Pennsic

Pennsic court summaries, A.S. 58

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As Pennsic War has multiple opportunities for court, this reporter could not be everywhere and attend all courts. My thanks go to Selene White Hawk for filling in gaps I knew about. I apologize in advance for any missing awards and/or misspelled names, and will gratefully accept corrections to this report. Please contact me at dorcaswhitecap@gmail.com

Monday field court, Monday August 7:
Brian Robert MacDougall – Iren Fyrd
Roger Warwick – Iren Fyrd
Robert Magnus – Iren Fyrd
Alfwine of Wyvern Cliffe – Iren Fyrd

In Calontir court, Thursday August 10:
Agathon of Three Rivers – AoA
Obsidian Vulture – Leather Mallet
Gwyneth Felton – Torse
Lars Vilhjalmsson – Stile Fyrd
Yseult de Michel – Calon Cross
Elizabeth Hathaway – Torse

At the Calontir Party, Thursday night:
Micauley Morison, Viscount of Vindheim – Iren Fera

Other tidings from Royal court:
Master Dolan Madoc of Harlech brought news of the upcoming King’s Comapanie of Archers and Autumn Arrows events.
Lady Morgana MacDermott brought news of the upcoming Cattle Raids event.
Mistress Geneviève de Chambéry gave gifts who all who helped with the Soup Kitchen.
Baroness Antonia Stefani handed off the Soup Kitchen to Mistress Geneviève de Chambéry.
Some populace members swore fealty.
Honorable Lord Brian, Sir Roger, Count Robert, and Lord Alfwine received their Iren Fyrd scrolls.
War pay was given after court.

Battle of Eben-Ezer, AD 250

Pennsic 2023 Muster

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Illustration of the Battle of Barnet (14 April 1471) on the Ghent manuscript. Public domain in the US

If you are planning to attend Pennsic 2023, please sign the muster!

The Muster is a list of everyone planning to attend The Pennsic War and camp with Calontir. It gives our land steward the information they need in order to arrange our Kingdom camp and it allows the Soup Kitchen to have enough after-battle soup and jerky to go around.

You can find the form to complete here. Fill in the form and submit it. Then go forth and have a wonderful time at the 50th Pennsic war.

 

Pennsic court summaries, A.S. 57

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This reporter did not go to Pennsic. My thanks to Kennari Johann Steinarsson for his court notes. My thanks as well to HL Ysabel de la Oya for sharing what she found in the Boke. As always, updates and corrections are welcome.

Monday field court, August 8:
Lyleth Whitrose, dictus Sasha – Iren Fyrd

Thursday field court, August 11:
Augustin le Blinde – Stile Fyrd
Mathieu Chartrain – Sword of Calontir

In Calontir court, August 11:
Viga-Valr viligísl, dictus Vels – Torse
Merlyn Mechtildis Nahtegale – AoA
Gaius Flavius Auxilius – Torse
Jane Sinclair – AoA

Other tidings from Royal court:
3 newcomers received mugs. (New to Calontir court, anyway, as they are members of Wolgemut, who camped with Calontir this year.)
Some populace members swore fealty.

Saturday field court, August 13:
Pepin Lachemunt – Sword of Calontir

Battle of Eben-Ezer, AD 250

Announcement: Pennsic Covid Policies

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Illustration of the Battle of Barnet (14 April 1471) on the Ghent manuscript. Public domain in the US

Reposted from Facebook:

Greetings, For those of you who don’t know me – I am Illadore de Bedegrayne, and I am the Kingdom Seneschal for the Kingdom of AEthelmearc – which is the Kingdom where Pennsic occurs. Because of that, Pennsic falls under AEthelmearc’s Covid policies so let’s get into them.

We’re going to discuss COVIDSafe, Masking, and what to do if you get sick at Pennsic.

First and foremost, we are following the SCA’s COVIDSafe policy. You can read it in full here, but the short summary is that everyone five years old and up must either show proof of being fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or proof of a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of check-in, that has been issued by a medical facility. (It cannot be a regular home test.)

Some important points:

  • This is required. If you do not have either a negative test or proof of vaccination, you will be turned away, regardless of how far you have traveled, or your status in the SCA. The local testing centers may be full. Your entry to Pennsic will likely be delayed hours, if not days. Please come prepared and please let others who do not do social media know as well.
  • Electronic versions of proof of vaccination or a negative test are OK.
  • There will be no menacing the CovidSafe checkers at Troll. Please be kind to these staff members. They are trying to help you get through the line as quickly as possible. Anyone that starts yelling at them, bullying, acting disrespectfully, or being abusive to them will be told to remove themselves from the property immediately for the duration of Pennsic War.
  • Please be advised that the SCA COVIDSafe policies are for attendees. The landowners, their staff, and some of the food vendors (who don’t participate in the event) are not covered under this policy or the mask policy. There will be no menacing, yelling, or bullying of them either.

Next – masks:
AEthelmearc has a two part masking policy.

  • Part 1 – if you are unvaccinated, you must wear a mask at all times in public areas.This does not include when you are in your private camp – anywhere out in public, you must wear a mask over your mouth and nose. Kids – yes, this includes kids age 2 and above. Again, this is for outside your private camp, and in public areas.
  • Part 2 – Any place that is inside, when Covid transmission is high or substantial on the CDC transmission map (not the community level), everyone must wear a mask.

What is inside?:

  • Troll, due to its high density and volume is considered inside and masks are required at Troll.
  • The Great Hall/Big Giant Barn is considered inside if the doors are down, the laundry area, bathhouses, and trailers used by the SCA. Of note, the upper level of the Cooper shower house next to the Cooper Store will be closed and locked for Pennsic 49. The upper bathrooms will still be accessible from the deck. Please let families with older children and teenagers know that they will not be able to hangout and play games inside the shower house like they have in previous years.

What is outside?

  • All Pennsic tents – save Troll. The Great Hall if all of the doors are open. And of course, outside.
  • (The Cooper Store and Internet Cafe is not part of the event and does not fall under this policy.)

Side note – Private camps can set their own rules for masks in their own camps / tent areas.

What to do if you become sick at Pennsic.
If you get Covid or test positive for Covid while at Pennsic, you should immediately put on a mask, and return home.

If that is not possible (say due to plane tickets), you should Isolate in your tent/camp; notify your campmates for their own health and safety, do not participate in any activities such as martial, classes, A&S, court, and the like, and you can return to activities after 5 days of no symptoms and a negative Covid test issued from a licensed medical provider; or 10 days and a negative Covid test issued from a licensed medical provider if you have symptoms. Again, this is ONLY if you cannot return home due to extenuating circumstances.

We know that some of you do not agree with these policies and there is an added burden. We just want you to understand that our main goal here is to keep the greatest number of people at the lowest risk.

To summarize: CovidSafe policy is in effect at Pennsic, you must show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative covid test, from a medical facility, taken within 72 hours of arrival, unvaccinated individuals, 2 and up, need to wear a mask in public spaces, masks are required by *all* inside, and if you get sick or test positive at Pennsic – mask up and return home. Thank you so much and I hope you have a wonderful war.

Announcement – Pennsic Postponed Until 2022

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Reposted from The Æthelmearc Gazette

Illustration of the Battle of Barnet (14 April 1471) on the Ghent manuscript. Public domain in the US

From the Pennsic Mayor:

G’Day Everyone,

When taking office in the position of Mayor for Pennsic 49 I made a promise to everyone. That promise was that above all else, I would endeavor to run a fiscally responsible and safe Pennsic 49. It was my dear friend and mentor Viscount Sir Edward that said to me “The people that attend this event are Pennsic, take care of them.” I promised him I would. Then COVID 19 hit and the entire world was plunged into a crisis, the like of which we have not witnessed in our lifetimes.

Over the past few months, I have been in constant discussions with The Pennsic Seneschals Group (PSG), The President of the SCA Inc, Coopers Lake Management and my Pennsic Senior Executive Group. In addition, I have seen the comments from many of you and listened to the comments from my Deputy Mayors and their staff.

I have kept you all updated as much as possible so that you all understand my decision-making process and so that you understand the path I am walking when I make decisions. Although change is happening and things are getting better, I must deal with the now, rather than what I think it may be like in 3 months’ time and unfortunately our vendors needs for commitment and certainty are requiring us to make commitments earlier than we originally intended.

As Mayor of Pennsic 49, I was entrusted with, the welfare and safety of the entire Pennsic Family. It is therefore with great sadness that I must inform you today that, I have decided to Postpone Pennsic 49 for another 12 months to 2022. The new dates for Pennsic 49 will be 29 July 2022 – 14 August 2022. This has been an exceedingly difficult decision to make but I trust you understand the reasoning behind it.

This postponement will be heartbreaking news to many of you and especially to the community surrounding Coopers Lake.

It has been arranged with Cooper’s Lake Management, that those who have preregistered for Pennsic 49 may have their registrations rolled over to 2022. If you desire a refund, please go to http://www.cooperslake.com and log into your pre-registration account.

Even if Pennsic 49 cannot run this July 2021, I remain optimistic that the situation will improve over the next months. I know that some of you have lost loved ones to this pandemic and my Pennsic Team and I send you our condolences and best wishes.

I am looking forward to the time when I can share some time with you all at Cooper’s Lake and Pennsic War.

Yours in Service,

Sir Gregory of Loch Swan

Mayor

Pennsic 49

100K From the SCA: Help for Butler County, PA

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An army of Scadians coming together to fight food insecurity in Butler County, PA.

 

While the postponement of Pennsic 49 is a great emotional loss for Scadians, it is a tremendous economic loss for Butler County, PA. Over 10,000 people attend Pennsic each year. If each of us who holds Pennsic in our hearts donates just $10, we can raise $100,000 or more to support the great community that is home to this amazing two-week event.

Further details on the website.

https://100kfromthesca.org/

Announcement: Pennsic 49 Postponed to 2021

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PENNSIC 49 – COVID 19 UPDATE
24th April 2020

G’Day Everyone,

COVID-19 is touching all of our lives and at this time our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our Pennsic Attendees, Cooper’s Lake Family and Staff:, the entire Community of people in and around Cooper’s Lake Campground we interact and depend upon, and our numerous vendors who supply our event. They are all part of the “Pennsic-War-Family”.

When I took on the office of Mayor of Pennsic 49, I promised to, and was entrusted with, the welfare and safety of the entire Pennsic Family. It is therefore with great sadness that I must inform you today that, we have decided to postpone Pennsic 49, scheduled for July 24, 2020 through August 9, 2020 to July 30, 2021 through August 15, 2021.

This postponement will come as heartbreaking news to many of you – and it has been an exceedingly difficult decision for us to make. Since the first Pennsic Wars at Cooper’s Lake we have been so proud to welcome people from all over the Knowne World to beautiful lands of Aethelmearc, but this year, sadly we cannot gather together as before.

As many of you have read in my previous COVID-19 updates, the impact of this terrible pandemic has effects that reach far past just those that attend Pennsic War. I will not go into all our considerations here again, you can all read my previous two posts that outline many of the factors we considered before making this decision. However, on this one occasion the emotion of Pennsic needed to be removed and the hard decision made.

It has been arranged with Cooper’s Lake Management, that those who have preregistered for Pennsic 49 may have their registrations rolled over to 2021.
If you desire a refund, please go to www.cooperslake.com and log into your pre-registration account.

Even if we cannot be together this July, we remain optimistic that the situation will soon improve. I know we are all very worried about the impact that COVID-19 is having on our loved ones and daily lives. My Pennsic team and I send you our very best wishes. We cannot wait to share time together at Cooper’s Lake again with you all.

Yours,

Sir Gregory of Loch Swan
Mayor
Pennsic 49

A Message from the Pennsic Autocrat

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Codex Manesse, UB Heidelberg, Cod. Pal. germ. 848, fol. 17r, “Herzog von Anhalt”, 1305-1315. Public Domain in the United States

Message from Sir Gregory of Loch Swan, reposted from the Æthelmearc Gazette:

G’Day Everyone,

The past month has seen significant change in the COVID-19 threat and risk overlay for Pennsic 49. The cancellation of major events throughout the modern world such as, The Olympic Games (July 2020) in Japan, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (July/Aug 2020) in Scotland and major events across the USA, plus the restriction of travel both nationally and internationally, have indicated to me that this world-wide pandemic is having an ongoing longer effect on the planning and running of Pennsic 49 in July/August 2020 than could have been foreseen.

In addition, last week has seen the cancellation of Æthelmearc War Practice and the closure of all schools in Pennsylvania for the rest of the school year.

Cognizant of these changes I have asked Viscount Edward to liaise with the Coopers Lake management and identify a final notification date for the continuance of Pennsic 49 in 2020.

This is not to be viewed as a cancellation of the event; it simply allows me to have a “timeline” for decision making and allows me to further consider the impact of events on my recommendations to the Pennsic Seneschals Group (PSG).

It is therefore incumbent upon me to plan for as many possible outcomes as I can foresee. To that end, I have requested that the PSG have a virtual meeting, on a mutually suitable date between 20 to 25 April 2020. At that meeting, discussions will be held regarding several impacting factors for Pennsic 49 in 2020.

My primary concern will be to ensure the safety of the Pennsic War attendees, the Coopers Lake community and staff, as well as the impact on businesses in and around Coopers Lake Campground area.

We need to also consider the recovery period for businesses in the local area that would normally supply Pennsic with part of our infrastructure for the event to run safely and effectively. This includes but is not limited to everything from the contracted EMS Service to tents and golf carts.

I have been in discussions with James Brezel from the Coopers Lake management group over the past weeks to ascertain their position as no matter which way we go, it will have a great financial impact on their business. I cannot comment on things that Coopers Lake Campground supplies from Porta-Johns to Coopers casual staff and the Pennsic Store, I will leave that to James and the Coopers Lake management to evaluate as they know that side well and what effects COVID-19 has had on the supply chain to them.

All the above needs to be considered and discussed before any final decision/s are made. That decision does not include the overarching authority by local, county, state or federal agencies that would override any decision made by either ourselves or Coopers Lake management and which is beyond our control.

I am looking at a lot and taking into account all options and considerations not only for the people who attend Pennsic every year, but also for the Coopers management and staff. In addition, we need to consider the impact and opinions of the local people and businesses, in and around Pennsic. I especially need to look at if the local businesses can still supply or are in a position to supply the attendees to Pennsic 49.

On top of this we need to consider the impact on the local community of 8,000 to 10,000 people turning up from all over the USA and internationally and what the health effect that may have both physically and reputation-wise to the SCA, Pennsic, and the Coopers Lake Campground.

Add to that the constant changing figures in the USA, shutdown of state borders, local, county, state, and federal changes in the movement of people, and last but not least the projected recovery time, even if this bottoms out by the end of June. This is a juggling game where we cannot afford to drop a ball. So, I am being measured, careful, factual, and logical in our approach.

Be assured, we are all working towards the best possible solution. It is my desire to have a final decision advertised no later than 15 May 2020. This will allow people to change plans if necessary and/or prepare for a Pennsic that might be very different to that we have attended before.

As you are all no doubt aware by now… I like to Plan for the Known and Prepare for the Unknown. I have a fantastic staff and great support from the PSG and Coopers Lake management.

I will keep you all advised on the outcome of our discussions and planning.

In Service to you all
Gregory
Mayor
Pennsic 49

Pennsic Family Activities Seeking Volunteers

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Greetings from the Pennsic 49 Family Activities Coordinator!

I know that it feels like Pennsic just happened, but next years’ staff is already hard at work preparing for Pennsic 49.
Family Activities cannot run without the help of many hands, and we are looking for volunteers for several of our coordinator positions, as well as folks who think they might like to shadow those jobs to possibly do it in a few years. We’d love to prevent burnout by having many folks trained on jobs.

Please fill out the linked form or email me at fpoint@pennsicwar.org if you are interested in any or more than one of these jobs. For jobs requiring an SCA background check, there is plenty of time to get one, and I’ll be happy to walk you through the process.

Thanks!

Mistress Leonete D’Angely, Family Point Coordinator

Interest Link: https://forms.gle/BZATFzFn6C3hGVWK6

Jobs that are open or looking for a shadow/deputy
(** Requires SCA Background Check)

  • Deputy Family Point Coordinator**
    Approximately 2 hours a week Jan-Mar, 3 hrs a week Apr-July, on call during Pennsic, early arrival to help set     up optional
  • Youth U Coordinator**
    Approximately 2 hours a week Jan-Mar, 3 hrs a week Apr-July, on call during Pennsic
  • Teen U Coordinator**
    Approximately 2 hours a week Jan-Mar, 3 hrs a week Apr-July, on call during Pennsic
  • Evening Activities Coordinator**
    Approximately 2 hours a week Jan-Mar, 3 hrs a week Apr-July, on call during Pennsic
  • Background Checked Daily Coordinator**
    On call 1 or more days at Pennsic
  • Toddler Activities/Parent Group Coordinator
    Approximately 1 hour a week Jan-Mar, 2 hrs a week Apr-July, on call during Pennsic
  • Garb Swap Organizer
    Approximately 1 hour setup/takedown, check-in daily or every other day to tidy up area
  • Background Checked Supervisors**
    3-6 hour shifts during Pennsic

Non-Land Agents Asked to Wait Until Saturday to Arrive at Pennsic

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Re-posted from the Æthelmearc Gazette:

As many of you know, it has been a very rainy summer in western PA. Wet conditions at Coopers’ Lake are proving more challenging than usual for the Land Staff. As a result, the Deputy Mayor in charge of Land for Pennsic 48, Duchess Elizabeth von Kulmbach, sent the following request to all Land Agents today:

Due to the ongoing challenging conditions with weather and wet ground, Pennsic Staff would like to strongly encourage all campers to hang back and leave FRIDAY, JULY 26th admission to LAND AGENTS ONLY for Pennsic War 48.

We may need extra time to work through unexpected map difficulties with as few distractions and displaced people as possible so that we may remain calm and courteous to one another. NON LAND AGENTS should please delay arrival to PENNSIC WAR 48 until SATURDAY, JULY 27TH. (Exceptions being those ride sharing with a Land Agent, or the minor children of Land Agents. The goal is to reduce the number of CARS and CONFUSTION on site as some groups may need to move blocks due to uncampable conditions.)

This is not a rule, but a very strong suggestion that all Land Agents are being asked to pass on at this time.

Previous suggestions to non-Land Agents that “delayed arrival would be helpful” applied mainly to Troll processing capacity. THIS NOTICE applies more to the number of vehicles on site before each group has a confirmed place to set up and we are able to open site to all cars.

The battle field will be soft and easily rutted, and the more cars that stack up before we can open, the worse condition it will be in for fighting later. Land Grab is expected to take longer than usual. Land Agents should REALLY go look at their blocks IN PERSON before approving their maps.

MERCHANTS should continue to defer to the Coopers for set up and arrival instructions, per usual.

Thank you for your understanding and aid in communicating this to attendees.

Sincerely,

Duchess Elizabeth
DM Land, PW 48

Photo by Master Augusto Giuseppe da San Donato