Elspeth Farre
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I started in the SCA by siddling in sideways in the background. As such I never really had a first event. Much of my connection to the SCA was in the persons of Briana Cassia, Ewan McGregor, and Brynteach MacQuarrie. Briana was simply always there and welcoming, and somehow always in the middle of the most interesting bits of the All Things. Ewan ran his armouring workshops, for which I am forever grateful. The Community Armouring Project gave me a reason to stay and be involved with what was going on, when simple shyness or my need to be busy at something, would have had me running home almost as soon as I arrived. Bryntyeach I knew from the mundane world, and the familiar face was a welcome relief among so many strangers. For a long time, Bryn was the only reason I knew if there was an event going on at all. In my shyness and general social awkwardness, I remember hovering around the edge of the firelight during the bardic ends of the All Things. Of those, three moments stand out, each brought me closer to the fire. The first time was when I heard Bryntyeach sing, by request, a song of his own writing. I had had no idea he even wrote songs, and then I heard The Garden for the first time, and I felt it... in that way some songs touch you. The second was when Briana's sister Julie included me, knowing my name and including me, when I felt mostly like an observer, in another song I won't forget. (Elspeth, she's this girl I know.. ) The third time, I had gotten comfortable enough to have a couple of drinks, and maybe sing along with chorus's and bits of the more frequently repeated songs. So it happened I was sitting nearer the fire, wrapped in a cloak, when the guitar strummed and I knew the song and all the words to it for the first time. (Wandering Rover) I sang it, loud, with the fake heavy accent, and confidence of a few drinks. At the end Julie pronounced me a member of the inebriati, and I knew I had found my people. Outside of that I surprised myself when the first person I could identify without actually having been taught by them in some capacity was Cassandra Wineday. Who in her quiet way gave me another point of connection to the SCA, one that had nothing to do with being busy, and everything to do with being around. I met Garet D'Oiron through Briana, at an All Thing where she was tending the gate. I mentioned an interest in heraldry, and she said, "I know just the person, he'll be here in a minute." And so he was. We sat behind gate, and talked a little. And that was promptly forgotten by us both, and was as far as that went until many years later. Then there was a big event, camping for the weekend. It was a Sealion, I think, at the Grene Wode, though that didn't mean anything to me at the time. I just knew that all of the people I actually knew were going to be together and doing medieval stuffs, so I came and mostly did some archery. I met a lot of people there, including a man who had come on just a motorcycle and yet could make cinnamon buns in a field, but the one I remember most strongly was a man who taught me to play Nine Mans Morris and Hnefatafl, Uilliam, who much later I learned was a Baron. The absolute highlight of the event however, was watching Bryn, the last man standing on his side, sprinting flat out away from the armoured Princess sprinting after him. That there is no song about that is a piece of sadness. Then nothing much happened. I was at events, the odd heavy practice, TuTR classes, but I was largely a non-entity. I was willing to help at just about anything, but no one seemed to want much help, and like many new folks I didn't know where get guidance to get involved in things. I was just lost, and that might have been the end of the SCA and I. Those who know me a little bit, know that I just don't do idle well. So while I was wandering aimlessly, I was also painting. For my own amusement, to kill time, to let the restless creative energy out. My choice of art, my old fascination, heraldry and the easiest source of what heraldry to paint, the branch I lived in, the Barony next door, and well might as well do the Principality and the Kingdom. Then the Principalities other Barony. By that point, I'd done three of the branches of Tir Righ, the balance of Tir Righ didn't seem like so very many. After finishing that, I peered across the lines and did the other Principality and its branches. Then it happened in my ear that the Lions Gate A&S championships were coming up. My paintings of the branches would do for one part, but I'd need a second piece. So for the first time in forever I did research into a little forgotten corner of heraldry, Abatements, and I wrote a paper that I'm still pretty proud of. I lost, and to be fair the winning entry was excellent. It hurt a bit because of all the work I had put in, but the people I had come to know were there around me. We sat in the back of court and I found the words to frame it. To belong, to be recognized as part of the group, to get a little of that feeling from the firelight. They asked me to join their household, and to this day I am proud to belong to the Swan Song household. It was Garet who asked me, and while I knew him we had never really talked since the All Thing. Wulfstan Hrafnsson had asked me to be his replacement to the shire herald office, and in September I took up the duties. I can take pride in having never missed a monthly report to my branch. Unbeknownst to me, Duchess Arianna had noticed me and my heraldic art. She chose me as her Inspiration for Arts and Sciences, which came completely out of the blue, and I cherish it, there is no award like the first one, and I belonged. I also found an opportunity to help with TuTR as a registrar and went to it with a will. Which was quickly followed by an opening in the College of Heralds, and prompted by Sadhbh Bheag inghean Toirrdhealbhaigh I found a home as the receiving clerk for Tir Righ, which was right up my street, as paperwork and I get along quiet well. I set myself the task of visiting all of Tir Righ's branches during my term, which was going well, until the plague. Then Crown was held, and as I was helping setting up tents, and realized the pavilions were bare. I retrieved my now complete Heraldry of An Tir, and hung it along the Tir Righ and An Tir Pavilions. The Summits graciously accepted their set and hung them with their own stunning art. My household laid out a glorious supply of food, I had also just received a glorious new dress, and I had agreed with Garet that yellow belt for me might be just the thing, so the Saturday was all smiles. By Sunday evening I was tired, wearing my comfy old dress, playing Mancala with some new herald friends before court, and generally shutting down and de-stressing. I have very few memories of it, but I remember being reluctant and frumpy when I was called up to court. I remember being asked if the heraldry in the pavilions was mine. I was allowed to escape, but when I can properly remember again, I had a copper circlet, an Award of Arms Charter, and a small silver coin. The coin was from Black Lion Herald, and the circlet had been made by the King's own hands. I was lady of An Tir. Then, at Tir Righ A&S in Seagirt, I offically became a protégé to Master Garet. He promised me to teach me, and I promised: For my part, I give my word to learn
to take guidance
to accept help with grace
Strive to make you proud.
Persona BiographyElspeth Farre was born near eastern terminus of Hadrian's Wall in the 14th century. Offices & Awardsl'Ordre de l'Etoile d'Argent - November 2, 54 TUTR Deputy - Records October 14, 54 - Current Protégé to Master Garet Dorion September 28, 54 Award of Arms September 1, 54 Silver Sparkes July 54 to Current TUTR Registrar June 5, 54 to October 14, 54 Baroness Arianna Freemont's Inspiration for Arts and Science, June 1, 54 to Nov 18, 54 Herald of Lionsdale September 25, 53 to Current Shenanigans
Classes TaughtNOVUS II - Introduction to heraldry and heraldic display November 16, 54 & December 2, 54 Introduction to Maille - 4-in-1 Butted Maille - Sept 18, 53 Usual Suspects
Gallery of things made
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