It is my great joy to announce the appointment of Baron Thomas of Effingham as my successor in the role of Kingdom Seneschal. His appointment is blessed by both the Crown, Heirs, and the Society Seneschal with the transition to occur at Coronation on April 6, 2024.
Thomas, or “Eff” as we affectionately refer to him, has been on the inner circle of the office since Pennsic 50 and has been actively learning the ins and outs of the role. That said, please allow him some grace to settle in firmly once the hand over occurs.
In addition, now that Eff is firmly positioned for transition, I’d like to announce the new Regional Deputies. I apologize for delaying the announcement on these, as I wanted to make sure Eff was included on the decision making process.
Tir Mara – Baroness Leana Doucet will be taking over the role effective immediately. Leana has served her local group as the Baroness since 2019 and will be stepping down at the end of this month. In addition, Her Excellency has served the Kingdom as a Champion and herald. We are glad to have her step up and spread her wings to shepherd Tir Mara going forward.
Central Region – Pomestnik Andreiko Eferiev will be stepping up into the Central Region Deputy role effective immediately. Andreiko comes to the region as a very active participant, holding various offices in both his local group as well as at a Kingdom level. I have every confidence he will settle in to the role with ease and the region will be better for having him.
Southern Region – His Grace, Brennan Dux, will be stepping into the role effective immediately. His knowledge of the Kingdom and specifically local groups in the southern region will allow him to provide support and encouragement as needed.
I want to thank all of the outgoing regional deputies for their service, helping me through my term as Kingdom Seneschal, and being an amazing source of support. They have all allowed me to focus on the Kingdom as a whole by staying engaged with their regions. I know their successors will do the same for Eff.
This won’t be my last missive as Kingdom Seneschal. There are still 63 days to go. I look forward to seeing you all at upcoming events!
In Service, Magistra Audrye Beneyt East Kingdom Seneschal
The days are growing shorter, much as my tenure in the role of Kingdom Seneschal does. As a result, I am seeking applications for the successor to this office.
The expected timeline is as follows: ~ Applications Accepted through December 24, 2023 ~ Short round of interviews of potential candidates with myself as well as the Royals ~ Decision made by January 18, 2023 ~ Training to follow with anticipated step up in mid-end March 2024
I will remain with the new Kingdom Seneschal, ensuring successful transition and ease of entry. There will also be a crew of former Kingdom Seneschals in the wings to provide support and guidance.
The full job description and expectations can be found on the application itself.
As the end of the year nears, the Office of the Kingdom Seneschal seeks to find new faces to fill some roles!
First, a massive thank you to the outgoing Regional Deputies, Godfroy de Falaise and Fearghus mac Caillin have been instrumental in managing their regions and assisting the Kingdom Seneschal. Both deserve an amazing rest. In addition, as mentions previously, Thomas of Effingham has slide over into the Deputy Kingdom Seneschal role to assist me with keeping Kingdom-level items in motion.
In order to apply for any of the listed roles, you must have an East Kingdom Email address and use it for your application. The form will not allow you to complete it otherwise. If you do not have one, and are unsure of how to sign up, see the following guide on the Webminster’s page: https://webminister.eastkingdom.org/email/east-kingdom-accounts-faq/
If you require further assistance, you can contact help@eastkingdom.org and the fantastic Webministry will work to get you going.
Applications for all the roles listed above will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found.
Descriptions for all postings are listed on the Application Form itself. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at seneschal@eastkingdom.org.
In Service, Magistra Audrye Beneyt East Kingdom Seneschal
As you may (or maybe don’t) know, during the first quarter of the year, SCA Corporate transferred the membership data from one platform to another. Without getting in to all the details, some of the data did not transfer correctly. We have run in to several situations where members are not appearing in the appropriate groups / kingdoms as a result of the transfer.
If you have not already done so, please log in to your SCA Membership Portal through the SCA Membership Page here: https://www.sca.org/member-services/
Please review your contact information (especially your mailing address, including zip code) and ensure it is correct.
There are several groups who are either in the process of a status or baronial polling, or who are coming due for one. This is especially important to do for the members of those groups.
If you have any questions regarding your membership account, please direct them to membership@sca.org. The East Kingdom Webministry does not have the access to assist.
I want to thank Maestro David Vázquez de Valençia, our Kingdom Postal Legatus for sharing initial concerns about the data integrity. And I also want to thank The Honorable Lady Aurelia Colleoni a’Buccafurno, Seneschal of Panthervale for confirming her group’s list was incorrect and then helping me confirm that her address had updated successfully in the new system.
Please share this message far and wide, so that it reaches as many folks as possible.
In Service, Magistra Audrye Beneyt East Kingdom Seneschal
Below is the currently accepted list of those who wish to compete for the Spring Crown Tournament of Brennan & Caoilfhionn to be held on May 6 in the Crown Province of Ostgardr.
If your name does not appear on this list, it is because either the combatant or consort (or both) has not completed the submission of the EK Law quiz provided by Their Majesties. Please contact them directly at TRM@EastKingdom.org. The quiz can still be completed prior to the event.
Sir Matthias Grunewald, fighting for Baroness Æsa feilinn Jossursdottir
Jarl Valgard Stonecleaver, fighting for Lady Gracia Vasquez de Trillo
Viscount Culann mac Cianain, fighting for Viscountess Sefa Hrafnsdóttir
The Honorable Lord Sigurdr Berserker, fighting for Mistress Eleanore MacCarthaigh
Master Karl Meerstappa, fighting for Mistress Anne of Framlingham
Syr Angus Gove MacKinon, fighting for Mistress Ciara MacRobie
Sir Matthew D’Arden, fighting for Mistress Fia Kareman
Master Æthelhawke Keyfinder, fighting for Mistress Siubhan Wallace
Master Sigurthr Vigurhafn, fighting for Mistress Medhbh inghean Ui Cheallaigh
Doyen Richard Crowe, fighting for Lady Ameria Brown
Sir Klaus Winterhalter Von Wallachia, fighting for Baroness Anastasia Kurt-Kalbi
Doctorae Pandarus and Baroness Timeria Sthenone, called Timbrien, fighting for each other
Sir Turi MacKinnon, fighting for Baroness Marguerite de Sainte Nazaire
Baron Talan Gwyllt, fighting for The Honorable Lady Alison Wodehalle
The Honorable Lord Matthew MacGyver, fighting for Baroness Lillian Stanhope
The Honorable Lord Titus Claudius Silvanus, fighting for Lady Anna Serena
Andromidus Leonida, fighting for Baroness Lily Morgaine
The Honorable Lord Corwin Blackthorn, fighting for Lady Ada Wright
The Honorable Lord Michal Bialy, fighting for Nicasia Leontodes
The Honorable Lord Ludovic of Carolingia and Lady Röskva Mac Cianain, called Widowmaker, fighting for each other
Baron Pádraig Ó Brádaig, called Samson of Ireland, fighting for Lady Martha bean ui Bhradaigh
The Honorable Lord Albrecht Ostergaard, fighting for Baronessa Daniela Rosa da Venezia
Baron Lawrence Vaughan, fighting for Lady Lillian Hutchinson
Baron Vladimir Bathory, fighting for Lady Andrea Noelle Bathory
Lady Saga mac Cianin, fighting for Baron Sirion Dobbs
Lord Ragnarr Blaskegg, fighting for Lady Arnora Ketilsdottir
Lord Wilhelm Van Hammaburc, fighting for Ailbhe AElffricesdohter
Lord Thorfin Jarnison, fighting for Lord Bjorn Fairhair
The Honorable Lord Wee Hawk of Panther Vale, fighting for Lady Angela of Panthervale
Lord Michel Biornson of the Isles, fighting for Vigdís Eldr
Guillame Du Chantier, fighting for Ezra Dei Bazzi
Tournament Format
The format for Crown Tournament will be as follows:
All bouts will be “bring your best” until the semi-finals.
There will be 4 round robin pools. Each will advance 4 combatants to a double-elimination Sweet 16.
At the semi-finals, 2 combatants from the winners’ list will each face a combatant from the defeated list. The semi finals will be fought rotating, non-repeating, weapons forms. The combatant from the winners’ list will have to win once. The combatant from the defeated list will have to win twice. First choice of weapons forms will go to the combatant from the winners’ list.
In the finals, all previous losses will be forgiven.
The finals will be a best of 5 with rotating, non-repeating weapons forms. The first bout of the finals will be fought with long sword in the Queen’s honor. The loser of the long sword bout will choose the next weapons form, and so on until a winner is decided. Long sword may be chosen by a combatant.
In several discussions this past weekend, and several from prior, I feel it necessary to remind the populace of some important things. This may be long, but I need each and every member of the populace to read work on being better.
Asking for consent and respecting body autonomy is not an “optional” thing to do in this Kingdom, much less the Society.
What is Consent?
Consent is the agreement between two people, regardless of age, to engage in a particular activity. Whether this activity is touching, hugging, or entering a list field, consent of both parties is required. If one person does not agree, the activity does not occur.
The person seeking consent does not get the right to assume lesser consent for something else. What do I mean by this? Here is an example:
Person A: Hey, good to see you! Are we hugging? Person B: Not today, thank you. Person A: *gives a side squeeze instead*
This is not acceptable behavior for any of our populace. The side squeeze still requires consent. This same example can go a similar way which grants consent from both parties:
Person A: Hey, good to see you! Are we hugging? Person B: Not today, thank you. Person A: Of course, you’re welcome. Fistbump instead? Person B: Absolutely.
This is a much better interaction for all parties.
Asking for consent applies to all kinds of touch. Whether you are seeking a hug, a fistbump, or to touch someone’s hair or garb, you must obtain consent.
There is no such thing as “implied consent.” Just because two people have been friends forever, does not mean consent is granted eternally. Just because someone is a Royal, or on the Royal Entourage, does not grant you permission to touch them. This is something I am constantly working on. Both in granting consent eternally such as “oh you are always welcome to hug me” and remembering that consent is not implied. We are all works in progress, and no one is perfect.
I recognize direct communication is hard for some of us. Myself included. That doesn’t mean we have an out to just say “oh that’s just how I am.” Everyone should feel they are able to say “No, thank you.” without fear of recourse. We should also take that course correction. As adults, people should be able to internalize this information and improve behavior. Will we be perfect every time? No. But we will try.
As this relates to the youth of our populace, they absolutely have the same rights to consent to body autonomy and touch as everyone else. If a youth says “No thank you” to touch, we are not granted consent by virtue of being older or an adult. This is not up for debate.
I care deeply for each and every one of you, and want everyone to feel safe, supported, and encouraged to participate in our hobby.
So from your Tyger Mom, people of the East, please be better about this.
In Service, Magistra Audrye Beneyt East Kingdom Seneschal
Greetings and Gentle Holidays to the Tyger Populace!
As the calendar year comes to a close, I am excited to announce I have selected successors to the Northern and Central Region Deputy positions for the Office of the Kingdom Seneschal.
First, words are not enough to express my thanks to Don Cedric of the Floppy Hat and Kennari Tasha Medvedeva for their most excellent service to their regions and to the Kingdom. Both have served tirelessly through the Pandemic and have been great resources for the populace. Thank you both, from the bottom of my heart, and for those who came before me for all you have done and continue to do.
Without further adieu, it is my pleasure to announce the following appointments:
Lord Julien MacBain will succeed Don Cedric in the role of Northern Region Deputy Seneschal. Julien resides in the Shire of Panthervale and has been playing in the SCA since 2006. He has been primarily focused in the pursuit of all-things-rapier and is eager to serve the populace and learn new paths of service.
His Wiki can be found here: https://wiki.eastkingdom.org/wiki/Julien_MacBain
Baron Thomas of Effingham, OD will succeed Kennari Tasha in the role of Central Region Deputy Seneschal. Effingham resides in the Shire of Quintavia and has been playing in the SCA since 2005. He was elevated to the Order of Defense in 2017 and after serving as the Baron of Carolingia through much of the pandemic is looking to serve the Kingdom through the office of the Seneschal.
His Wiki can be found here: https://wiki.eastkingdom.org/wiki/Thomas_of_Effingham
Please give them a bit of time to settle into their roles, and we’ll let the Seneschalate know when the emails have been transferred over behind the scenes.
Thank you so much, to our outgoing Regionals and to the incoming Regionals for all the service they have done and will do for the Kingdom.
In Service, Magistra Audrye Beneyt East Kingdom Seneschal
I want to apologize again to the populace. I am sorry that the decisions I made caused upset. I hope that the coming information will help to begin to mend your faith in me and that we can all step together to find a middle ground.
To that end, I would like to share the Kingdom’s current response to COVID with you. I would ask that you please read all the way through, then re-read, as there will be a lot of information here, and there is no good way for me to break it up. I have provided a Highlights section here, so you know what to expect.
New Kingdom-Wide Variance – A new variance which applies to the entire Kingdom goes into effect immediately, requiring indoor masking at a specific threshold.
Status of Variances – A review of existing variances and how they are impacted by the new Kingdom-Wide Variance.
A Kingdom-wide variance has been approved by the Society Seneschal to go into effect immediately and will end on March 1, 2023. It is as follows:
Indoor Masking for all persons age 2 and over will be required at all official SCA Activities (events, practices, meetings, etc.) in the United States portion of the East Kingdom, under the following condition:
When the county where the activity is located reaches a status of HIGH on the CDC Community Levels map found here:
This is determined by the data on the Thursday just prior to the activity.
If state or local regulations are more restrictive, those measures are to be followed. For the Canadian provinces in Tir Mara, provincial and local guidance will be followed. This variance is in effect immediately and will end on March 1, 2023.
Examples: An official practice will be held on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 in Springfield, MA. If, on the Thursday prior, December 29, 2022, the Community Level in Hampden County, MA is listed as HIGH according to the map above, then masks will be required at the practice on January 3, 2023.
An event will be held in Bangor, ME on Saturday, January 21, 2023. On the Thursday prior, January 19, 2023, the Community Level in Penobscot County, ME is listed as LOW according to the map above. As such, masks will not be required.
An event will be held in Montreal, Quebec on Saturday, February 4, 2023. On January 12, 2023, the local government issued a mask mandate requiring indoor masking due to an increase in cases. Masks will be required at the event on February 4, 2023.
As the Kingdom has followed the CDC guidance from the beginning of the pandemic, we will continue to do so.
The CDC has recommended the use of the Community Levels map to determine action as it addresses the impact of COVID19 on communities. The chart below is taken directly from the CDC website and shows how the Community Levels are calculated.
(Chart pulled from CDC website on 11/10/2022)
The CDC has recommendations based on these levels, and they can be located here:
There are a few variances I approved for local practices and gatherings through November 30, 2022. Those will remain in effect through November 30, 2022 and then be replaced by the above Kingdom-wide variance.
There are a couple of variances I denied, based on the above CDC map at the time of decision. As the Kingdom-wide Variance is in effect immediately, should the county in question fall into the HIGH category on the Thursday prior, then masks will be required at the event.
As an example, this weekend is St. Eligius in New Haven, CT. New Haven is in New Haven County.
New Haven County’s current Community Level is MEDIUM. As such, masks will not be required at the event.
There are a few variances which are still “in the wings” so-to-speak. No decision has been made on them as of yet. I will be formally denying those variances in favor of the Kingdom-wide Variance, as all of those requests have come in for after December 1, 2022. I will be sending those notifications out after this has been posted.
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Requesting New Variances
Should you wish to request a variance to alter the Kingdom-wide variance (or any variance for that matter), there are a few steps which must be taken.
It must be specific in nature and have a metric and/or reasons for an alteration.
Confirmation that the request has been received will be made in 48 hours and provide a decision timeline.
If I agree with the variance request, I will send it to the Society Seneschal for review.
If I do not agree with the variance request, I will notify the branch Seneschal.
Should you wish to appeal my decision, the branch Seneschal would then email the Society Seneschal to request review.
If you would like to have a conversation with me regarding this process, or have specific questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
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Personal Responsibility and Illness
I want to stress the importance of taking care of yourself, your health (mental and physical), and those of your loved ones.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of illness, regardless if they are COVID-related or not, please do not attend the event/practice/gathering. If you are playing the “allergies or cold” game, please assume cold and do not attend the event.
If you test positive for COVID, please do not attend any event/gathering for 10 days, or when you have had 2 negative home tests 48 hours apart. The Kingdom has to rely on your honor for this, as we will not be allowed to ask for proof. Please choose to do the right thing.
In addition, all members of the populace should be prepared to mask at events and gatherings.
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Masking and Distancing
With all that said, I recognize there is always more we can do to protect each other while also respecting each other.
To this end, I ask that the people of the East begin to reframe how they interact with each other. Do not assume close contact is acceptable for everyone. Please ask before entering someone’s personal space. Remember just because you have received permission once, does not mean you always have permission. Similarly, if you are asked to mask when approaching someone, please do so. Consent is absolutely vital in our Society, and we should be making every effort to allow people that right.
I strongly encourage people to mask when possible, with the best masks they have access to. The CDC, along with other sources, advise the best masks available are N95s or KN95s.
As such, with the support of the Crown and Heirs, I will make N95/KN95 masks available for any event attendees between this announcement and the end of the variance, March 1, 2023.
Masks will be available for any event that has a listing on the East Kingdom Event Calendar and will be shipped directly to someone who will be attending.
(If there is a problem with the form, please email me as soon as you are able, and I’ll get it fixed!)
I have had several people ask if they can put verbiage out recommending masking at events. The short answer to that is “Absolutely!” I encourage groups to continue to promote masking. This can include signs at events, language in event listings, and setting an example by wearing them.
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Commitment to Vigilance
I will be routinely checking the CDC website and keeping an eye on the state of the Kingdom and the COVID levels. Should things in the Kingdom change, I will review our next steps appropriately and act with the best interest of the Kingdom as a whole.
I will be reviewing the existing variance in mid February 2023.
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I hope you were able to get through all of that, and thank you for sticking with me. I am thankful for each and every voice in our Kingdom, and hope with the above measures in place we are able to come together again and enjoy our hobby.
The following variance has been approved by the Society Seneschal, to go in to effect immediately:
Indoor Masking for all persons age 2 and over will be required at all official SCA Activities (events, practices, meetings, etc) in the United States portion of the East Kingdom, under the following condition:
When the county where the activity is located reaches a status of HIGH on the CDC Community Levels map found here:
This is determined by the data on the Thursday just prior to the activity.
If state or local regulations are more restrictive, those measures are to be followed.
For the Canadian provinces in Tir Mara, provincial and local guidance will be followed.
This variance is in effect immediately and will end on March 1, 2023.
Examples:
An official practice will be held on January 3, 2023 in Springfield, MA. If, on the Thursday prior, December 29, 2022, the Community Level in Hampden County, MA is listed as HIGH according to the map above, then masks will be required at the practice on January 3, 2023.
An event will be held in Bangor, ME on January 21, 2023. On the Thursday prior, January 19, 2023, the Community Level in Penobscot County, ME is listed as LOW according to the map above. As such, masks will not be required.
An event will be held in Montreal, Quebec on February 4, 2023. On January 12, 2023, the local government issued a mask mandate requiring indoor masking due to an increase in cases. Masks will be required at the event on February 4, 2023.
So many things have happened in the last two months that I’m not entirely sure where to begin. Please hold tight, and come along for a little ride with me.
Let me start by recognizing we are a mighty and ferocious Kingdom, which is built upon a love for this hobby, a care for each other, and knowing when standing up is the right thing to do.
When I made the decision to drop the mask mandate on October 1, 2022, I heard cries of outrage and cries of joy. They varied from whispers to downright screams. I heard each and every one. I felt all of them, and the turmoil it put on the Kingdom and its people was hard.
When I stepped into this role back in April, I didn’t know quite how hard it would be to experience all of that first hand. Even having stood next to Medhbh for pretty much her entire time as Seneschal, I couldn’t anticipate how it would feel to stand in those shoes. If you were to ask any of my predecessors, they would tell you the same, I am absolutely sure of it.
All that is to say, I’m sorry. I am sorry that people felt (and still feel) stressed. I am sorry that people did not feel heard, and did not feel wanted. I am sorry to those who do not feel safe enough to share their thoughts. I firmly believe it is important to recognize when we have made a mistake which impacts so many others. I believe apologizing is important. I believe doing both of those things publicly when it is called for, is absolutely necessary.
I want to acknowledge that, regardless of where a person stands on the topic, they are important. I repeat, each and every one of you is important. You are important to me, to the Crown, to the Kingdom.
With that said, over the next day I will be releasing some information which I hope will help us all move forward as a Kingdom. I hope it will help us begin to walk towards each other again, instead of creating division. I hope we are able to find places to meet in the middle, where all feel safe, heard, and wanted.
I ask that you please be patient with me as I get this information out in a way which is clear, concise and easy to follow so it is done once without the need to retract, rephrase or explain in other ways.
With my love, and in service to the Kingdom of the East,
