Introduction

(What is the SCA?)

The SCA is the Society for Creative Anachronism. Its purpose is the study and recreation of the European Middle Ages, its arts, crafts, sciences, traditions, literature, martial activities, and so forth. The SCA "period" ends at 1600 AD, and concentrates on the High Middle Ages in Western Europe. There is no official early cutoff date, but generally we think of our period starting around 600 AD. In the SCA we study things such as dance, calligraphy, martial arts, cooking, heraldry, metalwork, stained glass, costuming, literature, and many others. If they did it then, somebody in the SCA probably does it now.

As you may guess, the thing that separates the SCA from a Medieval Studies class is the active participation in the learning process. To learn about period costume, you design and make the clothes. To learn SCA infantry fighting, you make armor, weapons, and shields, put them on and go and learn how it feels to wear them when somebody is swinging a (wooden) sword at you. To learn brewing, you make (and sample!) your own wines, meads and beers.

You will frequently hear an SCA person describe the SCA as recreating the Middle Ages "as they ought to have been". In some ways this is true - we have few plagues or peasants, no Inquisition, and we do have indoor plumbing. Rigid social stratification is softened - we are all assumed to be at least gently born, so no matter whom you are, you can wear velvet to a feast and eat from silver dishes. But it is more true to say that we attempt to recreate the parts of the Middle Ages most acceptable to modern values, rather than remodeling them as they "should" have been.

The SCA began in 1966 in Berkeley, California, when a group of science fiction and fantasy fans wanted a "theme" party. Following the party, the group got together to discuss the idea of a medieval recreation and reenactment group, somewhat like the Medieval and British Civil War recreation societies which had existed for any number of years in Britain. The Californians started forming groups, eventually incorporated as a non-profit educational society, and away they went.

Since 1966, the SCA has grown to include over 25,000 paying members in the US, Canada, Mexico, England, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Italy, France, Korea, Okinawa, New Zealand, Australia, Iceland, The Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland, and Spain. Current demographic estimates indicate that for every dues-paying member there are several non-subscribing members active in local groups. One of the nice things about the SCA is that you need not be a paying member to participate in most activities; although of course there are advantages to being a paid member (lower event costs, monthly and quarterly newsletters, etc).

People joining the SCA now find themselves part of a world-wide extended family, all of whom share a common interest - the aim of recreating a society where personal integrity is important, honor and chivalry have real meaning, and the high ideals of the Middle Ages are not forgotten. You will sometimes hear this referred to as "The Dream" Not everyone has exactly the same idea of The Dream. For some, it is Arthurian romance; for others, strict historical accuracy, or the comradeship of fighters - but in our hearts this is what binds us all together.

Purpose of this Booklet

This booklet is designed for the newcomer to the SCA, to help you settle in and start having fun faster, without feeling as though you constantly have to ask questions. Because the SCA has been around for thirty years, it's picked up a number of traditions and conventions which can be a bit confusing until you know what's going on.

We have covered the main areas of life in the SCA, with particular reference to the Barony of Hidden Mountain (Eastern SC), which is the group you have probably joined. Of course, we can't cover the entire life of the SCA and all its traditions in one short booklet; do please still feel free to ask anyone about anything you don't quite understand or want more information on. We all love answering questions and showing off our hobby! And don't be intimidated by people who have titles - they probably got them for helping newcomers...

At the end of the booklet is a page giving our current officers and regular activities; this may not be completely up-to-date, since things do change. You should call the person in charge of a particular activity (see Officers) before just turning up to a meeting, in case the time and place have changed. In general, if you call anyone on this page they can tell you who you should talk to, even if they don't have the information you need at hand they can help you find it.

More Information

Many of the articles in this booklet refer to the Known World Handbook. This is a detailed manual about the SCA, produced by the North American groups. It is a fascinating book, giving much practical and amusing advice about the Middle Ages and SCA customs and history, and currently costs $25. If you would like a copy of the Known World Handbook, contact the Stock Clerk for the SCA. The Stock Clerk has a number of other interesting publications as well as the Known World Handbook - for example, the Compleat Anachronist series of booklets on aspects of medieval life and craft ranging from pottery to poetry, published bimonthly by the SCA Inc, costs only $20/year for a member's subscription.

Acknowledgments

This booklet was written and put together by Mistress Rowan Perigrynne and Lady Yseult de Lacy. The introduction was loosely based on an article written by Mistress Siobhan Medhbh O'Roarke. The illustrations were either drawn by Mistress Rowan or Lady Yseult, taken from the Known World Handbook, or copied from medieval books such as the Lutterel Psalter.

Copying this Booklet

You are welcome to make complete copies of this booklet and give them away or sell them for enough to properly cover your costs. You may also reproduce any part of it or adapt it for your local group, provided you acknowledge the people in the above paragraph. Mistress Rowan and Lady Yseult would both be grateful to receive a copy of any publications using material from this booklet. Our addresses are given on the last page, in the Contacts section. You must also include the information in this paragraph in any copies or derivative works you make, and allow at least the parts of your work that are derived from ours to be similarly freely distributed.

An electronic copy of the plain ASCII unformatted text, or a PostScript version, with no illustrations, is available on request on floppy disk or by e-mail. Those requesting an electronic copy must also purchase one printed copy of this booklet. An unbound single-sided master printed copy, suitable for photocopying, will also be provided on request. Please contact Lady Yseult for any of these requests.

Glossary

(What the weird words mean)

The SCA uses quite a few words and phrases which can be confusing to the newcomer. Below are some definitions of commonly-used terms.

Apprentice - A Laurel's particular student, being trained in one or more medieval arts. Usually wears a green belt with the Laurel's device on the tab. Not an official SCA rank, but indicates major interest in Arts & Sciences.

A.S. (Anno Societatis) - SCA years (literally, "the year of the society"), typically given in Roman numerals. The SCA year starts on May 1st, because the Society was founded on May 1st 1965. May 1995 began A.S. XXX (30).

Associate Membership - Paid-up membership of the SCA Inc. which allows the holder to be an officer, but not receive publications.

Authorized Fighter - Fighters must go through basic training including combat technique, safety, and equipment, and be tested by the marshals. They must show their Authorization Card to fight in any tourney.

Autocrat - SCA name for person in charge of a feast or other event. This term has a faint historical basis, but is not what this person would probably have been called in medieval times. "Steward" is a better term.

Award - 	SCA awards are given for service, skill in the arts and sciences, or fighting prowess. There are many different types and several levels of awards, carrying varying amounts of prestige. The term can also refer to a medallion or other token given with the award. (See the article on Awards in this book-let.)

Belted Fighter - A Knight or squire.

Chivalry (See Knight) - The Chivalry consists of Knights and Masters at Arms. Knights swear fealty to the Crown and wear a white belt.

Collegium - An SCA Arts and Sciences class or series of classes, often over a weekend. Collegia cover subjects such as dancing, singing, brewing, heraldry, calligraphy, illumination, cookery, costuming, and so forth.

Court - A gathering at an event where the Baron and Baroness, Prince and Princess, or King and Queen present awards, make announcements, receive presentations, appoint officers, or transact other business; A formal occasion.

Crown Tourney - 	Tournament held three times a year to select the next Prince & Princess/King & Queen. The tourney winner will be the next Ruler, and the lady or lord he/she fought for, their Consort.

Device - SCA coat-of-arms. The design must follow the rules of heraldry, must be unique within the SCA, and not clash with well known real world arms such as the Shell Logo or the British Royal Arms.

Dream, the Dream – The shorthand name for the ideal of chivalry, honor, and a better world which underlies the fabric of the SCA; It's a very personal and individual concept, and you will find almost no two people share exactly the same image of "The Dream".

Eric - SCA term for the list field; the name came from the dagged red list field bunting known as "Eric the Red" in early West Kingdom history. 

Event -An SCA get-together. Events are usually tournaments, feasts, or revels (e.g., a dance or collegium).

Feast - An event which concentrates on medieval eating and drinking, typically with dancing and entertainment. There may also be a court. Food will usually be served in several courses throughout the evening. Feasts may be fully catered or pot-luck (each person brings a dish). Alcohol is BYO; soft drinks are often provided.

Feasting Gear - SCA table setting and cutlery in medieval style - typically platter, bowl, goblet, eating knife (dagger), spoon, candle and candlestick, napkin, jug, and basket to carry it all in.

Full Membership, Sustaining Membership - Paid-up membership of the SCA Inc. which entitles the holders to receive publications) and allows them to be an officer. 

Heavy Fighter - Person who wears full armor and fights full contact with sword and shield, mace, pole-arm, axe or similar weapon; heavy duty fun and bruises.

Investiture - A court event where the outgoing Royalty crown the incoming pair. 

Kingdom - Area ruled by a King and Queen. Must have at least 400 full SCA members, and usually involves several thousand people. There are currently 13 Kingdoms, covering the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Korea.

Knight - One of the Peerages; highest SCA award for heavy fighting. (See also Laurel, Pelican.
Known World), the 13 Kingdoms of the SCA: Sometimes called the "Laurel Kingdoms", for the laurel wreath each has on its device.

Laurel - 	One of the Peerages; highest SCA award for Arts and Sciences (See also Knight, Pelican)

Lists, List Field - The roped-off enclosure where tournament fighting takes place (sometimes called the Eric).

Mundane - Person or things belonging to the everyday, 20th century, non-SCA world.

Pas d'Arms - Special type of tourney where a single challenger or a team takes on other fighters for a fixed combat set, with much pageantry, elaborate challenges, and heraldic display.

Peerage - Highly respected group of people who have been given the highest SCA awards for Arts & Sciences (Laurel), Fighting (Chivalry), or Service (Pelican). Also Royal Peers, who have been Kings/Queens or Princes/Princesses.

Pelican - One of the Peerages; highest SCA award for service to the Society. See also Laurel, Knight.

Period - Time period covered by the SCA - roughly 600-1600 AD, although there is no official early cutoff date. There used to be some confusion over whether the end date is 1600 or 1650, which explains the occasional Cavaliers you see wandering around. (They don't officially belong, but hey, they're pretty...)

Protégé - A Pelican's particular student, being trained in general service to the Society. Not an official SCA rank, but indicates strong interest in hard work. A protege may wear a yellow belt with the Pelican's device on the tab.

Remove - SCA name for a course of a feast. Probably not used in medieval times (they simply called them "`courses").

Revel - SCA event which is not a tourney or a feast, such as a dance, a games day, a collegium, or a special court event.

Royal Peers - People who have been King/Queen or Prince/Princess. Being Royalty in the SCA is hard work. These people deserve their title and the respect that goes with it.

SCA Name - Name by which a participant is known in the SCA must be a plausible medieval name, but not a real historical (or fantasy) person. "Robert the Bruce" is not allowed, but" Robert of Edinburgh" is fine.

SCA - Society for Creative Anachronism; selective recreation of pre-1600 Western European medieval culture.

Squire - A Knight's particular student, being trained in heavy list fighting. Not an official SCA rank, but indicates major interest in combat skills. Usually wears a red belt with the Knight's device on the tab.

Tourney, Tournament - An event which concentrates on heavy fighting, often for a prize; There may be food and other activities, such as games or a court.

Tournaments Illuminated, T.I. - The world-wide quarterly magazine received by paid full members of the SCA.

Troll - SCA term for gatekeeper or door warden at a feast or other event. This name has no historical basis. "Porter" was atypical medieval name for this job.

Unbelted Fighter - A fighter who is neither a Knight nor a squire.

Activities

(So what do you do?)

The most visible Society activities are those events attracting large numbers of people or held in the public arena - tourneys, feasts, wars, and demonstrations. This is the way most people are introduced to the Society, but there are many other activities you can be involved in too.

Tourneys

Tournaments or Tourneys are competitions between pairs or small groups of heavy infantry fighters. They are usually held in a park, with the lists (fighting field) roped off with bunting. Spectators play music and games, dance, embroider, eat, help the fighters, or just sit and watch the tourney. Lunch may be provided, pot-luck (bring a dish to share), or just bring your own. The cost for a catered tourney is typically $20.00 or less; and may sometimes be broken up in site fees and feast fees, pot-luck or bring-your-own tourneys are usually free or of nominal charges.

The fights are organized by the Lists Keeper, typically as rounds with double or single elimination (i.e., lose two fights or one fight to be out) or round robin (fight everyone - the largest score wins). Marshals keep an eye on the safety of fighters on the field wins). Marshals keep an eye on the safety of fighters on the field and Heralds announce who is fighting and who wins each bout. Winners receive a tassel to hang on their banner or some other prize for themselves or the lord or lady they fought for. Hidden Mountain holds an Annual Baronial Championship Tourney in May as well as several other tournaments each year.

Within the Kingdom of Atlantia (SC, NC, VA, and Maryland), two major Coronet Tourneys are held each year. The different groups bid for the privilege of holding these tourneys, which may attract hundreds of people. The winner of the tourney and his or her consort will be crowned as the next Prince and Princess of Atlantia.

Feasts

Feasts are dinners or banquets, often with dancing and entertainment. They are usually held in a hall, and vary from casual to very formal. The food is usually catered by a group of SCA people, but can also be pot-luck, with everyone bringing a medieval dish to share. Cost typically ranges from about $8-$15.

In general, people will sit at tables set with candles and feasting gear (goblets, bowls, daggers, etc.). A High Table will be set up at the head of the hall for the Baron and Baroness or visiting Royalty, and there will be a space for entertainment and dancing. The food is brought out in several courses, with dancing or Court in between. Medieval dances are taught at regular meetings and danced during the feast, and simple dances may also be taught before or during the feast. Bards, or anyone with a song or story, may entertain during the feast. There may be a Court to present awards and make announcements, with a Herald in attendance, particularly if Royalty is present. There may also be competitions for the dishes presented, costumes, song, poetry, or other arts. Hidden Mountain groups hold annual events like Feast of St. Andrews, in December and several other feasts during the year. 

Wars

These are combats between groups of fighters - both heavy and light infantry. Heavy infantry wear substantial armor and carry swords, pole-arms, axes, maces, or other direct contact weapons. Light infantry wear less armor and fight with bow and arrows, javelins, or other missile weapons. Light infantry must not be hit directly.

Wars are held because one group has declared mock war on another, or just for the fun of it. A war may have several battles, each with different goals. There may be a battle to gain a bridge, capture a banner or a fort (or even a box of rocks) - or just eliminate the other side. Marshals look after rules and general safety for the fighters, and chirurgeons and water bearers help keep them healthy. Some wars are only for fighters, 

but others have their full complement of camp followers, who watch the combat, cook, talk, and keep the camp. The largest wars each year are held in other kingdoms, but other battles are fought between groups every once in a while.

Demonstrations

These are held to promote the Society's activities to the general public and to teach aspects of life in the Middle Ages. Demonstrations may be given at community events, or organized for special occasions. Public demonstrations are often the first place for new people to discover the Society. Classes may be taught in dance, heraldry, or other aspects of life at universities, schools, or to special interest groups. One of the major roles of the Society is to provide education, so this is an important task. Demonstrations usually happen on an ad hoc basis, rather than at any particular time of the year.

Competitions

Competitions are often held at events to encourage people to show what they've been working on. Arts & Sciences competitions are common - everything from brewing to bardic arts, costume and dance to armoring. Where possible these are judged by people who themselves excel in that particular art or science. Winners typically receive a prize (as well as the honor and glory, of course). 

Collegia

A collegium is a single class or a whole series of classes on different topics, run by Society people who have skills in different areas. Collegia may be held weekly, fortnightly, on a Saturday, or over an entire weekend.. Collegia tend to be held when a group feels there is sufficient general interest in a particular topic to warrant having an advertised class on it, rather than the ordinary one-on-one teaching which goes on informally among the members of the group throughout the year, or when there is an influx of new members who will all want basic instruction in several different topics.

Meetings

Behind the scenes, there are many other things to do to get ready for these events...

Fighter practices are held once or twice a week to teach new fighters (and improve the not-so-new). 

Armoring classes are also held to help new fighters get their armor up to standard.

Fencing practice can be held weekly in conjunction with the weekend fighter practice. This is SCA-style rapier combat, quite noticeably different from modern fencing.

Arts & Sciences meetings are held about once a month, and all are welcome to attend.

Scribe meetings are held to teach the basics and refinements of calligraphy and illumination. Weekend scribe workshops are also held periodically.

See the page on Contacts and Regular Meetings for details of where these meetings are held and who currently organizes them. . 

The Known World

(Where is this anyway?)

 
You are living in the Barony of Hidden Mountain, which covers the counties of South Carolina located east of Interstate 95.and includes Canton of Misty Marsh (Florence Area), The Incipient Canton of Iles Des Diamants ( Beaufort Area) and The Canton of Tears Seas Shore (Charleston Area).. Other nearby groups includes the Barony of Nottinghill Coill (Northern SC) and the Shire of Border Vale Keep ((City of Augusta GA).

Each local group is organized by a number of Officers, depending on the interests of the local groups (see Officers). Baronies have local Royalty in the form of a Baron and Baroness, who are selected by acclaim and hold the position for several years.

Local groups such as Baronies, Shires and Colleges cover suburbs, towns, or universities. There are over 50 local groups in Atlantia. Shires typically have from 6 to about 60 people; Baronies, from 40 to about 150. Colleges are shires which are formed at a University or College (and therefore disappear for 3 months a year). Cantons are shires existing within the borders of a Barony. As groups grow, they typically change their status from Canton to Shire to Barony.

Local groups exist within larger SCA groups which cover broader areas. We live in the kingdom of Atlantia (pronounced "At-lnat-ia") which covers the areas of SC, NC, Virginia, Maryland, and a small part of Ga. Each Kingdom is governed by a King and Queen, selected by tournament combat twice a year. 

There are currently 13 SCA Kingdoms, each having up to several thousand members and covering a large land area - even several continents. Each Kingdom is governed by a King and Queen, selected by tournament combat. Kingdoms also have a large number of Officers who organize the running of the Kingdom.

The area "settled" by SCA people covers many countries and is called The Known World. The Society is incorporated in the USA and is governed by a Board of Directors. The BOD makes overall decisions (such as membership fees), but most government happens on a much more local level.


More Information: The Known World Handbook has an article on the development of the Known World. Maps of the Known World are available from the USA - ads are in Tournaments Illuminated (the quarterly SCA magazine received by paid members).

Officers

(Who's running this show?)

While Royalty makes decisions about awards, grand projects, and the direction of the Kingdom or Principality, most of the daily organization is done by the group's officers. These officers exist at all levels - local groups, Principality, and Kingdom. Canton and College officers report to their Seneschal and the appropriate Baronial officers. These in turn report to their Baron/ess or Seneschal and their Kingdom officers. They report to their Crown, Seneschal, and Kingdom officers, who report to their King and Queen and the Society Seneschal. The Society Seneschal reports to the Board of Directors. All of this ensures a reasonable degree of similarity in groups around the whole Known World, so no group flounders unhelped, or wanders too far from the general principles of the Society.

These officers are the equivalent of a club secretary, treasurer, etc. They have different names and there are many more officers than in an average social club, because the SCA has many more functions than most clubs. Officers must be paid members of the SCA, mostly for legal reasons and to ensure they receive the Kingdom newsletter so they know what's going on. All groups must have the following officers:

The Seneschal is like a secretary, organizing the day-to-day running of the group, arranging meetings, finding people to run events, organizing the calendar, and so on. The Seneschal is the main contact point for the group, and should be good at delegating things to other people. The device (symbol) of a Seneschal is red with a gold key. Seneschals often wear a large gold key on a chain or ribbon around their necks.
 

Heralds have several jobs. Each group has a "book herald" who helps people design and registers their devices ("coats of arms") and SCA names (see Heraldry). Heralds are also in charge of ceremony and organizing courts. They act as MCs, making announcements at feasts or tourneys. Heralds can be book, court, or field heralds (or all three), depending on what they are good at. A group may have several practicing heralds as well as the one who holds the office. The device of a Herald is green with two crossed gold trumpets. Heralds on duty often wear tabards with this device and often carry a staff.  

If the group has fighters, it must have a Marshal. The Marshal looks after safety on the field - weapon standards, armor inspection, and so on. Marshals also organize fighter practice and any run armor workshops. Before fighters can enter a tournament, they must be authorized as safe by a Marshal. A group may have several practicing marshals as well as the one who holds the office. The Hidden Mountain Marshal is called the Knight Marshal. The device of a Marshal is black with two crossed gold swords. Marshals on duty usually wear a tabard with the device and may carry a black-and-gold striped marshalling pole.  

If the group practices arts and sciences or doesn't have a marshal, it needs an Arts & Sciences Officer. These encourage the research and practice of medieval crafts, including costuming, armoring, brewing, cooking, calligraphy, etc - all the activities and crafts that make up the medieval world. They might organize a library of books, run classes, match students with teachers, or run competitions. The device of the Arts is blue with a white candle beneath a white arch.  


All groups need an Exchequer - the treasurer for the group. Other Kingdoms may call them Reeves. They do the usual things a treasurer does - keep track of finances and bank accounts, arrange floats for events, and ensure money from events etc. is properly receipted and reported. The device of an Exchequer is blue with a red and white checked stripe and three gold circles on each side - a medieval tallying cloth and gold pieces.  

 In addition, groups (especially larger groups, such as Baronies) often have these officers:

The Chirurgeon is the group's medic. Chirurgeons must have a minimum of a St John's Ambulance certificate, but most are nurses or paramedics. They look after injuries at events, keep a well stocked first aid kit, and try to encourage preventative medicine with sun screen and water bottles. The symbol of the Chirurgeon is a red fleam (a type of surgeon's knife) on a white drop on a red background.   

To keep people in touch, most groups have a Chronicler who produces the group's newsletter. The newsletter lists the names and contacts for officers in the group, describes upcoming events, publishes decisions from meetings, and has reports on events and other articles of interest. The device of the chronicler is black and white with reversed quills and a red band on top. The newsletter of the Barony of Hidden Mountains is called the” Mayhem” and is available to people living in the Barony at no charge. Contact the Chronicler for information (details on the Contacts page).  

The Lists Keeper or MOL organizes fighters in the lists (the fighting field). MOL’s check that only properly authorized fighters enter tournaments, arrange the format of combat (e.g., single elimination, round robin), and keep track of who wins each bout and the overall winner of the tourney. Sometimes each fighter gives the MOL a list shield, which is a small copy of his or her real shield. These list shields are put up on display so everyone can see who is fighting whom. The device of the MOL is  

The Chatelaine looks after newcomers, lending them clothing and feasting gear, sending them Society information (like this), introducing them to people with similar interests, arranging crash space (billets) for visitors from other groups, and so on. The device of the chatelaine is green with a gold key.  


You may also hear the term Autocrat. This is not an office, but rather the person in charge of a specific event, possibly with sub-autocrats or stewards under them. Principalities and Kingdoms must have all these officers, plus some extras. These large groups also have guild masters/mistresses who are not actually officers, but organize special interest groups called Guilds.  

More Information: The Known World Handbook has a glossary of SCA terms including Officers. Our local officers are happy to talk about what they do - and to take on deputies if you'd like to learn terms including Officers. Our local officers are happy to talk about what they do - and to take on deputies if you'd like to learn the job.


Guilds and Special Interest Groups

(How do you learn these skills?)

Within the kingdom of Atlantia there are many guilds and groups with particular interests. These may be organized at the local level or across the whole kingdom. Some groups span the entire Society.

The organization structures also vary. Some have very specific hierarchies, while others are loose collections. Here are some of the groups found in Atlantia:

The Order of Arachne's Web is a guild dedicated to making lace, teaching the techniques of lace making and learning more about lace work. 

L'Academie Atlantienne de la Danse (The Atlantian Academie of Dance, or simply "The Academie") is a royally chartered guild of Atlantia created to further the practice of dance throughout the kingdom. The fundamental premise of the Academie is, quite simply, that DANCE IS FUN!

The COMPAGNIA DEI MAESTRI DEL VETRO is a newly forming guild of glassworkers in Atlantia, open to those who practice or are interested in learning the arts of glassblowing, lampworking, stained glass, glass painting, and related arts.

The Atlantian Brewers Guild is dedicated to the study of brewing practices within the period of history covered by the SCA Inc. It promotes the production of quality beverages using period recipes, extrapolations of probable recipes, and modern sanitary brewing practices.

The Barony of Hidden Mountain has a Scribes Guild that encourages period forms of Calligraphy and Illumination through classes and competitions as well as gatherings and group sessions to produce local and Kingdom level scrolls.
 
Royalty and Other Important People

(Who's the guy with the pointy hat?)

The Society is basically constructed along Feudal lines, with many sorts of rank and several levels of Royalty. At the very top, there are the Kings and Queens, and next come Princes and Princesses. Then we have Dukes and Duchesses (people who have been King/Queen more than once), Counts and Countesses (King/Queen once), all those who have been Royalty are collectively known as the Royal Peers. Baronies (such as our Barony of Hidden Mountain) have a landed Baron and Baroness - our own local royalty. Kings and Queens wear crowns, and other royalty wear coronets. You can tell crowns or coronets from ordinary metal headbands because they have points or coronets from ordinary metal headbands because they have points on them. Only royalty are allowed coronets, though all in Atlantia may wear plain or jeweled metal headbands.

As well as Royalty, there is the Peerage - Knights/Masters-at-Arms, Laurels, and Pelicans. The peerages are all equal in status, and are the highest non-royal awards bestowed by the Society. Knights/Masters excel in heavy list fighting, Laurels in the Arts &Sciences, and Pelicans in service to the Society. As well as excellence in their field, peers should be of good character, loyal to the Crown, and have other suitable qualities. They are the examples we want all members to emulate. Knights wear a white belt, and a plain chain of large links as a symbol of their fealty to the Crown. So do not wear a plain gold chain. Laurels wear a medallion with a laurel wreath, symbol of victory and the Arts and Sciences, and Pelicans wear medallions with a pelican, symbol of self-sacrifice (the mother pelican was thought to stab her breast to feed her young on her own blood). Both Laurels and Pelicans also often wear a chain suspending their medallion a symbol of fealty to the Crown; this is one of the prerogatives of the peerages who have sworn fealty. People can belong to more than one peerage; in Atlantia we have a number of double peers (Knight/Laurel, Laurel/Pelican, and Knight/Pelican).

Courtesy to Royalty

Personages of rank should be treated with respect, though this does not mean you should make a great show of groveling to them! For example, if your Baroness is talking to someone, don't interrupt, but wait to be noticed. This is obviously a common courtesy to people of any rank. If the King or Queen is walking past, make a small reverence (bow or courtesy) as He/She walks by.

How to bow or curtsey: sweep one foot round about 30cm behind the other in a neat circular movement, bend your back leg at the knee, and incline your head and shoulders slightly forward. A lord may place one hand in front of his waist and the other out to the side; a lady should place both hands slightly out to her sides, just holding out her skirts, or palm out if her skirts are too narrow to hold out conveniently. This method has the advantage of being neat and graceful, without sticking your behind out in the air (which is what happens if you just bend at the waist!). Don't sink to the floor or down on one knee - reserve this kind of reverence for when you are called into court before all the populace.

Royalty have an area around them known as the Royal Presence - an area you don't go into without permission; How large this is and how strictly the rules are observed varies with the class of Royalty and what they are doing at the time. In general, the Royal Presence exists for about 3- 6 feet in front of the Thrones (or direct line of sight), and also directly in front of Their Majesties or Their Highnesses, whether seated or not. For example, if Their Majesties are sitting watching a tourney, the area immediately in front is the Presence - don't stand there without permission, try not to walk through it, and if you do so, reverence. If the thrones are set up for a court, but no-one is sitting on them, reverence slightly as you pass in front. If there is a High Table at a feast, reverence as you pass in front and don't stand blocking the view.

If a Court is actually being held, the Presence extends to the back of the hall. Clear the area 3-5 meters in front of the thrones and an aisle up the center. Stand up when Royalty process in or out, and reverence as They pass. If you are called into the Royal Presence, reverence as you approach, then walk up and kneel on the cushions (that's what the cushions are there for). As you leave, reverences, back up several steps, then turn and go.
 
What to Call People

Titles are fun, and add a great deal to the medieval atmosphere. Here are the proper forms of address for the various positions:
The award/position 	Title 	                  Forms of address

Award of Arms 	         Lord, Lady 	    Lady Riona; greetings, my Lady
Knight/ Sir 	                    Sir Robert; 	    pardon, Sir Knight
Order of the 
Laurel/Pelican 	          Master, Mistress 	    Mistress Marguerite; greetings, good Mistress
Baron, Baroness 	          Baron, Baroness 	    Baroness Lindoret; pardon, your Excellency
Count, Countess 	          Count, Countess 	    Count Stephen; greetings, your Excellency
Duke, Duchess 	          Duke, Duchess 	    Duke William; pardon, your Grace
Prince, Princess 	          Princeps, Principessa 	Prince Kane; greetings, your Highness
King, Queen 	          Rex, Regina 	    King Philip; pardon, your Majesty

Don't worry too much about getting the title exactly right; if they seem to be someone important, call them "Your Excellency' 'until you can ask someone who they are. If you give people more honor than they are due, they will tell you what they should be called. Remember, you can always call anyone "milord" or "milady" without giving offence.

Households

As well as the various titles and groups in the SCA, you will often hear someone described as belonging to a Household - "she's an Attican" or "he's a Lemming", for example. Households have no official status in the SCA, and nor any rules or regulations governing them. In general, they are an association of people with common backgrounds or interests - perhaps they all knew each other at school or University and joined the SCA at much the same time, or perhaps they are all trained by the same senior fighter, or perhaps they all camp in one of the Period Encampments at the war. A knight will often have a household consisting of his (or her - there are female knights, though we have none in Atlantia yet) lady/lord and friends, squires and trainees. Similarly, a Laurel or Pelican may have a household of friends, apprentices, and students.

Belonging to a household typically gives members a good sense of identity, practical help, and allows them to share resources. On the other hand, it may have its drawbacks - for example, members of a particular household may find themselves typecast as "only interested in fighting", "only interested in costuming", or "only interested in drinking", and have to work against this image in their SCA career.

Generally, household members will give the invitation to join a household, though if you admire a particular household you can quietly sound them out regarding new members. "How did you get to bean Attican/Lemming/SPON member?" is a good kind of starting question. Remember, there is no obligation to join any particular household if you are invited, and nothing to prevent you creating a household of your own.

 

Essential Gear

(What do I need to bring?)

In addition to clothes, you will find there are other types of gear you will want to acquire if you go to SCA events. Flea markets and good will shops are great places to go looking for cheap gear, and "Gothic" style is popular at present, so many shops stock suitable items.

Eating

People are expected to bring their own table settings and cutlery to feasts, although the Chatelaine has several sets of gear which can be lent to newcomers for your first couple of events. (You should arrange to borrow feast gear in advance if at all possible, to save the poor Chatelaine having a last-minute panic!)

When you start acquiring your own gear, you will need a plate and/or bowl, and a knife and spoon. Forks were not common until the late 1400s early 1500s, and had two or three tines, not four like our modern ones. A soup spoon is a better approximation to medieval spoons than a dessert spoon - spoons typically had large round bowls and thin straight handles. You will also need a goblet, tankard, or beaker-style cup, and a perhaps a jug for your drinks. All these items should be wooden, metal (silver or pewter), or ceramic. Modern porcelain dinner ware just looks modern; there was no real medieval equivalent. Fine glassware was certainly known in the Middle Ages, but most modern stemmed wineglass styles are not appropriate. The green Spanish recycled glass goblets are often quite reasonable approximations. However, you will probably wish to eventually acquire a table setting appropriate to your persona's time and place, so don't spend too much money on your first set of feasting gear. Although cordials may be provided, you will usually need to bring your own soft drinks as well as any alcohol (if allowed) to most events - ale, wine, cider, and various cordials were all common medieval drinks. Hide mundane bottles in a drawstring bag or under a cloth or in your basket - no one can tell you're drinking Coke if it's in a tankard and the bottle is hidden!

You will also need a candle and candlestick (and matches). Avoid colored candles - they stain the tablecloths dreadfully and were very uncommon in the Middle Ages. Plain household candles are available very cheaply in most supermarkets. Don't forget you'll need a corkscrew and/or bottle opener! You may also want a napkin, an extra bowl for scraps and bones, and a bag to hold your dirty gear in case you can't wash it up before you go home. A little dish for salt is a nice touch; salt is usually not provided. If you want to bring your own tablecloth, plain white cotton sheeting or unbleached calico are most appropriate - almost all medieval tablecloths were white.

To transport your gear, put it in a basket. A calico sack is another (and cheaper) option. Wooden chests look absolutely wonderful, but alas, they're a lot more work.

Seating
There will be chairs or benches at any feast you go to, but take your own chair or cushion and rug to tournaments. Canvas "directors" chairs are easy to find, not too modern or expensive, and fold up for carrying. When you have designed and registered a device (see the section on Heraldry) you can paint or embroider it onto your chair back, or you can recover the whole thing in a nice rich fabric.
 

How to Behave

(Why are you all kneeling?)

The three ideals the Society strives to uphold are Honor, Chivalry and Courtesy. The basic courtesies for attending a Society event are to wear appropriate period costume and to be polite. This is pretty simple. However, because the Society has a feudal structure complete with its own Royalty, Peerage, and many traditions, you might want to know a bit more about it to avoid embarrassing mistakes...

Don't be shy about mentioning that you are new, or hesitate to talk to people. It's not always obvious to established members that someone is new - people travel a lot in the SCA, so you might well be mistaken for a visitor from another group, whom we assume already knows what's going on. If you don't understand what's happening at any time, or are not sure what you ought to be doing, ask someone. We all love explaining our hobby!

Names and Titles

People choose a name for themselves by which they are known within the Society - a name which might have been used, but was not a real person. Most people also have a persona - a person you choose to be within the Society who might have existed in a time and place in the Middle Ages. So you might meet Lady Brianna O’Duinn, who lives in Ireland in the 15th Century or Mistress Aoidh Adendra Marland from England in the 12th Century. You can make up a name for yourself, or use your own name until you know what you want (but before you make up a permanent name, read the section on Heraldry and talk to the heralds).

You'll hear people referred to as "lords" and "ladies", and a variety of other titles. Some of these are in general use - anyone can be called "milord" or "milady". All the other titles have variety of other titles. Some of these are in general use - anyone can be called "milord" or "milady". All the other titles have been granted or awarded and should not be used by just anyone. For example, Brianna’s title "Lady" means she has an Award of Arms (see the section on Awards). People who hold an office are also called by their office: "Lord Marshal" or "Lady Seneschal". If this is all too much, just call everyone "milord" and "milady" - no-one will take offence.

People's Gear

Many people have put a lot of effort into making gear to suit their persona - from armor to candle holders. If you want to have a hands-on look at it, make sure you ask first. Be particularly careful with knives and swords and try not to touch a blade with your fingers - sweat and finger oils corrode fine steel, so rest it on your sleeve for a closer look. It's a good idea to put "peace straps" on your knife or sword - thongs to hold it in so it cannot leave the scabbard accidentally. It is also essential to be careful when you draw a sword or knife, so no-one walks into it; modern people aren't used to having sharp, long blades waved around. If you borrow something, ask first and make sure you return it to its owner in good condition. If you borrow a bowl or goblet, clean it before you bring it back. Follow basic rules of courtesy and you'll be fine.

Who Sits Where

At a tournament, you can settle anywhere you like, provided you are not blocking the view of MOL (the person scoring the tournament and arranging the bouts), or the Baron and Baroness or Royalty. You must also stay a reasonable distance back from the ropes around the lists; a marshal will ask you to move if you are too close.

At a feast, the top table in the hall is called the High Table and is set up for the use of Royalty and Their guests. If it is a Baronial event, the Baron and Baroness sit in the middle; if it is a Kingdom event; the King and Queen sit there. They invite people to join them; local Royalty or important people, the winner of the day's tourney or competition, or just people they like to talk to. Apart from the High Table, you can sit wherever you like. Many people like to sit together in household groups.  Folks usually put a table setting or a basket on the table or cloaks and gear on the chairs to claim a place, so if there's nothing on the table or bench, the place is free.

What to Talk About

Talk about the food, the weather, the tournament, clothes, and the entertainment, who is keeping company with whom, your gear, other people's gear, and so on. Try not to talk about modern politics, football, cars, or computers - things that clearly belong to the 20th century.

You should not talk if a herald is speaking - heralds are the Voice of Royalty, and it is discourteous to speak while Royalty (or the Baron/ess) is speaking. Similarly, if someone is entertaining, it is courteous to pay attention to them, and not talk through their song or story.

Court

If the populace is called to court, gather in a semi-circle in front of the presiding Royalty, leaving a clear area right in front of them. Stand until you are given leave to be seated, and don't talk through the court. If three cheers are called for, the Herald will cry "vivot, vivot, vivot" and the populace replies in kind

Helping Out

Offering to help is a great way to get to know people. There are usually many things to be done at an event - setting out the list field at a tourney, arranging tables and chairs at feasts, or hanging banners. Ask the troll to point out the Autocrat (person in charge of the event) to you, and offer to help. But don't be put off if there isn't anything for you to do right away or the Autocrat seems a bit abrupt - he or she is probably thinking of too many things at once! Try offering again a bit later. 
You can also offer to help in the kitchen, but unless you are given a task, you should stay out of the cooks' way; they are also very busy.

Everyone usually helps with clean-up at the end of an event. Tablecloths need to be shaken out and bundled up for washing, the tables and chairs put away, the floor swept, garbage collected, and the banners taken down (people will look after their own personal banners themselves, however). If you see something that needs doing, feel free to help. This is a good way to make friends.

Campsites

If you are at a camping event, remember that other people's campsites are their home; don't take a shortcut through the middle of someone's camp unless you know them or have asked permission, and always ask before you enter someone's tent or pavilion. Most people with fancy pavilions love showing them off and will happily give you a guided tour.

Do not leave all your money in one place in your campsite. SCA people are in general quite trustworthy, but at a big event where not everyone is known to each other, there is nothing to stop an unscrupulous outside person from putting on black jeans and a pirate shirt and cleaning out several campsites unobserved.

Be sensible with fires - don't throw bottles into them, use inflammable liquids straight from the bottle to start them going, or build big fires near tents. Remember also that the SCA prides itself on leaving sites cleaner than we found them; pick up rubbish, even if it isn't yours.

Gossip

The SCA can be a very close-knit society, and like all groups it is not immune to bad politics and gossip. It may be fun to talk about other people behind their backs, but it's not very polite or kind. Don't repeat what people tell you, and don't automatically assume that other people are motivated by malice; often people have simply misunderstood what others meant or what their intentions were.

If you have a problem with someone, try to talk it over with him or her. This is a very hard thing to do - it's always easier to complain to someone else. But if you can get up your courage to talk to the other person calmly about the problem, you will probably find you can settle your differences in an amazingly reasonable manner. The other person may not even have realized that you were upset! If this does not solve your problem, talk privately to someone of a higher rank. There is a formal complaint procedure if your problem persists - ask your group Seneschal.

Honesty

Nearly all SCA people are honest. In fact, the SCA is one of the few environments where people routinely leave their gear lying around without fear of having it stolen. It's one of the nice things about the SCA, and something we hope will always be true.

However, this does not mean you should be careless or put too much temptation in people's way - never leave money lying around, for example, nor valuable small objects. Theft apart, it can be annoying and embarrassing all round to have to retrieve your jewelry from someone's toddler who is too young to know not to walk off with pretty things! And as mentioned above, we sometimes get dishonest strangers at large events. Nice feasting daggers have been known to grow legs and walk away, for example.

If you find you are missing gear, check with the Autocrat. A surprising amount of stuff is forgotten at events and finds its way to the lost and found section of an event.  The Autocrat, will keep it safe and usually publishes it in the local news letter after the event. If you lose something contact the autocrat.  They may have found it and are looking for its owner.

What to Wear

(How do you lace this thing?)

A basic requirement for attending a Society event is that you wear appropriate costume. In general, this means clothing from Medieval or Renaissance Europe (i.e., pre 1600), although some other cultures such as Middle Eastern and Russian are also included, plus some exotics (e.g., Mongol, Hindu, African) as visitors. To begin with, you may be able to put something suitable together out of what you have in your wardrobe, or make a simple, inexpensive outfit if you know how to sew.

If you don't have anything suitable, you can borrow costumes (called garb) from the Chalalaine- a local person who helps newcomers (see Officers). If you borrow garb, you may need to leave a small deposit or your driver's license as security. Ask if you need to get the garb you borrow cleaned and/or mended afterwards (though often the Chatalaine will do this). If you are asked to clean things, be careful - some fabrics or trims can be destroyed by machine washing and need hand washing or dry cleaning. Check first! (This applies if you borrow garb from a friend as well - they may not think to tell you not to machine-wash velvet...)

Some parts of people's costumes indicate rank or position and shouldn't be used by anyone else. For example, Royalty wears crowns or coronets as symbols of their rank. Anyone can wear a narrow fillet or metal headband, as this was common in some places in the Middle Ages, but it shouldn't have points like a crown. Knights wear a plain white belt as the major symbol of their knighthood, so you should not wear one. Peers may wear an open-linked chain as symbol of their peerage, so you should avoid this too. Many squires wear red belts and apprentices green belts, but these are not actually restricted. There are no restricted colors for other clothes. If you're not sure, ask an SCA member.

Where Do You Get Clothes?

Most SCA people make their own clothes, or get another member to make something for them. Unfortunately, you cannot just trot into the Wal-Mart (Mecca) or K-Mart and ask for "Renaissance Italian, size 12, please".

Don't worry if you can't sew. We'll teach you! Many people around the Barony have patterns for basic clothes, and instructions for making a simple tunic ("T-tunic", so called because of its shape) are given in this booklet. Beginners' classes are usually held at the collegiums and A&S days, and other sewing days may be held through the year on demand.

If you see someone wearing something you like, go up and ask them about it. If they made it themselves, they will probably be willing to help you make one too, or if not, they can point you at someone who can. You can often get someone to make a simple tunic in return for help on one of their projects or some similar service; several people in the Barony will make more complicated clothes for relatively modest fees.

Costuming is a highly flourishing branch of the SCA Arts & Sciences. Since the SCA covers a wide time range (from about 600 up to 1600) and all of Europe, plus visitors from elsewhere, there is a vast array of clothing styles to choose from, as simple or as fancy as you please. However, until you have had a chance to see what's available and settle on a style you like, you will need something to wear to your first few events that won’t look too modern. Below are some guidelines which will help you achieving a medieval look for your first garb; they are not intended to be a precise description of medieval clothes. The general style is an approximation of what was worn in England around the 1200s or earlier, though the basic women's garment with close-fitting sleeves remained as an under dress well into the 1400s through much of Europe. Of course, it's even better to find out what people actually wore, and the best way to do this is to look at paintings from the period or books about the Middle Ages, or the better books on history of costume. Many people in the Barony have excellent libraries and are happy (and eager!) to let you come over and browse.

Fabric and Color

Fabric

Choose plain fabrics until you have looked at enough pictures to know what medieval patterns were like; they were different from many modern ones (any flower print, for example, will almost certainly look modern). Stick with cotton, linen, wool, or silk.

Cotton drill and head-cloth are cheap and reasonable approximations to the more common linen of the Middle Ages. Avoid knit fabrics - they were not known in the Middle Ages and always look modern. Some polyesters look quite like silk, but most of them do not, especially in large amounts.  Then there is also the need to keep cool here in the south.  Natural fabrics will keep you cooler and warmer (which ever) then   man made synthetic fabric.

Color

Choose a strong color and avoid pastels, Day-Glo orange, lime-green, and shocking pink. Instead try Rich crimson, golden yellow, royal blue, or forest green they always look good. You can dress up your clothes by wearing layers (e.g., a long green underdress with a shorter red overdress), or by trimming them with simple embroidery around the neck and sleeves. A couple of simple embroidery suggestions are given later in this section.

Men's Garb

For men, a collarless tunic any length from ankle- to mid-thigh is suitable, with long or short sleeves (longer tunics tend to have longer sleeves). You can leave your legs bare or wear hose (opaque tights). If you prefer to wear pants, they should be dark in color and baggy rather than tight (like sweat pants). Always wear your tunic over your pants, never tucked inside like a shirt.

Boots, sandals, or plain dark shoes are appropriate ("Kung-Fu" shoes from Chinatown are a reasonable, cheap, first approximation to medieval shoes). A leather belt, a pouch to hang from it, and maybe a dagger to stick through it are nice touches. For headgear, you can leave your head uncovered or wear something like a "Robin Hood" style hunting cap.

Women's Garb

For women, dresses should be floor length or longer (not calf- or ankle-length) and have long sleeves. No lady showed her bare forearms in the Middle Ages - this would have been quite shocking! A pattern with a scoop neck, no bust darts, and long flowing lines is good for first garb. You can make the sleeves close-fitting, or have them loose and flowing at the wrists. Simple clothes generally were fairly tightly-fitted around the bust, loose around the hips, and very wide at the hem. Belts tended to be worn around the hips rather than around the waist, though in the styles of the 1400s belts had moved up to just under the bust (see the illustrations of houpellandes and V-necked gowns at the end of this section).

Most medieval shoes did not have heels (until you get to Elizabethan times), so wear plain, flat shoes, Mary Jane’s or folk dancing shoes are both reasonable approximations. For most of the Middle Ages, grown women covered their hair and only young maidens or harlots wore their hair loose. A white veil, held on with a band of braid, a simple circlet, or a padded roll is good basic head covering. If you're into hats, there is a wonderful variety of head coverings available, depending on time and place.

If the insistence of covering up seems extreme, remember that not only was morality strict in the Middle Ages, but the climate of Europe is cold! If you were living in a manor with stone walls and no central heating, with a foot of snow on the ground outside, you'd be most grateful for long skirts, long sleeves, and headgear.


And Underneath...

Both men and women wore hose (stockings) on their legs. In earlier times these were fine wool or linen bias-cut to provide some stretch, and late in period they were knitted. Long plain cotton socks, opaque tights, or leggings are all good equivalents.
 

Fighting

(Hitting people with sticks)

Fighting is one of the most visible SCA activities, and provides the focus for many events. Our rulers are chosen by tournament combat (see Royalty), and a good fighter may hope to eventually be knighted and become a member of the Peerage (see Awards). Both men and women may fight; there are no gender restrictions. Combats are generally tournaments, melees, or wars. Tournaments and melees are both fought in a roped-off enclosure known as the list field or simply the lists, while wars are fought across a variety of terrain. Tournaments are single combat, melees have a dozen or so participants and wars may have a hundred or more fighters. Marshals always supervise combat; watching for things like armor failures and making sure the fighters are not too near the spectators.

There are three general styles of fighting in the SCA: heavy, light, and rapier. Heavy combat is a full contact style and is the most common form of SCA fighting. The participants must wear full metal or leather armor able to withstand repeated blows with wooden weapons. The fight is not choreographed, and blows are delivered at full strength. Despite this, combat is safe - much safer than most full contact sports. Fighters acquire bruises in plenty, but not serious injuries - the worst we have ever had in over 10 years of combat are a few broken fingers and one broken elbow.


Rapier combat recreates later period dueling. Fencing masks are worn and light armor similar to a fencing jacket. The weapons are fiberglass rods wrapped in duct tape, which simulate the longer, heavier rapiers used in period. Unlike modern fencing, rapier combat takes place in the round rather than on a line, and a buckler or second weapon may be carried in the other hand.
 

Weapons for heavy fighting are usually made from rattan, a variety of solid bamboo. They mimic the approximate weight and resilience of metal weapons, without the cutting ability. Weapons are wrapped in duct tape to prevent the rattan splintering if it breaks when it gets old, and the striking edges on mass weapons such as axes, maces, and pole-arms are padded with foam to ensure give as they hit. Long weapons must not be swung through more than a 90o arc, because otherwise it is easy to build up too much force.

Shields are usually made from plywood, with leather or rubber tubing over the edges to prevent them splintering, and sometimes covered with canvas. Most fighters paint their device on their shields (see Heraldry).

Armour is typically made of steel or leather, although coats-of-plates made of heavy plastic panels riveted to light leather coats are sometimes worn. Fighters make their own armor, or buy it from an SCA armorer. Both plate armor and chain mail are worn, though mail requires extra protection underneath. Helmets must be steel, for safety considerations. The minimum armor for a heavy fighter consists of helmet, plus protection for the throat, elbows, knees, chest, spine, kidneys, hands, and groin. Most fighters also armor their arms and legs; although lower legs and hands are illegal targets in combat, both do occasionally get hit.

Fighters generally wear a padded thigh- to knee-length jacket under their armor, for comfort and extra protection. These are called gambesons, and need to be washed regularly if they are not to crawl out of their armor bag and take on an unexpected life of their own...

Helmet costs typically start at about $60 for a helm for heavy fighting; light helms are somewhat cheaper. Leather armor is more expensive to make than metal, but easier to work with. Both will cost several hundred dollars, however, for full armor. A sword and shield will cost under $50 for both. We have several local armorers who have patterns and can help you make your own armor.

Training

Before newcomers can go out onto the list field or into a war and fight, they must be trained by experienced fighters and authorized by marshals. Training for heavy fighters typically takes several months, and during this time the other fighters will help the newcomers to get their armor together. Some armor will be available for first-time loans, but fighters must eventually have their own gear. Light fighters can be trained much more quickly.

Training includes knowledge of safety rules for all kinds of fighting, and part of the authorization process ensures that these rules are understood.

Scoring

All scoring during combat is done by the fighters themselves, and works on the honor system. Fighters are trained to recognize what a killing blow feels like, and are expected to acknowledge when they receive such a blow. Cheating, also known as "rhinohiding", is much frowned upon, and no-one wants to play with cheats. Marshals stand by to watch for safety problems, but they do not adjudicate the fight; this is up to the honor of the participants.

Generally, for the purposes of scoring, a heavy fighter is assumed to be wearing an open-faced helm and chain mail on both body and limbs. Thus, a solid blow to a limb removes the use of that limb (fighters drop to their knees if a leg is taken out); any solid blow to the helm or torso is fatal; and any direct blow to the faceplate is also fatal, as it is assumed that the fighter is blinded by blood and may be dispatched at leisure.

Consorts and Favors

In most tournaments, fighters are participating for the honor of their consort, the lady or lord who inspires them to victory on the field. Fighters are not required have to have a consort, unless they are entering a Crown or Coronet Tourney. In this case, the fighter and consort must be of the opposite sex, to ensure an eventual King and Queen or Prince and Princess.

A fighter and consort need not be a couple, and are often just friends. (Indeed, one young lord in a realm far across the sea, who had as yet no lady of his own, fought for the honor of his Lady Mother, and proudly crowned her Queen). In particular, being Royalty can place a lot of stress on a relationship; this is something to be seriously considered before entering a Crown or Coronet Tourney.


Fighters may bear the favor of their consort, or of a friend. These are typically an embroidered loop to be worn on the fighter's belt, but may be other objects as well, such as a scarf tied around the arm or perhaps an entire embroidered sleeve. It is considered poor form to accept large numbers of favors, and they should be treated with care and respect.

 

Feasting

(Look at that pig!)

To try to recreate the experience of a medieval feast, we need to get away as much as possible from the 20th Century. This applies to dress, food, music, and speech, as well as other less obvious things. In order to help you participate in creating and experiencing this, here are some guidelines.

First off, however, you should be sure to book ahead for the feast so you know you have a place. This will quite often save you money as well, and helps the poor frantic organizers know how many they're catering for.

Clothes and Gear

Everyone who comes to the feast will be wearing medieval costume. For your first feast, you can borrow suitable clothes from the Chatalaine (see Officers and Contacts). Make sure you organize this before the feast - you cannot expect to just turn up and have clothes available. If you would like to make your own clothes, see the section on what to wear for more detail on creating simple medieval-style clothes suitable for your first few events.

You will need to take your own feasting gear: a bowl, goblet, and platter (typically wooden or metal), a sharp dagger-style knife, and a spoon. No fork - you eat with your knife, spoon, or fingers (a napkin is a good idea, too). You will probably also want bring a candle and candlestick for lighting. Please don't bring colored candles - the wax from them stains the tablecloths badly, and they were extremely rare in the Middle Ages. Other useful items are matches, a bottle opener, and a bag to take home your dishes in if washing-up facilities are limited. Feasting gear may also be borrowed from the Chatalaine. (See the section on Essential Gear for more details)

Some feasts provide cordials (check with the people running it), but you will need to take any other drinks you want. Wine, beer, cider and mead were all very popular in the Middle Ages. If you are drinking things out of boxes, plastic bottles, or cans, do try to keep them off the table (or put them in a jug, or throw a cloth over them). There's nothing like a Coke bottle on the table for bringing you back to the 20th century with a jolt! You might like to pack all this gear in a basket, which is handy to carry and 100% medieval, too,

Where to Sit

Ask the person taking entrance fees at the table by the door where you can leave your gear and get changed if you aren't already in costume. Royalty and Their invited company sit at the High Table at the head of the hall; anyone can sit anywhere else. It's usual for people to leave bits of feasting gear on the table or baskets or cloaks on the seats to claim a place while they wander around and socialize, so if there's nothing on the table or chairs, the place is free. If you are not with SCA friends, set up next to people who look as though they know what they're doing. They can probably help you - feel free to ask them. Please don't hesitate to tell people if you are very new to the SCA! (We get lots of travelers in the Society, so it's not always obvious to us when someone is brand new and not just an established member visiting from a distant group). Arrange your feasting gear on the table, stash your 20th Century things under it or by the wall, get dressed, and start making new friends.

What to Talk About

Try to avoid talking about 20th century matters. Talk about the feast, the people, the food, the costumes, what history springs to mind... Ask other people what they do in the Society and what's going on. Or you can talk about what you do and just alter the words. After all, people then lived, shopped, and worked just as we do. If it's your first feast, just call everyone "milord" and "milady". See the sections on Royalty and How to behave for more details on titles and forms of address.

Eating

A Herald will usually announce that food is about to be served, and everyone sits down and prepares to eat. The first set of courses is then served (or you might serve yourself buffet-style at some feasts). Volunteer servers may also be called for - feel free to volunteer, you will be told what to do by the cooks when you get to the kitchen. There will typically be two or three courses through the night with several dishes each. Don't eat too much right at the beginning - there will be more food!

Forks were very uncommon during the Middle Ages. Soups are eaten with a spoon; chunks of meat, cheese, etc. can be eaten from the point of a knife. Most foods are eaten with your fingers - use your little finger for salt or sauces. Use a napkin or finger bowl between courses (try to resist the medieval habit of wiping your hands on the tablecloths - someone does have to wash them!).

Entertainment and Dancing

Through the feast or between courses there may be singing, tales, or other entertainment. If someone is entertaining, it's polite to listen. We don't applaud by clapping hands (a Victorian phenomenon), but feel free to cheer, whistle, pound your goblet or your knife handle, slap your thighs, or stamp your feet.

One of the highly enjoyable parts of a feast is the dancing afterwards. You may want to go to a dance practice for the new (or rusty) people beforehand. Do go and learn, so you can join in later. It's not hard, and it's a lot of fun.

Court

There may be a court before the feast or between courses. This is an assembly of all the people at the event, presided over by the Baron and Baroness or maybe even the King and Queen. A Herald will call for announcements before court.

Awards may be given out in Court in recognition of peoples' service or skill, and everyone cheers, cued by the Herald There may also be presentations and announcements of various sorts. Anyone with anything to say or do at the Court should see the Herald beforehand. Courts are more interesting if you know what's going on, so ask someone (quietly!) what it's all about.

General Advice

If you smoke, please do so outside. Don't get blind drunk - you won't enjoy yourself as much. Better to see the event first hand than hear about it from someone else. In general, be polite. Don't touch other people's gear (instruments, weapons, etc.) without permission, and if you don't know what's going on, ask. The Society strives to honor Courtesy and Chivalry. If you do likewise, you will always act appropriately.
Some final words of advice - don't forget to eat, drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids, wear sunscreen, and use the hand disinfectant provided after visiting the privy. You'll enjoy the event a lot more without dehydration, sunburn, and a tummy bug!

Heraldry in the SCA

(Can I have a unicorn on my shield?)

Heraldry is the art of describing in words and pictures the designs on shields, flags and so on which represent a person, family, guild, company or place. Heraldry is an important aspect of SCA life, as we choose names and "coats of arms" - devices - for ourselves within the Society. The College of Heralds exists across the Known World to administer the registrations of names and devices and research heraldry, as well as looking after courts and protocol.

Names

When you join the Society, you may choose a name for your persona - your self within the SCA. This cannot be the name of a person who really existed or who is famous in literature - you can't call yourself Anne Boleyn or Conan the Barbarian. Instead, you create a name of someone who might have existed - Anne Williams of London or Conal ap Llewellen would be fine. A name should be chosen from a specific time and place, for consistency.

The only other rules are that your name must have been able to exist within the SCA time period, is not offensive, and the grammar and spelling must be correct. Different countries and different times had different naming practices - our first name surname form is only one of several options. The Heralds in your group will let you know if the name you have chosen is workable, or help you to find one is workable.

Many people come to an event and just make up something. A year later they find that someone else has already registered "Sven Svensson", or that "Samuel Slug Slayer" just isn't funny any more. If you aren't sure of what you want, use your mundane first name (maybe as "John of Lidcombe" or similar) until you can discuss with the Heralds what you really want. Once you register your name, it will appear on all official records, award scrolls, and newsletters. It will be announced in court, on the fighting field, and wherever you spend your time - so choose carefully. Once registered, your name is protected and no-one else can use it officially.

Devices

The designs you see on banners, shields, and favors all belong to people in the Society. Each design is registered to one person and should only be used by them. In our modern world these are often called "crests" or "coats of arms". Since a crest is really the animal or symbol on top of the fighter's helm and a coat of arms can only be used by someone who has been given an Award of Arms (or Grant or Patent of Arms) by Their Highnesses or Their Majesties, we call these designs devices.

Anyone may register a device and then paint it on a shield or work it into a costume. This is also called armory. Once you register your device, it is protected (even if you leave the SCA) and cannot be used officially by anyone else. If you get an Award of Arms, this device becomes your "coat of arms" and you can make a banner and hang it in the feast hall. You can paint your device onto chests and tablecloths, or embroider it onto favors. You can use your device can to mark your gear, your children, your fighting unit, and your pavilion.

It is useful to learn the basics of heraldry before trying to design your own device and many people find it a fascinating study for its own sake. The general idea is to come up with a design which is heraldically correct, unique, easily recognized, easy to draw or sew (if possible), and which you like. Once you have lodged your device (get your local Herald to help you), it is checked against all other devices registered in the SCA and some important real ones. It takes about eight months from when you submit your device to when it is registered. If it doesn't pass, you can modify the design and try again.


Jargon

In order to describe the design on a device using a minimum number of words, heralds developed a jargon based on medieval French. The word description is called the blazon. The picture of the device is called the emblazon. The design is made up of many layers. Each layer may be one or more color or patterns. Geometric shapes, animals and symbols are added to complete the design. To bring some order to all these layers, there are some heraldic rules for design.

First, there are names for the sides and parts of the basic shield. There is also a hierarchy, with most important part of the shield at the top and on the left.

The basic layer or background is called the field of the device. It can be one color or divided into parts with different colors or patterns. Some divisions of the field are shown below ("per" = "by" or "in"): per pale per fess per bend per chevron quarterly gyronny 

There are five colors and two metals which can be used. The colors are red (called gules), blue (azure), purple (purpure), and green (vert) and black (sable). The metals are gold/yellow (Or) and silver/white (argent). You can sometimes use the natural color of an animal or plant (called proper) if the contrast is good enough. There are also furs (based on ermine and other furs) and patterns which increase the options. Some furs and patterns are shown below.
 
The first basic rule is contrast - you can't put a color on a color or a metal on a metal. So, no purple lions on a black back; the first basic rule is contrast - you can't put a color on a color or a metal on a metal. So, no purple lions on a black background - you couldn't see it at a distance anyway. If the field is divided into more than three pieces, they must also contrast.
 
The next layer may have some large charges - the symbols on the device. Geometric charges are also called ordinaries. These must contrast to the color of the field. Ordinaries often match the field divisions, with similar names:

You may also have birds, beasts, flowers and all sorts of other objects as charges. Try to avoid common charges. There are already a lot of swords, unicorns, lions, etc., and it's hard (although not impossible) to design a device using these which is different from those already registered.

When you put all the layers together, you get your own unique device. The blazon of the device below is: "Quarterly azure and argent, on a cross gules, four mullets, in dexter chief a laurel wreath argent". You can imagine it being built up in stages, like this:
 


Each office has a device and officers can be recognized by the tabards, baldrics or symbols that they wear (see Officers). All SCA groups also have a device for the group. A group device always has a Laurel wreath on it - the symbol of the Society. The device of our, Barony, are shown below:
 
More Information: The Known World Handbook has some articles on Heraldry. Our local herald is happy to talk to you about devices and names, help you register your own armory, or lend you books. Many public libraries also have books on heraldry. The College of Heralds is always happy to teach would-be heralds and welcome them into the College.

Awards

(How come you're wearing all those pendants?)

An award is the bestowal of a title, the gift of a token, or induction into an Order by Royalty or the Baron/ess. It acknowledges some special skill in the Arts and Sciences, or general service to a particular person, group, or the Society as a whole or martial prowess on the part of the recipient. Some awards are Society-wide, while some are only used locally. All the Kingdoms have their own special awards, many of which have counterparts in other Kingdoms. There are basically two levels of awards: Kingdom, and Baronial.

Who Gives Awards?

Ultimately, it is the decision of the King and Queen, or Baron/ess to give someone an award; however, they must have some way of knowing that the person deserves the award. Since not everyone is personally known to Royalty or the Baron/ess, it is up to all of us to bring worthy people to their notice.

Don't think you have to have awards yourself before you nominate someone. Anyone may nominate anyone else for any award. If several different people nominate someone for, say, the Order of Azure Mountain( Baronial Arts and Sciences award), giving sensible reasons why they think that person deserves it, then the chances are good he or she will become a member of the Order in the reasonably near future.

All of us should take a few moments now and then to think of our fellow members, to see if there are some among them who are doing a good job, or producing good works, or are a credit to our fighting forces, who deserve some formal recognition of this, and nominate them for the appropriate award.

How Do You Nominate Someone?

The best thing to do is write a letter. A letter puts the nomination on file, where it may jog the memory of the appropriate people, or their successors. You don't have to calligraph the letter or write it in "medieval" speech. Just clearly state that you think (for example) they deserve the Order of the Azure Mountain for their skill at brewing mead and beer from authentic period recipes, their brews being much appreciated at several events. Sign it with your SCA and mundane names, and mail it off. Don't tell the person about it, though - if the award doesn't happen, you don't want them to be disappointed.

However, before you recommend someone for an award, think about whether they actually want it. Some people genuinely do not want any awards, or a particular award, for a variety of reasons. They usually say so, but a little discreet enquiry should find this out if you're not sure. Anyone may refuse an award, without blame, but it does make the award ceremony a little awkward if the recipient steps forward and refuses it.

When Should An Award Be Given?

Awards should bring pleasure - deserved and well-timed awards should tell the recipients the Society appreciates and encourages them, and the presentation should be among their treasured memories. But - the timing of an award is important.

Suppose a brewer's enthusiastic friends all nominate her for Kingdom-level Arts and Sciences award when, although her mead is very good, she has only been brewing for a short time and has not yet tried any period recipes. If the Baron, impressed by these glowing testimonials to her excellent mead (and a bottle of it), calls her into court and presents the award, she will probably not like to refuse it publicly. However, she may well feel guilty for accepting, feeling that she isn't ready for that level of award yet. The award at this stage will not bring her nearly as much pleasure as it would have in a year or so, when she could feel herself more deserving. A Baronial award, or a public commendation by the Baron/ess, with a request perhaps to provide the mead for the guild payment to the coronets, would give her far better encouragement at this stage, and give the baronage a gift to present to some other deserving person ..

On the other hand, being presented with the Baronial Arts & Sciences award as her first formal recognition, when for years half the barony has been scheming and conniving to lay hands on a bottle of her Fine Spiced Mead, is not going to bring her much pleasure either. By now no one will be surprised if she is feeling rather bitter about the whole award system.

The Award of Arms

Society is given. It's a Kingdom award, and entitles the recipient to be called "Lord" or "Lady". It also formally entitles the recipients to display their devices, once registered, although no one in this Kingdom will actually object to people without AoAs displaying their registered devices.

In many ways the AoA is the most important award of all, because it signifies that a person has found their feet in the SCA: they are seen by the other members as contributing something to the Society, rather than simply attending events and putting nothing into them.

When do people typically get their AoA? It varies widely - the standard examples given are one fellow who was given his AoA after two days in the Society, because he willingly dug privy pits while established members made themselves scarce. At the other end of the scale, one deserving lady waited six years, because everyone assumed she already had one! Most people tend to be nominated for an AoA after one or two years in the Society; a little sooner if they are very active, later if they are not.

When should you nominate someone for their AoA? Well, do they own at least one set of appropriate garb? Do they participate actively in events, and show useful interest in how the Barony is run? (Coming to meetings only to criticize doesn't count!). Do they help at events, or have they run one? Or does their enthusiasm encourage others to be useful? Have they served as an officer, and done a good job? Are they actually interested in recreating the Middle Ages, not just partying in garb? Do they contribute to the medieval atmosphere? Are there no obvious serious flaws in their character? If a good few of these get a "yes", what are you waiting for?

For the Baronial Awards and descriptions see else where on this site!

The Peerages

 

The highest awards given by the SCA are the Peerages: the Orders of the Chivalry, the Laurel, and the Pelican, being the awards for heavy list fighting, excellence in the Arts and Sciences, and truly outstanding service to the Society, respectively. Royal Peerages are awarded to those who have been Royalty. A Knight wears a white belt and a plain chain of large links, and may wear spurs. Laurels wear a medallion with a laurel wreath, and Pelicans wear a medallion showing a pelican stabbing its breast with it beak to feed its young on its own blood (symbol of self-sacrifice). Laurels and Pelicans may also wear chains as a symbol of their fealty to the Crown.

The qualifications for peers are excellence in their field and possession of what are described as "Peer-like qualities". These include such things as loyalty to the Crown and Coronet, courtesy, willingness to teach their skills, knowledge of period literature, dance, and chess, and "deportment as befits a peer of the realm". In general, our Peers are those we can point out to new members as examples of the Society at its best; people who have given of themselves to the Society and furthered its growth or enriched its daily life by their efforts. The members of the peerages advise Their Majesties as to the suitability of a particular candidate; the final decision is made by Their Majesties.

Knights embody prowess, chivalry, and courtesy on the field, and are often our Kings and Princes (and Queens). Laurels research our dances, set the standard for our garb, are most sought after as entertainers, create the jewel-like masterpieces of calligraphy and illumination for our award scrolls, delight our palates with period delicacies and brews, research and forge the splendid suit of armor the King may wear for his coronation, and so forth. Pelicans work hard and long at the thankless bureaucratic tasks essential to keep our Society working and deal with all the paperwork; they help nurture groups from Shire to Barony to Kingdom, and then continue to keep that Kingdom running. The Peers are the people who do and give over many years.