The Future of the Falcon Banner

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I want to tell you about some changes coming over the next couple of years with the Falcon Banner. How it gets distributed, how it relates to social media, and some of the challenges we as a community need to address.

First, the challenges.

The Falcon Banner was started as a way to get news about events and people to the large number of Calontiri not on Facebook. I believe we have done a reasonably good job of that. But not as good as we need to. A lot of information is still only being published on Facebook, leaving a lot of people out. We need to do better.

The other independent kingdom gazettes have something The Falcon Banner has never had; a steady stream of information coming in from readers and regional correspondents. They have editors that change off every week, who take that information, follow up to get any needed details, then post it. I am often told by the other editors how amazed they are at what we accomplish at the Falcon Banner. Essentially, it is me acting as editor and correspondent, twisting arms to solicit articles, and Dorcas covering court reports (Thanks Dorcas!)

If you want to keep the Falcon Banner going, that has to change. We don’t need money, we don’t need permanent volunteers (although I won’t turn them down!), but we do need your engagement.

I doubt Calontir is big enough to justify the infrastructure of, say, the East Kingdom Gazette. But we can have readers who feed us stories so we can follow up, edit and publish. Readers as reporters.

That would be you.

You can recommend folks we need to profile. You can submit your A&S projects, class notes, documentation, research papers, late changes to your groups’ events. You can submit a write up of a local event, or a pictorial essay from Pennsic, Gulf, or Estrella. Anything that connects the Kingdom is welcome.

Which brings us to distribution and social media.

I have called for reader involvement before and we have had some excellent feature articles as a result. But, mainly, it has been me stalking Facebook and reposting stuff found there.

So, if that has been working, why make a big push for more reader involvement now?

Because in two years, January 1st, 2021 neither I nor the Falcon Banner will be on Facebook.

This decision came about for a lot of reasons, but the most recent privacy breach was a big one. If this hadn’t been a pattern for Facebook since its beginnings, it might be different. But it is a pattern, as is the deception about it. I could also list the ways that Facebook actively makes it harder to gather and publish information, and to reach an audience. But we know all of that; we have just been putting up with it because “everybody is on Facebook”.

But everybody is not, never has been, and never will be on Facebook. Usage and engagement are declining, advertisers are noticing, regulations are coming and Facebook’s business model is in a slow-motion implosion. If there ever was a reason to make a deal with that particular devil, that reason is becoming less and less compelling.

As I said, we won’t be leaving Facebook for two more years, so you can continue to follow us on the Falcon Banner page there. But, starting April 1, 2019, I will not cross post to the Kingdom Facebook page.

There will continue to be other ways to stay connected to the Falcon Banner.

The most obvious one is to subscribe on the website. That will send you an email notification every time we post, with a link you can follow to the full article. If you use a news reader app, such as Feedly or Flipboard, on your phone, tablet or computer, simply subscribe to our feed. Search for “The Falcon Banner” or manually add the link to our feed: http://falconbanner.gladiusinfractus.com/feed/

Finally, beginning January 1st, 2019, we will launch the Falcon Banner group (https://mewe.com/join/thefalconbanner1) and Falcon Banner Page (https://mewe.com/p/thefalconbanner) at MeWe.com. I am not sure which will work better, so we will test at both and keep the one everybody likes best. 

MeWe is a social media platform that has been around for a few years. The user interface will be very familiar to Facebook users, but their business model is very, very different. They do not collect private data and they do not sell ads. Their motto is #Not4Sale and they seem to mean it. They get their funding by selling additional services, such as more storage space, add-on emoji packs, etc. It is run by leading cyber-privacy advocate Mark Weinstein. With the demise of Google+ it is now the leading social media challenger to Facebook.

This is not an advertisement for MeWe; if they don’t pan out, the Falcon Banner will move someplace else. This is just an explanation of why I think, right now, this is a better platform for the Falcon Banner.

That is an overview of some of the changes coming. I will be sharing more detailed (and hopefully shorter) posts as we move to implement each step, and announce any detours we have to make along the way. Look for these posts as they come out, and they will also be collected on a new page on the site titled The Future Project.

This is going to be a significant journey for the Falcon Banner. I hope you will decide to come along.

Mathurin Kerbusso, OP
Falcon Banner Editor-in-Chief

SCA Announcements – 2019 Peerage Committee Survey

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Men harvesting wheat, Queen Mary’s Psalter, circa 1310. Public domain in the US

On behalf of the SCA Board of Directors, the Peerage Committee would like to solicit the opinions of all members of the Society in the following survey to gauge post-implementation views within the Society of the addition of the Order of Defense, as well as to understand the appetite for a future martial peerage or peerages for activities such as archery, thrown weapons, equestrian, and siege engines.

The last survey of this type, the SCA Census, was conducted over 10 years ago.  Much has changed within the Society in the years since that survey, and the Board cannot assume the data from the Census still reflects the opinions of members, particularly following the implementation of the Order of Defense.

The purpose of this survey is to understand if and how opinions have changed since the Order of Defense was introduced as a Peerage order, as well as to understand the lessons learned during that implementation.  The Board also recognizes that there has been much discussion by the membership since the implementation of the Order of Defense regarding extending recognition to other activities currently not covered by a martial skill-based peerage, including (but not limited to) archery, thrown weapons, equestrian activities, and siege engines.  This survey is a prelude to any future discussion by the Board regarding additional peerage Order(s).

By completing this survey, you will help the Board to collect fresh data regarding attitudes towards existing and potential Peerage orders, and to progress the discussion of these topics.  Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Deadline for completion of this survey is January 28th, 2019. The Survey is now live at :

https://surveys.eastkingdom.org/index.php/313648?lang=en

If you wish to re-take the survey to change your responses should your opinions change you may retake the survey but be aware that taking the survey again will negate your previous survey in its entirety. Please fill the survey out again fully.

-In Service

The Peerage Committee.

If you send comments, please use the subject line “2019 Peerage Committee Survey“.

Comments are strongly encouraged and can be sent to:
SCA Inc.
Box 360789
Milpitas,  CA 95036
You may also email comments@lists.sca.org.
This announcement is an official informational release by the Society for Creative Anachronism , Inc.  Permission is granted to reproduce this announcement in its entirety in newsletters, websites and electronic mailing lists.

Vert Hawk Herald: Results from September 2018 LOAR

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The Bavarian Herald Jörg Rügen around 1510. Public Domain in the US

Greetings to All,

The Armorial has been updated to reflect the items in this LOAR.
In Service,

Gunnar Thorisson, Vert Hawk Herald

CALONTIR acceptances


Æthelred the Well-read:  Name and device. Per chevron argent and sable, two wildcats salient respectant gules and a triquetra argent.

The Letter of Intent argued that byname Well-read is a plausible the lingua Anglica form of the Old English term ge-l{oe’}red. Although this term strictly means “learned” or “erudite,” we give the submitter the benefit of the doubt that “well-read” is a reasonable synonym. If the submitter prefers Æthelred the Learned, he may make a request for reconsideration.

Bjólfr Gunnvaldsson:  Name and device. Gyronny arrondi sable and Or, a bear’s head cabossed gules.BNice 9th-10th century Icelandic name!

Kathryn dei Fiamma:  Device. Argent, a torteau and on a chief indented azure a roundel between an increscent and a decrescent argent.

Oisín Haconson:  Device. Azure, an owl displayed maintaining in its talons a battleaxe fesswise, a bordure argent.

There is a step from period practice for the use of a bird displayed other than an eagle.

Rima al-Wadi:  Name (see RETURNS for device).

Sigvarðr Skarfr:  Device. Checky gules and Or, a cormorant’s head erased sable beaked Or transfixed through the neck by an arrow fesswise sable.

Stephen Cousland:  Name.

The submitter requested authenticity for “England 13th or 14th century.” This name does not meet this request because Cousland is not found that early in English. It is, however, authentic for 16th century England; Jeanne Marie Noir Licorne found Cousland as an unmarked surname in a 1587 London burial record.

The submitter may be interested to known that Cousland is a Scottish place, rather than an English one. AsStephan de Cousland, the name is authentic for 13th century Scotland. If the submitter prefers this form, he may make a request for reconsideration.

Tempest Sea:  Name (see RETURNS for device).

Tempest is an attested English given name found in late 16th century York.

Nice late 16th century name!

Visvamitra Yavana:  Name and device. Azure, an owl argent and in chief a lotus blossom in profile argent.

The submitter requested authenticity for an unspecified time, language or culture. This request was not summarized on the Letter of Intent. Fortunately, Seraphina Ragged Staff identified the authenticity request during commentary, allowing sufficient time for research.

The name elements were documented from the Indian subcontinent. However, we cannot say one way or another whether this is an authentic name from any Indian language or culture. Our resources in those languages and cultures are very limited.

Artist’s note: Please draw the owl larger.

CALONTIR returns

Rima al-Wadi:  Device. Per chevron azure and argent, two dragonflies in chevron argent and a cinquefoil palewise purpure slipped and leaved vert.

This device is returned for violating SENA A3D2c, Unity of Posture and Orientation, which states “The charges within a charge group should be in either identical postures/orientations or an arrangement that includes posture/orientation” The charges here are not in a unified arrangement, as the arrangement of dragonflies must be blazoned independently of the cinquefoil.

Tempest Sea:  Device. Per pall inverted vert, sable, and argent.

This device conflicts with the badge of Hakon Hrafnsson, Per pall inverted Or, sable, and paly argent and vert. Only two of the three field partitions have changes, so it is not eligible for an SC under SENA A5F2. If considered under SENA A5G1, a maximum of one DC is available through change of half the tincture under SENA A5G1a, as half of the field has changed tincture. A second DC cannot be gained through changing the base portion of the field through A5G1d, as only one third of the field is subdivided and the rule requires that at least half of an already divided field be modified in this manner.

Krist Kinder Market Court Summary, December 8, A.S. 53

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In evening court:
Alessandra de Piro – Pelican
Ayisha bint Asad – Calon Lily
Duncan Bruce of Logan – Silver Hammer
Charles of Westermark – Court Baronage
Margaret William of Westermark – Court Baronage
Marie le Faivre – Laurel

Other court tidings:
Gifts were exchanged with Her Sylvan Majesty Anna Leigh.
11 newcomers received mugs.
Sir Cai Dubhghlas is the new Kingdom Castellan.
Honorable Lady Tola Rufusdóhtor swore fealty as the new Kingdom Seneschale.
Lady Antonia Stefani is the new Head of the Calontir Soup Kitchen.

Presentation scene; detail of a miniature from BL Royal MS 15 E vi, f. 2v. 15th C. Public domain in the US

Lilies War Committee Chair; Call for Applicants

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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

The search for the next Lilies War Committee Chair has begun.

Responsibilities include:

–          Facilitating regular meetings of the Lilies War Committee.

–          Calling for and reviewing bids for Lilies War.

–          Advising Event Stewards, as needed, on any Lilies War related issues.

–          Arrange for and sign contracts, as needed, for Lilies War infrastructure.

–          Handle any “off season” questions regarding Lilies War.

–          Other items as need and requested by the Crown.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at LiliesChair@calontir.org

Letter of interest are due by December 15, 2016. Please send letters to Their Majesties (Falcon-Crown@calontir.org), Their Highnesses (Falcon-Heirs@calontir.org) , the Kingdom Seneschal (Seneschal@calontir.org) and The Committee Chair (LiliesChair@calontir.org). The choice will be made shortly thereafter to allow time for training.  The new Chair will take over after the next Lilies War, June 2019.

In Service,

Mistress Rebecca Beaumont,

Lilies War Committee Chair

Games! Chicanery! History!

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Alfonso X “El Sabio” and his Court, 13th Century. Public domain in the US.

Unto the populace of Calontir, on behalf of Their Highnesses, I, Count Marius Lucian Fidelis, send word.

At the Coronation feast to be held III days before the Ides of Janus (January 12, 2019) there will be a game of wit and memory.

Some might call the ability to remember places and dates Trivial! I say having a strong grasp of history prepares us for the future.

Form your teams, purchase your feast tickets. And while we feast we will test our knowledge of the history, both mundane and societal.

The game will consist of 2 rounds of 10 questions, for best advantage build your teams with a broad range of mundane and society knowledge.

The ability to pre-purchase feast tickets is forthcoming. In the mean time, assemble your teams and be prepared to purchase tickets at gate.

Long live the King!

 

Toys for Tots Tournament Court Summary, November 17, A.S. 53

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In evening court:
Alec von Rosswald – Queen’s Chalice
Ewan von Rosswald – Queen’s Chalice
Batačiqan-nu kö’ün Ashir – Stile Fyrd
Gianna Viviani – Calon Lily
Paul Adler – Cross of Calontir
Dulcibella de Chateaurien – Cross of Calontir
Anna Plantyn – Laurel

Other court tidings:
There were 3083 toys collected.
The Barony of Forgotten Sea was the group who brought the most toys.
Sir Xandre and Lady Cordeilla were the individuals who brought the most toys.
Sir Anton Raghelan won the armored tournament.
Ásviðr Vakre won the youth tournament.
Meister Gawin Kappler won the Cut & Thrust tournament.
Franco Suares won the novice tournament.
HL Fiondel Songspinner won the A&S competition.
4 newcomers received mugs.
Sir Xandre called for donations of loaner armor for Youth Combat.
Lady Fabia Narcissa Patricia swore fealty as the new Kingdom Chronicler.
Countess Conna ingen uí Chearbhaill received the Queen’s Endorsement of Distinction.
A boon was begged for Alvira MacDonald to join the Order of the Pelican.

Agincourt from the French Side

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We often think of the Battle of Agincourt from the English perspective; Henry V’s St. Crispins Day speech is just one of the mental images that Shakespeare indelibly etched on the history of that event, for better or worse.

By contrast, THL Lorraine Devereaux provides us with a collection of observations by a knight who was there — the French knight, Jehan de Wavrin. (The excerpts are from the book Eyewitness to History, by John Carey)

 

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