A missive from the Baronial Court of Ixac ben Simone and Amalie Reinhardt, 12th Baron and Baroness of Delftwood, held on February 13, 2022, as related by Lady Megge Gormshuileach, friendly neighborhood Pursuivant.
Greetings, gentlebeings! Woe to you who were unable to attend the virtual courts of the Barony of Delftwood’s Festival of the Seven Deadly Sins, spun and cast through the æther on 13 February, AS LVI (2022 by the common reckoning, in the dawning of Plague Year Three) – woe, I cry! You missed a good one.
The event was graced with the participation of Their Majesties of Æthelmearc, King Gareth and Queen Juliana, conducting business of Their own in a brief morning Court, and then again in the afternoon. It was in the afternoon Court that Their Majesties granted Our Excellencies time to hold Court of their own. An it please you, the following is a recounting of the Baronial Court, presided over by Baron Ixac ben Simone and Baroness Amalie Reinhardt, 12th Baronage of Delftwood:
Their Excellencies bade everyone welcome, with thanks for attending the day’s classes, discussions, and activities on the topics of the martial art of fencing, fiber arts and cloth making, and medieval foods. There was also a sin-themed bardic competition in one room, as well as friendly socializing in ‘The Great Hall’. While meeting in person was sadly not an option this time, it was still a good day in the æther.
Their Excellencies invited the day’s Event Steward, Mistress Othindisa Bykona, to join them. Mistress Othindisa thanked her staff, especially those who had given their time to co-host the various æther rooms.
Baroness Amalie next spoke of Their Excellencies’ tradition of celebrating those who have been participating in our grand Society for significant lengths of time by presenting them with belt favors listing their latest quinquennial (meaning ‘every five years’ – yay for vocabulary!) milestones. The belt favors will be physically delivered to their recipients at a future date.
Their Excellencies then described the Barony’s tradition of recognizing those gentles who, on the day and in the moment of any given event, render assistance above and beyond the normal course of needs. For this, they recalled Mistress Othindisa to join them. She described the preparations for this year’s virtual Festival of the Seven Deadly Sins, from planning an in-person event to switching gears and pulling everything together for a virtual event in an incredibly short time span. Mistress Othindisa proclaimed she could not have done so complex and monumental a task without the dedicated support and assistance of Lord Claude du Vivier, Lord William fitz William, and Baroness Amalie. As such, these good gentles were presented with Millstones for their efforts, to be physically delivered at a future date.
Earlier in the day Lord Corwin Alexander Templeton had requested the boon of an audience with Their Excellencies, and was thus called forth. Lord Corwin had crafted and gifted a hand-woven bullwhip in the Barony of Delftwood’s colors to a past Baron and Baroness, with the intention that it become part of the Baronial regalia. Noting that said past Baronage had become quite attached to it, Lord Corwin created and was now presenting a new bullwhip in the Barony’s colors – WITH a second whip in colors taken from Her Excellency’s device, so she may have one of her own and pass the first onward (as originally intended). Baroness Amalie exclaimed her appreciation, knowing the many long hours such an endeavor requires. The items will be physically delivered at a future date.
On the topic of great efforts, Their Excellencies invited Lord Claude du Vivier to attend them once more. As previously mentioned, Lord Claude was the recipient of a Millstone for his assistance to Mistress Othindisa – well, Their Excellencies had something a little more “finely tuned” to reward him for his efforts. For his diligence in sharing invitations, and information, and reminders, and updates regarding the Festival of the Seven Deadly Sins in so many relevant spaces on the monstrously large Book of Faces, which she believed directly influenced the attendance of the day, Her Excellency presented him with a sounding horn (with a wondrous built-in kazoo mouthpiece, no less!) and proclaimed him Baronial Broadcaster. Lord Claude’s new horn will be physically delivered at a future date.
Sin-themed bardic shenaniga- er, a bardic competition was held throughout the day, with participants and spectators alike encouraged to vote to determine the victors. The competition’s organizer and Their Excellencies’ Bardic Champion, Magistra Solveig Throndardottir, was invited to join them to announce the winners. Prize medallions crafted by Master Artemius Andreas Magnus, with colors and totemic animals for each Sin, were awarded to the winners. They will be physically delivered at a future date.
Lord Robert Oliphant was next invited to join their Excellencies. For his observed skill and talent with the light blade in the martial art of fencing, and his dedication to increasing such, he was inducted into the Order of the Guard of the Mill. Scroll and medallion will be physically delivered at a future date.
Though the gentle in questions was not able to attend, Their Excellencies took time to remind the gathered populace that Master Cyneric Drakahoerte had some few years ago been made the principal member of the Order of the Lion’s Paw of Delftwood – a new order to recognize and celebrate long-time service to the Barony. At the time of the Order’s inception, the badge had not yet been approved – BUT IT IS NOW! Their Excellencies proudly displayed the Order’s new badge design: Argent, on a windmill Azure a lion’s pawprint Or, the first medallion of which is reserved for Master Cyneric and will be physically delivered at a future date.
Their Excellencies then asked that Baron Boris Dragons Bane join them. His Excellency Boris has been a long-time member of the Arts & Sciences community within Delftwood. This day Their Excellencies Ixac and Amalie would see him recognized for his contributions of horn etching and painting, and Middle Eastern dancing, by inducting him into the Order of the Capstan. His scroll and medallion will be physically delivered at a future date.
It was then requested that Lady Lauryn of Delftwood join Their Excellencies. Her work as a spinner and weaver has been brought to their attention. In light of her skills and efforts, she was inducted into the Order of the Capstan. Scroll and medallion will be physically delivered at a future date.
Their Excellencies then invited Earl Yngvar the Dismal to join them. Earl Yngvar’s long-time contributions to the Barony and it’s growth through his own personal activities within the Society, and with constant outreach and engagement of the wider public outside of the Society, are dear to the Barony. Their Excellencies Ixac and Amalie recognize his contributions by inducting him into the Order of the Mistral. Scroll and “medallion” will be physically delivered at a future date.
At this time, Their Excellencies reminded the attendant populace that when we are once again able to hold in-person events, Inspiration Tokens will be supplied. As their Excellencies unfortunately have not yet found a way to be/see everywhere all at once, these tokens are available to the populace to use on the spot to let someone know they have been observed doing/saying something that encourages and inspires betterment/the best in others.
Before Their final piece of business, Their Excellencies made some few announcements: Firstly, that They have decided to not seek re-election at the end of this term, and they are seeking Letters of Intent from potential candidates. Secondly, as we were unable to hold an in-person event at this time, the Delftwood Barony Youth A&S Championship will be rescheduled to a later date, and both the Delftwood Barony Fencing Championship and Heavy Weapons Championship will be planned for the coming summer’s Tourney of the Windmill. Thirdly, there is a bardic circle happening after the close of Court and end of today’s event.
Their Excellencies then invited Baron Aidan Ransford to join them. Remembrances were made of the many feasts Baron Aidan has cooked, as well as his bountiful kumihimo cord making skills, which moved Their Excellencies to induct him into the Order of the Capstan. Scroll and medallion will be physically delivered at a future date.
Their Excellencies expressed once again their gratitude to all who attended and participated, and especially for those who assisted with the behind-the-scenes administration, monitoring and co-hosting of the various ‘rooms’ throughout the day. There being no further business before the Court of Their Excellencies of Delftwood, it was closed and attentions returned to Their Majesties.
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Award Summary:
Millstones: Lord Claude du Vivier, Lord William fitz William, Baroness Amalie Reinhardt
Baronial Broadcaster: Lord Claude du Vivier
Order of the Guard of the Mill (Delftwood, Martial Arts): Lord Robert Oliphant
Order of the Capstan (Delftwood, Arts & Sciences): Baron Boris Dragons Bane, Lady Lauryn of Delftwood, Baron Aidan Ransford
Order of the Mistral (Delftwood, Spirit): Earl Yngvar the Dismal