More updates! The events page is updated with current dates for 2006 faires, there's a link that teaches you how to find legitimate fencing teachers, and a few touch-ups site-wide. Unfortunately, there is still no photo album. I haven't been able to get the PHP album to work correctly, and until I find something quick and easy that I can put together while balancing two jobs and school, there won't be one.

We just finished fencing and performing at the Valhalla Renaissance Faire in Lake Tahoe, CA, and that was a blast! Two weekends of wearing ourselves out and fencing with silly off-hand weapons (and a drag tourney!), not to mention sword demos at the joust and a good round of Rat Pucking! We can next be seen at the Reno Celtic Faire, so stop on by and say hello, and we'll give you a lesson!

I'm updating site-wide again. The photo gallery is giving me no end of trouble, but as always is a work in progress I haven't abandoned, just haven't finished yet. Faire season '06 is coming upon us! Starting in March with the Calaveras Celtic Faire!

Our fencing classes are now available at the Western Nevada Community College in Carson City, NV, as well at the weekly guild meetings on Wednesday night. For directions, times, topics, and more, contact Sean Kiernan. If you're in the Carson City area, and you'd like to be a part of the Renaissance Faire actors' community, or just learn how to fence, we're the group the be with!

Yay, she's updating again! I do try. :) I have the classes page up and running, and there's much more to be added to it still. I have the photos page actually started, lol, and that should be coming along shortly as well. I've updated some things around the site and fixed a few quirks. There's still more to be fixed and tinkered with, but I get to them as I have time, and I have little of that now-a-days.

Faire season has officially ended with Kearney Park, and everyone went out with a bang. Next season starts up again for most Rennies in March, kicking off with FCC and Calaveras.

A last note--we do have several new members to our guild this year, but unfortunately I wasn't able to get photos of them as they joined so late in the year and time didn't allow, but next season there will be several new additions to our members page. :)

Woo-hoo! 10 days later and I'm updating again! This is a record for me. :) Okay, so the links page is up and running now; fairly simple layout and hopefully easy to understand. The contacts page has also been updated (I've been named second in command, aka guild mistress!), and the members page should be all finished by the end of next week. *fingers crossed* Keep checking back for more!

Check us out at our upcoming events! Truckee faire is this weekend, followed by a last-minute decision to host a fencing tournament at the Sonora Jousting Championships and Renaissance Faire. We hadn't originally planned on doing this event, but the faire director was in dire need of us, so we're pulling it off (with a little help). Check out the events page for new updates and more info on these events!

I'm so sporadic with my updating--it's horrible. But I'm sure everyone understands life. :) Okay, so obviously the site is undergoing some huge changes, mainly because in light of recent developments, the guild has decided to go in two different directions. Those remaining as Blackfriars will be continuing on portraying new characters, a new storyline, and providing faires all over with new entertainment. As of right now, the majority of our guild is an Italian family--the Morosini from Venice and Padua--but there are other members from different nationalities as well, so we are by no means strictly Italian, just mostly. :-) Neither are we strictly nobility/merchant class; we also have lower classes and are definitely welcoming servant types for our household! *hint hint* And of course, we could always use more fencers..

So! As always, please bear with me as this site is "renovated" and turned inside out and backwards. Right now the "membri", or members, page is not displaying any pictures because I have decided the rollover images will be head shots, and the names will soon link to each character's personal profile/history. I'm excited; it should be great when it's finished. I do have to thank Santa Maria for the idea, hehehee... So our next faire is Truckee, and I will be taking the head shots then, hence the members page should be done in about 2 weeks.

The message board is on hold until we grow in members; the photo page is still in my head and just not quite on the site yet.. *sheepish* And I'm creating a links page! It should be done by the end of this lovely three-day weekend, in which I could be out partying with friends, but no-o, I'm here slaving away for all of you instead! ^.~ Just kidding. Keep checking back! I intend to have this baby finished quite soon!

Okay, it's been a couple of months and a lot's happened. First of all, our first faire--Calaveras--was special this year in that we knighted one of our kind and wonderful members, Vlad, during his memorial on our eric. He passed on in February and we all miss him greatly, and honour his memory always in the spirit of knighthood. Rest in peace, Sir Vlad.

The website will be experiencing some changes over the next month or so as I will be tweaking with some of the layout, schemes, and images. I know I said that in February, but now I've actually got more time! The site shouldn't go down; if it does please report it to me. It went down the other week due to a loss of domain, so as you can see now our site has moved from orderoftherose.com to blackfriarsfencing.com. Please update your bookmarks! And keep checking back for more frequent updates! Anon. :)

Thank you all who attended May Faire this year. This year's Faire wasn't quite as fun as the previous years', but that happens on occasion. We congratulate Legion on winning the tournament this year--well done! The fighting was spectacular, as always; the drum circle was great fun, and the weather wasn't unbearable at all.

Truckee will be hosting its first annual Renaissance Faire this year, so anyone interested in attending, let your maestro know immediately so that we can reserve a space for the guild according to the size of attendees. This will be the weekend of September 25th, so mark it in your books!

Also know that I've had the chance to hear feedback and will be fixing this site accordingly a.s.a.p. Thank you, everyone, who has helped provide that feedback--it's much appreciated. Remember, this site is for everyone and by everyone-- I just put it up, haha, so let me know what you want, what you don't, what needs to be changed, or how perfect it is (come on, stroke my ego just a little? I'm a fencer--I need it! ;p) But I'm on top of things as much as possible, so just let me know. Thanks. :)

As you can see, I've added a donation button at the bottom of this page so that members and viewers can make fast, easy, and secure PayPal donations of a scant $1 or more dollars to help support this site and fund more advanced features I'm planning on adding (i.e. PHP message board). This way we can have a dynamic, fun, and interactive home page that won't take large yearly chunks out of our provider's (Bryna's) pocket. Remember, even a single dollar will help pay for this site as long as the majority of you help chip in!

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May Faire is fast approaching (just this weekend!), so the maestros of the guild would like to remind everyone that Cedar Springs is a dry site. That means absolutely no alcohol on the eric or out in public; however, you are allowed to have alcoholic beverages in Actor's Camp and drink there as long as it stays there, and you stay there while drinking it. So have a great weekend and be safe!