OK, so I havent been able to send anything to the heralds e-mail, or otherwise contact Mark, so lets try this: THE DRAGON’S PEN Volume 18 Issue 1 October 2014 Once again we come to the time of year which, for all intents and purposes, is the start of our new year. We will soon have auditions for Medieval Fair, and just a few weeks after that, Samhain Feast. And so also, we once again are faced with the question, “Just how much can I do this year?” Medieval Fair is the major production of the AOA each year, and the temptation is to be intimately involved in every aspect of it in which we can get involved. And once again, it is time to realize that, with concerns in our “real lives”, there will only be just so much time we have to commit. Now, some of us have enough spare time that we can do chessboard, song and dance, a project for education, help with the joust, and have a complex street schtik. There will be many of us who realize that our available preparation time will not allow us to do justice to all these things at the same time. But the people who need to beware are those who FEEL that they will have the time to do it all, but inevitably find out that they don’t – and end up having to drop commitments halfway through, or struggling through and suffering burnout. I know - it all looks like such fun, and it is. So this year, try this: find one thing that you are really, truly, fanatic about, and focus your main effort on that. Then find something else that you are willing to put credible time into. Then find one or two other facets that you are willing to contribute to in minor ways. Now, let the people in charge of these areas know how you feel about their area of responsibility, and what you are willing to do. Involve yourself in enough to assure you of a fulfilling experience at Medieval Fair, but not so much that you (and your performance) are likely to suffer. OK, so how do I know how much is too much until I experience it first hand? Good question. In the end, some things can only come from experience, but there are things you can do. First, look ahead to next March and try to determine what your “real life” will be like for those months. Second, for your early major experiences with Medieval Fair, follow the rule on one major, one minor, and one or two dabbles. But most importantly, talk to those who have done this many times. Consult those who have been in the same boat as you currently find yourself. They can give you an idea of what to expect when you take on as much as you want. Lastly, and above all – have fun! Do what will be fun, and don’t feel that you have to do it all. We want you to have a happy and healthy Fair experience! What’s Happening in October Oct. 4: The Arthurian Order of Avalon will be hosting auditions for the 2015 Human Chess Game at the Norman Medieval Fair on Saturday, October 4th, at the Norman Public Library, Lowry Room, starting at 9am. Oct. 25: The AOA’s annual Samhain Feast to be held on Saturday, October 25th. Festivities will commence at 6:00 P.M. and continue until all of the food has been eaten, ceremonies conducted and awards given (approximately 10:00 P.M.) The Feast will be held at a location to be announced. There will be a pumpkin carving contest! Bring your most fabulous orange creation to be judged during the course of the evening! (All submissions must be AOA appropriate- e.g. No illicit images/curse words/etc.) Please RSVP as soon as possible and NO LATER THAN Sunday, October 12th. Send your RSVP to Chatelaine Tanya Garling via email at tgarling102@yahoo . Tickets will be $8.00 with RSVP or $10.00 at the door. Please remember that your RSVP is not complete until you have paid for your ticket! Attendees are encouraged to wear Garb or other AOA Appropriate Samhain Costume. If you have food allergies or restrictions, please contact the Feast Hostess ASAP. If you are interested in serving at feast please contact Hostess, Lady Tabitha at tabby.lady@hotmail or on Facebook. What: Samhain Feast 2014 When: Saturday, October 25th Where: Location TBA Wear: AOA Appropriate Medieval or Samhain garb Two Things to Know About October in Medieval History Oct. 13, 1307 (Friday the 13th.) The Knights Templar were disbanded. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici), commonly known as the Knights Templar, had gotten just a little too powerful and rich, and the king of France needed money badly. A deal was made with the Pope (who was located in France), and the Templars came out on th short end. Oct. 14, 1066 (a pleasant Tuesday) The Norman Invasion. The king of England is dead, long live the king! But just who IS the king? Harald and William disagreed about it, and there was a fight. William won – history was made. England has never been the same. Good Arthurian Reads You Might Not Know The Idylls of the Queen: A Tale of Queen Guenevere by Phyllis Ann Karr Paperback – December 1, 1982 The arrangements for the dinner party were overseen by Queen Quenevere herself. She selected the apples with her own hands. And before the evening ended, a young knight lay dead...and Arthurs beloved, unfaithful queen stood branded as a murderess and condemned to death! Phyllis Ann Karr has taken Celtic legend and given it a fresh new twist in this magical murder-mystery of knights and sorcery, romantic entanglements and courtly intrigues. This is a tale that explores the passions and motivations of the men and women who stride through the pages of Mallorys romance: Sir Kay, the sharp-tongued seneschal; Nimue, the elusive Lady of the Lake; Morgan le Fay, Merlins complex nemesis; the tormented sons of Lot and Morgawse; and Mordred, Arthurs own bitter, terrified son! In The Idylls of the Queen, Phyllis Ann Karr takes an incident (the murder of Sir Patrise) from Thomas Malorys Le Morte dArthur and creates an intelligent, complex, and fascinating mystery novel perfect for fans of historical mysteries, of British legends, and of fantasy. Queen Guenevere is giving a dinner to honor King Arthurs knights when one guest, Sir Patrise, falls dead of poison. The dead mans cousin accuses the Queen of murder, and she is taken away, to be held until her trial by combat. If her knight-champion wins, Guenevere will be declared innocent and freed; if he loses, she will be burned to death as a murderer. She is unlikely to survive the trial. Most of Britains mightiest knights were at the dinner, and therefore cannot fight for the Queen. Her champion and secret lover, the invincible Lancelot, has vanished. And, as Sir Kay realizes, trial by combat determines only is who is the better fighter, not who is guilty. Kay knows the Queen is innocent and an unsuspected murderer is loose in feud-filled Camelot--a murderer who intended to kill a person or persons other than the obscure knight Patrise, and who is poised to kill again. With the trial only days away, Kay joins with the great knights Gawaine and Gareth and their half-brother, King Arthurs bastard son Mordred, in two quests: to find the missing Lancelot, and to uncover the true murderer. What You Need to Know About the 14th Century As most of us know, the Medieval Fair’s setting is Southwest England in 1360. Therefore, each month until Medieval Fair, we will be presenting information which may help us in character determination and interaction at Fair. This month, we simply present an overview of the major events of the 14th. Century up to 1360. A CONVENIENT TIMELINE OF THE 14TH CENTURY 1301: Beginning of the Renaissance in Italy (possibly) 1307: Dante Alighieri writes “The Divine Comedy” 1307: William tell supposedly shoots apple off son’s head. 1307: Black Friday – the beginning of the end for the Knights Templar. 1308: Edward II crowned King of England. 1309: The seat of the Papacy is moved from Rome to Avignon. 1311: Notre Dame Cathedral finished in Reims, France. 1314: Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of Knights Templar, burned at the stake. 1315: The year without sun 1320: First paper production by Europeans begins in Germany. 1327: Edward III is crowned King of England. 1328: Edward and Philippa married. 1328: The first sawmill appears in Europe. 1337: Edward III declares himself King of France. Hundred Years’ War begins. 1337: First (attempted) scientific weather predictions. 1346: Battle of Crecy. 1347: The Black Plague arrives in Europe. 1348: Founding of the Order of the Garter. 1350: John II becomes King of France. 1351: Outdoor Tennis is created in England. 1354: Mechanical clock at Strasbourg Cathedral is first known in Europe. 1356: Battle of Poitiers. 1360: Treaty of Bretigny. Sorry, it looks a mess like this, but at least its getting out to some extent.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 20:05:19 +0000
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