The monthly commons meeting was held March 20 online. Here are the minutes as recorded by Þórfinn Hróðgeirsson and edited by Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin. Many personal updates were shared during the course of the call which are omitted from these notes. The officers’ reports are attached at the end.
Attendance
Online
- Suuder Saran, Il-Khan
- Lada Monguligin, Il-Khatun
- Alienor Salton, Seneschal
- Francisco de Braga, Exchequer
- Drasma Dragomira, Herald
- Laila al-Sanna’ al-Andalusiyya, Chatelaine
- Þorfinnr Hróðgeirsson, MoAS
- Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Youth Marshal
- Anne of Østgarðr, Webminister
- Zahra al-Andalusiyya, Chronicler
- Vika Grigina z Prahy, Whyt Whey Seneschal
- Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi, Lions End Seneschal
- Angelica di Nova Lipa, Deputy Exchequer
- Branimira of the Isles
- Jenna Childslayer
- Kunigunde Wedemann
- Morwenna Penrose
- Isabel of Østgarðr
- Friderich Grimme
- Oliver de Bainbrig
- Perez Ben Meir Gershon
- Ragnarr Bliskegg
- Thomas of Northpass
Absent Officers
- Arnora Ketilsdottir, Chancellor Minor
- Ervald LaCoudre, Armored Combat Marshal
- Arnbiorg Helga Niálsdóttir, Archery Marshal
- Alec MacLachlan, Fencing Marshal
- Marion of York, Minister of Lists
- Ian of Clan Mitchell, Chamberlain
- Sofya Gianetta di Trieste, Historian
- Brandr Aronsson, Brokenbridge Seneschal
Opening
- Called to order at 8:00pm.
- Alienor: Thank you everyone for joining us; it’s really good to see your faces.
- Please, when you are not talking, mute your mic. That way, any accidental noises don’t grab the mic away from whoever’s talking. When it is your turn to talk, please use the camera so we can read your lips. Every time you take the floor, use the camera so we can read your lips.
- Thorfinn: Turn on Google Meet’s closed captions feature.
- Alienor: Given that we’re online, everyone who wants to talk can if they want to. I’ve written down names in an order and I will call out names in that order.
- Many of us are eager to plan gatherings for when we can meet again. As we talked about, that’s going to be longer than people are really saying, so I want to encourage planning for more online activity. Shout out to Ervald who is planning online fighter practice. A&S is off to a good start.
Officer Report Items
- Drasma: I just finished some submissions that came in, which is great, which also means that if you want to use this time to work on your heraldry and you want to think about submitting something, we’re here and we can do it online. I don’t have unlimited time, so I may not get to you right away but I will get to you.
- Anne: As you know, the web is more relevant than ever. If you want to run something online and don’t know how, if you have questions about what the capabilities of Google Meet are, feel free to reach out, if you have something you think I can help with, let me know. I am still working (from home) but am available if you need me.
- Mathghamhain: No youth combat.
- I’ve been tracing weird charges from period armorials and turning them into clip art. If you want a weird charge, come at me.
- Thomas: May the plague pass quickly.
- The Northpass storage bin has been filled to capacity. Was a good price.
- Alienor: Thank you again for all your support with the Northpass gear.
- Thomas: It is up here now.
- Alienor: As are the events we use it for.
- Ragnarr: We were supposed to have Brokenbridge commons in my apartment, but I’ll be announcing tomorrow or Saturday that we’ll have a virtual commons since this is working pretty well.
- The Provincial Chancellor Minor has taken up bookbinding.
- Suuder: Many events have been canceled.
- At the moment coronation is pushed back, to the date when we’re getting married. Oops.
- No other updates.
- Glad stuff is happening, everyone is doing a tremendous job of keeping it together and supporting each other. You are wonderful people and we couldn’t be happier with all of you. It boggles the mind how supportive you are.
- Lada: We’re Scadians; we’re way more prepared for this than anyone else is
- Suuder: Every time I talk to the incoming and outgoing majesties, I come back to the point that even if the world does end, this group stays together.
- Alienor: Suuder, as one of the event stewards on our upcoming calendar, the Challenge for June 27th, are you holding off?
- Suuder: Still going forward for now. Too busy lately to get the financial report finished, but it’s 70% done. Just need to finish it out and then I’ll submit it. Have been doing everything else with the library, making sure everything is prepared.
- Alienor: FranCisco asks if we should we start with the site reservation fee and paperwork?
- Suuder: Yes. We want to go with that date so we can secure it. Whether we use it as an SCA site or I reimburse you guys and I use it for something else but either way we’re using it.
- Alienor: Francisco, do you need anything else?
- Francisco: Will complete what I can and email you.
- Lada: Does anyone have questions about the largesse challenge?
- It’s been decided between baronies that it would be cool to do a largesse change, paired up from youngest to oldest.
- As a group we create twelve pieces (not each, total) that the B&B can give out. It’s a very open-ended thing: just make twelve items. At Pennsic’s Runnymede dinner we’ll exchange them.
- We have no idea what they’re working on, we don’t know what we want to work on.
- Alienor: So our first challenge is to come up with things to do.
- Lada: I will keep track of who’s making what, and make periodic posts.
- Mathghamhain: Is it themed? 12 of the same things?
- Lada: No, just 12 items together. Eg 2 or 3 scroll blanks but then other stuff.
- Leonora: What kind of stuff? Embroidery?
- Lada: Yes, anything.
- Leonora: What are their branch arms?
- Lada: Yes, we’ll link to their arms
- Alienor: Morwenna would like to work on a scroll.
- Angelica: I’ve been weaving inkle belts and making pouches for largesse.
- Alienor: Lada, I’m assuming that the Queer History Schola is off.
- Lada: Yes, for now. To be rescheduled after the plague.
- Zahra: The chronicle went out on March 1, before the plague. Please let me know if you didn’t get it.
- Thinking of ways to use the chronicle more effectively during this period. If anybody has ideas to that effect, I would appreciate your input.
- Alienor: I liked your idea of publishing slightly more often.
- Laila: No major chatelaine updates, no new contacts since the plague.
- There was supposed to be an East Kingdom College of Performers event tomorrow, which has been moved online. Classes from 11 am to 6 pm then open mic. Link on Facebook or contact me.
Events
- Alienor: Now for a quick review of the event calendar.
- Queer Schola is canceled.
- Brewers Collegium is canceled.
- Spring Schola, we don’t know, need to reach out to Lion’s End.
- Farmingdale demo isn’t up to us whether it’s on or not.
- That’s it until Barleycorn. I’m not ready to think as far ahead as September.
- Lada: We should ask Lion’s End what our obligation is to the Farmingdale demo. We might not be willing to do it even if the town is.
- Alienor: I will bring both of these up with Uji and Jenna and the other folks.
- Francisco: Is Oliver checking with the parks about the site fee for Brew-U? Can they return it?
- Oliver: County has shut down events, they’re not gonna want to keep the money. My concern is more with Barleycorn and Goat’s Tavern. They’re after the summer and if there’s a chance we have to cancel we still have to plan them as if we’re gonna have them. East Kingdom Brewers Guild has offered to do a brewers demo at Barleycorn. They were upset when we canceled Brew U before Kingdom did. I’ll be voiding the checks for Brew U. Two people paid in cash, one is me and another is a friend and I’ll repay her.
- Francisco: Payments for those events have not been deposited, correct?
- Oliver: No, except for one check that was misplaced into the Tavern pile.
- Francisco: We can refund that one.
- Alienor: Our next two commons will be the same format, with a fresh URL before each one.
- Alienor: Do we need to have a Finance Committee meeting after this one?
- Suuder: No?
- Francisco: No.
- Alienor: We’re all good with the Northpass storage expenditure, then. Anything else?
- Lada’s cat: I whisper destruction into the void.
- Anne: Any online courts for the viceregents? That seems like it might be an option.
- Lada: We saw it, I don’t think we’re planning anything at the moment. Let’s see what happens.
- Lada: We could hold a bardic competition online, but we don’t need to resort to that just yet.
- Suuder: It’s not a bad idea but at the moment we need some time to get into a rhythm with all this online stuff. See where we go, but I’m not opposed to the idea either.
- Jenna: Uji and I were discussing postponing or canceling events. Schola should be postponed. What we would like to do, if we can have an event by that point, is to roll it into the Farmingdale demo. Lovely site, space, room for fighters and fencers. We have a gazebo which we haven’t used, which would be a lovely spot for the bardic competition if the current champion is available to run it that day. Changes the food logistics slightly. Normally Helga does the all-afternoon feed. Site has no kitchen but we normally do a potluck. Would mean no attendance fee, since we’re getting the site for free (actually a stipend).
- Alienor: We have a question about the contractual requirement for Farmingdale. If they choose to put it on but we don’t feel it’s safe, are we obligated to be there, or can we bow out gracefully?
- Jenna: Have to ask site contact for that.
- Uji: I will confirm with our site contact regarding that. That’s where we stand.
- Jenna: We’re hopeful.
- Oliver: For Barleycorn and Goat’s Tavern, I would like to have Østgarðr’s blessing to try to bring more people in. We need time to recruit people for demos, even though we have to cancel at the last minute. I don’t want to wait until August to bring people in. Can I look into getting some people so we can gather a crowd together?
- Alienor: I think that seems reasonable.
- [Officers assent]
Closing
- Meeting closed at 8:45pm.
March 2020 Reports • Østgarðr Commons
Viceregents • Suuder Saran & Lada Monguligin
1. Largess challenge with other baronies. – Greetings all. During our down time. There is a Largess challenge between all the baronies of the East. Each barony will make 12 total pieces of largess for 1 other Barony. This can range from scroll blanks, to trim in baronial colors etc. But no more than 12 pieces total. They will be exchanged at Pennsic Runnymede Dinner. We hope that we can continue to lead the way in A&S. Østgarðr has been at the forefront of every largess challenge as of late, Lets keep it going. But what Barony did we get to give our fabulous prizes to…Buckland Cross! East Kingdom’s newest Barony gets gifts from its oldest one. (no coloring books). Help us come up with 12 wonderful gifts that they can either give out or that their Barony can use for a long time.
2. With everything going on most of you have seen the majority if not all the events for the next month cancelled or called to rain check. We will see how this all plays out in the near future and will remain vigilant on what is to become of these events in the coming months.
We know everyone is very worried about the quarantine that NYS and NYC will be starting in 2 days. But know that we are all in this together. This is the time to support each other, show our strength. Keep people and friends in mind. Sometimes the deeper the darkness is, the greater our lights shine. Keep it up. We’ll all get through these hard times. We care about all of you. Please stay safe, we want to see you all when this is over.
3. For those that didn’t see, at the last commons meeting, Another of Suuder’s Yaks has come back. It was found in the Ocean and has shrunk in the wash so to speak. But in true Ostgardr fashion was protected by a SeaHorse. Both were brought back to us, and are now in our care. Here are a couple pictures for you all to know just how protected this little yak is.
Hope to see you all soon.
Seneschal • Alienor Salton
Northpass gear is stowed in a locker at the Storage Post in Yorktown Heights. Keys are distributed among event stewards for the major events normally held in Westchester and Putnam counties and members of the financial committee of Østgarðr. It has been inventoried. Gear that went out for use at Bear’s Tavern has been cleaned & returned to storage. Full information is recorded on the inventory document in the Inventory folder on the Østgarðr officers’ shared Google Drive.
Huge thank yous go out to Thomas and Aurora, to Mathghamhain, to Oliver, and to Francisco for their service in inventorying, transporting and storing the gear. Sincere thanks to Wilhelm, Ben, Grettir, Steven, and Friderich for their support in locating, inventorying & transferring Northpass property into Østgarðr custody for safekeeping.
Gold Key inventory & refurbishing is on hold. Provincial storage committee likewise.
Exchequer • Francisco de Braga
I received comments on the 2019 Q4 reporting from kingdom. They identified a few transactions I have miscategorized.
There were a few unexpected expenses this month related to the storage of Northpass Gear but it is now in a new storage locker until such time as they can reclaim it, later this year. Please see the Seneschal report for more details.
With the Cancelation of Brew U, we will need to contact the site to see if our check can be returned as it was previously deposited by the Parks department. If this is not feasible, we may be able to contact Kingdom for a potential reimbursement. We will be writing (1) refund check as it was mistakenly deposited. Other checks will not be deposited and are to be Void. Please speak to the event steward if you need your previous check returned.
Herald • Drasma Dragomira
I have completed or helped complete four consultations this past month for the populace.
The great thing about consultations is that we can and usually do them virtually, and the only physical step that has to occur is dropping the forms in a mailbox to submit them. If members of the populace want to use this time to work on their name or armory, drop me an email or Facebook message and I’ll be glad to help.
Chatelaine • Laila al-Sanna’ al-Andalusiyya
No report submitted.
Chancellor Minor • Arnora Ketilsdottir
Starting to make plans for Pennsic toddler activities. If anyone wants to read for storytime, let me know.
Arts & Sciences • Þorfinn Hróðgeirsson
We visited the Brooklyn museum for the “A Woman’s Afterlife: Gender Transformation in Ancient Egypt” exhibit. Two others besides myself attended. I’m curious to hear how folks feel about museum trips: there was much excitement about the trip online, including moving it to dodge Brokenbridge commons, but none of the people who seemed excited actually came. Should I plan more museum trips?
Trip to the Met was canceled due to plague.
A&S championships happened. Congrats to all who entered: every entry was stunning.
I’m interested in ideas for virtual A&S activities. This shouldn’t be strictly local, since we are no longer bounded by the cruel geography of rivers and mountains, but we certainly can do local things. EK A&S is running classes, so teach some if you can.
Armored Combat • Ervald LaCoudre
No report submitted.
Archery • Arnbiorg Helga Niálsdóttir
No report submitted.
Fencing • Alec MacLachlan
Not much to report. The Manhattanville Center was closed down for almost a month. So we could not have a practice.
Now with what’s going on, practice has been put on hold. Hopefully for not too long.
For now, I’ve suggested that people practice their foot work and point control at home.
I am planning on running an all day practice at the Lions End Schola. Mainly to attract new fencers, but also to get in some practice for the rest of us. I’ll have loaner gear there.
Youth Combat • Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Nothing to report on the youth-combat front.
Minister of Lists • Marion of York
No report submitted.
Webminister • Anne of Østgarðr
If you need help with video conferencing or other online tools we in the webministry are here to help! Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Chronicler • Zahra al-Andalusiyya
March’s issue of the E-Horse was published successfully; no issues reported, but please do let me know if you had any! Next issue is scheduled for June 1, and will be the last one before Pennsic, so please send me your art and articles.
I’m wondering if, given our current varying states of solitude, a more frequent newsletter, or something with different content, would be useful for the time being. It seems to me that Facebook is filling that task, but I’d still like to discuss it at the meeting just in case.
Chamberlain • Ian of Clan Mitchell
No report submitted.
Historian • Sofya Gianetta di Trieste
No report submitted.
Whyt Whey • Vika Grigina z Prahy
Hoping to have a virtual April Commons.
Lions End • Nagashima Ichiro Ujimichi
No report submitted.
Brokenbridge • Brandr Aronsson
No report submitted.