From: lindal@goddess.asd.sgi.com (Linda Levy)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Midrealm Crown Tourney customs
Date: 30 Dec 92 18:46:52 GMT
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.

In article <725684973.F00001@ocitor.fidonet>,
Beth.Appleton@f4229.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Beth Appleton) writes:
|>  G> There is also that it would take a truly *gifted* bad king to put a
|>  G> dent in the SCA beauracracy of any of the kingdoms or
|> principalities
|>  G> that I've heard anything about; the 'bad Crown' filter is hardly
|>  G> necessary in these well regulated times.  :]
|>  From Crowns I've observed, the filters that Ansteorra has are still 
|>  necessary.  We require <this is from memory, and may have changed> 1 yr
|> |>  in the SCA, 1 yr in kingdom, plus a minimum tenure as an officer or
|> |>  deputy.  Considering the major aggravation caused by a semi-recent
|> king 
|>  who just barely slid under the wire, that minimum may be too low.  It
|> is  possible, at least here where we have small Crown Tourneys, for a
|> good 
|>  fighter without a good SCA background to win.  It's one thing to have 
|>  somebody who knows what the system is muck around with the structure --
|> |>  it gets really bad when they don't even understand what it is
|> they're 
|>  mucking with.
|>      (p.s., said king was originally a black belt)
|>         Gwenllian Cwmystwyth, Steppes, Ansteorra
|> 
|>  * Origin: Herald's Point * Steppes/Ansteorra * 214-699-0057
|> (1:124/4229)


Greetings 

Hmmm As far as I know, the West has done just fine at surviving without 
massive amounts of qualifications that people have to meet to be King. 
The biggy is "..be acceptable to the Crown"..  Anyone from the West know
 how often this has been used to keep someone out of the Crown Lists?   
(the most recent Oct Crown excepted)

I have had the Honor of serving as a Queen of the West. I made mistakes, 
but was abiliy guided by my King, the officers and the Royal Peers, 
who were there with advice, and opinions.  They were always willing 
to discuss matters, and were willing to respect our decisions, even 
if we disagreed.

I do not know if I would have "qualified" to be Queen in some of the
 other Kingdoms.  I guess History will judge if having someone who 
doesn't meet the "mimimum" was able to do the job. Many people who I 
respected for years thought that the reign went well, despite various 
proble,ms, and that we handled ourselves well. 

I would not presume to set myself up (as a Royal Peer) to judge who 
would be good royalty and who would be bad.  The most I would expect 
would be that Royalty allow me to express an opinion based on experience. 

However, if you want to start listing minimum qualities that Someone 
"Needs" to be King and Queen.......

1)A job, with lots of pay, lots of time off and an understanding boss 
( It would be best if one of the royals were able to stay home all the 
time to cope, while the other is earning the money.) Being royal in the 
West for 4 months usually costs EACH PERSON at least $3000.00. Being
independantly wealthy would help ALOT.

2) A phone, with at least 2 lines, and a good answering machine.

3) A ROCK SOLID relationship (either love or friendship will work) 
between the two royals.  Thay need to know what the other half is 
thinking and feeling, at every moment, and trust the other to make
 decisions that they would agree with, without having to consult at 
every moment.  They need to comunicate constantly, and keep each other 
informed. They need to support each other decisions, even if it was 
diffent from what they would have done. They need to be willing to 
take S**T from people for things that they had nothing to do with, 
and they need lots of Hugs from everyone (ESPECIALLY their partner)
 when things go wrong.

4) in the West, they need a passport.

5) A pesonal computer for letters and mailings.

6) lots of free time, especially on week-ends, to attend events
 and meetings.

7) not need much sleep or food, since you don't have time for those.

8) Be a "people" person so that you can remember names and faces
 of at least 500 people, and be able to cope with crisies, both 
personal and political.

9) Be firm, but flexiable

10) Be talented in the arts and sciences, so that you may serve 
as an example, and as a judge.

11) one of you has to be a top fighter, in order to win the whole 
thing in the first place.

12) be able to multi-track your brain, for everyone that approches 
you will have a different problem or question that usually begins 
"I spoke to you about this last Crown, what have you decided?".

13) should look like "royalty". The male should be "manly", the Woman
 "feminine" even if she was the one who fought and won. They should 
both have great wardrobes of ABSOLUTLY authentic costumes, because 
they are the example for the SCA as a whole.

14) have absolutly even tempers. You can never lose your temper, 
except on purpose.

15) feel for everyone, but don't take anything personally. After 
all, its only a game.

16) be willing to be photographed at any time, day or night, 
and smile when they put a "terrible" picture of you on public 
display. (any comments From Hal about better of worse reactions 
from past Royalty?)

17) never get sick, never get tired, never feel cold, or heat or pain.

18) no food allergies. It makes it far too difficult at feasts,
 where everyone has done their best cooking, and wants you to 
try it.

19) be ON TIME! the Kingdom is waiting. Always be able to leave 
several hours early, just in case there was a traffic accident 
that totally blocked the freeway. (or a Mountain Blows Up)


20) memorize the Kingdom ceremonies, and the Laws of the Kingdom,
 Local grouups, and the SCA, so that people know that you know what 
you are talking about. 


I could go on, and on and on.......

I know I didn't meet most of this stuff, Who would? and who is to decide
 whats important, and what is "do the best you can with what you've got."

 How do you know if the Persons HEART is in it. That's what's most
important.


Any additions or comments would be welcome. I'm thinking of putting 
together a class for collegium called "so... you think you want to be
King/Queen?"


Linda of the Lakelands (west)
lindal@asd.sgi.com