Blackstone Diaries - Day 1, Boasting

Friday April 24^th, 2009
Favorite line: “I bet you I can lick more ass and drink more... err... Drink more ass and lick more nuts than you can? Fuck!” (Check the last paragraph for the explanation)
Favorite thing: Vikings and fire pits.
Least favorite thing: Arriving before sunset but having to spend so long in the troll line that I was forced to set up my tent by lantern light.

Having finished all my mundane duties and returned home, I took a minute to check everything over to make sure I wasn’t going to leave anything behind before Mac arrived with his truck. I ended up leaving behind my water skin and pillow anyway, but it turned out alright in the end as when we got Charlie he had pillows and water skins (or wine skins, as he likes to affectionately refer to them :P) to spared and loaned me one of each for the weekend. We left town about 4 and headed for West Virginia (Cedar Lakes Camp Ground is close to Ripley West Virginia, for any who wish a reference).

Mac soon found out how quiet of a passenger I am, as Charlie had already discovered when I rode with him and Alison to Crown Tourney. There were several jokes of the great dark pile falling on me (half the back seat of the cab was a pile of stuff we either couldn’t find a place for in the bed or was in danger of blowing away at interstate speeds; thus I was involuntarily close to the fetal position the whole way there from lack of space, the fear would come later :P). But, the ride was good enough; plenty of stories and talk from Charlie and Mac to entertain and lots of good scenery. Mac also had a book on tape/CD playing at a low volume in the background. I need to ask him what it was because it sounded extremely interesting and full of imagery like I love in a story; and being historical fiction, was very appropriate for where we were going. About half way, before we changed states, we stopped of in the middle of no where (built especially for interstate traffic like us) for gas and some delicious Quiznos. The guys were surprised to know I had only ever tasted subway and never been to a Quiznos, and I soon found their promotional (and ever one else’s) boasting was true: Quiznos is on a whole higher level of delectability than Subway. Anyway, we moved on soon enough, with more stories and good scenery, and came in West Virginia and to the place where the great dark pile struck the fear of God into me. :P Being not only in the mountains but in the wilderness of the mountains, roads transform from the great straight-blasted causeways to terraced feats of engineering. Meaning many sharp turns, steep drops, and crazy angles. MANY. In one of these turns, I felt a darker than usual shadow thrown over me and looked up to see the great dark pile leaning slowly closer to me, bending to churn over top of me like a tidal wave of random crap.

"Oh hell no. I ain’t dyin’ today. Especially not to a pile of random shit!"

So I propped it up with both arms and kept myself alive in to the camp grounds. :P

We arrived close to seven, I forget what time exactly, but the sun was not too far above the horizon; still a good deal of light left if we could get through troll. Fat chance of that. The troll line was out the door of the little welcome center where it was stationed. I likely stood there for 10-15 minutes before finally getting to a place where we could show our membership cards, say whether we were camping or in a cabin, whether we were fighting or not, and pay our site fee. The sun was practically set by the time all three of us got through and back to the truck. Heading out, we came to the camp of Troth Heim in the perfect location and full of many of our friends and people we knew; as well as Their Highnesses of the Midrealm (woo for camping with royals!). The bathrooms were right across the street, the merchant area right next to that, the battle ground behind us, and the bath house within site. Not to mention that there were minimal street lights and the star gazing was near perfect. Now, if I were a superstitious woman, I would say it was a sign that Orion hung right over our camp, and thus over tomorrow’s battlefield as well, but I’ll leave the interesting little mind picture to you.

We helped Earl Lutr and his wife Countess Tess (or Contessa, as Lutr liked to shorten it some times :P) set up their tent. Fortunately, the man with Mac’s tent poles showed up just as this was completed and we helped him set up. While others took care of some of the heavy lifting involved in that (plenty of burly men around meant many of us women got to watch or talk :P) I unloaded my things and carried over to the spot they’d left to me. Unfortunately, the car currently pointing it’s head lights at the big Viking A-frames going up was of no help to me and I pulled out my little lantern I bought last year for my first camping event and used a hand against one side to shield and direct the light. Good old Charlie followed me over and did what he could to help in setting up my tent, and if it wasn’t for him it would have gone up much slower. Lutr also noticed at one point that Charlie and I were stumbling along in the half dark and rustled up one of his squires to bring over a bigger lantern and help. By that time, of course, I only had the fly to put over the whole thing (which was an ordeal in and of it’s self... damn thing), so his help was minimal but still much appreciated. :)

With everything up and mostly in, Mac took Charlie off to his cabin and I went in to arrange my living space and change. The night having already turned cold, I chose my long sleeve green leine, brushed my hair from the wind of the day, and clasped my brat around me with my lovely little penannular brooch. I also put on my little silver circlet of woven wire and rose shaped beads. I’ve noticed that very few people with Awards of Arms wear any sort of circlet, and some of those without wear one. It’s not something reserved in kingdom law or seen as precious, but the circlet was a gift by Their Majesties, who I count as friends, when they elevated me to the little status of Lady. If they saw fit to gift it to me, I see fit to wear it whenever I can. I almost wonder at times whether they asked around about me when they decided to give me my AoA, because it seems far more than coincidence that my scroll is so wonderful and full of the kind of design motifs I love and that my circlet was silver (gold, bronze, and copper seems to be the metals of choice in the society and silver tends to fall by the way side, but it is my favorite metal). It could have also been a Viking thing as after their coronation, when they gave me my AoA, they give little silver coins to people they appreciate for their service, admire for their generosity, or as a token of welcome to people at their first event. *shrug* It’s something that gives me pause to think now and then, but nothing highly important.

By the time I came out, many of the good men of Troth Heim had already broken out some booze and changed themselves, the fire pit was already roaring with life, and stories were already going around. I didn’t feel like pulling out my foldable chair and just sat on the ground near the fire, like a good little peasant. ;P Conversations and story telling went around for a while, and then Gunnar Redboar called every one’s attention and they started in on a Viking style night. First they told something of the house’s short history, then started in on the battle names of their members. Ullr Vindstygge, Ullr the Wind-Shadow, quick and deadly. Lutr Ulfskjald, Lutr the Wolf-Shield, a defender of good and a powerful force. Sven Hardrada. Sven the Hard One, a man of power and one who strikes fear in others hearts. And many others. Some men had multiple battle names, Sven included (which is the society name of Mac). After all that story telling, they went into the boasting. With the holy drinking horn loaded, carved with powerful runes, the men passed it around, announcing their Boast for the events on tomorrow’s battlefield or for the future of Troth-Heim. When the horn was nearing empty and they were running out of men with boasts, Her Royal Highness Princess Runa grabbed it and yelled to the camp and the whole grounds "I’M GOING SHOPPING WITH MY HUSBAND'S MONEY!". Many laughs were had and then the night slowly drifted away, people going off to sleep one by one.

I stuck around and some of the squires suddenly noticed I was sitting on the ground and chivalry kicked in and despite my insistence that I was fine a chair was gotten and I got off the ground. At one point a jar of trail mix was broken out and HRH Prince Eikbrandr asked about the contents (as he has many allergies). It was mostly nuts, but there were some m&m’s and he had to pick through it to leave them out since chocolate is one of his allergies. Just about the same time, Gunnar asked if the beer he was drinking had licorice flavor. Charlie suddenly chimed in and asked if Gunnar was wondering about drinking "An Ass", playing off the pronunciation of Anise, the plant licorice flavor comes from. It took every one a minute but they finally got it and Gunnar was like "Yes, I AM drinking ass!". Mistress Heloise, who had just approached on a night walk asked what we were eating and Gunnar, in a very cheeky voice, said they were eating Eikbrandr’s nuts. "So your drinking ass and eating nuts?" And thus came my favorite line of the day. More stories were told and as more people drifted away I found myself in a group of people I didn’t know and fairly tired. So I slipped away into the foggy shadows, stepped into a chemise, and went to sleep curled in my sleeping bag against the cold night.