Thursday, March 5, 2015

Belts of the Eternal Flame

Kelly "Dame Twenaria" Bonci


Photo by Jesse Gifford



1. What year were you awarded your white belt?
I *think* it was 2006, I know it was at Feast of Folkestone.  I associate it with my 10 year anniversary in the Realms.

2. Who administered "the punch" and-- be honest!!--did it hurt?
Steve Matulewicz.  It did hurt, and left a pretty bruise.  What I loved about it is that Steve didn't hold back for me.  It was a sign of respect.  I remember people gasping when it was done.  Including me.

3. Whose belt did you wear until you got your own, and how was this significant for you?
I'm incredibly lucky to have been presented with my own belt right then.  It still means the world to me that a few people in the knighthood knew me enough to paint the belt for me and get it perfect.  

4. Please describe your own belt's heraldry.
The belt shows a red oak leaf impaled on the down-turned sword.  The background is black, with a gold diagonal stripe above.

5. Why did you chose that heraldry to represent you?
While I can't promise I know what Maryanne was thinking, I can guess.  At one point we were very close.  The red oak leaf is a simple symbol I have used for Twen for years.  The down-turned sword shows in two heraldries I had a hand in creating (Elemirre,now Ashenmark; and Tuath Fasach)  The down-turned sword means protection first, but a willingness to fight if need be.  The leaf is also a nod to the flame of the Elemirre/Ashenmark heraldry.
I assume the black background is a nod to the Elemirrian flag, and the gold diagonal stripe is a weird premonition of Ashenmark.  

6. Who did the artwork on your belt?
My dear friend, Maryanne Beatie (Shalindra).  I'm thrilled she is able to show a little more often.

7.  What do you remember most about your knighting? 
At the time, I was working for an animal shelter.  I had a feisty kitten I was bottle-feeding at the time the KoEF gathered at the front of the room.  I half-listened, and was focused on Simon (now owned by Dave Harvill).  Wendy (Makayla) was sitting to my left.  Cheech made a comment about this person having huge tracts of land, and I know I paid attention to that reference.  It was exciting to see a woman get knighted.  Little did I know.  When my name was called, I was flabbergasted.  I handed the kitten to Wendy, and the rest is sort of a blur.  I didn't see it coming at all.

8.  What does being a KoEF mean to you?
This is a hard question, and one I still struggle with.  It means people I look up to decided what I was doing was good for the game, that I should help others do good for the game, as well.  
It means I am in service to this community, and I will not stop what I did because I got a belt.  It only means I need to do more. 




Photo by David Harvill