After the Announcement Elevations, Secret Peerage Meetings and More Written
specifically for those residing in the Kingdom of Trimaris by Mistress
Maol Mide ingen Medra OL, OP / Mistress Maeva Eiriksdottir, OL / Sir
Maximillion von Weald, KSCAThe Moment…So,
you have had a great busy day at the event and although you are tired
you put on your finest and head to evening Court. Somewhere toward what
must be the end of court you hear your name called by the herald and
head up to see what the King and Queen have in store for you. Kneeling
there you hear a great deal of nice things being said about you by the
Crown and you mentally scroll down the list of awards you have versus
ones you have not yet been granted. Wow, the Crown is really going on
with extolling your virtues. And then it happens… the Court Herald calls
forward the Companions of the Order and you discover that you have been
invited into a bestowed Peerage.Woah. The
crowd seems to explode with cheering but you probably don’t hear a bit
of it. A rush of smiling people hug you and your head is spinning and
you feel like you are walking on air. It is an awesome moment and the
details of it will likely stick with you for the rest of your life. So, what comes next? The Elevation…You
have a lot of planning ahead. You have probably spent some time in your
SCA career considering what you would like to do if you are ever
elevated and you may have everything planed down to the details years in
advance. If you have haven’t figured it all out just yet, here are some
things to consider. There are two regularly seen types of elevations to
the bestowed Peerages in Trimaris and it is a good idea to consider
your options carefully. If you have a preference for one or the other,
this is probably something you’ll want to discuss with your Peer at some
point during your association.The On-the-spot Elevation:
On the spot elevations are generally done when a candidate is called
into court and announced. The Crown will ask candidates when they would
like to be elevated and some chose to have their elevation right then.
In this case you probably don’t want to ask for people to speak for you
from the various orders since they will have no time to prepare. Your
elevation will be announced by the Court Herald and the crown will ask
you to swear fealty on the spot. Once you have sworn your fealty your
token of Peerage will be presented to you and you will officially be a
Peer of the Realm.The Planned Elevation:
Often the Peerage candidate will chose to have an elevation at a later
date so they can be sure to have all their loved ones present and have a
ceremony and some planning time. Elevations can be simple or grand but
usually have some well known parts.The Vigil:
One possible aspect of an elevation is a Vigil held the night before
the elevation ceremony where a Peerage candidate contemplates their
upcoming transition and accepts advice from any who would give their
counsel. Vigils often have a tent for people to wait under and
refreshments of some sort to offer to visitors as well as a tent or area
where the candidate can sit aside in private with those who come to
offer their counsel.If
you are planning a vigil you will need some help from your friends or
your household to make it all come together. You’ll need to consider a
laundry list of items and to what degree you would like to present them
including: location, refreshments, pavilions, chairs for guests,
invitations, times to begin and end the vigil, guards, order of
precedence for accepting visitors, thank you cards or gifts for those
who help and other needs like lighting or even offering bug-spray for
guests based upon the location of your vigil .Regardless
of your vigil being simple or grand, it will require a good amount of
planning but will offer you much to think about as you get ready for
your elevation. Not all the counsel you receive may be happy, in fact
some may use their time to present concerns about you or your upcoming
entrance into a Peerage. Remember to be gracious and hear your guests
out. Not everything in life is roses and we all have room for
improvement. Use any advice you are given to ready yourself for the big
job ahead. The Elevation in Court:
Elevations done in Court generally have a written order, script and a
cast of participants who know exactly what to say and when to say it[tjg3] .Ceremony:
Scripted ceremonies are common at elevations. If you have a script,
supply it to people as far in advance as possible so they can
familiarize themselves with the ceremony and also give copies to the
heralds and Crown. Ask the Crown if they are fine with their part in the
ceremony and remember that your ceremony is held in Their Court. If the
Crown asks for a few small changes, accommodate them. There are no set
ceremonies or scripts for Peerage Ceremonies in Trimaris.Representatives from the Peerages:
Many Peerage ceremonies involve representatives from the Peerages
speaking about the virtues of the candidates. If you would like people
to speak for you ask them as far in advance as possible so they have
time to prepare. Not everyone likes to speak in public, so sometimes
even a close friend may decline. If someone you ask declines, leave it
at that and ask someone else.The Medallion or Belt and other regalia:
Although you will need to find a belt or medallion as a token of your
Peerage, it is likely that some member of the order may gift you with
this token or one of your friends may have one there for you. Unless
your Peer or friend gifts you with a medallion, belt, scroll or any
other regalia, you have to make arrangements for those yourself. Make
sure you know where your token is coming from before the elevation
happens since spare belts and medallions tend to be pretty rare. If your
token has a lineage of Peers that have held it before you, this is
probably something that you can add to your ceremony!Elevations for Knights:
Knights have many traditions in their vigils and ceremonies that are
specific to their order and come down from long ago in history. Other
traditions come down simply from the history of the SCA and may be
specific by household. For instance, some knight candidates stay up the
entire night of their vigil and some go even further choosing to only
stand or kneel for the duration of their vigil. Often
knights will choose either a major war or fighting event or a kingdom
based event in the future. This provides them with an opportunity to
review and plan, as well as drum up support for whatever event their
vigil and knighting will take place at. Also,
at the knighting, the knight-to-be will often receive a buffet.
Usually this is done across the face, but has taken a variety of
formats. This is usually worked out between the knight-to-be and their
representative in council.The Scroll:
Peerage scrolls are commissioned by the Peerage candidate from a
scribe. Because of the fantastic amount of work that goes into these
works of art, often bargains are struck for payment or trade when a
scribe is commissioned. If you want something spectacular, be ready to
offer something in return. If you aren’t too worried about a particular
style of illumination or don’t know any scribes well enough to ask for a
scroll then you may contact the Chart Signet and they can help you find
someone who would be interested in producing your scroll. If you have a
specific wording you would like to use, get that to your scribe as soon
as possible since these pieces of art take a long time and calligraphy
is usually the first step.The First Year…At First, expect the worstBaby Peer:
The first year in a Peerage is much like childhood. While you are
trying to find out what being a Peer means and how to adjust to your new
responsibilities, you will notice that the perception of people around
you changes as well.People will have adjustment issues:
Some people will act estranged due to your new status - they will need
some time to adjust and eventually (in most cases) will come around.
Give them and yourself time.People will talk: People
- will - talk about you, now maybe more than ever. Know that this is a
fact of life that cannot be changed no matter what you do.Radio silence: Just
as much as you will need time to adjust to your new responsibilities
and duties, friends and other SCA members might need time to adjust to
your new status as well. Occasionally you might experience "radio
silence" and even estranged behavior from people you were close to as
they try to digest the change.Just keep it up:
Whatever you were doing that earned you your Peerage, just keep it up.
This isn’t the time to stop working in your field, this is the time to
keep participating and helping others to realize their potential through
continuing to teach and by passing on your knowledge.Helping hands: Never
forget that you are not alone in this. Most Peers have gone through
similar experiences and might be able to offer helpful advice and
pointers.Starting out: Take
your time easing into your new role, taking it one step at a time.
Don't loose your head trying to do everything at once now, don't forget
to ask for help and don't forget that there is no shame in admitting
that you do not know everythingMy New Best Friend:
Shockingly, people will make a point in greeting you and those you
barely spoke to will suddenly want to spend more time with you. It’s
not your new cologne or perfume and you probably have figured that out.
Since your Peerage is a part of you, however, that doesn't mean these
people are not worth getting to know. Just don't be afraid to ask
"Why?"Change in Focus: You'll
find that trying to maintain your old set of priorities as well as
working with your new kingdom-level ones just doesn't work. Trial and
error will tell you where things need to give, and don't be afraid to
tell people 'Hey, I'm new at this.'The First MeetingLaurels:Contact
the secretary of the order with your contact information after your
elevation. When you join the Laurel’s email group check out the files
section for a copy of the order charter and archived copies of the
order’s newsletter.The
Laurel’s newsletter with a printed agenda is delivered via email about
one to two weeks before each meeting. Make sure to read your newsletter
before coming to the meeting so you know what is coming up and can
prepare any comments you may have about candidates.Laurels
meetings generally go in the following order: Announcements, dismissal
of associates and then discussions. Candidate discussions are of an
informal (first step) or formal (second-step) variety and allow the
Laurels to comment upon candidates. Formal discussions are more in-depth
and generally take longer than informal discussions.Candidates
generally go through a nine-ish month process approaching elevation
with an informal discussion being held, a formal discussion held at the
following meeting and a vote at the meeting after that.New Laurels may vote at their first meeting.Everything
said at the meeting is expected not to be shared with non-Laurels as
the contents of meetings are considered confidential.By tradition, new Laurels are expected to bring refreshments to share at their first meeting.If you cannot attend a meeting and know a vote is coming up, you may send a proxy vote to the secretary of the orderPelicansThe
Pelicans’s newsletter with a printed agenda is delivered via email
about one to two weeks before each meeting. Make sure to read your
newsletter before coming to the meeting so you know what is coming up
and can prepare any comments you may have about candidates.Pelicans
meetings generally go in the following order: Announcements, dismissal
of associates and then discussions. Candidate discussions are of an
informal (first step) or formal (second-step) variety and allow the
Pelicans to comment upon candidates. Formal discussions are more
in-depth and generally take longer than informal discussions.Candidates
generally go through a nine-ish month process approaching elevation
with an informal discussion being held, a formal discussion held at the
following meeting and a vote at the meeting after that.New Pelicans may vote at their second meeting but are welcome to express their opinion at votes held during their first meeting.Everything
said at the meeting is expected not to be shared with non-Pelicans as
the contents of meetings are considered confidential.If you cannot attend a meeting and know a vote is coming up, you may send a proxy vote to the secretary of the orderKnightsUpon
announcement of your elevation, even though you are awaiting admittance
to the order, frequently knights of knight-candidates awaiting
elevation will request that they be added to the local Chivalry email
list in order to familiarize themselves. It’s a good opportunity to
look up the minutes of the most recent meeting (and earlier) to review
what is in store to be discussed in the next meeting. Candidates are
NOT to be discussed online.Knights
meetings usually deal with old business, new business, upcoming wars,
new armor/ arms requirements and restrictions, and candidates, including
award recommendations and potential knighthood members.Candidate
discussions are not done in any formal format, though; often the knight
representing the candidate will usually poll the order for comments. A
vote can be requested by anyone and is subject to the approval of the
crown. There is no typical period of time between which a candidate is
discussed, when a vote is called, and how often a vote can be requested.It is tradition the new knight, at their first meeting, bring pizza and beer.New
knights may vote at their first meeting on candidates for knighthood
(or whatever the crown requests a poll of the order for). All knights
may vote yea, nay or abstain.The meeting is confidential.If you do not attend at a meeting, you cannot vote unless otherwise indicated by the Crown or Order.Knights
meetings are usually announced ahead of time (and traditionally take
place at Crown Lyst and Coronation), however, knight’s meetings can be
called at any time by the crown.There is no charter for the Knights of Trimaris.Remember,
while a vote may be positive for a candidate, The Order can only make a
recommendation to the crown. The crown then will decide whether they
will accept that recommendation or not (so, if f.e. Your Good Buddy is
recommended for the Plum Bruise of Trimaris, that doesn’t mean they’ll
get it in the next court. This is true all the way to recommending a
knighthood candidate, though often the crown lets the order know if the
recommendation for a knighthood candidate is accepted).The First Uncomfortable MomentSome
people who never had a friendly word for you before suddenly want to
become your new best friend. You are either getting above yourself or
not doing enough, now that you are a Peer. Reactions like these,
especially during your time of soul-searching as a new Peer, can be very
stressful and hurting. Try ignoring it as best as you can. It will pass over due time as things settle down.In
meetings, especially during candidate discussions, you may hear things
about someone or something you know which are harsh, and sometimes
contrary to what you know or believe. Keep your cool and don’t be
afraid to ask questions. Be certain what you are saying is fact if it
is a factual discussion, and clarify when something is an opinion. But
express yourself – at times it may be tempting to become a wallflower
and avoid notice, however, you were brought into the circle of Peers for
a reason. Don’t be shy and contribute! And remember, the discussions
in meetings are confidential. People
may ask you why so-and-so isn’t a Peer of your order yet. It’s often a
hard question. Be sure to explain that you cannot speak for the
entirety of your Order, and remind the person in question that the
choice to make any Peer is in the hands of the crown. Always be
prepared to stand behind what you say, and don’t be afraid to say, “I
don’t know,” or “I don’t know them, so I cannot answer that question,”
Just remember to speak for you and not to paraphrase or guess the
opinions of others. Perhaps these questions are something which should
be discussed in yourThe First AssociateBelts and chains: As
the Peer, you can choose to supply these for your associates or even
choose to have your associates create their own tokens. As a former
associate, you probably have at least one belt and/or chain hanging out
at home and passing your old regalia on to your first associate can
create awesome lineage items. A belt that has been worn by one, two or
even more associates who became Peers may not look fresh and new, but it
will mean a lot to your associate.Senior Associate:
If you plan for your senior associate to have a special role in your
household or among your associates, make sure to let them know and make
sure they are comfortable with that challenge. Senior associates can be a
great help in wrangling the rest of your household as it grows and they
often help set the tone for the rest of your associates.Take your time: Before
you enter into your first association, make sure you take enough time
for you and your future associate to get to know one another.Six months:
After you begin talking try waiting six months before you formally take
your associate. The teacher/student relationship may sometimes be a
difficult fit so this gives you time to both work out any concerns or
questions. Talk to each other and make sure that the relationship is
still comfortable both ways before moving forward. The trial period: If
at the end of the six month period one of you feels uncomfortable, talk
that over. Maybe a longer trial period or perhaps a break is in order.
Associations can last a very long time, so if six months is difficult
for anyone involved than years will likely be more difficult. There is
no shame in admitting that an association isn’t working for you whether
you are the student or the teacher. Ask what they want:
Each student is looking for something different out or their Peers. Try
to determine what your students wants from you before you begin the
formal association so you are sure your can provide what they need. Other directions:
Sometimes it will become clear that an association is just not a good
fit. Remember to be honest and let your student know if it just isn’t
working. Sometimes you may be able to point a student toward a new
direction such as another Peer who might be able to better work with a
particular student. If it isn’t working for you then it likely isn’t
working for them either. A new direction will likely be a great new
start. Associations go both ways:
Ask your students and associates for regular feedback so you can be
sure the associate relationship is working for them and if there is
anything more than you can provide. Keeping an open door policy for this
type of conversation can help problems from getting out of hand. “Secret Peerage Meetings”You
may some day be accused of holding or attending a “Secret Peerage
Meeting”. The longer you spend as a Peer, the more Peers you are going
to get to know. As people come to hold you in esteem they will likely
want to know your opinion on a matter or a potential candidate. “Secret
Peerage Meetings” are often nothing more than a few Peers who are likely
friends getting together to discuss a topic. Friends do this! There is
nothing wrong with seeking out your friends with whom you can speak
openly on a topic. As a Peer you will have to keep a number of things
confidential and sometimes it can be a wonderful relief just to talk to
other members of your Order about a topic you have been considering.Secret
Peerage Meeting is also a joking title that Peers give to any
accidental meeting of two or more Peers where you are hanging out and
discussing any topic (including a recent television show). When someone
sees a group of Peers standing together, many assumptions are made about
their secret topics of discussion including: “OMG it must be a
candidate discussion”, “They hate me!”, or “They are so talking about
you!”. Rarely is any gathering of Peers so interesting! Regular “Secret
Peerage Meeting” topics include: Deadliest Catch, a new awesome project,
putting together an event bid, lamenting the need to attend another
meeting, tasty festive beverages, sweet bruises and the eternal question
of “Where are we going for dinner tonight?”.Things to Remember…The Job to Come: Peerage
is a great deal like a promotion at work. More will be expected of you,
people may treat you differently, and people might listen to what you
have to say moreso than before. You have a great job ahead of you that
is some days rewarding and on other days, terribly frustrating.Staying Humble:
Remember that your Peerage plus $2.50 will get you a cup of coffee back
in the mundane world and that Peerage isn’t something that should go to
your head and make you act differently.Staying: Your
commitment to your Peerage is what you make of it. Life will have many
surprises in store for you and you will have periods of time where your
participation may have to be lessened by necessity. Take care of your
life first and come back ready to pick up your place as a leader in the
Society.Bad Days:
Some day you may be having a terrible time of it and just be at wits
end. It happens and everyone is bound to have a bad day. Remember that
as a Peer people tend to take your words very much to heart and your
voice can sometimes travel farther than you intend. Choose your words in
public carefully and apologize if you are unnecessarily harsh with
someone. We all make mistakes but admitting and apologizing for those
mistakes can make all the difference in the world.Your words can go a long way: Any
praise you give to an individual can help to encourage them or
spotlight them to others. Any constructive criticism can be taken the
wrong way even if meant in the best spirit. Praise often and in public.
Criticize gently and in private.The Rest is Up to You: This is the
part where you define yourself as a Peer. Work hard, think carefully,
consider your choices and do what seems to be right even if it is tough.
Good luck! |