APPLICATION FOR THE POSITIONS OF
BARON AND BARONESS OF RIVER HAVEN

Good populous of River Haven, the Honourable Lady Argyle de Argenten and Lord Hadrian Lions Bane send greetings and best wishes for your health, wealth and eternal happiness.

THL Argyle and Lord Hadrian have been deemed suitable by the Crown to be considered for the positions of Baron and Baroness of River Haven. We now come to you to outline our vision for the Barony and seek your support to serve you the populace of this wonderful Barony and to continue our service to the Kingdom.

If you deem us worthy, while serving as Baron and Baroness we will continue to build on the amazing work our current Baron & Baroness have done, although they are a very difficult act to follow with having been in their roles for a decade and seen the Barony through the 2020 Covid Crisis that caused such global upheaval. We are both artisans and archers, Lord Hadrian was also once a fighter and we will continue to maintain and build a community that recognises and supports creativity, inspires curiosity about the history of the Kingdom’s chosen eras, encourages participation in all areas of combat, and provides a sense of “home and family”.

We will continue to make River Haven a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable, where sharing skills and knowledge, and supporting each other continues to be the customary practice. We will invite all members of the River Haven populace to join us and be part of shaping a community where their voices are heard and make a difference to the Barony and the Kingdom of Lochac.

We have been friends for over 30 years and partners for approaching 9 years. We are both service driven, finding purpose and satisfaction from assisting others. Lord Hadrian has been in the SCA for approximately 15 years as a member of the populace of the Canton of Burnfield. THL Argyle originally became a member in 2012 for a couple of years then rejoined in 2019 and has played an active role in River Haven for the last 5 years, firstly as Herald, then taking on the position of Seneschal. She recently handed over this Office on 31 May 2026 after 3 years and 3 months in the role.

Things we would seek to achieve for the Barony:

1. Arts and Sciences:

River Haven has an amazingly strong Arts and Sciences program already thanks to the hard work of our current and previous A&S Officers. Our vision is that the Barony continues to be an artisans mecca where the skills and craftmanship of our populace are acknowledged, maintained and advanced. We will encourage others to share their skills and through this sharing increase the knowledge base of the entire Barony. We would see the current program of weekly classes continued to ensure the populace has an opportunity to try new skills and support those that seek to master skills and advance through the many Guilds operating within the SCA. We would encourage, support and participate in the continuation of the monthly Cooks Guild, Scribal and Embroidery Group meetings held on weekends.

As artisans ourselves, we will lead by example, THL Argyle started the River Haven Embroidery Group (in early 2025) with the vision of encouraging the very skilled and talented embroiderers of the Northern Reaches to attain, their desired rankings within the Worshipful Company of Broderers. She herself is working towards becoming a Master Embroiderer within the Guild although still has a long way to go, but we must all have goals!!! We will encourage general take up of a variety of crafts through giving talks and classes. THL Argyle makes herself available to answer questions regarding machine sewing and embroidery, if needed. She also teaches sewing to newcomers wanting to make their own garb or helps make garb for those who cannot make it themselves.

Lord Hadrian is an amazing woodworker, creating many of the tools used by those members of the populace engaging in the textile arts, such as spinning, weaving and embroidery. He does leatherwork, recreating pouches found in Viking graves, including creating the designs and etching the brass findings used on these pouches.

We enjoy learning new skills and encourage everyone to try anything they find interesting, even if just to say “I came, I saw, I conquered” and move on to the next skill to learn until they find their passion.   

2. Archery and Fighting (Fencing and Heavy):

We are both archers and were granted our Target Archery Marshal authorisation in December 2024 at an event we attended in Burnfield at the Aldershot Scout Camp. Again, we will lead by example, Lord Hadrian competes in archery events when held, THL Argyle dabbles and has a go, enjoying the comradery and supporting our junior archers coming up through the ranks. While Lord Hadrian is no longer able to take the field as a fighter, it has in no way lessened his interest and support for the sport.  

We would support our Baronial Marshals in working to increase attendance at River Haven fighter, fencing and archery practice. We have noticed a cycle of waxing and waning participation and can see that River Haven is about to step back into a period of higher involvement, it has been strongly supported by Barron Dimitri and we would continue to support and encourage populace participation.

3. Community (SCA and Mundane):

Our leadership is grounded in support and understanding, clear communication, and meaningful engagement, ensuring everyone feels welcome, heard, and genuinely appreciated. Through regular potlucks, events, and local gatherings, we aim to unite our members and nearby groups so that nobody ever feels left out. Ultimately, we hope to set a positive example—rooted in kindness, integrity, and fun—inspiring everyone to take part in the incredible fellowship that defines this community.

We will attend as many events, meetings and gatherings as possible, either individually or together, across the Barony. We are both keen to travel to various groups, meet up with members of the River Haven populace and broader SCA family and enjoy their company. We will encourage our populace to do the same, both near and afar. Encouraging those that travel to events outside our Barony to regale us with their experiences when they return home, thereby encouraging others to travel and experience more of the SCA across Lochac and the Globe. We will have a standing invitation to any and all SCA members around the world to “pop in and join us for a cuppa” at our Wednesday night meetings, to break bread with us at events and continue to share the warmth of our hospitality whenever time allows during their visits to our fair shores.

We will continue to be active in finding opportunities to promote our great Barony and the SCA to our mundane neighbours by continuing to participate in assisting our local Scout dens, holding bake sales and sausage sizzles at voting booths and Bunnings when able, through participation in demos at suitable events and schools, projects to support the homeless and representation at local community events across the great State of Queensland.

We will ensure our Barony continues to be a friendly welcoming environment, where everyone feels comfortable attending meetings, classes and events. The River Haven populace have always, and we will encourage them to continue, welcoming and supporting members with disabilities, those from the LGBTQIA+ community, or who are on the spectrum (as most of us are!). River Haven is well known as the “friendly Barony”. If we are chosen to become the new River Haven Baron and Baroness we will continue to openly welcome people to our group, supporting our Hospit Officer in making newcomers feel welcome and finding their ‘fit’ within the group.

4. Service to Populace and Kingdom:

Having just spent the last 3.5 years as River Haven Seneschal, THL Argyle understands how important it is for the Baron and Baroness, our Seneschal and Baronial Officers to work together to achieve the goals of the Barony.

We have goals we wish to see achieved around the upgrade of the River Haven Hall, goals THL Argyle set for herself while Seneschal. We will continue to work towards these goals with the current Baronial Council, regardless of our status within the group, as these improvements to the hall will be of benefit to the entire River Haven populace.

The enduring bonds formed within River Haven, along with the welcoming sense of “home” and “family,” offer our populace a space to relax and enjoy learning about the history of the pre-17th century world. Here, you can nurture not only your creativity and passion for all things medieval, but also grow personally through collaboration, compassion, inclusivity, and mutual support. It is our hope that these shared experiences will help shape a meaningful and lasting legacy for the future of the SCA starting at the grass roots within River Haven.

We humbly request that you consider us for the role of Baron and Baroness of River Haven.

Yours in Service

The Honourable Lady Argyle de Argenten and Lord Hadrian Lions Bane

Candidate Profile – Lord Hadrian Lions Bane

I am Lord Hadrian Lions Bane (mundanely known as, Adrian Pearce) and I am standing with my partner, the Honourable Lady Argyle de Argenten, in our joint nomination for Baron & Baroness of River Haven.

I joined originally in around 2010 from memory, originally my family and I joined together and took part in the weekly training in Burnfield. I did have a pause from around 2016 to 2019 then resumed and maintained my membership since then.

During my time in the SCA I gained a greater appreciation for the history aspect especially on the A&S side. Researching early woodworking, leatherworking, and metalworking skills was and still is a great joy to me. This led to me using those skills to produce period appropriate fibre arts utensils and garb, as well as passing those skills on to others where possible.

Along with Lady Argyle we regularly attend as many events as we can and enjoy helping where can with regard to making things run smoothly for those around us. I enjoy meeting new people and getting them addicted to, whoops I mean involved in SCA activities and events.

While heavy combat and rapier disciplines were early interests of mine, physical limitations make those less possible, so now I concentrate on Archery as both a participant, when possible, and a Marshal when needed.

While I’m not a fan of the limelight, I do understand that court is an important function of the SCA and in that aspect I am keen to step up and represent our Barony at a higher level should we be deemed suitable. 

During my time with the SCA I received my Award of Arms from King Bain and Queen Iglesia in June 2024. At a Baronial level, I received a Pierced Anvil in May 2024, and a Bridged Towers in June 2025.

Candidate Profile – The Honourable Lady Argyle de Argenten

I am THL Argyle de Argenten (in the mundane world Anita Packwood) and I am standing with my partner, Lord Hadrian Lions Bane, in our joint nomination for Baron & Baroness of River Haven.

I have been in the SCA off and on since 2012, fully on since 2019!! I have been an active member of River Haven for the last 5 years stepping into officer roles in service of the Barony. I was the Baronial Herald from 2022 to 2023, then until 31 May 2026, I was the Baronial Seneschal for 3 years 3 months.

In my time as Seneschal, I advocated for the creation of a hall renovation fund, held fundraising events (raffles and trivia nights), applied for grants and worked with other members of the populace to do our best to obtain sufficient funds to improve the hall that we lease from the Brisbane City Council.

I think I am personable, easy going, a good listener and a fairly decent teacher. I am a fully trained mental health first aide officer. I did this as people who are in distress seem to gravitate towards me and I wanted to know how best to help them. Coming to the SCA saw me build a whole new suite of friendships, several that have moved beyond the SCA and into the mundane, and I hold incredibly dear.

I became a Target Archery Marshal in December 2024, so that I was able to assist with running the archery range at events or when River Haven once again kicks off its archery practices. I started training with Gabs at St Florian Fighter practice for a short period before spinal surgery ruled me out. I was hoping to become authorised to Marshal heavy combat, I still may, just need to get back into it!!

In the mundane world I have 4 degrees and the SCA offered me a whole new world of interesting research to undertake!!! Mostly confined to the Arts and Sciences, particularly garb and its ornamentation, I can’t help but chase that elusive piece of evidence to show why I can have some pretty or a specific pattern to adorn my work!!

I also like helping out, I have stewarded events such as Red and White and the River Haven Baronial Championship in 2025, have been bookings officer for several other events and Trivia Master at the inaugural River Haven Trivia Night. Even when attending events, it will not be unusual to see me helping out in the kitchen, fetching and carrying, or herding the cats in some way to assist the stewards. I also help out at our fund raiser sausage sizzle and bake sales, teaching our local Scouts sewing and leather work, at school demos and my favourite – the Abbey Medieval Festival.

During my time with the SCA I received my Award of Arms from King Thibault and King Jayne in April 2023; the Star and Lily from King Bain and Queen Iglesia in June 2024 and a Silver Pegasus from King Ariston II and King Jochen I in June 2025. I was also very honoured to be invited by Master Dimitrii Borodinskii and Mistress Josseline de la Cour, current Baron & Baroness of River Haven to be their student. At a Baronial level, I have received a Pierced Anvil for my embroidery in May 2023; a Bridged Towers in August 2023 and a Cross Portate in May 2025.