Aeneas Oakhammer (Sam Falzone)
E-mail oakhammer@sympatico.ca

Aeneas Oakhammer is a 9th century Hyberno-Norse itinerant craftsman and trader. He was known to wander from place to place in his knarr, "Whyte Wolfe" - usually in the company of various other nefarious characters - looking for opportunities to ply his crafts or perhaps do a little "trading". His wanderings finally brought him to the Isle if Skye and into the arms of a beautiful woman who stole his heart. Now his thoughts are occupied with hearth and home and his wandering days are over.

Aeneas' bardic endeavours began, as others, around the nightfires listening to the songs and stories of his homeland of Ealdormere, and those from afar. Inspired by the wonderous skills of people like Hector of the Black Height, Garraed Galbraith, Wyndreth Bergensdottir and Morganna bro Morganwg, he soon began retelling the stories of these great bards. Although rumour has it that Aeneas has begun to stretch his own bardic wings and is working on his own stories (much to the relief of his Laurel Mistress Morganna bro Morganwg). Thankfully Aeneas has cooking, woodcraft, carving and some metalworking skills to fall back on in case storytelling doesn't quite work out.

Sam Falzone is an elementary teacher in North York, Ontario. He enjoys cooking for his friends and family, working with wood and metal, wood carving, and throwing axes and knives. He also loves a good story. His fondest wish is to grow to a ripe old age with his beautiful wife Leslie, and sit under a tree or by the nightfires at SCA events that he loves so much, and tell stories.

Andree (Andy Byers)
E-mail a.byers@sympatico.ca

Having wandered far from Ireland, and landed in Ealdormere, Andree has since spent time as a herald of various levels right up to Kingdom, is a marshal of the field and a fighter of very small repute. Having recently decided he needs to be more Irish, he started beating things out of amour and thus discovered the world of drumming with the bodhran. He also learns about this from those about, most notably Lady Kestra.

To pay the bills though, Andy is a CNC operator/programmer who uses industrial lasers to make steel just up and vanish. In exactly the shapes he wishes

Anne le Gris
E-mail silver@igs.net

Anne le Gris was born in 1452 at Wilton House (home of Baron Gray de Wilton, her grandfather) in Somerset. Since the War of the Roses was in progress, there wasn¹t much money and Annes father, an artist and younger son, moved the family to Paris where he made a living selling paintings of the Madonna and Child to the tourists. Anne learned early in life that talent without a patron or a steady stream of customers leads to empty bellies and rags to wear. In her mid-twenties, Anne married one of her father¹s apprentices and, eventually, the young couple moved to Florence. They lived there for about 20 years. However, with the rise of Savonarola she and her husband decided to settle in Venice where they are currently living. She now fills her days with managing her husband¹s atelier and occasionally writes poetry and tunes for the amusement of her family and friends.

Anne prefers to write and compose in the period styles rather than perform ­ although she¹s certainly not averse to joining in the occasional filk. For five years, she learned about singing Gregorian chant and other early music by performing with a choir in Ottawa. Each summer, the choir studied chant at l'Abbaye St-Pierre, in Solesmes, France. Anne is now pursuing her interest in composing period-style early music, although she has not forgotten her first love: poetry ­ especially her beloved sonnets. After documenting over 100 different styles of fourteen line sonnets in English prior to 1600, she looked at groups of friends who had written sonnets in period and found ­ to her surprise ­ almost no overlap in their choice of rhyme schemes. Now she¹s working on comparing the rhymes of sonnetteers from different geographical areas to determine if there were significant regional differences, as defined by what they thought rhymed.

Ann Graham owns a company (Silver Writing) that offers technical writing and editing services to both the high tech and manufacturing businesses in the Ottawa area.

Arnora Dunestan (Karen B Murphy)
E-mail arnora_d@hotmail.com

THL Arnora Dunestan is a 15th C English noblewoman affiliated through family and business with the House of Lancaster. Her husband is a highly trusted clerk in the household of Henry V, spending much of his time abroad on "diplomatic missions". Arnora herself has occasionally done diplomatic service, but prefers to spend most of her time managing her fractious household and pursuing the ladylike and demure arts of sewing, embroidery, and now spinning. Any rumours that she engages in seditious behaviours are completely unsubstantiated.

Bardic interests happened as the by-product of a political personality. Satire and political lampoons tend to be her strong point, and also prove to be an interesting way of capturing parts of Ealdormere's history - namely, those parts that other people would pay good money to have forgotten. Arnora didn't intend to become a bard; while she can sing, she doesn't do it in public very often because of a crippling case of stage fright that no-one believes she has. Occasionally she experiments with original period-style poetry (she has a fondness for the Norse double-stanza style), but mostly she filks songs she'll never sing.

Karen B. Murphy is the senior technical writer and editor for a small, chaotic software company in Waterloo, ON. She spends much of her time keeping up with the world via email, and there are rumours that she doesn't really exist at all except in a virtual sense. The SCA is probably the only hobby she has that can be openly discussed in polite company.

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Axayacatl of Tizaapan (Michael McDougall)
E-mail dont.panic@sympatico.ca

Axayacatl is currently undergoing something of a transformation. More inormation on this story as it develops.



Michael McDougall – Son of David McDougall and Arlene, Daughter of Harold Harton. Many years of musical theatre combined with a passion for playing sax has created a Production Supervisor at an industrial bakery that makes Belgian Waffles. A live concert fanatic and LARP-er (Live Action Role-playing) with a background in Outdoor Recreational Leadership seems to have produced a scotch drinker that brews. (Sorry not the scotch)

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Cainnear inghean Hui Chatharnaig (Kelly Carney-Garlow)
E-mail onesnowyowl@rogers.com

Cainnear inghean Hui Chatharnaig was born in County Meath Ireland in the 11th century. When her mother died in childbirth and her father in the latest trade trip, Cainnear (Kon'ner) was sent north to live with her grandfather in Armagh. Not knowing the raising of girlchildren (and concerned about the trouble she was getting into), he allowed her to spend most of her days in the local monastery where her love of books and their creation began and was nurtured. Not to mention that they kept her quiet and out of trouble, allowing her to doodle and paint. Cainnear recently moved from Northshield to Ealdormere and is slowly becoming acclimatized.

I was introduced to music at an early age, my father was a professional brass player and singer in a band. He didn't feel it was right to force musical training on his kids as had been done to him by his father so I only have a very basic education in the finer points of music. I write lyrics, play a bit of piano/organ/keyboard and most percussion, and I can sing without the aid of a huge bucket (just a wee one). I'm an information sponge and would love to learn more about singing, writing and playing.

Kelly Garlow is a small appliance repair technician and part time office worker for the Sears Service department in London, Ontario. A daughter, Sarah and 2 cats, Sushi and Salem keep her busy in between various craft projects.

Colyne Stewart (Todd Fischer)
E-mail imelod@sympatico.ca

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Claricia Nyetgale (Erin Kenny)
E-mail ekenny@istar.ca

Claricia Nyetgale is the daughter of Ibrahim al Hafisi, a celebrated storyteller from the court of the Calif Abd al Rahman III, and Bebbin Threchichech, fourth daughter of an Irish cow-herder. After her father's death, Claricia was given in marriage to a young Irish painter, with whom she now lives happily immersed in domestic life. She is an accomplished cook and a mediocre seamstress and embroiderer.
Claricia Nyetgale is the current Choir Mistress of the Caldrithig Choir. She enjoys performing solo as well, and enjoys writing poetry in many forms.

Erin Kenny is a stay-at-home mother, home schooling her 5 year old son, Clinton. She once worked outside the home as a computer programmer, but now can't imagine how she possibly enjoyed it at all.

Dwynwen (Christine Olliffe)
E-mail amethyst07@sympatico.ca

Lady Dwynwen was born and raised in Wales. But life there was not all she wished for. She left home at a young age and traveled to the fair lands of Ealdormere where she made her home in Septentria. There she helped found the Incipient Canton of Greenhithe. While traveling in the shires of Ealdormere, far from her home she met Lord Amhlaidh. Whom she did marry. They moved from Septentria to the lands of the Barony of RamsHaven where she is currently enjoying her time as Baronial Seneschal.

Christine is a stay at home mom, and mother to two daughters. Most of her time when not looking after the children is spend doing mundane embroidery projects, gardening, cycling, playing various musical instruments, and working on her web site.

Emer Nic Aidan (Emily Holbert)
E-mail emernicaidan@hotmail.com

Baintigherna Emer nic Aidan is a bard of Dal Riada, an Irish colony-kingdom of early 7th century Scotland. She and her husband Tighern Corrig mac Kail currently reside in Eastern Ealdormere, in the Canton of Greyfells. Under the combined tutelage of Dame Tsivia bas Tamara v'Amberview and Mistress Marian of Heatherdale she studies the numerous aspects of persona research, metalworking, and costume design when not busy with the bardic arts. Singing, songwriting and Celtic mythology research often take the lead.

Emily Holbert, B.A. (Classics) is a researcher for Amphisbaena Music.

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Fursto de Robnye (Roni Furst)
E-mail fursto@aol.com

Info on the Nefarious Fursto de Robnye to come shortly. In the mean time, beware. She is a scout, after all.

Garraed Galbraith, Olagh (Tim Jennings)
E-mail tim@roseneath.ca

(Persona) Garraed Galbraith is a wealthy land-owner living on the Isle of Gigha, in the bottom of the Scots Hebrides chain, in the 11th Century. He is the (nominal) head of a large merchant household, which continues to be governed by the Brehon Law system. He has been awarded the rank of Olagh (Teacher or professor - the highest rank of the professional class of the bard) and has some education under the brehon (lawyer/law speaker) traditions. He can attribute much of his success to his studies under his own Olagh, Eachuinn. He is known to keep company with a young woman of Norman descent.

(SCA) Garraed Galbraith is the figurehead of House Galbraith, one of the largest familial households in Ealdormere. He is Oathson to Hector of the Black Height (called Eachuinn) and therefore related to way too many people. His passion within the Society is the culture of the SCA and its people (as a form of modern mythology), and he enjoys both singing and writing about this interest. He is a huge supporter of the Bardic Arts within Ealdormere and the Knowne World, and had the honor of hosting the Knowne World Bardic Congress in both 2000 and 2002. He acted as the coordinator for the Pennsic XXX and XXXI and XXXII Bardic Arts Exhibitions and forums and has been the autocrat or co-autocrat for approximately 20 events over the last dozen years, including 2 Coronations and a Crown tournament. Their Royal Majesties Sarnac and Jolecia honoured him with entry into the Order of the Laurel for his work in the Bardic Arts in 2002 and he is presently the Society Minister for Arts and Sciences. He is honoured to have three fabulous apprenti - Lady Gwerrydd verch Rhys, Lord Ivhon Thorne of Sunrose and Falkgerthr Bambari Hoensaskjald called Kestra.

[Tim Jennings] is the Managing Director for the largest touring theatre company in Ontario (www.roseneath.ca). He has worked in Theatre Administration for about 18 years, has taught Theatre Production at several Colleges and Universities, and is part of an advocacy group for workplace safety in the Live Performance Industry. Tim is an avid collector of traditional Brit-trad and Can-trad folk music, and enjoys the three R's (reading, writing and role-playing). He recently bought a house with his lady fair, Truly Carmichael (THL Eleanor Fairchild) and her son.

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Gwerydd verch Rhys (Helen Marshall)
E-mail sunrider@hotmail.com

Gwerydd verch Rhys is daughter of Rhys ap Gwion, a Welsh trader, and Grainne ingen Diarmait Finn, an Irishwoman. She was brought up in an Irish household and listened to the tales of bards. At an early age, she came to the lands of Ealdormere since when she has been adopted by Gerrard Carpentarious and assists in him in his toy making. She has been fostered out to Evelyn and John Harris along with her sister Eleanor. She has been actively writing poetry and songs for a short time since she discovered the joys of the Bardic Arts at Pennsic XXIX. She has been avidly learning what she can from other bards and honing her skills and abilities whenever possible.

Helen Marshall is a student at the University of Guelph. In her spare time, she actively writes short stories and one day hopes to be published. She also role-plays when she has an opportunity and loves to read whatever books happen to be lying around in her house.

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Grimaldi di Salvazzi (Doug Scaddan)
E-mail grimaldi001@home.com

Lord Grimaldi diSalvazzi is the fighting champion of House Salvazzi, an Italian Ren merchanting household that gets into WAY too much trouble for their own good. The House is run by his cousin, Cezar diSalvazzi. He is also Man-at-Arms to Sir Katsu of Ben Dunfirth.
Doug Scaddan lives in Brampton, ON. He is a Residential councilor for a group home working with developmentally challenged kids.
 

Gunnar Bjorn Thorgrimsson (Brad Hovenden)
E-mail

Gunnar Bjorn Thorgrimsson, Captain of the pre-emptive salvage and trading vessel Gungnir. Gunnar specialises in irritating all the wrong sorts of people. This might have something to do with why he is "wintering" in England this year... for the second year in a row.

A warrior and bard of middling talent and ambition, Gunnar is also known for his strict observance of his oaths, a particularly Norse trait which necessitates that he seldom makes promises...well...except promises that end with "or I'll kill you". Gunnar composes poems, and creates the occasional new filk, but so far new tunes have eluded him.

Brad Hovenden writes process and procedure for a large financial institution. University educated, intelligent, and computer-savvy, he'd rather be a-viking (because viking is a verb!).

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Halfdan Blackanvil
E-mail sauropodlet@sympatico.ca

Coming Soon!

Master Hector (Arthur McLean)
E-mail eachuinn@hotmail.com

Hector of the Black Height, an itinerant ditch-digger taught to read by monks with little better to do, wandered out of the west islands of Scotland around 1297. He once saw William Wallace, from a distance, in a dark hall, and remarked on his large hair. Hectors done some soldiering and sapping (though, with regret, no mining) and a lot of singing and telling. Performance has kept him well fed and in good company for the past 15 years or so, which means it's about 1312 now. Strewth! Time flies when you're having fun.

Hector has been writing, singing, telling and reciting for about 15 years, along with some heavy fighting and the occasional dabble in other SCA activities. One of his earliest SCA events was the Ice Dragon where the Midrealm "banned" its Region of Ealdormere, so he's seen both the evolution of the independent medievalist culture in Ontario's SCA and the role oral tradition and Bardic Arts played in that evolution, which is really neat. His alliterative verse can be undisciplined but is enthusiastic, his end-stopped rhyme is reasonably regular and his story-telling is improving. He usually sings his own songs because he's too lazy to learn other people's work, but there's so much good material out there he is shaking off dull sloth. He has far too many opinions and shares these with the patient and/or the unsuspecting. He was an event autocrat once and may autocrat another someday. He knows well (but never is seen in the same place with) a paranoid Scots monk-historian named Magnus of Iona and a skeptical Arab named al-Nahr. He needs to pay more attention to his wonderful dependents. Somehow he keeps having fun with all this, and time flies when you're having fun.

Arthur McLean is a Federal civil servant, part-time Army officer and father of a 4 1/2 year old SCAdian son, all in Toronto. He does not read SCA E-lists and is happier for it.

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Inez de Rusconi (Kristine Maitland)
E-mail kmaitland@look.ca

Inez de Rusconi married into the book printing/publishing family of the Rusconis, after some 6 years of working as una cortigiana (courtesan) in Venice and Rome. Now a widow, she prints her own work. She has also found time to dedicate to her studies in history and music.

In her early years in the SCA, Inez wrote filk and a few ballads that were deemed somewhat noteworthy. That she sang period English bawdy songs, and Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian cantas was deemed more noteworthy. Lately, her musical tastes have moved eastward resulting in a repetoire of mainly Sephardic/Arabic music. She has reworked a translation of Sephardic piece Gerinaldo and is doing the same with Arabic material.

Kristine Maitland is a longtime writer/researcher of social history who now runs the library for the National Ballet School in Toronto.

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Isotta
E-mail isotta@rogers.com

Ivhon Thorne (Jake Botticello)
E-mail ivhon@kwbdb.org

Ivhon is a wandering entertainer of the 12th Century. He was born and raised until his early teens in the Northern Region of Britain. In the intervening time, Ivhon has traversed much of the British Isles, as well as portions of the mainland. His familial origins are unknown, except to himself.

Within the SCA, Ivhon does basically one thing. Bard. He can most often be sighted singing a piece of his own creation, as well as some of the more “traditional” tunes the Society has to offer. While song composition and performance are his mainstream, Ivhon also writes a good deal of poetry and prose, as well as simplistic stories. He counts THL Michael Alewright and Master Garraed Galbraith amongst his closest friends. He is also a student of Master Garraed, and “informally” brother to Lady Gwerydd verch Rhys. Geographically, Ivhon is from Æthelmearc, but his heart lives in Ealdormere, where he has made MANY dear friends (and acquired family) in the last year.

Justinian Clarus (Doug Young)
E-mail tyrant@foolsrest.org

Justinian started his SCA life as a herald, but soon learned the harsh truth of this Society. The ladies like the lords who fight. The also like the lords who sing. BUT, they like the lords who fight and sing best.

He has been signing his collection of bawdy and irreverent songs since Pennsic XVIII. He is married to Lady Hrosvitha who keeps him on a fairly long leash. He has six children, claiming the 250 sq ft he gets for each at Pennsic makes it worthwhile.
 

Kestra (Amanda McGill)
E-mail amanda_kestra@yahoo.com

SCA Personna
My real name is Falkgerthr Bambari Hoensaskjald, but Kestra is easier to say. I have a norse personna, I'm working on garb of my very own.

Bardic Stuff
I like to play instruments... all of them.

Mundanely I'm a student at Mohawk/McMaster University - I see inside of people

Lucia d' Enzinas
E-mail lucia@skraeling.sca.org

Lucia d' Enzinas is from Florence in the year 1580. Sometimes she is a courtesan and sometimes she is married to a tailor and sometimes both.

Lucia is a talented poet (both sonnets and limericks!), seamstress, and incredible beauty who has been delighting the Academia Xiphias Household with her gracious and modest company since June A.S XXXIV, when she was made a noncombatant member for throwing sew bees, web site help, and her unparalleled good looks. She authorized in rapier February A.S. XXXVI making her the first Xiphie who is both combatant and noncombatant member. She loves playing with daggers most of all. Besides fencing and poetry writing Lucia enjoys researching courtly love, illumination, being foolish, and brewing.

Michelle is a web designer in real life, putting her psychology degree to good use.

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Lydia de Berce (Lindsy Fish)
E-mail bluesunfish@yahoo.com

I am the daughter of a gypsy, left on the steps of a Lord whose lady took me in and treated me like one of her own. It was there I learned how to read and write, and discovered I had a talent for writing, singing and tablet weaving. I also encountered the Inland Seas School of Defence while under their care, and am being instructed, to this very day, in the art of rapier combat. I also have a love for dance.

My Bardic tendencies lie mainly in poetry, singing and story writing. I've written songs, but I've not yet the skill to put music to them. I would like to write more songs, and am trying to move on to that area of writing, but my muse is keeping me with poetry thus far.

My mundane self is from Windsor, Ontario, graduated from W.F. Herman Secondary, and is attending St. Clair College in the fall in the collaborative nursing program. Her hobbies are reading, tablet weaving and well, writing.
 

Matsume (Grace Carr)
E-mail fifteenthousandgiggles@hotmail.com

Bio coming soon. (Hopefully)

Marian of Heatherdale (Heather Dale)
E-mail heather@heatherdale.com

Lady Marian of Heatherdale was Ealdormere's first Kingdom Bard, an honor cheerfully held until the formal advent of the Bardic College of Ealdormere. She writes songs based on legends -- both SCA and Medieval.

In mundane life, she is a professional Modern Celtic singer-songwriter. For more information, come visit www.heatherdale.com

Maurin Agrona MacLachlan (Lisa Wannamaker)
E-mail Huntress@planet-save.com

Personna: I was born in the late 1500's. I was born on the coastland of Scotland. M'mother was born in Ireland and m'father was born in Scotland a local fisherman. I wedded at the age of 12 to a man by the of Elrick McKennen and me son was born shortly afterwards. M'husband was killed in a dreadful war between the Scots and the English. M'parents died during the plague and so I headed across the sea to be with m'husbands family. During m'travels we were attacked by nasty drunken scurves of the sea. Our ship went down but m'son an' I were taken upon the ship of O'thel When. Since than m'son an' I have been on many travel's and were accepted by the ships crew.

Songs to come: At the moment I have several songs in the works and will be posted in the future.

Mundane Life: Single Working Mom.

Martin Bildner von Wismar (Richard Schweitzer)
E-mail martin@dwacs.com

Martin Bildner hails from the town of Wismar, a lesser port of the Hanseatic League not far from the Danish border. Martin is a trifler by trade specializing in pewter buttons and bells, but he is also a sculptor, dancer, and musician. With his proximity to Norway it is not surprising that his art and his music tends to be heavily influenced by Scandinavian traditions.

Martin Bildner, AoA, OGO, AGA holds the distinction of being the last pentathlon champion of the Principality of Ealdormere. He is currently the apprentice of Ragnheithr kennari Thorbjornsdottir.

Richard Schweitzer is a grade 7/8 teacher in Mount Forest who is very grateful to his twin brother (Master Rufus) for having introduced him to the SCA. Life just wouldn't have been the same without it.

Naja Kesali (Laurie Woodward)
E-mail llwoodward@sympatico.ca

Naja Kesali Orekhov is a woman of the Rom who's kumpania settled in Russia in the time of Ivan the Great. She grew up on the estate of her father's patron, a Boyar of the Russian court and when, after marriage, eight children, and widowhood, she found herself rootless once more, her further travels led her to the shores of Ealdormere, where she lingers today. Within Ealdormere, Naja has been finding a voice for herself as a poet and storyteller.

Laurie Woodward is currently heading back to school for a career change with the help and support her husband (a non-SCAdian) and her nine-year-old son (a casual participant).

Nele ap LLewellyn (Nigel Paul Scrutton)
E-mail neleap@excite.com

Lord Nele ap LLewellyn is a Welsh/English traveling bard circa 10th C. He is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist (guitar, banjo, mountain dulcimer, harmonica, a bit of piano and various flutey-type things). Some of my songs include A. S. 64, The Wild Rover in the Society for Calcified Authenticity, Phoenix Love, Cooperian Pennsic Trilogy, Gentle Rose, Firelight Love, and Rolling Home to Ealdormere (not to be confused with Sigurd's "Rolling Down to Ealdormere) to name but a few. I love playing in bardic circles, especially around campfires at camping Events. Playing at feasts is a bit of a drag because there's usually too much ambient noise and chatter. In "the old days" I was one of the founding members of Der Welfengau. I have recently returned to active SCA membership after a long absence, at the urging of my beloved wife Phyllis (Lady Phillida Parker), to whom I have been married for six years this February, even though she doesn't understand why I need to own three guitars (and counting ...).

Nigel Paul Scrutton is a Funeral Director by profession and a folk musician by hobby. I have eclectic tastes in music but my favorite music is traditional and Celtic folk and '60's-70's rock and folk (the music of my youth). I am a deeply thoughtful and contemplative person whose serious nature is counterbalanced by a rather extreme sense of humor. Anything else you want to know, get to know me.

Ruadh "Red" of the Enchanted Forest (Carol Farrar)

E-mail _CFarrar1@excite.com

Lady Ruadh (celtic spelling pronounced 'Red') of the Enchanted Forest is somewhat of a shy mystical figure, and not much is known about her persona. She is associated with the household 'circle redhaven'.(sic), and currently resides in a tiny house in the middle of an enchanted forest in the Barony of Rising Waters.

Lady Ruadh has playing harps at events for over a decade. She has previously achieved first place in the Knowne World Harp competition.  Lady Ruadh is the Official Court Bard of Rising Waters for Baron Tancred and Baroness Rosalinda.  She has also been known to sing and play guitar on occasion.

Carol Farrar is a professional harpist, specializing in weddings, averaging over 30 per year. Carol is also a visual artist (painting) and has done many scrolls for the S.C.A. Carol's day-job, which she has been advised not to quit just yet, is Head of Art, Music, Dance and Drama at Eastdale Secondary School in Welland.

Her first professionally recorded c.d., called 'red spirit rising' , is now availiable at events, and includes harp along with guitar, recorder, flute, whistle, bodhran, fiddle and accordian.

Master Rufus of Stamford (Robert Schweitzer)
E-mail tablet@interlog.com

Rufus is a Saxon, born in the year 1098 in the town of Stamford, England. His father ran several farms for the absentee Norman lords, who rarely associated with the Saxons or the concept of physical labor. Rufus received an education from local monks and later went on to work as a minor clerk in King Henry's court.

Within the SCA, I have gained most notice for my tablet weaving, but I also greatly enjoy playing the harp and singing some of the wonderful pieces Ealdormere's bards have created. I have also been transcribing many of these pieces, a project which began as an effort to preserve the music of Mistress Rhiannon who died after a prolonged bout with cancer. As a side effect of this project, I have been writing more of my own music.

Robert Schweitzer is a Chemistry and Physics teacher, currently at Agincourt Collegiate in Toronto. I have a beautiful wife Ceridwyn and three cats: Mika, Dante and Temujin.

Mistress Rhiannon of Wye (Menya Wolfe)

Menya died on February 13, 2001 after a five year battle with breast cancer. She had been made a member of the order of the Laurel for her skill as a harpist.
Just prior to her death, an effort was made to transcribe her music as part of her legacy. That music can be found in the Sounds and Music section of this Website, or you can listen to a recording of her by visiting her website. If anyone knows any additional tunes which Rhiannon composed, please contact Rufus of Stamford (aka Robert Schweitzer) at tablet@interlog.com

Her memorial website is http://www.menyawolfe.com/

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Lady Sciath ingen Chauig (Trudi MacAskill)
E-mail ladysciath@hotmail.com

SCA Persona: Sciath was born in the village of Kyleakin, on the Isle of Skye in 1262. There was trouble with foreign raiders, and she was sent to fosterage, to Strathclyde. At the age of 6 she was sent to a small monastic community in Northern France to recieve her education. Returning to Strathclyde at the age of 12, she began to learn the duties of a chatelaine. This included further education in household supervision, cookery, and maintaining the house and kith. Fortunately, she finds time to relax and partake in entertaining ventures. Storytelling, making music with the recorder, flute, whistle and voice.

Sciath was introduced in the Barony of Seagirt, Kingdom of An Tir. She moved to Ealdormere in 1999. In September 2000, she left to spend a year in Drachenwald where she met many a new friend. She returned to Ealdormere in July, 2001, just in time for Pennsic War XXX. She will be teaching Music Reading, and Improvisation.

Bardic Interests: A member of the Baroness's Players (the Rising Waters Commedia Group), particularly interested in the philosophy of medieval music and it's theories, a teacher of music theory. I can be found either playing recorder, trying to coax others to play with me, playing pennywhistle with the drummers, or teaching a round or two to people. There are actually 8 instruments in the picture (soprano and alto recorders, and 6 pennywhistles) !

Collegium Sancti Antoninus: Sciath is the Rector (Seneschal) of this College within the Barony of Rising Waters. The College offers classes which lead to degrees (not real ones, silly), fellow, lector, and doctorate. This and other interests in bardic and metal arts, keep her extremely busy. Yet ever eager to simply stop and sit a spell in song and just randomly playing (either for dancers, or for the sake of the music itself).

Trudi MacAskill: Completed a Diploma of Applied Arts in Jazz Performance (Mohawk College), and a BA in Music History and Theory (McMaster University). This was followed by 5 years in the Canadian Navy, where I realized that the SCA was the place for me. After my contract ended with the military, my husband and I decided to return to Ontario. Now I'm a third year student at Brock University, where I study Medieval History and Literature. I spent my second year at the University of Wales Swansea, and wrote a dissertation on Costuming as Identity in Quatrocento Milan. It was a great experience, I hope to continue on in my studies of Welsh medieval history after my studies are completed at Brock.

Sigurd
E-mail bosahv@netscape.net

Streonwold Wulfesbana (Steve Benetti)
E-mail streonwold@yahoo.co.uk

Streonwold Wulfesbana was ten when his father died at Hastings. For generations, his family has joyously hunted and killed Danish sea-wolves, but now Streonwold hunts a different kind of wolf, with the same passion. Bloody Normans!

During Streonwold's travels, he has learned to play various kinds of drum, and enjoys accompanying other musicians, especially when they play for the dancers. While not a singer, Streonwold has been known to raise his voice in chorus, and is very interested in Saxon kenning poetry.

Steve Benetti is a Production Planner at Boeing Toronto. Building airplanes sounds exciting, and it was, for the first week. Ever since then, Steve has "put in time" between weekends, when he can get out and play with his friends.

Thorfinna gra'feldr (Melanie Fischer)
E-mail thorfinna@sympatico.ca

Thorfinna gra'feldr is a 10th century Norse mercenary and skald who came to Ealdormere while searching for her elder brother. She fell in love with the land and the people here, and after taking a husband, decided to make her home in these northlands. She enjoys music and song, as well as swinging a sword and throwing the axe and likes to spend her free hours trying every new craft she can get her hands on.

Thorfinna has been the Bard of Septentria for both Their Excellencies Corwyn and Domhnail and for their Excellencies Cynred and Gaerwen (then sharing the position with Colyne Stewart).

Melanie Fischer is a Digital Talking Book Editor at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. She abhors sleep because there simply aren't enough hours in the day...

View My Collection of Online Works

Dame TSivia bas Tamara v'Amberview (Shelley TSivia Rabinovitch)
E-mail tsivia@uottawa.ca

SCA persona: TSivia bas Tamara would have been known to most people as "Mary MacGregor", as she is a crypto-Jewess --a Jew who hides her religious beliefs due to fear of persecution. She was the daughter of petty nobility from the "Northern part of Southern Scotland", captured for ransom while her father fought alongside Robert the Bruce. Her father was killed, and she was turned out alone into the English countryside when her value disappeared. She became an itinerant bard in order to survive.

Bardic interests/abilities: Third Laurel of Ealdormere (behind Gillian d'Uriel, founding Baroness Septentria, and Duchess Caitlin Stuart), TSivia received her peerage from the Midrealm (Talymar II and Eislinn I) in 1983 from the Midrealm for Balladry, and Research.

She has been past head of the Midrealm Bardic College, winner of the Midrealm A&S Decathalon (1982), and holds the Order of the Troubadour from the Eastrealm for her performances of ballads and poems at Eastern events. She has also researched Norse period ballads and dances with help from Countess Brynhildr Kormaksdottir, O.L. (currently in Ansteorra).

She is the author of "My Homeland, Beloved Ealdormere", a history of the founding years of the Kingdom till its Principality days (available through the Kingdom Information Office).

Her first CD, "Songweaver", is currently being produced by Mistress Marian of Heatherdale. Featured on many tracks will be the voices and other talents of many Ealdormere bards, plus Master Ioseph of Locksley and Duchess Nichelle Whitewolf from Atenveldt.

Mundane info: Shelley TSivia Rabinovitch received her Ph.D in religious studies from the University of Ottawa in 2001. She lectures there part-time as a cultural anthropologist in religion. She has two furry companions, Wickett and Lionheart Beesbane, and has been a participant in the SCA since 1971 when she attended her first event in Atenveldt.