Okay, here's a question for the old-timers. I'm gradually pushing my way through the OP, getting everything to parse, much of which is about adding awards that I don't yet have in my configuration files. And I just got to the record for Chaim Elihu ben Moshe, who back in February of 1973 was made a "Companion of the Free Griffin" -- of Carolingia.
What the heck is the Order of the Free Griffin?
Mind, Carolingia had existed for just about a year at this point -- this precedes the existence of the Daystar and Moon by a couple of years, and the Perseus by many. But I have nothing but guesswork of what it is. Is it a proto-Daystar? We seem to have registered the name in 1987. But I know nothing else about it, and I'm not sure there are any other members.
Anybody have the story? I'm adding lots of obscure little baronial awards right now, but I didn't expect to find one from Carolingia...
The Order of the Free Griffin was invented by Baron John of Ileway as a sort of "gold watch" award for those who retired from council-level office. That was the official version, but mostly he meant it as a bit of a sweetener when he forced Chaim out of office (as Exchequer I believe, but am not certain); it fooled no one, however. Only the one was ever awarded, and because of the circumstances it went down in popular memory as "the Order of the Bounced Turkey."
[drop ancient memory attribute]
Edited at 2012-11-24 11:30 pm (UTC)
(I was careful to hedge my guess of Exchequer.)
Nobody expects the Free Griffin! Our chief weapon is surprise. Surprise and obscurity...
Besides, Carolingia doesn't seem to have any residency requirements on its current orders as they stand...
"Here you go. Fly free!"
It would primarily be a drinking order.
Specifically not -- while it's unusual, there is deliberate precedent for inducting folks who don't currently live in the Barony...
your best bet at this point would be finding John of Isleway (Baron & Seneschal), mka John Forster; or picking the memories of El of the Two Knives (EK Seneshal) or AElfgar (whose mundane name I've forgotten) (Brigantia Herald)