Acts of Kindness

Pass it on...

Aidan Cocrinn

In my lonnnnggg years in Calontir, I have observed a thing or two. The thing that makes Calontir greatest, however, is not our singing, nor our shieldwall, although those are Great Things. It is not the skill of our Artisans, the dedication of our People, nor the might of our Warriors, although those are even Greater Things. What makes Calontir 💜💜💜 the Greatest Thing is that We are at our best when things are dire.

Calontiri put aside our differences, we pull together towards a common goal, we work together to cheer one another on and to achieve what alone we may have thought impossible. Witness the aftermath of Gulfnado. We were individually devastated. Our Great Living Room was destroyed, along with many personal camps. Did we give up? No. We sang as we held the poles of the Great Pavilion until it could be brought down safely. We went camp to camp to ensure all were well. We cooked enough bacon to fill every belly. We raised money for a new, better Grand Pavilion and artisans from across our land made busy and created a floor for it that puts the Known World in awe!

Witness this past Gulf Wars, when vile brigands set upon our dear King Donnagal, His Queen Catalina, and their companions. They lost all of their gear and Calontir lost much of our heritage, created by hand and sweat by Master artisans. Yet it is not in us to allow such deeds to define us. Instead, we gave all and more to clothe Our Royalty as regally as we could, even sewing late into the night in the Grand Pavilion. We gave items of Largess to replace what was lost. We gave camping gear, bedding, even extra underwear so HRM. Donnagal could give His Grace Hirsch back his skivvies. The Iren Fera came together and brought Crowns, so Their Majesties heads would be properly adorned. And we sang and kicked ass upon the battle fields of Gulf Wars.

Now, we face a Great Plague, and once again we pull together even though we are physically apart. We use our creativity and technology to share our Arts and Sciences, to sing, to keep company, to share stories and Word Fame. Our Warriors share battle knowledge and prepare their armor and weapons for the inevitable day when they are needed again. Some even created a Virtual Gulf Wars, complete with detailed battle scenarios and a lively back and forth chatter, so war tales might be told 'round virtual campfires. Comte Fernando shared battle tales of old, to remind us of glories past.

This is Calontir, over and over. We stand shoulder to shoulder before every foe, even when we must use virtual shoulders to maintain the line. Above and first, this is us. We. Are. Calontir.

Calontir Parking Service:

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgYFxtissCo&feature=youtu.be

Da'ud ibn Ibrahim al-Sanandaji:

I would like to take a brief moment of your time to express my incredible gratitude to this Kingdom and to the Society for being, perhaps, the most welcoming and generous group of people I've encountered in my adult life. In the ~10 months that I've been playing, whenever I've expressed even a whisper of interest in researching a topic or learning a new skill a battalion of folks have immediately appeared offering materials, guidance, and support. The Baroness of Three Rivers herself lent me an armload of books on Period maps and mapmaking, multiple folks have offered me scrap parchment on which to practice calligraphy, last night a Count and a Laurel spent hours teaching me introductory leatherworking and how to make a center-grip shield, a knight I've met, briefly, only once has offered me his old chainmail, and so on and so on... I'm in awe, and I am so proud to call myself Calontiri. Thank you!

Cara:

This was my first Lillies and I was merchanting. I had just made a new pavilion with metal poles that went into metal joints. The joints were ordered from California. The first box they sent me, was wrong, so they were supposed to send me a correct set. I had not received them by a couple of days before Lillies, so I called the company. They were sitting on the president's desk and he was out of town! They airmailed them to me and I picked them up at the airport on my way to Lillies! When I got to the war, alone, I had everything for the tent, but the joints were twice the diameter of my poles! I had NO idea how to set up this monstrosity nor that it could NOT be set up with out at least 3-4 people. I had several gentlemen help me out getting it set up. One of them (William Blackfox) drew me a diagram for how to fix my joints so that my poles would not slide into them too far.

Constance:

When Otto was sick with cancer and could not work, people stepped up (without our asking for help) with money and food. At some point during that time, my friends decided I needed to get away for a day. They insisted on taking me with them to an event, I had no money, they paid for everything, some guy I still don't know washed my feast dishes that night, because he said my sleeves were too pretty to be near dishwater. That day restored my sanity in a way I can never pay back. It was a small thing to them, but it was HUGE to me.

Dammo:

When I was new and only had a cotton tee tunic, which seemed mostly like some kind of weird sack, this guy in our Barony came up to me and said, "I'm making belts for newcomers. Here, have a belt. It's too short? Here, let me lengthen it." For me, that belt transformed my tee tunic from a weird sack to medieval clothes. It made me feel like I fit. Made me feel welcome. We need more people like that guy, whose name is Galen MacColmain.

Fiondel:

My first out-of-town event was the first Calontir Crown Tournament. I was wearing a very bright pink, bridal satin gown. It had snowed as though all the snow in the world was coming down in that ONE spot. I was walking from my car, carrying a pair of "break down" chairs, a big basket, a small cooler (with a shawl over it! I was so proud of myself!) and a couple of other things. And struggling, in my ballet slippers. A man I had never met, and whose name I do not, to this day, know, shouted to me, "M'lady...a moment...please, allow me to assist." He took *everything I was carrying, and escorted me across the parking lot, somehow manging to carry all of that and STILL offer me his elbow to hang onto , so I didn't slip. We got into the building, he stacked everything very neatly for me, and then took off his hooded cloak (which had been pulled down all the way to his eyes.) That's when I saw the crown. And the belt. And the Pelican medallion. Never knew who he was, and never *really* got to thank him, for giving me such a very positive first impression.

Isabella de Erbiere (Izzy):

My very first Lillies war, I was new to the kingdom as a transplant from Northshield. I had an 15 mth old with me and the structure I brought was one of those Gazebos that you can buy from target that are metal and have the mesh sides (Lol). On the way down one of the poles had fallen off and gotten run over by a truck ;/ When we arrived on site it was about 10pm, I was on merchant row and had a crying baby and no idea how to set up my Gazebo by myself in the dark. The good gentles I followed down lent me a couple people to help and we were going, to this day I have no idea who the good gentlman was who came to our rescue, but Zeb was crying and upset, and he told me he would take my place so I could comfort him and get him to sleep. They set my hideous structure up, and then instructed me that the rest could wait until morning. I am eternally thankful for them for that moment! (at the end of the war I pitched that dumb gazebo and got a tent LOL)

Michael:

Lilies this year was wonderful as usual. I have a story to tell. I showed up with a tentish contraption which I had judged to be able to withstand Lilies weather. I have learned that my skills do not lay in the realm of tent making... Malice made sure it wouldn't blow away, but he couldn't keep it from shredding... At least if a tent must fail, it should do so in an epic way (and mine most certainly did). I had no less then 3 people offer me tents to sleep in or use. I decided to steal [[1]]'s tent to use for the war. It is truly a wonderful feeling to know your family is there no matter what! [Posted to FB after Lilies 2014 by Michael Couden]

Shauna:

I had been in the SCA only a couple of years, and I was showing my work to a fellow scribe. He told me the paper I was using was not preferable for scrolls and suggested using watercolor paper instead. I told him I couldn't afford it (still in college, no real job yet) . Fast forward a week or so, and I received a pad of Archer's watercolor paper in the mail. One of the members of my Barony overheard the conversation and wanted to help out.

Sile:

2004 Pennsic is the scene. A car was stuck in the parking lot, and the driver was unable to get out. A couple of friendly fellows helped push the car out of the mud, and got a wee bit dirty in the mud. I'm not sure the person rescued ever knew her rescuers were the Calontir king and a couple of his Knightly friends

Siobhan:

While I have had many great experiences in the SCA, the first occured about 7 years before I even joined. When I was a teen, one of my good friends was growing up in the SCA. Her family went on a canoeing/camping trip and was kind enough to take me along.....we spent 10 whole miles of river learning/singing SCA songs. I have no idea how we didn't drive the adults nuts after singing "Hal's Gone Away" for four miles of canoeing straight. (We invented verses for EVERYTHING, including the fish next to the canoe) I heard so many amazing tales about fighting and archery, the parties and songs, I knew I had to check it out. These people seemed like my kind of crazy! It took awhile to be able to come around and join (life, sigh), but after having been in for three years, I can definitely concur that Calontiri have been amongst the awesomest I've known. And that friend? Her mom is now my Laurel! :D

Thora:

When I came back to the SCA after years of being gone. We won't say how many years. I had tried to start volunteering to help my barony but those who did not know me didn't take me up on my offer. Those that knew me were more then happy to chat with me. I entered my first Queen's Prize and was talking to Seth and said I would enter but had no sponsor. Little did I know he had just got his Silver Hammer. I entered an entire Hiberno Norse outfit from ground up including shoes, belt everything. I had documentation. I knew very few people except Seth, Rhodri & a few others. They took no time in introducing me to everyone they knew. I had a great day. But things did not stop there. Our Baroness walked up to me asked me to attend the next Revel which was the following day. I attended and was suddenly surrounded by people I did not know. That was the start of the last leg of my SCA. I have tried to extend that same hospitality to everyone. I love to encourage people and see their face light up.

Wulfhere of Eofeshamme:

I have had many acts of kindness done me over the years, both in my first and second rounds in the SCA. Recently though at an A&S meeting here I complained I had no trousers for my garb as they had gotten lost in the move or left behind. Without prompting Lily da Vale offered to make me a pair. Not having a sewing machine this was an act of salvation for me. Another act of kindness. Over on a heraldry group on FB I posted a heraldric achievement I had designed. My skills are not great and I was not pleased with it. So Conal Mac Nachtan of the Outlands designed me the beautiful one I am using as my profile picture. This thrilled me more than if I had been given the finest pewter feastware, It was unexpected which made the gift of the design even greater.