Candidates: Mistress Eleanor MacCarthaigh & Rytsar Aleksei Dmitriev

Unto Baron Johannes filius Nicholai do Mistress Eleanore MacCarthaigh and Rytsar Aleksei Dmitriev send warmest greetings on this 30 th of January, A.S. 57, known as 2023 in the common era. We are stating our intention to run for the Baronial Coronets of Bergental in the coming election to choose your Heirs. We have a long history of serving the Barony and are pleased to be considered for this next opportunity to serve as leaders for the residents of Bergental.

Mistress Eleanore has been in the SCA since 1991, starting in the then Principality of Artemsia in the Barony of Arn Hold. She has resided in Bergental since 2002. In her old Barony, she held offices as MoAS, MoL, as well as MoAS for the Principality. She was their A&S champion several times, autocrated several events, cooked for the Barony, and taught A&S classes. She also served as a retainer for several Prince and Princesses and later Kings and Queens. She was elevated to the order of the Laurel in Artemsia in 1994. Since coming to Bergental, most of her efforts have been autocrating events and cooking feasts, and reorganizing the Baronial Pennsic encampment. Although she has only held one office as MoL, she has continuously been actively supporting the Barony, mostly for events. At the Baronial level, she has received the Cup of St. Brigid, the Hourglass, and the Stellar Maris. In 2015 she was elevated to the Order of the Pelican, and has received many other awards from the East Kingdom and local groups.

Rytsar Aleksei has been in the SCA since 1984, with a 10-year period of inactivity from 1993-2003. He lived in Carolingia from 1984 to 1993, then resided in Quintavia when he became active again in 2003. After serving Quintavia as Captain of Archers, Chronicler, Deputy Seneschal, Seneschal, as well as autocrat and cook for many events, he given a write for the Order of the Pelican at the last event he ran in Quintavia. He has been the Quintavia Archery Champion, and holder of the Light (service, given twice), Chalice (arts), and Golden Arrow awards. During his one-term as Seneschal, he revised the Shire’s Bylaws and financial policies, established the Protectors (champions) for the Shire, and established many of the administrative policies still used today. Upon arriving in Bergental in April of 2017, Aleksei immediately took up the mantle of Seneschal, which he held for 4 years. He has been awarded the Cup of St. Brigid and the Sable Bear, and is the current Baronial Archery Champion, which he won less than a month after stepping down as the EK Consort’s Archery Champion. Aleksei also holds kingdom grant level awards for arts, service, and archery prowess.

If we are elected as the Baron and Baroness, here are some of the examples of the practices we would like to introduce to the Barony:

• Acknowledge newcomers as they do at the kingdom level, presenting them with a basic set of feast gear.

• Present a “scribal goody basket” at each Baronial court to replenish the supplies of local scribes who have done scrolls for the Barony and Kingdom.

• To encourage participation in the Baronial Luminary competition, hold a meeting (remotely or in person) during the summer months to discuss projects and encourage artists to present an entry based on a theme or other inspiration.

• To inspire participants in martial activities of all sorts by giving a Baroness’s favor to any resident who requests one. We would also like to create a populace favor to be worn by anyone who identifies as being part of Bergental.

• We would like to increase and acknowledge participation by our citizens by awarding tokens to anyone who enters a competition at any level or teaches a class; then at the Yule court, provide prizes to the person who holds the most tokens in each category (rattan, fencing, A&S, etc.)

• Hold populace meetings and/or sitting in state for at least 30 minutes at any event we are attending to find out concerns and provide encouragement to our populace.

• Encourage the running of both local and kingdom level events within the borders of Bergental, as well as in cooperation with our immediate neighbors in all directions by demonstrating running low-key events and workshops in public spaces, our own property, and locations yet to be discovered.

• Support the Seneschal and other Baronial officers by involving the populace in decision making processes and encouraging their participation in the administration of the Barony.

• Create an “official” Baron and Baroness social media page separate from our personal accounts that could be passed on to future Heirs. This account would be our official media presence to stay in touch with anyone in the Barony (and beyond) who wished to connect in that way.

As part of the election process, we would like to hold virtual and in-person “town halls” and invite other candidates to e encourage dialogue and questions from the populace.

We look forward to the election process and an opportunity to serve the Barony as part of the leadership.

In Service to the Dream,

Mistress Eleanore MacCathaigh, OL, OP, OM, OSC

Rytsar Aleksei Dmitriev, OP, OM, OSC, OSag