Category Archives: Red Tower

Castle Wars, Dragoncon, Events, Fighter Practices, Meeting Minutes, Red Tower, Society ANNOUNCEMENTS

August Baronial Business Minutes

South Downs Baronial Business Meeting

2 August 2017, 7:30pm

Atlanta Friends Meeting House

Notes submitted by Lady Raven Helmsplitter (mka Helena Bretherton Hay), South Downs Chronicler.

Lord Lucien d’Artois called the meeting to order.

Officer Reports

  • Herald (Lord Lucien d’Artois)
    • Submissions
      • Annaliese Wolf – name/device at Laurel (3nd month – post-commentary)
      • Stella di Silvestri – device at Laurel (2nd month of commentary)
      • Juliane de Vivonne – badge at Laurel (1st month in commentary)
      • Porcia Secunda – name at Laurel (1st month in commentary)
      • Lucien d’Artois – badge x2 at Kingdom
      • Konrad Windhorn – name at Kingdom
    • Court Report
      • RUM:
        • Mara Palmer – Broken Bow
        • Stella di Silvestri – Guiding Hand
      • Arabian Nights:
        • Mathias Blackett – Kingdom Bard
  • Armored and Youth Marshal (Lady Mairghread)
    • 6-8 armored fighters at Sunday practices
    • Joint fighters practice with Owls Nest continues to go well
    • We have one new youth fighter (yay!)
    • Mairghread has requested $200 for additional loaner gear
  • Live Weapons Marshal (Mistress Mara Palmer – THL Mathias reporting)
    • July practice hosted ~22 archers
    • Royal round was held at practice
    • Update on acquiring loaner and baronial gear: we’ve only had to buy 3 bows
    • We have two new marshals in training
    • If interested in shooting archery at foxes, please contact Mistress Mara; if you are taking part in other tournaments during the event, please be aware there’s a lot of waiting around between archery rounds
    • For more information about archery in Meridies, please check out their website
  • Chatelaine (Lady Stella di Silvestri – His Excellency reporting)
    • Everyone is encouraged to sign up for DragonCon and take part in the parade!
    • Stella made up some baronial business cards for distribution at demos, etc., which should arrive Monday
    • We’ve had several new people come to events and practices recently
    • Stella is still looking for a deputy chatelaine, in charge of demos – if interested, please contact her
  • Reeve (THL Maire)
    • We have some money! yay!
    • We are spending a lot of money so we have to be careful, especially with the event season and our several events coming up this fall
    • Everything is paid up till the end of the year. With the site location changing for Castle Wars, we need to be extra careful with funds until we know more about how the change will impact the budget
    • Mara mentioned that she’s still running way below budget with archery needs.
  • Arts & Sciences (Lady Veronica da Lucca)
    • The July A+S class night was on making viking aprons, and taught by Lady Juliana
    • This month’s class, on how to event steward, will be presented by Mistress Jadi. She plans to set up the class as a roundtable featuring participants who have extensive experience in event stewarding from both inside and outside the barony, who can provide a variety of viewpoints and experiences on event stewarding. Ximon volunteered. This is would normally be held on the 4th Wednesday, but there are schedule conflicts, so please stay tuned.
    • This month will be our 5th Wednesday in-garb potluck – everyone is welcome!
  • Webminister (Lord Pietro di Conti)
    • Updated the Knight Marshal page
    • We need to add a Live Weapons Marshal page, now that we have a live weapons program
    • New profiles for Aidan MacKay, Konrad, Mairghread, and Piers have been added
    • His Excellency added the new baronial awards page to the website
    • Red Tower event page was updated
    • Castle Wars event page updated – the Castle Wars page includes a downloadable pre-registration form; it was agreed that the Red Tower page should also have a pre-reg form
    • Fighter practice page/schedule has been updated and expanded
  • Seneschal (Master Wistric Oftun)
    • We have a barony (huzzah!)
    • Do we want to sponsor something at Meridian 40 Year? We should discuss and let Countess Thorkatla know.
  • Chronicler (Lady Raven Helmsplitter)
    • Nothing to report
  • Their Excellencies
    • Their Excellencies have received several recommendations for the new baronial awards! The populace is encouraged to write more!
    • They also encourage the populace to write more recommendations for deserving gentles for all sorts of awards for upcoming events! Check the OP if you aren’t sure if someone has a particular award
    • Their Majesties are already putting the list together for Castle Wars
    • Foxes!
      • Her Excellency would love to sponsor several teams for the tournaments at Foxes – rapier, armored, and archery (team names: Adela’s Special Snowflakes? unless there’s only one team in a particular tournament, then they’ll become The Snowflakes?).
      • Her Excellency will be working on new tokens this weekend – everyone is invited to help (silk banner painting practice!)
      • There should be several rapier and armored teams – yay!

Upcoming Events

  • Red Tower (30 September – 2 October 2017)
    • Lady Emmelina created a lovely flyer for the event – look for it in the upcoming kingdom newsletter
    • A pre-registration form and a Google doc for a signup list are in the works
    • Site visit planned for tomorrow (3 August)
    • Volunteers needed:
      • Herald(s)
      • Head troll
      • Pottycrat
      • Royal liaison
      • 2 list mistresses
        • (updates)Rapier covered per wistric
        • Serafina will do armored list
      • Hall steward (Mathias volunteers)
      • Children’s activities?
      • Travelers’ fare
      • Cleanup Royal site Sunday
    • Owl’s Nest is taking care fundraiser lunch; we will do fundraiser lunch @ Crossroads
    • Feast – THL Mariana is working on recipes, menu will be pinned down this weekend
  • Castle Wars (17 – 19 November 2017)
    • Flyer should be ready this weekend for submission to PopChiv
    • Most staff taking care of, just needs landcrat and heralds
    • Site map has been sent to Their Majesties so we can determine where they want their camp to be
    • Need donations for volunteer raffle
    • Lucien needs volunteers for troll
    • Maire said we need heaters and lights for troll
  • Fall Crown List (10-12 November 2017)
    • Co-hosting with the shire of Depedale and the Barony of Bryn Madoc
    • Will take place at Little Tallapoosa Park in Carrollton
    • Portapotties reserved
    • Event flyer about to go out
    • Everything is going smoothly
    • We (South Downs) will be the ones handling insurance
      • Maire mentioned that insurance for a group is taken care of for the first event of the year that group does

SCA Business

  • Mathias said there had been mention of 5th Wednesday in-garb potluck including some SCA dancing or bardic performances. He would be interested in getting some people together to do some commedia?
  • Ximon needs to talk with the reeve to get the check to cover the loaner rapier armor we bought from Tina (and the youth combat helm)
  • Sir Iazzie: The castle walls need repair/replacement (“rapier uses the walls, armored abuses the walls”).
    • Wants to talk to Sebastionnos about repairing/building a new wall and see how much it would cost.
    • We also need a gate of our own; with a second gate and repaired walls, we could do 2 castles for fighting scenarios.
    • Repairs very important, but we really do need *additional* wall pieces.
    • Hopefully we can store the walls and gates at the Shrine – currently they’re at His Highness’.
    • Can we get together with Tir Briste to help out with walls?
    • Fundraising idea – donate X$ to wall, maybe get your device on a wall? 🙂
  • His Excellency is going to test out new rope and stake wall for meridies royal encampment at pennsic
  • Lucien reminded everyone about the 2nd mini business meeting, possibly starting in August to help keep track of upcoming events (thru Midwinter A+S), to take place 3rd Wednesday of each month
  • After tonight’s meeting, we will meet for Baronial Chivarly / Heart of South Downs awards

Non-SCA Business

  • Lady Juliana suggests parking ideas for DragonCon. Parking Panda allows you to buy reserved parking spaces for much cheaper than public parking.
  • Other parking ideas;
    • Parking at the Cathedral for $20/day
    • Buy a monthly pass at the International Center parking garage for $120; pass is good for a full month, so if you need to park downtown at other times during September, it can be a good deal.

All the business issues having been addressed, the business meeting was closed.

Next South Downs business meeting will be held Wednesday, 6 September 2017, at the Atlanta Friends Meeting House.

–Raven

Announcements, Castle Wars, Dragoncon, Events, Meeting Minutes, Midwinter A&S, Red Tower, Society ANNOUNCEMENTS

May Baronial Business Meeting Minutes

South Downs Baronial Business Meeting

3 May 2017, 7:30pm

Atlanta Friends Meeting House

Notes submitted by Lady Raven Helmsplitter (mka Helena Bretherton Hay), South Downs Chronicler.

Lord Lucien d’Artois called the meeting to order. Master Wistric, our new Seneschal (huzzah!), chaired the meeting.

Officer Reports

  • Herald (Lord Lucien d’Artois)
    • Talmere’s Lusty Month of May will be hosting this year’s Meridian Heraldic and Scribal Symposium, so come on out! (13 May, Pickett’s Mill Battlefield Family Group Shelter
    • This year’s Knowne Worlde Heraldic and Scribal Symposium will be coming to fair Meridies! The shire of Nant-y-Derwyddon has the honor of hosting it, and will be held in Knoxville the weekend of 23-2 June, 2017. For more information, please visit the symposium website
  • Chronicler (Lady Raven Helmsplitter)
    • Still working on getting the newsletter up and running – hoping to publish soon! Please contact Raven if you’re interested in submitting content.
  • Armored Marshal (Lord Robert Throckmorton)
    • Seneschal Master Wistric reporting on behalf of Lord Robert
    • Reminder to all of new location (Liane Levetan / Brook Run Park, 4770 N Peachtree Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338)
    • Still looking for loaner gear donations!/li>
  • Rapier Marshal (Lord Brendan de Hay)
    • New practice location! Liane Levetan / Brook Run Park in Dunwoody. Everyone is really happy with it (not the least because of the ice cream truck at the park on Sundays)
    • Reminder that Dreamstone (5-7 May) is being held at Indian Springs Park in Flovilla, not the usual spot (Camp Daniel Morgan, where Rob Zombie is filming a movie this weekend)
  • Chatelaine (Lady Stella di Silvestri)
    • We’ve had a few new people show up at meetings and events – they have been excited and have felt welcome – keep it up!
  • Webminister (Lord Pietro di Conti)
    • Now that Wistric has become our Seneschal, Lord Pietro has taken over as Baronial Webminister (huzzah!)
    • We still have a website! huzzah!
    • Working on an artisan database; info, handouts, etc. you’d like to contribute, please give to Pietro
  • Arts & Sciences (Lady Veronica da Lucca)
    • Lady Veronica taught a painting and shading class last month for the Barony
    • Working on a class to teach at an event? Give it a run through by teaching it at the monthly baronial A+S class! A+S mistress is always looking for volunteers to teach classes. This month. THL Marianna has offered to teach a cooking class at her house (Italian! gnocchi!); Mattias has offered to teach a commedia class.
  • Reeve (THL Maire)
    • Not present at meeting, but Their Excellencies confirmed that we have money! huzzah!
  • Their Excellencies
    • Knowne Worlde Heraldic and Scribal Symposium is coming!
      • 23-25 June 2017, in Knoxville, TN; hosted by Nant-y-Derwyddon. For more information, go to their: website
      • Come on out and support Meridies!
    • Dreamstone is coming! This weekend (5-7 May), at Indian Springs Park. Pirates! Adventure! Ports of call (well, maybe)! Come join the People’s Barony of Bryn Madoc at Dreamstone XXXVIII! For further information, visit the event page on Facebook or here
    • Lusty Month of May is coming as well! Hosted by the Shire of Talmere on Saturday, 13 May, at Pickett’s Mill Battlefield Family Group Shelter. For more information, please visit the event site
    • The weekend before the Knowne Worlde Heraldic and Scribal Symposium in Knoxville, the Knowne Worlde Dance Symposium will be held in Baltimore, MD (the lands of Fair Atlantia), 15-18 June, 2017. Interested? check out the website for more information.
    • Fundraiser lunches! We have negotiated an agreement with the Shire of Owls Nest – Owls Nest will host the fundraiser lunch at Red Tower, and we will host the fundraiser lunch at Crossroads. If you are interested in helping out with the fundraiser lunch at Crossroads, please contact Their Excellencies.
      • Stella asked what the average attendance at Crossroads is. Sir Iazzie replied that the event is usually fairly small, but with the new, more central event site, turnout may be stronger.

Upcoming Events

  • Red Tower (6-8 October 2017)
    • Fundraiser lunch – already discussed
    • Event will be held at Booker T. Washington Park in Chattanooga
    • If anyone wants to volunteer on staff, please contact Beteena; Mara will be marshaling armored fighting
    • Beteena wants to go on a walkthrough to make sure there’s adequate land for camping before we pay the extra to allow camping
    • Wistric is going to make arrangements for insurance
  • Castle Wars (16-19 November 2017)
    • Site needs to be changed b/c site is not available. Possible alternatives – McIntosh? Piers reviewed how pricing/profits might change
    • A Dates can’t really change because of new kingdom laws
    • Master Ximon mentioned pricing issues with McIntosh he ran into when he autocratted Castle Wars there – costs need to be clarified, because his numbers were different than what Piers had been told
    • If we go with McIntosh, there will be no feast because there is no kitchen on site
    • Iazzie asked if anyone’s looked into Gwinnett County Fairgrounds? Could be worthwhile – no idea of availability/pricing
    • We should reserve the Shriner site now for future event years so we don’t run into this problem again, especially since we have a contract? agreement? with the site. Wistric will look into it.
    • A+S theme is Disney! Not too early to start planning your A+S project!

Event Bids

  • Fall Crown (10-12 November 2017)
    • THL Mathias is working with Depedale and Bryn Madoc on a joint bid, likely at Little Tallapoosa Park
    • Budget should be ready Monday
  • Artsy Crown 2018 (25-27 May 2018)
    • Iazzie will submit a bid with him as autocrat, and Lady Toki Ima as co-autocrat
      • Marianna will do Saturday night feast
      • Lochlann will do Sunday feast (bbq)
      • Duchess Sabine will do a breakfast
      • Matilda will do another breakfast
      • Adela/Mara offered to distribute danishes
  • Midwinter Arts + Sciences (2-4 February 2018)
    • Lady Alisandre is working on a bid

Other Events

  • DragonCon
    • Stella signed us up for parade – 40 wristbands
    • Ximon will start working on it, and has started putting the word out
    • Per last month’s meeting – we won’t do a table at DragonCon; too much effort
  • Atlanta Maker Faire (22 October 2017)
    • Is there interest? Sunneva is willing to volunteer
    • Event conflicts with Silver Hammer
    • New site this year – Georgia Freight Depot
    • Website for Atlanta Maker Faire
  • The Modern Maker weekend seminar (2-4, 9-11 June 2017)
    • Matthew Gnagy will be teaching two consecutive weekends on pattern making and a doublet workshop
    • For more information, please visit his http://themodernmaker.net/new-events/ (and drool at the project files!)

Non-SCA Business

  • Sunneva brought a soap making kit and some fabric – free to a good home!
  • Museum Replicas sale is coming up – 20 May! Sale starts at 8am, but there will be a line, so get there early!
    • “under duct tape, nobody knows it’s oak”
  • QOTD: Happy SCA birthday! Anno LII – How do you say that in Latin? LEEEEEEE!

All the business issues having been addressed, the business meeting was closed.

Next South Downs business meeting will be held Wednesday, 7 June 2017, at the Atlanta Friends Meeting House.

–Raven

Red Tower

Gaming at Red Tower

From Sir Geoffrey, Owner of the Cock and Feather Gaming Tavern:

On this coming Friday Eve, at Red Tower, we shall once again have the Cock and Feather Gaming tavern awaiting your arrival. I invite you to arrive early, and set your camp. Fill thy mug and come forth to spend a wonderful evening of gaming with friends in a lively tavern!!! Once again our focus shall be more on the games of chance that allow multiple players to join into one game, so that it shall be easier for all to meet and make new friends… and then win from them all of their monies!!! (Don’t worry…. I will give you more monies!!!)

We will have Knuckle bones, Teetotum, and several dice games out on the tables throughout the evening, however, the normal games such as 9 man morris, tafle, or Adre will also be available for play, so if you have a favorite, don’t worry…. it will be there!

I will see you all on Friday eve!!!

Red Tower

Red Tower Rapier schedule

From Brendan de Hay, South Downs rapier marshal:

PLANNED RAPIER ACTIVITIES AT RED TOWER XLIV

0900 Inspections/sign-in begin

1000 Early Bird tourney

If you are signed in and inspected, or at least standing in line to be inspected AT 10AM, you can play. Format dependent on number of available fighters.

<from this point forward, all times listed are approximate>

1100 Red Tower Rapier Champion Tourney

Hosted by the current Red Tower Rapier Champion, Ld. Piers Simmons. Straight Double-Elimination, possibly modifications to be announced at host’s discretion. Winner gets custody of the distinctive Red Tower cloak for a year, and the title Red Tower Rapier Champion.

1300 Red Tower Baron’s Prize Rapier Tournament

Trash talk has already begun..

In the 14th and 15th centuries, mercenaries known as condottieri plied their trade throughout the Italian peninsula. Their tactics were focused as much on economics as on actual warfare. In this tournament, success lies not only with the one who has the most skill with a blade, but also the one who best controls their purse strings.

The tournament will be set up as round robin pools, and each fighter will begin with five coins. For any given bout, a fighter may choose to pay their opponent a certain number of coins based on their opponent’s reputation for skill: 3 for a Master of Defence, 2 for a Captain of the Order of the Blade, 1 for anyone else (bribes may be refused or renegotiated). This payment will score the bout as a win for the one who buys it, and only one party may accept a bribe. The bout must still be fought “for show”, and the one who takes the bribe may also score a win.

There will be one prize for the fighter who scores the most wins, and another prize for the fighter who ends up with the most coins. Both prizes may not be won by the same fighter.

1430 Armored/Rapier Team tournament.

Find an armored fighter to team up with. Each team consists of one armored fighter and one rapier fighter. (Masters of Defense, please do not team up with Knights. Please?)

Each round is 2-out-of-3, one bout on each field. If one team wins both bouts, their team advances.

If a third round is required to decide the match, all fighters take their respective fields, and “Lay on” is called on both fields simultaneously. The first person to defeat their opponent takes the round, and their team advances.
If a set of fighters double-kills in the third bout, they do not refight unless the other field is inconclusive.
If both field double kill or kills from opposite teams are considered simultaneous then the third round will be refought.

If there is time, perhaps a pick-up melee tourney.

Whenever time permits and a marshal is available to observe, field will be open for pickups.

Red Tower

Red Tower Class Schedule

Red Tower Class Schedule

Time Subject Instructor Location About the Class
10:00 AM Italian Hem Stitch Lady Alisandre dela Chapelle A&S Pavillion 1
11:00 AM Dogs in the Middle Ages and Renaissance Mistress Peryn Rose Whytehorse Peryn’s Fieldside Pavillion Overview of dogs in our period, their body types, uses, and equipment. We’ll also talk about the Meridian Hound Guild and dogs in the SCA.
11:00 AM Intermediate Embroidery – Button Hole Stitch Baroness Leda Sand A&S Pavillion 1 You need this stitch for the Needle Lace Class
11:00 AM How to Get the Most Out of Your Volunteers Baroness Celestine de Chatham A&S Pavillion 2
12:00 PM LUNCH Fundraiser Lunch will be served
1:00 PM How to Be the Best Volunteer You Can Be Baroness Celestine de Chatham A&S Pavillion 2
1:00 PM Beginning Needle Lace Baroness Leda Sand A&S Pavillion 1
2:00 PM Intermediate Sewing – Construction Stitches Baroness Leda Sand A&S Pavillion 1 You need these stitched for Mistress Alessandra’s dress class
3:00 PM Making Late Period Clothing on a Budget Mistress Alessandra Fioranvanti A&S Pavillion 1 Learn about making late period clothing without breaking the bank. Sourcing fabric and accessories, inexpensive trim options.
4:00 PM Artistic Critique and the SCA Mistress Margavati Bai A&S Pavillion 2 We will focus on feedback and A&S entries.
Events, Red Tower

Red Tower Schedule

From Mathias Blackett, the Event Steward:

Friday September 30th

5pm – Site opens

7pm – Traveler’s fare available

Sunset – Bardic circle, Cock & Feather tavern

 

Saturday October 1st

7:30am – Breakfast

9:30am – armor inspection

10am-12:30pm – A&S classes

10:30am – Red Tower heavy tournament begins

10:30am – Red Tower rapier tournament begins

10:30am-Noon – Archery/Thrown weapons range opens for open practice

Noon – Fundraiser lunch provided

During lunch – Court at Their Majesties’ discretion

1pm-5pm – A&S Classes continue

1pm – Baron’s Prize tournament (Rapier)

1pm – Baroness’s Prize tournament (Heavy)

1pm-2:30 – Royal Round (Archery)

2:30pm – Heavy/Rapier crossover tournament

2:30pm-4:30pm – Bridesmaid tourney & Weapons Master Qualifications (Archery and Thrown)

5:30pm – Court at Their Excellencies’ discretion

7pm – Feast

Following feast – revel, bardic circle, gaming tavern

 

Sunday October 2nd

7:30am – Breakfast

11:00am – site closes

Announcements, Events, Red Tower

Red Tower update

Alisandre, the camp mistress for South Downs, asks that people planning to camp with South Downs at Red Tower report in on the barony Facebook page.

Mathias, the event steward, has announced the feast menu for Red Tower:

The Opera of Bartolomeo Scappi (1570) Master Cook

Prepared by Grand Chef Mariana Cristina Tirado de Aragon

Course I
Italian Cheeses
Beef Croquettes-vinegar, pepper, salt, fennel, beef, eggs, cinnamon, parsley, garlic
Fruits- pears, grapes, and plums
Bread-flour, salt, butter, rosewater, eggs

Course II
Mushroom Soup-mushrooms, olive oil, onions, pepper, raisins, verjuice, cinnamon, saffron, herbs (parsley, thyme, sage) almonds
Parsnips- parsnips, butter, garlic, walnuts, almonds, parsley, garlic, ginger
Lamb- pork fat, onions, verjuice, common spices (galingale, ginger, cardamom), prunes, cherries
Flaky Pastry-flour, almond milk, sugar, rosewater, salt, olive oil, cinnamon, wine cooked raisins, pine nuts

Course III
Roasted Chicken-chicken, pork fat, orange juice
Broccoli- broccoli, slat, orange juice, pepper, garlic
Herb Tortellini- spinach, butter, herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary), parmesan cheese, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, saffron, raisins, eggs
Apple Crostata-apples, butter, sugar, white wine, cinnamon, provatura cheese, raisins