Glossary of SCA Terms

From the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., Organizational Hanfbook

Revised April 1, 2022

GLOSSARY

In this volume, the following terms are used only with the meanings given here:

• Society: The entirety of the Society for Creative Anachronism (a worldwide group of affiliated

organizations).

• SCA, Inc. or SCA: The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., California nonprofit (or not-for-profit) corporation
• Board: The Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc.
• Governing documents:
  • The Organizational Handbook, which contains the Introduction, Corpora, the Articles of Incorporation of the SCA, Inc.,
  • the By-Laws of the SCA, Inc.,
  • the Corporate Policies of the SCA, Inc.,
  • and any amendments and appendices.
• By-Laws: The By-Laws of the SCA, Inc.
• Corpora: The policies governing historical re-creation within the Society, and those policies applicable to the entire Society.
• Subscribing member: A Sustaining or International member of the SCA, Inc. or its approved equivalent in an affiliated organization.
• Society Member: Membership in the Society is defined in the By-Laws of the SCA, Inc., or in the approved organizational documents of any corporation affiliated with the SCA, Inc.
• SCA, Inc. Waiver Card: A card which indicates that a properly executed waiver is on file at the corporate office. This card may also contain membership information.
• Armigerous award: An award that can convey Arms by Award, Grant, or Patent.
• Consort: The member for whom the combatant fights in a Royal Lists.
• Coronet: The Sovereign and Consort of a principality, acting together.
• Court of Chivalry / Court of Inquiry: A panel, defined according to kingdom law, convened to investigate issues and possibly recommend action to the appropriate Society authority.
• Crown: The Sovereign and Consort of a kingdom, acting together.
• Officer: A Society member serving in an appointed office as defined in Corpora, or as an appointed deputy in such an office, or in another office as may be defined by Kingdom Law, at any level of the Society, or in the role of organizer of a Society event (commonly referred to as “Autocrat” or “Steward”), or as a Territorial Baron or Baroness, or as Crown or Coronet or heir to a Crown or Coronet.
• Peerage: Collectively, the members of the populace who hold a patent of arms. Any person holding a patent is a peer.
• Period: The era used by the Society as the base for its re-creation activities. The Society is based on the life and culture of the landed nobility of pre-17th Century history, focusing on the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
• Realm: A kingdom (including any principalities), or a principality.
• Royal Lists: Properly constituted armored combat tournaments to determine the successors to current royalty. They are known as “Crown Lists” for kingdoms and “Coronet Lists” for principalities.
• Royal heirs: The victor in the Royal Lists and the victor’s consort for the period between the victory and the Coronation (kingdom) or Investiture (principality).
• Royal Peer: An individual who has reigned as King or Queen, or as Prince or Princess of a principality, is referred to as a Royal Peer.
• Royalty: The persons who hold the offices of Sovereign or Consort of a kingdom or principality. The heirs to those positions are also considered royal, but Corpora uses the terms “royalty” and “reigning royalty” interchangeably, and only to refer to Sovereigns and Consorts.
• Sovereign and Consort: The victor in the Royal Lists and the victor’s consort, respectively, after their Coronation or Investiture.
• Subject: Any person who physically resides within the borders of a realm for more than half the year. Those who do not maintain a residence meeting this definition may be considered subjects of the realm where they participate most frequently if they obtain written acknowledgment from the royalty of that realm. Those who participate in Society activities primarily in a realm other than the one where they reside may be considered subjects of that realm if they obtain written permission and acknowledgment from the royalty of both realms. Decisions of the Coronet in such matters depend upon the approval of the Crown.

ADDENDUM

• Activities happen at events, practices, or in the home.
• Anachronism: a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned.
• Anno Societatis (A.S.): The designation used to mark years passed since our inception in 1966. The SCA new year begins on May 1st.
• Armiger: A person who has been awarded the right to bear (heraldic) arms.
• Arms: the heraldic emblem that identifies a person or entity. People who have been awarded arms by the Crown of a kingdom may call their heraldic device "arms."
• Armored Combat / Heavy (Combat): recreation of martial combat including “heavy” weapons (swords, axes, spears, etc.), armor, and shields.
• Authorization: the process that fighters and fencers go through to be allowed to participate in combat. A term used specifically for the martial activities (armored or rapier combat, siege weapons) meaning someone who is both a paid member and has proven their ability to be safe in the performance of a particular martial activity by passing a basic skills test administered by a group of marshals. I.e., an authorized fighter.
• Autocrat{ The person(s) in charge of coordinating an SCA event. While the term “Autocrat” is still used, the preferred term now is “Event Steward.”
• Awards and Honors: Recognitions granted at various levels.
• Badge: A piece of heraldic armory used by an individual or group to identify retainers, members, possessions, or items.
• Bardic Circle – an informal gathering for singing and storytelling. (see Circle of Bards)
• Blazon: The description in words of a piece of heralic armory.
• Board of Directors (or BoD): The group of publicly (from within the membership of the Society) nominated individuals who direct the non-profit organization of the SCA Inc.
• Charge: An item placed on a piece of heraldic armory.
• Court: A ceremony presided over by the royalty at an event.
• Crown: The joint power of the Monarchs of the Kingdom.
• Demo – a demonstration of the activities in the SCA. usually for an outside audience.
• Device: Often modernly termed “coat of arms,” the personal symbol of a Society member, household, or group.
• Dry/Damp/Wet Site: Alcoholic beverage policies. Dry sites allow no alcohol. Damp sites permit wine, beer, and mead, but no hard liquor. Wet sites do not restrict alcohol.
• Events: are the primary gathering activities for participants of the SCA
• Feast: A grand meal at an event featuring specially prepared period dishes.
• Feast Gear: A place setting for a feast: at least one plate, bowl, goblet, spoon and knife (per person). It can also include a napkin, fork, tablecloth, candles, salt cellar (shaker), etc. If a feast is being served, it’s fairly certain that you will need to bring your own feast gear.
• Garb: Recreations of clothing that would have been worn in period (pre-18th century).
• Gate: At many events, this is the entryway into the event where site waivers are signed, fees (if any) are paid, rules or regulations are posted, and site tokens are issued. Sometimes called the "Troll Booth."
• Guilds are chartered organizations that promote a particular craft or skill.
• HOLD!: a cry meaning “Stop whatever you are doing and freeze in place until you see where the hazard is!” Normally used during combat, but it's been extended to cover all forms of activity.
• Households and Warbands are non-official groups formed by members of the populace; a voluntary association of friends or people with a common interest.
• Known World: Designates the collected area of the SCA and its Kingdoms and Principalities.
• Lists / List Field: the roped-off area for combat. Also called “the eric”. The List Table is the location where competitors sign in.
• Melee: martial combat with many participants on each side
• Mundane was a term used to refer to people or things outside of the SCA; however, it has been retired from polite usage and replaced with the word "modern."
• Non–Member Registration (NMR) – an additional fee paid by event attendees who are not paid members of the SCA.
• Officers: Caidan Officers run specific areas as defined by Kingdom Law.
• Period: Used to encompass the time span that the SCA recreates, generally considered pre-1600 (17th century). The term also designates those objects, activities, and concepts found within that time span and our attempts to reenact or replicate them (i.e. a “period pavilion” is one that matches a style found in the Middle Ages).
• Persona: A "Persona" in the SCA is the history or "back story" people tell about their life. For some people, a Persona is simply the name they use; for others it is much more complex and involves elaborate costumes, registered name and heraldry, and much, much more.
• Order of Precedence: The master list of Awards given in Caid and Awards given to Caidan populace.
• Rattan: A plant, the bamboo-like stem of which is used to make weapons for armored combat. Swords and other such weapons may be colloquially referred to as rattan.
• Regnum: A listing of the officers for a particular group, kingdom, or the entire society.
• Reverence (honor): Showing deference to the royalty, by bowing or curtsying when passing into, through, or in front of the Royal Presence.
• Royal Presence: The area surrounding and immediately in front of the royalty and their thrones.
• Royals: Past and present rulers of the Kingdom
• Site: The location where an event is held. Some sites require a site fee or gate fee to be paid at the Gate (see Gate above).
• Territories: Geo-political units within the Kingdom, such as Baronies, Shires and Cantons.
• Title: A form of address that indicates the rank of the person using it.
• Tournament / Tourneys are core events for the SCA and usually involve competition in one or more combat forms such as Armored Combat, Rapier, Archery, or others.
• Waivers: Legal documents which are a Consent to Participate and Release Liability
• War: generally multi-day events which feature melee fighting instead of tournament fighting. A wide array of other SCA activities are enjoyed at wars.