Monday, February 22, 2021

Help Wanted

Following are open positions within the Barony, as of February 2021.


~~~~

Officer Position: Deputy Herald

We are looking for a Deputy Herald for the barony.
Term: 2 years

Requirements:

  • Must complete Kingdom herald warranting.
  • Must have reliable internet access.
  • Are a paid member of the SCA.

Responsibilities:

  • Attending the Darkwater officer and populace business meetings.
  • Assisting populace members with submitting heraldic items
  • Acting as a voice herald for the Coronets of Darkwater.
  • Teaching heraldic classes as needed.
  • Reporting quarterly to Kingdom and court reports as needed.

Contact: Baron Gavine Armestrang - Baronial Herald - herald@baronyofdarkwater.org

Officer Meeting Minutes February 2021

Barony of Darkwater Officer Meeting - February 1, 2021

Zoom meeting online


Officers in Attendance:
Lady Ursula Blackpool - Constable
Lady Leane Meyrick - Chronicler
Mistress Ilene Johnnestoune- Deputy Seneschal - Social Media Liason
HL Toki inn Eldri Bassi - Archery Marshal
HL Thomas von Wildtstein - Webmaster
HL Taran Saraev - Art Sci (Research and Projects)
HL Hadassah bat Josef - Chamberlain
Baron James Highgate - Baron
Vivienne or HL Hywel ap Wyn - Knight’s Marshal
Gravin Eva van Oudeachterkol - Exchequer
Ilona of Darkwater Exchequer Deputy
Lady Margarita di Rossi - Chatelaine
Baroness Milesenda de Bourges - Baroness

Officers Not in Attendance:
HL Hextilda Marshall - Seneschal
Baron Gavine Armestrang - Herald
Master Clothar Bructerus - Rapier Marshal
HL Gareth Dalyngrige - Librarian
HL David Archer - Quartermaster

Mistress Christine Chabrier, OL- Seneschal of the Canton of Loch Gryffyn


  1. Call to order - Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune - Herald
  2. Greeting by Seneschal - Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune - Deputy Seneschal
  3. Confirm Minutes Approved Offline
    1. Motion to approve the minutes: Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune
    2. Seconded by: Baron James Highgate
    3. Motion passed
  4. Officers reports.
    1. Seneschal (President) Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune - Deputy
      1. Hextilda has classes and will be unable to attend on Mondays
      2. We had said we were going to revisit the subject of in person meetings at the mall every month. Up until this point the consensus has been that there is no financial sense in paying for the small room when we can only have probably about six people in there, especially when we're not able to do events to have income coming in. I would like to propose and Hextilda’s in agreement on this, that we table any discussion of in person meetings at a mall until the kingdom changes our wave status. When the status changes and we're allowed to have more people in an indoor space, then it is worth revisiting that question to see if it’s financially feasible. Is everybody okay with saying we're going to table that?
        1. Leane - Are we going to need a motion for that? I thought tables had to have a motion and a second.
        2. Ilene - If somebody knows the rules better than I do, by all means chime in but my understanding is, only if it’s a financial question.
        3. Ursula - Technically, Sam made a motion and in chat Thomas seconded the motion.
        4. Ilene - Is there anyone who objects to that concept?
        5. Motion by Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune to table mall meetings until there is a favorable change in status.
          1. Second by Thomas in chat
          2. approved to table
      3. Because our state regulations are wide open and wave one allows for a group activity up to 50 people, if an individual wants to organize an outside function, such as a class, a stitch and bitch picnic, something like that, they are welcome to organize it themselves. They are welcome to advertise it on the group's page but the Barony itself would not sponsor any of those activities, but we're not going to prohibit them. It is within the state guidelines and it is within the kingdom guidelines.That is what Hextilda and I suggest. Does anybody have any thoughts on that?
        1. Gravin Eva - From the Exchequer point of view, if the Barony is not sponsoring it, it is not covered by the insurance.
        2. Ilene - That is something to consider. If we said that Lady Jane Doe is going to do a stitch and bitch for Magnolia park on this day and the Barony of Darkwater has no problem with that, would it then fall under our insurance coverage? I’m wondering where we hit that fighter practice level.
        3. Gravin Eva - To fall under the insurance, it has to be something that the Barony is sponsoring, announcing in their newsletter, and on their other platforms. Gotcha. If someone posted to Darkwater Populace, hey I'm having a party, needs help, or a get together, that's not the Barony sponsoring it. That's not the Bernie's sponsoring it,
        4. LeAnn - Does that get a little muddy? We weren't allowing the fighters to post practices on the Barony page.
        5. Toki - Unless they were sponsored.
        6. Ilene - Part of the reason we were not initially allowing fighter practice to be announced was because we had specifically said that fighter practices could not happen. During that time frame, allowing somebody to announce a fighter practice was going against what was announced. Now that it has been, anybody who's holding unofficial practices is allowed to post that.
        7. Viviene - You guys did allow cross posting of other people's practices to our page. Just not our own.
        8. Ilene - My thought would be that unsponsored is probably still a better option. We're not taking any responsibility for it.
        9. Carmen - That sounds fine except that if people who show up for the stitch and bitch or something like that, if one of them got COVID in there with a fighter, then that person goes not knowing they have it, then the sponsored fighter event ends up being something. There's no way to stop that but the more we limit it, the better off it is for everybody else. It ends up being a really big gray area. It's completely wrong to say the fighters have to go through these 3 million steps but anybody else can just meet do whatever they want and we're not going to keep track of it, then the poor fighters have a problem that they didn't have anything to do with.
        10. Ilene - That's very fair. We could say that if somebody wants to organize something like that, they need to bring the details to an officer meeting. The officers need to approve they have a clear plan in place, they need to have a waiver that gets signed by everybody who attends, and they basically have to follow the same basic structures that the fighters do. They have to have their masks on, they have to have sanitizer present, etc. and they have to do it far enough out that we can advertise it on Facebook and put it on the calendar. I would think that would be sufficient.
        11. Motion by Ilene: I will make a motion that we allow members of the populace to organize out outdoor, in person get togethers of a non event, non fighter practice type. I will write up guidelines for how they need to be run and keep it with the same basic requirements as the fighters. Then we will publish that they will be required to attend an officer's meeting or send a representative in advance so that we can advertise it at least a month prior.
          1. Second Taran
          2. Approved non opposed
      4. Cathy would prefer to hold her bid for an in person event. We agreed that bid would then be held until our first in person event. We needed a bid for clans to be virtual to follow the board's mandate prohibiting events. We have a bid from Maxwell McDougal and Hadassah as co-crat and are here to discuss their bid.
        1. Maxwell and Hadassah -
          1. Theme - The clans will gather physically distant but emotionally close.
          2. Being a virtual event but also try for more camaraderie based. One of the things that we came up with was having a feast lunch with everybody. We're looking for classes right now.
          3. Q&A format/Demo classes - six to twelve with two per hour
          4. Court in the afternoon.
        2. Motion by Thomas to accept the bid in chat
          1. Second by James
          2. Approved
    2. Constable - Lady Ursula Blackpool
      1. Nothing to report
    3. Exchequer (Treasure) Gravin Eva van Oudeachterkol
      1. First, I want to thank all of you and everyone in the Barony for a wonderful five years and I want you all to welcome my successor, Ilona of Darkwater, who has graciously agreed to take over We're in the transition period and at this point, talk to both of us and we will have the answer.
      2. Annual report from 2020, the Barony had a deficit of $5,000 from officers spending their budgets and dedicated funds, which is a good thing. Most of it was that we have a storage unit and a trailer parking space which therefore means all of our stuff has been secured for a year behind fences and with insurance, which is a better thing.
      3. It would be nice if we could figure out some way to receive contributions but this is not the time for that.The t-shirt fundraiser has been on hold for a year. If you would like your shirt and are willing for pay for shipping we can get them sent to you.
      4. We need to transition signatures on the bank accounts. Before we go through that I wanted to make sure we all agree, who is going to be on the bank account. Obviously, my successor, I will be her drop dead deputy until further notice, kingdom exchequer, David Hoffman as quartermaster, Ilene for seneschal and Hextilda until she has a deputy (Ilene asked if James was interested), Carmen as constable… need to make an appointment to go in together.
    4. Quartermaster - David Archer
      1. Nothing to report
    5. Art Sci (Research and Projects) - HL Taran Saraev
      1. Calendar - If anyone is interested in teaching please reach out and I'll be happy to schedule you.
        1. February 4 Business Meeting
        2. February 11 How to Set Up An Art-Sci Project Pt 1. by Mistress Alysoun Jeuneterre, OP OL
        3. February 18 Cordials by Mistress Catherine Abernethy, OL
        4. February 25 Before There Were Stars - Cooperative Game from Ilona of Darkwater
        5. March 4 Business Meeting
        6. March 11 How to Set Up An Art-Sci Project Pt 2. by Mistress Alysoun Jeuneterre, OP OL
        7. March 18 TBA
        8. March 25 TBA
      2. Resource of the Month "Renaissance Meteorology: Pomponazzi to Descartes” by Craig Martin. I will be osting it on Thursday. It is a fancy little book that talks about how people in the Renaissance viewed wind, fire, earthquakes, storms and rain, and how those understandings led to the modern understandings of weather we have today.
      3. We haven’t heard anything on Kingdom Winter ArtSci or TRU
    6. Herald - Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune
      1. Gavin is at the one year point in his tenure and that means it is time for him to advertise for a successor deputy. I know you (Keith) had mentioned interest and yes, Gavin is aware of that. But in order to make sure that it is transparent and open for everybody, it has to be advertised totally appropriately and that should start happening before too long.
    7. Chatelaine (Retention and Recruitment) - Lady Margarita di Rossi
      1. Nothing to report
      2. A couple emails but mainly looking for in person events
    8. Marshal (Referee) - HL Vivienne
      1. Multiple practices have been rained out this month. Only around 13 people attended. We had to remind someone to wear a mask but it was not a problem. I have no changes in any sort of proposal, moving forward.
    9. Rapier Marshal -Master Clothar Bructerus
      1. Nothing to report
    10. Archery Marshal - HL Toki inn Eldri Bassi
      1. Bennet will be taking that mantle on and we'll coordinate a day to get the loaner equipment transferred. The ARC are open but I am not comfortable myself nor is Bennett with holding practices. Once we start to get closer to being in person, we'll start doing practices again.
    11. Thrown Weapons Marshal - No current Marshall
    12. Webmaster - Lord Thomas von Wildtstein
      1. Designing the new website
      2. Working on the new website and moving everything over from the old website. We now have the zoom calendar. I need updates from everybody and I'm going to send over to the chronicler, the IP address because I don't control the DNS. I'm not going to have them switch this over until everything is done and updated properly. I'm just trying to get all of our blocks of information in place, because WordPress is not like our original site and it's not like Google Sites. It is optimized for the phone also.
      3. I'm starting to communicate with Taryn on the guilds. Because we don't have anything for the guilds and we haven't for a long time, if they want to gather some of their projects and come up with a nice banner image, we can add that, or if somebody wants to do scribal a nice banner for each one of our guilds, we can do that too. Once everything is in place, I can actually assign editor, contributor, and author roles, so other people can actually add things to the site and editors that approve things.
      4. Ilene - This would be the time to review your office. Look at what is on the current website and verify if it has the correct deputies listed and your correct information is listed. This is the time to make all those changes. If you would like your page for your office to look differently and content is something that you can suggest. It’s not the web manager’s responsibility to generate content out of thin air. Thomas, I have some ideas about the guilds to maybe streamline things there a little bit. Email the webminister with your changes and ideas.
      5. As long as it's a nonprofit organization and we're not selling anything on the site, we have it completely for free. This is one of the perks of working for a web hosting company by the name of Atlantic.
      6. If anybody wants to design new off office badges, we're using the kingdom's office badges. If you decide you'd like to design one for each page, that would be great.
    13. Social Media - Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune
      1. Everything is status quo.
    14. Chronicler - Lady Leane Meyrick
      1. I am still trying to get a date set down with Gareth to get the historian supplies from him. So I have nothing to report
  5. Baron and Baroness: Mistress Milesenda de Bourges and Baron James Highgate
    1. Ilene - I would like to make a point to say thank you and offer highest regards and esteems to our Baron and Baroness. This is their last time being at an officer meeting as our coronets and they have served with distinction.
    2. We have no business. We have absolute faith in you. (Toki and Thyri) I hope your tenure is boring and full of awards and none of this bullshit. We wouldn’t have changed a moment of it. Much of the best parts of this job had been the things that we've been able to do for the Barony and for it’s populace. Just knowing that you guys have that faith in us. meant an awful lot and now we get to have that faith in our incoming coronets.
  6. Viscor and Viscoress -HL Toki and Lady Thyri
    1. Thank you both for the last four years and for being inspirational. Thank you. Ilene and Gavin for the four years previous. You are all the inspiration that continues and inspires the next four years. We’re excited to offer the best of ourselves and do the work needed to be the best we can for the Barony.
  7. Cantons
    1. Loch Gryffyn - Mistress Christine Chabrier, OL - Seneschal
      1. Nothing to report
    2. Swampkeype - Lady Margarita di Rossi - Seneschal
      1. Crafting/Social/Scribal 28th
      2. Monthly meeting TBA - 22nd We are looking for a teacher. Please join us by Zoom.
    3. Seminole County SCA group - Cathy Abernathy
      1. No activity
  8. Guilds
    1. Scribal - Mistress Milesenda de Bourges
      1. No report
    2. Brewer’s Guild - Cathy Abernathy
      1. No report
    3. Fiber Arts - Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune
      1. No report
    4. Lampworkers Guild - Lady Thyri Bersi
      1. No report
    5. Dyers Guild - LeAnn Meyrick
      1. No report
    6. Performance/Bardic Guild - ?
      1. No report
    7. Cooking Guild - Lady Margarita di Rossi
      1. No report
    8. Costuming Guild - ?
      1. No report
    9. Herbal - Lady Rahil bint Haroun
      1. No report
    10. Craftsman - ?
      1. No report
    11. Defense - ?
      1. No report
  9. Upcoming Events
    1. Trident Tourney - We have three weekends until the event, February 19-20. We have been promoting classes, bardic, games, pun off competition for Lord or Lady of Foolishness, Heather Dale, pie competition, and raffle baskets.
      1. Ilene - Southkeep has a zoom we could ask to use
  10. Announcements From the Populous
    1. No announcements
  11. Adjournment
  12. Next Officer Meeting is on Zoom on March 1st
  13. There is a business meeting on February 4th
  14. Next Business Meeting is on March 4th.
  15. Meeting Closed - Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune

Monday, November 30, 2020

Baron & Baroness Letter - November 2020

Greetings and well met to those here present;

Most times I try to talk about the amazing things going on in our Barony - and those things are no less amazing today than any other - we have a wonderful Trident Tourney coming up next year with the investiture of our heirs, Toki and Thyri. We have amazing officers who work tirelessly to make sure our group keeps running and people who donate their time and effort to teach.

But we also have hard and difficult times afoot, and for the moment, we're going to face those head on.

There is no gainsaying that everyone's stress level is significantly higher in recent days due to mundane politics, SCA politics, and the general 'operational fatigue' of not getting to do our hobbies and things that relax us.

Her Excellency and I have noticed that everyone seems just slightly more on edge. Just slightly more tense. With just slightly less patience for themselves and others. To quote my good friend, Don Brian, this is neither good, nor bad. It simply 'is'.

I would like to invite the populace to our next populace meeting through zoom - during that meeting, I have asked our Seneschal Hextilda to allow Her Excellency and I to speak first where normally we have asked that the focus be on the officers. She has graciously allowed us to do so.

We need to talk about how we can come together, going forwards. We need to talk about how to not only have grace and compassion for others but for ourselves as well. And we need to talk about the road ahead as our time as your Coronet winds down into the history of our Barony.

Her Excellency and I took the Coronets with one singular purpose - to bring as many people together in our group as possible. And we're seeing all these tiny stress fractures across our group that drive people away, not together. And so we need to talk about how to work towards unity, not disparity. Towards communication, not disconnection. Towards the group, not the individual.

Together, we are the Barony. And it's hard - incredibly so - to remember that sometimes when we are physically far apart and when interest can lag because of these pressing times. I will only remind you, as I have done before, that this is but a passing shadow.

In closing, I would again like to invite as many who would wish attend to do so for our next populace meeting where we can discuss how to go forwards from shadow and into light.

Yours in love, and a sworn service to this Barony that will never end,
James and Milesenda
Baron and Baroness of Darkwater

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Baron & Baroness Letter - July 2020

Hail and well met!

As we move towards the end of summer, Her Excellency and I want to remind everyone to please be as safe as possible. Cases seem to be on the rise and I would not wish to see another name on Trimaris Lost for all the world.

On to happier news! Expect information forthcoming about a Digital Village Faire event where we will have a host of classes and will end the day with an 'Ethereal Court". We are basically only waiting on hearing who our heirs are to begin active planning for that event.

For those who may have been interested in our fighter community, there are loads of online classes being present - I believe there are some among the Armored Community that I am not aware of, but in the Rapier community there is this: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1867526233377714/

The Virtual Academy of the Rapier covers both fencing classes as well as generic fighting theory and technique classes. If you're interested, give them a look.

If you'll forgive the cliche, I feel it best to end on a quote - from someone with better words than I.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”


Yours in service,
James and Milesenda
Baron and Baroness of Darkwater

Populace Meeting Minutes July 2020

July 2, 2020: Barony of Darkwater Populace Meeting - Zoom meeting online


Officers in Attendance:
Lady Ursula Blackpool - Chronicler
Lord Kylan Hundr - Constable
HL Hextilda Marshall - Seneschal
Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune- Deputy Seneschal - Social Media Liason
Baron Gavine Armestrang - Herald
HL Toki inn Eldri Bassi - Archery Marshal
HL David Archer - Quartermaster
Gravin Eva van Oudeachterkol - Exchequer
Lord Thomas von Wildtstein - Webmaster
Lady Margarita di Rossi - Chatelaine
Baron James Highgate - Baron
Baroness Milesenda de Bourges - Baroness
HL Hywel ap Wyn - Knight’s Marshal

Officers Not in Attendance:
HL Calpurnia Fortunata - Art Sci (Research and Projects)
HRH Islay Elspeth of Glen Meara
Master Clothar Bructerus - Rapier Marshal
HL Gareth Dalyngrige - Librarian
HL Hadassah bat Josef - Chamberlain


  1. Call to order - Baron Gavine Armestrang - Herald
  2. Greeting by Seneschal - HL Hextilda Marshall
    1. SCA local chapter description
  3. Confirm Minutes Approved Offline
    1. Motion to approve the minutes:
    2. Seconded by:
    3. Motion passed
  4. Officers reports.
    1. Seneschal (President) HL Hextilda Marshall
      1. We do not have any word on the polling but we are awaiting word so we can plan for the future.
      2. The officers decided to cancel the contract with Kiwanis for Village Faire
        1. There will still be a Village Faire of some kind
          1. We have received the refund check for both Clans and Village Faire
          2. They are excited to have us back at a later date and understand why we are not returning at this time.
        2. We would like to hear what your thoughts and ideas are about how this event should be held.
          1. Options at this time:
            1. Meet at a park
            2. 2 day event with fighters on one day and art another
            3. All online
            4. Baron Gavine Armestrang: This is more than just VF. This is also kind of to start getting a bit more information on what
            5. Lady Ursula Blackpoole: read over the notes from the previous Officer meeting to touch on thoughts brought up then.
            6. HL Hextilda Marshall reminded everyone about the idea of using color bracelets to show your level of comfort with a hug, touching, or social distancing.
              1. HL David Archer - for the bracelets, we should talk to other seneschals in the Kingdom to coordinate the color scheme for this.
              2. Propose to other Baronies
            7. Question to the Populace: How do you feel about coming back, what is your safety level, etc?
              1. Baron James Highgate: Guiding star on this is to wait on anything, even a day trip, until numbers are getting lower… Much lower.
              2. Mistress Adelheid Leinwater: A month and a ½ is short notice, even for a day event. I suggest a virtual event and if for some reason we can get together, we can find a park/somewhere to put it together. Flu season is real, even when we don’t have Covid. But this is when school goes back and I don’t think we want to think about an event when there might be a Covid upswing at that time.
                1. I don’t think the Kingdom has even allowed a meeting face to face
                  1. Hextilda said we can plan, but we can’t really have it yet.
              3. Lady Ursula Blackpoole: Really feels this is dangerous when this is when we are going back to school and a number of us are teachers and that is dangerous for us to feel like we might be bringing the virus into an event with our friends and loved ones.
              4. Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune: I think the whole idea of the wrist bands, while cool, needs to be set aside until we have a definite get back together again. There has to be a flyer, regardless of what we plan, turned into Talewinds, so that we can have a court if our Baron and Baroness would like to.
              5. Gravin Eva van Oudeachterko: Thank you Adelheid for saying what I was thinking. I would like to also have a virtual event. We could have classes, an official court, etc.
              6. HL David Archer: Based on the new school situation, we agree and support we should cancel all in person from events till the start of the year. ~ David & Brittany
              7. Brian Retzlaff: I vote nothing in person until 2 months after we get the all clear.
              8. Christine Chabrier: At the A/S meeting, she volunteered to talk to another group about a Art/Sci competition. They are having another meeting as we meet now, and they will be doing a virtual A/S competition in the future. This could be used as guidelines, etc for doing this. I think we should plan to do it the A/S Regional virtually in case we need it.
              9. Lady Thyri Bersi: Not just the numbers going down, will make it okay for an event. Going downward does not make us safe.
              10. Mistress Adelheid Leinwater: She is going to take the information Christine and the A/S meeting talked about and go to the Laurels to see if we can have the Regional Art/Sci virtually? This even could be really large as it is online and would have a larger Kingdom approach.
              11. Michael De Lace: I want to have events this weekend, as a fighter, but I do think we need to be safe.
              12. THL Valgard: I feel safe, but I respect everyone else’s opinion about holding off. Though I would like to get back with the fighting community.
              13. Lady Ursula Backpoole: I think we definitely need to talk to IAN to see if he wants to have his event at Trident or Clans. We should NOT just put a virtual event on him without talking to him first.
              14. HL Hywel ap Wyn: would like to move his event to a real event
                1. Question: Do you want to have your event at Trident - at the Investiture?
                  1. He is okay with it, but would like to check with his people beforehand to make sure they are okay with it.
              15. Mistress Adelheid Leinwater: Can we schedule an additional meeting to plan the VF online event?
                1. We will message back and forth with Baroness Milesenda de Bourges to make a day for a meeting where we can plan this.
              16. Even if we do a 1 day event in the future: We need a fighter event. So that they can play as well.
              17. Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune- : Thumbs up and down on a virtual meeting.
                1. 13 votes to have the event online with 22 people in the room.
              18. HL Hextilda Marshall: Motion to move Village Faire to a virtual event in September.
                1. HL David Archer Seconded the motion
                2. Motion Passed by the officers
      3. When will officers make a decision to participate in Lady of the Lakes:
        1. Lady Ursula Blackpoole - Wait till August to make a decision
        2. Mistress Adelheid Leinwater- Let the people from Lady of the Lakes know that we will not be present so that they can start to prepare.
        3. Christine Chabrier - Considering the number of people that don’t wear masks here in Lake County. I don’t think we should attend.
        4. LeAnn Meyrick- My family will NOT be attending.
        5. Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune- My first event should be with friends and family I know and will try to be safe. Not 1000s of strangers with bad behaviors we have seen in previous years.
        6. HL Tahmineh Ctesiphoni: Plan for the best and I love the optimism in the room, but realistically we probably will not be able to hold events in November and December. If everyone was social distancing/wearing masks, etc, then maybe, but since that isn’t what we are seeing.
        7. Lady Thyri Bersi - Toki has recovered from Cancer. Due to this, we will NOT be at Lady of the Lakes
      4. How large would a fighter event be?
        1. What does Duke U. normally run.
          1. A decent attendance with many people.
          2. When it is announced that an official event with fighting is allowed, everyone will be there.
        2. Mistress Adelheid Leinwater: I have been to a couple Duke U events and both had an easy 100 at those.
        3. Lady Thyri Bersi: TAD is a martial event for archery and it runs about 75-100 for it.
        4. Baron Gavine Armstrang - A just fighter event will be easier to plan than a more involved/regular type of event. If we do plan to have Trident: It still needs to be planned. It is easier to cancel than plan at the last minute.
        5. Mistress Adelheid Leinwater: Might want a larger than normal event staff. If it is okay to happen, Trident will be a very LARGE event as it will be one of the first events we have face-to-face and it will be an investiture. We will probably have close to 300 or 350 people there.
        6. HL David Archer - We currently have the highest rate in the whole country. And number 6 in highest number of cases and total deather. Keep that in mind when you are thinking about events.
      5. I am currently at the ½ way mark of my Seneschal and would love to get deputies in line
        1. Currently we have one: Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune
        2. But we are always ready to look for others interested.
    2. Constable - Lord Kylan Hundr
      1. No Report
    3. Exchequer (Treasure) Gravin Eva van Oudeachterkol
      1. All of our outstanding check requests have been paid
      2. Let her know if you have any that you need to be paid
      3. Insurance
        1. If you reschedule in the same year, we get a full refund
          1. As we are doing refunds to be used for next year, we will get ½ of the amount back.
      4. We had a successful class for reservations through Zoom
      5. Contact the deputy of training if you are interested in Exchequer 101 that will be held on July 15th.
      6. Remember that reports are due: Officers and Cantons! Please email her with questions.
    4. Quartermaster - David Archer
      1. Populace - Some things have been donated. Please check the meeting notes from Monday to see them.
    5. Art Sci (Research and Projects) -HL Calpurnia Fortunata ( not in attendance)
      1. She is currently looking for a deputy as she is at her ½ way point.
      2. The class schedule is good at this time
      3. We would like to have people to teach after July. Please see her if you need to talk.
    6. Herald - Baron Gavine Armestrang
      1. No Report
    7. Chatelaine (Retention and Recruitment) - Lady Margarita di Rossi
      1. Lady of the Lakes is currently planning to go forth as scheduled
        1. She has let them know that we do NOT know for sure what we will be doing at that time.
        2. We are still planning for it, in the hopes that we do have an event.
          1. At this time, we cannot post about an event online until the SCA allows it. Noted by Lady Thyri Bersi
      2. Currently she is looking for someone to take on deputy for her office as well.
    8. Marshal (Referee) - HL Hywel ap Wyn (Not in attendance)
      1. No Report
    9. Rapier Marshal -Master Clothar Bructerus (Not in attendance)
      1. No Report
    10. Archery Marshal - HL Toki inn Eldri Bassi
      1. Darkwater Archery Marshal is also available for a new deputy to take over.
      2. You do have to be warranted, but reach out and I will help you on your way.
    11. Thrown Weapons Marshal - No current Marshall
      1. No Report
    12. Webmaster - Lord Thomas von Wildtstein
      1. No Report
    13. Chronicler - Lady Ursula Blackpool
      1. Please send us or post your stuff - What hobbies are you working on? Send us pictures or a handout that we can post online. We would like to keep the SCA alive and interesting, even if it has to be online instead of in person.
  5. HRH Islay Elspeth of Glen Meara (Not in attendance)
    1. No Report
  6. Baron and Baroness: Mistress Milesenda de Bourges and Baron James Highgate
    1. Apology for not being at the Officer Meeting
    2. It is really wonderful to see how people are trying to keep the SCA alive in this, but remember to go slowly and carefully.
    3. Please don’t take the risk of meeting up when it is not more important than your health and well being.
  7. Cantons
    1. Loch Griffin - HL Hywel ap Wyn
      1. No Report at this time
    2. Swamp Keep - Mistress Milesenda de Bourges and Baron James Highgate
      1. Did the scheduling time work out for the 18th for a meeting?
        1. In theory on the 18th of July Swamp Keep will have a social hour.
        2. She is checking with Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune
    3. Seminole County SCA group - Cathy Abernathy
      1. No Report at this time
  8. Guilds
    1. Scribal - Mistress Milesenda de Bourges
      1. No report
    2. Brewer’s Guild - Cathy Abernathy
      1. No report
    3. Fiber Arts - Baroness Ilene Johnnestoune
      1. No report
    4. Lampworkers Guild - Lady Thyri Bersi
      1. No report
    5. Dyers Guild - LeAnn Meyrick
      1. No report
    6. Performance/Bardic Guild - ?
      1. No report
    7. Cooking Guild - Lady Margarita di Rossi
      1. No report
    8. Costuming Guild - ?
      1. No report
    9. Herbal - Lady Rahil bint Haroun
      1. No report
    10. Craftsman - ?
      1. No report
    11. Defense - ?
      1. No report
  9. Upcoming Events
    1. Currently on Hold
  10. Announcements From the Populous
    1. Mistress Adelheid Leinwater: Is putting together a calendar for Zoom/Virtual Events will be listed.
      1. To make everyone’s life easier at being able to find events and meetings that are coming up virtually.
      2. This would allow us to post the Zoom links to the calendar so that we don’t have to go back and forth to get to the links when it is time to meet.
      3. We extended this offer to the other groups in the Kingdom at the Art/Sci meeting for the Kingdom last night. This way smaller groups, that don’t have access to the things they need, could have support, a Zoom room, etc.
      4. Please email any classes to Baroness Ilene Johnnestouneor Mistress Adelheid Leinwater
    2. Upcoming classes:
      1. Christine de Pizan taught by HL Adelina
        1. Time: Jul 9, 2020 07:00 PM
      2. Home Apothecary Part #1 (salves and other items) taught by Meisterin Adelheid
        1. Time: Jul 16, 2020 07:00 PM
      3. Home Apothecary Part #2 Making tallow and soap taught by Meisterin Adelheid
        1. Time: Jul 23, 2020 07:00 PM
      4. Papyrus Making taught by Master Udvarhelyi Barar Aeryck
        1. Time: Jul 30, 2020 07:00 PM
  11. Adjournment
    1. Next Officer Meeting is on Zoom on Monday, August 3rd
    2. There is a populace meeting on Thursday, August 6th
    3. Next Business Meeting at Fashion Square Mall is on hold
  12. Meeting Closed - Baron Gavine Armstrang

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Seneschal Letter July 2020

Greetings all.

I have a few things for you today. First off, I hope everyone is well and surviving these trying times. Remember we are all family and if you need help, let us know. We have been discussing events at the last two Financial Committee meetings and would like your input. We would like to know how comfortable you all feel with the idea of having day trip events in the future. We are looking at planning Village Fair and how to do it safely and successfully. The officers have decided to make it a day trip event. The question becomes what kind of day trip event we want to have. Do we want to meet at a park with a byo food and beverages along with social distancing measures? Maybe having wrist bands that help us identify how close we are comfortable with friends getting? Do we want to have an online class day like TRU? Do we want to have a hybrid between the two where the fighters can get together in small groups on one day and the classes can be held online the other day? Any other ideas? Our first priority is the health and wellbeing of our populace and that will be the main determining factor in whatever decisions we make. We will follow all state and county guidelines for gatherings. That being said, we would like your input on how to move forward and if we are even ready to think about moving forward.

Also, it has come to the time in my term to start looking for a successor deputy for the office of the Seneschal. If you have any interest in becoming the next Seneschal or would like to become a deputy please send me an email at seneschal@baronyofdarkwater.org.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the populace meeting this Thursday.

Hextilda Marshall
Aka
Kimberly Calvin