Beorn of the Northern Sea

Photo
Beorn at Queen's Champion for Cassandra II, 2013
Information
Preferred title: Not specified Their Pronouns: Not specified Resides: Gallavally in Dreiburgen Status: Active Awards: Visit the Caid Order of Precedence
Heraldry
Per bend sinister embattled grady GU and AR, a lyre and a dolphin urinant counterchanged, within a double-tressure sable
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Baron Beorn of the Northern Sea was awarded a Velvet Owl for Bardic Performance in Meridies, a Harp Argent for performance and a Gauntlet, and a Court Barony (Gleann Abhann).

Persona History

Baron Beorn of the Northern Sea, known at various times as Giuseppe Lorenzo Domenico Angelo de Medici, Brother Johannes, and Ito Nobunaga was born in 1270 of the common reckoning. His mother, a dark impish maiden with a golden voice, had fallen for a Norse adventurer and their forbidden tryst led to fleeing the Kingdom of Dublin. Traveling the North Sea in summer, as her birthing time approached, they landed at the Shetland monastery on Lerwick. She was both very close to her time, and very ill. Beorn's father said he would go to fetch help from his family in Norway.

He never returned...

She delivered up her son and they asked her to name the child, she said Beorn, though he was baptized Johannes so as to not remain named of the Heathen. She held him in her arms and sang to him until she died a few hours later. A ruddy, powerfully built Irishman arrived a month after, claiming to be the girl's father. He saw the child, said for the monks to keep him, turned on his heel and never looked back. It was then Beorn became an oblate of the church.

He was raised to be a priest; trained in music, letters, medicine and husbandry. Before taking his final vows he was sent to the conflict happening on the main of Scotland, ostensibly as the Latin tutor for Robert the Bruce. He saw English knights running down unarmed commoners, and an anger rose in him; with his shepherd's crook he smote one of the riders clean off of his horse. The remaining English wheeled and turned to kill this upstart cloister, when Duke John Bearkiller and a small Welsh contingent crested the hill, intent on ridding the whole of the Island from English tyranny.

John liked this giant youth, gave him his seal, lent him some coin and told him to leave Scotland and find out who he really was, seeing as the priesthood was unsuitable. Beorn spent the next fifteen years engaging in a series of adventures hiring out as a minstrel, a mercenary, a clerk, a physic, and cook.

After settling in Meridies, Beorn, now a bard of some renown, apprenticed to the great Mistress Vashti. In his heady moments he then eloped with a minor lady from the Danish Kingdoms (apparently against the wishes of everyone, family and friend) and fled to Caid. Immediately after having a daughter, he was kidnapped by a merchant raider bound for the Orient. It was there Beorn's great size and strength was again put to the test, as he was sold to a wrestler's stable and he fought for the entertainment of the crowds for seven years, before escaping and making the long trek back to Caid.

Upon his return, he had been given up for dead, his lady remarried, and all his lands were seized in oath-price for the illegal elopement. He was battered, scarred, and unlanded... But, he was not broken. He seeks to reclaim his lands, his honor, and serve the kingdom as best he may.

Offices & Positions

• A&S Officer, Shire of Hammerhold, Meridies (now Gleann Abhann) 1990-1991
• Ollamph Bard, College of Bards, Meridies, 1992 to present (Emeritus status)
• Member, Queen's Guard, Stephen III and Jacqueline III, Meridies, 1995-1996
• Member, Queen's Guard, Gareth II and Rhiannon, Meridies, 1996-1997
• Member, Royal Entourage, Padruig and Linnet, Meridies, 1996-1997
• (Deputy) Earl Marshal for Rapier, Meridies, 1996-1998
• Marshal, Canton of Gallavally (past)
• Member, Queen's Guard, Ivan V and Ciar Lasse
• Member, Queen's Guard, Edric III and Catalina
• Member, Queen's Guard, Dirk V and Chamayn II
• Member, Queen's Guard, Sven and Kolfinna
• Member, Queen's Guard, Edric IV and Faizah

Event Staff

• Feast Steward, Kingdom A&S, Meridies, 1998
• Autocrat: Gallavally Anniversary 2000
• Autocrat: Gallavally Anniversary 2001
• Feast Steward: Dreiburgen Yule 2001

Associations

• Apprentice to Her Excellency Mistress Sarita Vashti d'Alcoy, Gleann Abhann
• Squire to His Grace Duke John the Bearkiller, OP, Gleann Abhann
• A Pawn in Clan Gambit, Glean Abhann
• Scholar of Fence, Caid Rapier Open Tournament, Darach 1998
• Member of Fifth Brigade
• A Founding Member of The Island of Rhodes

Classes Taught

• How to Write an Award Letter Recommendation, several times from 1993 to present
• How to Transcribe Gregorian Chant, 1994, 1996
• A Brief History of Music of the Middle Ages, 1995, 1997
• Instruments of the Medieval and Renaissance Eras, 1996
• One Thousand Years of Music in an Hour, Collegium Caidis Fall 1998, Steinsee
• Vocal Music of the Medieval and Renaissance Eras, Collegium Caidis Fall 2000, Gallavally
• Period Vocal Performance Practice for the Singer, Collegium Caidis Fall 2000, Gallavally
• Vocal Master Class, Collegium Caidis Fall 2001, College of Fenwood Knoll
• Co-Instructor with Duke Dietrich von Vogelsang, "A History of The Minnesingers", 2005

Assorted Poems

Crown Poem for Agrippa Morris

"Surrounded by Greatness" the Song of Agrippa

"As one of war, to stand still is to court death. Yet to wage peace, one must be still."

The mighty ship's bow cuts through sheets of grey water

Just like a new blade hews through curtains of steel

Caid sends a call in the search for a Sovereign

The greatest shall travel to endure the ordeal.

Agrippa the warrior stands at the forecastle

While Bridget the warrior stands by his side

Sailing towards the most daunting adventure

Arriving with quickness upon Neptune's tide.

"Strike true and show mettle," the baroness whispered

Agrippa then nodded and strode to the field

Sir Helgi was waiting and drew down in earnest

Agrippa moved forward; the raven did yield.

The Saracen Mountain, Count Mansur, stood ready

Once more did Agrippa move to the next round

Athanaric's most knightly presence blockaded

For naught as Agrippa still held to his ground.

His Honor, good Oz of the Rus braced for contest

Agrippa continued unfettered by loss

Sir Thorin, though bathed in the pure Persian sunlight

Kneeled down with respect to the Saint Brigid's Cross.

A calm in the battle, a respite of sorts

Allowed our Agrippa to marshal his nerve

Wise Bridget was ready to defend should he need her

Such prowess is comforting when in reserve.

And thus came the battle to Crown Caid's Sovereign

Sir Kjartan was ready, Agrippa as well

The contest was mighty, the fighting was noble

Agrippa remained as the great lion fell.

Then Bridget said, "please turn and look there behind you,

These fallen, the vanquished, those seeking the Crown

These nobles, these warriors; no longer your foemen

As they lift you up, you must not let them down."

Agrippa could see, with the eyes of a hunter

The battle to rule is preparing to fight

And now the true contest lays gleaming about you

To serve as The King of the Blue and the White!

---

A Poem in Honor of Don Alexander Kallidokos,OP

As commissioned by Her Royal Majesty Caid, Kolfinna kottr:

Too few can match the lethal striking blade,

Or stand against the leaping lion’s might,

Don Alexander, few like you were made,

On you we may depend in any fight!

But let us not forget your genteel grace.

A nobler man could scarcely to be seen.

You serve with no reserve for time or place,

And doing so bring honor to your Queen!

There was a time when you did stand alone,

All fellow guards had fallen for Caid.

With blade well set and in a razor hone,

You vanquished all, what an impressive deed!

Some champions win the Consort’s field by arms,

Some through their arts or skills, by strength or guile.

But Alexander conquers with his charms,

His sword, his faith, his honor and his style!

It’s said that I sport an impressive span,

But Kallidokos has the larger heart,

In point of fact he is the greater man,

By bearing, manner, and the courtier’s art.

He slays the foes; he honors ladies all,

Though slightly built, to me, he’s ten feet tall!

Miscellany

Societal History

In 1982, I was playing Dungeons & Dragons at the Omniplex Science Center in Oklahoma City. My fighter/magic-user/thief Barnabus the Destroyer had just been slain by a poisoned crossbow bolt. I was informed it would be four hours real time before I could be raised from the dead (secretly, I just think they were tired of the six foot tall kid eating all the Funyuns), so I went wandering about and I heard a commotion downstairs. I looked over the railing and saw, what appeared to me at any rate, people in really interesting Kendo armor hitting each other with big fluffy axes. I went down and introduced myself to the kind-looking gentlemen standing there. He replied, "Hi, my name is William Blackfox."

In 1985 we moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and I attended a tournament called Red Tower. There was a really intimidating-looking knight with a not-so intimidating-looking smile watching me as I sang a piece I had written. I thanked him for his attentiveness, and said, "Hi! I'm Beorn." He replied, "Hello there Beorn, I'm John." And that was my introduction to the man who would later become my knight, Duke John the Bearkiller, OP.

In 1988 we moved to Northern Mississippi and I started attending the events in Memphis before matriculating to The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). During one of my vocal outbursts (it would be too kind to refer to them as songs) I met the lady who would eventually become my Laurel, Her Excellency Mistress Vashti. As a matter of fact, I was (and still am) her first apprentice. In true clandestine fashion, I received my green belt under the table at a wine bar (the Gewürztraminer was excellent!).

Awards

• Bard of Meridies, 1994
• Award of Arms, 1994
• Grey Pearl, Baronial A&S Award, Barony of Grey Niche, Meridies (now Gleann Abhann), 1994
• Meridian Cross, 1994
• Poet Laureate of Meridies, 1995
• Velvet Owl, 1996
• Argent Lily,1996
• Poet Laureate of Meridies, 1996
• Grant of Arms, 1997
• Illuminated Tower of Dreiburgen (Bardic Arts), 1999
• Harp Argent (Performance), 2002
• Chanson (aka L'Honneur de la Chanson), 2005
• Corde de Guerre, 2006
• Gauntlet, 2006
• Legion of Courtesy, 2006
• Court Barony, (Gleann Abhann), 2007

Things I Like

• Heavy Fighting
• Rapier Fighting
• Archery (target and combat)
• Performance Arts
• Composing Music
• Writing Poetry
• Cooking (especially sweet stuff!)
• Consuming the cooking of others
• Teaching
• Providing shade for my tiny friends whilst on the battlefield

Photos

• 

  Beorn fighting at Highland War. 2010 Photo by Shanna Franklin

• 

  Beorn performing at Potrero Bardic. 2011 Photo by Shanna Franklin

• 

  Beorn at Gyldenholt Unbelted. 2011 Photo by Drach

• 

  Beorn performing Baron Laertes' Childrens' Poem. 2007 Photo by unknown