Summer in Easaraigh,
Meridian Grand Tournament
and Kingdom Fighter's Collegium
Summer, 2016
Greetings friends!
It's been a while since I last posted. Ill catch up on a few things in this posting. Please forgive any percieved rambling. This will not be a standard 'event report'.
This summer has been long and a hot one. Ive taken on responsibility as Knight Marshal for the Shire of Easaraigh and turned over Seneschal to Lady Asa Kolbrun. Living in a small Shire, everyone is needed to serve or the shire does not exist. Ive held a shire office (Reeve, Seneschal, KM) non-stop since 2007. That is the sacrifice I make for my hobby. This is not complaint, just an observation. The Society does not work without the service commitment of its membership. I think this particular 'modus operandi' of the SCA is best demonstrated in the Canton and Shire of the SCA. Being of the 'Shirefolk', I feel some envy for the Barony's of our Society. But, I check myself after remembering the old saying 'With great power, comes great responsibility'. While living in a small Shire often means your efforts can be overlooked and go unnoticed, I find great appreciation for the 'country' life we have.
We cancelled many fighter practices this summer for the heat. Not a great thing with us having half a dozen new heavy fighters training up. But, I was able to take some of that lost time and gear it toward armoring. So, it wasnt a total loss and some of our new folk are well on their way to authorization. In fact, we just authorized Styrbjorn Gunnarsson (CONGRATS!) this weekend after KFC. That's the first heavy authorization in Easaraigh in probably 20 years or so. Yay for us and thanks to Earl Sir Benen. Its nice to have a peer in the neighborhood.
MGT was a not my best moment on the field. This was my first time fighting at this event. So, I signed up for everything, 4 tournaments in all. The first tournament is the Armatura (that's me with the round shield above), sponsored by our Legion of the Bear. Its a fast moving 3 on 3 bear pit activity with random teams queued from a PEZ dispenser (in effect, not actual). I died a lot. I laughed even more. My brain was in kid-mode for at least 30 minutes or so of non-stop action. When you are 40-something, as I am, kid-mode is great while its happening. But, once the endorphines are burned out, the pain sets in and I found my self feeling a little bit of the dreaded heat monster. After 30 minutes of all out joy, I was done. My day was shot. It took me another 2 hours to realize though. I marshalled the Saber Tourney. Then sat the rest of the day.
During the Saber Tourney I met Jochi. It was a brief encounter of comrades in sport. A friendly gentleman in his prime, having a good time. He was lost to us this week. From the outpouring on the Book of Faces, it sounds like he would have been a good guy to know. I have reflected on my own loses of friends and family in recent years. The loss of the light extinguished is sad. While I did not know him, I still have that memory of him from MGT and the brief impressions he made on me that brought a smile to my experiences on that day. Every encounter you have with another person matters, regardless of how brief it is. In this case, I have a fond memory of a good dude and that's 'not nothing'.
So, my MGT day was a flash in the pan that went from youthful exuberence to an overheated mess. It was still an excellent event even with my misfortune. I got to spend a day with my Shirefolk and my wife. I witnessed some of the very best of Meridian heavy combat. When the rains came, I helped usher our people to shelter. I witnessed elevations and the announcement of Corbins imminent MOD (Grats again dude). It was a good day.
A couple of weeks later in September, I went to Fighter's Collegium with Styrbjorn. This is us late Saturday afternoon.
Our Meridian Fighter's Collegium is a great place of learning and socializing. This year I got to spend some time with Brun and Satara refreshing my combat archery authorization and learning some of the marshalling aspects of combat archery. I listened on a range class Sir Ciaus taught. Good stuff there. I sat in a class with Duke Kenneth, Graf Ulric, and Sir Mandin for new fighters. I did this to help me with my training skills for new fighters. Everyone thinks they can train a new fighter but I dont want to take that for granted. Learn all you can and share with others. I also did a few pickups with Decimus, Sir Ciaus and Sir Jake while obliging the 'dont fight people you see all the time' rule. It was a fairly long day. I learned some new things, refreshed some old things and got to socialize with some good folks without a visit from the heat monster that found me at MGT. A very good day indeed.
An Dun Thiene did an excellent job with MGT at a site that many would consider 'extremely' basic. It was a very nice place and the weather was great. All the food served was very good. Good job by ADT in hosting the event.
As I get further into this hard push of the fall 2016 event calendar for Meridies, many realizations are setting in.
I love this hobby. Im not a spring chicken. Hard play equals hard recovery. I dont know how much gas is left in my tank, but I do enjoy doing what we do. Its not just the fighting either, even though I am strongly attached to that part of the game. I enjoy just being there and participating. I enjoy helping my shire and the new folks that have come on board.
I also have a personal oath I made to myself to figure out this sponsorship thing that is unresolved. Thats on the top of my to do list now. It has been no easy feat getting 'my mind right' for this task. The loss my friend and peer is always felt when the subject arises and always will be. It makes the conversation tough. I need to stop wearing the belt in memorium (self realization). The memories that I associated with my belt are my memories and the belt has been focus for them. This belt represents more than my attachment with my dear friend lost. The belt should not or ever have been a token of memorial. I need to restore the ideals of the belt's intended purpose.
I don't know if peerage is still in my cards (or if it ever was that matter). Is peerage a viable goal? I think so. My thirst for knowledge and the want to 'serve' is still there and strong. Along with that is the need to share the knowledge I have and the service I have yet to give. My heart is still willing, even if my body is not as able as it once was. I look forward to the perspectives and insights that a new 'teacher' will provide. I feel that is enough to make the continued effort worthwhile.
I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Ill be at Bacon Bash this weekend. Hope to see you there.
Well met friends. Safe journey to thee!
Ld. Eoin Mac Cana, CACM
Squire of House Aspiring
Seneschal, Shire of Easaraigh
Kingdom of Meridies
Squire of House Aspiring
Seneschal, Shire of Easaraigh
Kingdom of Meridies
