June Fencing Activities Schedule

Hello, fencers!

This is a long one, so please bear with me ❤️

First, this coming Sunday we’ll have our Baronial Fencing Championship and Barony Social! The fencing tournament will start after the armored tournament concludes, no earlier than 12:30.

Next up, intermediate lessons! I’ve been having a hard time keeping up with the monthly classes, so we’re going to try something different. Starting this Sunday, every week we’ll have Technique Drills and Discussions at 2:30 pm where we’ll share and practice techniques together. Folks are encouraged to bring cool techniques that they want to share and/or work on in a group setting. We will also work on drills from experts online, as well as from historical sources.

Lastly, our June activities schedule!
June 1st: Baronial Champs
June 7th: Iris Festival!
June 8th: C&T focused practice
June 15th: melee practice day!

And as a reminder, practices are running from NOON to 4pm(ish) this year, rather than 1pm to 5pm

Yours in Service,
Robert MacEwin of Thornhill
Debatable Lands Fencing Marshal

Barony Social Announcement: https://www.facebook.com/BMDLOfficial/posts/1213672453897551
Baronial Fencing Champs Announcement: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DebatableLands/posts/10161487696911242/
Iris Festival Fencing Schedule Announcement: https://www.facebook.com/groups/166145550191937/permalink/3275255645947563/

Fiber Arts Guild May Meeting

The next fiber arts guild meeting will be Monday, Memorial Day, May 26th, 2025 from 7 to 9 pm. We’ll attempt to have the meeting outside to enjoy the warm early summer, so bring your larger projects.

We will meet at our usual place, 5167 Rosecrest Drive, Pittsburgh, PA.

An Update on Crown Tournament

Greetings, Noble Populace.

As you may now be aware, our Kingdom is in Regency. As Regents, our duty is to see to the selection of the Sovereigns of Æthelmearc. The Kingdom is in need of both Royals and Heirs. Therefore, we will hold two Crown tournaments on the same day – the first tournament will decide the Royals who will sit the thrones of Æthelmearc for the remainder of this Summer reign. The second tournament will determine the Heirs who will rule Æthelmearc over the following Winter.

Both tournaments will be held during our Crown Tourney event on May 3rd. The Crown list for the Heirs Tournament is already published, and will continue as planned starting at approximately noon that day. However, an additional tournament must be held FIRST (1) to determine who sits the throne of Æthelmearc starting immediately. We shall relinquish our Regency between the two tournaments, so that the new Royals can be crowned and then oversee the tournament to choose their Heirs.

Therefore, we are calling for Letters of Intent for the Royal Tournament, which will start at 10am. The Royal Tournament is open to any eligible combatant and consort pair who would normally be eligible for Crown Tournament, including those planning to participate in the Heirs Tournament in the second half of the event.(2)

Letters will be accepted in the attached form (https://aeforms.aethelmearc.org/view.php?id=79608) or via email at royalty@aethelmearc.org through Thursday May 1st at 10am, which is 48 hours prior to the tournament.(3)

We realize this is a huge responsibility, with little time to prepare. The winners of the first tournament will immediately step up to the thrones of Æthelmearc and be responsible for the Kingdom through the remainder of the Summer Reign. Included in those duties will be the Endless Hills Investiture (the following weekend, May 10, at Melee Madness), selecting the initial members of the Order of the Mark, and of course the Pennsic War. Please consider carefully whether you will be able to perform these duties on such short notice.

Feel free to contact any of us with questions.

In Service to Glorious Æthelmearc,

Thomas Byron of Haverford, King Regent

Ariella of Thornbury, Queen Regent

Padraig O’Branduibh, Kingdom Seneschal

Notes:

(1) The sequence is important. The winner of the first tournament will become the Sovereigns immediately. If we were to run the Heirs Tournament first, then the winners would immediately become the royalty, per Kingdom Law.

(2) The victors of the Royal Tournament will be immediately crowned, and thus will not be eligible to participate in the Heirs Tournament.

(3) We have been granted a variance by Society to shorten the time frame, which usually closes the submission window 30 days before the event.

A Missive from the Baronage

Salve Accolens

We know this isn’t what you unexpected to wake up to this morning, and understand that you might have strong feelings about it. In light of the current news regarding the BOD’s decision to remove Timothy and Gabrielle from office, please remember to be kind to one another, and remain good neighbors. The BOD is a representative body of SCA members, who give their knowledge and time to make decisions which uphold the society laws.

All of the available information on the matter can be found on the Kingdom Facebook Page, (https://www.facebook.com/AEthelmearc) and here: https://aethelmearcgazette.com/…/timothy-and-gabrielle…/

As for what comes next, please read this post from the Kingdom Senechal: https://aethelmearcgazette.com/…/from-the-seneschal…/

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. We swore to be your voice to the larger aspects of the Society, and we will gladly do so on your behalf.

YIS,

Violeta et Prima

Fencing and Armored Combat Practices This Sunday, April 20th

Hi, folks!

Fencing and armored combat practices will be at the Highland Park Northeast Parking Area again this Sunday, April 20th!

Fencing starts at Noon
Armored combat starts at 2pm

Those will be our times going forward unless bad weather requires us to cancel or move inside. We will post if that happens!

In addition, I’ll be running our next intermediate fencing lesson on Footwork at 1:30pm.

See y’all out there!
Robert MacEwin of Thornhill
Debatable Lands Fencing Marshal

First Outdoor Fencing and Fighting Practice of the Season This Sunday!

With the weather looking warm and clear this Sunday, we’re going to have our first outdoor fencing and fighting practice of the season! Location is our traditional practice site, the Highland Park Northeast Parking Lot (aka LARP Lot in Google Maps).

Fencing and armored combat will both keep their 11 AM start time this week.

We’ll keep y’all posted over the next few weeks as we may have a couple more indoor practices at Ace, depending on the weather.

Additionally, this will be our C&T focused week, plus there will be some out of town visitors in town for Coronation!

Yours in Service,

Robert MacEwin of Thornhill
Debatable Lands Fencing Marshal

Business meeting tonight, April 2nd!

Reminder our April business meeting is tonight, April 2nd, at Ace throwing from 8-10. The building will open around seven if anyone wants to grab a drink first. All populace is welcome. We will be reviewing a bid for Agincourt and scheduling our yearly financial meeting.

Here’s the Google meet link for tonight if you can’t make it in person: https://meet.google.com/yqt-tovc-sdt

YIS, Magister Ceindrech verch Elidir
mka Kate Neely

Archery Muster at the Castle! (April 13th)

The Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands invites you to a Regional Muster celebrating Archery, Thrown Weapons, and Arts & Sciences at the Castle home of Their Graces. Byron and Ariella (755 Stonegate Dr, Wexford, PA 15090-7593) on Sunday, April 13th. This is the day after Coronation. The muster will begin at 11:00 in the morning and continue until 4:00 pm.

The archery and thrown weapons ranges will be open at 11:00 am and archery from the roof will begin at 1:00 pm. Thrown Weapons will be paused during the roof shoot. The Barony’s loaner gear will be available.

Please bring something for a potluck. We’re going to be there all day, so let’s eat.
NOTE: Due to Passover, please do not bring food or drink with wheat, oats, rye, barley or spelt in them. Legumes, rice and corn are fine.

Their Graces have asked that you dress in garb for the day.

Parking is along the road, however Their Graces would like to remind you to use space efficiently on the street, diagonally where possible, and heed the parking signs.

Fencing practice cancelled this Sunday (3/26) to support Ballachlagan vs Brendoken

Greetings, Debatable Lands Fencers! This Sunday, fencing practice will be cancelled so that we may support our friends from Ballachlagan in their charitable endeavors toward our Midrealm neighbors in Brendoken.

If you want to carpool with folks, let me know, and I’ll do my best to match-make.

The event starts at noon in the Akron Turner Club.

Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1144453504059788