The Fire-Breathing Brunswick Lion

THE PROJECT

Sixteen years as a bakery owner gives a person a unique set of skills that translates to many different roles in life. One of those roles within the SCA is in Soteltie work. 

I often get asked for input on edible art projects - usually those of a larger scale - whether it be on the calculations, the engineering, the recipes, the colorings, etc. This time, I was asked to take on the bulk of a project - The Brunswick Lion Sculpture, with a twist...

The lion has to "breathe" fire.  

Having worked on the flaming dragon project in 2012 for the Coronation of Edward II & Thyra, I already had an idea of how the fire should go down. 

I was provided a sketch of the general idea, a photo of the original sculpture, and the dimensions of the fire-containing vessel, and I was off! 

Mistress Aife ingen Chonchobair in Derthaige would be making some sugar paste flowers and some leaves for decoration. The rest was on me. 

THE MATH

First things first! 

I needed some better photos of the sculpture. So, I did some hunting around. To make the fire-breathing happen, I needed to face the mouth upward. With the magic of Photo 3D, I made some adjustments and got the photo to the right. 

From there, I measured my car to see what I could fit inside. (If you ever take on a large-scale project, this should ALWAYS be your first step! You have to be able to get it where it's going!) I decided on a 2' x 3' base. I did make a bit of an error here, but we'll get back to that later.

Next step is figuring out the scale from the image to the creation. Due to the weight distribution, I needed to make sure there was enough base in front of his feet to balance out the head and ensure he doesn't tip forward. So I estimated where I wanted the board to go and created my scale. I used 19.5 cm : 36", a multiplier of 1.846 to the cm measurements on the page. 

I measured all of the dimensions I might need, used the multiplier and determined the real sizes of everything. 

I also had to figure out the shape of the core structure. To do this, I used a light box to draw on the opposite side of the profile picture. I sketched out what I wanted and where. Then, I got to more mathing and figured out the angles for building the leg structure. 

And they told me I'd never use math like this in real life! HAH! 

THE MATERIALS

I always say "Every great cake starts with power tools!" While this isn't a cake, it's certainly a sugary dessert and I was definitely going to use some power tools to make this happen. 

To determine what to use for the armature, I first went to my wood crafting stash. I had a good amount of heavy gauge wire fencing already. That would work for a body base because of the support it offered, but I would need something lighter for the shaped pieces. I also had a lot of scrap wood to use for structural pieces of the framing. 

Period wood craft is not currently in my skillset, so I'm not certain of what they would have done for the wire framing, But I'll bet they used something similar in period. While they didn't use plywood or pre-cut dowels, these are the modern, more affordable alternatives to the things they might have used at that time. 

THE BUILD

"Child, do you have a protractor? I can't find mine."

"A protractor? What's that?"

"A tool to measure angles."

"I have a compass set. Will that work?"

Every project is improved with a lesson on the proper tools! After finding my son's protractor and showing him the difference in how the tools are used, I set to work cutting the angles. Sadly, I had just returned the miter saw I had been borrowing. So, I had to make these cuts in less than optimal conditions. But I made it work!

From my stash, I used 1" oak dowels for the back, since those would would be supporting angular pressure and would be more prone to instability. I had a large number of wooden baluster pieces as well. I used those for the front legs and sliced up the rest to use as a "brick" border. The body plank was from an extra piece from the plywood base (I had to purchase a 2' x 4' piece). The other bits are also from my stash.

Lots of pre-drilling. Lots of screwing. Frame assembled!

Attaching the heavy gauge fencing was next. After fiddling with it a bit, I decided the best method was to staple it to the wood frame and use some additional wire to bind it together where it overlapped. I did leave a large overlap underneath to help maintain the overall shape. If it's cut too close, it can be difficult to maintain the curvature. 

It took a lot of wire cutting and manipulating to get the proper shape, but I eventually got it where I wanted it and moved on to the next layer....hex chicken wire. 

I ended up doing an offset double layer of this so I could have enough of a base to apply the royal icing to. The tail was particularly difficult, as there was no easy way to get a rounded shape. But I made it work.  

THE ROYAL TREATMENT

Having a good amount of experience with structural sugar, I new the next step would be to start building up the sugar foundation for the shape. I took a quick trip to the store and grabbed 8 lbs of sugar to start my work. Silly me. 8 lbs. 

HAHAHAHAHA!!

So anyway, I made & applied the first layer of royal icing. While I used a "modern" recipe for royal icing, the recipe has basically not changed in centuries. There are documented references to sugar glaze in the 16th century (A Book of Cookrye, by A.W; 1591 - recipe for "A Good Marchpaine"). However, the first documented reference I found using egg whites was in 1609 (Delights for Ladies, by Sir Hugh Plat - recipe "To Make Jumbolls"), which says "ice them with Rose-water and Sugar, and the white of an egge being beaten together. 

Instead of rosewater, I used regular old tap water. No need to use an expensive ingredient on something that won't be eaten. 

I made another trip to the grocery store (I was smarter this time) and bought out the confectioner's sugar. 

Sidebar! Let's talk for a minute about sugar. First, the modern stuff. What's the difference between granulated sugar and confectioner's sugar? 

- Granulated sugar processed from either sugar cane or beets and ground into the granules that you're used to seeing.

- Confectioner's sugar is made by further pulverizing granulated sugar. Most commonly in the stores you'll usually see 10x, which means it's pulverized 10 times. Though, it can be pulverized anywhere from 3 - 14 times. Also, an anti-caking agent is added to help with a longer shelf-life. This is usually corn starch. 

Photo Source: worldhistory.org

Next up:  Medieval sugar! They started by grinding down the sugar cane and extracting the thick sugar syrup. They pour this into a cone to dry & crystalize. These cones were anywhere from 2 - 30 lbs, most commonly around 14lbs. That's a LOT of sugar! People would use hammers or snips to break off manageable pieces and use them as is, or grind them (likely with a mortar & pestle) into the consistency they wanted.

So, if there was any doubt, let me assure you. Confectioner's sugar was available in period, it was a bit more work than granular sugar, but completely possible & plausible.

Now where were we? Oh! Right! Making a fire-breathing sugar lion!

I should note it was at this first layer of sugar that I had to re-work my initial plans. I had not originally planned to put the pies inside. i thought they were going on the base. Oops! Also, I wouldn't have the pies until around 2 and a half hours before feast began. Thankfully, I had already built a platform into the structure. So, I decided to place the parchment down as a base, then build a sugar "door" - using the wire frame as a mold - that could be removed, the pies placed in, and it would be replaced and iced closed. 

I used the glove method for layer two of the royal icing. Fun fact: Royal icing was originally called Egg White Icing until it was under the spotlight on royal wedding cakes in the 1800's!

For the third layer of royal icing, I used a spatula, smoothing as best as I could on any of the areas that would be finished with royal instead of sugar paste. This layer was more of a brown than green, to achieve the final bronze color. The plan being to finish the head, paws, and tail in sugar paste. 

For the base itself, I iced the entire board in grey royal icing. I used a stone fondant texture mat to achieve the texture on the bricks, then I carved a rough stone design in the rest of the base. 

I also added some dark green vines crawling through the stone base and over the edges. It was a small detail, but added to the overall picture. 

THE SCULPTURE

From here on out, I forgot to take process pics. Crap. Well, you'll just have to use your imagination. So, the sugar paste...

Some years ago, before I was interested in researching historical recipes, I was given a recipe by Mistress Alesone Grey for sugar paste. (Actually, the realization that this was a period material is what sparked my interest in historical recipes!) The recipe came from The Secrets of the Reverend Maister Alexis of Piemont (by Girolamo Ruscelli, 1595). 

I used a lily petal cutter to shape the thin fur tufts in the front, and a calla lily cutter for the larger fur tufts around the neck. I used a shell fondant tool to achieve the texture. To get the flow, I pinched each of the tufts together so they wouldn't lay flat against the sculpture. I used MORE royal icing to glue each petal to the base. 

The tail was also done in sugar paste with the shell tool. For he rest of the face, that took some quick sculpting. The sugar paste dries rather quickly, so working quickly is crucial!

I was given the pies - freshly cooked, but rapid-chilled to not melt the sugar - just about on time. I got them right into the beast and sealed him up. I used the remaining bits of royal icing to smooth out any rough parts from the quick drying sugar paste. 

THE COLORS

The remaining technique I used was thoroughly modern. Due to the modern time constraints, a modern approach was needed.

I laid fabric gently across the base to not get any coloring on the stone. I first airbrushed a layer of reddish brown to even out the colors and give a base for the bronze color. On top of that, I put a layer of gold. I considered laying a dusting of green-blue to add a patina to the bronze, but decided against it. I didn't feel that I had the time to make it look intentional and natural. 

For the colors themselves, I have a stockpile of commercial gel and airbrush colors. So, I used those. However, if I were going for period colors, I probably would have used the following: 

- Bronze: combination of cocoa and actual gold flake

- Green: Sorrel, cocoa for depth, and saffron for a brighter hue

- Grey: Raisins & cocoa would do the trick (though blood would also have been used in period. 

THE WOW FACTOR

After creating this beast, I was provided some stunning sugar flowers and leaves created by the fabulous Mistress Aife. These were a perfect addition! but let me tell you about this marzipan apple. 

I've done quite a lot of sculpting and sugar craft work in my years. This marzipan apple was perfect. Aife took a real apple, took a bite out of it, then sculpted & colored the marzipan. From the shape, to the shading, to the little speckles of white, this was perfect. (Photo to the left provided by Aife.)

In addition to the incredible sugar art additions, Master Joel Messerer used a 14th century documented method of lighting solid camphor to create a fire-breathing effect. The whole project together was stunning and a real show-stopper! 

THE BIG FINISH

For the presentation, Joel lit the camphor and Master Grim the Skald presented a dramatic reading of the story of the Brunswick Lion, as I rolled it - carefully - through the hall to the front table. The Lion emerged from the kitchen to thunderous applause! 

His Majesty was then asked to slay the beast with a rolling pin! He bravely stepped up and slew the beast, providing sweet sustenance for the gathered masses. 

Long live the King! 

THE ENTRANCE

THE OTHER VIEW

THE BLAZE

THE HERO'S BLOW

THE NEXT PROJECT

Thank you for coming on this journey with me! It's been quite an adventure and I look forward to the next one! There's nothing in the works just yet, but I'm always ready to jump in when asked. 

If you have questions or are interested in learning more for your own projects, please feel free to reach out any time! 

- The Honorable Lady Olivia Baker - 

Fashion and The Intimidating Elizabethan

"Your clothing is incredibly intimidating."
Yes. It is. Here's why: 

What is Fashion, really?

Fashion throughout history has never been solely about clothing one's self. Fashion trends have been guided by societal expectations, political climate, trade agreements, technological advances, and so much more. Fashion is about presenting yourself and your ideals to the world. Every piece of clothing says something - makes a statement about who you are, where you stand.

For the purposes of this blog post, we will focus on the Fashion of the Elizabethan era - particularly women's fashion. In order to do this, let's start with a bit of history. Some of this you may already know, though all of it is relevant to the Fashion trends of mid - late 16th century. 

A Brief History of the English Throne, Leading to Elizabeth I's Reign

(Please note, this is a *brief* history. Much of the information here has been truncated for easier consumption.)

Henry VIII reigned from 1509 - 1547. We all know the story of his myriad of wives. Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII and mother to the future Queen Elizabeth I, formally married Henry VIII in January 1533. She birthed a daughter, Elizabeth, in September of that year. In 1536 - after 3 miscarriages - Anne was found guilty of treason, beheaded, and their marriage was annulled, marking Elizabeth as illegitimate. For many reasons, which we won't go into here, Henry VIII separated from the Roman Catholic Church, began the Protestant reformation, and began executing - without process - any subjects who protested against his theory of the divine right of Kings (among other things). There were also many wars and extravagant expenditures under Henry VIII, all of which were a burden of the tax-payers. 

Upon Henry VIII's death in 1547, his 10 year old son Edward VI - from his third marriage to Jane Seymour - ascended to the throne. As Edward VI did not reach the age of majority, England was governed by a Regency council. During Edward VI's reign, there were several riots stemming from the economic hardships and social unrest of the people of England. Another expensive and unsuccessful (by most definitions) war was waged against Scotland at this time. In January 1553, Edward VI fell ill. He passed away later that year.  Prior to his death, Edward VI proclaimed Lady Jane Grey and her male heirs to be next in line for succession, also proclaiming Mary Tudor and Elizabeth Tudor as illegitimate. 

Lady Jane Grey reigned for a total of 9 days, during which time, support for Mary Tudor rapidly grew. The Privy Council of England named Mary I as Queen of England. Lady Jane Grey was accused of treason and executed some time later. 

Mary I, the first female English monarch crowned, reigned from 1553 to her death from illness in 1558. During that time, she earned herself the moniker "Bloody Mary" due to her aggressive pursuit to restore the Roman Catholic Church as the true church. Hundreds were executed, without process, for their opposition to the restoration. 

In 1558, Elizabeth I, The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, Good Queen Bess, inherited the Throne, and with it, decades of unrest and distrust of the English Monarchy, and in particular, distrust of power-hungry women.

In this allegory
of true love
1485-90

Women's Fashion Trends Prior to Elizabeth I's Reign

Now, for a moment, let's take a look at women's fashion leading up to Elizabeth's reign. There are not a great many portraits of the late 15th and early 16th centuries in England. Starting in 1490, we see the trend is toward what is considered a more traditionally "feminine" shape: curved waistline, lifted chest, defined arms, broad hips. (Fun Fact: Broad hips began to lessen in importance as infant and birthing mortality rates lowered, which is why they are not as important to the "feminine" shape that is desired today.)

Elizabeth of York
1500

In 1500, we start to see the waistline smoothing down with a more structured bodice. Skirts begin to fill out more, giving the look of a broader hip and smaller waistline. We still see much of the curve in the upper body, along with the lifted chest and defined arms.

Mary Tudor's Marriage Portrait
1516

In 1510, we see the lower sleeves starting to grow. The extra fabric here is used as a sign of wealth. We can see the bust-line beginning to compress and a more smooth profile to the bodice. Some pleating in the waistline becomes more prevalent around this time.

Drawing by Holbein
1528-30

In 1520-30, we see similar trends continuing. The lower half of sleeves are growing, profiles are smoothing, skirts are filling out both with more fabric and the addition of pleating, waistlines are more accented.

Elizabeth Tudor, age 13
1546

By the mid-1540's, some major changes have occurred in fashion. Bodices take on a very structured barrel-shape, with a defined "V" shape in the front. Bust-lines are compressed instead of lifted. Skirts have grown considerably in size, giving an even more dramatically small waistline. Pleating in the waistline is common-place. Though the pleating around this time still lends itself to the feminine hourglass curve at the waistline.

We could spend entire books discussing why fashion trends headed in this direction at this time. However, that's not the purpose of this particular post. The information above serves to give you a general idea as to where trends were coming from as Elizabeth ascended to the throne.

Elizabeth I's Obstacles

As previously mentioned, when Elizabeth Tudor was crowned sole monarch of England, she inherited with that crown a great distrust from her subjects of the monarchy. Taxes were high; the English people had been publicly persecuted for decades. On top of this, the climate of the time was considerably colder and wetter as the century progressed, which began to affect crop production.

Society's view of woman at the time was one of subservience and meekness. While many working and merchant class women worked both inside and outside of the home, tending to business that needed doing, it was expected they would do as the authority figure of the home - the male, as it were - would instruct.

Elizabeth's predecessor, Mary I, also left quite an impression on the people of  England - a woman so driven by her pursuit to change people's minds, that she had any who did disagreed with her executed. Bloody Mary's reputation was know far and wide throughout the Kingdom.

There were also many who believed Elizabeth was an illegitimate child and should never have been granted the Throne.  While the Privy Council of England did grant her the Throne, She had a great deal of work to earn Her place and win the respect of Her people.

The Evolution of The Virgin Queen

Coronation Portrait of
Elizabeth I
1600 (copy of 1559
lost original)

At Elizabeth I's coronation in 1559, we see Her first bold fashion choice. The fashion of the time was still leaning toward feminine: smooth lines, delicate upper body, sloping waistline. For Her coronation gown, She chooses a very sharp, deep V waistline, with thick pleating, creating a more sharp line, as opposed to the smooth slope of the time.

Elizabeth I and the
Three Goddesses
1569

As Elizabeth I's reign progresses, She does Her best to establish Her authority in a world dominated by men. She has a very up-hill battle to fight, but will not give in. As Her advisers pressure Her to find a suitable husband and marry, as any good woman - particularly one with this much power - should do, She begins to make more bold statements with Her clothing. She begins to strip away the more feminine elements. In the portrait to the left, we see the broadening of the shoulders with large, jeweled sleeve caps. The waistline is given a sharper, more defined line with the addition of waist tabs, similar to that of men's clothing at the time. Additionally, what was once a flowing, full a-line, is starting to shift outward at the waist, and inward at the hem, slowly beginning to creep toward the barrel-shape we see at the end of the 16th century.

Queen Elizabeth I
1580

Further in Her reign, we see Elizabeth I donning even more masculine clothing. Many more portraits can be found of Her in doublet-style gowns than in Her younger years. While She still does wear square-necked bodices, these, along with the rest of Her gowns, are worn with more full ruffs, again, mirroring the male wardrobe of the time. We also see a trend toward shoulder rolls, tabs, and other treatments, leaning outward to give the look of a more broad chest. This gives Elizabeth I a more imposing shape, to accentuate Her demeanor.

The Ditchley Portrait
1592

From this point, Elizabeth I's fashion choices progress rather rapidly. Sleeves grow to enormous sizes, shoulders are widened not simply through the use of shoulder treatments, but also through the expansion of the ruff, to a severely imposing standing ruff. The bum roll evolves into drum farthingale, giving the "table"-like effect seen in the portrait to the left. Bodice points plunge, elongating the torso to a figure that leaves barely a trace of femininity.

Throughout Her reign, Elizabeth I gradually earns the respect of Her subjects, from the nobles to the gentry. This is in no small part due to Her fashion choices. If they never see her as an equal, the will never afford her the respect necessary to affect the change so desperately needed at that time. Elizabeth's fashion choices are one of the primary vehicles for political and social change during the Elizabethan Era. Even today, we still see the ripples of Her fashion across political and social waters.

A Note from the Lily

The majority of the information above is knowledge amassed throughout nearly a decade of study of Elizabethan fashion. I do not know or have access to the entirety of my sources at this time. If there is a discrepancy in the information above, please contact me directly and I will do my best to verify and correct the information. 

Ruminations on a Tableau

As I was planing some beautiful cherry (thank you, Bjorn) this weekend for a table and benches, my father said something to me that made me go "Oh, duh."

You see, there's this beautiful trestle table from the 14th century that is still in existence. A friend of mine planned and recreated a few of them, then very generously provided me with his plans (thank you, Harvey!) In taking these plans to my father, the engineer (yes, that's where I get it from), he said, "Do you know why the table still exists? because nobody wanted to use the damn thing! It was pretty but it kept falling over!"

While I don't entirely agree that nobody wanted to use it, there is a good deal to be said for the instability of a table that's 24" wide, but has a 15" wide base. Certainly as a merchant's wife, Olivia would not have had an unusable table, or one so prone to falling over that it needed to be kept in a corner or against a wall somewhere. 

So, now to go back and find some designs from late-ish period tables that meet the needs of an active house without a disposable income. Perhaps a perusal of paintings would promote planning progress. I have some thoughts, but will need to ruminate a bit more.

Embroidery for Master Joel Messerer

Master Joel Messerer was elevated to the Order of the Pelican this weekend at The Sign of the Dancing Fox. As part of his elevation, I was asked to create an embroidered medallion for his cloak. The medallion art was taken from a scroll created for Master Joel's Pine (the Barony of Concordia's service award).

I was provided a photo of the art to be embroidered, a 6" square of cream wool, a 6" square of cream linen, red silk, and black silk. Due to a miscommunication, some of the other medallions were done on the linen side, while others were done on the wool side. To help with visual balance between the fabrics, I was asked to create my medallion with the linen square facing up. 

The first task was to transfer the design to the fabric. As the design was a different size than the requested circle, there were a few different options for this:

• Resize the image and utilize a light box to trace the image.
• Freehand the image on the fabric.
• Grid the fabric and the design, and scale based on the grid lines.

As I am a mathematically-inclined individual, I chose the grid option. Below are the step-by-step instructions for the grid transfer. 

1. Draw a vertical and a horizontal line through the center of the image. 
2. Draw a vertical line halfway between the center line and the edge of the pattern. 
3. Repeat this on the other side of the center line
4. Draw a horizontal line halfway between the center line and the edge of the pattern.
5. Repeat this on the other side of the center line.
6. If you need more grid lines, continue drawing lines between the existing lines until you have the desired size grid squares. 
7. Repeat steps 1-6 on the fabric. 
8. Using the grid boxes as guides, draw the image on the fabric lightly, with pencil or fabric pen, making adjustments as necessary, to get the desired look. Remember the grids are not perfect, so you may need to make some minor adjustments to get the image to look right. 
9. When you are satisfied with the image, go over it again with slightly darker lines. 
10. Now you're ready to sew!

Personally, I find the grid method to be the easiest, as it breaks the image up into manageable chunks. Scaling with a light box can also be fairly simple if you are decent with scaling. Additionally, I chose to do this portion of the art as an approximation, as they would not have calculated perfection of reproductions in period. 

As the other embroideries were done entirely in split stitch, I used this stitch for conformity. Were I given an option, I would have likely chosen chain stitch for the circles, and split stitch for the design, as I prefer the look of chain stitch on circles. Below are the final front and back photos of the medallion. 

It's okay to say "No"

Olivia's thought for the moment:

Often, when I ask someone a question, I follow it up with "'No' is an acceptable answer."

• Would you be able to help me with this project? "No" is an acceptable answer. 
• Do you have a few minutes we can sit and talk? "No" is an acceptable answer. 
• Would you be willing and able to take on this role at this event? "No" is an acceptable answer.

I've been told it's unnecessary for me to say that. But is it?

Generally, we are a society of helpers and doers. We want to be helpful. We want to be useful. So, when someone asks us for something, we want to say "Yes." We battle internally for a reason to say "No."

While some may simply ignore my post-script, many others hear it. It's important to me that people understand I will not be let down or disappointed if they say "No." Being honest about what you are willing and able to give from the very beginning, helps to keep from being unable to keep those promises or commitments later on.

The next time someone asks you to do something, really think about it. Are you truly able to commit to this? Are you able to give this the attention it needs? Before answering, remember that "No" IS an acceptable answer.

A Lily Pride Azure - Part 3: The Cognizance

Click here to read Part 2: The Gilding

There I was, sitting in the University at Albany library, with a stack of 12 or so books, and a picture in my head of what I was trying to find. The idea, as you may recall from Part 1: The Acquisition, was an overly ornate stomacher and forepart, with paned sleeves, an Elizabethan tall hat, and a train. I started with the first book, flipping through, scrutinizing each painting. looking at each detail of the gown: the overskirt, the forepart, the bodice, the partlet, the hat, the jewelry, the gloves. I looked at each detail, sure I would find documentation for this gown I had dreamed up. Painting after painting, book after book, and each time I found something resembling what I wanted, it was from late 1570's or later. I could not find a single picture with an ornate stomacher on a bodice from the 1560's. There were brocade or otherwise patterned jackets with adorned stomachers, paired with contrasting closed-front skirts. There were also split-front skirts with unadorned matching bodices.

Nothing. There was nothing that would document what I drew. I also quickly became cognizant of the fact that I do not own a single Court gown that actually fits my persona. I have to change every single Court gown I own, to make them accurate to my persona. Every. Single. Gown.

After closing the final book in my stack, and taking a moment to mourn this new realization, I picked up my pencil and began to redraw my gown. I took out the stomacher and replaced it with a triangular design of sharply contrasting trim¹, adorned with pearls and spangles. I also removed the tabs I had at the waist, as these were only seen on jackets. The Spanish sleeves also were removed. I added a 2nd layer of tabs at the shoulders¹. Finally, I added the same sharply contrasting trim from the bodice, to trim the split front and the hem of the skirt².

As this gown was being created for an event in the Barony of Concordia of the Snows, I designed the contrasting trim with a center bead and six beads surrounding it, as an allusion to the Concordian snowflake.

Next step: to create the remainder of the gown, in 5 weeks.

¹Roy Strong, The English Icon: Elizabethan & Jacobean Portraiture (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1969)
²Janet Arnold, Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd (Oxford: Routledge, 2015), 113

An Immersive Interview

In April I was asked to assist Tacit Darby, and a team of individuals from the Middle Kingdom, with their project to compile information on immersion events. The plan was to collect interviews with people who have planned and executed immersion events, and compile  the data into a website to share with the Known World.

While the website has been put on hold, I'd like to share the article Tacit wrote up. Thank you to Tacit for her kind words and the work she did in putting this together. Hopefully many other immersion event stewards will be able to help with the information database!