As we usher in a new year, I thought it’d be fun to take a step back to 15th-century Bruges. We can see how Jehanne Bening might have celebrated. Spoiler alert: no champagne or midnight countdowns! But there was plenty of food, faith, and fellowship to go around in her bustling city. Let’s look at…
Hello, dear readers! As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the journey of An Itinerant Scribe. It’s been an incredible year of growth, creativity, and—most importantly—connection with all of you. I can’t resist sharing a little milestone with you today: in 2023, this humble blog had 265 visitors. Not too…
Dear Readers, As I’ve been diving deeper into Jehanne Bening’s story and life in 15th-century Bruges, I’ve realized that I might have repeated myself in a few of my recent blog posts. My enthusiasm for sharing this world and these characters with you sometimes leads me to revisit the same ideas, perhaps more often than…
Hello, dear friends and fellow artisans! As Winter settles in around us, I find myself reflecting about all the kindness, generosity, and creativity that fill our lives. This is true whether in 15th-century Bruges or today in the SCA. In Bruges, we’d say that winter’s darkness is brightened by the kindness of friends. The talents…
Every December, Calontir’s Kris Kinder transforms a mundane gym into a medieval holiday market. This fun event blends shopping, socializing, and celebration for the heart of Calontir people. The Barony of Forgotten Sea hosts the event, one of the largest of its kind. And this year, a whopping 540 Calontiri attended it. Kris Kinder happens…
Ah, the Middle Ages—the time of knights, castles, and…bastards. If you’ve ever stumbled across the title “The Bastard of Burgundy,” you might wonder, “Did they really just call someone a bastard?” You may also question, “And was that okay?” Well, let’s see what history portrays and clear this up. First things first. Back then, “bastard”…
To the Honorable Mistress Cornelia David,Bruges, on the Seventh Day of December, in the Year of Our Lord 1515 My dear Cornelia, I commend myself to you and thank you for your unwavering resolve. Your wisdom in the face of the troubles that came before you on Monday last is admirable. Lavinia Adornes spoke of…
Hey, all. I’m so excited that two of my friends will be made peers at the coming Forgotten Sea Kris Kinder event. They are receiving well-deserved honors for their many years of work. In the SCA, we often hear people talk about peerage as if it’s the finish line. It’s an incredible honor, but in…
Hey, all. This is the first step on my story writing adventure guided by the sources I squirreled away last week. It’s a total work in progress. The first task they coached me to do was to flesh-out my main character. So, here I go. Buttons and ogres and flaws. Oh, my! Historical characters are…
The winter air bit through Jehanne’s woolen cloak as she hurried through the narrow streets of Ghent. Dawn had barely broken, painting the city’s stepped gables in watery gold. She clutched her leather satchel closer, protecting the precious pigments she’d ground the night before. Master Bening wouldn’t tolerate tardiness, especially not today. The workshop door…