead in between heavy championship bouts, then shared that Madwen Gam had come out first in the day’s tournament and was therefore the new thrown weapons champion. To round out the championship parade, outgoing youth combat champion Finnbjorn Ægirson shared that Oliver had been the most successful in dramatic deaths and that Rees Ragnarrson had been victorious in the battle and was to take his place as youth combat champion.

Not to say that Their Excellencies did not attend to other matters. Albrecht and Samson were told to report back to court to resolve the matter given to them at Pennsic.  Samson, having completed his task of donning the bunny ears was granted leave of them. Albrecht, having not, was given Samson’s bunny ears as a backup pair and tasked with wearing them at two more events as well as at the next fighter practice. Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin was then invited up to report on the status of his quest, of which it was shown that a…misunderstanding…of the nature of the task had led him to attempting to grate a lemon, resulting in the presentation of preserved lemon peels to Their Excellencies.  However, as the task was to present a perfect lemon, and preserved lemon peels are neither perfect nor a lemon, Mathghamhain was sent away to continue his quest, of which he requests help from the populace in the sourcing of such a lemon worthy to be deemed perfect by Their Excellencies. For a more fitting ending, Their Excellencies did invite up Ana de Guzmán to read a poem created for Her Excellency Sofya lauding the virtues of Østgarðr.

And thus concludes the business conducted by Their Excellencies in the Canton of Northpass on September 2nd, A.S. 58.