Games Guild of Ealdormere
Guild Activities
This is a list of some of the Guild's many activities. To list all the events, meetings and demos at which Guild members are active would be an impossible task!
Take me to the Newest Activity!
On October 12, AS XXXVI (2001) at TRM Aaron and Rustique's Crown Tourney held by the Canton of Skeldergate, the Guild taught a tafl class, concentrating on tablut.
On November 3, AS XXXVI (2001) at Scotchtoberfest, held by the Canton of der Welfengeu, the Guild held a Beginner's Tafl Tournament. Eight players played a best two out of three, until only one remained: Andri Magnusson, who won his own leather tablut board. Thanks to Master Ragnar who brought many other tafl variants for people to play that day.
On December 1, AS XXXVI (2001) at Day in Scotland, held by the brand spankin' new Canton of Belleford Keep, there was no official Games Guild activities planned, but many games of chess and tafl were played.
On December 15, AS XXXVI (2001) at Wassail, held by the Canton of Bryniau Tywynnog, the Guild held both a beginner's tafl (hnefetafl) and tabula (backgammon). Emma Shaw walked away victorious from the tafl tourney, while Master Rufus took the tabula. Emmas won a tafl board, and Master Rufus won a mancala board. Other than the tournies, many games were played, and game boards were entered in the A&S competition.
On February 16, AS XXXVI (2002) at Snowed Inn, held by the canton of Ardchreag, the Games Guild had its first major presence. The Guild held a tavern style gambling tourney with all many of games available to be played and/or wagered on. They also held two tournaments. Streonwold Wulfesbanna stayed long into the night to emerge victorious at the chess tourney, while Nick West Jr. of Petra Thule was the over-all gambling champion of the day.
On March 26, AS XXXVI (2002), at Bad in Plaid, in the Canton of Vest Yorvik, no official Games Guild activities were planned, but Guild members taught new games to many good gentles that day.
On April 20, AS XXXVI (2002), at Caer Draeth's Spring Tune Up and Commissariat Fundraiser, in the Canton of Caer Draeth, the Guild was given two tables to cover in games. The day was blustery, the hall cold, and the Guild members drowsy. The Guild did not push itself, but games were played, and people were introduced to Glic and Tafl for the first time.
Tafl
on the Go
At
Murder Melee (June 14-16) good use was made of a portable cloth gaming board.
Brian Goodheart finally had a chance to play Ragnarr in a game of
tafl. We also had an informal discussion on the different sizes of tafl
boards.
Games
A’ Plenty
Guild
member Lord Galen MacByrne went to the 1st Annual Past Times Renaissance
Festival at the Alba Winery in Settmour Swamp, East Kingdom the weekend of June
21.
“It was small for a Renfair, but was planned and
organized and run by the local SCA groups as a large regional demo - A&S
people of many different areas showed up, as well as the local SCA populace. I
was there to demo my leatherwork and games of the medieval period; Over a
thousand people came through the gate and most eventually made the long trek up to the A&S tent, where I had Backgammon,
(Modern) Chess, Byzantine Chess, Chinese Chess (Ziang-chi), 9 men's Morris,
Alquerques and Mancala laid out and discussed origins, similarities, and taught
rules and played with all brave enough to try their hand at something new, and
handed out rules sheets to the gentles who played (or anyone else who wanted
one). One of the merchants was a game seller who seemed to have done good
business for the weekend.
“The Bheithir Hurley Team also put on a demo game
each day, with a shortened field and 5 players on a side; neither game finished
decisively, with the score on Saturday 2-2 and on Sunday 3-3. I played both
days, scored no goals Saturday and emerged unscathed, but succeeded in getting a
decent whack on my head on Sunday in the first quarter, slightly strained my
good knee in the second quarter, and actually scored a goal in the third and final quarter (it was way too hot to continue with the fourth, and honor had
been served to all. So we called it a day. Besides, the public quit watching after the first few minutes, no one seemed to be getting a serious
injury, me included.). I had a blast, and joined the team as well. Monthly
practices in New Brunswick, New Jersey, here I come. If you all are interested,
come play at Pennsic and check out the website. Armor totally optional.
Wednesday night, 6-8 PM of War Week for a class and game, and maybe a challenge
game some other day.”
Green Bison Games
Guild
Member Iolanda de Albornoz has begun to produce a line of games called Green
Bison Games. Each game comes complete with rules written by Guild members, and
the literature includes links to the Guild’s webpage. This is a great way to
spread awareness of games and the Games Guild.
War
is Just a Kind of Game,
July AS XXXVII (2002),
Ealdormere War Practice, Canton of Ardchreag
At
Ealdormere War Practice, the Games Guild hosted a games and gambling night in
the Arts and sciences tent. Colyne Stewart ran the event while Raffe
Scholemaystre supplied the games, the home brew and walked the camp looking for
participants. Thorfinna gra’feldr, Brian Goodheart, Lance of Ardchreag,
Wulfgang Donnerfaust and Iolanda de
Albornoz were other Guild members in attendance. The night started quiet but by
the end the participants outlasted the Guild’s stamina and they played into
the early morning.
As at Snowed Inn, people could sign out coin and
cash in later, betting on anything they wanted with other people also
participating. By the end Sancho the Adequate proved more than adequate as he
walked away with a chess set and a book on Medieval cards.
Yo-ho-ho, and a
Game or Two of Bowls
Several Guild members attended the second annual Day of
Piracy, hosted by the Shire of Bastille du Lac, in Ealdormere. Several games
were played, most notably a game of bowls (modern day Bocce) which the Khan of
Ealdormere participated in.
Pennsic War XXXI
Galen reports: “Istvan, Michel and I, and several other
instructors played and taught lots of games, and made plans for Pennsic gaming
that didn't come to fruition this year, but may make it next year now that
they're out there, like the All-Pennsic Gaming tourney, and the Unofficial
Gaming War Point. Maybe next year an official banner of the Guild can be
made and brought?
“I
didn't get to the Armoured Quidditch Game (yeah, yeah, not period, but it
sounded like fun), anyone know how it was?
“The
(EK Olympic) Bheithir Hurling team taught a class about Hurley, and then played
a game with a mixed group of participants. The play on both sides was
good, our competiton scored two goals in the first half before we scored at all.
Then we hunkered down to business, and scored three goals before the end
of the first half. In the second half, we scored three more goals while
our goalie saved every shot that came his way, for a final score of 6-2. Vivats
to everyone who played, watched, and waterbore.
“The
Gaming Tent sign, the artist's easel and the tile gaming pieces are permanent
equipment being stored out there now. I took back about half the tiles (we
didn't use most of the ones I brought) to use for gaming events and classes back
in this area.”
Michel reports: “It went beautifully - we lucked out and
had a second Grimm's tent so we had open gaming in one tent and the game classes
in the other. With some at Pennsic additions, we had a total of 20 game
classes, and no cancellations. I got to play Justin's reconstruction of
the 7 player Backgammon, learned some new card games, and sat in on many of the
other classes. I was shocked to have over 35 people show up for my Game of
Tarot class - especially since it was 10 AM on Saturday... Note for next
year - bring more decks.
“We
opened on Thursday of first week and ran from about 10 AM until 6 PM every day
until last Friday.
“I
played a few chess variants (I not a chess fan, but these were fun), a ton of
fitchneal and other tafl games, and got back into Go. Taught games to
anyone and everyone who wondered into the tent for some shade, even learned a
few new ones from random folks.”
Children, Children Everywhere, April AS
XXXVII (2003), Canton of Caer Draeth
At the Coronation of Roak and Arlette, Colyne, Thorfinna and
Brian helped out with children’s activities. Colyne and Thoprfinna taught the
kids how to play Fox and Geese, Hound and Hares and Alquerques, while Brian
played more physical games with them outside.
Sick as a Celtic Dog, Date and Location Unkown
Galen reports: "Open Gaming at The Grand Melee went off in spite of my being sick as a Celtic dog. Many games were played and taught, there being a lack of other A&S activities on site. Next time the event will be held in the spring, perhaps next year, or the following."
Game Gnight, October AS XXVIII (2003)
Galen reports: "I will be having a Medieval Game night/Movie night at my home in Cornwall, NY, near scenic West Point, starting next month [October], on one or two Fridays a month. Dates will most likely coincide with nearby events so if they want people can work on garb or other stuff for the event while there, and the meeting schedule will be best described as 'irregular'."
Five Stones at War, Date Unknown, Shire of Rusted Woodlands (East Kingdom)
Galen reports: "I ran a small games tourney at my local Shire event last weekend, the 100 Minutes War, which is a very large regional event with over 600 gentles in attendance during the day. One of the classes taught was this class in 5 Stones, which one person took, most likely due to the placement of the class as first in the schedule (which I had to do in order to get the tourney run on time). The tourney was a 5 person round robin, with the proviso made that though the game to be played in each round of the tourney was up to the individual players to decide amongst themselves, the same exact game could not be played twice in any of the four tourney games by each player, and no more than two variants of the same game could be played in the tourney by any one player.
"The winner, with a perfect 4-0 score, played Byzantine Chess, Alquerques, Hnefitafl/Alea Evangeli, and Modern Chess. I also instituted a tradition of providing a prize to the person in the tourney who scored the lowest in the tourney, but still played out all the rounds. There was a tie for being the trailer, with a score of 1-3, and the tiebreaker was the chess variant where both players are trying to lose all their pieces, and captures are compulsory. Whoever loses all the pieces first, wins the game. A fun tiebreaker, especially for the, um, loser's spot."
Games Guild Ascendant! November AS XXXVIII (2003), Barony of Ramshaven
The Guild took part in Ealdormere's A Guilds' Day Festival: Kingdom A&S, at which each guild could sponsor a team of three fighters. Colyne reports:
"Greetings from Laird Colyne Stewart, Head of the Games Guild of Ealdormere and Guild Representative for A Guild's Day Festival: Kingdom A&S,
"On behalf of my guild I would like to extend our thanks to the THL Arnora
Dunestan and all the planners and event staff who orchestrated a wonderful
event. The format worked extremely well, there many things to see and do, and
feast was superb!
"I'd also like to thank everyone who stopped by the Games Guild table and
talked to us about games, flipped through our books, or played us a game or two.
"As well, my heartfelt thanks to the Games Guild's three champions: Count
Sir Aaron Worganson, Sir Evander MacLachlin and THLord Richard Larmer. You all
fought with courtesy and with honour. The guild was very proud to have you three
represent us on the lists, and to stand with all the other worthy fighters who
participated in the tourneys.
"For those who may not know, the Games Guild was made the Ascendant Guild
of the day as the Guild team won the most tokens during the tourney. As well,
Sir Aaron was the overall winner of the tourney.
"One last thank you to Their Excellencies Septentria who crafted some of
the tokens for our fighters to carry, and who donated some of our thank you
gifts for them as well. Aaron received a bag full of hand-made dice (made of
vegetable ivory, horn and antler), Evander was presented with a marble
nine-man-morris board, and Richard received a set of wooden chess men for use
with the board on top of his tourney chest.
"Once again, our thanks to everyone who made the day possible.
"Colyne"
Border Yule: Septentria and Skraeling Althing Joint 12th Night, January AS XXXVIII (2004), Shire of Bastille du Lac
Colyne and Thorfinna took several games to this event, including: Ball the Bear (a bean bag toss game) and Ball the Bunny (a bowling game).
Snowed Inn III: Passage of Arms, January AS XXXVIII (2004), Canton of Ardchreag
Once again, the Games Guild organized games and tourneys for this event.
Feast of the Bear, November AS XXXIX (2004), Citie of Eoforwic
Brian Goodheart (the greenest man in all Ealdormere) reports: "
Septentrian 12th Night, January AS XXXIX (2005), Canton of Skeldergate
Once again, the Games Guild organized games and tourneys for this event.
Snowed Inn IV: Pas on the Cliffs, February AS XXXIX (2005), Canton of Ardchreag
Once again, the Games Guild organized games for this event.
