View source for Event Review - Namron Protectorate 2005 - by Zubeydah

[[Category:Event Reviews]][[Category:Zubeydah]]
This page contains an event review by [[Zubeydah]]. This represents solely her opinion and views/thoughts at the time of writing, and do NOT reflect upon her Barony, her Region, her mentors and friends, or anyone else. <BR><BR>

Historically, Namron Protectorate has been an event I’ve done a lot of work during, doing waterbearing, and not taken very good care of myself. I was determined that wouldn’t be the case this time. As well, I was working under some very specific time constraints: I had to be heading off site no later than 4pm. So it was going to be a very light day-trip. My friends in Halfiras had been teasing me that no one would recognize me without all of my assorted waterbearing accoutrements, and I would have to place a waterbottle near my chair simply to be recognized as myself!<BR><BR>
The day before the event, I heard that there was a raffle going on to benefit the SCA victims of Hurricane Rita, here in Ansteorra. I corresponded a bit back and forth with the Northern Regional disaster relief liaison, Mistress [[Alix Tiberga of Aachen|Alix]] during the day, and decided to put together some donations. <BR><BR>
Friday night, I zoomed through a couple errands, and headed home. Just as I walked in the door, I got a call from Renault asking for clarifications on directions. I pulled up my “There and Back Again” website that contains directions to various sites, and read off the directions I had for Camp Cimarron. Unfortunately, they were based on the driver coming from Oklahoma City. Thankfully, I’m an email packrat, and knew I’d kept some emails from a few years ago when I was trying to get to my first Protectorate. I was able to read them off and help refresh [[Renault de Mont Saint Michel|Renault]]’s memory. It was also a good reminder to print them for my own use.<BR><BR>
Once that task was done and Renault was taken care of, I started cooking. First on the list was some dinner for my honey. Next, I started on two pans of brownies for the raffle. I made one batch with chocolate chips inside, and left the other plain. I’d previously planned to bring fruit, cookies and something else as my contribution to the Halfiras luncheon sideboard, but got a hankering to make some quiche. I made a pair of bacon, Swiss cheese and onion quiches and let them chill. (I’m one of those weird folks that believe that cold ‘next day’ lasagna and quiche are even better than when it’s served piping hot.) The last cooking task of the day was the promised batch of cookies: Chocolate Chocolate-Chip. <BR><BR>
I was able to get most of my packing, sorting, preparing and such done on Friday night. I woke early on Friday morning, grabbed a shower, and garbed. Inevitably, I forget something, and it took three trips up and down the stairs to the door before I was comfortable I had everything I needed: finished charters, food items, raffle donations, waterbearing insignia, donations of items to the gold key box for Raven’s Hall, my personal feast gear and projects to work on, camera, spare batteries... and a partridge in a pear tree. <BR><BR>
It was around 7:40 when I finally re-read my directions, and headed off. Well, it turned out I hadn’t read them carefully enough… I had thought they said that the exit I needed from I-44 was just before the toll gates… in fact, it wasn’t that far outside Tulsa! So... I wound up driving all the way to Oklahoma City and taking I-35 North – the very directions I’d read to Renault the night before. Ai ai ai! <BR><BR>
Upon arriving at site, it was very nearly 10pm. It had taken me over 2 hours to get to site, based on my lousy navigational skills. As I arrived, Namron was in the midst of holding court. I heard someone receiving an award of arms, but didn’t hear their name. <BR><BR>
I hopped out of the car, finished adding layers of garb and jewelry and accessories, and collected my assorted stuff. I didn’t see Halfiras, so I circled the list field looking for them. Alas, they were not to be found It seemed unusual that they wouldn’t be out and about by 10. I could only imagine what had kept them up late... * very evil grin * I examined the campsites near the list field, and didn’t see them there, either. <BR><BR>
Spotting Hersir [[Thorgrim Bjornson|Thorgrim]], I asked him if it would be alright if I left my chair and things at his tent while I looked for Halfiras. As always, this gracious gentleman was the soul of courtesy and made me welcome. I put my things by his campsite, made sure my mundanities were covered, and went to chat with the waterbearer in charge, Lady Kathryn Atte Unicorn. <BR><BR>
Lady Kathryn had been one of the first folks to take my waterbearing class at wInterKingdom, when I was first made Northern Regional. I queried her about her additional experience since then and upon hearing it, went ahead and elevated her to Journeyman. She was pleased to receive a sash with the white stripes of a journeyman. We chatted about her staffing for the event, and what she had planned. I also chatted with Lady Kathryn about the others who were helping with waterbearing in the area, and asked her for recommendations on others who had taken the class and put in the sufficient training and practice to be elevated to Journeyman. She mentioned a few folks in the Barony, but we weren’t sure whether or not they’d all had the class or not.<BR><BR>
Around that time, fighters began presenting their consorts to their Royal Highnesses who were in attendance, as well as to the Baron and Baroness of Namron. I only saw a few folks doing so, and didn’t get the opportunity to take any photos. One of those couples was Syr Owen and his wife, Lady Dagmar. After he was done presenting her to the assembled nobles, I had the opportunity to present her with a Journeyman's sash. She seemed pleased, and we agreed to correspond a bit more on the topic of other Namron folks who needed recognition.<BR><BR>
Around 11, I saw the lovely form of Mehpare bint Ejer picking her way through the grasses along the list field, accompanied by Lord Renault. After exchanging hugs, I asked her where the rest of the House was. They’d be coming along eventually, as it turned out. She pointed out the bare and lonely pop-up pavilion at one corner of the list field as belonging to Halfiras. Without any form of decoration or anything under it, I hadn’t recognized it. She was heading that way to make it appropriately beautiful. I told her I’d meet up with her shortly, as I needed to speak with the Baroness of Namron.<BR><BR>
I was able to steal a few moments of time with Maleah, the Baroness of Namron, with regards to an issue of some delicacy. She was able to provide me with some excellent advice, for which I was grateful. On my way back to the Halfiras tent, I checked in with the waterbearer in charge, just as Mehpare arrived there as well, wearing her waterbearing apron. Lady Kathryn went over their supplies, and assured us that they didn’t need any help at that point. We promised to check back again later, and went on our way.<BR><BR>
It was about that time that Rayhanna appeared with a few other members of Halfiras and Raven’s Hall in tow. It was good to see her. Unfortunately, my little Lady in Waiting, Atiyya, wasn’t able to attend. I’d brought a gift for her, as she had performed some very heroic actions mundanely, that I wanted to recognize. I showed the items to the ladies of Halfiras, and they oohed and ahhed enough that I knew I’d chosen well. Rayhanna then surprised me by presenting me with a hand-knitted scarf, in some stunningly perfect shades of blue, with hints of green. It was warm and cozy and wonderful! I immediately draped it around myself, enjoying the soft texture.<BR><BR>
As everyone got settled, I pulled out the items I’d brought for the raffle: two lengths of 3” wide metallic trim, the two pans of brownies and a chunk of amber. A third length of trim went to Rayhanna, even though Mephare very teasingly and mischievously pointed out that crimson and gold were HER colors. I promised the ladies I’d keep an eye out on Ebay for more of the trim. <BR><BR>
I iced the brownies – one with caramel frosting and the second with some seedless raspberry jam – grabbed the trim and amber, and headed for the main hall to give the to Mistress Alix. I was no farther than 20 steps from Halfiras’ tent, when I overheard a lady discussing the raffle. I asked if she was part of those in charge of the fundraiser, and she assured me she was. I gave her all the items, much to her surprise, and she promised to deliver them. <BR><BR>
Back under the Halfiras tent, I laid out the cookies and quiche for lunch. The noon hour was slowly approaching, and I wanted them to be ready. As we discussed food items, several of us were naughty and chatted amongst ourselves about various gentlemen as they garbed themselves or warmed up in preparation for the fights. Rayhanna had never observed Sir [[Balvin Thorfinnsson|Balvin]]’s warm-up routine, and was mightily impressed. The subject naturally meandered to a wonderfully bawdy ditty written by Lady Danielle, called “The Knight Song.” It was suggested that perhaps Sir Balvin needed his own verse, and this was agreed to by all the ladies present. <BR><BR>
The tournament began, so I wandered a bit and snapped some photos. Poor Geoffrey Makepeace drew the Crown Prince, who was acting as the Dreaded Bye. He got good advice from Hersir Thorgrim and from Sir Balvin, to whom he stands as man at arms. I got some good shots of Nasi Mahdi and Geoffrey chatting and fighting, as well as several other bouts. We checked in a second time with the waterbearers, and were again told that additional help wasn't needed. I did get to give a journeyman sash to a third waterbearer who had taken the class previously, and was well known in her Barony for her experience.<BR><BR>
Noon approached, and it was time for the meeting of the scribal guild. It was my understanding the meeting was to last for about an hour or two. It was my plan to address some waterbearing issues after the meeting, spend some more time with Halfiras and taking pictures, and then head home around 3:45 to 4 p.m.<BR><BR>
I collected my container of finished pieces to turn in, as well as my copies of my portfolio of work and set off for the feast hall, where I assumed the meeting was to be held. When I arrived, there weren’t any other scribes there, so I wandered over to the raffle table where Mistress Alix was. She had the five items I’d sent in (I found out later that 20 items total were received, and raffled off for a total of over $232. I don't know who received the items I donated, but I hope they were enjoyed). I meant to buy some tickets, but realized I’d left my wallet in my purse, which was back at my car. Drat! <BR><BR>
A short time later, I saw Mistress Hillary Greenslade enter the hall. She selected a table, sorted through her things, and started getting things set up. Eventually, other scribes trickled in, some of whom I recognized (HL Anya, HL Isaac Bane, and Tamberlin from Northkeep), others, I did not. Most of the folks seemed to recognize one another. The meeting started around 12:30, and covered a variety of topics, some administrative, others not. Several ideas were discussed, some history, and goals of the new Sable Scroll and Star Principal Herald. <BR><BR>
Lady Danielle (of song fame) appeared with one of the prize scrolls for the event. IT was her first original work, and was very lovely. I snapped several photos of it. I was also delighted when Lady Nicolea appeared. This gracious lady has been very kind to me as a beginning painter. She let me take a peek at the two prize scrolls she had done for the event. They were positively lovely! She was finishing the gold work on one of them, and she said it was one of her favorite works she’d ever done. Personally, I rather liked the middle eastern one she’d done for Protectorate 2003, but I’m a bit biased in that direction... HL Anya was kind enough to let me look through some scrolls she was planning to turn in that had been done by a group of local painters, and HL Isaac let me peruse his portfolio of work. It was a wonderful opportunity to see their work, and I really appreciated it. I shared some of my work with HL Anya that I had intended to turn in, and she had some very nice things to say about it.<BR><BR>
The meeting went on for quite some time: Much longer than I had expected, even though it was one of the focuses of my day. I started to fidget at 3, and by 3:30, had my things collected. I had promised my husband I would be home at 5:30. The trip down had taken over two hours, and I was worried. One of the last things Mistress Hillary covered were some new scrolls that had been submitted. Unfortunately, I only got to see one of them; by that point, it was 3:45 and I HAD to get going. <BR><BR>
I fled the hall, and hurried back to the list field. There, I was surprised to see that Halfiras, tent and all, were gone – including all my things. This was bad, because I didn’t know where they were camped. Fortunately, Morgan Blackdragon was kind enough to offer to show me where. It took a bit of doing and waiting to get my car out – I was blocked off by some people who had parked in an unfortunate manner, and others who were loading up the baronial thrones. Morgan directed me to the site, where I dropped off some things, grabbed some things, and was told in no uncertain terms by Rayhanna and Mehpare that I needed to EAT (I was a little cranky and upset by that point, due to the time constraints and my plans for the day being thrown out the window). <BR><BR>
They grabbed me some quiche, oohed and ahhed over the garb I’d brought to donate to the gold-key, and told me to be good and drive safe!! <BR><BR>
Fortunately, I’ll get to see everyone and socialize a bit more at the upcoming premier Chemin Noir event – Fair of the Harvest!<BR><BR>