The Van Plan (and A/T War)

[jamesq]

So I'm going to Vancouver at the end of June. I'm flying out on the 26th and returning on the 3rd. So basically 4 weeks from today.

In years past, I've combined the trip to Vancouver with Avacal/Tir Righ War. I wasn't originally planning on going to AT war as the event is in an awful location; It's a ten hour drive to sit in the rain and be ankle-deep in fresh, slick, Buffalo poop; The archery range is more of an afterthought than I'm used to in Avacal; Finally there's not too many people I know there, so I end up feeling like a wall-flower.

So I wasn't going to go and instead bought plane tickets to Vancouver, thus saving myself thirty hours on the road.

Then two people I know went and got put on vigil. For you non-SCAdians, they've been informed that they are getting raised to the peerage, pretty much the highest honour one can receive in the society. One is becoming a knight, the other a pelican (not the bird, but an order named for the bird). If it was only one of them, I'd probably have flipped a coin. Both of them? Oh hell yes I'm going. I wish it was somewhere closer, but for at least one of them, it's the perfect location.

I've been grousing about the trip, but since going is entirely voluntary on my part, I should probably shut the hell up and just enjoy it. A long, but scenic drive (hopefully with good company), camping, socializing with a highly increased number fellow Montengarders, some shooting. Aside from the venue, there's no reason not to enjoy myself. And of course, I get to witness two cool people getting richly deserved honours.

I'll try not to shout "ABOUT FUCKING TIME" during court.

So now I get to take June 22nd off so I can get to the site at something like a reasonable hour. I'll be getting back to Calgary on Sunday the 24th (or possibly Monday the 25th if something goes terribly wrong). Then on Tuesday I'll fly out to Vancouver.

While in Vancouver, I'm once again renting the top floor of a house on Commercial Drive. This means I don't need to cart along a lot of clothing and can pack light, buy healthy food and not gain a ton of weight either. Aside from seeing Xanadu and two sessions of gaming, I don't really have a lot of plans aside from relaxing.

Perhaps some burlesque, theatre sports, hiking are in order. Drinking and sushi are guaranteed.

Comments

[haasiophis.livejournal.com]

Who are the two people?

[jamesq]

Bjar the Blue is getting his Pelican.
Kirk Einarsson is getting his Knighthood.

[manyra.livejournal.com]

From a pel point of view, I hate it when someone says "it's about time." The final choice lays with the Crown so it basically says that all previous royalty were idiots.

There is a process, which takes some time and will change when we become a Kingdom. We are working to it make faster and more transparent but there are a lot of details we need to cover at the regional level to get someone to the point of being recognized at Kingdom.

Also, we do work with the candidate, talk to them, although not so overtly, and there have been a few times when they want more time. There are also times when the person doesn't care. Sometimes we just don't have enough details to even know where to start.

So every time I hear "finally" regardless if it's a pel or another order I twinge.

We are holding an Q&A at quad. See you there?

[jamesq]

I hate seeing deserving people going unrecognized year after year, so I stand by my frustration.

I can think of numerous reason right off the top of my head why this might occur.

1) Some royals are idiots. We don't pick them based on their superior wisdom after all. This should be self-evident based on the fact that some people are idiots, and royals are just people.

You did bring it up. If you want to defend the notion that no royal has ever been an idiot, have at it. I doubt you honestly believe that though. I'm sure at least one of them has made a decision you've thought was stupid.

2) The royals haven't been advised properly. Maybe the gentle in question doesn't have anyone to speak for them during the peerage meeting. Maybe the local peers simply don't like them for reasons unrelated to their qualifications. Simply put, if the King asks "What about gentle X?" and all he hears in response is crickets or brickbats, that person isn't being elevated - no idiocy on the King's part required.

3) Peerage Inflation. This is what happens when you get 40+ years of the people who say "But I don't deserve it" deciding who deserves it next. Again, if the King hears "That person isn't ready yet", he's going to believe it, even if it isn't true.

"They wait too long to knight these guys" was what one non-An Tir knight was overheard saying regarding An Tir squires at Estrella last time I was there. I guess the inflation wasn't so bad in his Kingdom. Hearsay? Sure. Until I get to read the minutes of a peerage meeting, they're hearsay too.

So I acknowledge that you hate it when people say "finally", however I too am entitled to my opinion on any individual elevation, and the system in general.

A more transparent process would be the first step to changing my opinion. My suggestion would be to have a clear idea of what the qualifications are so that the people who have met them have something to point to if they're repeatedly snubbed. It's been my experience that if you don't tell people where the goal posts are, it's because you want to be able to move them in an attempt to prevent them from scoring a goal.

[(Anonymous)]

Any Peer who twinges when a member of the populace says "Finally" to a well deserved elevation appears to be profoundly disconnected from the grassroots of their group.

Agreed there is a process but Crowns are also very unwilling to go against the wishes of the Order - for one thing it is very hard on the newly-minted Peer. They are put in a difficult personal situation and Royalty are sensitive about forcing folks "down the throat" of an Order.

The process will never be transparent as full, frank and private discussions are vital to the process itself. Smaller groups also suffer from a lack of diverse views, opinions and political alliances. Often within the Orders a brokerage system will evolve, where Peer A will support Candidate B if Peer C will support Candidate D.

If Candidate E is not liked or supported (see lack of diversity as referenced above) by the majority of the Order nothing will happen unless that Candidate garners more in-Order support.