THE UMBRIAN MUG - March 1998

Greetings and Salutations!

Welcome to the second edition of the Umbrian Mug. If you know of a Duchy member who isn't getting the Umbrian Mug via mail or by picking up a copy personally at Fighter Practice, please let me know so that I can rectify that situation.

War & Tourney Reports!

The Bishop's War was held on the 21st, with the Ducal Tourney the very next day on the 22nd. A fine time was had by all who attended and stayed through the rounds of combat and arts.

Due to a low turnout for the Bishop's War, a Fun War was held instead. Both Sir Angus MacAllister and Sir Duriel Caliban von Hansard were appointed Bishops in the Church of Adria, with Sir Angus titled the Bishop of Aberdeen, and Sir Duriel titled the Bishop of Oxford..

With the 2 new Bishops, who are addressed as Your Grace, it is hereby announced that the term Your Royal Grace must be used to distingush His Royal Grace the Duke Sir Iain. Count Sir Fredrick, the Bishop of Rome, was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Rome, and he is to be addressed as His Eminence.

And the Fun War began...

The War Marshall, Sir Fredrick, numbered the combatants 1,2,1,2, etc., and soon the combat was underway. Sir Duriel was teamed with Sire Squire James the Red and Squire William Lunari Le Yu. Fighting on behalf of Sir Angus (who marshalled) were the Duke (Sir Iain Duncan Mackintosh), Squire Tobias, and Sir Fredrick.

The scenarios (fought in Shinai first, then Renn) were a narrow bridge battle, a wider bridge battle, and the open field. The combat was fierce and quick, with the Bishop of Oxford garnering 8 out of 9 points.

Then the Arts Tourney began - with a special twist. The judging was accomplished en masse, with a Judging Collegium held at the same time. This way all who participated learned and received valuable judging tips.

The Arts points were split evenly, 3 apiece. Sir Duriel received a Masterwork judgement on his food dish, known as Meat of Cyprus Bastarde. And for those who chose to partake (and were of age), Sir Angus entered a fine honey mead for the Tourney. Many voices were heard complimenting this fine drink!

In Court, the House of Windsor was officially formed, with Squire Tobias and Squire Willow McLeod as joint Sires. Tobias is Squired to Sir Fredrick, and Willow is Squired to Dame Delia. Sires' Tobias and Willow swore their allegience to fellow house members Michael Sinestro and Squire William Lunari Le Yu, and then to the County of Warwick, represented by the Count Sir Fredrick von Burg and Countess Dame Delia von Burg.

The next day, Mother Nature blessed us with a fine, warm day, and we held our Hearts and Armor Tournament. This Tourney, presided over by HRG Duke Sir Iain, was designed to reward the ladies (or significant others) of the combatants with a red rose, signifying a win in their honor.

Lord Sir Cedrik and Lady Francesca marshalled the Combat Tourney, which was a very good series of fights indeed. The only list, due to a low turnout, was Knight's Renn, with 5 combatants readied to prove their mettle (and metal).

With mundane onlookers nearby, Sire Hanzel von Brandenburg defeated his brother sire Sire Squire James the Red, who died a most spectacular, if not lengthy, death. Sire Squire James the Dead was bodily carried off field, and unceremoniously dumped at the feet of the Baroness Lady Diana Macdonald Kilshannig Lockerbie. Miraculously, James the Red revived enough to present the final Tourney Win Rose to Grace, the recipient of Sire Hanzel's roses. And speaking of Huzzahs....

Sir Duriel Caliban von Hansard, for his appointment to Bishop, and his Masterwork Arts Tourney winning entry.

Sire Squire Tobias and Sire Squire Willow McLeod, for the formation of the House of Windsor.

Sire Hanzel von Brandenburg, for his Combat win at the Tourney. Additionally, Sire Hanzel has earned the required points for Knighthood, and is now a Knight Candidate. He will be Knighted on a date to be announced in the near future.

All of the participants of the War and Tourney!

An Apology To...

Last month, your humble Editor neglected to announce the formation of another House in the Duchy. Allow me to rectify this situation at this time. The House of the Winged Dragons was formed at the rained-out Tourney on the 10th of January. Sire Dracona Devona welcomed 5 members into her household, and they are: Judith and Milana Myers, Alyssa Grinter, and Charles and Amy Farren (personas to be announced later for all). After forming the House, Sire Dracona then swore allegiance to HRG, the Duke Sir Iain, forming the first Free Ducal Household. Congratulations to House of the Winged Dragons, and my apologies for not announcing this in last month's Umbrian Mug.

Medieval Menagerie, which is run by Lady Baroness Diana Kilshannig MacDonald Lockerby and Waldham von Torsvon, is a fine place to purchase almost anything you need for your Medieval- Renaissance experience.

Alpha Far West Bookstore, which is run by Lord Count Roland of the Icelands, is a fine place to purchase incense, Tarot cards, books, and other Medieval and New Age items.

DUCAL TOURNEY! The March Ducal Tourney will be held on Saturday, the 21st of March. We encourage all to participate in the combat and arts tournies. Come on out, and support the Duchy, the Combatants, and our Artisans.

Clan Gathering will soon be upon us. It is scheduled for the 25th and 26th of April. Camp Verde will be the site for this event, which focuses on Celtic traditions. This event is open to all, with much entertainment and fun for all. There will be a Mundane camping area apart from period encampments, and there will be a prize for the best period encampment!

Tickets for a large 15' round pavilion are on sale now. This is a raffle, with the proceeds going back into the Duchy coffers, to help pay for more large-scale events. There are only 150 tickets in all, and these are only $10.00 each. Tickets will be sold until all tickets are gone, or the time of the drawing, which is at the end of the Clan Gathering event. See Lady Francesca for further information and tickets.

Lady Baroness Diana MacDonald Kilshannig Lockerby would like to announce her availability for reconciling Rolls Points. Requests for this service must be made in writing, and upon submission, please allow 30 days time for processing. Members who have arrived here from other lands, this time is needed to gather Rolls information from afar. Also, please note that the written request must be made 30 days in advance if it is for verification of points for Knighthood.

Persona Stories....

The Story of Roawyn

Roawyn O'Riley was born about 25 years ago in central Ireland an placed as an infant under a Rowan tree were she was found by a hermetic couple with the last name O'Riley. Riley, with its variants Rielly and (O')R(e)ily, comes from the Irish O'Ragallaigh, and is widespread throughout Ireland. It originated in the old kingdom of Briffany, which included areas now in counties Cavan and Longford, where the O'Reilly's were long the dominant family.

Their prosperity may be gauged by the fact that "reilly" was at one point a colloquial term for money in Ireland. Hence the term living the life of Riley.

Riley is today still the most prevalent surname in Cavan and Longford counties.). This kind couple named her for the protective tree under which they found her. Roawyn was raised in the woods by this couple where she was taught of herbs and plants and the talk of animals. She learned to see the weather signs and developed an intense love for art and music. Her foster father being an exceptional bard, she learned the bardic histories of Ireland.

Roawyn's foster mother, deciding that a well rounded person needed not only to be able to commune with nature but with people also, sent Roawyn at age 18 to live with a distant cousin; a wonderful kindhearted member of the Kilshannig clan, the former Duchess Francesca of Umbria to learn "COURTLY GRACES".

Upon Rowayn arriving at Her Grace's abode, the Duchess was quite taken aback by this wild, uncouth young heathen, but Her Grace, being the kind of person she is, decided that she WOULD BY "GOD" make this wild tempest into a lady to rival any. During her stay with the Duchess, Roawyn found that Sir Angus had a great deal of knowledge which she would like very much to have, so she squired to Sir Angus, and upon deciding to squire to him, Her Grace found herself squireless due to her squire relocating to foreign lands. The kind lady requested Roawyn to squire to her. Roawyn thinking that her life was too too grand indeed; that SHE could possibly be allowed to pick the brains of both these individuals, said yes without disclosing that she would be a double squire. Then as it happened the two Knights decided to do the squire ceremony at the same feast and Roawyn in her ignorance asked why didn't they combine their two ceremonies into one; And OH! OH! what a ruckus insued the Duchess thought that Sir Angus ought to withdraw since she was the Duchess after all. And Sir Angus felt that he asked first therefore her Grace ought to be "GRACIOUS" and withdraw, when Roawyn in desperation asked in her most winning (whining) voice, why she couldn't squire to both. Then on much consideration seeing as it had never been done before, therefore there was nothing stopping it, so they decided to do it.

So at the Coronation Feast with several kings, queens and other dignitaries including King "Bear" they swore in Squire, Squire, Roawyn O'Riley on their two Knights belts and the Red squire belt braided together. It was a gorgeous ceremony. Of the three people involved it is extremely difficult to decide which feels most like they bit off more than they could chew. Roawyn has quite a mischievous nature and loves to stir up mild trouble.

Her 2 Knights are mutually mortified as to the best discipline to conform the wild Roawyn. On the other hand Miss O'Riley is very quick witted and eager to please; and if the truth be known; some of the things which just seem to burst from her mouth are the exact things her Grace was thinking. But because she wass the duchess she could not say such things. As her story progresses I will bring "ye all" updates.

From Sire Squire Squire Roawyn O'Riley

Editor's Note: This story was written before the changing of the Crown to the current Duke, Sir Iain, who succeeded Lady Francecsa and Lord Sir Cedrik.

This section is to announce to the Populace the memberships that are due for continuing the fine Adrian experience. All dues expire on the 1st of the month. The bolded names are personas, if known. Please get with the Ducal Steward, Skye O'Malley, and renew! :)

APRIL:

Mary Blackwell;     Magnus;     Grace;     Noel;     Anastasia;     Rick Dee;    

Paige Rosetti;     Nicole Rosetti;     Ryne Rosetti;     Baron Sir Angus McAllistar;

Doreen Games;     Otis MacTavern;     Sire Squire Hamish Mackintosh

MAY:

Sire Hanzel von Brandenburg;     Sire Sir Duriel Caliban von Hansard

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