The Lodge Song

i. This song was inspired by a Gulf Wars, in the reign of Thorbrandr and Eorann, when I stood amongst a host of the Lodge’s warriors as we marched down the field to victory. I have a very vivid recollection of a straight line of surcoats of knights and their squires of the Lodge gleaming in the sunlight. The image was so strong that I was compelled to pull off the road, on I-85, on the way back form the event, and write the original verses. Since that time I have tried to capture the essence of the time a new knight joins or is created into our household by writing the verse shortly before the actual ceremony. (The exception being the case of my own knighting, where I had three verses written in my honor!) The colors referred to in the song are those of the primary colors of the livery of Sir Forgal (Gold & Green), Duke Anton (Black & White), & Duke Cuan (Blue &Gold), the first three knights of the Lodge. These colors were also the ones I saw on that day, that are burned in my memory. I sometimes get slack because only these three sets of colors are displayed in the Chorus, but in fact, the colors to me also represent to me, the other knights of the house that share the same color scheme. (For example, Sir Edwin’s colors are Gold and Green as well).

ii. Sir Forgal Kersetter was knighted on April 4th, 1987 at King’s Mountain State Park at the Coronation of his Knight, Duke Olaf. His blazon is Vert, a moose head erased Or within a bordure argent. His Badge, and the Badge of the Mooselodge is Vert, two moose’s heads, eradicated and respectant, horns locked, Or. Sir Forgal persona is that of an early period Frank, and therefore chose to call his household a Lodge. As the main charge of his arms is a Moosehead, (A reference to his great love of Moosehead beer) his house was, and is known as the Mooselodge. Unlike traditional S.C.A. households, the lineage of knights, and other peers of Forgal’s line have chosen to stay a close-knit unit, for as the old Moose says himself, “We are the family you chose, that also chooses you.” Our bonds of fealty are made for life, and while any member may chose to leave the Lodge, the Lodge doesn’t “Divorce family”. The actual linage of the Lodge traces far back past Sir Forgal, as he was squired to Duke Olaf Askoldssonn, who was in turn squire to Duke Michael of Bedford, who was squired to Sir Ismael ibn Murad al-ben Mohammed nasil Hakim, who was a part of House Hakim, of the East Realm. As these other knights’ houses form separate entities from the Lodge, they are not in the song, although are ties to our roots are strong. On the day of his knighting, Sir Forgal was presented with the belt from his knight Duke Olaf, and it has remained a proud tradition that any new knight of the Lodge is girded with that belt the day of his elevation. Likewise the Askoldssonn Belt has been worn several times in the past at the Coronation ceremonies of Mooselodge kings. The Chain referred to in the song is the knighting chain of Sir Forgal, presented to him by Duke Richard FitzGilbert (Then known as Richard Marshall) at Forgal’s knighting. It is the chain that all the knights of Forgal’s lineage have sworn their fealty upon. It binds us to our King, and Kingdom.

Sir Forgal as first Windmaster’s and then Atlantian Warlord brought the Lodge to the forefront of the Kingdom stage, as he help lay the ground work for what is today, perhaps the finest fighting force in the Known World. Finally as the verse states, Sir Forgal our titular head, and very much a father figure to the Lodge which he created, and named.

iii. Duke Anton Tremayne, OPwas knighted August 16th, 1989 at Pennsic XVIII on the battlefield. His blazon is Checky Sable & Argent, a Coronet Or, on a Chief Embattled Or, three Latin Crosses Bottany Gules. Duke Anton was the first of the Lodge to claim the honor of the Crown of Atlantia. His rise to the status of a royal peer first brought the Lodge to prominence on the Inter-Kingdom stage. The work of His Grace and his lady, Duchess Luned of Snowden set the standard by which all other household in this Kingdom are judged.

iv. Duke Cuan MacDaige, OP was knighted August 12, 1992, at Pennsic XXI, on the same battlefield as his knight. His Blazon is Checky azure and Or, three mastiffs sejant argent each gorged of a coronet gules. Duke Cuan was the first of Duke Anton’s squires to be elevated to knighthood. He has served his Kingdom as King three times. “The King’s own hunting hound am I, his enemies my own, and at his word I leap to bring them down” from the song “A white belt is forever, best describes this man.

v.  Jarl Timoch Hakoldsson of Nordheim was knighted at King’s Mountain State Park, October 3rd, 1992 shortly before being stationed in Drachenwald with his lady, Countess Adelica of Cumbria, OP. He is the second knight of Forgal’s line to be given the accolade. His blazon is Gules, on a roundel Or, a hawk rising, wings elevated and addorsed gules within a bordure indented Or. While living overseas Jarl Timoch won the Crown of Drachenwald, truly making the Lodge an inter-kingdom household. Jarl Timoch’s verse was the last of the original knight’s verses in this song, and was then followed by the final two praising the house. As new knights have been made, or chosen to join the Lodge as peers, the song has become a living history of the lineage of Sir Forgal’s house. I have heard complaints that the song leaves out the non-fighting peers of the house, and to that I readily agree. The song was never intended to become the behemoth history of the entire house, but a song to be sung to the fighters of the Lodge before they took the field. Also, it was my gift to the knights of the Lodge, and especially to my Knight, Duke Anton, as a service provided by his squire. As the song has grown to a veritable litany of knights, suggestions have been made to shorten it for the attention spans of listeners. The Knights have spoken as a body and asked that it remain total and complete in it performance. After all, if you’re going to go and praise your own, you might as well go all out.

vi.  Count Kai de Ravenglass (Formerly known as Kikuchi no Tsurunaga) was knighted in the East Realm on August 19th, 1990, AT Pennsic XVIIII. His Blazon is Sable, a demi chrysanthemum arising from water, between in chief two cranes volant respectant, bills crossed in chief, all argent. Count Kai stood as well as that kingdom’s Monarch. He later moved to Atlantia and was gladly accepted as a Peer of the Lodge. Count Kai has now left our Lodge to form his own, separate household, House RavenLake, with his lady Mistress Susanna del Lago, but remains an official Friend of the Lodge.

vii. Baron Duncan MacAdam was knighted August 16th, 1995, at Pennsic XXIV, on the same battlefield as his knight. His blazon is Argent, two serpents nowed in a Bourchier knot palewise vert, a bordure 06/94
counter-compony sable and argent. The service and wisdom that he once displayed as Duke Anton’s first Head Squire is now gladly accepted, with that of his lady, Baroness Emir ni Reily, by his Barony of the Sacred Stone.

viii. Sir Edwin Beerslayer was knighted April 6th, 1991, in the East Realm. He and his lady Countess Genevieve de Blois moved to Atlantia and were welcomed into the Lodge by virtue of their tireless service to the house, and this Kingdom. His Blazon is Per bend vert and Or, a sword bendwise sinister inverted surmounted by a tankard reversed per bend Or and vert.

ix. Sir Matthais Broussard la Caignon, called Keegan, was knighted on February 15th, 1997, at the Tourney of Ymir, at Camp Kanata. His blazon is Checky azure and argent, a cross patriarchal bottony and a bordure dovetailed Or. Sir Keegan is the third of Duke Anton’s line to claim the accolade for his own through his fierceness in battle.

x. Sir William the Stout was knighted April 5, AS XXXI, at the Coronation of Cuan & Bera, the day he stepped down as Kingdom Earl Marshall. His blazon is Checky argent and azure, a cross flory, issuant from base and on a chief or, three roses gules. This man of distinction is the first of Cuan’s line to be knighted.

xi. Duke Ragnarr Blackhammer was knighted on the 12th of February, 2000, at the Tourney of Ymir at Camp Kanata, the same site that a year ago his lady, Princess Kyneburh Boithule, OL was first raised to the peerage. His blazon is Per pale gules and sable, on a bezant a hammer sable. He is the first active Mooselodge squire to win a Atlantian Crown, and therefore gives his knight, Duke Anton, the distinct pleasure to bestow the buffet on not only the fourth of his line, but also the Prince of Atlantia.

xii. Sir Daemon Broussard was knighted on August 17th, 2000 at Pennsic War XXIX, on the same battlefield as his knight. He is the fifth knight of the line of Tremayne and the second of the House Broussard. Sir Daemon bears the distinction of being the first knight of the Lodge to be knighted by a former squire-brother. He also is the first knight of the lodge to also be recognized with the White Scarf, for his ability with rapier. His blazon is: Argent, two hammerhead sharks naiant in annulo surrounding a rose, on a chief sable three Latin crosses botonny argent.

xiii. Sir Jason Kynslay was knighted on February 10th, 2001 at The Tourney of Ymir, at Camp Kanata. Sir Jason is the second knight of the line of MacDaige. His original surname was of Pheron, but it was changed to Kynslay in honor of his nickname of “Kinslayer” after a fateful battle at Gulf Wars, where Jason was so filled with battle glee that he killed not only his enemies but several of his own companions as well. He bears the arms Checky azure and Or, on a chevron sable three standing balances Or.

xiv. Sir Thomas Ravenhill was knighted on  March 17th, 2001, at Gulf Wars. Sir Thomas was squired to Sir Edwin Beerslayer originally in the East Realm, and re-squired to him after he moved to the Middle Kingdom. Sir Thomas, knighted in the Mid-Realm bears the distinction of being the first non-Atlantian Mooselodge squire to receive the accolade of knighthood.

xv. Sir Martin Lochner was knighted on the 20th of October, 2001 at the Panhandle Skirmishes in the Kingdom of Trimaris, where he then served as that Kingdom’s Seneschal. Before his elevation, Sir Martin was squired to Duke Anton Tremayne and is the Sixth knight of that line. His blazon is: Sable, a lion's head contourny and on a chief Or three crosses bottony gules.

xvi. Sir Bryce de Byram, OL was knighted on July 10th, 2004 at The King's Assessment Battles at Glen Maury Park. Sir Bryce is the Seventh Knight of the line of Tremayne. Sir Bryce bears the distinction of being the first knight of the Lodge to become so after recieving another Peerage, as Bryce was inducted into the Order of the Laurel on August 19th, 1999 at the Pennsic War, on the same battlefield as so many of his brothers and his knight, Duke Anton. Sir Bryce is famed throughout the Known World for his art of Trobar, and has composed many songs, including this one. He bears the addition distinction of being the only Mooselodge Knight with more than a single verse, and alternate verses were written by Count Martin and Master Niall Dolphin, OL.  *Niall's Alternate Verse: "Oh Bryce de Byram now i'll sing, the troubadour who's voice does ring, Oh faithful he to Christ and King, the Passion of the Lodge!" He bears the arms: Checky Sable and Or, on a chief gules, three fleur-de-lis, Or.

xvii. Sir Christian von Nurnburg was knighted on July 23rd, 2005 at The King's Assessment Battles at Glen Maury Park, the same site, but at a different location as his brother Byram. Before his elevation, Sir Christian was squired to Duke Anton Tremanye and is the seventh knight of that line. At the time of his knighting he was fostered to Count Valharic Caligula Aurelius and was gifted with two sets of knightly regaila on the day of his dubbing to symboilze his two oaths. His blazon is: Per chevron azure and checky sable and argent, two crosses formy and a lion's head erased Or.