I would have taken advantage of this past year and the pandemic plague enforcement to have written more often of the activities one might need endure whilst undergoing quarantine.

Alas, I was neither quick nor witty enough to do that, and thus, a remarkable opportunity to further the Medieval reenactment portions of our beloved hobby.

Exchanging communications via Ye Boke of Faces with our former compatriot, Maeve Muirland, we were reminded of the grand Barbarian Althing we attend many years hence, in Caid. It was held in the mountains between the (then Barony of the Angels) and the (then Shire of Darkwell), near what is now the Barony of Wintermist.

The Barbarian Alliance had gathered from the reaches of the West and Caid and Hither and Yon, for a weekend of Thing-ing.

A truly medieval event – we were beset by thunderstorms, a forest fire, and an outbreak of Bubonic plague among the local fauna. Access was briefly curtailed due to the fire, while that was tended to by the professionals, but otherwise, the even was uninterrupted. Members of our Household and Shire won 8 of 12 contests entered, which was satisfying, including correcting an erroneous answer in one of the “official” answers …

But that was then, this is now.

Half of our Household has now received the manic jabs, twice each, we are still waiting for the decrees to issue forth so that the other two in residence may obtain their chances to escape solitary confinement, and perhaps in six or seven more months, if the plague does not raise up it’s brow again, venture forth into the world more safely in the knowledge that they may, perhaps, escape the infestation.

Recent discussion along those topics with other Society Friends indicate that they, too are almost ready to resume playing in our Grande Game. That will be nice, as they and at least I can meet at events on occasion, even if they are in the lower portion of An Tir, and I reside in the Middle.

Sadly, there is no escaping the covidiots, however. They vex us, even in our own neighborhood.