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2001-02-28 - 02:34:53

I've promised various people a report on my first event in Drachenwald so here it is....

The event, Champions of the Isles (region encompassing all of the British Isles) was set for a scout camp in Walesby, near Nottingham in central England. Despite threats of foot and mouth disease (hoof and mouth to those across the pond), your intrepid reporter set off on a freezing Friday night with Lady Lucrezia (Tina - seneschal of the London shire of Thamesreach) and Lady Meesha (Meesh - chatelaine? of said shire). Now, in order to get to Lucrezia's, I had to schlepp two heavy bags of stuff on the Tube all the way across London during rush hour in a hail storm (ugh. Okay, they'd have been lighter bags without the two bottles of wine and stray food). Collect up stuff at Tina's including bedding and feast gear for yours truly (whose things would arrive *Monday* - how helpful!) Load all of this, plus Meesha's armour and gear, and some food for the feast, into Meesha's faithful but not-very-large car. Eat pizza while waiting for traffic to abate. Set forth into the night at 8pm to drive to Nottingham.

Miraculously, we did not get lost finding the site (although we *thought* we did). Pulled up right to the building (the gate wasn't locked after all!) and scoped out the territory. The lodgings were five small bunk rooms (ours had 8 bunk beds and about a 4'x5' section of floor clear...) attached to the main feast hall. None of these rooms were heated, although there was a gas burner heating the main hall, and with 8 people and gear and bedding in our room we were tolerably warm. Unless we had to go to the loo, of course, which was outside, down a steep staircase.... Definitely a sobriety test of some sort.

So we hauled our things into the bunkroom, tossed on tunics and ventured forth into the hall to meet folks. I got to meet a very nice Laurel that I'd been emailing with (Hi Oriane!), see some friends whom I'd stayed with when I was here in '99 (Hi Rhieinwen! Hi Umberto!) and meet some of the other local folks (or see ones I'd met at Shire meetings, etc.) I was sewing buttons on my gown and talking to Umberto when I got cornered by our King (Hi Peregrine!) to go talk politics. I don't recall telling him I was on the Board when we first met in January, but it must have come out, because we've had a couple of political discussions since then. In this case, it was all about evil things happening at Estrella. Not that talking to Peregrine is tough - he's a *really* nice guy and terribly easy on the eyes.

Eventually went to bed, got up and had breakfast (love these full-catered events!) Got tapped to judge A&S so did that for most of the morning. Had lunch (lamb stew! Mmm!) and then went out into the *really* cold to watch the tournament. Ended up helping to run the lists (as spotter for MoL during two-list bear pits) (also involved working with the King, who was outgoing champion and running the tourney. A coincidence? I think not!)

Went back in to thaw and they put out snacks for us (!!) then cleared out of the hall so they could set up for feast. In the meantime, there was a meeting of local folks to discuss "the fate of the Isles" (as a region) so I ended up being in that meeting as a semi-official voice of reason and knowledge. Entertaining....

The feast was good if a little odd, and in between two of the courses there were performances and the hall was absolutely silent - amazing. The feast, considered one of the bigger ones, was about 100 people. I ate with Sir Arafel Christian and his lady and their extended household (when I wasn't roaming the halls, as is my wont....) After the feast there was dancing (I actually got to dance a bit!) and then we all went to bed. One entertaining moment from the feast was when the King had gone outside and came back in with a handful of snow, half of which went down Sir Arafel's back and half down Duke Elffin's. Being good knights, they didn't want to threaten the king with retribution, but as they pointed out, his reign is over in four months.... That's a long time to be worrying over whatever they're plotting, and Peregrine is/was Arafel's squire....

Sunday we got up, had breakfast, then I went out to watch the fighting practice. There were various people instructing and working with their squires and stuff, it gave me a really good view of what fighting in Drachenwald will be like. In addition to Meesha, there's another lady fighter locally, Lady Signy (hi Signy!) who is Elffin's lady, and we've formed a pact of mutual support, etc.

Eventually we packed up our things, said our farewells, and headed back to London. It was a great weekend and nice to meet people and see how things are done here.

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