Barony of the Flaming Gryphon

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Unto the great and noble populace of the Barony of Flaming Gryphon do Osmundus Thorkelsson and Thyra Bubbasdottir send greetings!

As a lifetime member of the Barony of the Flaming Gryphon, I, Osmundus have long served the Barony and area for the last 47 years. Hlaefdige Thyra has been in the Barony for the last 34 years. We have both filled a number of positions and we have garb older than some of our members! However, it never seemed to be the right time or life opportunity for us to strive to become the Baron and Baroness. Now that I, Osmundus, am retired and all our respective children are grown, we find that we do have the time and resources to serve Barony and Kingdom in a new and personally challenging way. Accordingly, we would like to offer ourselves as candidates to vie for the honor of being the next Baron and Baroness of Flaming Gryphon.

As Baron and Baroness, Thyra and I plan to continue the wonderful family spirit and remarkable energy that is the Barony of Flaming Gryphon. We’d have really big shoes to fill, with the examples set by the ebullient, outgoing leadership of Baron Timothy and the calm, gracious leadership of Baroness Elizabeta, but we’d like to strive to that end.

The following are some things on which we would like to specifically focus during our time in office:

1. Reduce the amount of baronial material that the Baron(s) and/or Baroness(s) are given to care for. Over the decades the materials that Their Excellences are given has become significant. We suspect the materials specifically held by the Baron and Baroness may be a factor preventing young individuals from pursuing the positions, due to lack of resources and/or storage. We are not sure how to do this, but we think it important to reduce that material burden, doing it in consultation with Their Excellencies, the Baronial Seneschal, and the Baronial Exchequer.

2. Have at least biweekly A&S get-togethers on Sunday afternoons. At present, I, Osmundus, do have brewing get-togethers periodically, but these get-togethers are limited to individuals over 21 and interested in brewing. We would like to expand these get-togethers to include different activities such as dancing, period cooking, scribal, heavy fighting, fencing, fiber arts, etc., hosting some ourselves and bringing in others who might also like to host. Each get-together would be specific to a given activity or category of activity and hopefully expand those activities to encourage more individuals within the barony and/or kingdom to partake in the arts and sciences.

3. Challenge ourselves and others in the Barony to be more active throughout the Kingdom. In my 47 years in the SCA and Midrealm, I haven’t traveled very much. I am generally known, but mostly because I have been around for so long and go to Pennsic War every year. Thyra has been Midrealm Seneschal and Mayor of Pennsic, and has traveled broadly, benefitting greatly from those she has come to count as friends across the Known World. Caravans and after-parties can become a Baronial thing!

4. Devote one day a month – perhaps at fight practice, perhaps a weekend day – to largesse making, for creating a Baronial largesse pool so that we always have gifts on hand for visiting royalty or to present at Coronations. All types of largesse would be welcome.

5. Have demo events. When possible and if funds are there, have an event that's a demo for the general public. We would need Gold Key and only take donations. We understand that the public will have to sign waivers, but it would allow us to announce the event to the general public and plan educational activities along with our general event activities. It also contributes to our 501(c)(3) status.

Throughout our time in the SCA, we both have had a lot of fun, met a lot of people, and learned a lot about history and ourselves. We believe as Baron and Baroness, we would continue and challenge ourselves to do and be more – with the help of the rest of Flaming Gryphon’s populace.

Yours in service to the Dream,

Master Syr Osmundus Knight, and Pelican of the Society Pelican
Hflaefdige Thyra Bubbasdottir, Pelican and Laurel of the Society

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