Serjeantry Is Almost Here.

.....FIRST OFF!!! IF YOU HAD SOME TIME ON SATURDAY AND HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN WEAVING, WE'RE ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR A WEAVING JUDGE!!! PLEASE CONTACT EITHER MYSELF OR TBT!!!

.....It's not BAM-O, but we could sure use some help. :-)

.....The day after tomorrow is our first Serjeantry Trials - rebooted. We've been going through our notes and making some final decisions and thinking about changes to the Program for next year's run, which begins in February. This year was all about throwing a lump of clay on the wheel and getting at least a general shape of what we thought it should look in the end. Next year we'll actually turn that wheel and shape it into real being. That third year will be about the glazes and the final touches of color before it gets sent out.

.....We're hoping that by the time we have it done it will be something worthy of keeping, that Their Excellencies who follow us will see something of beauty in it and want to build upon it. Just as we've taken what was started in the past by our predecessors and built something more with it, leaving our fingerprints all over it. It will be the prerogative of those who follow us to toss it out the window and start with an entirely new concept, or just not go through the work at all if they feel it is not necessary. That would make me a little sad, but I'll deal with it.

.....Actually, I would very much like to see it off the ground enough to where I could challenge for a position in the Dragon's Laire Serjeantry after we give our Coronets off to our successors. Even beyond the three years of creation, manufacture and polish of the Program, I can see other potential things that can be done with it, and that I would like to try. But first things first, let's get it to be self-sustaining. :-)

.....The morning will start with Persona Development, which I personally find fascinating. Then will move into Bardic presentations before lunch is scheduled. Then we'll move into Arts & Sciences presentations. We're really light on the testers / judges for the A&S entries (have I mentioned that December is a BAD month to hold a set of Trials?). Then Military Sciences, following with the Court of Love.

.....The traditional Court of Love requires a Jury of three ladies to hold Court over challenges placed to the candidate. From most of the Courts I've seen this challenge has been put into the form of a scenario of choice that the candidate must then explain how he would react.

.....As usual, we're meddling a little bit with the concept. We have an hour budgeted for what we've billed as the 'Court of Love', which will start with the candidates introducing themselves formally and explaining a little about themselves and why they want to become a member of the Serjeantry. The next part will involve members of their 'retinue' or support staff, who'll be asked to speak for the Serjeantry candidate, how the candidate inspires them, and why they would make a good member of the Serjeantry. Then finally, the 'Court of Love' question itself is asked.

.....There might be more than one question asked, depending upon our time restraints. Just doing a little re-reading of Eleanor of Aquitaine's Court of Love and the successors, and then the variants practiced in the SCA, I'm finding it to be rather fascinating. Although the questions I want to ask are much less situational and more of the esoteric variety. For example, 'What makes a Lord or Lady worthy of love?' There is no single and correct answer. But how that question is answered by the candidate reveals much of how that candidate thinks and acts, at least in my opinion.

.....After the Court of Love, time will really start speeding up as we go into the final questions (in private) and then the deliberations with the testers and others present. Then final Court where those assembled are told of who passed the Trials. After which the candidates will be given their tokens and they will declare the Quest that they will undertake for the next six months.

.....Somehow, we will make time at June Faire for a Round Table. At that time the candidates who have completed their Quests will take a chair at the Round Table and relate to those assembled what happened on their Quests, what they learned, what they accomplished, and what they intend to bring back to the Populace.

.....At which time they will declare their Quests for the upcoming year, and be given their cloaks of position as true, full and committed members of the Serjeantry of Dragon's Laire.

.....There is a lot of work involved. I think one of the things I tend to worry about is that many people who do not see all the work the candidates are doing will dismiss the entire process as easy, or frivolous. We've been so busy over the past year that I overlooked many opportunities to showcase what the candidates have had to learn and accomplish to get to the place they are now. We'll have to see what we can do to advertise their Quests better. At least at June Faire there might be an opportunity to gather some more people around to listen to the candidates as they relate the stories of their Quests. Rycheza has been pushing hard for the stories to be written so she can publish them in The Flames. At that point it is an easy step to put them on the web-site as well.

.....Wish we had more time to accomplish everything we truly wanted to accomplish with this. :-)

.....But for now, it's time for the Trials. I believe the candidates will all do well.

.....Aaron / Arontius.