Phaedra de Vere

Photo
Opening ceremonies, Pennsic 2017
Information
Resides: Barony of Carolingia
Status: Active
Awards: Order of Precedence
Heraldry
Vert a lily affrontee argent within a bordure or

Award & Office Badges

Introduction

Baroness Phaedra de Vere (she/her) started playing in the SCA in the Shire of Ravenslake in the Middle Kingdom in 2006, then moved to Atlantia in 2011, and to the East Kingdom in 2017.

She adores teaching historical fencing (specifically Fabris) and can often be found near the rapier list with the Carolingian Calivers. She also makes portrait-inspired jewelry for her commission-based shop, The Gilded Thistle, which occasionally makes appearances at events as a merchant. She has a difficult time sitting still without working on something, so she's often found with embroidery, sewing, or some other craft in her hands.

Also known as "The Sandwich Fairy", she provides delicious sandwich lunches to many hungry souls and warms hands and hearts with hot drinks on cold days.

Persona

Phaedra's persona varies, mostly depending on temperatures and whether she is fencing that day.

When not fighting, she is known for her elaborate portrayal of a Tang Dynasty (600-900 AD) Chinese courtesan.

If it's a fighting or working day, she's most likely to be either 16th Century English (fencing garb), 15th Century French (cotehardies or a fancy Burgundian gown known as "Big and Purple"), or ancient Greek (if it's especially hot).

Affiliations

Provost to Master Lucas Otto Gustav Oswald Stephen vom Schnecke (called Sir LOGOS), KSCA, OP, OD, OL, Middle Kingdom
Service Student/Flight Crew to Caoilfhionn inghean Fhaoláin
Captain of the Company of Saint Jude
Non-melee member of the Carolingian Caliver Company
Member of Clan Faolach, Duchy Von Drachenklaue
Member of the Knowne World Courtesan's Guild and the Company of the Sable Domino
Owner of The Shiny Pants
Sandwich Fairy
Mischief Muse

Awards and Honors

Award of Arms, Middle Kingdom, Festival of Maidens, 2007
Companion of the Order of the Willow (embroidery), Middle Kingdom, 2008(?)
Holder of the Iron Ring of the Middle Kingdom (January 2010-April 2010)
Companion of the Order of the Silver Brooch, East Kingdom 50 Year Celebration, 2018
Companion of the Order of the Silver Wheel, East Kingdom Ethereal Court, July 2021
Companion of the Order of the Silver Rapier, 100 Minutes War, November 2022
Baroness of the Court of Brennan IV and Caoilfhionn IV, Pennsic War, August 2023
Companion of the Order of the Maunche, Ducal Challenge, September 2024

Baronial Awards

Companion of the Order of the Daystar (service), Barony of Carolingia, September? 2021
Champion of Arts and Sciences, Barony of Carolingia, September 2022
Companion of the Order of the Moon (A&S), Barony of Carolingia, May 2024

Offices & Positions

Chronicler, Shire of Ravenslake, MK, 2007-2008
Minister of Arts & Sciences, Shire of Ravenslake, MK, 2008-2010
Bocce Ball Champion, Shire of Ravenslake, MK, 2009
Retainer, Caoilfhionn III and Brennan III, 2017-2018
Queen's Guard, Caoilfhionn III, 2018
Retainer, Ozurr I and Fortune I, 2018-2019
Retainer, Ryoukujin I and Indrakshi I, 2021-2022
Retainer, Mohammed I and Corotica I, 2022-2023
Retainer, Caoilfhionn IV and Brennan IV, 2022-2023
Deputy Royal Wardrobe Coordinator, Caoilfhionn IV and Brennan IV

Event Staff

Co-Autocrat, Middle Kingdom Academy of Defense (MKAoD), 2010(?)
Class Coordinator, multiple events in the Middle Kingdom hosted by the Shire of Ravenslake
Shadow judge, East Kingdom A&S Championships, 2021
Fabris fencing and Chinese garb/hairpieces teacher at multiple events in the Middle Kingdom, Atlantia, Pennsic, and anywhere else she can get people to hold still and let her teach them stuff.

Major Projects

Midrealm Bronze Ring Badge with Midlands Dragon embroidery for a fighting tabard -- My very first embroidery, made with chain stitch and a bit of satin stitch for Master Alexander de Seton; completed 2008? It passed the armor punch test on its own even before I sewed it to the tabard.

Lion of Ansteorra Badge embroidery -- My second ever embroidery project

The Big Red Dress of Doom--Tang Dynasty Chinese garb with accompanying jewelry; red and black cotton with brocade; completed February 2010

Fencing Doublet--16th Century doublet, based on an extant doublet in Spain; grey cotton twill with black velvet stripes and linen mini-ruff; completed early 2010

Harry--Tang Dynasty style court wig with accompanying jewelry; completed April? 2011

Gertrude--Tang Dynasty style court wig with accompanying jewelry; completed February 2014

Big & Purple--Burgundian style gown c.1460s England; purple cotton velveteen, red silk dupioni, cream silk dupioni, cream fake fur; completed 2016-2017

Steve the Wig--Tang Dynasty style court wig with accompanying jewelry; completed for Pennsic 2017

The Spite Dress--Tang Dynasty style gown made for Birka 2018 Garb Challenge; called the Spite Dress because I was new to the kingdom and asked what the Birka challenge was and someone was snotty with me for not already knowing, so I made the dress in two weeks and entered to spite the jerk

The Phoenix gown--Tang Dynasty style gown with accompanying jewelry; blue and red cotton; completed for Pennsic 2019, won Best in Early Period at Birka 2020: Mythology Garb Challenge

Jiuweihu--A nine-tailed fox spirit in a Tang Dynasty style gown, won Best in Early Period at Birka 2023: Mythological Creatures Garb Challenge

The Camera Fan--Tang Dynasty style hand fan with a gold medallion appliqued on the front, a hole cut in the center, and elastic bands sewn onto the back to hold a smartphone camera exactly in place to get photos/video through the hole without the modern equipment showing

Big Red Boqta--Mongolian boqta (hat) made for Lada Monguligin for her stepping down as Viceregent of Ostgardr in September 2022. I've been vexing royals in court with complex headgear for years now; time to get other people in on the fun!

Rose Embroidery for Corotica--Silk and wool applique rose for Corotica merkka Senebelenae's Rose Elevation cloak; cloak itself made by Amalie von Hohensee; April 2023

Shot Silk Tang Court Gown--My first silk Tang gown, with green/blue Vietnamese tissue taffeta silk, backed with cotton for structure; made for Court for Pennsic 2023

Embroidered for a fencing tabard for Master Alexander de Seton of the Midrealm (It's still in use and in perfect condition, I'm told!)
Lion of Ansteorra badge embroidery
The Big Red Dress of Doom, my first Tang Dynasty garb
Teaching fencing at a sword demo in Washington, DC, 2013
Harry, my first Tang Dynasty wig
Gertrude 1.0, 2014
Big & Purple, the Burgundian gown (plus fancy accessory squire), October 2016
Big & Purple 2.0, with split skirt upgrade, September 2017
Steve the wig, plus phoenix crown, Pennsic 2017 (Yes, I can document this style.)
Steve the wig from the rear, plus golden phoenix pin, Pennsic 2017
Sitting around at an Atlantian event, July 2016
The Spite Dress, Birka 2018
The Phoenix Gown, front, Birka 2020
The Phoenix Gown, back, Birka 2020
A jiuweihu--nine-tailed fox spirit--at Birka 2023
Yet unnamed new wig and Tang Dynasty gown at Birka 2023
1630s Cavalier gown, based on a portrait of Queen Henrietta Maria
Incognito in a 15th century fuzzy gray and red cotehardie and faux fur capelet
The camera fan
Mongolian boqta
They're so cute!
Rose applique for Corotica's Rose Elevation cloak
Green/blue shot silk Tang gown for Pennsic 2023 Court

More Information

Phaedra teaches Italian rapier whenever possible and is always happy to drill with people. Classes include:

Fabris 101: Stick Your Butt Out and Kill Someone
Fabris 102: Sword and Dagger

She is also happy to teach Chinese garb and hairstyling or answer questions for the curious.

Her A&S (and general project) blog can be found at Sartorial Dominance Displays.

In Case of Court

Phaedra de Vere pronounced Fay-dra de Veer (rhymes with "peer/queer/deer/here")

Advance warning that being called into court might be a thing would be GREATLY appreciated due to mild social anxiety. I don't need to know what it's for, just a warning that it's likely to be a thing.

Please notify Brennan mac Fearghus and Caoilfhionn inghean Fhaoláin of House VDK, Thomas of Effingham, and Remy Delamontagne de Gascogne. They'll know who needs to be contacted.

I would absolutely love a scroll made by Camille des Jardins, Lily Morgaine, Christiana Crane, Collette d’Avignon, or Audrye Beneyt, if they're able and willing. Please do not feel obligated to make any scrolls Chinese-themed! I adore European styles of calligraphy/illumination, too! (I have a ridiculous love of SHINY and EXTRA and would love to earn one of the gilded book of hours type or Audrye's pearl-happy scrolls someday.)

Also important: please, please, please do not use faux hand/faux Chinese calligraphy. If you do a Chinese-themed scroll, my strong preference is to have it translated to actual Chinese and then either add an English translation in a nice Latin font underneath (if there's room) or on a separate piece of paper/parchment/whatever that can then be mounted and displayed next to the scroll, much like they do in museums with information plaques.