Hi everyone,

Words cannot express the gratitude that I have for all the help everyone gave me at Samhain. As autocrat it was my responsibility to organize the event, but without the help of the members of the barony and certain other individuals an event will not happen. The praise and thanks should go to all of you that helped.

There are so many of you that worked very hard so that others may enjoy the event and I have received numerous comments about how much people loved and had fun at the event. Grey Niche has certainly developed a reputation for putting on great events and we didn't let them down this weekend. We had 322 people show up on site despite the cold weather. Special thanks go out to Turlaugh (Gerald Swinney) for the use of his personal pavilion for the classroom, Maestro Damiano for running the rapier Tavern Brawl (the populace loved the food fight, Elizabeth for another fantastic feast, Duchess Ilissa for the "ice scream" cake, Sir Michael for taking charge of setting up the hall, Tabin for always being around when I needed something done, and a very special thanks to

Kaethe (Tracy Peterson) for assisting me and doing the site booklet and all the graphics, printing and copying of the schedule and site maps. A big thank you goes to everyone that helped cut, tote, fetch, carry, peeled, setup, takedown, serve, etc that helped to make the event enjoyable to others. If I have left out anyone, please excuse a still very tired autocrat.

Once again thank you everyone that helped out.

On to other news. If you lost or misplaced anything at the event please let me know. I have two trash bags full of lost and found.

In Service

Mistress Alysia

It was a cold October morning on a high mountain pass in the Carpathians when a patrol of Prince Vladimir came across a scouting party for an invading Turkish army. Count Vladimir's forces quickly set upon the Turks, driving them into retreat with a determined attack. They pursued the fleeing Turks for some distance, until finally the invaders managed to regroup and fight a pitched battle upon a high mountain plateau. The groups clashed and withdrew time and again until it became apparent that the invading Turks could not hope to overcome the Count's forces there. The Turks retreated towards the river hoping to make a stand at the bridge, but many were slaughtered before they could reach it. It was here, however, at the so-called "River of Blood," that the Sultan's reinforcements arrived by ship to harry the Count's men on the bridge and land troops across the river behind the forces of Dracula. Stunned by the sudden arrival of the Sultan's reinforcements, Vlad's Men were forced to withdraw to a nearby mountain fortress whereupon a great siege commenced. While the Turks distracted the Count's men with a vicious frontal assault upon the gate, sappers created a breach in the east wall. The Sultan's army poured into the castle, and a bloody battle took place in the courtyard. With their backs pressed up against the wall and no more retreat possible, Prince Vladimir's knights and men-at-arms set themselves against the invading host, and with great ferocity slew the Turks to the man. Some say that the Lord Dracula himself did manifest in the courtyard from a mist to impale the invaders upon long pikes with a supernatural ease. Other, more reliable sources tell us that the great Tar Radu - King of distant Meridies - happened to be a guest at the castle and turned the tide in favor of Vladimir. The truth is lost in the haze of history, for we know that not long afterwards, Prince Vladimir - frustrated with the bickering of petty nobles - locked them inside this castle and burned to the ground, along with all written accounts of the battle.

As scribed this 28th day of October, AS 36 by Lord Caedmon of Jorvik

January 2001

February 2001

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