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

The Cantons belonging to this grand old Barony are: Riding of Hawkland Moor Ealdnordwuda WealdLake Fearann na Criche and Altenberg

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 [1], the Smurf Shoot and host for the barony the Tyger Hunt [2].

WealdLake is the hosting group of the Midrealm's premier adult/child cooperative event - It Takes My Child to Raze a Village. This event is now replicated annually at Pennsic War and is being recreated in other kingdoms. Wealdlake created the event Herald's Pointe and Scribal Collegium which has been turned over to the Buckler Herald to become a Pentamere Traveling Event. Wealdlake was also the host for the SCA demo visited by ~140,000 people each June - the Medieval Village[3] at the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest and the event Ale to the Victors. They are working on a new event coming in 2018.

Fearann na Criche hosts the quiet and lovely end of summer event The Call of the Waterhorse. With the feel of "old school" SCA events and the beautiful Au Sable River in the background the event features a special story time before feast with an ending that will amaze your eyes and ears.

Altenberg is the newest Canton of Northwoods and hosts the nautical themed Battle of the Inland Seas.