more about olivier

To be honest, despite the fact that I am eager to show my poetry off (and anyone else's I can), I am a pretty shy guy. I originally got interested in the SCA because of its heavy combat - I hadn't seen anything like it and videogames just couldn't compare. How I got sidetracked into the arts, I'll never figure out. I'm working on getting back into focus for fighting as well as continuing endorsement of poetry; I hope that working on both will keep me as happy as I've been over the past year or so, when I decided to try out that balancing act.

Here are some pictures from my laureling ceremony at Ymir XXXII in February AS XLI (2007), courtesy of Daniel of Elvegast:
Just having been called into court
- I had a really awesome entourage of my friends and SCA family (even my apprentice sister Silence de Cherbourg managed to make it down from the dangerous and most debated lands in the Knowne Worlde).
Hearing the worthies speak on my behalf (I couldn't look at them or else I would have burst into tears)
- It was wonderful to hear that I was thought of in such a high regard, especially by those who have already been recognized for their own poetic efforts (as well as by those who are inspired by such).
Donning the robes of a scholar
- Aenor, Efenwealt, and I decided that the robes of a medieval university master would be appropriate for me, and the robe & hood Aenor made was amazing (plus, it kept me warm all day). Thankfully, I did not need to shave my head with an appropriate tonsure (since the university masters were clerics).
Being crowned with the laurel wreath
- The Italian poet (and the most famous sonneteer in history) Francesco Petrarca desired the accolade of the laurel wreath (after the ancient poetic masers) and was crowned with it on the steps of the Capitoline in Rome. I did not expect to actually get to wear a laurel wreath, but I was given one with a most august history and I will proudly don it until I am given the honor to pass it on to a worthy recipient.
Kneeling before Their Majesties
Receiving the Order's medallion
- The enamelled medallion I was given came to me from Olagh Ruaidhri an cu, who had received it from his former master (and my own), Efenwealt Wystle.
Swearing an oath of fealty to the Crown
The assembled crowd
- I'll be honest; I thought that there were maybe thirty people or so behind me, tops, while this was going on. I'm blown away, in retrospect, when looking at the photo - even after I was dismissed from court, I didn't really realize that so many were there.
My lovely lady, Barones Benefse
- Despite being ill, Benefse managed to come out and sit in the hospitality tent during my vigil Friday night and process in with me to court on Saturday morning. She has been and continues to be the greatest inspiration in my life and I love her dearly.

La Pas d'Armes de L'arbre D'or November XLI (2006):
Fighting Eva of Sacred Stone
- Eva (I think that's her name) was squired to Baron Marc of Sacred Stone. I made the surcoat just for this event - I think it fits pretty decently.
From the grand melee
- I blocked the polearm shots for Marc to clean up the enemy and ended up getting thrust in the face by a spear about twenty seconds later. It was worth it.
The pas participants
- Not a bad shot, all in all - if only there weren't any sunglasses or cars (not that I can complain much about sunglasses since my own lenses are transitions).

Kingdom Twelfth Night January XXXIX (2005):
With my buddy Liam
- Liam is Efenwealt and Aenor's younger son. I managed to get him to go to sleep halfway through the day.

Rapier Tournament - Windmasters' Hill Baronial Champions September XXXVI (2001):
Here I am leaving the field after a bout (I think in the quarter-finals?)
- You can barely make out my porkchops there. Also, do you dig the homemade striped socks and the skinny legs they're wrapped around? I was still going by Olsk Buslavl' at this time.
Last match of the finals (a tie-breaking 5 out of 5 fights, the "Swiss Five" style)
- Sir Daemon had bested me the first two rounds. Everyone, including myself, thought the finals would be over with the third round - but I won that, and the fourth. The fifth round ended after he had taken my leg and arm, and then I had taken his leg and arm. He was just a bit faster than me, though, and got me in the face in our amputees' duel.
Receiving the rapier award
- Even though Sir Daemon defeated me, he thought I deserved the prize for the tournament (the compete works of William Shakespeare). I swear I was not high or drunk or anything like that - nor had I just come from a Tom Petty lookalike contest.