“Oooh…spooky.”—Baron Halfdan of Selviergard
The Barony of Selviergard, Oertha—The time had come for the celebration of the harvest as well as that special part of year when the veil between this world and the next is thinnest. Festivities were planned and the populace was invited to a full day event with feasting, a tournament for both heavy and rapier fighters, and plenty of friendship and laughter throughout the day at the Barony of Selviergard’s Haunted Harvest Samhain held towards the end of October.
Members of the populace gather together at the start of the Barony of Selviergard’s Haunted Harvest Samhain. October 27, 2018. Photograph by Halfdan Ozurrson.
The Autocrats of the event, Mistress Nemonna Vicana and Lady Alana Patryson, had a warm hall with plenty of food and refreshments for those who travelled from near and far to Halfdan’s Crossing in Central Selviergard to celebrate. Participants to the event also brought items to share; from tasty foods to refreshing drinks to a wide selection of sweets for both the young and the young at heart.
There was an opening court of the day in which Baron Halfdan of Selviergard welcomed everybody to the event. His Excellency then called the Autocrats forward for announcements and basic information about what was to take place during the day. After His Excellency’s court, Prince Culann and Princess Sefa had business as well. It was here that they bestowed Drake Donaldsmith and Gypsi Klara with Awards of Arms; noting that these two individuals were worthy of great honor and deserving of such recognition for their continued participation in The Society. Additionally, two beautifully illuminated and scribed scrolls were presented to them proclaiming their achievement. With three cheers from the populace the opening court concluded and it was time for the rest of the event.
The populace continued to visit after court; laughter rang throughout the hall and conversations were lighthearted and exuberant as people reforged bonds of friendship with each the other. After a time, the call was made that the tournaments would be held soon and that the fighters should prepare themselves.
The tournaments, for both heavy and rapier, was a joy to witness and elicited many cheers and plenty of laughter from the assembled onlookers. The rules of the tournament were simple. All wounds were kept throughout the tournament; so if you lost an arm in the first battle then you would not have use of that arm in the next round and so on. If you were killed you became a zombie and then could only be killed by a head shot. If you managed to be killed again then you were out of the tournament as ghosts couldn’t continue fighting.
All wounds suffered by the fighters in the tournament would be held for the rest of the event.
The heavy tournament consisted of Sir Bartram Sinclair, Lord Hraði Kottr, and Lord Johannes von Roth who all fought well and with courage. With both Lord Hraði and Lord Johannes becoming zombies and, eventually ghosts, it was Sir Bartram Sinclair who won the tournament that day.
Lord Hraði Kottr and Lord Johannes von Roth face off against each other in the tournament at the Barony of Selviergard’s Haunted Harvest Samhain. October 27, 2018. Photograph by Halfdan Ozurrson.
The Rapier community also took part in the tournament. The same conventions of combat were used—wounds lasted throughout the tournament, a death meant that the fighter was a zombie, and the second death kicked you out of the tournament.
Donna Étaín O’Rowarke, Lord Colum Mac Eoghain Uí Niall, and Lord Johannes von Roth took part in the tournament. With skill and finesse…and some zombie slaying too, the winner of the tournament was Lord Colum Mac Eoghain Uí Niall who escaped the tournament field as a zombie while his opponents left the field as ghosts.
Lord Colum Mac Eoghain Uí Niall and Lord Johannes von Roth take part in the Rapier Tournament at the Haunted Harvest Samhain in the Barony of Selviergard. October 27, 2018. Photograph by Halfdan Ozurrson.
After the tournament there was plenty of time to visit and share snacks and candies. Towards the end of the event there was a court held by Baron Halfdan of Selviergard and Their Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Oertha.
This final court of the day featured something unique to the event; a Zombie Court. As the herald was technically a zombie from the tournament he participated in; Lord Colum Mac Eoghain Uí Niall could only communicate with grunts and zombie-like babble—all of which was unintelligible to the populace. It was Lord Hraði Kottr, a ghost, who could translate the communication. But alas, ghosts could not communicate directly to the populace and therefore he needed the help of a Spiritual Medium, Lady Sylvia of Thrace, who translated for the populace. This unique “three-person” herald work was a lot of fun to witness especially since the Medium could only get vague impressions of what the ghost was trying to say causing much laughter and helped make closing court that much more interesting.
Baron Halfdan once again thanked all for attending the festivities. He then called forward the Autocrats of the event and thanked them with not only bronze rings from his own hand, as is his tradition, but also gifts of amber for their hard works. Prince Culann and Princess Sefa opened their court and called forward Fergus mac Thomais and awarded him with the Order of the Snowy Owl, an award for the Arts and Sciences, noting once again his capture of the Wreath of Athena at October Crown in the Kingdom of the West’s Arts and Sciences competition. Additionally, Lady Delphine de Grenada was bestowed with the Order of the Diamond Willow for her continued services to the Principality of Oertha.
The populace prepares for feast at the Barony of Selviergard’s Haunted Harvest Samhain. October 27, 2018. Photograph by Halfdan Ozurrson.
Feast was held after court and featured many different delicacies and hearty foods in which the populace enjoyed together. There were roasted meats, plenty of soup, and a delicious dish of Colcannon Potatoes among many, many things. Toasts were given and even a tale of Roland, presented by Lord Colum (miraculously un-zombified), was enjoyed by everyone in the hall. As with every feast in the Barony of Selviergard: there was plenty of food for everybody.
Thus, with the end of feast, it was time to close the event. As the dark of the winter months moved in quickly people started to pack items into their waiting cars to make their way to their own warm halls as memories of the day made them smile.
The cooler weather events; those that we hold during the fall and winter months in the Principality of Oertha, are always fun. They are a chance to spend time with our family and friends as together we laugh, we share stories, and we eat together as one group. The Haunted Harvest Samhain was a perfect start to the indoor events here in the Barony of Selviergard.
The Selviergard Associated Press
Originally published in the December 2018 edition of The DragonTale
Event Date: October 27, 2018
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