CURIA MINUTES, TWELFTH NIGHT XXII (JAN 17, 1988)

Officer's reports:

Seneschal: is resigning as of September Crown (Hilary prefers not to have seneschal and crown both change at same time, i.e. next Twelfth Night). Write him soon, he wants to have someone selected by July so they can overlap/ train for a couple of months.

Black Lion: Laurel is being a problem (arbitrary application of both old and new rules?) Has received no information on how BL is to report to Laurel, hasn't been able to get a warrant from Laurel, although she has tried repeatedly. Requests people to write to Laurel, especially if you're not happy.

Marshal: it's still Aweoidian. The fighters cards are getting started (they "don't work" in Canada and some states); people objecting to wording of waiver on the renewal/membership form. Officially changed Provost Marshal, Dublin's gone, Dart Noir in. Complaints from archers & lights about the new national rules. Many of the changes don't fit An Tir practice. Seen as unnecessarily dangerous. There will be a Marshallate Althing, tentative- ly March 12 at Evergreen State College. Shadan (National Marshal) replies to all letters with a form letter!

Arts: having good communications with her national superior. Suggests listing Companie of Entertainers as an Incipient Guild on Guild page, Crier, as contact point (Agreed--Ed.).

Sciences: $790 collected for A&S pavilion project. National superior regrets An Tir didn't get 25YC bid . . . (commented he was glad he'd be out of office by 25, as having attended one in Texas was sufficient, thank you)

Exchequer: $4338.27 (includes $790.50 A&S fund, $965.14 Royal Travel fund), + ca. $400 from June War still to come in. His Majesty commented he'd like to know how that compares to the other Kingdoms. She'll look it up.

Chronicler: all OK (expected to bring up several important points of business later (i.e. Red Tape OK, posting of kingdom-level job vacancies, etc.); but they got lost in the shuffle, see below)

Chirurgeon: all OK, his report is late (handed it over); no major injuries (Gerhard Kendal spoke up for Canada--a broken arm at a demo, solution is to "stop Sir Oak from fighting" (doesn't know his own strength), His Majesty commented "That's OK, he just turned 30, and will die soon.")

Co-Chancellor: Calote is working on a waiver wording that would stand up everywhere

Constable: Deputy Gyelle reporting: had an Althing in November; manual is out; another Althing planned for Feb 20, River's Bend

Census: Chatelaine reports slow sales, she "doesn't know how to promote it"

Chamberlaine: OK

Chatelaine: roster is late, otherwise OK. Video sales have slowed, most sales currently in-Kingdom. TI ad for video still in process.

Provost Marshal: Introduction. Curia listing will be changed by March issue.

Grete Boke Deputy: plea to assembled Curia for help in gathering materials; would like to have Grete Boke ready for 25YC

Lists: doesn't think it's possible or necessary to have a Lists person in every group. His Majesty suggested regional positions as a minimum; she agreed. Reported equipment transport problems: she has to arrange for others to carry her equipment from one Crown site to the next. Curia agreed, Kingdom will pay shipping if necessary.

Pied Piper: expects to have a re-organization meeting by May

Scribes: had 15 scrolls to present yesterday, but didn't get to do in court. Will deliver them anyway. Need a new herald's seal, or re-design the current one, see Black Lion. Will need stipend from Kingdom to fund operations ($100/yr) Have applications for Scrib(bl)e editor.

Waterbearers: officer thinking of resigning

Games: no report.

Other business:

Repeat: Midhaven and Briaroak made official Shires yesterday, at banquet, not during court. Now 39 groups in An Tir.

25YC bid: We didn't get it. "Off in one corner of the country"; "a one-Kingdom- only bid" (as opposed to multi-kingdom); and, they presented specific solu- tions to problems that had arisen the first time. Our presentation did not do hypothetical problems-and-solutions (thought at the time that it would have sounded snipe-y about TYC). Rumour: it was decided a month before the meeting.

Rumour: Certain parties are thinking of a week-long Ithra to be held on our site, invite the 5 western Kingdoms (or co-sponsor with the 5, and invite the rest of the world?), the summer before 25YC.

May Crown report: site OK, send dimensions for eric space, site opens Friday, copy on way to Crier. What does "WATER" mean? Mucho paranoia about a site with water (historic). Quiet area is intended for people with kids, and it's farthest from the water (1/4 to 1/2 mile). Discussion about respons- ible vs non-responsible parents and water hazards. Park people are being very co-operative.

Minors: recent developments indicate we should all be more aware of the special status of minors re sex, alcohol, fighting. There are young people who don't look their age, or who will actively try to fool you about their age (in ordr to appear more "grown up"), and older folk who don't have the sense they should have in such matters. Constables, Seneschal, Pages and Pipers will work on article(s) for Crier about such problems (including, what exactly are ages of consent, and for what behaviours, in what areas of our Kingdom?)

July Coronation report: Garrathe of Ravenswood: one water spot, may be able to fence it off. Officers, there was a questionnaire at the back of the bid packet you rec'd at Sept Crown. Please fill it out and return it.

An Tir/West War: Liesl speaking: "I thought it was going to be in the West"; Steingrim: "Nope, there's no sites (?) north of Sacramento" (& Westies love Zumwalt). Earl Marshals and Kings will do the war rules, not autocrat. Hope to have them ready by April issue. June 11-12 is proposed date. Requesting help from all Kingdom (Coeur du Val has too few regulars to do by themselves, and Adiantum won't be expected to help much--Egil's only two weeks before, and September Crown coming up).

Chronicler's office policies: A lengthy discussion was held, which this reporter does not feel objective enough about to report in detail. During the discussion a policy encouraging the use of "canonical hours" was discussed and adopted by the Curia. Black Lion thinks it will add a lot of work for her people, translating.

Madrone 12th Night: they have a site, deposit made.

Commendation: Kendals presented a scroll to Lynne the Farrover commending her work as Chef Extraordinaire, for daily feeding and the Royal Feaste at TYC, signed by all her kitchen staff.

Seneschal reported a rave review of 12th Night by Caid Chancellor, and closed Curia.

for politics file: on chroniclers discussion:

Seneschal suggested that policy discussions not take place in the middle of phone calls. (Reminded Seneschal and Curia that while Chimene is Chonicler, Gerek is, and has been from the beginning, co-Editor, and as such has equal say in editorial matters.) Seneschal has heard that Avacal Regional Deputy (?) is unhappy (news to Chronicler-- we're pleased as anything with him--maybe it's someone besides Dougal who's not happy?) Chancellor Conrad feels we are "practicing law without a license" when we tell our chroniclers not to put Hagar cartoons and Hill & Bucknell costume drawings in their newsletters because of copyright. (We will check with national copyright advisor and get back to him.) Discussion of the extent of editorial discretion. Definitions of "editing" need to be clarified to populace (i.e. we edit for form--spelling, order of elements in event copy, form of name-address information--all the time; BUT we never edit for content without consulting the author). Issue of "canonical hours" was raised. AFTER OPEN PUBLIC DISCUSSION, in the forum of Curia, the consensus of the group was that a scheme of canonical hours should be adopted, regardless of its authenticity, because it was felt that it would enhance the atmosphere of events in the Kingdom. Also His Majesty likes the idea. (Arrangements were made with the editors to incorporate information about this project in the newsletter as soon as possible. Editors had been resisting the imposition of a private opinion on the whole Kingdom, as much as objecting to allegations that the selected scheme of hours was authentically period, let alone using religious ceremonial terminology in secular/SCA context.)


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