Many of you don't know her, or know her as a merchant in her later years.
When I joined she was a dynamo of action in all fields -- service, arts and
fighting.
Though of small stature, Janet was a fierce competitor on the field. Her
shield was well known --tierced per chevron throughout azure gules, and
vert, overall an Egyptian hawk displayed Or, crowned of a bezant and
maintaining two bezants. I can still picture it coming at me -- fast. She
was loud, joyous and fierce.
The records show that she was the fifth Queen of Love and Beauty in the
Steppes, as Amra won the fifth Steppes Warlord tourney carrying her favor.
What the records don't show is that, going into the final round, she already
knew she'd won. She just didn't know which title she'd have yet. The
finalists were Amra, her husband Telbyrne, and Janet herself.
In a war in which her knight, Sir Simonn, was legged, she stood at his side
to defend him. A blow was aimed at Simonn, but Janet threw her own shield
out to cover him, exposing herself for a half-second. Asked about it later,
she said, "I did that? That's dumb."
But nobody who knew her is surprised that, instantly and unconsciously, she
did something dumb in service to somebody else.
She was equally aggressive in everything she did. Disagreeing with Janet
was never fun, because she would fight for her beliefs with every fiber of
her being. She carried her passion into everything she did.
She was known for her arts, but her greatest contribution to Ansteorra was
her work with the Texas Renaissance Festival. She co-ordinated our
extremely well-paid activities there, and thus made huge contributions, not
only to her own group's coffers, but also those of every active branch in
Ansteorra. If your branch dates back to the seventies or early eighties,
then Janet materially helped you fund your events and activities. All
Ansteorran branches were relatively rich, at a time when the rest of
Atenveldt (our home kingdom then) were close to scrounging Coke bottles on
the side of the road to help pay for events. Her arms had three gold coins,
and it was quite appropriate.
But it isn't just about the money. She was part of Ansteorra developing its
own character and its own identity, and was therefore instrumental in the
rising of the Star from a principality to a kingdom.
The Egyptian Eagle is no longer displayed. It has soared into the heavens,
and has a crown more glorious than a bezant. But as long as Ansteorra is a
kingdom, there will always be an Egyptian hawk following the Black Star.
Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin
