War of the Trillium 2014

The Fian stands upon the field
To face the noble swords of three
Brave men who will not ever yield
Nor from a challenge ever flee.
The first to draw his blade so keen
Is Rorik with his noble mien
Former champion to a Queen
His worth so easy to be seen.

Next comes Thorulfr, father, squire,
With braided beard and blue white shield,
Whose foes smolder on burning pyre
Who in defeat has rarely kneeled.
Third comes Bjarn from northern hall
Skilled with the sword and mace and maul,
His victories are beyond count
No challenge he can not surmount.

In bloody contest now they meet
Fianna from across the land
Who in fray they must now defeat
To earn the right to join their band.
Strong is the bear, and stronger still,
As more its ranks the people fill,
Strong is the bear, and strong our will,
Who next will face the Fian’s skill?

The White Bear Fian is pleased to announce that Lord Rorik AND THL Thorolfr AND THL Bjarn will be fighting challenges to enter the order on Sunday at War of the Trillium, right before Lord Fulk's tourney.

Photos of THL Hans Thorvaldsson's Challenge

Thanks to THL Eirik Andersen, photos of THL Hans Thorvaldsson's successful challenge can be found starting here.

Fian members THL Tiberius, THLaird Colyne and HE Percival watch THL Hans and THL Rattanicus cross blades.

Photos of his official recognition in baronial court begin here.

Hans standing with his fellow fianna in Septentria court.

Event Report: Pikeman’s Pleasure, June 7, 2014

(In the form of a letter to the members of the White Bear Fian.)

Unto the stalwart fianna, defenders of the lands of Septentria, from their brother-in-arms, THLaird Colyne Stewart, greetings in good faith.

I hope this missive finds you well as you train your bodies and minds the better to protect our barony from any evils that may be so base as to threaten it. May your swords stay sharp, and your eyes vigilant.

This letter is to convey to you the events that occurred not yet a week past, within the Canton of Petrea Thule on the seventeenth anniversary of my marriage. The people of the Thule once again hosted the Pikeman’s Pleasure, where there was much fighting, archery, game playing, shopping and enjoyment of the arts and sciences to be had. As I spent the whole day at the list fields, it is only of those events upon which I can report.

The lists were run by one of our own, THL Tiberius of Warwickshire, who had organized a tournament in which fighters were to pair up and fight three bouts consisting of three passes, with each bout featuring a different set of matched weapons. This meant that each fight consisted of nine passes total. Each win counted as one point, and in subsequent rounds, fighters were to be matched by their point totals, meaning that fighters who were doing well would face each other, while fighters who were not favoured by Ares that day would face each other. As there were over twenty fighters taking part in the tourney, including Her Highness Kaylah, the tourney took a very long time and only two rounds were held. In the end it was declared that Mistress AElfwyn was the overall victor, having accumulated the most points.

With this tourney done, the Fian took to the field to answer the challenge of THL Hans Thorvaldsson, who wished to enter our order. To answer this challenge we elected THL Rattanicus. Hans and Rattanicus were to fight three bouts of three passes, each bout featuring a different weapon form. Hans needed to emerge triumphant in two out of the three passes in two of the bouts to claim membership in the Fian.

For their first bout they chose sword and shield (as I recall). THL Hans fought fiercely, winning the first two passes, rendering the final pass moot. He had won the bout and only needed to win one more.

For their second bout they chose to use two single-handed weapons (which, according to Duchess Adrielle, who was in attendance, “made the bear cry”). Once again, Hans won the first two passes, winning the bout. As he had won the first two bouts, the third was unnecessary, and I was able to announce his success to all those assembled to watch, which included many members of the populace, as well as His Majesty and Their Highnesses.

Later at court, THL Hans was officially welcomed into the Fian by Their Excellencies Grom and Anneke and given the gift of warmth (in the form of sleeping trews emblazoned with white bears).

I know the event featured many other stories, from the stellar feast, to the games table, from the archery field to the hall, but those are tales for others to relate.

Now, I beseech you, as noble and loyal fianna, to come to the War of the Trillium as THL Rorik will at this event fight his own challenge for membership among our ranks. If successful, this would make him the thirtieth of our number. Also, I have heard rumours of another who would challenge us, and I will relay more of this once I know more of it.

I have said all I meant to say, and leave you with blessings of the northlands. Written at Colynesburg, on Friday, the 13^th day of June, on the occasion of the full moon, in the sixteenth year of our kingdom and the forty-ninth year of our Society.

A New Member and A New Challenger

Congratulations to THL Hans, who successfully fought his way into the White Bear Fian at Pikeman's Pleasure yesterday!

The Fian is also pleased to announce that Lord Rorik will fight for membership on Sunday at War of the Trillium!