King's Assessment
(2025-06-27 - 2025-06-29 - Site opens at 8:30pm & Closes at 11am)
Black Diamond
Event Info
Name:
King's Assessment
Website:
Date(s):
2025-06-27 @8:30pm to 2025-06-29 @ 11am
Group:
Black Diamond
Virtual?:
No
Site Info
Site Name:
Phoebe Needles Camp and Conference Center
Address:
732 Turners Creek Rd, Callaway, VA, 24067
Directions:
From Roanoke/Boones Mill or Anywhere North:
- Take Route 220 to Boones Mill.
- Turn right onto Route 739 (at Shell Station), Bethlehem Road (becomes Route 643 @ Fairmont Baptist Church).
- Travel approximately 7.8 miles until dead end at Retreat.
- Turn right onto Route 641, Callaway Road
- Travel approximately 4.2 miles to Callaway.
- Turn left onto Route 602, Ferrum Mountain Road.
- Travel 1.9 miles.
- Take a sharp right onto Route 748, Five Mile Mountain Road.
- Travel 2.6 miles to the bottom of a slight hill.
- Turn left onto Route 640, Turners Creek Road.
- Phoebe Needles is 0.8 miles on the right.
- St. Peter’s Church can be seen up the hill on the left.
- From North or South Route 220 at Rocky Mount, exit at Route 220 Business, Main Street, and follow into town 1.8 miles.
- Turn right at the traffic light onto Route 40 West, Franklin Street, and follow through town 2.4 miles.
- Turn right at 40 West Food Fare onto Route 640, Six Mile Post Road.
- Travel 7.1 miles until this road dead ends.
- Turn right onto Route 602, Ferrum Mountain Road.
- Travel 0.6 miles to a “Y” in the road.
- Stay left – the road becomes Route 640, Rock Ridge Road.
- Travel 3 miles – you will dead end into Phoebe Needles.
- Take the exit for Route 8 to Floyd.
- In Floyd, turn left at the traffic light onto Route 221 North, Floyd Highway.
- Travel 1.2 miles through Floyd to the next turn.
- Turn right onto Route 681, Franklin Pike Road.
- Travel 9.9 miles to the intersection with the Blue Ridge Parkway (not marked).
- Cross the Parkway, the road becomes Route 640, Five Mile Mountain Road.
- Travel 5 curvy miles to the bottom of the mountain.
- Turn right onto Route 640, Turners Creek Road.
- Phoebe Needles is 0.8 miles on the right.
- St. Peter’s Church can be seen up the hill on the left.
- Heading west from Ferrum College, take Route 40 1.1 miles.
- Turn right at Route 748, Turners Creek Road.
- Travel 6.1 miles, Phoebe Needles is on your left at the top of the hill.
- Take Route 220 North, exit at Route 220 Business, Main Street, and follow 1.8 miles to Rocky Mount.
- Follow directions from Rocky Mount.
Restrictions:
No pets; however, service animals are permitted
Loud outdoor activities must cease by 11pm
Loud indoor activities must cease by 1am
Playground equipment for children 12 & under only
Campfires in designated areas only
If you are staying in the cabin, please bring your own bedding
Accessibility:
The following buildings at Phoebe Needles Center are handicap accessible: McCauley Community Center, Webb Lodge, Heck pavilion, Playground pavilion.
The following buildings at Phoebe Needles Center are not handicap accessable: Phoebe Needles Hall, Webb House.
Between buildings at Phoebe Needles Center are gravel roads that have gentle slopes (no steep inclines).
All of the main buildings are fairly close together in a cluster on our 71 acres with woods and pastures around them.
Event Steward
SCA Name:
Email:
Description:
Prepare for Battle: The Northmen Are Coming!
Join us as we rally to send the Crown’s troops off to the great Pennsic War! Warriors, artisans, and revelers alike are called to gather for a weekend of camaraderie and readiness. The fields will ring with the clash of arms during thrilling martial activities, while halls will be alive with displays of skill and creativity in the arts and sciences. On Saturday night, feast with us in true Northman style—good food, hearty cheer, and tales of valor await. Don your finest, raise your horns, and stand with the North!
Join us as we rally to send the Crown’s troops off to the great Pennsic War! Warriors, artisans, and revelers alike are called to gather for a weekend of camaraderie and readiness. The fields will ring with the clash of arms during thrilling martial activities, while halls will be alive with displays of skill and creativity in the arts and sciences. On Saturday night, feast with us in true Northman style—good food, hearty cheer, and tales of valor await. Don your finest, raise your horns, and stand with the North!
Cost Info
| Day-Trip | Feast | Camping | |
| Adult, Member Discount Event Registration | 25 | 15 | 5 |
| Adult, Event Registration | 35 | 15 | 5 |
| Youth (8 - 12) | 15 | 15 | 5 |
| Child (0-7) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Reservationist Name:
Caiomhe inghean Ui Neill
Reservationist Email:
Rachel.a.musser@gmail.com
Checks Payable To:
SCA, Inc, Barony of Black Diamond
Cost Notes:
There are also cabin spots available in a single large room cabin for $10 each.
Requests for a refund must be in writing to the registrar within 7 days of the end of the event. Rachel.a.musser@gmail.com
General Activities
Martial Activities:
King’s Assessment marks our final melee-centered event before the journey to Pennsic! Join us on the battlefield and test your mettle in heavy combat, rapier, siege warfare, and archery. Prepare, compete, and stand ready—this is your chance to sharpen your skills before war!
A&S:
A&S competition:
A Feast Fit for a Viking!
Could your kitchen tempt a conquering lord? Bring forth a dish inspired by Norman cuisine from the 10th-12th centuries. Sweet or savory.
Bonus points for period ingredients, methods, and flair.
Documentation appreciated, but not required.
There will also be a populous choice open display. Show off whatever you have been working on!
Feast:
On the table:
Pickled herring
Pickled root vegetables (carrots, radishes, turnips, cabbage, vinegar [either cider or red wine], salt)
Viking flat bread (rye flour, barley flour, water, salt)
Viking cheeses
First remove:
Salad Oxogarita (Leaf lettuce, chicory or endive, basil, cucumber, cider vinegar, Garum [fish sauce] or sunflower oil)
Viking Pork with Berry Sauce (pork tenderloin, salt,, spring onion or leek, crushed brown mustard seeds, fresh berries, mint, water, mead)
Second remove:
Viking bread (whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, water, rolled oats)
Honey glazed turnips (turnips, honey, butter) or Honey glazed root vegetables (turnips, carrots, leeks, onion, cabbage, garlic, butter, honey, salt, pepper)
Hearty Viking Stew (beef or venison, onions, carrots, parsnips, beef broth, butter, salt, pepper, thyme, sage, rosemary)
Third remove (Sweets):
Fruits, berries, nuts, honey
Merchants: