The July commons meeting was held July 19 at the home of Brandr and Hrefna in Brokenbridge. Here are the minutes as recorded by Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin. The officers’ reports are attached at the end.
Attendance
Present
- Suuder Saran, Il-Khan
- Lada Monguligin, Il-Khatun
- Alienor Salton, Seneschal
- Francisco de Braga, Exchequer
- Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Herald, Youth Marshal
- Laila al-Sanna’ al-Andalusiyya, Chatelaine
- Rakkurai of Kamakura, Minister of Lists
- Zahra al-Andalusiyya, Chronicler
- Arnora Ketilsdottir, Chancellor Minor
- Brandr Aronsson, Brokenbridge Seneschal
- Oliver de Bainbrig, Interim Northpass Seneschal
- Brekke Franksdottir
- Ajir Tsagaan
- Jibril al Ghazal
- Thomas of Northpass
- Apollodora of Delphi
- Catelin Straquhin
- Hrefna Aronsson
- Johanna Brandrsdottir
Online
- Anne of Østgarðr, Webminister
- Sofya Gianetta di Trieste, Historian
- Vika Grigina z Prahy, Whyt Whey Seneschal
- Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi, Lions End Seneschal
- Alec MacLachlan, Fencing Marshal, Deputy Seneschal
Absent Officers
- Donnchadh mac Eoin, MoAS
- Ervald LaCoudre, Armored Combat Marshal
- Arnbiorg Helga Niálsdóttir, Archery Marshal
- Ian of Clan Mitchell, Chamberlain
Opening
- Called to order at 8:20 PM.
- Seneschal: Thanks to Brandr for hosting our meeting tonight.
- Provincial bylaws have been ratified, w00!! Thank you to the bylaws committee and to all who contributed for your hard work.
- Thank you for Lady Esnede for her service as Northpass seneschal, and to Lord Oliver for stepping up.
- Vivat to Magistra Rufina Cambrensis on her nomination by the Society Chronicler for a William Blackfox Award for Best Overall Newsletter!
Officer Report Items For Discussion
- New armored combat winter practice site is available at a community center on 133rd St., Manhattan, through a relationship with the NYC chapter of the ACL (Armored Combat League).
- In exchange for access to the space, they would like us to hold kid-friendly workshops there to benefit the community.
- Perhaps we can use this space for a youth combat practice?
- Ervald can provide additional details.
- Webminister has consolidated our current inclusion policies on our website: https://ostgardr.eastkingdom.org/wordpress/inclusion-policies/
- Webminister posted inclusion policy
- Caitlin is working on code of conduct
- Laila: is there a PCA policy?
- Caitlin: not yet, let me know.
- [Discussion afterwards: some people are working on an unofficial financial accessibility fund.]
- Chronicler needs content for September 1st issue! Please submit Pennsic photos.
- Send photos to Chronicler
- Laila: were any of the crown entrants from Østgarðr? Because I have poems about them.
- Lada: Ryu and Valgard
- Historian requests photos of awards received by Østgarðrians in the past year & a half (since she took office).
- Pennsic:
- Viceregents need retainers
- Viceregents need Runnymede volunteers
- Fighters Østgarðr army contact Ervald
- Potluck
- Largesse
- Pillows — one pillow still needs painting
- Green and white maybe — space will be limited, slope may be a problem, but on the other hand shade and rain protection would be good
- Space will be tight this year! Layout may differ from previous years.
- Camp fee $20 — Shower $15
- Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival (Cloisters demo) needs an event steward.
- Zahra & Catelin with support from Mathghamhain
- Laila will coordinate performing arts
Committees and Projects
- Bylaws Committee
- Mission accomplished; committee dissolved
- Finance Committee: no news
- Regalia / Coronet Committee: no news
- Provincial Storage: no news
- Nordenfjordr [Stonebridges] Sponsorship: thriving!
Other Business
- Seneschal: Any other business we should discuss?
- Laila: acquired more gold key for smaller people; from Bhakail.
- Need to reinventory after Pennsic
Upcoming Events
- See event planner.
- Novice day
- a lot of people are cancelling due to heat
- they need another bardic judge
- last opportunity to authorize for Pennsic [Ed: Pennsic rules now allow authorization there!]
- Pennsic
- Lions End Aug 24 potluck social barbecue in Farmingdale, neighbors invited
- Brekke’s back yard
- Uji will coordinate potluck categories
- Barleycorn
- seems to be on track
- fees are not posted yet
- Ducal challenge
- Yehuda’s elevation to Pelican
- Queens Farm, Ian, laid back demo
- Sept 28 St. Andrews in An Dubh
- Cloisters
- Coronation just announced in York PA, in early October
- Bid for 12th night, Jan 4
- no response from royals yet: due by July 31st
- Suuder: site contact, Ken is very nice.
- May need to set up a shuttle if the adjacent parking lot is inaccessible.
- Deck the Halls of Valhalla, Jan 11
- Queer History Schola in March [finance committee was unprepared to consider budget this month]
Unscheduled
- Fight for a cause
- Lada: will talk to Northpass folks about using Putnam site
- Veteran’s Memorial Park would love to have us back
- An Dubh Challenge
Upcoming Commons Meetings
August 16
- Informal social event to be held in a park—which one??
- Prospect Park?
- Ft. Washington Park?
- Woodlawn?
September 20
- To be held in Northpass, at New Rochelle Library.
October 18
- To be held in Whyt Whey, at the usual Solar location
November 15
- To be held in Lions End, at the Greenvale Townhouse diner
Closing
- Meeting closed at 8:46 PM.
Viceregents • Suuder Saran & Lada Monguligin
Pennsic!! We are looking for retainers for Pennsic. A spreadsheet will be shared on lists and FB for anyone who wants to retain for us during Pennsic. If you’re new to Pennsic it’s a good way to be introduced around and who knows, the Viceroy might just buy you an ice cream or a beer.
Still looking for people to help out with Runnymeade Dinner. We are splitting it with Settmour Swamp and it’s a golden chance to see how the barons do things, or get to know who is who. We have some but can always use more.
The King of Acre was found to be in our lands at an event in our canton of Northpass and was given two of our fastest horses to make sure his trip home was speedy and safe. (He was given 2 hobby horses made of leather).
l Khan has created his personal Order of the Ornery with 3 levels.
Lvl 1) Order of the Shepherd’s Stick
Lvl 2) Order of the Brown Shovel
Lvl 3) Order of the Silver Eyes.
Some shenanigans have started. The premier of the Il Khan’s Order of the Shepherd’s Stick has taken to his punishment quite well so far and has sent back some of the lost yaks he was sent to find. Lets keep it going. More to come.
Seneschal • Alienor Salton
OUR BYLAWS HAVE BEEN RATIFIED!!!
Bardic circle attendance is up. Holding it in concert with fencing practice is working out well. Next week’s weather should be lovely, so please join us. (DO NOT FORGET BUG SPRAY!!) Zahra al-Andalusiyya will host the circle the first Wednesday in August, while I am out of town. We could use a host for the last Wednesday in July, if anyone is interested and available.
Lady Esnede O Murrin has stepped down as Northpass seneschal. We thank her for her service. Lord Oliver de Bainbrig is interim seneschal while Northpass amends their bylaws and elects a new seneschal. We appreciate him stepping up.
No news yet on the 12th Night bid we submitted.
Exchequer • Francisco de Braga
We are still pursuing the consolidation of our bank accounts to TD Bank. No further progress has been made at this time.
Q2 reporting is due by the end of the month and will be submitted soon.
There is an Exchequer Meeting at Pennsic which i will be present at. Should anything important be discussed or possibly impact our Province, i will let everyone know next Commons.
Chatelaine • Laila al-Sanna’ al-Andalusiyya
I do not have anything new to report. It’s been a quiet month at my desk. I’m sure Pennsic will change all that….
Chancellor Minor • Arnora Ketilsdottir
Special rules for the youth of Pennsic have been released and, despite evidence to the otherwise, are not specifically designed just to confuse people.
Read them if you are responsible for minors.
Arts & Sciences • Donnchadh mac Eoin
Nothing new to report. The Aethelmearc exile continues.
Herald • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
The court report for Blood and Axes was submitted promptly, as was my branch-herald quarterly report and those from the heralds of Lions End and Brokenbridge. (I have not heard from the Whyt Whey herald and Northpass currently does not have a branch herald.)
Armored Combat • Ervald LaCoudre
The fighter practices in McCarren Park, Brooklyn are small, but focused. I expect three more authorizations before the end of the year.
Count Sir Valgaard has been holding practices in Prospect Park, Brooklyn on occasional Sundays, and got one person, Thomas Siman, authorized.
Nancy Wall donated her old armor for loaner gear. I have it now, but if there is someone else who can commit to bringing it on Tuesdays, that would help. It is good for a smaller person and is in a large box.
Pennsic is coming. Any Østgarðrian fighters who wish to fight with the Østgarðr army, please contact me by email at zorikh@yahoo.com or through my Facebook profile (Zorikh Lequidre) and let me know. I would like to arrange the fighters for maximum impact.
The NYC chapter of the Armored Combat League has a new practice site in a community center on 133rd St in Manhattan, and will allow us to practice there in the winter on a provisional basis. Part of the deal, though, is to engage the youth in the center in an educational manner. With this in mind, we can hold practices and workshops of all types and variety (so long as they are kid-friendly). If people have ideas of what they can do in this regard, I would love to get together to discuss how this can be done
Fighter practice is officially suspended for War Week of Pennsic, but if people want to gather, I can’t stop them.
Fencing • Alec MacLachlan
Fencing practice has been on going in Central Park, with myself and 2-3 fencers attending.
Practice will continue for this week and next week. While I am not going to Pennsic until War week, I will see if there is interest for a practice during peace week.
Archery • Arnbiorg Helga Niálsdóttir
There will be no archery this weekend since the weather is going to be extremely hot. There is no shade where we shoot and even with a pop up it will be unbearable. No archery in Staten Island and Friderich is waiting for the forecast tomorrow and he will post either way.
Other than that all is quiet on the archery front.
Youth Combat • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
We had a lovely time at Blood and Axes last month, with seven youth fighters on the field, including a first-timer.
Minister of Lists • Rakkurai of Kamakura
Nothing to report.
Webminister • Anne of Østgarðr
Chancellor Minor email setup should be complete, after it was left hanging last month.
Set up Google Analytics, in response to a request from the former chatelaine that we have robust tracking around website visits after last year’s Cloisters demo (sorry for the delay… it’s done before the demo this year!). Let me know if you’d like access; chatelaine and seneschal should already have access.
Created a page to summarize our current inclusion policies, which may be of use as we draft new provincial policies. https://ostgardr.eastkingdom.org/wordpress/inclusion-policies/
Chronicler • Zahra al-Andalusiyya
I am so so incredibly pleased to report that our newsletter, the E-Horse, has been nominated by the Society Chronicler for the William Blackfox Awards A.S. LII for Best Overall Newsletter. These awards (https://www.sca.org/officers/chronicler/blackfox-awards.html) are given each year in memory of Master William Blackfox and in recognition of excellence in the work of Chroniclers and newsletter contributors. Congratulations and huzzah to Magistra Rufina Cambrensis, and to Østgarðr for achieving this prestigious nomination!
In more mundane matters, our next newsletter will go out on September 1 (after Pennsic but before Barleycorn), and since there won’t be an August Commons, this will be my official request for content. I’d love to have some really great Pennsic photos to use, so please remember to bring your cameras! Other contributions—artwork, shoutouts, items for the Vyllage Square—are of course welcome and encouraged as well.
Reminder about the Paper Seahorse challenge—we are still accepting submissions! Remember—the Seahorse must be made with *paper*, not ink *on* paper.
Chamberlain • Ian of Clan Mitchell
Nothing has moved in the last month.
Historian • Sofya Gianetta di Trieste
I do not have anything to report at this time however will modify my statement, if needed, one I receive the Herald’s report.
I would like to request from the populace pictures of any awards they’ve received in the past year and a half since I took office. I would like to add photos to our history report. Releases will be required. I will post tomorrow.
Whyt Whey • Vika Grigina z Prahy
– This month’s Solar was on spinning, and help with Pennsic projects.
– There will be no August Solar due to Pennsic.
– There will be an un-quarterly Commons in September (Sep. 5) per usual, to address…
– CLOISTERS DEMO!
- is Sep 29.
- We need an event steward – no one present at last week’s Commons will be able to take the helm. Are there any within the Province who can help us out?
Northpass • Oliver de Bainbrig
No report submitted.
Lions End • Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi
No report submitted.
Brokenbridge • Brandr Aronsson
June was a quiet month, not much to report. Pennsic Prep continues.
Upcoming Events
Pennsic Encampment • July 27–August 10 • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Over the next couple of days I’ll be reaching out to those who are camping with us to confirm arrival and departure dates and tent sizes so we can sketch a draft camp layout, although we may need to adjust the plan to reflect the conditions on the ground as it promises to be an unusually wet year.
Østgarðr Event Planning
Rusted Woodlands: EK Novice Day (Tappan NY, 30 min. N)
Date: July 20
Activities: good place to authorize for Pennsic
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3455
August 2019
Æthelmarc: Pennsic (Coopers Lake PA, 6 hours W)
Date: July 26 – August 11
Activities: Peace, War
Link: http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn48/
Anglespur: Harper’s Retreat (Richmond, NH, 4.5 hrs. N)
Date: Aug. 30 – Sept. 2
Activities: bardic
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3465
Middle: KW Cooks & Bards (Wood River, IL, 15 hrs. W)
Date: Aug. 29 – Sept. 2
Activities: camping, classes
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3477
Atlantia: KW Ag. & Forestry (Booneville, NC, 9.5 hrs. SW)
Date: Aug. 30 – Sept. 2
Activities: classes & exhibits on period agriculture, land use, livestock.
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3478
September 2019
The Feast Of John Barleycorn
Type: event
Host: Northpass
Date: Sept. 6-8
Location: Camp Morty, North Salem
Focus activity(s): provincial archery championship
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3487
Event Steward: Wilhelm Larrson
Reservations: Meadhbh O’Gairbhith
Settmour Swamp: Ducal Challenge (Pittstown, NJ, 1.5 hrs. W)
Date: Sept. 7
Activities: armored combat, rapier, A&S prizes
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3496
Concordia of the Snows: Keepers of the Central Flame II (Scotia, NY, 3 hrs. N)
Date: Sept. 21
Activities: artisans (textile, culinary, costuming, research, scribal, smithing, science, etc.), A&S triathlon
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3503
Queens Farm County Fair
Type: demo
Host: Østgarðr
Date: Sept. 21-22
Location: Queens Farm
Event Steward: Baron Ian
Caer Adamant: Benedicta Vita Arma (Wilmington, DE, 2 hrs. SW)
Date: Sept. 28
Activities: 14th C tournament with full heraldic display, needs inspirations for champions
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3494
An Dubhaigeainn: St. Andrew Crosses the Alps (Middle Island, NY, 1.5 hrs. E)
Date: Sept. 28
Activities: baronial armored combat championship, photo booth, classes, youth activities, Alpine feast
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3528
Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival
Type: demo
Host: Whyt Whey
Date: Sept. 29
Location: Fort Tryon Park
Focus activity(s): provincial armored combat competition, provincial fencing championship competition
Event Steward: Catelin Straquhin, Zahra al-Andalusiyya
October 2019
Carillion: Ghosts, Ghouls & Goblins (Manalapan, NJ, 2 hrs. S)
Date: Oct. 11-13
Activities: archery shoot, baronial championships
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3517
Iron Bog: River War X (Mullica Hill, NJ, 2.5 hrs. S)
Date: Oct. 18-20
Activities: war games between Iron Bog & Bhakail
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3511
November 2019
Dragonship Haven: St. Eligius (Location TBD)
Date: Nov. 16
Activities: A&S competition
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3512
Rusted Woodlands: 100 Minutes War (Sparta NJ, 1 hour W)
Date: Nov 23
Activities: fighting
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3454
December 2019
Beyond the Mountain: Yule (New Britain, CT, 2.5 hrs. NE)
Date: Dec. 7
Activities: feasting, music, dancing, games
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3437
January 2020
12th Night (if bid accepted)
Type: event
Host: Østgarðr
Date: Jan 4
Location: Glenwood Landing American Legion Hall
Event Stewards: Sofya Gianetta di Trieste, Mathghamhain Ua Ruadhain
Reservations: Francisco de Braga
Head Cooks: Friderich Grimme, Arnbiorg Nialsdottir, Monkey Magee
Deck the Halls of Valhalla
Type: event
Host: Brokenbridge
Date: Jan 11
Location: Old Stone House, 336 3rd St, Brooklyn
February 2020
Beyond the Mountain: Artifacts of a Life IV (New Britain, CT, 2.5 hrs. NE)
Date: Feb. 8
Activities: A&S challenge
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3433
March 2020
Bear’s Tavern
Type: event
Host: Northpass
Date: March 7-8
Location: Blue Mountain Lodge, Peekskill, NY
Focus activity(s): adult-activities
EK Calendar Link: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3518
Event Steward: Oliver deBainbrig
Queer History Schola
Type: event
Host: Østgarðr
Date: March 14 or 21
Location: Brooklyn Pride Center
Focus activity(s): classes on queer history
Event Steward: Apollodora of Delphi, Francisco Duraes
Schedule Uncertain
Fight for a Cause
Type: event
Host: Østgarðr
Date: October? Outside?
Location: Staten Island- Christ Church of New Brighton
Focus activity(s): rattan fighting and pageantry
Event Steward: co-stewarding of two locals names TBD
An Dubh Challenge
Type: event
Host: Østgarðr