Event Reviews - Castellan XXXII
by Koke Gan
Castellan is my Homecoming event and it was SUCH a joy! Arriving at the same time as Castellana de Andalucia, it was nice to be setting up camp side-by-side together. And as one of my highlights was generally getting to help friends, I was thankful to get to help with the tent and keeping an eye on Kellan as we both wrestled our tents. Side Note: the Site Tokens, Feast Tokens, the verbiage, the map... everything was beautiful and clearly a lot of thought and work went into all of it.
Teaching Jutte VonderBerg how to work gate Friday night was amusing. đ Over the course of the event I got to assist in several Kindness Shenanigans⢠as well as some of my very own. đĽ°
Saturday breakfast tavern was just as delicious as I knew it would be! I'm so glad I made a point of getting up early enough to catch that! Alas, I had NOT rested well Friday night, though, including A-Fib and the thunderstorms, so after breakfast I actually took care of myself with a nap! (This meant missing Morning Court.)
Chasing (aka "entourage duty") Baron Perrin de Beaujeu ALL OVER THE PLACE was great and meant watching the Bridge Battle, which I'd never seen... it was SUCH A JOY! Oh my goodness - the hilarity and also seeing how much the fighters (including HSH Romanius Vesperianus) enjoyed themselves. I also got to watch Round 1 of the Bardic competition. AND I got a quick break to check out the Elevenses Tavern! It was a VERY busy 2 hour shift!
While on Entourage duty, I received The Hero's Portion... of Chocolate [card] from Rebekah Aleyn - I was honored. I got to collect my portion once I was off duty: one of Zubeydah Al-Badawiyyah's *perfect* chocolate chip cookies! I made a point of taking time to celebrate a few of my own heroes, thanking them for doing things that have mattered a great deal to me - directly and indirectly. They know who they are.
I wound up trekking back and forth between the hall and the field for multiple reasons, not the least of which was arriving half an hour early to judge the Children's Bardic competition. Oops! lol This site (Will Rogers Scout Camp in Cleveland, OK) is so big! And we don't even use very much of it!
Judging the Children's Bardic competition... I haven't judged any SCA competitions before, but when the request posted - something told me this was something I could manage. It was an experience! lol I was glad I could help, including creating a form to help us judges keep track of what turned out to be TEN competitors! I'm also thankful to her Excellency Jehanne de Montauban, HE Ismet al Din Bithia & HE Damon Hroarson for help with judging. I was in awe of how well Muirenn Nia ingen Nath-I managed to keep all those kids corralled and busy all day! There were a LOT of kids at the event!
Afternoon Tea Tavern! That's right, there were THREE taverns on Saturday (plus Feast!). I think this was brilliant and honestly Yzabeau Brossier and Emmelina de Meadelande just did such a wonderful job as Event Stewards! Then... I decided to try for another nap. Honestly, all the walking and the chasing His Excellency... I needed the rest. But only managed to doze a very little bit due to noise before it was time to dress for FEAST!
Feast, my friends! I had shared how much I was looking forward to Feast and it was absolutely everything I knew it would be! Sharing a table with Ăallach inghean UĂ DhubhshlĂĄine and Sarah & Kevin and family... a very upbeat, friendly, chatty table. Everyone had a good attitude and I do so enjoy their company. The FOOD. Y'all. Kiah knocked it OUT OF THE PARK like we all knew she could! And right on the theme! The Feast Removes included Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevenses, Luncheon, Afternoon Tea, Dinner, Supper and Dessert! Klauss Luinstra was a very attentive and amusing server in all the ways you would expect from someone who is a bard through and through. đ I believe Francois de Beaujeu did a fantastic job as his first time being a Feast Hall Steward.
Court was good and amusing, I love court antics! You must be present to win. Time to change clothes again to prepare for an evening of fellowship in the cold! I added a hot pack for my shoulder (and for the cold night).
Over the course of the event, I got to spend some one-on-one time with a few people. I appreciate their trust in me for confiding the things that have troubled them as of late AND the new joys in their lives. I am honored that some even sought out my input / advice. You know who you are. I *also* got to laugh it up until the wee hours of the morning with the likes of (among others) Jason Drysdale, Jean Paul de Sens, Margherita de Mantua, Michelle Chantal de Charente, Turpin Tyme, Nalka Um Al-Jafna, Belgutei Batar and Haley's Comet (AKA Vigge Jonsson / Viggen)! (some later than others) It has been MANY moons since I stayed up until 4 in the morning with friends! (Yes, I totally realized this is part of why I was so exhausted Sunday.)
Whoever decided off-site time should be 2pm was GENIUS! It was such a relief to know I wouldn't have to hit the ground running at dawn, esp since my phone wouldn't hold a charge. I got to take my time having a bite to eat and packing up - and am SO thankful for Skeggi berbeinn Sebbason ins sterka coming to help me at the perfect time. Folding my tent and loading the heavy items... my struggle was much reduced thanks to him!
While they weren't limited into a specific time mentioned above, I also very much enjoyed the time I spent with Milokhna & Vitalis. I got to know him a bit better and he is hilarious! I am so pleased to see both of them jumping RIGHT into the SCA and they seemed to have had a great time serving Feast.
The Fellowship of Castellan was just incredible! It left me excited for my next event, which unfortunately will probably not be until King's College... but that's only a few weeks away. đ
