Unto their Excellencies, Cristofanus Castellani and Cecilia Medici, Baron and Baroness of Altavia, Mistress Meliora Deverel, Seneschal of Altavia, and to the Populace of Altavia, do we send our warmest greetings!
It has been announced by Your heralds that You do seek heirs to take over the safekeeping of Your pleasant and peaceful lands. Therefore, do we, the Honorable Lord Nikolaos Phaistos and the Honorable Lady Briana MacCabe, humbly submit ourselves as candidates to be Your successors. In this letter and attached documents we shall describe what Altavia means to us, what we would do to keep the barony on its high road, and give You an insight into what we believe qualifies us to wear the coronets of Altavia.
Having both found our separate ways to the SCA slightly over seven years ago, Altavia and Caid almost immediately claimed a place in our hearts.
Through our years of service on the archery and thrown weapons ranges and running events, on courts both kingdom and baronial, as kingdom and baronial officers, as Your chief lady and captain of Your guard, and through meeting and becoming friends with the people of Altavia and throughout Caid, our love for this game and the people that play it has only grown stronger.
We see taking on the mantle of Baron and Baroness, should it come to us, as the ultimate service to the people we love, the people of Altavia.
Should we be chosen as the next Baron and Baroness of Altavia, there are three areas we would concentrate on to keep Altavia as friendly and successful a barony as it has always been, thanks to the wisdom and hard work of Your Excellencies and Your predecessors. These areas are continued growth and stability, improved communication, and helping everyone find their place in the Dream.
Continued Growth and Stability
We are both strong proponents of using technology to help recruit and maintain membership. Having seen the success of Meetup, we know that technology will be a critical tool for bringing in the next generation of the SCA. We would look to work closely with our social media officers and the Kingdom social media team for more and better ways to use these tools to the benefit of the Barony. At the same time, we are aware that not everyone is as comfortable with these communication methods as us, and we would strive to make certain that no one is left out-of-the-loop if they choose not to be on social media or other technology platforms.
Improved Communication
A barony is a big place with many moving parts and it is easy for people to feel like they have gotten lost in the shuffle. We feel that clear and frequent communication, through as many methods as possible, is key to creating as inclusive a group as possible. To that end, we would plan on sending out weekly updates on what is going on in Altavia and Caid through as many platforms as possible, encouraging greater populace attendance at Baronial council meetings, and, most importantly, ensure that one or, preferably, both of us is available at every fighter practice, arts and sciences night, and event to listen and speak to whoever in the Barony has need of us.
Helping Everyone Find Their Place in the Dream
The SCA is a rich and varied dream and while that makes it a wonderful hobby it also makes it one that’s a little daunting when you are new. We both see one of the primary roles of the baronial couple as concierge; to help others find their path into the heart of the Society. As Baron and Baroness, we would use our connections throughout the Barony and Kingdom to connect fighters, artisans, and volunteers to the mentors they need to succeed.
In addition to these areas of focus, we would strive to maintain and expand our roster of baronial officers, filling the gaps that we may have and working towards having a deputy for every position. We believe we have a strong core group of people working for the barony but that it is vital to bring in some newer people, both to get them involved and to avoid burning out the officers we do have.
We have spoken at great length with each other about the commitment and duties that are involved in leading a barony. We sincerely believe being a non-romantic baronial couple can only help us better shoulder the emotional, mental, and financial burdens of the job. While we both know that this is not an easy path we are asking to walk down, we know that together we can make it a joyful journey for us, for the Barony, and for Caid.
We sincerely hope that we will be allowed to serve Altavia as her next Baron and Baroness. No matter the outcome of Your decision, know that we will always be here to serve Altavia and her people in whatever manner is needed.
In Service to the Dream,
THL Nikolaos Phaistos
THL Briana MacCabe