Mora Ottavia Spadera
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Mora Ottavia Spadera has an identity which is a cross between cavalier and courtesan, a businesswoman and a mother. She resides in the sunny Shire of Isles, and can generally be found at events on the rapier field or at the Sign of the Sable Hart, where she operates a Salon for all to enjoy Conversation and Company.
Persona
Mora was born and raised in Venezia, the eighth daughter of a former courtesan and her prosperous merchant husband. Rather than continuing to follow in her mother's footsteps, Mora did some traveling, and met Angus le Todde Mac Donnell while in Flanders. After deciding to wed, Todde and Mora have embroiled themselves in a variety of small business ventures, some of which take them regularly to Caid. They founded a merchant company, Calix Inundans with some other businessfolk, and in previous years, could be found doing business with the White Star while loitering at the Inn of the Crimson Spade. They now reside some months of the year in the Villa Ca'Corazon, which stands near the Villa di Cellini, and Mora operates a salon at the Sign of the Sable Hart in Caid, hosting conversazione and the occasional philosophical symposium with many fine gentles. She also works in support of the Brass Lamp and in the Salle of the Vineyard of Swords in the same neighborhood. She is a performing member of the Fig Tree Chamber of Rhetorick.
Some of the details of Mora's childhood in Venice, and subsequent events, are recorded in the tale of The Young Girl and the Inn.
Background and History
Mora has resided in the Shire of Isles since she found the SCA in 1999, when starting at the University in Santa Barbara (an area which was under the stewardship of the Chumash peoples during the SCA period). She swiftly took up the rapier, learned to manufacture garb for large swaths of the Isles rapier community, became Shire Exchequer, and comprehensively immersed herself in the Dream while pursuing a degree in Physics. Meanwhile, she fell in love with and married Angus le Todde Mac Donnell and sealed her fate as a lifetime member of the Society at his side.
Mora's most continuous interests within the SCA have been in rapier, garb construction, and persona play, with a good bit of dancing and bardic arts thrown in for good measure. She is passionate about period ambiance, persona development, and the mental and 'meta' aspects of playing and participating in the Dream. She is especially interested in supporting consensual and mutually positive interactions among the society's members, and improving the Society's inclusivity, intersectionality, equity, and diversity. Her largest A&S project yet is the creation and upbringing of offspring in the society.
Honorifics and Pronouns, Intersectionality, Recognitions
Mora would like to express a standing request to know the preferred names, titles and pronouns of all gentles she interacts with, and any other details which may help her treat them with the respect and honor deserved of every gentle within the society.
For her part, no honorific is ever required for any reason-- Mora is Mora. However, for those who find fulfillment in that aspect of the game of the SCA, she is happy to accept any of the following honorifics: Maestra, Baronness, Lady, Gentle, Donna, or if truly desired, Magnifica,
Mora prefers the pronouns 'she' or 'they'. She is a proud member of Caid's LGBTQIA+ community, and wore blue feathers in her hair during her elevation ceremony for the Order of Defense. She would like to express recognition that she enjoys privilege relative to several aspects of mainstream culture including her skin color, and holds 'passing privilege' for other marginalized groups she holds identity with. Mora is always happy to discuss matters of inclusion and intersectionality within the society, and requests to be held compassionately accountable for any missteps she makes in that regard.
Mora is humbled to claim the accolades of a Master of Defense in Caid, membership the Vanguard of Honor and Legion of Courtesy, the Crimson Tower of Isles, and a court Barony of Caid. She also bears a grant of arms in Service, and remains a proud bearer of the White Scarf of Caid. She holds overwhelmlingly happy memories of herself and Todde mac Donnell side by side before the crowns of Caid, receiving tandem recognitions of the Crescent, the Legion of Courtesy, the Crimson Tower of Isles, and court baronies together, for their common and individual exploits over time.
Teaching and Learning
As a Maestra of Defense, Mora is dedicated to the nurture of Caid's rapier community. For those interested in direct studentship, Mora is passionate about using the Art of Defense as a lens for overarching personal growth and change. Any who see their learning journey in rapier as connected with a broader path of self-growth and inner development are encouraged to reach out to her to see if a mutually satisfactory learning or mentorship relationship is possible.
Mora is a Scholar in the Vineyard of Swords and a student of Maestro Lot Ramirez, to whom she held fealty prior to her own elevation.
Mora also has background in interpersonal relationships and communication/consent practices, and interests in social and interpersonal power dynamics. She is happy to provide listening, teaching, and coaching in the ways gentles and groups can improve their relationships with one another within the Society. She is the creator of the "Get Consent before you Engage!" flyer with Master Cormac Mor.
Mora's manifold interests have led her to desire knowledge in the rudiments of at least fifty different arts, "enough so I can explain the principles to a newcomer and teach a basic class given time to prepare." Below is a list of some of the arts and sciences into which this dabbling has led:
- Historical Rapier Combat - [Capo Ferro and Italian study]
- Basic Clothing Patterning - [Classes taught, many garments patterned and contructed]
- Handsewing: Clothing construction - [fully handsewn yellow Venetian gown, 2012]
- Handsewing: Colored thread embroidery - [embellishment on 11th C linen undergown]
- Handsewing: Metal thread embroidery - [embellishment on rapier fighting glove cuffs, award medallion]
- Knitting - [garment construction for offspring]
- Bobbin lace making - [several small samplers, pillow and bolster construction]
- Hand spinning - [drop spindle, purple wool]
- Lucet - [many many garment and shoe cords]
- Tablet weaving - [orange/purple interlocking eye pattern, 1 yard]
- Bardic composition: storytelling - [The Young Girl and the Inn]
- Bardic composition: poetry - [When my Lady Wakens, many others]
- Solo Singing - [Solo performances at multiple Potrero Concerts and bardic fires]
- Storytelling - [The Young Girl and the Inn]
- Directing - [Lysistrata, SCA version, King's Hunt early 2000's]
- Playing the Harp - [Several Cantigas and Irish pieces]
- English Country Dance - [All the basic ones, plus a bunch of complex ones]
- 15th and 16th C Italian Dance
- Leather hand-sewing - [multiple pieces, both glove-weight and armor-weight]
- Leatherwork embellishment design - [countless pieces executed by Todde mac Donnell]
- Freehand Acanthus Leaf illustration - [multiple leather pieces executed by Todde]
- Chain mail knitting
- Silk banner painting, egg-wash method - [Todde and Mora's banners (now retired) plus others]
- Fabric block printing - [Caidan decorative hangings for King's Hunt]
- Chip carving - [NOT YET COMPLETE]
- Head cook of a Feast - [Isles Anniversary, late 2000's]
- Wood furniture construction - [Camp bed]
- Pavilion design and construction - [The Bunny Pavilion]
- Gardening with period herbs and vegetables
- Non-alcoholic brewing: Sekanjabin and Hypocras
- Hat-making - [Elizabethan flat cap, cavalier felt hat, coif, pill-box hat]
- Period hair-styles and head coverings - [Class taught]
- Period manners and comportment - [Class taught]
- Persona development - [Running of Isles Finishing Guild, comportment and persona group]
- Mental aspects of tournament combat
- Pewter sandstone mold casting - [Site tokens, multiple Isles Anny's]
- Jewelry-making: bead necklaces and earrings - [Amber necklace, multiple others]
- Finger-loop braiding - [2 yard length]
- Cotehardie/women's fitted gown patterning and construction - [Multiple garments fit to multiple women]
- 15th and 16th century doublet/jerkin construction - [Fencing legal and not, multiple materials and styles]
- Venetian/Florentine women's gowns, 1540-1570 \
- Smocked embroidery - [Class taught, smocked apron construction]
- Poultry slaughter and cleaning - [chickens and turkeys]
- Knife and blade sharpening - [NOT YET COMPLETE]
Original Bardic Pieces
Offices & Positions
- Exchequer, Isles, 2000 to 2003
- Seneschal, Isles, 2003 to 2007
- Queen's Champion, Rapier, to A'isha bint Shamir, 2013
- Bard of Isles, 2017-2018
- Territorial Rapier Marshal, Isles, 2019-Present
- Deputy Kingdom Marshal for Youth Rapier, 2018-present
Miscellany
- Registered Personal Badge: (Fieldless) An artichoke Or.
- Company Motto: quod est bonus negotiis (Whatever's good for business.)
