(October 17th, 2015)

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This is related to the following event:
Archet Aid - 2015
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Captain's Quick Report: Archet Aid - 2015

  
   What a spectacular fayre and concert did happen today in Archet, in the Bree-lands!  My heart still races at the memories of such lively fair atmosphere and the musical talents that followed after, as I sit here at my desk.  The travels from Archet back to Bree was a merry but uneventful one, though it gave me plenty of time to cherish the fond sights and gathering of Free Peoples from all over the lands.   

  And such a fayre, or fair, did the first half of this 'Archet Aid' event turn out to be!  There was a lively bustle of crowds the likes surely haven't been seen for ages within a Bree-land settlement; in small Archet especially as well.  Having been put on hold last year due to some sort of musical issues, this year marked the return to Archet after two years since the previous 'Archet Aid' gathering.  From musical entertainers plying their instruments with street performers along the town path, whilst an archery competition took place a few paces away, a marathon run through the outer countryside of Archet, bustling market vendors selling pies and ales, a 'Dwarven' quiz spectacle from Durins Folk just over across the path by the stables, fortune-telling by a Hobbit named Lavenderia, a 'drunken' backwards race by the organizer Master Grymrock himself, and then later on an outstanding display of military drill by the Blue Mountains Regiment, and even a collaborative theatre play of sorts put on by the Order of the Divine Brew with a few friends from other kins coming together to perform a story of eggs, chickens, omelets and wolves!  Throughout the latter half of the Fayre, there was a lovely group of Hobbit lasses, perhaps eight or ten in all, whom marched, danced, and paraded throughout the streets of the Fayre on display in very merrily colored clothes, all part of the larger performance group known as the Die Meisterbarden von Bree, I believe.

  There were many more outstanding examples of other kins and folk arriving in Archet from numerous walks of life, adding to the already lively bustling streets of the fayre; members of The Eothed and even Riders of the Riddermark made a fine appearance from their respective kins, and likely so far from home in the distant lands of Rohan.  A fine visit from many Shire halflings of various well-known organizations, a good number from the Grand Order of the Lost Mathom, and a few even from the Shire Angling Club, also arrived throughout the day.  There was even a Master Elf whom I recognized from research as being the Lord Khalis himself, of the now disbanded Warband of Imladris -- having unfortunately closed and been released from their kinship oaths recently in the last months.  And of course there were so much more; many local Breelanders -- known names and faces whom oft have a presence in Bree; and equally famous kins such as the Knights of Eriador, the Order of the White Flame, The Red Company, The Children of Iluvatar, to name a few off the top of this ol' Bree Captain's head!

  And then later as the Fayre closed, another wonderful spectacle unfolded -- a telling concert of musicians and bands from all over the lands, distant and far; the talent gathered there in Archet just hours ago, was perhaps in comparison to the lively concert feeling of 'The Forest of OAKS' earlier this year -- many grand songs and tunes from nearly eight or more bands!  Many stirring the crowds to hearty cheering and merry dancing or stepping; it was a heart-warming sight amongst those still-charred buildings of Archet. 

  From Die Meisterbarden von Bree and their music accompanied by the return of those color-coordinated Hobbit lasses, the famously renowned (amongst the Shire-bounds at least) Songburrow Strollers and a few from the Brandy Badgers -- both part of the Grand Order of the Lost Mathom took to the stage with absolutely outstanding 'bounces' of excitement from the crowds, all the way to the 'Birds' Die Bunten Voegel whom also further swept the audience into roaring cheers of delight, with songs that were reminiscent of an OAKS concert last month in which they received stunning reviews praising their showmanship, which I've heard was even recorded into some sort of large collection of 'moving' drawings.  Whimsical tunes from The Red Company -- whom I did not know until today had a musical collective, the Rock and a Hard Place whom are said to hail from a distant land called Dwarrowdelf, the equally warm-hearted 'rocking' Rolling Kegs, and then further performances by locally-known musical bands part of the Order of the White Flame and the Order of the Divine Brew -- The White Flames band and The Chosen Few band respectively -- brought the event to a stunning conclusion of fireworks (or fizzlers as some remark), that lasted quite some time; it was a miracle no more buildings caught fire again with all the colorful explosions!

  To declare this event successful (though we'll have to wait and see if them folk of Archet ever make progress with rebuilding), would be a sore understatement -- from a stunningly lively Fayre experience put on for all attending, to the outstanding concert to stand high amongst concerts of all time, at least in this Bree Captain's books!  There are no words, very few, that could do justice the emotions of lively joy and being there at this year's Archet Aid Fayre and Concert.  If the aim was to raise cheer and solidarity through festive celebration amongst the Free Peoples in the vein of a bustling fayre and concert afterwards, surely it was well-achieved -- I recommend you, dear Reader, consider coming hither to next year's Archet Aid, to experience yourself something mayhaps to last a joy of your lifetime.

  An outstanding congratulations to Master Grymrock, his team of folk from the Order of the Divine Brew, and many other organizations brought together or visiting from near and afar lands; in order to bring this Fayre to life -- and demonstrate an amazing concert of music and cheer for so many which will surely not be forgotten any time soon!

  But I must retire to sleep soon tonight, there are lots of sketches and drawings to sort through to attach proper to this report, and then on the horizon there are some further interesting events mentioned in yon latest edition of the Bramblebury Gazette to keep watch for, such as the coming Yard Party on the 31st of this Month where Miss Bilbeto and Miss Toadflax themselves will perform an interesting manner of tunes,  the next Oldfurlong Amazing Koncert Series (OAKS) with the Pootlers further in the weeks, and then a newly recurring musical event said to be called the 'Night of Muses' twice weekly in the distant hub of Michel Delving, in the lands of the Shire-bounds.

There is much good in this world, dear Reader, and today perhaps demonstrates more than ever that mayhaps it's not just worth giving your life in death for, but also to live for!

Signed,

Captain Naismithea Willarc

Watcher of Roads
Representative of the Bree Captain's Guild
Officer of the Sworn Wanderers








 

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Scribe's Note/Addendum: Dear Reader, with permission and by request of this Captain Naismithea fellow, here are directions to where you can find several related sources of material having to do with the event described.

Note #1 - (( Songburrow Strollers and Brandy Badgers at Archet Aid, by Lina ))
Note #2 - (( Screenshot from Miss Lina on Twitter showing the STROOLLERS! ))
Note #3 - (( A twitter post from Miss Neti with two screenshots! ))
Note #4 - (( Another one from Miss Neti with a further two pictures ))
Note #5 - (( Twitter user 'Sarah' with a screenshot of near the Fayre beginning! ))
Note #6 - (( Another from Sarah of the Brandy Badgers and Songburrow Strollers ))
Note #7 - (( A shot from Sarah of the Die Bunten Voegel performance! ))
Note #8 - (( Image from Sarah on the 'A Rock and a Hard Place' band! ))
Note #9 - (( From Sarah, screenshot of the 'Rolling Kegs' band performance! ))
Note #10 - (( Sarah snapped a glimpse of a Game Master/GM at the event! ))
Note #11 - (( Screenshot of the 'White Flames' band by Sarah on Twitter again! ))
Note #12 - (( Twitter post/picture from Sarah of the concluding band 'Chosen Few' ))
Note #13 - (( Shot from Sarah of fireworks celebrating Archet Aid 2015's end! ))
Note #14 - (( A short blog post by Miss Neti on her site 'Neti's Burrow' ))
Note #15 - (( A wonderful album of screenshots from Tullir of the Divine Brew! ))

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Overview Collection

(( Disclaimer: Hello folks, I'd like to caution you that taking a look at the embedded slideshows coming up below will likely not go too well if your in a hurry, and hoping to just get a 'general gander' at what the event was like.  The 'Overview Collection' above is more suited for that!

  Viewing the albums embedded below is more geared for those folks looking to get a /slightly/ more play-by-play spirit of how things unfolded.  In fact, I only recommend having a browse through if for some reason, you have an urge to well... just look at a lot, and a lot, of screenshots -- many of the shot angles/perspectives being repeated in other screenshots but at different times during the event, etc!  Thanks for reading.

 Extra Note: Not every word and every line from the stories/songs/words spoken from each performer/speaker are shown in the screenshots below!  I tried hard to capture as many as I could, but there was inevitably many lines here and there that passed me by -- it was such a fantastically large event with things happening all over, like a real medieval fair!  Also, due to the amount of players and my old computer, my game crashed a lot and froze up -- I think this led to my game client corrupting the screenshots I took near the end of the event... I've unfortunately got nothing more past the beginning of the Rolling Kegs band.  So that means the last 2-3 bands, and the fireworks conclusion are the only major parts I don't have screenshots to show you of!  Hopefully you should get a decent gist of things though!  Use it as an incentive to come out next year and experience the entire thing someday! ))




First Collection

Second Collection

Third Collection

Fourth Collection

Fifth Collection