Announcements

Announcement: Position Open for Kingdom Seneschal and Emergency Deputy

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Calontir EnsignThe current Emergency Deputy Seneschal for Calontir, His Lordship Saito Takauji, will be stepping up as the next Baron of Mag Mor at the end of August. This means that I am in need of a new Emergency Deputy Seneschal.

My warrant is also up in November, which means that I am seeking a successor for my office.

If you are interested in serving the kingdom either as Emergency Deputy Seneschal, or the next Kingdom Seneschal, please submit your letters of intent to Seneschal@calontir.org by August 17th, 2022. If you have any questions about the office, please let me know. Thank you.

In Service,
Galen

From the Kingdom Seneschal: Calontir COVID Guidelines, Effective June 13, 2022

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Calontir EnsignReposted from Facebook, from Galen MacColmain, Kingdom Seneschal:

Good morning Calontir! After extensive review of currently available data, and in consultation with Their Majesties, it has been decided to adjust Calontir’s COVID Guidelines for event attendance. If you have any questions regarding the guidelines please contact me at Seneschal@calontir.org. The new guidelines are as follows…

Current Rules for Calontir Event Attendance (effective June 13, 2022)

    1. COVIDSafe – The COVIDSafe policy is separate from these guidelines, and will remain in place until the criteria for suspension have been satisfied. More information on the COVIDSafe policy can be found at https://www.calontir.org/covidsafe/.
    2. Masks
      1. Masks are not required outdoors.
      2. While indoor masking is generally encouraged, those individuals who meet the CDC definition of “Fully Vaccinated” may choose not to wear a mask indoors.
      3. All those who do not meet the CDC definition of “Fully Vaccinated” must wear masks covering the nose and mouth while indoors, save those under 24 months of age.
    3. Food
      1. There are no restrictions on food at this time.
    4. Drink
      1. The only restriction at this time is the current Society prohibition on the use of shared drinking vessels for water bearing.

Requests from the Crown:

  1. If you are medically able to get the COVID Vaccine, please do so. If you are due for a booster, please get one.
  2. Please do not attend gatherings if you are not feeling well. If someone in your household is Covid positive, or symptomatic, please stay home.
  3. Please respect the comfort levels of those who wish to follow more stringent masking and distancing practices than are strictly required.
  4. The SCA is an organization of chivalry and community. Please remember these values and help us all set a good example for the rest of the Known World.

In all things kindness, peace, and love.

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: From the Falcon Crown

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We thank everyone for their thoughtful comments on the calendar change.

This is a challenging issue, when we know it is impossible to please everyone. There are those who disagree with the premise that having Heirs at foreign wars is beneficial, that the calendar is fine the way it is. We would not be having this conversation if We believed that.

After reviewing the comments and opinions of the people, We will be changing the Kingdom Calendar to hold Crown Tournament the first week of June and December, Coronation the first weekend of April and October. This was the most popular option, and this schedule gives Heirs both the opportunity to attend foreign wars, and sufficient time to plan for those. The transition to this calendar that had the most support is to cancel July Coronation, and hold Coronation in October – currently scheduled as Crown Tournament. Conversations about this transition, and event bids for the new schedule have also begun.

In addition to the change of schedule for Crown Tournament and Coronation, We are recognizing Masters of the Duel as a Royal Event, for Calontir Stile.

We are removing specific weekends in Kingdom Law for Royal Events, to increase flexibility in scheduling Royal Events.

  • Masters of the Duel will be held annually
  • King’s Companie of Archers will be held annually
  • Calon Con will be held annually, in January or February (a virtual event)
  • Queen’s Prize Tournament will be held annually, in April or May
  • Kingdom Arts and Sciences will be held annually, in October or November
  • This balances Queen’s Prize and Kingdom A&S between the two reigns, and schedules the Calon Con, now held virtually, during winter, the less favorable travel period.

After much consideration and conversation, we are not creating a Royal Event for Equestrian. Our Equestrian community is strong and wise, and have given us good counsel in this regard. The current patterns for Equestrian events are functioning well, and there is no need to disrupt this activity with a Royal Event.

The new Kingdom Calendar can be viewed at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iX955HjAjWIwj2_FRA8UuWIW53LACFoa/view?usp=sharing

Thank you one and all for sharing your opinions, and for continuing to create these current middle ages together.

King Hirsch and Queen Magdalena
Peace. Love. Calontir.

Download (PDF, 73KB)

Announcement: Current Rules for Calontir Event Attendance (effective March 4, 2022)

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Detail from the Hunterian Psalter, Glasgow University Library MS Hunter 229 (U.3.2) circa 1170. Public domain in the US

From the Calontir Seneschal:

Good morning Calontir!
After extensive review of currently available data, and in consultation with Their Majesties, it has been decided to adjust Calontir’s COVID Guidelines for event attendance. If you have any questions regarding the guidelines please contact me at Seneschal@calontir.org. The new guidelines are as follows…

Current Rules for Calontir Event Attendance (effective March 4, 2022)
•These rules apply to both events and local meetings, practices, and gatherings.
•These rules are in addition to, not in place of, the Society level rules from the BoD.
•These rules are the MINIMUM requirements, and local group leadership may enact more stringent requirements if the local health conditions warrant.
•All Local, State, and Federal Guidelines are to be followed, including masking and gathering size limits.
•If you are fully vaccinated and it has been long enough that the vaccine will have reached maximum efficacy, you may choose not to wear a mask while outdoors.
•Everyone over the age of 24 months must mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
•Masks must be worn covering the nose and mouth.
•You may bring your own food to an event and you may share it with others.
•Food may be served in an official capacity, such as an inn or vigil table.
•If you would usually be required to be masked, you must distance a minimum of 6 feet to unmask for eating or drinking.
o Vaccinated members of the populace may be closer than 6 feet outdoors, but must still distance to eat or drink indoors.
o Unvaccinated members of the populace must distance at least 6 feet to eat or drink both indoors and out.
•Feasts will not be allowed at this time.
•Water Bearing may be provided from the communal coolers, but only into personal containers, not our traditional shared jugs.

Requests from the Crown
•If you are medically able to get the Covid Vaccine, please do so. If you are due for a booster, please get one.
•Please do not attend gatherings if you are not feeling well. If someone in your household is Covid positive, or symptomatic, please stay home.
•Please respect the comfort levels of those who wish to follow more stringent masking and distancing practices than are strictly required.
•The SCA is an organization of chivalry and community. Please remember these values and help us all set a good example for the rest of the Known World.

In all things kindness, peace, and love.

From Their Royal Majesties: Winter War Maneuvers

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It is too soon for great optimism, but we are cautiously optimistic.

Two weeks ago, in consultation with Our Witan and event stewards, we postponed events in the first half of February. We appreciate all of the effort and input that went into that difficult decision, as well as the work preparing for these events.

We are pleased to announce that Winter War Maneuvers is going forward as scheduled, with N95/KN95/KF94 masks required for all indoor activities, including fighting, both armored and steel. If you cannot fit an N95/KN95/KF94 mask in your helmet/mask while fighting, you may wear a multilayer non-woven surgical mask while fighting, but you are expected to wear an N95/KN95/KF94 mask while not fighting.

We recognize that the masking requirement makes staying hydrated difficult, and we encourage people to bring a straw, take a break outdoors to drink some water.

In January We required N95/KN95 masks at Coronation, and we capped attendance. We are not planning to cap attendance at this time.

It is imperative that if you are feeling unwell, you should stay home from an event. If someone in your household is currently positive, you must stay home, even if you are asymptomatic. As much as we enjoy seeing one another in person again, we would rather have smaller events than to have no events at all. The health of the kingdom is Our priority.

We remain honored to be
King Hirsch and Queen Magdalena
Peace. Love. Calontir.

Sign the Gulf Wars Muster!

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

Calontir, the drums of Gulf Wars are sounding!

The time is coming to march to battle, ply our crafts, loose our arrows, and mount our horses!  Soon, we shall gather in long-awaited companionship under the Royal Pavilion to raise our voices in merry song and share cups of hot broth!
Will you join us?  Stories will be written, and your Gulf Wars story begins by adding your name to the muster.
If you are planning to go OR if you think you’ll probably go, please sign the muster.  Letting us know that you’re coming will help us plan camping space, buy soup kitchen supplies, and understand the composition of the Army.
We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
General Rhianwen

Retirement of the Unofficial Calontir Google Calendar

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HL Allison has made some great technical updates to the Kingdom Calendar, so it now integrates with Google calendar (along with Timely, Outlook and Apple).

The Subscribe button is at the bottom of the calendar page – https://calontir.org/events/

With that in mind, I am going to retire the unofficial Calontir Google calendar after 11 (!) years and shift to helping with the official calendar.

Thank you.

Mistress Sofya la Rus, OL

Shire of Heraldshill