HISTORY OF NAEVEHJEM

by Mistress Scannlach Faolsátha

Founding Baroness

The first meeting of the populace occurred on September 30, 1986, at the home of John Kopaz. John, from the Kingdom of Ansteorra, was dismayed to find no organized SCA group in the Ridgecrest area. In fact, what is now Naevehjem was claimed by no SCA territory - we were “No Mans Land.” John published an announcement in our local newspaper and 21 people attended his meeting. Of those present, only John Kopaz knew anything about the SCA John agreed to be our Seneschal for a year to help us get started. Other officers were Holly Sheets as Herald, with Maryann Butterfield assisting as Field Herald, Elias Kadri as Constable and Gene Schneider as Historian. None of us had SCA names at that time.

John suggested we use the name of Nibelheim and suggested a set of arms for our new territory. (We later learned that we couldn’t use Nibelheim and with the help of Master Bruce Draconarious of Mistholme, adopted the name Naevehjem (which means Fist Home in the language of the Danes). The territorial name and arms finally passed Laurel: Quarterly argent ermined gules, and sable, in bend sinister two annulets Or, over all a laurel wreath vert.

On October 7, John started teaching us the rudiments of fighting techniques. No one had weapons or armor, so he started us out with techniques of striking using sticks against imaginary opponents. By November 16, we had made boffer weapons and started sparring with one another. On November 23, we held our first “event” in Kern Regional Park, a boffer “tournament” which went well considering the amount of practice we had. Our main reason for the “tournament” was to attract attention and possibly new members. Our first “fighter practice” in the park was on December 3, 1986. We started having weekly practices from that date to the present.

In November 1986, John Kopaz attended an event with our petition to become a Shire. He presented it to the then Queen Ilaria Veltri degli Ansari. King Edward Ian Anderson had been unable to attend this event. Unfortunately, this original petition was lost, and we had to submit another some months later.

At the end of November, John Kopaz had to move from the area due to mundane considerations, leaving us without any source of knowledge as to the workings of the SCA But, we were so excited about the dream that we plowed on without him, muddling our way through, and learning the rules and policies as we went along.

During December, four of us started and finished heavy weapons armor. Because of the information John had given us before he left, and the kindness of certain Calafian armorers such as Sir Corwin du Mont of Maine, Kendrick Lagerfeld, and Njal Grimmsson (who made shields for us), we knew the minimum requirements for heavy weapons armor. Maryann Butterfield and her son Roger drove to Arizona to a helm maker and purchased 10 flat-top helms for $100. We were able to practice a few times before the Estrella War (Feb. 1987) and, after authorizing under an Atenveldt marshal, did fight for Caid there under King Avery as a unit of four.

In February 1987, we reorganized with Maryann Butterfield (known then as Shadowwolf) as acting Seneschal, David Baur (known then as Johannes) as acting Herald, and Roger Butterfield (known then as Swiftwolf) as Treasurer.

We published an organizational meeting scheduled for April 12, 1987, in the Crown Prints and everyone signed a petition at that meeting. Lord Aldred von Lechsend aus Froschheim kindly attended as a kingdom representative. He also assisted us at a fighter practice. Lord Aldred continued coming to our fighter practices from Dreiburgen (about 120 miles each way), instructing us on heraldry, fighting techniques and marshaling rules.

Seneschal Shadowwolf presented a new petition to King Avery and Queen Larissa at the Potrero War on May 23, 1987. They accepted Naevehjem as an incipient Shire on that occasion. Also in May, the populace started a newsletter on a donation basis which was published by the Seneschal. We decided to hold a fighting event in October, the Frost Dragon Tournament. This first event was delayed a month due to kingdom conflicts, so the First Frost Dragon Tourney and Anniversary was held November 7, 1987. By the end of the year, the Shire had an eight-fighter unit, a Marshal, Swiftwolf, and a treasury standing at $200.

Naevehjem was granted full Shire status by King Dietrich and Queen Dashiva at Twelfth Night in January 1988.

In the fall of 1988, King Guy I, just after his and Darla’s Coronation as King and Queen of Caid, contacted Naevehjem and told us he wanted to come out to our Shire. He requested that we create an event in March, which was the only month they had free from other commitments. We immediately set to work and March Melee became a regular event for Naevehjem in 1989.

By 1991, the Shire had increased in size and expanded the areas of interest of its members. Fighting units include heavy weapons with 33 authorized fighters, light (shinai) with 12 fighters, and combat archers 2. At Estrella War 1991, we fielded 23 heavy fighters, 8 light (shinai) fighters (Yep, they did have shinai there one year), and 2 combat archers. At the War with the West, we had 16 heavy and 1 javelineer. Shire fighters and other citizens have participated at Pensic Wars, Atenveldt/Outands Wars, Twenty-fifth Year Celebration and other distant out-kingdom events.

In addition, we conducted SCA demonstrations with fighting, dancing, and discussions of heraldry, inkle weaving, woodworking, and other topics. We displayed lots of photos of our citizenry engaged in these topics on large posters.

Early in 1991, the Baron of Dreiburgen, Master Aldred von Lechsend aus Froschheim, agreed to release lands to us which, because of proximity, we were better able to serve. Two towns within these new lands contained Caidan citizens who already came to our meetings and events.

On June 9, 1991, Naevehjem’s 52 members signed and submitted a Petition to become a Barony with unanimous support of the voting membership proposing Lord Wulfhere Slånde Falk and Lady Scannlach Faolscátha as Baron and Baroness. At November 1991 Coronation they were installed as founding Baron and Baroness, and Naevehjem was elevated to Barony by King Patrick II and Queen Adriana.

Other officers included Seneschal Lady Marina, Herald Megwyn O’Bardain, Marshal Lord Focarta Faolmear, Constable Ishmael of the Wells, Chatelaine Valenta La Valente, Chronicler Lady Scannlach Faolscátha, Exchequer Lord Francisco Schiavone, Arts Lady Macrina de Napoli, Sciences Lord Heinrich the Scholar, Sewing Bren Fixen Exegete, Bardic Brom Bryan O’Bearan Shaughan Hennessey Cassidy, Linguistics Lord Donald Cathchern, Brewing Neb Kaires Tévesu, Armoring Dabhaidh Earmourer the Tiny, War Leader Lord Johannes von Bern.

Naevehjem encompasses 13,300 square miles and includes 23 ZIP Codes. The geographic description is as follows: On the east, along the Nevada border from 37.5 degrees north latitude, south to the Kern/San Bernardino border. On the west, the Sierra Divide except extending further west along Highway 178 a little further than Weldon to the westernmost shore of Isabella Lake, AND we continue south on a line from just south of Walker Pass to Jawbone Canyon which lies just south of Cantil west of Highway 14. On the north, from the Sierra Divide to the Nevada border along latitude 37.5 degrees north. This is just north of Tom's Place and Chalfant in Mono County, CA near its southern border. On the south from Jawbone Canyon east across Highway 14 below Cantil, and continuing east on a straight line into San Bernardino County, somewhat under the Naval Weapons Center-China Lake Mojave Range B to the eastern edge of that weapons test range. Then straight north along its edge to the Kern County border. Then east along the Kern/San Bernardino border to the Nevada border.

Naevehjem has sponsored numerous events of various kinds. Our Frost Dragon Tournaments (1987+) include Heavy and Rapier fighting, triathlon competitions (fighting, arts, and intellectual endeavor), and Dragon Fighting. Followed by the Naevehjem Archery Championship the two events celebrate our anniversaries. Our March Melee Tournaments (1988+) include both team and individual fighting, the Summer Water Festival (1993+) and the MidEast Feast (1995) which continued for several years before roving around the kingdom with the establishment of the Kingdom Middle Eastern Dance Guild. We have co-hosted Wars with other territories. In addition, we hold revels, feasts and local arts competitions. Naevehjem has sponsored such kingdom events as Crown Tournaments and Festivals of the Rose, as well as Crown Prints lick-n-sticks.

In November 1996, Honorable Lord Wulfhere and Mistress Scannlach announced at Naevehjem’s Anniversary that they would step down in one year, and the populace started searching for their replacements. Baron Wulfhere died in office a week after that 1996 anniversary and Mistress Scannlach remained as Baroness until November 1997 when she stepped down in favor of Mistress Marina and Honorable Lord Thomas who became Naevehjem’s new Baron and Baroness. Honorable Lord John Garr became our Seneschal.

So it is that now, in 2005, Naevehjem’s second Baron and Baroness, Master Thomas and Mistress Marina, are still in office, and Baroness Belinda of Emeric has replaced HL John Garr as Naevehjem’s fifth Seneschal. Naevehjem has existed as a territory of Caid for 19 years, and as a Barony for 14 years.

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