<p dir="ltr">Thank you for posting. It is good to hear our history from one who's seen it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ii</p>
<p dir="ltr">PS: So what is a "stierbacher", I wonder? A type of donut (Apple cinnamon?), a venison Frankfurter? Come on, we should have a signature food. ;)</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Jun 17, 2016 9:53 PM, "Dexter Guptill" <<a href="mailto:3fgburner@gmail.com">3fgburner@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><div><span style="font-size:medium">In the Society for Creative
Anachronism, we're celebrating 50 years of the Society. The Kingdom of
Atlantia, comprising Maryland, DC, Virginia, and the Carolinas, turne 35
years old last month. Roughly the first half of August (and a day or
two in July), will mark the 45th Pennsic War.<br><br>For me, personally,
this night is bigger. Tomorrow is the Birthday Celebration of the
Barony of Stierbach. Now, it's been a Barony for 20-something years. As
a group, starting as a Shire, Stierbach is, like Atlantia, thirty-five
years old this month.<br><br>Once upon a time, around 40 years ago, a
group started in what was then the southern middle-of-nowhere in the
East Kingdom. It was a college group, centered around UVA and called
Isenfir. That was my introduction to the SCA. In the Army, in Oklahoma,
I endured an SCA-less dry spell of three years, until the Shire (now
Barony) of Eldern Hills cranked up outside Ft Sill, Oklahoma. Returning
east, I was not going to suffer another dry spell. I became an actual
SCA member, and started reading my newsletters as they came in.<br><br>I remembered
sneaky tricks of group founders. Started a D&D game in the basement
that my parents rented to me while I was back in school on the GI bill.
Got them interested in my, admittedly, crude armor. Soon, I told them
about this group I belonged to.<br><br>I actually brought my newbies
first to Markland. Got them hooked on fighting there, because Markland
swords didn't hurt that much. Then, in February, took 'em to Ice Axe in
Yarnvid. They were hooked. In April, I met this Knight, Sir Strykar. He
went out of his way to be casual, and not trigger White Belt Phobia.
He introduced me to Sir Kenneqrae of Gilchrest, who lived in what we'd
started calling "our" turf. These two Knights, and their households,
did us the huge service of serving as multi-godparents to the fledgling
Shire.<br><br>This brings us to the meaning of this weekend's Birthday.
Thirty five years ago, the not-yet-even-incipient Shire of Stierbach
held its first event. It was at a campground in the middle of nowhere,
out past Front Royal. It rained cats and dogs. The feast hall was a
couple of tarps, over a couple of picnic tables. The feast itself, was a
bucket of Bambi stew, a heap of bread and cheese, and a keg of beer.
Things were different in those ancient days.<br><br>This was the first
of our signature melee tourneys. The King of the East, Siegfried, came
down. He brought along sundry notables of the East. His Royal Highness,
Bertrand de Flammepoing, came up from Caer Mear. Despite the rain,
everybody had a freakin' blast. Bertrand, in fact, had so much fun that
he invited us to host his Coronation feast.<br><br>In September, my
brother roasted beef for 200 in the ovens at the Manassas National Guard
Armory. I, meanwhile, cooked a hundred Cornish game hens over a
charcoal-filled trench in my parents' back yard. There was a
tournament. The feast was well received, and the Shire was recognized
as being a going concern.<br><br>Most of the ancients are long gone --
moved on, moved out-Kingdom, gafiated, some passed away. One of Sir
Kenneqrae's Squires, Viscount Sir Richard of Gilchrest, has returned to
the Barony, with his household. Scattered around Atlantia, are former
Stierbachers, gone on to serve other branches.<br><br>Stierbach taught
me what it meant to Do the Job. I was a pretty good Exchequer.
Seneschal, meh. That's despite having been the first, third, fifth, and
(for a week or two) seventh Seneschal. I was, for a brief time, a
Herald. The warrant I still hold, from those days, is Marshall -- since,
if I remember right, around 1985-ish. Of course, I've also been a
Chirurgeon (formerly warranted, now a Master Chirurgeon in the Guild)
for 17 years now. It was this group, that taught me how to be more than
just a beer-guzzling stick jock.<br><br>I've seen drama in this group.
Before learning better, I've contributed to it. I've seen the group
have its ups and downs, and I've seen it saved by some extremely
wonderful people. I've seen it grow to the mighty Barony which it is
now, with each set of Baronage striving to build the Barony higher than
the last.<br><br>Our Fighters are some of Atlantia's mightiest. Our
archers are the bane of the foes' existence. Our cooks, crafters,
artisans, and bars are the equal of any in Atlantia, or any other
Kingdom. It is my honor, my joy, and my privilege to proclaim, "Ich bin
ein Stierbacher!"<br><br>I love this place.</span><br clear="all"><br></div>Lord Erich von Kleinfeld, <br></div>Perpetrator of Stierbach<br></div>Mka<br><div><div><div>-- <br><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature">Dex<br><a href="http://www.3fgburner.net" target="_blank">http://www.3fgburner.net</a><br><br>"Maxim 37: There is no overkill. There is only 'Open Fire', and 'I need to reload'. " <a href="http://www.schlockmercenary.com" target="_blank">http://www.schlockmercenary.com</a></div>
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