Events
Waking of the Salamander III
The Barony of Bhakail presents: Waking of the Salamander III
A weekend camping event located at Ridley Creek State Park, in Media Pa. Come one come all and join us for music, dancing, arts and sciences, as well as the Baronial Gaming Championship and Baronial Bardic Championship! Do you have what it takes to take on the best gamers and bards throughout the land to claim your place as the next Bhakail Champion?
For registration information and more details, please visit the EK Calendar event.
8/29 Bhakail Commons
Come join Bhakail at our annual Commons. As always we will be holding our heavy weapons and rapier championships that day. You don’t need to live in Bhakail to become a Bhakail champion, you just need to be willing to wear the regalia and attend His Excellency Baron Muin in court. We will also be selecting Bhakail’s populace champions that day as well. This is also open to anyone who competes that day.
For complete information on Commons, please visit the EK Calendar event.
In addition, we will be announcing our new Archery and Thrown Weapons Champions as determined the week beforehand at practice (since we cannot have those activities at the park).
For more information on the Archery and Thrown Weapons Championship, see the Facebook event created for the day.
Monthly Business Meeting
The Baronial Business Meeting is held the 2nd Tuesday of every month beginning at 7pm. The meeting is currently held online. In-person meetings will resume when the officers of the Barony feel it’s safe to gather in a socially-distanced way. You can join the online Google Meet with this link (meet.google.com/ygk-amgg-xkm) or join by phone by dialing +1 304-833-9178 and using PIN: 951 071 907#.
At the Sign of the Stag and Sparrow
The Bhakail Tavern has once more come under new ownership! Please join us at The Sign of the Stag and Sparrow in the atmospheric Ratskeller of the German Society of Pennsylvania. Here we will gather for joy, merriment, and great food. Their Excellencies Bhakail – Baron Rowan Cloteworthy and Baroness Suba al-Hadid – will also use this occasion to choose two new Champions of their Court: their Bardic and Gaming Champions. Anyone who lives in a territory bordering Bhakail is invited to compete for either accolade, but any member of the populace may – and is encouraged to – enter for the fun and merriment.
Our dayboard spread – prepared by Eirani inn Sporr featuring bread by Runi inn Irski (baker of Shire Wars fame) – will feature foods to warm your bones in the midst of these winter days. The site is damp, so those who wish to display and sample brews and concoctions of their own will be allotted space to do so.
This event is limited to 60 attendees, so pre-registering is highly encouraged to ensure entry to the Tavern. We will be able to take pre-registration through PayPal this year, as well as cash or check. While the site is ADA accessible, the site requests that anyone needing an elevator to enjoy the day’s festivities please reach out to the Event Steward in advance.
Bhakail 2nd Annual Gaming Championship Tournament
The Honorable Lord Aurddeilen-ap-Robet, current Games Champion of Bhakail, calls upon one and all to participate in the 2nd Annual Bhakail Gaming Championship Tournament. This year’s contest will be divided into three game categories: Wit, Skill, and Luck.
The Games of Wit will be Tafl, Nine Man Morris, and Fox and Geese. All players will need to play each game twice with the same opponent to determine a winner. Ties will count as a win for both players.
The Games of Luck will be Gluckhaus, In and Inn, and Tarot; These games should be played with 4 players. However, all the players need not be contestants.
The Games of Skill will be Shove Ha-penny, 9 pin Skittles, and Quoits. These may be played as 2 or 4 player games, and again not all the players need to be contestants. These 3 games will be featured at the Bhakail Yule Revel on December 9th to allow you to get in some practice prior to the January Tournament.
Each contestant may play as many games as time permits, but must play a minimum of one game in each of the three game categories. The person with the most wins at the end of the tournament will be declared the new Games Champion. In the event of a tie, the remaining contestants will need to play a tie-breaker game. The game and rules for the tie-breaker game will be determined by the current Games Champion. Scorecards will be provided to keep track of wins and losses.
Time permitting; we will end the day with two favorite court games from the 16th century known as The Riddle Game, and Council of the Gods. These are team games, and are not part of the Tournament. However they are extremely fun and all Tavern Event participants are invited to play.
Bhakail Bardic Champion
The Competition will consist of three rounds.
Round 1: Entertain Me!
This piece should be happy, funny, amusing, or otherwise entertaining. Drinking songs, funny stories, dance music, and upbeat tunes are always a safe bet, but feel free to think outside the box. The piece need not be period, but should be period-ish and can be original.
Round 2: Educate Me!
This piece must be period and you should be able to explain when and where it is from. Ideally, something about the piece should reveal an interesting fact about life during the period.
Round 3: Impress Me!
Show me your best. Do whatever you think will floor the audience. Things that impress me include operatic voices, complicated fingering, improvisation, and foreign languages, but remember, you will also have to impress the other judges as well. The piece need not be period but should be period-ish and can be original.
All pieces can be any kind of entertainment, including, but not limited to songs, instrumental pieces, stories, dance, juggling acts, and puppet shows. Each piece should be less than 5 minutes. The Competition will be judged by The Baron, The Baroness, and the current Bardic Champion. Previous Bardic Champions may be asked for input at Their Excellencies request. If there are five or more contestants, then contestants will be eliminated with each round.
The Stag & Sparrow’s Menu
Pickled Thyngs
Italian Sausages
Green Onion Meatballs
Homemade Rolls
Homemade Cheese
Honey Butter
Hummus
Dried Apricots
Pear Chutney
Savory Vegetable Soup served in Homemade Bread Bowls
Herb-Baked Chicken Thighs with a Cherry Sauce
Mushrooms in a Savory Broth, tossed in Parsley and presented on a bed of wilted Spinach
Warm Rice Pudding with cranberries, golden raisins, and cinnamon sprinkled over
Crisp Gingerbread
If you have allergies, questions, or concerns, please contact the Head Cook, Eirani inn Spǫrr, at k.pazdalski@gmail.com.
Possible Baronial Thrown Weapons Champions
Greetings to the Barony of Bhakail and her friends!
With the unexpected cancellation of the Wrightstown Ren Faire this weekend, Baroness Suba and I do not have a location or event scheduled to hold Our Baronial Thrown Weapons Championship.
We have talked to Our current Champion, Lord Þorsteinn Hroðbjartsson, and to Lady Alana O’Keeve as the Western Region Thrown Weapons Deputy, to consider what Our options are. We would also like the input of those in the Barony who are considering competing to be Our next Champion.
Our first option would be to hold the Championship at Shire Wars. There will be a range set up there, there will be marshals, and Lord Þorsteinn is able to attend. Baroness Suba and I would be there as well. On the other hand, this event is over two hours away from the center of the Barony and that may discourage some of our local people from competing.
Another option might be to hold a local practice some Sunday at someone’s home if we could make arrangements for that. We would have to schedule a marshal to oversee that and it might be difficult with Þorsteinn’s schedule to have him there. That isn’t a deal-breaker; sometimes Champions can’t make the tourney where their successors are chosen, but it’s a consideration.
Lastly, We could consider waiting until the spring. We would have the option of having the competition at some as-yet-unplanned Baronial event, at another group’s event in the area, or to schedule a Sunday practice as a private home. This would have Þorsteinn sit the Champion’s place longer than originally scheduled. It may give us more options later, but creates uncertainty about when the competition would be held.
We would very much like the input of those who would challenge to be the next Baronial Thrown Weapons Champion. Please consider these options and let Us know your opinions, either here or in an email to coronets@bhakail.eastkingdom.org. Thank you.
For Barony, Bailiwick, and Canton,
Pray know We remain,
– Baron Rowen and Baroness Suba
Artisans’ Village Thank Yous
On the 17th of June, A.S. LII, we traveled to Artisans’ Village and Brewers’ University in the Shire of Buckland Cross. Despite the overcast day and occasional rain, it was a fun event and We enjoyed ourselves. While We were only there for the day, several people in the Barony camped for the weekend.
A number of arts were displayed and taught. We apologise that we didn’t get the names of all the teachers. Thank you to Mistress Elysabeth Underhill for coordinating the A&S Consulting Table. There were a quite a few people weaving with inkle loom and card-weaving, and a few making cord with a lucet. Lampworked beads were created, overseen by Lady Lady Aibhilin inghean Ui Phaidin. Lord Declan Gobha brought a portable forge and he and Lord Muin maqq Minain demonstrated knife-making and working metal rod into tent stakes. Several people were decorated with henna by Amelia.
Congratulations to Lady Cassandra Arques de Northmannia, Our Brewing Champion, for reaching the status of Journeyman in her panelling with the EK Brewer’s Guild. Congratulations also to Lord Edgar refskegg for his panelling to Brewer. And thank you to Thane Alexander Makcristyne for coordinating the Brewing Village.
Thank you to Our retainers, Lady Roseia Poseia and Lucia, for taking such good care of Us. Also thank you to everyone who helped Us unpack, set up, and take down the Baronial shade pavilions, tables, and hospitality. Thanks also to Master Mael Eoin mac Echuid and Baroness Ysmay de Lynn for sharing their very large shade pavilion with the event. It hosted a fiber arts maker space during the day and did double duty as the feast hall in the evening.
The dayboard and feast, overseen by His Highness Prince Ivan, was filling and delicious. So much meat! Thank you to Master Mael Eoin and Mistress Juliana von Altenfeld for assisting with the cooking.
Thank you to the Shire for hosting Us and to Baroness Christina Jenevra de Carvalhal for stewarding the day.
For Barony, Bailiwick, and Canton,
Pray know We remain,
Rowen and Suba, Baron and Baroness of Bhakail
Thank You All – Bhakail Investiture
Greetings to the amazing Barony of Bhakail and friends. We are unable to do justice in words to the gratitude and amazement we feel at the success that was Bhakail’s Investiture and K&Q Rattan Champions. So many people stepped up to help out, to make things, to serve, to haul, to create, to run around, and to support. Here are the names of those who helped. We hope you will assist in recognizing their service.
(We apologize for any misspellings or incomplete names.)
Gate
Lady Sybilla of Rona ran a easy to get through gate for the event, along with Mistress Philadelphia Brown, Lady Damiana Almodóvar de Sevilla, Katie Grace, and Lady Arlyn of Hartshorn-dale. Thanks also are due to Mistress Philadelphia and Lady Damiana for taking up running pre-registrations, with the added untested Paypal system.
Kitchen
The food was amazing, both for dayboard and feast. The kitchen was under the leadership of Mistress Juliana von Altenfeld, with the assistance of many skilled hands, including: Baron Elglin of House Eagle, Lady Alexandra Blacksheep, Lady Violet Coleson, Lady Shoshana Gryffith, Lady Katya, Diane of Tadcaster, Lady Zhelana Tomeslavitsa, Emily, Sir Harald, Lady Livia Petralia, The Honorable Lord Muin maqq Minain, Mistress Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Lady Jadwiga of Bhakail, Natso, Ellie Woodruff, Katelynne (Diane’s daughter), and the fritter girls. Special thanks also to the Hylton family who cleaned up the kitchen so the cooks did not.
Decor
Anyone who attended could not help but be impressed by the beautiful banners that graced the hall. The decorations were under the vision and guidance of The Honorable Lord Martyn de Halliwell, with the help of Lady Eleanora Tylemaker, Baroness Ysmay de Lynn, Lady Roseia Poseia, Lord Patraic O’Donagal, Lady Chana Freidl the Maker, Lord Taldo and Lord Stoldo Vetrurini.
Setup and Running of the Day
There are always so many things to do, check on, run around, setup, move, and clean. Thanks to all these gentles for their help in making this event work. Mistress Gisela Szabo, Mistress Judith the Confused, Lord Þorsteinn Hroðbjartsson, Lord Osric Feolagildsen, Lady Ayleth le Frye, Lord Calin Macsalny, Lord Alexi Gensel, Ellie Wood, Lady Dionise O’Towie, Lady Mairi Crawford, Lord Sean O’Morain, Declan Moran, Lady Maeve O’Morain, Sigvin Jansdottir and Andre, Thomas and Kagome.
Thank you all, and to any others who we may have missed. Please let us know any that we have missed. We want to thank them as well. You made the day fantastic!
Yours in service, Lady Shoshana Gryffith and Lady Lianor de Matos
SRWC Thank You
We’re home from Southern Region War Camp, held June 10th in the Barony of Carillion, and we had a wonderful time. SRWC was everything you’d expect a War Camp to be, and a bit more. There was heavy combat, rapier, thrown weapons, and archery. There were also bardic activities, including the CD release of “Sing for the East” hosted by our own Mistress Sabine de Kerbriant.
A number of Bhakailis and friends of Bhakail were recognised in Court. Lord Matteo Cole Amici received a Silver Rapier. Lord Lorenzo Gorla was awarded the Golden Rapier. Chiba Touta Yoshitaki was given a Silver Tyger. Baron Joseph Harcourt was recognised with a Tygers Combatant. Maeve O’Morain received a Silver Wheel and her Award of Arms. And Mistress Juliana von Altenfeld was given the Burdened Tyger.
There was a delicious dayboard provided by the event, prepared by our own Lord Martyn de Halliwell. The Baron and Baroness of Carillion thanked him in Their Court. In the evening, there was a potluck supper jointly organised by people from Caer Adamant and Bhakail. Much comradery was had and much yummy dinner and dessert eaten! Afterwards, there was some bardic entertainment by the musically inclined among the company.
We were wonderfully supported through the day by our retainers and aided by others who helped set up and take down the Baronial shade pavilions. Thank you all for your help! We think it’s a good thing to have a place where Bhakail and friends can gather at events like this and we hope we can continue this tradition.
Thank you to the Barony of Carillion and all involved who made Southern Region War Camp a wonderful event.
For Barony, Bailiwick, and Canton,
Pray know We remain,
Baron Rowen and Baroness Suba
Bhakail Investiture Thank You
More than one person warned Us that the day of Investiture would be a blur, and they were right. Having said that, We will attempt to recount the joy that was Bhakail Investiture with the caveat that we had no way of seeing everything that went on that day, and may have forgotten some due to being overwhelmed, so if there were any parts We missed describing or whose acts of service We either missed seeing or forgot to name, then please chime in and share.
Lady Lianor de Matos, Lady Shoshana Gryffyth, and Lord Martyn de Halliwell did a terrific job preparing for this event. There were tents for all the field activities, lists for the fighting, tents for Gate, a dais for court, chairs for the audience, and tables for dayboard serving and seating. They recruited many volunteers!
Lord Martyn’s idea for silk banners of Bhakail badges and groups and awards that hung from the ceiling of the hall really changed the atmosphere of the room spectacularly. Many people, especially Baroness Ysmay de Lynn, helped Lord Martyn realize this vision by outlining, then painting the banners over several A&S nights in preparation for the event and we are grateful to all of you. Lord Martyn and his crew borrowed equipment to hang all these banners from the ceiling and to hang the Pennsic sheet walls to cover the school’s championships in order to increase the ambiance of the day.
There were many people who worked on Our garb in preparation for the day. Lady Iseaulte of the Clews designed flames that were suitable for applique, embroidered leaves onto the garb, and embroidered the edges of the Salamanders in order to keep them from fraying and to add shiny details of silver claws and red flaming breath. Suba’s mother Sally sewed several seams and hems, appliqued the flames, embroidered leaves onto the garb, and sewed most of the retainer baldrics. Lady Violet Coleson hand-sewed the sleeves onto Rowen’s garb. Many people kept us company while sewing and fitting was happening.
A number of people helped us prepare that morning. Lady Iseaulte helped prepare our retainer bags and stocked them. Lady Kosa Korotkaia braided hair for both of Us. We were pleased to wear tokens with Gunnar Alfson’s device that We could share in keeping his memory alive. Thank you to Lady Ravenna de’Witte for making those.
We were honored that so many of you were willing to be Our retainers and to wear Our baldrics, which were handed out by Sayyid Jibril ibn Ammar al-Fayyad. Thank you to Baroness Theodora Bryennissa called Treannah, Baron Wulfgar Silfrahárr, Master Tanczos Istvan, Mistress Marie de Blois, Lady Sarvuu Arslajin, Lady Iseaulte, Lady Jehanette Bouchart, Ragna, Alex, Lord Quintus of Bhakail, Sayyid Jibril, and Lady Beatrice de Warynton for retaining for Us throughout the day. It is likely that We have missed naming someone on this list, so please let us know whom to add.
With regret, we were unable to see much of Baron Mael Eoin and Baroness Ysmay’s last court, but the snippets we got were impressive. Congratulations to Baron Nissim aven Darmon and Mistress Sabine de Kerbriant on their Augmented Salamanders! If you missed hearing the original composition by Phelippe Le Vigneron using Shakespeare’s Sonnet 60 as lyrics, then please look for recordings which are posted on the Book of Faces.
Several of you (and we’d like your names) sang the Bhakail Gaudete which names all the Lineage of Bhakail as We entered court for our Investiture and also sang the Bhakail Tiens as we processed into evening Court. Both were wonderful! As someone said, “Bhakail has such a terrific legacy of music.”
As we processed in for our Investiture, Ragna carried the Bhakail banner and Alex and Lord Quintus carried our personal banners. Lord Quintus also assisted by greeting Baroness Suba’s guests and assembling glass bead tokens for Her to give out.
Mistress Sabine de Kerbriant was Our Herald and Mistress Gisela Szabo was Our Silent Herald. We’ve already heard secondhand that at least one person who was in the audience is struggling with hearing and was deeply grateful that Silent Heralds translated all the day’s courts. After Our Investiture, We were especially pleased to present gifts to Baron Mael Eoin and Baroness Ysmay, who received Court Barony appointments from the Crown after stepping down. We welcomed the fealty of Our officers and champions and inducted Baroness Ysmay into the Order of the Horse.
Chana Freidl the Maker graciously took many photographs of Their Majesties, Their Highnesses, Our Baronial Lineage, and Our guests after which we sat in State for a while. That you showered us with gifts while we sat was overwhelming. That you showered us with welcome has been heartwarming. Thank you Lady Iseaulte and Mistress Sabine for staying to record gifts from Runnymede, and thank you both for staying nearby for when we needed you during that time.
The dayboard was delicious and plentiful, thanks to Mistress Juliana von Altenfeld and her crack team of chefs. Chicken with sage sauce. Fish with green sauce. Poached pears. Pickled vegetables, bread and cheese, and more. All wonderful, filling, and plentiful dishes. Thanks to the care of Our retainers, We found time to eat and enjoy the dayboard amid a busy afternoon.
In Our evening Court, We were pleased to present gifts to Their Majesties, Their Highnesses, and the visiting King and Queen of Ansteorra. We had Lady Shoshana announce the winners of the Baronial largess competition: Lady Alison Wodehalle and Lady Carowyn Silveroak. We asked Lord Calin Macsalny to renew his post as Constable and appointed Lord Osric Feologildsson the Baronial Brewmaster. We presented Flames to Lady Lianor, Lady Shoshana, Lady Iseaulte, Lord Martyn, Mistress Juliana, and Mistress Sabine for their work putting on the event and helping us prepare. We also presented tokens to Baroness Cateline la Broderesse for the hoods she embroidered for Us and to Lady Beatrice de Warynton for the hand woven trim gifted to Ansteorra.
Many Bhakailis and Friends of Bhakail received awards in Royal Court that day! Awards of Arms were given to Sigvin Jansdottir, Chana Freidl the Maker, and Geine Dhocair. The Order of the Silver Wheel, the AoA-level service award, was given to Ayleth Le Frye, Þorsteinn Hroðbjartsson, and Lady Marta de Lyon. The Order of the Silver Brooch, the AoA-level arts award, was given to Edgar refskegg, Lord Osric Feologildsson, and Lady Shoshana Gryffyth. Baroness Wentlyanna Bengrek received the Order of the Silver Rapier, the AoA-level fencing award. Lord Berrick Grayveson received the Order of the Golden Rapier, the Grant-level fencing award. And our retiring Baron and Baroness, Mael Eoin mac Echuid and Ysmay de Lynn, were given Court Baronies. To all these deserving recipients, Vivant!
Due to the length of the afternoon’s tourney and the amount of Court business conducted by the Crown, Evening Court ran unexpectedly late. Quite late. However, Mistress Juliana and her excellent staff delivered a hearty and delicious feast that was perfectly prepared, despite the lateness of the hour. Savory Toasted Cheese served over asparagus, pork with coriander, ladies thighs (lamb meatballs) with garlic paste, and dried fruit fritters were just some of the wonderful dishes served. As a thank you for her work, We presented Mistress Juliana with a wooden spoon, carved and oiled by Lord Patraic O’Donagal.
Many hands make light work and many people helped clear the hall, clean up the site, and pack up Our belongings. Thank you. We and the staff would have been there much later without the generous help of those cleaning and packing. We’d also like to thank John of Coldwood, Master Istvan, Lord Quintus, Lord Osric, and Lord Calin for packing down and loading Suba’s popups and heraldry supplies from the field late in the evening.
To all Our retainers and staff, thank you for taking care of us that day. We could not have done it without you. To all who helped make Baronial Investiture and King’s and Queen’s Armoured Champions the spectacular event it was, thank you. The Barony shone because of your efforts and King Ioannes and Queen Honig were very happy with what we accomplished together. To the Barony of Bhakail, the Bailiwick of Ivyeinrust, and the Canton of Black Icorndall, thank you for your encouragement and support. We look forward to serving as your Baron and Baroness.
Waaauuuggghhh, Bhakail!
For Barony, Bailiwick, and Canton,
Pray know We remain,
– Rowen and Suba, Baron and Baroness of Bhakail
Bhakail Investiture
Come to the bright and sunny southern lands of Bhakail to witness the passing of the flame of leadership as our new Baron and Baroness are Invested. Their Majesties also invite you to join them in their search for their next Champion of Arms. The day will be filled with tournaments, merchants, an A&S competition, a brewers roundtable, and various entertainments. The kitchen will put forth a fine dayboard and feast under the supervision of Mistress Julianna.
Bhakail Investiture – EK Calendar