Baronial Award Discussion

March 13, 2001

Greetings:

Many of you will recall that at the last Baronial Meeting, the topic of preparation for the eventual creation of Baronial Awards was discussed. At that time, it was decided that a reasonable approach would be for the Baronial Candidates to meet and, hopefully, find common ground from which further work on this matter could proceed.

That meeting has now taken place, and what follows is a summary of the meeting, intended to provide information to the Barony as a whole about how this matter is being approached.

Attending the meeting were all six Candidates, myself as Seneschal, and Master Patrick McPhelan as a representative and advisor in matters heraldic. Patrick Dougherty Jr. took a nap. The meeting was informal, there was no set agenda, and discussion was lively and cordial.

A much greater degree of agreement on essentials than I would have anticipated became evident early on. Four basic awards emerged as a working model, and provisional names were assigned to them as it became evident from searches of the online SCA Ordinaries and Armorial that they could be used: these four will likely evolve as the Silver Alderleaf, the Silver Shield, the Silver Thistle, and the Silver Tower, for achievement in A+S, Chivalric ideals, Service, and Martial activity respectively. It is contemplated that these will be awards, rather than orders, and awardable more than once. In fact, one could receive a Tower for rattan fighting, for archery, for fencing, etc.; or a Leaf for cooking, for fibre arts, for B+V, etc.; each with a basic badge design differenced with a specific mark to note a particular field.

It will be easily noted that each award hearkens to a conspicuous detail of the symbolism in each of the four founding groups. It should be clearly noted that it is NOT meant to suggest that, for instance, all our fighters should come from Three Towers, or that all our artisans should be associated with Alderford. Each award is intended to be the equal of the other three, and each symbol is merely a semi-arbitrary nod in the direction of the Four Founders.

Above these four an Order is contemplated, membership in which is grantable only once. Provisionally thought of as the Order of the Gold Star of Brendoken, membership would be drawn from the ranks of the holders of the four previously mentioned awards, those who have won more than one, and have conspicuously displayed the essence of what the Barony and the SCA try to foster.

Aside from this structure, two further awards are contemplated; a Baron/ess's Whim, to those who show consistent leadership in a way not dealt with adequately by the previously discussed system, and to perhaps be referred to by something akin to the Heart of Brendoken. And finally, a children's recognition, to those Youth who are conspicuous in achievement not adequately dealt with otherwise, provisionally thought of as the Gold Acorn.

In closing, I wish to make two points. The first is that these matters are being handled in the described way because ultimately it is their Excellencies who must and will decide what sort of recognition will be sponsored by the Barony; if we can at this time get all six Candidates reading from the same page, then we are well ahead of the game, and that has been achieved with admirable concord thus far.

The second point is that though their Excellencies hold the final decisions in Their hands, nothing of this is yet engraved in stone. It is all tentative, and commentary is welcome; it should be directed to myself and/or Master Patrick. I cannot undertake to guarantee that every further suggestion will be acted upon in a manner in which the commentator would like, but I do guarantee that everything will be considered and reflected carefully upon.

In service to the SCA and the Barony;
Forester Nigel FitzMaurice, Seneschal