Being the online web log for the Southwestern Pennsylvania branch of the SCA, Inc.
Hi folks! Master Donnan from Ballachlagan will be running fencing practice this Sunday in my place. All our loaner gear will be available as usual, and I’ll be back to run practice next week. Reminder for folks that missed last week, we are now at our winter practice location and time: 11-2 at Ace Axe Throwing.
Robert MacEwin of Thornhill
BMDL Fencing Marshal
We are holding an armor workshop this Wednesday, November 13th, at Turlough and Finé’s place. Our goal is to make more repairs to the iron key and if there is time work on any personal projects. Anyone that wants to assist is welcome. Folks can arrive anytime after 3pm.
Adress is 129 Sunset Ln, Pittsburgh, PA 15209. To get to their house you turn down a gravel lane, there is a green sign on a utillity pole with the addresses down that lane. The house has his device hanging from a lamp post. Google maps directions below.
Hope to see folks there!
Guillaume
https://maps.app.goo.gl/vSCiM39kiXJZtEc16
As a reminder, we are moving practice indoors starting tomorrow. Practice will be 11am to 2pm at Ace Axe Throwing.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NNGk8QPtgSKnZA677
Hope to see everyone!
Guillaume
Hello, Fencers! Beginning this Sunday, Nov 10th, fencing will move to our indoor time and location: 11-2 in the 5th floor of Ace Axe Throwing. Jorundr will be running this practice since I’ll be out of town. I’ll also be missing next practice, so if any marshals are available to run that one, please contact me.
Address: 145 E 8th Ave, Homestead, PA 15120
Yours In Service,
Robert MacEwin of Thornhill
Debatable Lands Fencing Marshal
As a reminder, practice will be at the Castle tomorrow for the Harvest Social.
https://facebook.com/events/s/debatable-lands-harvest-revel-/1050440550197397/
Long ago when the Debatable Lands were newly settled, a group of Viking Age enthusiasts came together to discuss all things Viking. This Vikingr group lasted many years and even ran events, such as the fabled Vetr Things. Sadly, Vikingr faltered as its members passed into memory or out of the Society. However, interest in Viking Age Scandinavia is not gone. Now is the time for Norse of the next generation to restart Víkingr.
We will meet on Wednesday, November 13 from 7-9 pm at 3915 Riddile Street Pittsburgh PA in Brighton Heights.*
We will indulge in topics and activities related to Viking Age Scandinavia, such as:
Interested? Cool! Come join us in November 13 with your ideas and projects.
* Hrefna’s house is 3 minutes from where Route 65 meets the McKee’s Rocks Bridge. Also, this is the home of cats. Make whatever preparations you require
Some folks missed the announcement about Harvest Revel, and I went exploring to figure out why. Facebook is unreliable, Discord may not be your thing, and you might not remember to check the blog. But we all read email. And yet, we only have 89 addresses subscribed to the email list. The old list has been out of commission since before the pandemic. If you aren’t getting messages, please re-subscribe. Send an email to
SCA-BMDL+subscribe@googlegroups.com
You will get a response with a link to set your name and preferences. I’ll approve folks as quickly as I can.
Ceindrech
Edited for clarity:
Harvest Revel this Sunday!
Join us back at the castle, on Sunday Nov 3, don’t forget it’s time change day.
The annual fall contest theme will be SPREADS! Can you put it on a cracker, gluten-free or otherwise? Bring it and a list of its ingredients for our baronage to taste and judge! If you want both our lovely judges to taste your entry, please keep in mind that Praetoria Prima cannot eat mammal meat, including lard, but dairy and poultry are fine.
As many barony members have food sensitivities please have the ingredient list for your contributions to the potluck and the contest. We will have index cards if you need them. No one is required to follow any food guidelines- information is provided for those who choose to go the extra step to make their contributions accessible.
Come have fun with your friends, eat well, fight, fence, throw, shoot, hang inside with A&S… And of course, a short barony meeting.
It’s been a minute since I’ve done one of these, but with so much going on in November, I felt it would be useful to corral the information for a bunch of the different guild meetings into one place. If I’ve missed your guild or gathering, please let me know and I’ll help make sure you’re on the next one! Contact links are to Facebook profiles because of cross-posting but if you need their email instead, those cited below are also in the Dark Pages.
Tonight, October 28 – rescheduled monthly A&S night at the home of Elinor Walden (hi, it me) from 6pm-10pm! Bring your projects and come have cozy crafting time with other members of the barony. (Contact point – Elle Kaplan)
Every Tuesday – Scribal West from 5pm-9pm with THLady Nicola Beese to complete scrolls, practice calligraphy and illumination, word-smith for awards, or make scribal blanks (Contact point – Nicola Fedorka). Additionally, the Debatable Choir (voice) and Consort (instruments) meet at the home of Mistress T’svee’a from 7pm-9:30pm (Contact point – Karen Arianna Kasper)
Monday, November 4th – monthly Fiber Guild night at the home of Mistress T’svee’a from 7pm-9pm to get together and work on projects and gifts for the holidays. (Contact point – Rei Morikawa)
Monday, November 11th – monthly Scriptorium with our baronial signet, THLady Lisabetta, to make scrolls for kingdom and barony. (Contact point – Ashley Carlton)
Wednesday, November 13 – Vikingr, hosted by Raven, will be meeting from 7pm-9pm to discuss Norse research, art, and recreation. (Contact point – Xan Fagelson)
Thursday, November 21 – online Sewing Guild meets via Zoom with Hara Kikumatsu from 7:30-10pm. (Contact point – Hara at sbooth@sbooth.net)
But wait, there’s more! Several events throughout the kingdom this month cater to the A&S-inclined, including Debatable Lands Harvest Revel (Barony Social), Æthelmearc Fall Æcademy and War College, Fiber, Fabric, Fighting, and Revel at the Cordial Stag Inn II ! Check out the event pages or kingdom calendar for additional details: https://aethelmearc.org/events/month/2024-11/
As always, most of this information is pulled from the baronial calendar and blog, but if you have trouble finding more details yourself, let me know and I can put you in touch with the right person! http://www.debatablelands.org/calendar.php
YIS, THLady Elinor Walden
The temperatures are dropping, as are the leaves, which means that’s a wrap* for this year’s Archery Season!
(*for outdoor Sunday practices at the Washington Blvd. site)
We will resume regular outdoor practices next spring, likely mid-March, weather-permitting, so watch the blog and the Facebook page for updates.
Next week, martial practices are being hosted at the Debatable Lands Harvest Revel (Barony Social) at Duke Byron and Duchess Ariella’s in Wexford. Archery will be included, but not a full Royal Round range (and unfortunately, no archery off the roof… this time…), but all are invited to come for arrow-launching good times.
If you want to keep your archery skills from getting rusty, our neighbors in Steltonwald continue their practices through the winter at the Beaver Valley Archers’ Association (site for 7 Pearls and Archers to the Wald) on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 6:00 to 8:00 pm – contact Bill Moore for more information.
Also, watch for information for our annual Archery Potluck at Chieftain Archery in New Kensington early next year (January or February).
It’s been a joy and an honor serving as the barony’s Captain of the Archers this year:
We close this season on a high note and I look forward to what next season will bring.
Yours in service,
Niall mac Raedwulf