North by Northwick

Cwenthryth aet Northwice | Ansteorra | Rapier | Blue Feather

[cwen-northwick]

Hello! I am Cwenthryth of Northwick. I am a Scadian from central Ansteorra. I am a beginner at most things, but my interests are fencing, medieval magical practices and folk mythology, and early English and Stuart cultures.

My profile picture is "Timoclea Kills the Captain of Alexander the Great" (1659) by Elisabetta Sirani.

My banner image is "Figures 11-12" from Les secrets du premier livre sur l'espée seule (1573) by Henry de Sainct Didier.

[alastor-company-of-sarpedon]

For those unsure of a sport to pick:

Have you considered hitting your friends with a sword? Have you considered getting hit with swords by your friends? Have you considered making out after a duel?

[catgirl-with-a-sword]

Doing a seperate post for my gayass poofy pants--

THEY ARRIVED AND I LOVE THEM THEY'RE SO SILLY

The colours are a little strong considering I was aiming for trans flag colours, but I'm hoping washes and use will like fade it a little to be more suited!

Anyways less thirst trappy pics have some poor quality stills from them in use

[blumineck]

Bluminarmour Project Update (sorry for the croaky voice)

Hey folks, it is with great sadness that I need to let you know that it looks like the Bluminarmour Project on Kickstarter is going to have to take a backwards step. Due to some communication issues with one of the people I was working with on the project, there has been a copyright dispute that has resulted in its suspension.

Unfortunately after several days of communication with Kickstarter and the affected parties, it seems like the best way to proceed will be to first ensure that Kickstarter refunds all backers, and then cancel the project and begin again. Obviously I will update you all if anything changes but for now this seems to be the best option.

I do have an armourer that I’m very excited to work with moving forward, and I still want to do this the best way that I can, but that means I need to take a different approach for now.

I’m extremely grateful to everyone for the support, and apologise for the inconvenience and concern. You’re all awesome, and I still hope to be able to meet as many expectations as possible with this project when I can!

[blumineck]

In a wild turn of events, Kickstarter have elected to reinstate the project rather than refund backers. I’m looking to see where that leaves me and the project, and seeking advice to make sure I proceed in a way that allows me to fulfil my obligations to the community in the best way possible!

(Basically I have no idea where I stand right now and I’m trying to work out what to do)

[sceptixfakemon]

As someone who (kind of accidentally) started doing SCA heavy armoured, fighting people is so much more fun than I expected! :)

anon how do you accidentally start fighting people in full armour tell me

[rotbarts-travelchest]

From Rust Soup to Works of Art, man this armoring stuff takes a lot of work.

Got a bunch of Bryn Gwlad loaner gear I'm probably putting more effort into than my own gear. Nobody showed up to armoring day to help, so I only got 30% of what I wanted to get done, done.

(that helm began as a literal pile of brown flakes, it's a gottam MIRACLE I've been able to get it back to shipshape)

[resismedievalmenagerie]

Medieval bats! I love these guys. They're in the bird section, but clearly even the medieval monks are a little confused about this, writing the bat "uses its teeth, which you may not be accustomed to finding in other birds." Translation comes from Willene B Clark, and you can find the bestiary these are featured in here.

[relevant-catnik]

I made a friend at the SCA event yesterday.

[fluentisonus]

they're trying to get me to do something called ""my job"" instead of reading about medieval english poaching laws

[squeakpip]

how dare the weather frustrate my weather-dependent hobby instead of just adding an air of romance and drama

[parttimehealer]

My cotehardie! This was my first time ever sewing a fitted garment, and so it came out a lil wonky, but nothing some practice can't fix! The sleeves ended up having some issues, so I kept them open, and I think I might replace them. I really like the color of this garment.

[the-merry-otter]

I camped in the country a couple of weekends ago

[rockshitty]

Nothing reminds me what a goddamn miracle modern medicine is more so than hearing stories about people who contracted the black plague in the 21st century and were prescribed antibiotics for it.

Like yeah man you got the disease that wiped out half of Europe, like, a couple separate times within written history, and we have no clue how many times before that. To cure it you have to take 14 pills and drink lots of juice. You’re gonna feel kind of crummy for a while. It’s vitally important you take all 14 pills.

[evergreen-femme]

im just so happy i live in a time period where actual meaningful biological transition is possible. even if we lose rights or the ability to exist in public, nothing can turn back the clock on that, and just by having any sort of access to that our lives are made immensely better. millions of our sisters throughout history would never have dreamed of a day where they could have what HRT does for us.

please don't lose the plot of this. if you're a trans person on HRT you're a living miracle, the dream of hundreds of millions of your ancestors. your lives are all deeply meaningful no matter what anyone says.

[t4t4t]

תפילה להפך – מאבן בֹחן | Prayer for Transformation, from the poem "Even Boḥan" by Rabbi Ḳalonymus b. Ḳalonymus ben Meir (1322) • the Open Si

A prayer by Kalonymus b. Kalonymus ben Meir that appears in his poem ספר אבן בוחן, יג Sefer Even Boḥan (§13), describing the author's wish t

[unabashedllamamusic]

Cursed be the one who announced to my father: “It’s a boy!"... ...How could he twist the course of the stars so much? How could he have erred so in his astrology? A lying tongue, a fool’s mouth it had given him For he foolishly transformed justice to poison He altered the law and transposed the lines

Oh, but had the artisan who made me created me instead – a worthy woman... ...I would say "how lucky am I"

Father in heaven who did miracles for our ancestors with fire and water... ...Who would then transform me from a man to woman? Were I only to have merited this being so graced by goodness...

What shall I say? why cry or be bitter? If my father in heaven has decreed upon me and has maimed me with an immutable deformity then I do not wish to remove it. the sorrow of the impossible is a human pain that nothing will cure and for which no comfort can be found. So, I will bear and suffer until I die and wither in the ground. Since I have learned from our tradition that we bless both, the good and the bitter I will bless in a voice hushed and weak: blessed are you [HaShem] who has not made me a woman.

I think I'm gonna go lay down for a little while.

[cwen-northwick]

"Oh, but had the artisan who made me created me instead—a fair woman. Today I would be wise and insightful. We would weave, my friends and I, and in the moonlight spin our yarn, and tell our stories to one another, from dusk till midnight. We’d tell of the events of our day, silly things, matters of no consequence. But also I would grow very wise from the spinning, and I would say, “Happy is she who knows how to work with combed flax and weave it into fine white linen.” And at times, in the way of women, I would lie down on the kitchen floor, between the ovens, turn the coals, and taste the different dishes. On holidays I would put on my best jewelry. I would beat on the drum and my clapping hands would ring. And when I was ready and the time was right, an excellent youth would be my fortune. He would love me, place me on a pedestal, dress me in jewels of gold, earrings, bracelets, necklaces. And on the appointed day, in the season of joy when brides are wed, for seven days would the boy increase my delight and gladness."

Remember she was a woman who dreamed of joy and carried it in her heart. May her memory be a blessing.

[mariana-oconnor]

[topsecrettea]

This past weekend was one of my favorite events in this SCA Kingdom. Fire on the Plains. This event started last year, it's intended as an A&S style event as one of the biggest draws is the plurality of Blacksmiths that show up. It is also a camping event (though most of my House only day-tripped on Saturday)

This is part of our little camp, my tent being in the background here.

Here's my little tent, needs some repairs though.

The view of our Kitchen Tent from the interior of my tent. (yes we have a full kitchen tent, and though we didn't set up the full spread for this event, but when it's fully set up we have hot and cold running water, four burners for the stove, and Midnight Bacon)

As I said, Blacksmithing abounds.

Here's one of said blacksmiths (and former Baron of Dragonsspine) playing with fire in the barn we had built.

Master Erich brought along his Goats for milking and cheese making. The black one is Fraulein, and the other is Pearl. They are both sweethearts and are utterly incapable of being contained in any pen.

And here is Her Excellency, Baroness Isabeau de Bernac milking Pearl.

[esteemedbastard]

I'm going to be asking from a Belegarth perspective, but I'd like to get opinions from people in Dag, Amt, SCA, and other LARP/historical combat communities.

I've been in Belegarth since 2017 (took a break because pandemic/grad school from 2020-2024), and I've recently taken on more responsibilities in my realm, my unit, and my community. Most of it has been volunteering my time, resources, and skills to help at events. I am the go-to food distributor for my companions at events; I successfully completed my self-imposed quest of cooking a meal over a fire last week at Armageddon. (I made a delicious Tuscan bean soup for everyone, and my Watch General made quesadillas to go with it.)

Meanwhile, I have noticed people in my extended circle either begin or complete their path to knighthood. In the time between WPO and Armageddon, my realm has gone from one knight and two squires to two knights and four squires. Not to mention that two of my realm/unit mates are both considering squireship after this event.

As a result, I'm also thinking about pursuing squireship. I came up with a plan that I'd spend the next year--from this past Armageddon until next Armageddon--improving my crafting, my volunteering, and my fighting, and revisit the topic at that time.

So I wanted to ask those of you who have pursued similar leadership roles in your various LARPs/communities how you decided you wanted to go about it. What were the factors you took into consideration before beginning? Was knighthood conferred upon you without planning (which is pretty rare in Belegarth)? Or would you have rather had a concrete idea of what you wanted before taking it on?

Feel free to reblog/comment below, or send me an ask/IM. I know this isn't my usual reblogging behavior, but I once again did not take any pictures at Geddon so I have nothing to post lol.

[cwen-northwick]

I play in the SCA, so I can't speak to Belegarth or Amtgard or anything, but I am walking a Path over here, so I think maybe you might find some applicability?

I became a commander for our canton's melee unit (specifically, I became our very first Rapier Commander) about two years ago now. This happened largely on accident because I was the one pushing for our rapier fighters to do more melee stuff and to do it under our company's banner. I found out after the fact actually when my wife who does not play found my name on our website. My command has been marked our participation in three melees and by my organising a community melee practice once. Which is not a lot, but it's work that nobody else is doing either. My involvement in the office is largely just me filling a hole to see that the stuff I want gets done.

At some point, I'm going to get authorised as a marshall so I can assist more in the running of events and practices, but my mundane duties have kept me occupied. Most people who participate in the fighting long enough do get authorised. It's almost a rite of passage. There's always a need for more people to help keep events running and running smoothly. I really should have done so already, but I've a bad habit of procrastinating.

More broadly, I am working towards being a Master of Defense, our highest rank for steel fighters. It's not merely an acknowledgement of skill but of service to the community. It also comes with certain expectations: of leadership, of teaching, and of service. I already enjoy teaching newcomers, so once I have the skill to, I'm sure I'll enjoy teaching advanced students also. My command and future marshalling are how I currently best know to support the community that has supported me. I also want to learn how to run lysts since there is ever a need for lyst ministers.

So yeah that's about how I got into and plan to continue being into leadership in the SCA: I saw the things I wanted and the things that were needed and then simply saw to what was in my power to fix. I don't know if that's exactly what you wanted, but I hope hearing it helped!