The Kingdom’s Newsletter is something that serves as a central hub of all the official information about events, officers, and many other useful things. Ever had a question on when and where an event was going to be? Most of us just rush over to Facebook to look, but the official record is out there on the SCA website for you to find it. It’s pretty easy to find once you know where to look for it. Keep in mind, though, that you have to be a member in order to log in and get your own copy.
Our Quest Begins at SCA.org
Your journey begins by simply clicking on this link or by typing sca.org into your browser’s URL window up top.
Click on Publications, then Kingdom E-Newsletters then BAM, the rest is easy
Once you’re at the website, just hover over Publications on the top bar. Once the menu appears, click on Kingdom E-Newsletters. It will prompt you to log in with the same information you use to manage your membership and take you right to a list of all the kingdoms. Just click on Outlands and you’re done. The Newsletter will either load into your browser for viewing or ask you to save it to your computer/device.
There’s Some Cool Stuff In There
There are articles, event listings, and some sweet pictures that I haven’t seen anywhere else. The article in May 2019’s edition has an awesome poem from Their Graces with some hidden subtext in it. It also has a letter from Their Majesties that they submitted before stepping up. It also lists all of the officers from the Kingdom, local groups, and the landed Barons and Baronesses. If any of it is wrong, you should email the Chronicler at Chronicler@Outlands.org.
Make Sure Your Group’s Info is Right
As I said, you need to make sure your group’s info is up to date as well. This ensures that others in the Kingdom are in the know about who is what and where and how and when and why … or something … The OH as it is affectionately known is a great resource and we should be using it as much as we can!
Monday May 13th, May 31st and to be aunnounced June 10th, 2019 will be a class taught by THL Edmund will be teaching table weaving. This class will be held at Lady Rita’s house, 3309 Nairn St, El Paso TX 79925-4125, from 7pm to 9pm. There is a “Tabletweavingclass.pdf” found on our files section of the Citadel group please download and print to better help each other prepare for the class.
The schedule is as follows with the following materials needed as well
We hope everyone who is interested in the beautiful art can make it out and learn a new skill of our miedieval times, any further questions please feel free to contact our A&S officers.
Unto the Populace of the Citadel of the Southern Pass,
Greetings. I hope this missive finds you well and in good health for this month of May in the common reckoning of years known as 2019. As I enter into the first month of my tenure as your Baron I am grateful to everyone for their support and the amazing ideas and enthusiasm coming from you all. Investiture was a whole lot of fun as was Coronation this past week. We said good bye to Their Graces, Hrorek and Slaine, and welcomed Their Royal Majesties, Iohann (pronounced Yo-han) and Martine (pronounced MAR-teen). Outlands has benefited from the last six months of a reign that brought a lot of us closer together and will continue to benefit from an energetic and visionary Crown that wants us to share in the collective Dream.
Crown of the Outlands, King Iohann and Queen Martine
To say that our future is bright is an absolute understatement. Their Excellencies, Tariq and Elieth have done a lot to establish a foundation upon which I will build our collective vision. Their emphasis on Youth and the Arts has catapulted Citadel forward in the eyes of our Kingdom and the Known World. People know the quality of Citadel because of you all and your effort. Their Excellencies carried that quality far and wide; I will do the same and have already begun to brag on you all to other Baronies, Shires, and Their Majesties. The Stag Crown has told me that they look forward to seeing Citadel whether it is in attendance at one of our events or through our good works.
Upcoming Events
May Populace Day – 11 May
We have several events coming up this month, specifically Populace, which will be on the 11th of May starting at 10 AM at the Museum of Archaeology where we conduct Archery. Thanks to Lady Rita, it will serve as a May Day celebration with Court beginning at 10 AM and a short Populace Discussion at 10:30 AM followed by the Archery Range, Fighter Practice, and Children’s Activities starting at 11 AM.
Clann Wars
Coming up this month is Clann Wars, affectionately known as “Clann.” This year the theme is Hadrian’s Wall and attendees are encouraged to pick a side between the Picts and the Romans. No one knows who the Baron of Citadel will fight for, so show up and make your choice. Choose to fight for the men of the wilds or for the glory of Rome! May 17th through the 19th hosted by Nahrun. Details are available on the Baronial Calendar.
Outlandish
The Grand Outlandish Tournaments or “Outlandish” for short, is coming up at the end of the month. We travel to al-Barran for classes and competitions. Fighters and Artisans from around the lands come to Outlandish to teach, learn, and share in each others’ fellowship. The Ironman Competition is something several of our fighters are interested in entering to help bring glory to Citadel. May 23rd through the 27th are the dates for the event. The Barony has a wonderful site that is maintained for us by The Old Fabled Inn, a household in al-Barran, who has a wonderful and amazing yurt they open to all to enjoy their hospitality.
Long Range Calendar
Battlemoor
Battlemoor is the largest war event hosted by the Outlands and takes place in July. This year it will be July 9th through the 14th. Look for more information on the website and on our Baronial Calendar for details in the near future. There are going to be a TON of events, classes, tournaments, melees, revels, and celebrations this year. Please make every effort to attend as this is one of the biggest events the Kingdom hosts collectively.
St Edrik’s and Hastilude
I will be announcing the request for bids for Event Steward for St Edrik’s and Hastilude coming up this Fall. The bid request would include scheduling a date and a location for the event. Assemble your crew and help us put on one of the most enjoyable events of the season hosted by us here in Citadel.
Local Matters
Fighters and Practices
I have asked the Knight Marshal and the Fighters Council to discuss and report back to me what their collective ideas, feelings, and opinions regarding the Fighter Practice schedule reflects. I want to hear from you, and not just fighters, about what our schedule should look like to help encourage attendance and accessibility. Ultimately, I would love if we could be communicating so well that we could be flexible, but until we get there, we need to solidify our plan in the near future.
After having spoken with several Knights of the realm, they have indicated to me that they have great interest in Citadel’s fighters. They want to help and will do whatever they are asked to do in order to achieve that goal. That means I will be bringing Dukes, Counts, Knights, coaches, instructors, and whatever fighters want to participate, down to Citadel. They will give you their instruction and will expect your participation and motivation in return. They want to help us build our fighter corps. We need to answer that call.
Arts and Sciences
We have a ton of AMAZING artists in this Barony and I am continually impressed with our choir and the multitude of artisans who contribute to our quality. Lady Rita and THL Edmund have done an amazing job and our new A&S Minister taking the helm will have great support going forward.
THL Edmund will be teaching a series of tablet weaving classes throughout the next several weeks. This class is definitely worth attending as you’ll learn one of the most useful skills that the SCA has to offer.
We are always looking for classes to teach skills or host discussions on historical topics and techniques. We don’t have to limit ourselves to crafts, either, in fact we encourage discussions and research projects to add to our most celebrated aspect of the SCA in this Barony.
Newcomers
We have been lucky to have several new faces join us over the last several weeks from Comic Con, Poppies Fest, and local referrals from current members. Recruiting is always important as is retention of our members, so please make the effort to introduce yourself to someone you don’t recognize at our events and practices. Also, please take the time to share what we do with your friends and family. I have requested that Viscount Berold begin his 101 classes again, so look for them in the schedule and even if you’re considered a veteran, please show support to him and our Newcomers by attending if you are able.
In Closing
I want to say that I am proud of Citadel and your Kingdom is as well. His Majesty has requested that we join him in a pilgrimage, a journey of virtue and prowess, of valor and of kindness, generosity and largesse, to show the Known World of our talents and our commitment to the ideals of our Society. Take up the cause of the Stag for it is right and proper that we shed a light to those who need to share in our joy.
Good afternoon archers! tomorrow is looking like a nice day for archery! We should be in the upper 80s with mild winds. There is some thunderstorms for the late afternoon, but we should be done and packed up before it comes through.
May 11, is Populace Day. We will be setting up the range at 9am, court at 10am with archery to follow. This will be Populace Day, so everyone should make an effort to show up. Heavy fighters, rapier, A&S, everyone!
We will have water, shade and sunscreen from now until the weather cools back down. Don’t forget, first weekend in June we are moving to summer hours (10am-1pm)
Now that the Long Night is over from Game of Thrones and spoilers abound; armchair generals are spilling out onto the internet with all of their After Action Reports and “how terrible the battle plan was” while I’m just sitting over here polishing my helmet because I get to experience the adrenaline rush just about every weekend and throughout the week thanks to the Society for Creative Anachronism. As the Baron of the Citadel of the Southern Pass, I assemble my Guard to train and hone our skills for tournaments displaying individual prowess and prepare for Wars like Estrella War, Great Western War, Gulf Wars, Lillies War, Pennsic and many others.
GWW Great Western War 21! Bringing you, perhaps a knowne world first, a 360 degree view of the battlefield with Titus Octavius Novellus Singinius Nathan DuCray on the spear cam!
Since you’ve had a sweet glimpse into our world thanks to Brown Falcon Productions (seriously, I LOVE that video), it’s time to find yourself in this brutal, yet safe world. One of the anecdotes that gets passed around is that the SCA has fewer injuries in its lifetime compared to the NFL in a single season. We use rattan weapons in place of full steel (although if that interests you, we do host Cut and Thrust which uses live steel) that must meet specific requirements to ensure ultimate safety. Most injuries sustained are due to poor conditioning, people pushing themselves way too hard, or not hydrating properly. Having said all that, you can still clearly see that we don’t just tap each other lightly. I would describe SCA Heavy Combat as a full contact sport. We also offer Archery, Siege (oh yeah, we’ve got catapults and ballistae too), and Light Fighting, which is akin to fencing using period methods and weapons.
My latest love is my rattan Bill Hook. I love pulling down shields so the spears can tear people up.
We Have a Whole World for You to Join
Be Yourself in Our World
The SCA covers the globe and extends out into space as well. In fact, several Branches have been represented in space via the International Space Station and other means. Even here on Earth there are groups challenging each other for claims of land and territory. In fact, the Kingdom of the Outlands (the best kingdom!) owns the Statue of Liberty and I’ve taken flags with me on deployments to claim Saudi Arabia and Iraq (Pics or it didn’t happen and I’ve got the pics!). If you’re reading this from El Paso, you belong to the Barony of the Citadel of the Southern Pass. If you’re not, you can find your Kingdom by visiting https://www.sca.org.
Inside my trailer in Iraq. It was a joint venture between the Kingdom of the Outlands and the Kingdom of Atenveldt. We host a war called Estrella each year. TONS of fun.
Each person gets to decide what persona they adopt in the Pre-17th Century World. If you can source it, you can do it and be it. Some people stop at a name and heraldic device (think coat of arms, and it’s all yours), but for me, I am Bernardo dei Medici, of the city-state of Florence in the late 15th/early 16th Century. The clothes I wear and the armor and weapons I use are sourced from that same period. Part of the fun is learning about history and making it happen.
Just testing out a new toy I made. Javelins, hooooo!
We Have a Ton of Friends!
Seriously, everywhere you go, if you mention you’re in the SCA, you’ll be instantly welcomed into a family that you never knew you had. The Outlands is well known for its hospitality and I can vouch for that. I PCS’d from Windkeep, which is a Shire in Cheyenne, Wyoming to Citadel, here in El Paso and instantly had a group to hang out with and feel welcome. No questions asked. Immediate awesome group of friends.
Just a few of your new potential friends. Oh yeah, we also like to poke at other Kingdoms when we’re going to War with each other.
We Also do Arts and Sciences
It isn’t just about the fighting. We also do a lot of handicrafts with some folks focusing on doing everything as if it were in period and that is where you start to learn how amazing the arts really were in the past. Each Kingdom and local Branch hosts different Arts and Sciences events and competitions in the same manner that we hold tournaments for fighting. Some of our most celebrated members do both and are quite amazing at both. The SCA also gives out awards that are works of art themselves.
An absolute work of art for an award I received for my service to the Kingdom. That scroll is simply art in its own right.
Enough With the Words, I Want Action!
Okay, okay, well hopefully I’ve got you hooked. The SCA is awesome and a TON of fun. If you’re in El Paso, you’re in luck because I think we’re the best Barony around. Maybe a little biased, but yeah, I said it.
We had a very productive meeting this month! Lots of change and lots of new information, so please bear with me and feel free to reach out if you need more information.
The populace has requested the reinstatement of Citadel University for newcomers (and not so newcomers) to further medieval studies and practices. This will help guide the populace in creating and furthering their persona and enriching their experience in the SCA. We are looking into a Passport program to help guide newcomers in their journey, to find their path, and enrich their medieval life. It will not be a requirement, but simply another tool to help.
The Baron would like to ask the populace to make the more medieval choice, come to meetings, participate in council meetings you are interested in, reach out for help, don’t take yourself too seriously, and to take care of each other.
Council meetings will start to take place at regular intervals and as needed to discuss changes and ideas. If you have an idea or an issue, please come to the council meetings- your needs and wants will be relayed to the officers’ meetings. Any topics brought up at the officers’ meetings will be taken to council meetings so that everyone has the chance to have input. If you cannot physically attend a council meeting, please email, text, call or message one of the heads of the councils.
We will be studying and learning the Corpora, the set of legal rules that govern how the SCA runs. Please take the time to read and learn and ask questions of those around you, knowledge is power and helps everyone have a more in depth experience.
We are in the process of looking at the long range calendar, making sure all events are on the calendar and everyone is taken care of. Please look over the calendar and make suggestions. We are actively looking for event stewards, if you would like to help but don’t know how, ask! It is time to begin planning Hastilude (summer) and St Edriks (fall)- remember, we need a minimum of 90 days before any large event to process paperwork and make sure everything is taken care of.
The website is the official source of information, we need to make sure we are posting to the website, not just the FB page and group. We are looking into additions to the website to make finding information more user friendly.
Households and guilds will need to meet to discuss being chartered or unchartered. Please look over the handbooks and financial policies, or reach out for help making these decisions- its the difference between being able to post to the official sites and calendars and being independent.
The A&S officer would like to request the populace be more responsive to her calls for monthly reporting. It is important to get your works out to the kingdom monthly! You deserve to be seen for your works.
The marshalled activities are seeing good, healthy numbers with Rapier having 9-12 in attendance weekly, 4 heavy fighters weekly, and archery saw 1102 in attendance in March. No injuries reported.
The rampart herald is on hiatus, so there is nothing new to report for the herald’s office.
The exchequer has nothing new to report.
We have a few upcoming events- Clan Wars, Outlandish, daytrip to Blackwater Keep, a populace day and officers meeting.
In closing, please submit all reports by email as usual and to the website by the 5th of each month so the populace and officers have time to look over each report before the officers’ meeting.
Our Barony is one of the more forward looking branches in the SCA thanks to our amazing populace and hustle when it comes to working to stay in compliance with Society Corpora and policies while thinking outside the box. In order to keep pushing those boundaries we need your help. Some of our platforms need more likes, shares, and use in your daily SCA life to help spread the word. This article serves to highlight how you can join the Social Media crowd and increase our exposure.
Corpora and Kingdom Policy. They’re Important.
While we push the boundaries of modern technology we also have to respect what Corpora and Kingdom Policy have to say about Social Media. The great thing about that for you is that our Social Media Team made up of the Seneschals, Social Media Officers, Chronicler, and Webminister are already on top of it ensuring we list the correct disclaimers on our Pages, Groups, Websites, and periodic Newsletter. This is why you’ll see Official Facebook Pages and Unofficial Facebook Groups. What is publicly accessible and what is approved access has already been properly configured, so you don’t have to worry about it.
What we do ask is that you don’t post anything vulgar or what may bring discredit upon the SCA, our Kingdom, or our Barony or any other branches or members. The idea of Courtesy extends beyond our face to face interactions and applies to our online presence as well.
Find Us Online at More Than Here and Facebook
We’re on Facebook, but we’re also on Twitter, Google, Instagram, YouTube, Discord, and via an online Mailling List that we maintain through MailChimp. Check us out at the following URLs:
In order for us to punch through all the noise of Social Media and the Internet at large, we use the following tags: #TeamCitadel #OutlandsStrong #EPForward #MySCA #LibraPorLibra
Team Citadel for us, our Barony. Outlands Strong for our Kingdom, Kingdom of the Outlands EP Forward for a local initiative to help people find each other and activities locally My SCA for the tag that the Society for Creative Anachronism uses internationally Libra Por Libra means Pound for Pound and is a rallying cry we use locally
There’s More Out There …
There are an endless number of Social Media platforms out there and most of them are crowd sourced for content and spreading awareness. If you find a platform that you believe we should be on, please contact the Baronial Officers and let us know. Creating pages or groups that have the appearance of being the official presence on that platform is highly discouraged. Creating pages for your unofficial group, household, guild, or persona is highly encouraged as long as it doesn’t carry the perception of being officially sanctioned by the SCA or a local branch.
Good evening Archers! I apologize for the late announcements, last night was the officers’ meeting and a very late work night for this lady.
Weather is looking warm and pleasant. We should top out around 92 degrees and have average 5 mph winds. We will have a sunshade, sunscreen and water on hand- please dress for the weather and be prepared for the heat.
We had a fun, relaxing shoot at Kingdom A&S and Investiture, the competitive spirit and the laughs and smiles were in plenty. Sometimes, its nice to just shoot and enjoy the company without the constraints of tournaments!
