Northwoods

From MiddleWiki

North Woods (aka Northwoods) is a Barony in the Pentamere Region of the Middle Kingdom. In precedence it is the first Barony of the Kingdom.

The Northwoods Device

North Woods encompasses Gratiot, Clinton, Shiawassee, Eaton, Ingham, and Livingston counties, and Macomb and Oakland counties north of Highway M-59, less that part of Macomb county claimed by the Shire of Altenberg, Michigan.

Cantons, Shires and Marches

The Riding of Hawkland Moor and Ealdnordwuda are North Woods' cantons. WealdLake achieved full status in A.S. 48 (2013 A.D.). The remaining incipient canton of North Woods is Iron Oak [1].

History

The barony of the North Woods is one of the oldest and most important branches in the Middle Kingdom. Founded in 1970, the early members were at first unaware of the simultaneous creation of the Province of Tree-Girt-Sea. Many of the early knights, laurels, pelicans, kings and queens came from the North Woods. Baron Sir Thorvald inn Grimmi was the first baron of the branch and of the kingdom, and the only man to win his coronet in a unique tournament. He was the Baron North Woods for over 20 years. Much of the Middle Kingdom's customs of armored combat, dance, cookery and dress were shaped in Northwoods.

The state of Michigan was presumptively the territory of North Woods from its formation. When the Barony of Andelcrag was formed in the middle 1970s, the state was divided down the middle. Most subsequent branches in the state became cantons of one or the other, with the exception of the Shire and later Barony of Cynnabar and the Shire of Stormvale during the 1980s.

The group has a bit of a mania about Coca-Cola, which is referred to as North Woods Brown Ale. A red banner with a wavy white stripe was once given to the North Woods knights by King Dag. Pepsi is consumed at one's peril at a North Woods event!

The branch has several alternate names. The registered name is actually North Woods. North Woods is also known as the Lost Barony, because the original paperwork to form the branch was lost. It was also known as Northwoods, the City of the Singing Lance (a pun on Lansing, the mundane home of the branch) and the City of the Gods, a reference to the early dominance of the barony in the Middle Kingdom.

Events

North Woods hosted one of the two Twelfth Night events in the kingdom until the 1990s and the addition of the baronies of Andelcrag, Roaring Wastes and Cynnabar. This Pemtemere event is now rotated between the baronies.

Ealdnordwuda is the host for the Baroniesâ€™ seminal events - Twelfth Night and Squire's Revolt. They also host the Pentamere Academy of Defense and the Saltatoris Swingin' Soiree. They are the home canton for the Saltatoris Dance Guild.

The Riding of Hawkland Moor sponsors an annual Wassail [2], the Smurf Shoot and host for the barony the Tyger Hunt [3].

WealdLake hosts Herald's Pointe and Scribal Collegium. It is the founder and host of the Midrealm version of the premier adult/child cooperative event in the SCA - It Takes My Child to Raze a Village. This event is now replicated annually at Pennsic War and in two other kingdoms. The newest event is focused on brewing, vinting and martial activities including Soule (Medieval Football) called Ale to the Victors. Wealdlake was also the host for the SCA demo visited by ~140,000 people each June - the Medieval Village[4] at the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest.

The remaining incipient or Barony-sponsored group, the canton Iron Oak [5] is known for its annual Toyâ€™s for Totâ€™s Tourney, which gathers many toys for children throughout Shiawassee County, MI.