Lochac has many traditions, be them specialised tokens for specific competitions or ceremonies in court. Some of these traditions are detailed here.
Nail
The Kingdom of Lochac was gifted an iron nail, along with the following letter:
The Nail.
The references to horses riders, kingdoms and battles in ’For want of a Nail’ indicate the English origins of the rhyme. The earliest known written version of the rhyme is in John Gower’s Confesio Amantis dated approximately 1390.
For want of a nail – rhyme
For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battler was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
Thus, I donate my first smithed nail to the Crown of Lochac, to be handed down from one ruler to the next so that our glorious Kingdom shall not be lost ‘for want of a nail’.
Baxton du Glonn
After each Coronation, it is tradition for the Crown who stepped down to read the poem in Court and present the nail to the Crown who was invested.
During the reign of Felix Arnett von Danzig and Eva von Danzig in AS 47-48, King Felix presented Duke Siridean MacLachlan with a nail that Felix himself had forged to take with Siridean as he left Lochac’s shores for Drachenwald to present to their Kingdom on Lochac’s behalf. King Felix also named Siridean the ‘Nail of Lochac’.
Queen’s Tassel
At a Crown Tournament, the reigning Queen sometimes presents a gold tassel that was cut from Her Investiture outfit to the victor.
Queen’s Glove of Courtesy
The Queen’s Glove of Courtesy is presented to someone of the Queen’s choosing who enters a rapier tournament of the same name, held annually at the Rowany Festival.
The original Queen’s Glove was one of a pair that Countess Portia Vincenzo comissioned – one was sent to the West Kingdom and one remained in Lochac. The gloves were yellow with a red rose on them. The Lochac glove was first used during the first Coronation and the first recipient was Luan an Fael.
The recipients of this favour include:
- Don Wolfram Flammenherz (AS 48) from Queen Angharat Benbras I
Crown Tournament Wreaths
The three types of Crown Tournament Wreaths are described and depicted below. More information about the wreaths, and how to make them, are available at: Crown Tournament Wreaths.
Wreath of Chivalry
Wreaths of Chivalry may be offered to that combatant and their consort whose behaviour most exemplifies the high ideals of courtesy and chivalry in the Crown Tourney of Lochac.
The token is a wreath of rosemary, wrapped with a white ribbon.
Wreath of Valour
Wreaths of Valour may be offered to that combatant and their consort whose behaviour most exemplifies the high ideals bravery and daring in the Crown Tourney of Lochac.
The token is a wreath of rosemary, wrapped with a red ribbon.
Champions Wreath
The Champions Wreath may be offered to the combatant and their consort who is victorious in a Crown Tournament, before they are bestowed with the Prince and Princess coronets.
The token is a wreath of rosemary, wrapped with red, white and blue ribbon.
Baronesses Rapier Tournament
Each year at Rowany Festival, the Baronesses of Lochac sponsor a rapier tournament. There are two traditional tokens gifted by Their Excellencies at the conclusion of the tournament; a buckler and the sword of chivalry.
Photo by Marozia moglie di Basilio Bracciolini April 2014
The buckler is gifted to the winner of the tournament. At Rowany Festival AS 48, Baroness Eva von Danzig revamped the square, wooden buckler by painting a detailed image of all of the Baronesses of Lochac at the time wearing German-Saxon 16th century costume.
Previous recipients of the buckler include:
- Don Angus Galbraith, Rowany Festival AS 48
The sword of chivalry is given by Their Excellencies by whom they deem worthy of the honour. The swords scabbard is adorned with the heraldry of each of the previous owners of the sword.
Previous recipients of the sword of chivalry include:
- Journeyman Ceara Shionnach, Rowany Festival AS 48
- TH Lady Christine Bess Duvant, Rowany Festival AS 47
Provost of Lochac
The Provost of Lochac rapier tournament is held in conjunction with most Lochac Crown Tournaments. The perpetual prize that is passed from victor to victor is a ceramic pot.
The recipients of this prize include:
- Provost Juliana de Northwood at Midwinter Crown and Coronation, Politarchopolis, AS49
- Free Scholar William de la Montaigne Coupe at 12th Night, Okewaite, AS48
- Free Scholar William de la Montaigne Coupe at Tocal Midwinter Coronation, Mordenvale, AS48
Knotted Sword
The Knotted Sword is presented to the fighter who is judged to have died most gallantly and spectacularly in each Crown tournament. The trophy is a plain sword with the blade tied in a knot, mounted on a wooden plaque, to which each recipient adds their name.
Largesse
The Kingdom of Lochac is bettered by the generosity, skill and time of her populace. One of the ways various people and groups contribute is through the creation and gifting of items largesse. Some of these contributions are regular and some are sporadic, however, they’re each important to our game.
Largesse for Crown Princes and Princesses
When the heirs to the Crown of Lochac are appointed, it has become tradition for members of the Kingdom to present them with some Largesse.
For the Crown Princes, Countess Lilya bint Hizir and Lady Branwen verch Lewis ap Thomas make a Kingdom-themed water-bottle cover that is filled with useful items from Ladies of the Rose (such as travel toiletries, a coif, zip-ties and other small, useful items).
For the Crown Princesses, Duchess Gudrun Bodvarsdottir, or another Lady of the Rose, embroiders a rose-themed bag, also filled with small useful items.
The Rose Bag tradition began in 2002, with the first bag made by Lady Madeleine Dulac D’Argenais.
Largesse for the Crown
For the coronation of each Crown of Lochac, the Lochac Printers and Bookbinders Guild presents the King and the Queen each with Their own book. The books are made by the Guild and contain information which will be useful during the reign such as a complete copy of Cannon Lore, a list of Lochac’s awards along with their descriptions, the award ceremonies, information on the Baronies of the Kingdom, and a humorous list of the Royal line of Lochac along with a single descriptor for each person.
After Their reign has concluded, Lochac’s Worshipful Company of Broiderers (WCoB) presents each of the Kings and Queens with a personal, embroidered gift of Their choosing.
Examples of such gifts made by WCoB are displayed on the guild website under the heading ‘Presentations’.
Baronial Taxes
The Baronies of Lochac will annually give ‘Baronial Taxes’ to the Crown of Lochac. These gifts often take forms such as hand-woven/braided cords for award tokens, trinkets, pouches, fabric, or other small things. The Crown uses such largesse as small tokens of reward or appreciation to whomever they see fit.
Largesse Raffles
In 2012, Countess Lilya bint Hizir began her now-annual Kingdom Raffle project to raise funds for supporting the maintenance and upkeep of Lochac’s Kingdom Regalia. Members of the populace donate largesse items which are all won by one person who enters the raffle. The raffles are drawn each year at the Great Northern War event hosted by the Northern Reaches.
In 2012, the theme was Norse. It raised 424 gold for the Kingdom and the winner was Lady Ameline de Colwell from the Barony of Rowany.
The theme for the 2013 raffle was Late Period. Countess Lilya and Lady Nesta verch Wyn ran this raffle, and it raised 240 gold for the Kingdom. The winner was Dona Selfran the Singer.
The third Kingdom Raffle was run in 2014 by Countess Lilya. It was Anglo Saxon themed and raised 400 gold for the Kingdom. The winner was TH Lady Ceara Shionnach from the Barony of Politarchopolis.
It was announced that the 2015 raffle would again be Late Period themed.