The Baron and Baroness

Unto the Barony of Politarchopolis do Alessandro and Isobel, Baron and Baroness of Politarchopolis send fond greetings.

Arts & Sciences weekend

This event went extremely well, with many fine classes and enthusiastic people sharing their knowledge and skills. With three streams of topics, the main drawback being not enough time to learn and have a go at everything. In the evening the hall was transformed & so were the populace, for a splendid pot luck feast. A highlight of the evening was Mistress Ysabeau Chanteuse singing for joy, after succeeding in apprenticing her youngest daughter to Master Crispin Sexi.

Radburnes’ Tourney and Feast

This was Alessandro’s second and Isobel’s first event at Radburne. We joined our cousins, the Baron & Baroness of Rowany & were impressed by the hospitality of our neighbours in Radburne. A fine feast was served and skilled entertainments and dancing were provided. Isobel was fighting fit and so participated in the tourney the following day. To the great delight of gallery, Isobel accepted the challenge of one particularly small boy & he did face her bravely across the barrier.

Innilgard Baronial Changeover

The weather seemed wet, though we were assured that it doesn’t rain in Innilgard. Obviously there was a change in the air, the tourney was full of fine pageantry and honourable contest (and even elves & dwarves). The final court of Drake & Bloddeywyth was poignant and the investituture & first court of Aylwen & Ingreth was both serious & splendid.

New Year & Rapier Championship

The Queens words do sum up this event well “I knew I would enjoy myself and was looking forward to an event in Politarchoplis and it was even better than I expected” There was grand fencing with an astounding eighteen fencers competing. The evening included dancing and music plus enough fabulous food for two feasts and most excellent entertainment, to both the King’s & the Queen’s taste. Sunday dawned with perfect Autumn weather and their Majesties competed in the Archery and attended the Baronial Day Par d’Arms.

Huzzah for the Heirs

After such tumultuous times and much debate and contest between Their Majesties over the issue of their heirs, we have heard reassuring news that Their Majesties have resolved the matter once and for all and have anointed Heirs. Huzzah for Their Royal Highnesses Prince Siridean & Princess Siban.

Baronial Day Pot luck Feast

The first of these in April was fabulous (our thanks to Lord Gabriel Kalothetos for reviving this style of event as many had suggested they would like to see one but he took the extra step to make it happen). We do look forward to these continuing, with the next one on the 1st of June, with plans for firewood to make it a most cosy event.

Northern War

Unfortunately we will not be able to attend this event but know that those members of Politarchopolis travelling to the War will do honour to the Barony.

College War

We would like to see the Barony help the College of St Aldhelm and join in the fun of speed arming, competitive cooking and the mayhem that is Inter-College War in the Society.

Alessandro Isobel

Valentine’s Day

The Saint Valentine’s picnic and tourney in the park was a great afternoon with fighting, singing, dancing and games as well as delicious food and lovely company. There were a few faces we haven’t seen at events for a while as well as some newcomers. Altogether it was a really nice afternoon.

Congratulations and thank you to Lord Sui and Baron Courtain for running a very nice event and to Master Cristoval and Alys Dietsch for a delicious picnic. During the afternoon we were delighted present Count Stephen and Countess Mathilde with the fealty rings they wore, in the days of the Principality of Lochac, as first Baron & Baroness of Politarchopolis. The baronies have new fealty rings and the original rings were gifts from Their Majesties.

Target Archery Weekend

For the second year, Politarchopolis has hosted a full weekend event with a focus on the fine art of target archery. The Honorable Lord Mercurio and The Honourable Lady Sabine lead participants in a range of practice sessions, coaching and discussions. Lord Owen van Acker shared knowledge and experience gained from competing in target archery world championships and other international competitions. The weekend was fascinating and a great inspiration for the keen archers of Lochac. It was lovely to see some of our friends from Torlyon at this event too.

Newcomers’ Tourney and Feast

Newcomers’ this year had tourneys and spectacle, fine feasting, dancing and songs.

Members of the populace, newcomers and onlookers were entertained by fine displays in the two tourneys. There was a great turnout, with 11 fencers and 9 armoured fighters competing for the honour of their consorts and the glory of great valour. A number of onlookers were attracted by the pageantry of the occasion and stayed to learn more. We hope to see them at future events in the Barony and ask all to make them welcome as they surely did that day.

The newcomers’ feast was beautifully presented by the College of St Aldhelm. Highlights included delicious pastries and delicate meats.

We gave thanks to Lady Mathilde Hastings for her great work as Politarchopolis Constable and seeing that role handed on smoothly to Lord Valentin der Spieler. There was a changing of the Guard, with Gabrielle, Francesco, William and Antonia becoming pensoners and stepping aside for Jonathan Lochswan, Robert Stoner, Sabine d’Antan and Kitan von Falkenburg. Finally, the College Seneschal, Elizabeth Beaumont, announced her successor, Lafquina Filia Juliane and was presented with a pouch in college colours as a new token of that office.

Festival

The weather was kind, being only mildly wet and quite warm in the verdant valleys where this year’s Rowany Festival took place. Their Majesties did take the field of war for a final test of “the issue of the issue”. Though Her Majesty’s forces had fought valiantly and well at Canterbury Faire and at Border War, this time His Majesty’s forces were the victors. Her Majesty Queen Bethan offered her submission to King Berenger’s demand for an heir. Seeing the Queen thus humbled, Her gracious defeat did melt His Majesty’s prideful heart and so he avowed any further claim to Her person or body. Thus peace and justice was achieved through might, grace and courtesy and all present rejoiced.

Many arrows were lost in the green grass but neither this, nor damp feet and hems could dampen our spirits. Festival was, as always, full of wonderful people, much singing, drinking, fencing and armoured contests and dancing and other merriment.

Our great appreciation and thanks to Lady Ragnrhildr for coordinating the campsite and feeding everyone. Lady Ragnrhildr worked incredibly hard, and she was helped by everyone who carried water, cooked or cleaned up and generally made Politarchopolis a welcoming and comfortable encampment this year.

A New King and Queen

At 12^th night we bid farewell to Hugh & Terasa and saw the Coronation of our new King Berengar and Queen Bethan. Even at Their Majesty’s first court there was discord and disharmony between our noble King and his graceful Queen. For Berengar did demand of Bethan an heir and required that she provide one by March. Bethan refused her King’s demand and the King then stormed out of court, leaving both the Queen and the populace in great consternation.

The King later held court alone, but was challenged there by the Queen, arrayed most splendidly in armour with her armed guard about her. She did forcefully assert her right to reign as Queen of Lochac without need of an heir. Berengar relented for the moment, suggesting the matter be settled on the warfield at Canterbury Faire.

So we travel there now, to lend our aid to the Regal Red of our Queen Bethan, hoping that Her Majesty may prove the rightness of her convictions to His Majesty in language he will surely understand – by sword and bow.

Plotting and Scheming II

Thank you to everyone who attended or sent ideas. Your contributions have been most helpful to us and we greatly appreciate the frank and wise counsel of our populace.

Our seneschal has announced there are teams to run Valentine’s Day, Newcomers and O-Week, as well as a coordinator for Festival. Lord Owain is consulting with teams for a weekend of Arts and Sciences classes and for a season of tourneys and smaller feasts.

The Barony still needs to do all it can to help these good gentles with these events. We entreat all to consider how they might contribute to the success of the Barony’s calendar so that Politarchopolis continues to be the envy of all the other Baronies.

Yours in Service

Alessandro and Isobel

Plotting & Scheming II…

Even with last year’s many successful events, there was room for improvement, particularly in the forward planning. We’d certainly like to see things organised ahead of time a bit more this year.

To that end, we invite you to join us to discuss and plan a calendar of activities and events for the year ahead.

By the end of the meeting we would like to have teams ready to run Valentine’s Day, Newcomers and campsite coordination for Festival, as well as teams interested in a weekend of A&S classes and a series of tourneys and smaller feasts.

If you have been thinking about stewarding an event, but haven’t quite made up your mind or if you want to be involved, but don’t know where to start, please bring your ideas and also your enthusiasm to make things happen.

We will also be talking about Officers positions that are due for renewal and those that need deputies.

Where: The Yew, (email us for the address - find our email address on the Politarchopolis website)

When: 5 pm - 7 pm on Sunday 13 January 2007

Bring: Your diaries or calendars, your ideas and enthusiasm and your practical side.

Agenda: - Regular practices and meetings

- Event calendar for 2008

- Officers’ needing deputies or replacements

- Communication

If you can’t be there on Sunday 13 January then come a long and chat informally at Haig Park Hall during the usual Sunday activities or call and let us know you want to be involved so we can keep you in the loop.

Event Stewards

Lady Oriel has put together an excellent guide for event stewards and feast stewards and quite a few experienced stewards in the barony have offered to act as mentors for stewarding teams. If you are considering running an event and would like information or help in putting together an event bid, please get in touch with us.

Valentine’s Day

We have not had an event bid for Valentine’s and time is running out. We had some informal conversations with people who seemed interested and had some great ideas, but have heard nothing more.

The tentative date is Saturday 16 February.

If you would like to be involved in this event, please contact our Seneschal as soon as possible and try to attend the meeting on 13 January.

O-Week and Newcomers

The College of St Aldhelm’s will be holding a stall on at Market Day on Wednesday 20 February 2008 as part of the ANU’s Orientation Week.

The college will also be hosting the annual Newcomers’ Feast this year, the tentative date for this is Saturday 8 March 2008. The college have requested that the barony support these events by:

• providing items to decorate the o-week stall

• attending the demo on market day

• bringing a show-and-tell for a topic to the first two weeks of the college meetings

• taking classes for beginners in fighting, garb making and dance at a minimum (other topics very welcome)

• participating in a tourney on the afternoon of the Newcomers’ Feast

If you have time to be involved please get in touch with Lady Elizabeth, the College Seneschal.

Rowany Festival AS

Planning is underway and we have visited the new site with the stewards. Thank you to everyone who has already responded to our email about campsite allocation at Festival. If you have not already done so, please let us know if you’d like to camp with (or next door to) the Politarchopolis encampment.

If you are willing to be involved in planning or coordinating our site for Festival, please let us know. We have had one request for a food fund….

Alessandro Isobel

The Hunt

On a beautiful Saturday we set forth across the hills with a fine company of archers. We found and dispatched various vices that were loitering around the hillsides and routed a menacing troll from under a bridge.

Having made the hills safe, we had a delicious picnic under the trees then lounged in the shade. The gathered gentles then witnessed a display of fine skill from the fencers of the Barony. The wind was brisk and we soon discovered Mercurio has a talent for flying kites. Gabrielle of the Marshes felled a hawk in flight with a single arrow after others had tried and failed.

We then continued on our journey along the valley towards our hunting hall. On the way we came upon an abundance of bunnies in a meadow and these were shot with great enthusiasm.

We returned to the hall as the sun retired and there Master Crispin set a fine feast in that candle-lit hall that was adorned with splendid tapestries by Lady Sabine. Singing and telling of tales went on long into the evening until the few who remained fell asleep in the hall.

In the morning the woods rang with hunting horns and the bellow of wild boar and baying wolves. The baronial hunt succeeded in flushing out some poachers who were pursued to their hide and dealt with most harshly. The woods are safe again and the hunt yielded a fine bounty.

Spring Baronial Championship

Their Royal Majesties Hugh and Therasa, King and Queen of Lochac attended the tourneys and contests and presided over the celebrations of the inaugural Politarchopolis Spring Baronial Championship.

The pageantry of this occasion was reminiscent of May Crown, with banners flying and pavilions for the gallery among the trees.  His Majesty presented a fine challenge to the local combatants, as did the Lords and Ladies from other parts of the Kingdom who entered the lists to decide our new Baronial Champion. Our combatants displayed both skill and honour in meeting these challenges and the tourney was most deservedly won by His Grace, Sir Cornelius.

The fencers then competed for the right to serve as Baroness’ Champion. In a close and compelling contest, this honour was won by Lord Lorccan Ruadh.

In the evening a fine feast was set forth by Lady Jehanne de Bonifacio and her team of dedicated helpers. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Lady Alexandra Hartshorn and more hardworking gentles, the hall was bedecked with banners, lit with candles and rang with merriment, to the gentle accompaniment of the Royal Harper.

We were pleased to proclaim Duke Sir Cornelius von Becke our Baronial Champion. As outgoing champion, Master Crispin Sexi assured us of his careful stewardship of the Politarchopolis sword of state, which he tells us is in a very safe place. Past Baronial Champions were honoured with the creation of a Griffin Guard, in our gratitude for their past service to the Barony.

Her Excellency bid fond thanks to her outgoing Champion, Don Francois Henri Guyon for his courtesy and service and was delighted to announce Lord Lorccan Ruadh as her new Champion.  Past Baroness’ Champions were inducted into a new City Watch and charged with keeping safe the streets of Politarchopolis.

From among the strong field in the tourneys, Her Excellency announced that she had asked Lady Alycia le Cheval Blanc to become Baroness’ War Champion, following Lady Alycia’s own Knight, Sir Philipe du Lac.

We were privileged also to recognise Lady Ragnhildr Freysteinndottir with a Burley Griffin for her fine work and dedication to the Arts and Sciences.

Their Majesties held court and called forth a number of Their subjects. Lord Owain Cantor ap Hugh and Alexandra Hartshorne, were rewarded for their service to the Kingdom as the newest recipients of the Golden Tear. Valentin der Spieler, Catherine of Glastonbury and Caera Sionnach were recognised for their great enrichment of the Kingdom, being made Lochac’s newest armigers.

Sabine d’Antan and Mercurio L’Estranger were admitted into the Royal Company of Archers in just recognition of their honour, courtesy, service and skill. The Honourable Rainald Fitzrenyard spoke in praise of these two gentles and did remind all those gathered of the significance of this accolade.

There were quite a number of very beautiful entries in the Arts and Sciences competitions, with worthy winners in Lord Svein for stunning pewter cast griffin wings and Lady Ysabelle for lovely, whimsical illuminated capitals.

Sunday saw another fine day as His Majesty joined the archers of the Barony in a Royal Round and King’s Round. To the delight and entertainment of the gallery, Lord Sigmund Spellmann and Lady Ysabelle Vitale won the Royal Round and as if in a confirmation of their well matched skills, Mercurio L’Estranger won the Kings Round, with Sabine d’Antan a very close second.

We are overjoyed to see the great wealth of skill, honour, courtesy and service within the Barony displayed for Their Majesties at this event. We give heartfelt thanks to the many people who contributed to this event.

Alessandro Isobel

Lochac rattan Symposium

Dukes Belatrix & Brannos provided a most inspirational weekend. As well as having many tired muscles, Isobel’s brain is full twice over. Dukes Paul and Brannos are both marvellous and offered a wealth of tools and perspectives to all the combatants who took part.

In many ways as the weekend ended it felt more like a beginning - there is so much now to process, pass on to others and work into our fighting.  All over the Kingdom people are discussing ways to enliven and re-focus training sessions with some great drills and practice techniques discovered or re-discovered during the weekend.  There are already plans to continue the format next year with some local talent and perhaps another international visitor in 2009.Thank you to Duke Paul and Duke Brannos, and to Lord Everard and Duke Cornelius for all your work in making this project such a success.

We would also like to personally thank Baron Sir Gui for giving up his armour for the whole weekend so that one of our newest combatants could gain more from the workshop.  Although Sir Gui may protest that it is simply “part of the job”, it was an exceptionally generous thing to do and very much appreciated.

Spring war

This was our second visit to Spring War and it was indeed wonderful to see our friends in Mordenvale again.  Politarchopolis joined with the forces of River Haven and were decisively victorious against Mordenvale and Rowany for the first day’s fighting.  On the second day Baron Sir Gui of Rowany and our own Baron Alessandro were in command on each side and the forces were quite evenly matched.

Highlights off the warfield included fabulous collegia in silk banner painting and felting, entertaining bardic circle and lovely local wine & cheeses. The friendly service at the Felag to wet dusty throats as strong winds kicked up more dust than Festival.  It seems we inadvertently brought a bit of Mordenvale home with us.

Baronial Officers News:

• Deputies

Almost every officer is in need of a deputy.  Please consider assisting one of the

• Constable

Lady Mathilde Hastings has declared that she must reluctantly step aside from this position.  We are very grateful to Lady Mathilde for the wonderful work she has done in this role and regret that she will not be able to continue.  However, wonder of wonders, almost immediately Lady Mathilde announced her intention to find a replacement, there was a volunteer offering to serve as our next Constable.  We hope to make a formal announcement of this soon.

• Chandler

We still seek a
Chandler.  If you have space in a spare room or garage for items of garb, feasting equipment and banners and decorations, please take pity on your Baron and Baroness and help us get our garage back.

Coming events:

The Hunt

The Hunt this year is promising to be a magical event.  The stewards have designed activities and scenarios to ensure the weekend is amusing and challenging for both archers and armoured combatants alike.  The menu for the feast sounds wonderful and rumours of splendorous tapestries suggest the hall will be beautiful.

 Spring Baronial Championship

Their Royal Majesties Hugh and Terasa, King and Queen of Lochac will attend the tourneys, contests and celebrations of the inaugural Politarchopolis Spring Baronial Championship.Come and join the pageantry, test your skill at arms, archery or in the gentler arts.  From among the combatants and contestants on this day we will choose those most worthy to be Baronial and Baroness’ Champions.  Our Champions will be announced and past champions honoured in a sumptuous feast that same evening.

Casual War

A cornerstone of our Barony’s Calendar, nobles from all over Lochac are already making their travel plans for this event.  We have a number of newly authorised fighters in Politarchopolis this year and this will be a great chance to try their skills on the warfield.As the motto for Casual War says:  Come for the War! Stay for the pyjama party!