Last weekend I was able to attend an annual event in Eoforwic, the SCA canton situated in Toronto. The church was a beautiful setting, and while we were delighted the rain held off, the humidity was an absolute sod, and more than a few in attendance regretted not having alternate sets of garb to change into, because it’s fun to sweat through multiple outfits! Wait… no it’s not… Anyway, a wonderful time was had, someone I admire greatly for her kumihimo skills was surprise-elevated to the Order of the Laurel, the kingdom got its newest knight, and there were noms to be had… it’s not called FEAST of the bear for nothing…

Anyway, pics!! Not as many as I would have liked in part due to my serving as entourage to His Highness for a couple of hours and then spending a lot of talking to passersby and explaining what the heck was going on, but still!

This little shaded courtyard proved to be very popular during the day, as people fled the humid halls of the facility… also, the burbling fountain was just a neat background sound.

Vendors set up before the throngs arrived, including beautiful chairs for the parking of butts.

Only a very specific pair of butts are allowed in those chairs. Mine is not one of them.

One of the highlights of the day was witnessing Ealdormere’s newest Knight rise to the peerage as a member of the Order of Chivalry, Sir Ælfwyn Langanwuda. A ceremony prior to her vigil had some of the peers of the realm and significant personages explaining the significance of elements of Knighthood.

Sometimes even the Prince and Princess of Ealdormere have to wait their turn.

After I was done my shift as entourage, roaming happened. Inside, various artisans of the kingdom were discussing and practicing their arts. Others were just gabbing.

There was crafting and gabbing happening outside too, with the benefit of a light breeze.

Baronial selfies are a tradition for these photodumps at this point.

And I found a happy baby! The newest Lostie? Maybe so…

“Hold! I dropped my contact lens!”

Stabbery was happening off to the side. My understanding is that no arms were severed during stabbery.

I’m pretty sure there are hidden pockets in those pantaloons. What’s he keeping in there? Flasks of mead? A writ from the Pope?

Duchess Kaylah and Lady Gwendolyn… Now, normally I’d only post one or two pics from a single match, but this one amused the snot out of me.

It started fairly typically, with a trading of blows as each combatant gauged their opponent and wondered who made the better chocolate milkshake. That may or may not have been a subtle attempt to lure them into a milkshake contest that, naturally, I’d have to judge… mmmmm, milkshakes.

This pic doesn’t particularly lend itself to the narrative, but I thought it was suitably badass.

After taking a blow to the legs, Lady Gwendolyn dropped down, her mobility hindered by the wound she had taken.

But lo, her courage was not daunted, her ferocity not dimmed!

“It’s just a flesh wound!”

Clearly recognizing that her milkshake-prowess was in potential jeopardy, Duchess Kaylah circled, looking for an opening and trying to stay out of the hobbled Lady Gwendolyn’s range…

To no avail! Lady Gwendolyn pressed on, kneecap by kneecap!

A flurry of blows from the Duchess were deflected! Onward, Gwendolyn!

Still further the battle ranged, Lady Gwendolyn fighting through the pain of her injury, seeking only to prove that malt -does- belong in a chocolate milkshake!

Duchess Kaylah counters with whipped cream and sprinkles, but her blow merely glances off of Lady Gwendolyn’s armour!

“A thick straw, for an efficient drinking rate!”, cries Gwendolyn.

“ONE STRAW???”, howls the Duchess.

“TWO STRAWS! FOR SHARING!”

The blow is struck! THWACK!

Lady Gwendolyn falls under the weight of Duchess Kaylah’s conviction. Also, ya know, a good thwack.

These louts were more fighting to see which of them had to buy a poodle as their next dog. I’m pretty sure.

With a public venue like this, a lot of pedestrians walked past and thought “What the heck is all this?”. It was neat to walk up to them and say “Let me tell you about the things…”

Inside the church, Mistress Heather Dale held a performance for the listening pleasure of all and sundry.

Her vigil ended, Ælfwyn came out to take on a series of challenges as another part of your passage into knighthood. That’s her on the right in the armour. Everyone else is… well, a bunch of goofy whackadoos, and we love ’em for it.

A baroness, a princess, and some weird bearded git.

Everyone inside for evening court!

One super-neat thing to see was the granting of an Award of Arms to Lady Alicia Marie du Flers. Lady Alicia is visually impaired – you can see her guide dog in the bottom of the pic – so her scroll is carved into leather, fully tactile, and a portion of the wording is in braille around the border of the scroll. Much love.

I see you back there, Eirik… you can’t hide behind polar bear banners forever!

Folks for whom it was their first event were given a gift by the crown, and encouraged to return. I love this tradition.

Wait… large fin-like hats? Are there sharks in the water?

No! It’s the Honorable Lady Gwendyon with her Marudai! All the Kumihimoing!

The Honorable Lady Gwendyon is sworn into the Order of the Laurel, recognized as being the bees knees and achieving the pinnable of her chosen craft. Wassail!

Unfortunately I couldn’t get more pics of Sir Ælfwyn’s knighting, I was being a spearbearer at the time. It was pretty bloody sweet.

And then it was time for feast! Bring on the noms!

The Royal Loaf!

Didn’t His Majesty have a sword earlier? Might have been useful 😛

Gild the bird! A royal fowl with bonus feathering!

The feathers were swiftly employed for fanning purposes

Our own bird was sans feathers, but super nommy.

LET THERE BE MEAT!

In the end I had to walk back to my car in the rain… I’ll let you decide how much of that is rain, and how much is sweat.

It was a wonderful day in Eoforwic, if humid as heck, and a good time was had by all and sundry. We end with some thwackery footage!