Arts & Sciences
Competitions for every hand and every age, displays for the bold and the shy alike, and a green where the work of the realm goes on in the open. The Anarchy did not stop the making.
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Test Your Craft
Competitions
A slate of competitions drawn straight from the world of the war: castles raised in the chaos, coins minted by ambitious barons, comforts made against the gloom, and a light carried into the dark. Enter the one that fits your years at the craft or the patron who calls to you.
Youth · Ages 12 & Under
Build Your Castle
Rogue castles are popping up all over the land! Barons taking advantage of waning government control have decided to go on a building spree. Join them! Build a castle to your liking using building blocks of any kind. Legos, Lincoln logs, anything you like. Builds should be created on site.
Teen · Ages 12 to 17
Brother Cadfael Scavenger Hunt & Competition
Throughout the week, solve riddles to acquire clues and materials. Collect the materials to create a final item, left up to your interpretation of a final clue. Include your reasoning for that interpretation with your entry.
Clues and materials will be available throughout the week, so you do not need to arrive early to take part. Entries are presented the morning of Friday or Saturday to allow the most participants.
Unfamiliar with the inspiration, the show Cadfael? Watch free episodes here.
Novice · Fewer than 2 years at the craft
Small Comforts
The world of The Anarchy is full of death, doom, and gloom. Create a comfort item in the medium of your choice. Whether it is the joy of making the item or the joy it brings you once finished, make something that would make you happy when surrounded by upheaval and turmoil.
Intermediate · 2+ years, without an A&S Grant of Arms
Currency & Coinage
As the rule of law broke down across the land and the seat of government grew unstable, the minting of the realm’s currency became decentralized. Barons and other powerful magnates began making their own money, striking localized and highly stylized coins. Create your own currency or coinage in the medium of your choosing.
Sponsored by the Order of the Pearl
The Light of Hope, The Light in the Dark
The White Ship carried the son of King Henry I of England home, the right and true heir to the English throne. So named for its lime-washed hull, it shone keenly in the light as it sat at the dock. It carried everything King Henry I hoped for the future, a secure lineage and stability for the country. Representing the bright future nearly within grasp, a time of hope, the White Ship sailed into the dark, as those who took its ultimately final voyage spent their last few hours reveling in what was supposed to be a wonderful tomorrow.
Empress Matilda wrapped herself in a white cloak as she fled the siege at Oxford Castle. Blending into the swirling snow, she fled on foot across the frozen Thames. With staunch determination, she steeled her heart and her body against the onslaught of both the cold and the loss in battle. The siege at Oxford had gone on for three months, yet she continued her fight against the increasingly insurmountable odds. The moonless night and heavy snow provided cover for her, allowing her to escape undetected, one more thing to lend to the light of hope inside her for a successful future.
Present an item sharing what hope looks like to you, literally or figuratively, in the medium of your choice.
Mountain Laurel
Under Siege
During times of war, supplies run low. During a long siege, they go scarce. Create an item using materials that would have been substituted during a cut in supply lines. Second rate, lower quality, substitute the regular substitutions. For once, use the bad linen on purpose.
This competition challenges Laurels to work in any art form of their choice, as long as it is new to them (for example, fewer than two years), and to produce what they feel is the epitome of “excellent documentation.”
Judging · Weighted Populace Choice
Beads of two different colors are used, depending on how the person voting considers themselves.
- Green beads, worth 2 points. For those who are an apprentice, Pearl, Coral Branch, or Laurel, or any person who considers themselves actively pursuing learning and growing in the arts and sciences.
- Blue beads, worth 1 point. For those who do not consider themselves actively pursuing the arts and sciences.
Royal Progress · Requested by TM King Ragnarr and Queen Jân
Dirty Dozen Largesse Derby
Entrants provide twelve items to be donated for use as largesse by Their Royal Majesties. This year’s theme, set by Her Majesty Jân, is Beautiful Necessities.
There exist in our medieval world certain practical items that make themselves known as necessities. But being practical does not mean they cannot also be pretty. Whether large or small, adding adornment to everyday practicality brings a little joy into our lives. We welcome you to demonstrate how you bring beauty to the practical and necessary items of medieval life.
- Winners are chosen by Populace Choice.
- The 1st place winner may choose one item from one of the entered collections.
- The 2nd place winner may choose one item from one of the other remaining entries.
- A winner may select an item from any single entry only once.
- This pattern continues until every participant has chosen an item from the remaining entries.
Royal Competition · By the Whim and Pleasure of TM Ragnarr and Jân
The Royal Scrivener Competition
A call to quills, creativity, and a little mischief!
Hear ye, good gentles of Atlantia! Dust off your quills, awaken your imagination, and prepare to delight the Crown. Their Royal Majesties Ragnarr and Jân seek a talented and imaginative soul to serve as Their Royal Scrivener.
The Royal Scrivener is a Kingdom Notable, selected by the Crown and changing with each reign. The holder promotes and encourages the scribal arts, inspires others in the craft, and entertains the occasional royal whim.
The Royal Challenge · Two Pieces
- Challenge the First: A Menagerie of Marginalia. Bring forth your beasts! Mischievous rabbits, dancing dragons, sword-wielding snails, or creatures beyond explanation: Their Majesties wish to see your animal marginalia. This piece does not need to be new or documented. Whimsy is welcome!
- Challenge the Second: An Inspiration for the Crown. Create a new, court-related piece inspired by the theme of Inspiration. Perhaps an invented award scroll, a glorious brag for a Crown entrant, or another courtly creation worthy of royal attention. Documentation is preferred, but not required.
When and Where · Saturday Morning
Drop off your entries at the War of the Wings Arts & Sciences area on Saturday morning, where they will be on view. You need not deliver your work in person; a trusted messenger may bring it for you.
Their Majesties seek not merely a steady hand with pen and brush, but a creative spirit eager to encourage the scribal arts throughout Atlantia.
Sharpen your quills, gather your pigments, summon your muse, and let your creativity reign! Who shall become the next Royal Scrivener of Atlantia?
Questions? Write to Lady Tóth Éva Franciska, who coordinates competitions and displays: toth.eva.francesca@gmail.com.
Brought to the War by Others
Sponsored Competitions
Competitions offered by households, guilds, and individuals who wanted to bring something of their own to the war. Each one is run by its sponsor, with its own day, place, and rules.
Friday, 10 AM to 3 PM · Courtesan Camp, Golden Honey Block
A&S Competitions for Adults
Presented by the Knowne World Courtesans
The Knowne World Courtesans invite you to get in touch with your naughty side in this competition all about the “queynte!”
Read the full details on the Knowne World Courtesans website
Friday, 11 AM to Noon · The Heavy Field
Day Board & Hospitality Competition
Sponsored by Sir Thomas de Kilbride and Baroness Annabella of the Bay, with the support of the Roses of Atlantia
There are few things better at War than good fighting, good food, and good company. This year, we are bringing all three together with a fieldside Day Board & Hospitality Competition.
Individuals, households, and groups are invited to set up a day board along the tournament field and show us their version of hospitality.
This is about more than what is on the menu. We want to see the whole table. How is your board presented? Is it inviting? Is there a good variety of food and drink? Have you thought about the people you are feeding? Does your setup add something to the atmosphere of the tournament field?
Your entry can be simple or elaborate. You do not need expensive feast gear, a huge menu, or pages of documentation. A small, well-planned board with thoughtful presentation and good hospitality can stand right alongside something much more elaborate.
Historical inspiration is encouraged, but this is not intended to be a documentation-heavy competition. If something about your menu, presentation, serving pieces, or approach to hospitality has a historical basis, tell us about it. A short explanation is plenty.
Most importantly, bring a board you would be proud to put in front of friends, pull up a chair, and enjoy the tournament.
Come feed people. Cheer on the fighters. Make the fieldside beautiful.
Setting Up on the Heavy Field
Boards are set up along the heavy tournament field. You have two ways to take part:
- Bring your own day shade. Contact the field steward ahead of time to coordinate where it goes.
- Bring just a table. If you would rather not set up a whole tent, space is available under the Royal Pavilion and the Sacred Stone Baronial Pavilion.
Sign Up Ahead of Time
Please write to Baroness Annabella of the Bay at annabellaofthebay@gmail.com before the competition, so we can make sure you are on the list of participants.
Judging Rubric · 100 Points
Judges consider the thought and execution behind the entry, not the amount of money spent or the size of the setup.
| Category | Points | What Judges Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation & Aesthetics | 25 | The overall look of the board and fieldside setup. Arrangement, serving pieces, linens, signage, decoration, attention to detail, and whether the entry feels intentional and inviting. A larger or more expensive setup does not automatically score higher. |
| Hospitality & Atmosphere | 20 | How well the entry creates a welcoming place at the tournament field. The way guests are received, ease of serving and sharing, comfort, thoughtfulness, and whether the setup contributes to the feeling of hospitality around the field. |
| Variety & Thoughtfulness | 15 | A useful and appealing range of food and drink. Balance, different tastes, dietary considerations when offered, appropriate portions, and whether the choices make sense for a fieldside day board. |
| Safety & Cleanliness | 15 | Safe handling and serving of food. Temperature control where needed, protection from insects and contamination, clean utensils and serving areas, allergen information when appropriate, and general organization. |
| Food Quality | 15 | Taste and execution of the food and beverages offered. Flavor, texture, preparation, freshness, and how well the individual offerings work together as a board. |
| Historical Inspiration | 10 | Historical or period-inspired thought behind the menu, presentation, serving pieces, or hospitality. Documentation may add context, but extensive research is not required. Judges reward thoughtful connection rather than paperwork. |
| Total | 100 |
The judge’s final question: What is the one thing about this hospitality entry that you will remember?
The goal is to reward hospitality, thoughtfulness, and execution. No automatic advantage goes to the largest pavilion, the most expensive feast gear, or the biggest quantity of food.
Questions about the competition? Write to Baroness Annabella of the Bay: annabellaofthebay@gmail.com.
Saturday at Noon
A Taste of Atlantia
Presented by the Sacred Stone Cooks Guild
Clank your pots. Sharpen your knives. A standard of challenge we raise. The Sacred Stone Cooks Guild puts forth a challenge of your best bite. We will present our most tender morsels, our boldest flavors, our zestiest zingers. The judges will be the populace at large. Wow the people of Atlantia and show your prowess of blade and ladle.
Each barony is invited to represent itself, with a limit of one table and food entries served bite-sized. Documentation is required, along with a list of ingredients. The populace will be the judge, and your table is your presentation: decorate it and entice the people of Atlantia with your display. Show us the pride of your cooks and the glory of Atlantian cuisine.
Show Your Work
Displays
Not every piece needs a prize, and not every artisan wants the panel. These are the ways to share your work, ranged from the gentlest welcome to a full sponsored showing.
For the Artisan Who Hesitates
Queen’s Prize Tournament
If you have ever wondered whether your art was good enough. If you have ever thought your skills were not ready yet. If you have ever made something and then hid it away. If you have ever been afraid of being judged too harshly. The Queen’s Prize Tournament is for you.
A non-competitive novice arts display sponsored by the Kingdom of Atlantia and Her Majesty, Queen Jân. It is designed to help artisans who want to expand their art and research in a low-stress, friendly environment.
Who May Enter
Anyone holding an AoA-level A&S award (Coral Branch) or below.
Sponsorship
Every entrant is sponsored by a Companion of the Order of the Pearl, an A&S Grant of Arms equivalent from another kingdom, or a member of the Order of the Laurel. If you already have a sponsor, register together as a team. If you do not, register on your own and we will match you with a volunteer sponsor.
Preregistration
Required, so the best-qualified judges can be found. No more than two entrants per sponsor.
The Gifts
Each sponsor provides a small gift as part of registering with their entrant. The gifts are gathered together, and everyone goes home with one.
Judging
Three Pearls or Laurels in a round-table format, in 45-minute blocks. No scores are assigned unless requested, and then for the entrant’s use only.
Recognition
Entrants choose their own gifts at the end of the event. Populace Choice decides the order, with the highest count choosing first. Judge’s Choice and Queen’s Choice are both awarded at Evening Court on Saturday.
Capacity
Capped at 30 people, so every entrant has time with the judges. Only the entrant must be present to take part, but sponsor and entrant must register as a team and a gift must be provided.
- No sponsor yet? Register as an entrant without a sponsor
- A Pearl, Laurel, or A&S Grant of Arms equivalent willing to help? Volunteer as a sponsor
Open to All
Open Static Display
Unassociated with any competition and open to anyone who would like to display their art or science work.
Take Part Without the Panel
Competition Adjacent
Every competition welcomes entrants who want to participate but would rather not be included in the judging.
Bring the Art to the War
Sponsor a Display
Would you like to sponsor a display somewhere else on site? A painted shield or crested helm beside the battlefield. A spread of twelfth-century meat dishes, to share of course, inside a household’s encampment. The possibilities are wide.
For information and scheduling, reach out to Lady Tóth Éva Franciska.
Shelter for the Arts
Sponsor or Donate a Tent
The Arts & Sciences spaces need shade and shelter to run through the week. If you or your household can sponsor or donate a tent for A&S use, we would be grateful for the help.
Work in the Open
The Crafter’s Green
A patch of ground given over to making. The Green is where the work of the realm happens out loud, in the open air, for anyone passing to stop and watch. It is not a class and not a competition. It is a smith’s hammer ringing, a dye pot steaming, a loom clacking under the trees while the war goes on around it. Bring the projects that are too messy, too loud, or too unruly for a tent or a table indoors. Set up a forge, a casting station, a dye line, and leave it standing so you need not haul it back and forth all week. Come as a household, come as a guild, or come alone and find good company already at work.
A Few of the Crafts Welcome on the Green
- Metalworking
- Leatherworking
- Needlecrafts
- Clothiers
- Cooking
- Fiber & Dye
- Brewing
- Weaving
- Forestry
- Agriculture
The list is far from complete. To claim a spot or ask a question, reach out to Lady Tóth Éva Franciska.
Learn Something New
Classes
The classroom is as much a part of the war as the field. Teachers from across the Knowne World are bringing their crafts, techniques, and research to the war, from newcomer-friendly introductions to deep-end workshops. Come learn something you did not know you wanted to know.
On the Schedule
See What Is Being Taught
Every confirmed class is listed on the event schedule with its day, time, classroom, and teacher. New classes appear there as soon as they are placed, so check back through the week.
Where and When
Each listing shows the day, start time, and classroom. Times can shift once the war is underway, so check the schedule before you head over.
Adults-Only Classes
Classes for ages 18 and up carry an 18+ badge on the schedule.
Materials and Limits
Some classes have a student limit or a materials fee. Bring what the listing asks for, and arrive early for the popular ones.
Questions about a class? Write to Maîstress Philomene de Lys, who coordinates classes: philomenescribe@gmail.com.
Questions Before the Event?
Reach the A&S Office
Questions about a category, an unusual entry, judging logistics, or anything else: write to Lady Tóth Éva Franciska at the A&S office and we will get back to you.
Email the A&S Office