Caid’s Pentathlon is a Very Big Deal. It’s a kingdom-level Arts and Sciences competition and display that happens once every two years. It’s a rather huge production and the kind of competition that immerses you, grabs you, shakes you like a dog, and spits you out.

O.K., just kidding about that last part. But it’s true that when you enter Pentathlon, it’s a long-term commitment to create at 5-10 entries in 4-6 different categories, at various self-assigned skill levels. So for example, here were my entries starting with the category:

1. Performance: Dramatic Reading — The Wife’s Lament. I was tired and screwed up some of the words which is quite the trick when you are READING your entry. My dear friend Beathog thought that was the funniest thing ever when I told her about it. ;>
2. Performance: Other — A story I called “The Trial of the Dead” from the Eyrbyggja Saga. This one went very well, complete with an improv’d bad joke at the end. This is my favorite kind of story — bloody rain and ghosts making dinner and Norse revenants shooting the breeze around the fire. I love this stuff.
3. Performance: Persona Presentation — It also went well although I totally thought I had blown it. I just have too much fun with this kind of thing though, so fortunately the judges were amused and liked it after all.
4. Composition: Prose — “The Wolf’s Story.” This was another fun entry, an original composition in the style of the Ynglinga Saga from Snorri’s Heimskringla. This story follows a werewolf throughout 4 generations of the same family. Very Norse saga-ish, where everyone is going along a’viking and minding their own business, and suddenly some dwarf shows up under magical standing stones that are doors to another world. And no one blinks an eye. I love the sagas.
5. Fibre: Costume Review. This is a live modeling in front of the judges. I modeled a Norman outfit I had made — a bliaut (not laced) and a mantle. The ermine-lined mantle was killer but the gown was just O.K.
6. Visual: Heraldic Banner. This is the entry I spent the least time on and boy did it show! I wasn’t upset because I went in knowing that, and I can use it to decorate my pavilion at war.

The other two categories that I did not enter are Functional and Culinary. I didn’t choose Functional because I’m not good at making stuff, and I didn’t choose Culinary because I pretty much can’t cook and don’t care to try. There you have it.

So in miniature this is Pentathlon. Oh, I should also mention the self-assigned skill level part. I don’t mean that we judge ourselves. A large crew of generous Laurels and other category experts do that, and a hard job it is too. But you assign your own perceived level per entry: Apprentice, Journeyman, or Artisan. I put Journeyman on my Visual and Fibre, although in hindsight I should absolutely have put Apprentice on the banner. Journeyman was O.K. for the costume review even though I didn’t place. I put Artisan on the performances and the composition because I’m pretty good at those and could teach those skills. It came out well and I was pleased. My warmest thanks to all of my judges! My great thanks also to Their Majesties who spent all day at Pentathlon trying to catch all of the visually displayed arts and performances that they could. Long live Sven and Kolfinna, and love live Caid!

And of course grateful thanks to the event staff and their helpers. Just — thank you. Words cannot express.