Held in Cambria, CA.
Annotations:
“This event featured mounted combat, with two fighters on horseback with
sword and shield. It was NOT equestrian tourney stuff, but actual
mounted combat.
“It was held in my hometown, and I
walked up to this huge guy with the biggest beer stein I'd ever seen
(turned out to be Olaf the Maedi-Ogre) and said "I've been looking
for you guys for years, and now you turn up in my home town?"
“It turned out there were a lot of members
and interested parties scattered around San Luis Obispo County, none
of whom knew each other existed, until then. We all exchanged information
and started working on creating the group that would become the Shire of Tarnmist.
“Being the new recruit, I can't tell you a
lot about the participants at that one. I don't see a listing for the
next year, but there was a second Medieval Fair in about the same
timeframe, in AS XI. Paul and Carol attended, and set up a royal
pavilion at the end of the eric. The first year had been mostly demo
fighting, but the second had a real lists. I remember Douglas Longshanks
as one of the fighters, along with Mahie MacFergie. This was when Mahie
had his wonderful helm with the wings made out of kiddie swim fins.
I will forever treasure the memory of Mahie kneeling at the edge of
the eric, bending his head down so that a knee-high Stephen of Bellatrix
could hammer on the winged helm, then falling over, as Stephen excitedly
announced "I killed the white knight!" I also recall Lorna chasing Doug
around the eric with a boffer sword, at one point.
“I believe this was also the Medieval
Fair where two envoys recently returned from the Kingdom of the East
approached the throne and said they brought with them a pleasant custom
of the East Kingdom, and produced cloved lemons, explaining how they
were passed on, then demonstrating to the King and Queen. At
the revel after closing of the Fair, that night, Carole wandered
about with an impish gleam in her eye, casually tossing the lemon in
one hand, looking for a worthy recipient. Selecting her victim at last,
she approached Mahie, and offered the lemon. "For me?" he said
with a grin. He pulled out a clove (with his fingers, not his teeth) and
she said that wasn't how it was done. He said he'd make up for it,
picked her up and laid her on the picnic table, climbed on top,
and delivered a real prize-winning kiss, to the applause of all
assembled! And thus cloved lemons entered into the customs of
the West ...” – Jilara of Carrowlea
Description of this event,
© Copyright 1980 by William R. Keyes (Wilhelm von Schlüssel)
This is from The History of the West Kingdom, Volume 1 (the only
volume produced). When reading this text, please keep in mind the following
disclaimer:
Disclaimer: This history may have errors in it, as much of the detail is “remembered” history, or as one of the cover pages of the original type-written manuscript states “The material within is derived from the information printed in The Crown Prints and in The Page, and from the memories of the participants.” The original document was typed on onion-skin paper, with hand-written notes (often in the margins). All attempts have been made to reconcile the notes with the original document.
Annotations, when they are added, are from The Annotated History of the West, Volume 1, which is the same text as Master Wilhelm's mentioned above, with commentary from members of the SCA who were active at the time of the event, and are added to help clarify questions and expand on what happened and why. This volume is copyright © Ken Mayer (Hirsch von Henford).
The West Kingdom History Website was created by and is maintained by Hirsch von Henford (mka Ken Mayer).