Event Review - Northkeep Winterkingdom 2006 - by 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.

WinterKingdom is something I look forward to every year. I love collegium-style events; one of the things about the SCA that is so important to me is the huge array of things to learn and do. Every King’s College or wInterKingdom I’ve attended, I came away with something really valuable. It might be a whole new art form to learn, or ways to do things better that I’ve already been dabbling in. I also feel it’s important to participate as an instructor, so I’ve taught at least one class each year.

This year, I was planning on 2 classes: one for children and one for adults. The youth class was on making tassels, and the adult class was on netted beadwork. I’ve taught the beadwork class several times, but it’s always had a very low turnout – one or two at most. I thought perhaps eight in either class would be more than sufficient, prep-wise.

Unfortunately, the week of the event, both Abe and I came down dreadfully ill. At first, I thought it was food poisoning. Then it turned out to be a virulent 24 hour stomach virus. That kept me from working on a special task given to me by Their Excellencies until late Tuesday. I finished one of the two items by the end of Wednesday night, and planned out the second one. It wasn’t quite done Thursday, though.

Friday, I stopped by the site for about an hour and a half, to try and help with setup, right after work. Unfortunately, by the time the Baronial trailer arrived, it was nearly time for me to head home and finish my class prep and the second special project, as well as an idea I’d had for something else that needed doing. Preparations kept me busy until about 2 am.

Saturday morning, it felt luxurious to sleep in until 8 am! (My alarm usually goes off sometime around 5 or 6 am on event days.) The event site was about 1/4th of a mile from where I work, so I was very familiar with the site. I did need to make one stop on the way to pick up a few little extra things.

I got there around 9 am, right in time for the first series of classes. The line for Gate was very long, so I reviewed my prep for my classes and spent some time visiting with friends. I brought my last-minute-project idea and their special request project over to their Excellencies, and generally dashed around the hall greeting friends, and handing out some small gifts to those teachers I knew I was planning on attending classes by.

My first class – Netted Beadwork - was in the second session, so I had plenty of time. I had enough materials for 8 students and myself, which I figured would be plenty, given that the other times I taught the class, I only had 2 people show up. I made my way to the class area I’d been assigned, and was stunned to find a large group already there. Some folks had reserved a class spot on the sign in sheets, and others had simply showed up. All in all, we had 14 folks in the class! It really threw me off, as not many had ever expressed interest before. We talked a bit about the different types and styles of netted beadwork, and I passed around some examples (as well as a big bag of spiced nuts). Emmalina made some very sweet comments about how I’m always feeding folks and getting them to take care of themselves, which made me feel good. There was a good list of folks from all over, including Calontir! I was touched that Torea of Chemin Noir had made the effort to attend, even though she had to leave at one point as she wasn’t feeling well.

The class went pretty well, with most folks getting the hang of the technique. One hour is definitely not enough time, though – we really only got through the baseline row and the baseline side before it was time to surrender the classroom. I was glad to see some of the students working on their beadwork throughout the day.

I dashed home during the lunch period, and took care of some personal business and grabbed a few things I’d forgotten to pack. It was good to see Abe during the day, though he was stuck working.

Back on site, I decided to get through Gate. I arrived just as the Gate folks were changing shifts, so there was a bit of a wait. While waiting my turn, I was besieged by my favorite moppets: Kate, Nikki and Dora. When the gate change was completely, Renault and Mehpare took over, and so I gave them both bags of spiced nuts. I also decided to go ahead and pay for feast and site, even though I was comped for site and planned to serve at feast. Small events such as this oftentimes just barely squeak by when it comes to cost – so I wanted to help the event and the Barony out in some small way by paying my way in full.

Once through Gate, I was lucky to be able to attend some great classes here and there – though it was quite nearly agonizing deciding which class to attend! I decided to focus mainly on scribal, as that’s something I really see as an art form I’m enthusiastic about, but need a lot of work on. I really wanted to catch the class on filling large spaces by Danielle de Marsailles and on detail work by Lillias, but wasn’t able to fit them into the busy day as there were conflicts with classes I was teaching or taking.

In Master Darius’s class on Gothic Vinework, he showed us how to use a French curve (sounds naughty, doesn’t it?) to avoid the pitfalls of trying to free hand vines. He recommended setting up a grid, so that when designing the area, all sections can be visualized and filled. In a very kind gesture, he gave me one of the French curves after the class. When I showed him the enormous copy of Les Grand Heurs of Jean, Duke de Berry that I found at a yard sale for 5 dollars, he did admit that he hated me. ::grin::

In Nicolea’s class, she showed us how to properly highlight and shade different sized objects, and that each object needs to be shaded separately for a more cohesive whole. That was a hugely valuable class, as shading and highlighting is something I have a really hard time with. If she offers the class again in the future, I will definitely be taking it, as I don’t feel I quite ‘got’ it all.

My tassel making class went just fine. I had materials for 8, and had 7 show up, which worked out well. Most of the children did really well, though the diversity of their personalities was astounding. One young man didn’t say a single word the entire class, other than ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Another boy repeatedly interrupted to seek praise on how he was doing and for extra attention. One young girl burst into emotional upsets over her ability to do the various elements of the project. Another young girl was calm and focused, having made tassels in other ways, many times before. In the end, all the children completed their tassel, and class was done a full 8 minutes early!

Next was a class on diapering, by Danielle, but she was busily working on something else as folks did the practice session she’d prepared. I asked what she was doing, and she explained that she and Nicolea had been asked around midmorning to create a scroll for the rapier tournament. Nicolea happened to have a design in her car, so she traced it out, and the two were madly painting. I was stunned at how much they had accomplished in just a few hours – and it was beautiful work! All the ladies working on the scroll were famished, as they had missed lunch. Being familiar with the area, I offered to go pick them up a pizza from Mazzios.

By the time the pizza was ready and I was back, Nicolea’s next class had started – this one had to do with perspective, and learning how to use a vanishing point. I’m not sure I grasped all of the concepts she was going over. It’s definitely a class I’d like to take again sometime in the future, as perspective is something I have a very hard time with.

Finally, the classes were over. I scampered out to my car to change clothes, as I was planning on dressing to match the theme of feast – food aboard a ship. This feast was being stewarded by HL Therese and her staff. I had a very campy Pirate Wench outfit, complete with a two-tiered black skirt trimmed in red, a black velvet wench blouse, and a black bodice. It took a while, but I was finally able to tighten the laces all the way closed on the bodice. (Quite a feat, since I bought it when I was about (mumblemumble) pounds slimmer, and several inches smaller in a variety of dimensions.) Breathing was next to impossible, but the effect was pretty impressive, if I do say so myself. Woot!

I dashed back to the feast hall to find that the meal had already begun. Ack! Halfiras was at its own table, all the way in the back. Don Timothy was acting as their server, and I asked him if I could please cut in, and take care of them for the rest of the evening. He kindly agreed, and I got them the next course. Between serving courses, I nibbled in the kitchen. Mehpare asked if I was eating, and when I replied, ‘sort of’, she set up a plate for me at their table, since she knew I’d bought feast. That way, I got to taste many of the delicious courses being served. The carrot pickles were quite astounding and the dressing for the salads was simple and delicious. The bread was also really good. I wasn’t brave enough to try the hard tack, though.

Not long after feast started, Baron Ian stood and described how he had recently gone home to the lands of his grandfather, in Calontir, and a great stag hunt had been held. He described the tradition of the hero’s portion, and then gave the venison to an individual he stated was a hero of the hall – Master Tarl. He asked that after they had an opportunity to sample the venison, that they, too, name a hero of the hall. In this fashion, several people were honored for various reasons.

Master Tarl named His Excellency Duncan of Namron.
Duncan named Master Beorhtlic Folkwineson.
Beorhtlic named Honorable Lady Elizabeth de Calais.
Elizabeth de Calais named Mehpare Bint Ejer for her courage in battling illness.
Mepare named Her Excellency Ana Maria Mercedes de Cerdanya, for a variety of reasons including, ‘Keeping the boys in line.’
Mercedes named Lady Faolan MacFarlane.
Faolan named Centurian Angus Machaid Gunn.
Angus named Her Excellency, Elizabeta Isafijord ‘for all the hard work she does for the Barony.’
Elizabeta named Honorable Lord Llewellyn for ‘single-handedly providing us with music.’
(At some point, someone) … named Torea of Chemin Noir.
Torea named me, Lady Zubeydah Jamilla al-Badawiyya (However, she spoke so softly, I did not hear the reason given.)
I named Honorable Lady Debroa bat Yosef, for being the ‘quiet soul of service in Northkeep.’
Debroa named Ismet and Damon. (Per Damon: “You get one, you get both, but I think it was really Ismet. I'm just the mouthpiece.”)
Damon (“the mouthpiece”) and Ismet named Lord Johann Von Aue for “an utterly mundane reason. Anyone who voluntarily puts his life on the line for the rest of us _is_ a hero.” (Johan recently returned from a Tour of Duty in Iraq with the National Guard.)
Johan Von Aue named der Wulf am der Schwartzvald “for their military brotherhood under whom he enjoyed serving for quite some time.”
Wilhelm named Kayte.
Kayte named Lady Lynn the Inquisitive.
Lynn named Keigan.

The feast ended before the Hero’s Portion had all been consumed, and Baron Ian bid that it continue its journey until the plate was empty. It was the second sampling of venison I have ever eaten, and it was positively amazing in its flavor.

During feast, two very important things happened! Lady Olivia de Calais was made a Cadet to Don Timothy and HL Therese. HL Sabine became Apprentice to Mistress Magdelena!

Help was asked in shifting the hall from Feast to Court, and this was done very speedily. Court opened, as the Baron and Baroness marched into court with their entourage and Guard. They quickly turned to the Autocrats of the event to discuss the day, after heaping praise upon them. Kale Kourtekina and Elizabeth de Calais came forward, and discussed the success of the event: 220 (38 of which were children) with memberships and 48 who paid the Nonmember surcharge, for a total of 268 through gate! Teachers and students were present from three separate kingdoms. That’s wonderful!

Praise was also heaped upon Honorable Lady Therese and her staff, for putting forth a wonderful themed feast.

A very touching moment came when two new members of the Baronial Guard were sworn in: Lady Torea and Lady Olivia. Lord Ottokar knelt nearby to assist his lady wife, Torea, whose strength was greatly diminished after a long day at the event.

Because there was a time limit involved for clearing the hall, court was kept at a brisk pace. Ludewicus was called into court, and made "Lord Ludo!" Mehpare and I were fidgety, as we had reason to believe that Ragnailt, a member of House Halfiras, was going to be recognized for her efforts to enrich this realm, with an Award of Arms. Ragnailt was unsuspecting, and at one point, excused herself from the hall. We were really nervous she might not be back in time! But she was, and was completely astounded – she received an exquisitely lovely Award of Arms, painted by Druinne herself (The Crown Principal Herald). Equally surprised was Shannon (aka “Cookie”), Mehpare’s beloved, when he received an Award of Arms.

I was really happy to see that Gisela had been given a Sable Thistle, for her work in Illumination. Gisela has been producing really beautiful work for a long time now, and was overdue for recognition. Other awards given included Facon duPray, who received a Baronial service award, the Caisteal Chriedhe, for his tireless work for the Barony. If you don’t know Facon, you’re really missing out. He’s a tireless champion of, and teacher in, the rapier community. He’s won pretty much most of the rapier championships in the region, and on top of all that, he’s a really nifty guy. Very well deserved. Another recipient of the Caisteal Chriedhe was Nichol, the youngest son of Angus and Ciara. This young man works hard at every event he attends, and is nearly always one of our drink servers at feast. In particular, his service at the Baroness’ Toy Tourney was spectacular: Having served as a waterbearer in the past, he was apparently worried that there wasn’t any waterbearers for the event. So he organized and ran a waterbearer station for the fighters. Vivat Nichol!

Amidst the accolades and recognition, I was more than a bit surprised to hear my own name called, and when I knelt before the Baron and Baroness, I was amused to hear HE Ian begin to relay part of a conversation we’d had earlier… You see, when I told him that the ‘special project’ was done – the Caisteal Chriedhe scrolls being given out that evening – I asked him to please not mention any names. (Baron Ian is very good about giving credit for work done) I really prefer to just sort of do things in the background, and not really talk about it much except here in my ‘blog’ of sorts. (According to my ‘page visit’ counters, not many folks actually READ all these reports, they just visit the site for the photos.) When I asked him to keep mum about the artist, he pointed his finger at me, and told me he would ‘get’ me somehow! Well, as I knelt there, he very smilingly informed me that I had been ‘gotten’… I was very touched to receive a Sable Thistle in Illumination.

The hour was growing late, and court moved rapidly along, cognizant of our deadlines for exit. Once court was adjourned it was time to put things back exactly as we had found it. The clever autocrats had actually laid tape out on the floor, to show us the precise position to return the tables to. With everyone helping, things moved along quickly. All too soon, it was time to say good bye, and head off.

If you haven’t ever had a chance to attend wInterKingdom, it is well worth the time, effort, and trip. This event is quite nearly my very favorite all year, and is one I look forward to for months. Hope to see you there next year!