Greetings all,

It is a perpetual astonishment to myself how quickly the year goes by, particularly with the various projects and enhancements one comes up with in a voluntary and lively organisations such as ours. It often feels like Lurchio trying to deliver his Prologue in Up Pompeii!

The Search For A Successor - deadline 28th July

As such things start, so they must also end. It is now two months until I step away from these tasks and hand on to another. Many thanks for the several expressions of interest so far, and one can apply either via the (now fixed!) link to the application form, or send in the following to seneschal@insulaedraconis.org

  • Name
  • SCA Name
  • Membership Number
  • SCA CV if you have one, if not, a list of your major activities and achievements in the SCA
  • What you think are the three main challenges for the Principality and your initial thoughts on tackling them (about a long paragraph each)
  • What three qualities the Principality Seneschal needs in this role and how you meet them (about a paragraph each please)

What Does A Principality Seneschal Actually Do?

Good question. Primarily, the Principality Seneschal is a focal point in the administration of the Principality. This is an oversight and reporting role, gathering in quarterly reports of, and supporting, the group Seneschals of the Principality. They are needing to be well-versed in both Principality and mundane laws, and maintain or create policy to meet such requirements.

The role is pretty much summed up as one of oversight, challenging problems and anticipating future issues coming down the line, and there are a few already on the horizon. The new Seneschal will be setting their priorities accordingly.

Good liaison skills are key to this position, as the Seneschal will be working with the Royals in order to support their aims and pageant, fellow Officers and teams in meeting obligations e.g. the Exchequer and the Finance Committee, as well as the Accessibility Team in order to keep the Principality solvent and as widely welcoming as possible.

How the new Seneschal executes their duties, and how much time they allocate is up to them, depending on the need and personal agenda. My own stint has been inordinately invested in time due to the ambition of my agenda, that derived from a review of the obligations and safety of the Principality for example - it has not been what my predecessors would call a routine term, nor should it be used as a measure of one’s own commitment.

Insulae Draconis Coronet 2024

We have over 90 bookings, with over forty tents booked in, which is an extraordinary feat of Yannick and co as we retrn to a castle in Wales. Places are still available, though the much-anticipated Feast cooked by Aodh is filling up quickly. https://sites.google.com/insulaedraconis.org/ormping-lix/home?authuser=0

Insulae Draconis Summer Event 2025

Building upon previous years, the prestige of the Isles has at its core the tradition of a summer event as a gathering and demonstration of all that is best about this Principality. The Couronne de Caldicot, an edition of the Ormthing, is this year’s showpiece, but we are already looking for an event team to pull together another great event.

Why now, you may ask? Well, there are plenty of people who need to plan their work holiday so they can come and enjoy our events. Event venues book out fast, especially if you like SCA events in period buildings. It allows people to save up and keep an eye out for any bargains or sales in transport costs.

So please do put your thinking caps on, it is possible Caldicot would like us back, or perhaps there is another site you have in mind? Drop a line seneschal@insulaedraconis.org