Pennsic Thoughts

[baronessekat]

Recently, liamstliam was asking for input for the first edition of the Pennsic Independant. In it he asked what your strongest Pennsic memory was.

Of course that got me to thinking. What are my Pennsic memories? I haven't been to as many as others have. But I've been to a good number.



My first War was Pennsic 24. I remember it being very bloody hot. I was camping with Yama Kaminari at the time as then I was a member of House Dragonsbane (subset of High Rafters). My very recent ex was camped 4 feet from me. I did not spend a lot of time in camp because of that. Viscout Haakon Oaktall was Security One that year. With nothing really better to do with my time, I ended up in Point a lot (I would say beteween 12-16 hours a day there) and through that I met a lot of great people. That to this day I call friend.

That was the year I met Guido. It would have probably been a good 5 years later that our introduction would have occured if it had not been for ostgardraine getting the drunken giggles outside of his encampment. Even now I can't resist saying "Hiya Guido" when I see him because of her.

Also thanks to ostgardraine I met my family. When I needed a place to crash and become unconscious during the day that was not in camp (see reference earlier to ex camping next to me), she took me down the road and introduced me to the Caer and all that that entails. I spent many an hour there sleeping in the shade of a tent or hiding from the world there. By the end of war I was offered a place in the household. I didn't agree to it until after Morguhn and Meirwen stepped down off the principality thrones of AEthelmearc. Oh yeah, did I mention they were the Heirs at the time?

I have camped with the Caer ever since (though occasionally that mean we were camped as AEthelmearc Royal. I've found it interesting how the camp changes dynamics through the years. We've grown larger. We've grown smaller. We've become active to the point where camp is empty most of the time. We've grown sedentary to the point where it seems like the only time we leave is for food or fighting.

But most of my War memories have to do with my work at Security Point. For most of my years there I have served in some capacity. Not because I have to, but because I want to. I see my friends through there. I meet new and interesting people.

I will never forget the time that the West Virginia contingent was out patroling one night and brought in a group of Dons from the outlands who had been caught rapelling off the Stave Church where they had planted a pink plastic flamingo on the steeple. And being told that Ambrose told them they couldn't do it and when asked why, his response was "Because it's stupid and against the rules"

Or the time that Gandalf the Mouse came in to complain that some strange woman was following him everywhere he went. Do I mention now that Gandalf is a puppet and the strange woman was Rufina, his operator?

Patrols out chasing pirates around camp. How about the ninjas who were obsessed with catching gate jumpers down in the bog? The vampire hunters and elf catchers.

The strongest and most intense memory for me has to be the year I was drop dead deputy for Sir Kein. I had traded shifts with Sir Badon so he could fight in the field battle. He took my night shift and I took his day shift. That was the night a gentleman came into Point saying that one of his camp mates was threatening to kill himself.

We managed to eventually find the gentle in question and turned him over to the Chiurgeons. He was eventually released as he was going to go home the next morning. Some of his friends would keep an eye on him throughout the night.

I came on duty early and sent Badon off to bed so he could get some rest for the battle. That morning I went up to Autocrats camp to update Duchess Sedalia about what had happened over the night (as I was to do every morning). That's when a call came over the radio. One of my patrols.... not good.

I grabbed Sir Gregory and Brusi (my aussies who also happen to be cops) and we hightailed it up to the parking lot. I dropped them off to deal with the scene and went to wake up Sir Kein, Badon and all the other deputies. Also got Connor McCleam involved as he was a retired local cop.

The rest of the day is a blur of dealing with local officials, filing reports and giving statements. Many of us were under investigation for a short time for "negligence resulting in death". But that was all dropped after a day or so.

I remember having one hell of an emotional breakdown in camp that afternoon when things finally settled down. Connor helping me. Meirwen ordering Ysabeau to get the Duke off the field for me (I still feel bad about that one) and spending the rest of war in a fog.

Most other wars were far less intense as far as security goes.

But war is more that just working... or so people tell me. It is about the people you meet.

I have met some very dear friends. Ones who have put me back together when I've been bad and hard on myself. Ones who have helped put up and tear down pavillions. Ones who have done huge favors for me because I asked and they could.

The year I was co-head of security with Sir Gregory, I was planning on leaving Sunday after everyone had cleared out. But Friday morning I woke up with a little niggling feeling that I needed to go home. I dismissed it as Pennsic burn out. But as the day progressed, the feeling got stronger. I mentioned it to my boys in Lochac (the aussie contingency). They watched me and noticed I was getting more and more jittery. Eventually, one came and demanded the keys to my car, which I turned over to him. He went and got my car and all of them tore down my tent, packed the van and they sent me home, knowning Gregory could deal with the last of clean up of Point. I stopped at my mother's on the way home and spent the night there. The next morning we learned my grandmother had a severe stroke over the night. I never would have been home in time to say good bye had my friends not packed me up and sent me home.

But there are other times too where people where important. The night I got to know dicea. We had met and known each other but there was one night many many pennsics ago where we wandered the encampments and talked and talked and talked. We sat up until sunrise just chatting. She's been my best friend from that night on.

One night at Pennsic when Morguhn and Meirwen were on the Kingdom Thrones of AEthelmearc. Sitting in camp around the camp fire, curled up against Misha and just knowing I had friends, loved ones and I was safe. That same pennsic, going around with the aussies for Eat It, Drink It, or Burn It, night and going with Wolf into Calontir Royal and asking for excellerant for the fire and being given Everclear. When the flames got huge we kept it under control because "Ekat's with them, it will be okay". Sometimes having a reputation puts a damper in the fun.

All in all Pennsic is one of my favorite times of the year. Not because I like camping. Not because I fight or anything. But because of the people I meet, the memories I make and the lives I touch and touch me.

Comments

[ostgardraine.livejournal.com]

yea....like that....

you know little one, it's funny I won't miss all the work it takes to go to Pennsic and to maintain a camp but I will miss being at Pennsic this year....that's for sure......it's a little weird taking a year off after so many straight...... (remember I have 5 more than you)

Have a great war, Hug Sir Gregory for me if he comes in from Oz.

Talk with you soon......

[baronessekat.livejournal.com]

he better be there, he's head of security but will pass on the hug