SCA Newcomer's Information

By Iohne MacDhaibidh Introduction: So you've decided to become involved in the SCA. Welcome and well met! This document should cover some of the questions that you may have and help to ease your way into the SCA. I'm certain that I could not have included all the possible information that you need into this one document, so, if you have any questions, approach anyone and ask away! Those who participate in the SCA are famed for their friendliness and willingness to help others. Firstly, allow me to tell you that you do not need to be a paid member to participate at SCA events. Paid membership is however required for some activities at events and no one may receive any awards without being a paid member of the society. Additionally paid members of the society may also receive a lower price when paying site fees. A glossary of SCA Terms and Phrases: Anachronism: A thing, which exists outside of its proper time frame. Arms: A symbol denoting a person or group of people. Commonly (and incorrectly) referred to as a coat of arms) Arts and Sciences: Beer brewing, calligraphy, armouring, garb-making, etc... A.S.: Anno Societatis or Year of the society. Within the SCA we use our own date scheme. Years are figured back to the first event that was ever held in Berkeley California. A&S: Abbreviation for Arts and Sciences. Autocrat: The organizer of an event. Baldric: A belt or sash worn diagonally across the chest. Bard-In-A-Box: A boom box. Bard/Bardic Circles: Bards are persons involved in performance art, for example singing or story telling. Bardic circles are held at many events to give the bards a place to perform. Barony: A smaller branch within a kingdom boasting a minimum of 25 paid members. A baron and baroness rule a barony. Barons of a barony are known as landed barons and are selected by the king and queen. Additionally there are court barons and baronesses. This rank is conferred upon persons who have gained great favor in the eyes of the king and queen. BOD: The board of directors. The SCA is organized as a not-for-profit corporation. It is the board of directors that manage the corporation and act as the legal representatives for the society to mundane officials. Additionally the BOD sets society-wide standards and maintains the corpora. Boffer: A padded weapon, generally used by children to teach them the arts of combat, targeting, and weapon's control. Canton: A shire-sized branch that reports to a barony. Chirurgeon: pronounced "Ky-er-jin". An officer responsible for first aid at events.

Chivalry: A code of honorable conduct (more on that later) or a title for all the knights and masters at arms as a whole. Chronicler: The chronicler is the official in charge of recording the history of a branch. The Chronicler will maintain the minutes of a branch's meetings and may also be responsible for publishing a branch newsletter. Coat of Arms: When most people these days say a coat of arms what they really mean to say is arms. A coat of arms is an actual coat that is decorated with the arms (heraldic symbols) of the noble they serve. This is known as livery. College: A small branch that is based at a college or university. Constable: An officer in charge of security at an event. Coronation: A celebration where the ruling king and queen pass the reins of power on to the crown prince and princess. Corpora: The corpora are the rules established by the society. It is the governing documents of the SCA as a whole. Court: A gathering at which the business that must be performed by the royalty is performed, such as the giving of awards. Crown Tournament: a heavy combat tournament that decides the next pair to become king and queen. Discreetly Wet Site: Discreetly wet, means that alcohol may be consumed, but that the containers must be hidden from view. Dry Site: At a dry site no alcohol of any kind may be consumed. Eric: A cordoned off area in which a tournament is conducted. Exchequer: Another name for a reeve (see reeve). Fealty: A promise of service, generally rendered to a person of some power and importance. Feast: A gathering where food is consumed, often but not always cooked according to period recipes. Feastocrat: The organizer of a feast. Garb: Period costumes and clothing worn to events. Gentle or Gentles: People, a group as a whole, for example "Greetings good gentles!" could be interpreted to mean "howdy yall!" Gold Key: A service provided at events, where a collection of loaner garb is assembled for new people to borrow for the duration of the event. Guild: A group of artisans who have banded together to further and study a particular art or science.

Hallowed Ground: A piece of ground at and SCA camping event that is set-aside for those persons with period encampments. Those camped here strive to exclude every portion of the mundane world for the duration of their stay. Their goal is to escape the modern rat race. They wont use any modern conveniences nor even speak of modern things while on hallowed ground. Heavy Fighter: A person who participates in rattan combat. Heavy, denoting the force with which they are hit. Herald: a Herald is a person who fulfills several necessary jobs in the SCA. These people are the voice of the crown at events. They will make announcements and help the royalty conduct court. Additionally the herald is the person to speak to regarding registering your persona name or your arms and a great resource to consult when developing a persona. Hold: Whenever one hears someone shout the word "hold", they should freeze immediately. Hold means that there is some form of danger. If you should witness an unsafe act or situation feel free to shout hold. Household: An unofficial group within the SCA, generally a group of friends who wish to be associated together. Households can be formed loosely with no real command structure or in some cases, such as some pirate ships or fighting households, there may actually be a chain of command and internal trappings of rank and privilege. Hussah: An exclamation somewhat akin to Yay!. Kingdom: A large branch of the SCA, which boasts a minimum of 400 paid members. A kingdom is ruled by a king and queen. The king and queen are selected by tournament. The winner of the tournament and their consort becomes the new king and queen. In An Tir crown tournaments are held twice per year in May and September. The coronation of the winners occurs 3 months after the tournament. During those three months the prospective king and queen are known as the crown prince and princess, which is not to be confused with a regular prince and princess who rule a principality. Light Fighter: Anyone participating in society combat that cannot be hit with rattan weapons. Rapierists, archers and scouts are examples of light fighters. Lists: The scheme of elimination used in tournament combat to select the new king and queen or prince and princess. You might hear a heavy fighter saying something like "I'm fighting in the lists", meaning he or she will attempt to win the crown or coronet. Lists may also be used to refer to the cordoned off area where the tournament is fought. Live Steel: Any real steel weapon. Marshall: A marshall is the officer of a branch who is in charge of all forms of combat practiced in the SCA. The marshall is responsible to ensure the safety of the combatants, qualify combatants to fight in society combat and to inspect the armour and equipment of those engaged in such combat Meade: An alcoholic beverage made by the fermentation of honey. Melee: A group combat, a combat where there are more than two combatants.

MOAS: an abbreviation for Minister of Arts and Sciences. The MOAS is the officer in charge of fostering the growth and teaching or the arts and sciences within a branch of the SCA. Mundane: Anything from the modern world. Some people refer to persons not in the SCA as mundanes or they could refer to their non-period clothing as their mundanes. Others refer to a practice known as freaking the mundanes; this means that the SCA-dians in question are running around in their garb, making mundane people wonder what is going on. Personally, I despise this activity as we should be generating good will and new members among the mundanes and not making them think were a boatload of psychopaths. Off-Board: When attending a feast, dining "off-board" means that you will be consuming food that you yourself have provided. On-Board: When attending a feast, dining "on-board" means that you will be consuming food provided by feast's host. Oyez Oyez: An exclamation meaning "your attention please!" Pronounced "Oh-Yay Oh-Yay". Pages: Young children, often enrolled in a program that teaches them about the SCA. Pavilion: A period tent. Peers: Any member of the Chivalry, Pelicans or Laurels (see each respective term for a definition). Persona: Each member of the society constructs a persona... a person who could have but did not exist within the historical time period that the society encompasses. This person is given a name that would have been in common use at the time that they were to have existed. Some people simply pick a place and time, then pick a name, while others write entire biographies for their persona. It can be as simple or detailed as you wish. Port: A small branch that is based onboard a ship. Principality: A subdivision of a kingdom boasting a minimum of 100 paid members. A prince and princess rule a principality. The prince and princess are selected by tournament. The winner of the tournament and their consort becomes the new prince and princess. Privy: The toilet. At camping events the porta-potties are referred to as "porta-privies". Province: A barony-sized group that has decided not to have a baron and baroness, basically a big shire. Rapier: A small thin thrusting weapon used late in period or the act of using one in combat. Often thought of today as fencing. Reeve: The reeve is the treasurer for a branch of the SCA. Remove: At a feast these are much like courses of the meal. It may be one dish or a round of dishes that comprise a mini-meal. SCA-dians: Pronounced "Skay-dee-ins". A SCA-dian is a person who attends SCA events or who is a member of the society. Scribe: A scribe is an artisan. Scribes prepare scrolls to commemorate the giving of an award. Seneschal: The Seneschal is the chief administrative officer for a branch of the SCA.

Shire: A small branch within the SCA that boasts a minimum of 5 paid members. A shire is lead by the shire seneschal who is elected from the paid members of the shire. Smalls: A much-debated term. In the SCA it is often used to refer to small children. In period however it was used when speaking about one's undergarments. Stronghold: A small branch that is based at an army base or other military installation. Tabard: A cloth covering worn over one's clothes, generally bearing the arms of the wearer or the symbol of their office. Tankard: A drinking vessel, basically anything you can drink out of the presents a period appearance. It is considered bad manners and basically bad form to drink beverages from a container such as a soda can or beer bottle. One should always pour these drinks into a period container and dispose of the can or bottle appropriately. Tin Hats: A common term used to denote those who wear crowns. Troll: A humorous mutation of the word "toll", a troll is the person who collects site fees when attending events or may be the gate entering into an event location. Vivat: An exclamation of exuberance meaning "well done" that is used in many kingdoms instead of Hussah!. Waterbearers: Persons who provide water to fighters at events. Wet Site: A wet site means that those legally of age to consume it may consume alcohol.

Signs of Rank and Forms of Address: The Lord/Lady: A lord or lady is a person who has received an award called "an award of arms". Being recipients of such an award grants that person the right to use the title "lord" or "Lady" before their name, i.e. "Lord Rolf" or "Lady Elspeth". Lords and ladies do not often wear any outward sign of this elevation and it is perfectly acceptable to address them as "m'lord" or "m'lady" just as you would anyone else. If you however become aware of their rank it is greatly appreciated if their rank is used whenever addressing them. The Protg: A yellow belt denotes a protg. There is no special form of address for a protg. If you do not know the person's name it is however, perfectly acceptable to say "m'lord protg" or "m'lady protg". A protg is a person whom a pelican has taken under their wing and has agreed to groom and train them to become a pelican. They often have sworn fealty to that pelican. The yellow belt is reserved by custom for protgs and should not be worn by anyone but a protg. The Squire: Squires are easily spotted. They normally wear a red belt or baldric. A squire is a person who has a student relationship with a knight or master at arms and is being trained to become a member of the chivalry. In many cases they have sworn fealty to their knight. When addressing a squire, the word "squire" may, if you wish, be added before their name i.e. "Squire Roberto". The red belt or baldric is customarily reserved for squires and should not be worn by anyone who is not a squire. The Apprentice: An apprentice usually wears a green belt. Apprentices have a training relationship with a laurel and are being groomed to become laurels. The green belt is reserved by custom for apprentices and should not be worn by anyone but an apprentice. There is no special for of address for an apprentice. If you do not know the person's name it is however perfectly acceptable to say "m'lord apprentice" or "m'lady apprentice". The Pelican: Pelicans are peers, members of an elite group of selected people who have been selected to this group because of their self-less service to the society. The symbol of the members of the pelican is a badge depicting a pelican piercing its own heart to feed its offspring droplets of its blood. Often pelicans will wear a medallion depicting this symbol. Pelicans are normally addressed with Master or Mistress.

The Laurel: Laurels are peers, members of an elite group of selected people who have been selected because of their unsurpassed excellence in the arts and sciences. The symbol of the members of the laurel is a badge depicting a laurel wreath. Laurels are normally addressed as Master or Mistress.

The Knight/Master of Arms: Knights and masters at arms are granted the right to wear spurs, unadorned gold chains and white belts or baldrics (white belt=knight, white baldric=master at arms). The spurs, unadorned gold chains, and white belts and baldrics are reserved for knights and masters at arms and can not be worn by anyone but a knight or master at arms. Knights and masters at arms are peers, members of the chivalry, and are selected due to their prowess in battle and their untarnished chivalrous behavior. Knights are addressed as "sir" and masters at arms as Master regardless of gender. While some female knights have adopted alternative forms of address, use "sir" until instructed otherwise by the person in question, i.e. Sir Johannes or Sir Frieda. If the person's name is not known, use "sir Knight" or "master at arms" to address them. The difference between a knight and a master at arms is a question of fealty. Knights swear fealty to the king and queen, while masters at arms do not. The Baron/Baroness: Barons and baronesses wear crowns. The points of the baronial coronet will be tipped in small balls or pearls. When addressing a baron or baroness one uses the phrase "Your Excellency" if the person's name is not used, or their title if their name is used i.e. "Baron Wolfgar" or "Baroness Susana".

The Prince/Princess: Princes and Princesses rule over principalities. They become prince or princess by winning a coronet tournament. They wear crowns with no distinguishing hallmarks other than the fact that they are crowns. A prince or princess is addressed with Your Highness. The Crown Prince/Princess: Crown Princes and crown princesses again, wear crowns. These are generally more elaborate than other crowns but less so than the king and queens crowns. Additionally the crown prince and princess may be identifiable because of their arms. The crown prince and princess are addressed as "your royal highness" or if you are addressing them by name, "your royal highness, prince Bjorn" or "your royal highness princess Anastacia". In order to be considered the crown prince or princess one must be the winner or consort of a crown tournament. These are the persons who will become the king and queen at the next coronation.

The King/Queen: The King and queen wear crowns as well. Again these crowns will vary and have no distinguishing hallmarks other than the fact that they often are quite elaborate. The king and queen will frequently wear the arms of the king and queen on their persons depicted below:

Arms of the King and Queen of An Tir

Kings and queens are addressed as "your royal majesty", "his royal majesty, king Olaf", "her royal majesty, Queen Isabella" or "their royal majesties" collectively. The Count/Countess: A count or countess wears a crown as well; this crown however is less nebulous; it is described as an "embattled" or crenallated crown. Below is such a crown:
Count's or Countess' Crown

Counts and countesses are addressed with "your grace" or if you are using their name, "your grace, count Winslow" or "your grace countess Talitha". The Viscount/Viscountess: A viscount or viscountess is a person that has served a minimum of two terms as a prince or princess or a principality. Viscounts and viscountesses wear a crown with a single point in the front and are addressed as "your grace" or if using their name "your grace, viscount Sven" or "your grace, viscountess Kristina". Note, the "s' in viscount(ess) is silent and the "i" is long. The first syllable rhymes with buy. The Duke/Duchess: A duke or duchess wears a crown as well, but this one's easier to spot. The crown will be decorated with strawberry leaves (groups of 3 leaves). A duke or duchess has served as king or queen on two prior occasions or more. They are addressed as "your grace" or if using their name, "your grace, duke Ferdinand" or "your grace, duchess Rebecca".
Ducal Crown

Everyone Else: Everyone else should be addressed as "m'lord" or "m'lady" and may not wear a crown or circlet of any kind. Having said all of this; perhaps the easiest way to handle the forms of address is to emulate those around you. Or if you cant glean the proper form of address from what others are saying, address anyone with a crown as your grace. If you are mistaken in their rank, they will most likely assume that you are new and give you the correct form of address.

Respecting Heralds: The herald is the voice of the crown. When attending an event, if you should hear a herald shout, Oyez, Oyez or Pray Attend. That means that the herald has something to say. Since the herald is the voice of the crown you should cease speaking and pay attention to the words of the herald. Even if you have heard the announcement before, it is courtesy, as someone near by may not have heard the announcement. Once the heralds announcement has been completed you may resume your activities. Court Etiquette: When attending court there are a few rules to follow. Firstly, wear the best garb that you have at your disposal. Court is supposed to be a show and the pageantry of this show is enriched by a backdrop of lovely garb. When the royalty enter, bow or curtsy as they pass by your position. One should also bow or curtsy if the passing within about 10 paces of the royalty or when passing the thrones (whether empty or occupied) or the high table at a feast. In court, be quiet and attentive, pay attention to the happenings. Should you be called before the royalty in court, follow these simple steps. Walk directly to the aisle left down the center of where the court is being held. Turn and stride confidently forward. Once you are about five paces from the thrones, stop and bow or curtsy gracefully, then continue forward. There will be pillows in front of the thrones, kneel on these pillows. The royalty will then address whatever business has caused you to be called forward. Remember to use the proper forms of address while speaking to the royalty. Once the royalty has finished their business with you, rise from the pillows, walk backwards a few steps, again bow or curtsy gracefully, then turn and stride back to your seat. Feast Etiquette & Equipment: This will vary somewhat from event to event, but in general, you can expect to need: Plate Bowl (for soup and such) Tankard, mug, goblet or other drinking vessel Silverware (Note that forks, particularly the 4-tined curved fork that is generally used today, were not common through most of the Middle Ages. Spoon, knife and fingers were the usual implements.) Candles and candleholders are a good idea. Note that some sites have restrictions on open flames or are worried about having candle wax spilled on their floors, so checking on the rules for the particular event you're going to is a good idea. Something to drink: this will vary widely. Some events expect that folks will provide their own drinks; some will have servers bringing around pitchers or water, tea or some such; some have restrictions on alcoholic drinks; some allow *no* outside drinks and expect you to buy drinks from the on-site bar (I've seen this at some American Legion halls, for example.) Again, check on the rules for that particular event, or bring an ice chest with your preferred drinks, but be prepared to leave it in the car.

Not essential, but convenient and useful: Tablecloth (Plain white bed sheets work just fine and are significantly cheaper than similar-sized "real" table cloths.) Napkin Salt/pepper. These are rarely provided, if you like them on your food, bring your own. Box, basket or bag: to put feast gear in. Ice chest, to keep drinks cold. A Cover for your ice chest and feast basket: so they don't look so glaringly modern. Plastic bag: for dirty dishes. Sometimes there will be a "washing station" where you can dump food scraps and rinse off your dishes; sometimes they will have a special kitchen crew who will wash the guests' dishes, but don't count on it. Usually you're on your own. Most sites frown on washing the dishes in the bathroom sinks because of the likelihood of clogging up the plumbing. Having a bag to put the dirty stuff in until you can get it home keeps the mess contained. None of this stuff has to be fancy, although it can be. I also recommend that you don't take *anything* that's breakable, or that you have a strong emotional attachment to. Camping Event Etiquette & Equipment: SCA camping events are sort of a combination of a camping trip and a costume party. They are a great deal of fun and in my humble opinion one of the best things about the SCA. There are a few things though that one must know. One important thing is privy etiquette. Most of the sites you will be using will not have developed restroom facilities. You will probably be using porta-potties. These are normally well tended and cleaned often. When using the porta-potty (or as its known in the SCA, the porta-privy). Always be sure to close the lid. One year at Pennsic, there was an outright plague. The flies were getting into the porta-privies and then biting people, making them ill. So its important to close those lids! Additionally clean up after yourself that is just common courtesy after all. Do not dispose of female hygiene products in the porta-privy. They can cause problems when the privy is being emptied. Instead, dispose of them in a trashcan. SCA campsites are historically very safe places with very low crime rates. An armed society is after all a very polite society. However, if there are mundanes walking through the campsite, be sure to secure your equipment. In all my years in the SCA I have never had anything stolen at an SCA event, except for a 12 pack of beer that was stolen at an event where there were a large number of mundanes walking through the encampment. A note on swimming in the SCA: Some events have places where you can swim. There are two types of SCA swimming, period and regular. If the site announcement specifies period swimming, dont let it throw you, period swimming, means that the swimmers may swim nude if they wish and many do. I dont know why skinny-dipping is a part of the SCA, but it is. SCA-dians in general dont have much of a problem with nudity. It is not uncommon to see people changing their clothing in plain view. If nudity would offend your sensibilities you may want to stay away from the period swimming hole. When packing for an SCA camping event, be sure to keep in mind the weather that you may encounter. Theres nothing worse than freezing through a whole event because you thought you wouldnt need your cloak... Except perhaps baking because you have no lightweight garb. Weather is a very fickle thing, so pack a lot of clothes.

Another thing about the weather is the sun. You will need some form of sun block, as you will be in the sun all day. A wide brimmed hat to protect your face from the sun is also an indispensable commodity. You will need a tent of some sort and a sleeping bag or bedding to stay warm while sleeping. You will need your feast gear, a cooler full of food and something to cook the food on and in. Plan to eat more while at camping events than you do at home. Your body uses a lot more calories when you are living outdoors. You will need some form of light. A special note on lighting here; some kingdoms have outlawed tiki torches, be sure to check the event announcement before going. Additionally some kingdoms have outlawed Coleman lanterns. Any source of harsh light such as a Coleman lantern should only be used inside of your tent. This sort of harsh light ruins peoples night vision and simply destroys the ambiance of the event. Stick to candles and candle lanterns for light. Remember, we are recreating a world that was only lit by fire. Always take a supply of water with you regardless of whether the event announcement says that there is potable water on site. Its happened a few times to me, that my idea of potable water and the autocrats idea of potable water were two utterly different things. Dont forget to take a copy of the directions to the event site and possibly the event announcement itself. After these few items everything else is optional. There are a few things that experience has taught me are very nice to have A chair to sit on is a good example. Some form of mattress makes for a more comfortable nights sleep. A flashlight is nice if you have to set up camp in the dark. Just be considerate of others when using a flashlight. Many event sites do not allow you to build a fire on the ground. A grill or portable fire pit is a very nice thing. If you plan on a fire, take wood with you, as it is not always available when you arrive. Additionally, if you plan on having a fire, take a fire extinguisher with you, just in case. You will also need to bring any authorization cards you may have and proof of membership if applicable. A sunshade is also something that will make your life at an SCA camping event much easier. When I say sunshade, I mean a tent with no walls. Some people call these dining flies. Some can be purchased with mosquito netting and some without. Which you purchase, is up to your personal taste and budget. Its nice to have a shady place to sit during the noon heat, or to retreat under during a sudden downpour.

Some people spend considerable money and effort to have a period encampment. This is not necessary, but I believe it should be every good SCA-dians goal to work toward a more period appearance for their encampment. Hang up heraldic banners if nothing else. Nothing spruces up a campsite more than some spiffy heraldry!

Packing List: [ ] Clothing [ ] Tent [ ] Sleeping Bag or Bedding [ ] Feast Gear [ ] Cookware [ ] Camp Stove [ ] Can Opener [ ] Ice Chest [ ] Food [ ] Water [ ] Event Announcement and Directions to Site. [ ] Toiletries [ ] Chair [ ] Mattress [ ] Lighting [ ] Flashlight [ ] Matches [ ] Sun Screen [ ] Wide Brimmed Hat [ ] Authorization and Membership Cards [ ] Sunshade [ ] Banners [ ] Fire Pit [ ] Fire Wood [ ] Fire Extinguisher Making Garb: When preparing garb it is important to know the kingdom sumptuary customs so that your garb is not in abeyance of it. Crowns may not be worn by anyone who has not attained sufficient rank to wear them. A crown is defined as any metallic band worn in the head that has projections extending upward. Likewise, those who are not knights or masters at arms may not wear white belts or baldrics, unadorned gold chains and spurs. One who is not a squire, apprentice or Protg should eschew red, yellow and green belts. Ermine (white fur with little black-tipped tails) is also generally reserved for royalty. Beyond that, feel free to wear whatever garb you wish as long as it cannot be construed as representing a rank or honor you have not earned.

Geography, SCA Kingdoms and their Locations: At the current time there are 16 kingdoms in the SCA. Below is a list of them and the areas they encompass:
West: Northern California and Nevada, Alaska, Japan, Korea and Pacific Rim East: US: eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, eastern New York, The New England states. In Canada: Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. Middle: US: Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, a nip of Iowa, Wisconsin, Canada: Manitoba, and a bit of Ontario. Atenveldt: Arizona, small bits of Utah and California Meridies: Georgia (nearly all of), Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas (most of), Tennessee, a bit of the panhandle of Florida, and small portions of both Kentucky and Virginia. Caid: Southern California, Greater Las Vegas Area, Hawaii, and New Zealand Ansteorra: most of Texas, Oklahoma. Atlantia: Maryland, most of Virginia, North and South Carolina, piece of Georgia. An Tir: US: Oregon, Washington, the northern tip of Idaho, Canada: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. Calontir: Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Northern Arkansas. Trimaris: Majority of Florida, Panama, and Antarctica. Outlands: New Mexico, most of Colorado, parts of Wyoming and Nebraska, and El Paso and Hudspeth counties of Texas. Drachenwald: Europe, Africa, Middle East Artemisia: southern Idaho, most of Utah, western Colorado, Wyoming, Montana thelmearc: West Virginia, western Pennsylvania, and western New York. Ealdormere: Ontario, Canada Lochac: Australia Gleann Abhann: Louisiana, Mississippi, Western Tennessee, most of Arkansas Northshield: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan & Western Quebec & Manitoba Canada

Map of the Kingdom of An Tir

Other Sources of Information: Knowne World Handbook Available from many vendors, very worthwhile reading! This book will cover just about everything I covered here and a myriad of other things. SCA Web Site http://www.sca.org - this web site has a lot of good information on it, including full copies of the official documents of the SCA (Corpora, By-Laws, etc) Kingdom Web Site - http://antir.sca.org/ - this web site has the kingdom laws, the kingdom event calendar and a lot of other good and useful information. Stefan's Florilegium - http://www.florilegium.org/ - Lord Stefan li Rous has been collecting information relating to the SCA for many years. This web site is probably the most complete listing of SCA related topics and issues in existence. Society History: The society began as a costume party held by students from UC Berkeley. The original party was held in Berkeley California in 1966. The participants from that party enjoyed it so much that they decided to repeat the party. Now, many years later, the party is still going strong. It has grown from the original hand full of people to several tens of thousands of participants. Some of the original partygoers are still active in the society, even after all of this time. The name Society for Creative Anachronism was coined on a lark by the author Marion Zimmer Bradley. She was a long time member of the society before her passing. She coined it on a lark while filling out an application to reserve a park for an event that asked for an organization name. An Tir was created as a principality of the Kingdom of the West almost immediately after the founding of the society. It became the ninth kingdom of the Society for Creative Anachronism in A.S. XV (1982). The first crown tourney was held on September 5-7th of 1981. The arms of the kingdom are Checky Or and argent, a lion rampant tail forked and nowed sable, crowned gules, grasping in dexter forepaw a laurel wreath bendwise vert.

Site Cleanliness and Pitching in: It has long been society custom to leave a site cleaner than it was found. After an event is over, please pitch in and help clean up the site. This is every good SCA-dians duty. Besides venue managers are always happy to see a good customer return. Finding a good space to hold events is difficult work. This work is made much easier if the SCA has a good reputation.

Developing a Persona: Each person in the SCA develops a persona; a person that they represent while participating in the SCA. It should be a person who could have, but did not exist during period. Many enjoy developing involved life-stories for their personas. If you wish to begin developing your own persona, consult with your local herald for tips and pointers on getting started. Religion and the SCA: The official stance in the SCA is that no society-sanctioned event shall have a religious happening as a part of the event. To quote the society corpora:
Having no wish to recreate the religious conflicts of the period under study, the Society for Creative Anachronism, Incorporated, shall neither establish nor prohibit any system of belief among its members. No one shall perform any religious or magical ceremony at a Society event (or in association with the name of the Society) in such a way as to imply that the ceremony is authorized, sponsored, or promulgated by the Society or to force anyone at a Society event, by direct or indirect pressure, to observe or join the ceremony. However, this provision is in no way intended to discourage the study of historical belief systems and their effects on the development of Western culture. Except as provided herein, neither the Society nor any member acting in its name or that of any of its parts shall interfere with any person's lawful ceremonies, nor shall any member discriminate against another upon grounds related to either's system of belief.

This does not mean that you may not practice you religion at an event, you may. This means that the King or Queen cannot say a prayer at court for example. Common sense and courtesy here must prevail as well. Your religious practices may be offensive to some, so please practice them in such a way that you force someone else to view, hear or be a part of it. What is Chivalry?: Chivalry is a code of personal honour and conduct. That sounds pretty nebulous, but it really isnt. Honour can be defined as doing whats right, even when no one is looking. Below is a very good definition of the qualities of chivalry:
Prowess: Seek excellence in everything you do, martial and otherwise, your strength is to be used in the service of justice, rather than in personal aggrandizement. Remember that anything worth doing is worth doing right. Justice: Seek always the path of 'right', unencumbered by bias or personal interest. Recognize that the sword of justice can be a terrible thing, so it must be tempered by humanity and mercy. Loyalty: Be known for unwavering commitment to the people and ideals you choose to live by. There are many places where compromise is expected; loyalty is not amongst them. Defense: The medieval knight was sworn by oath to defend his liege lord and those who depended upon him. Seek always to defend your nation, your family, and those to whom you believe worthy of loyalty. You should likewise be sworn to defend those not capable of defending themselves. Courage: This often means choosing the more difficult path, the personally expensive one. Be prepared to make personal sacrifices in service of the precepts and people you value. At the same time, you should seek wisdom to see that stupidity and courage are cousins. Courage also means taking the side of truth in all matters, rather than seeking the expedient lie. Seek the truth whenever possible, but remember to temper justice with mercy, or the pure truth can bring grief. Faith: You must have faith in your beliefs, for faith roots you and gives hope against the despair that human failings create. Humility: Value first the contributions of others; do not boast of your own accomplishments, let others do this for you. Tell the deeds of others before your own, according them the renown rightfully earned through virtuous deeds. Largesse: Be generous in so far as your resources allow; largesse used in this way counters gluttony. It also makes the path of mercy easier to discern when a difficult decision of justice is required.

Nobility: Seek great stature of character by holding to these virtues, realizing that though the ideals cannot be reached, the quality of striving towards them ennobles the spirit, growing the character from dust towards the heavens. Nobility also has the tendency to influence others, offering a compelling example of what can be done in the service of rightness. Franchise: Seek to emulate everything I have spoken of as sincerely as possible, not for the reason of personal gain but because it is right. Do not restrict your exploration to a small world, but seek to infuse every aspect of your life with these qualities. Should you succeed in even a tiny measure then you will be well remembered for your quality and virtue. Honesty: Your word is your bond. If your words are not to be trusted then any fealty sworn by you is worthless. Never make a promise that you have no intention of keeping. Should circumstances conspire against you and prevent you from keeping your promises and you have expended every option at your disposal, then, have the courage to admit openly that you have failed.

These are clearly lofty goals and as is stated above it is not necessarily arriving at perfection that is desired it is the ennobling aspect of the journey. Every person in the SCA is considered to be of noble birth. Every person in the SCA is supposed to strive to the goals of chivalry and chivalric behavior. I hope the information I have provided here has been informative and useful. The SCA is a fun organization to be a part of. I hope I have supplied you with enough information to get you started in the SCA. Please feel free to approach any SCA-dian who looks like they know what they are doing and ask them questions, should you have any.