Hello Altavia!
As always, it has been a busy month full of fantastic events and a lot to be proud of.
At Collegium, we had a wonderful range of classes, and it was especially great to see so many Altavians teaching. I had the opportunity to teach my first class outside of our regular Arts and Sciences, where students learned to tool, shape, finish edges, and sew leather valet trays. Everyone walked away with beautiful finished pieces, which was incredibly rewarding to see.
Merlin taught a class on arrow making, and his students completed the first dozen arrows that would later be used as prizes for the Caid Archery Open. Sadhbh led a Caid Choir rehearsal, and Tezar taught a class on running lists for tournaments. Vivian took that class in preparation for stepping into that role at Caid Open later in the month, which is wonderful to see.
The following weekend at Academia Draconis continued that momentum of learning and teaching. Ceallach taught his class on adding cuts to rapier, building on what he has been sharing at fighter practice. Merlin once again taught archery, continuing to make arrows for the Caid Archery Open prizes. Thanks to that effort, we not only had prizes for the Open and Period divisions, but also more archers across the Kingdom gaining the skills to make and maintain their own equipment.
Academia Draconis was, of course, highlighted by the incredible hospitality of Their Excellencies Ram and Kungund. Their pizza night, combined with torchlight tournaments, feasting, and revelry, made for a truly memorable evening.
Ronan added to the magic with a night spear throw, featuring a beautifully illuminated bat target that fit perfectly with the theme. It was a delight to take part in.
Their hospitality also extended to hosting the 100th Tournament of Virtues on Friday night. The torchlight tournament was a wonderful way to celebrate this milestone and to transition the tournament into a special event to be held at Great Western War going forward.
The next weekend, the Caid Archery Open at Woodley Park was a huge success. We saw strong participation, many archers improving their averages, new ranks being earned, and several people shooting their first Royal Rounds.
Congratulations to Geral for winning the Open Division, Brennos for winning the Period Division, and Achillious for winning Crossbow. A very big thank you to Merlin and Petrusha for putting together such a successful event. It was especially meaningful to see the winners presented with arrows made by students in Merlin’s classes over the previous weeks.
Crown Tournament was a thrill to watch. The combatants brought their very best, with impressive displays of skill, communication, and chivalry. In the end, it came down to Duke Adam and Sir Liam, with Liam prevailing with a clean and beautiful final blow after a hard-fought best two out of three.
We are very excited to see Liam and Fara step forward as Prince and Princess, and soon King and Queen. As former Baron and Baroness of Angels and as part of our extended Altavian family, it is a joy to see them take on this role. I encourage everyone to support and celebrate them in the months ahead.
Following Crown, Privy Council brought a few important updates for the Kingdom and the Barony:
There are now two new Kingdom forms available online. The Post Event Report has been updated to a Google form, and there is also a new online waiver submission system that will handle non-member, equestrian, and minor waivers while meeting document retention requirements. Please take advantage of these as we move away from manual processes.
Bids are now open for Kingdom events in the third and fourth quarters of 2027. We should review the options and decide if Altavia would like to submit a bid. The deadline to respond is May 12.
We also need to sign up for a Baronial shift at Great Western War. Gate is always a strong option, and we can also look at marshalling or constable shifts. We should reach out to Philippe as soon as possible so we have the best chance of getting a shift that works for us.
Kingdom Social Media is looking to highlight Baronial officers. I will be submitting some recommendations, but if you would like to share what you are working on or give word fame to someone else, please let me know and I will pass it along.
Looking ahead, we have our own Baronial Anniversary coming up, and I am very much looking forward to it. Giaccino and Petrusha are stewarding, and I know they have a wonderful day planned full of fighting, arts, classes, and learning.
Please remember to send in award recommendations to both Kingdom and the Barony. We want to make sure that people are recognized for all the work and accomplishments they have been contributing, and we can only do that if we hear from you in advance.
Yours in Service,
Baroness Amabel Radleigh
