How I Found the SCA (or the SCA Found Me)
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This began as a Facebook Post by Fergus Ó Dubhshláine. It occurred to Duchess Natalya de Foix that these stories should be presented in Compendium Caidis.
Please feel free to add your own story or ask someone on the Compendium staff to help you.
A-E
Agnes Wurtman
People had been nudging me to join the Society for years: B.A. was in history; fenced foil well enough to get offered a job as an instructor at a Renfaire. Had been dabbling in textile arts and in period cooking.
Overall it's a good thing I didn't join younger. Would have been insufferable: I'm the person who sits near the back of the theater during a beautiful costume drama and mutters, "Hem lengths weren't floor length in the 1830s...they were ankle length!"
The Right Honorable Lord Ketill talked me into joining five years ago.
Aliskye Rosel
I was a big fan of science fiction and fantasy books growing up and starting to get a little involved in fandom, going to conventions, collecting comic books and author autographs. I drove three friends to Orange County, CA (a long drive for me at the time) from West LA to a book signing party for Katherine Kurtz1. There was a guy there dressed in a funny costume and though I didn’t speak to him personally, he was an SCA member and invited my friends and I to a fighting practice/sewing circle/newcomer meeting taking place not far away at the same time. The funny part is that I didn't particularly want to go, I was ready to drive home but my friends talked me in to it. And I met these fabulous people and was intrigued. We were all invited to the next big event which I believe was 12th Night. I wasn't able to attend, but a few months later, my roommate and I attended The St. Patrick’s Day Tourney in Gyldenholt. I was hooked but it took awhile to figure out where my home group was.
1 Countess Bevin Fraser of Stirling
Arianna Kateryn Nunneschild
I read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy books during junior high and high school in the 1980s, and the SCA was mentioned in several of them. Sounded like a fabulously fun time to me, but since I lived in a tiny little town in North Dakota, pre-Internet, I could not find the SCA, let alone anyone with whom to play D&D. Most kids my age wanted to meet rock stars like Jon Bon Jovi, but I just desperately wanted to meet literary stars like Christopher Tolkien. So, as a present for my 16th birthday, my parents bought me a plane ticket and entrance to Mythcon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Christopher was guest of honor. (At one point, he bought me a Diet Coke, and hid out with me from some crazy professor who was trying to get him to constantly discuss the deeper meanings of his father's books… All I wanted to know was how they made him feel when he was hearing the stories for the first time as a child. He seemed to appreciate that.)
While at Mythcon, I met some lovely SCA people from San Diego, but they were unfortunately not able to give me any way to contact the group in North Dakota. Fast-forward to 1991, when I was living in Los Angeles with my now-ex-husband... I discovered that Mythcon was coming to San Diego, with Marion Zimmer Bradley as the guest of honor, and I convinced him that we should attend. We ran into the nice couple I had met in Milwaukee, and they gave me their copy of the CP (still pre-Internet). It turned out that Lyondemere fighter practice happened just a few blocks from our apartment, so we headed down and met some welcoming locals, including Baron Colin and not-yet-Mistress Aliskye. Not long afterward, I attended my first event, Angels Anniversary, wearing a cobbled-together "attemp at garb" that makes me shudder to think of it to this day. (Let's just say, it was *much* worse than my craft-felt/Lurex/grommeted cotehardly, which was the first garb I officially sewed for myself from scratch. The fact that I became a costumer, eventually, is truly a testament to all the kind and patient people who helped me evolve from there!)
At Angels, my ex locked our keys in the car immediately upon our arrival, and not-yet-Sir Wilhelm, then a very young and aspiring fighter, dropped out of Lists so he could spend the day helping us rescue our keys.
Nice people helped me find the group, and nice people ensured that I stayed… Everybody, please always strive to be nice - how you treat someone just might be the difference between whether or not they stay!
Aurora of Finchingfield
Our son, Vigulf Ragnarson, was participating with the SCA and, as parents, we wanted to be connected with him. So, we started attending the fighter practices; my husband became interested in rapier, and I just wanted to be with them, and the rest is history...
Avenel Kellough
In 1984, Worldcon was in Anaheim. I was stationed in San Diego, so drove up to attend. Caid had a great display of various arts, and I was intrigued. I was given the date and location for Calafia's Baronial Council. I sat quietly in the back, and listened to the business. At the end, Baron Talanque said he didn't recognize me. I replied that I was new, and with that several people just introduced themselves. I found out that the Leodamus of Thebes tourney was that weekend. That Saturday morning, I stopped into a thrift store and bought a long Indian shirt by way of a costume. Spent the day at the event, and evening at the revel. Felt at home, and was hooked for life.
Caspian Blackrune
I was a D&D geek in HS in the early 80s. A friend and I used to fight with broomsticks in the back yard. He saw an article where Canyons was having an event and we attended. I've been addicted ever since.
Ceara Nugel Chonaill
My husband and I had been going to Renaissance Fairs for several years in garb. We were at a small event in the canyon near our home and a shoe vendor (from Idaho) asked us if we were in the SCA. I replied "The what?" He explained that we looked very comfortable in our clothing and then went on to explain what the SCA was. We were intreagued and when we arrived back home, we looked it up. We went to a council meeting and learned about an event the next month. Our first event was GWW, the Great Wet War. I made us cloaks, we wore boots on an off chance. Not knowing anyone, we wandered blissfully around in the rain and watched merchants dig trenches around their shops. The highlight of the day was getting our car pushed out of the muddy lot by men in kilts. Needless to say, we were hooked.
Dagný Starkaðardóttir
I had always been fascinated with Greek mythology, and the year after I graduated high school, when I stumbled across a reference to an organization called "The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Amazon Conduct and Attitudes," I went off looking for a contact. This was WAY pre-internet, so I was pretty much limited to phone books and card catalogs. I found them, all right - and right above them in the White Pages was a listing for a group called "The Society for Creative Anachronism," which sounded intriguing. I made a note of both numbers.
After I called the first group and discovered their mission (and oh BOY had I misunderstood what they were about!), I called the second group. I don't remember who I talked to, but whoever it was told me about an upcoming class, local to me, on shoemaking, taught by Amandine du Gourdon. Whatever happened between that class and deputy-editing the Caid kingdom newsletter is all kind of a blur, but it must have been fairly great because even after leaving for 15 years to hang out in World War II for awhile, I couldn't stay away. I'm back, and I brought my [relatively] new husband with me!
Éowyn Amberdrake
In 1971, I lived in Albuquerque, NM, and was active in both the UNM fencing club (I never went to that university, but many friends were in the club) and a local Science Fiction group. Every once in awhile, one guy would show up at the fencing club in leather armor, and refused to acknowledge touches. We each tried on his harness, and discovered why - a foil really doesn't impact the reality of a guy in leather armor. He talked about a group in Texas that he fought with in this stuff.
In 1972, one of our SF Club members, Bob Vardeman, was nominated for a Hugo as Best Fan Writer. So a girlfriend and I decided to go to Worldcon that year - it was in Los Angeles. One afternoon there was a medieval wedding, presided over by Randall Garrett. That sounded intriguing, so we attended. All the participants were wearing cool medieval outfits. We spotted other science fiction fans there we knew, from Denver and Colorado Springs, dressed in cool costumes and introducing themselves with alternate names. We immediately asked where we could find out more. They pointed me to some local contacts. I met Katherine Kurtz (esteemed author, me as admiring fan), and I think I met Jared Alexandre Blaydeaux at that event, as well. I went to a "revel" in Albuquerque - I found out it was "Al Barran" - that ended in a lively Virginia Reel. We had an SCA panel at Bubonicon the next year (Albuquerque SF convention the week before Worldcon).
When I went back to grad school, I contacted a couple in Las Cruces (Freehold of the Great River), and they introduced me to Atenveldt and the Kingdom of the West. I was president of the university fencing club, so I introduced the whole club to the SCA (all 4-5 of us). I made my first SCA garb, an Elizabethan of lime green brushed denim, based on a Bellerephon coloring book illustration. I also made a shield, a sword, some rug armor, and borrowed a helmet to fight in. I wasn't very good.
When I graduated, and got a job out in Los Angeles in January 1975, I was given a phone number for local SCA folk, Bevin Fraser of Sterling and Conrad von Regensburg. They pointed me to the closest SCA person to me, Eyana bat David. She took me under her wing, took me to my first Caid event, where I met Lavendar of Lorne, and a party to support the editors of the Crown Prints, Flavia Beatrice Carmigliani (then Bjo of Trimble) and John ap Griffin.
I've been in Caid ever since.
F-J
Fedelm Dub
I was with my ex who had friends who only did wars, and we went to September Potrero in 2001, but sometime after we broke up, I was attending what was to become Noe College at CSULB, when Cormac Mór was in front of the bookstore in garb. He was starting the college group, which I joined in 2003, and never looked back. My first "garb" was RenFaire garb that was basically a commercial patterned bodice, and a skirt found at a thrift store, and I wore it to the Kalideoscope festival demo they had which was my first unofficial event. The thing I'd say about what I wore to that demo is that it was at best, an attempt at garb. By the time I went to my first official event which was May Potrero in 2003, I had better looking garb.
Feliné de Bourges
I had heard of it from word of mouth when I was in HS but the chateline at the time was MIA from my area and so I never got to get involved. Then about a year later once I graduated I tried again - I met up with a nice family at their home, but still didn't have much guidance after that and never made it to an event until about Another year later when two coworkers of mine were involved. I believe I wore a cloak to work one day and it sparked the conversation. That's when I finally got to go to an event. Between persistence and luck - HA!
Fergus Ó Dubhshláine
I was involved in reenacting when I was little. Up until the age of 1 my family including my grandfather were involved in American Frontier reenacting in the Ohio river valley. My parents split up and we stopped doing it but still went to the events. There wasn't much to do in Ohio when I lived there. I got interested in Castles, plenty of video games were making ones with medieval elements. I enjoyed reading stories about robin hood. Fast forward to me getting out of the Navy and attending Grossmont college. (this was the last actual demo with both rapier and armored martial forms. Something I'd try to bring back but not succeed.) Guillaume de Belgique was the first person I talked to and was hooked. My first event was Calafia Gyldenholt friendship tourney, (I believe 2008 or 2009) Avenel Kellough and his lovely wife Bronwyn Kellough. They really brought me into the sca and I joined their household after not finding a good fit. I also was working retail and going to college my second event was Potrero War. It was terrible, being stuck in camp for the majority of war and I almost quit until I participated in the siege cook off. I had a blast and I really round out where I wanted to be after finding the open arms bardic hall a few years later. I seen the performances of Master Yonaton1 and True Thomas and knew that someday I'll be up there to, and hopefully muses's willing that good.
1 Master Yonatan vom Schwartzfleck
Geraldine of Toad Hall
From Mistress Geraldine of Toad Hall, Baroness Bufo - The two organizations1 were compleatly independent of each other. Ren Faire began in L.A. The SCA of course began in Berkeley. Ren Faire was a few years older. I met up with the SCA at the first Northern Faire. I had a booth at the Faire. Some SCA people were participating.
I don't know about the crowns being commissioned with funds from working Faire. I thought they had all volunteered. I do know that Master Beverly, the first Laurel in the SCA made the first crowns, and I can't imagine him having charged to make them. I think they were made from scraps he had. He was a machinist. They were heaver than all crap, as was anything he made, (but it would never break )
What I do know for certain is that what you read in Wikipedia about either org. is not to be taken as absolute truth, like a lot of what you may read there. I became dis-enamored with Wikipedia when I went there to find the spelling of the generis name for the California Bay Laurel. It said that it was a bush sometimes reaching as high as 10 or 12 feet. I smiled as I looked out my window at my forest of 40 foot tall California Bay Laurel.
1 The SCA and the Renaissance Faire
Giles Hill
I was at at picnic in Balboa Park, in San Diego, in my senior year of high school. We saw a lot of bright colors and movement behind a row of trees, and walked over to check it out. It was a Norman/Saxon Enmity Tournament (an event no longer held) put on by the Barony of Calafia. I found myself standing and watching the fighting (in front of someone's pavilion, and was asked/told to move to stop blocking their view). A beautiful lady with long blond hair (who I much later figured out was Brianna Je Nell) gave me a copy of the SCA flyer "Welcome To The Current Middle Ages!". I was hooked. That was XIVas (1979) ... and three weeks later, I moved to Texas for college. After six months of getting Tournaments Illuminated (and after the Registry figured out I was in Ansteorra and not Atenveldt) I started a local chapter of the Society (which later became the Barony of Bonwicke). I moved back to Caid in XXas.
Guenevere Marian Coe
I remember I heard about the SCA while I was in HS in the mid '70s. I went to a few events when it was still at the bowling greens off 6th St. Baron Talanque was the only one who remembered me from that period. I there as a long period of inactivity while priorities changed - but I never forgot. In '91 there was a demo at a fair in San Marcos, I think, and I've been playing ever since.
Gürcü Iskender
As a teenager, I was obsessed with ALL things sword-related - played RPGs, modern fencing, all the movies Fighter practice was at a park near my dad's house and we went a few times, as I was VERY interested. Unfortunately, I was rudely snubbed by the people there (Except for Baron Cameron and Sir Corwin, later Sir Alisander) - so i started a LARP (which at one point had 400+ people playing). Met Sheridan Ua Neill in the LARP, and he convinced me to give the SCA a second chance, as he and his wife had started playing SCA also. That was 1987 or so.
The rude folks? Some of them have now been friends for 20+ years.
Jared Alexandre Blaydeaux
Me? I was 18, and got dragged along to L.A. Con II in 1972. I had just been introduced to the fantasy books (all of two of them at the time) of Katherine Kurtz. I was given to understand there was going to be an author's brunch with Ms. Kurtz, and my friend had gotten us tickets, so we and another friend headed for L.A. from Chula Vista, down in southern San Diego County.
We, however, got to the con to discover that they'd moved the author's brunch to the next day, and we could not afford to stay over. As we were standing in the hotel lobby, arguing about what to do, I popped off and said "I don't know about you guys, but I came up here to meet Katherine Kurtz, and I'm going to go find Katherine Kurtz!"
(I need to interrupt the narrative at this point to mention I had NO idea what Katherine Kurtz looked like. As far as I knew, she was a little old lady cackling over her typewriter. But I digress...)
At that point, an attractive young lady with collar length blond hair, wearing a burgundy chemise, fine Scots bonnet and a Fraser tartan shawl turned away from her conversation and said "Yes?"
I was 18, fairly sheltered and, well, my hormones were carbonated. I stammered something like "oh! Hmm, uh, you see (and from here I felt words had failed and I was frothing at the mouth)". I was told by those who remembered that I was actually relatively articulate in explaining our dilemma. So, she invited the three of to crash on the floor of her apartment, not far from the con hotel, along with a number of SCA members. I think one of them was James Earley (later Duke James Greyhelm), but it might have been Henrik of Havn.
We had a great time during the day, but at one point I ran into her again, and she asked "Would you like to come to a bardic revel?" I said "Sure!" (At this point, she could have asked me if I wanted to walk off the end of Santa Monica Pier, and I'd have happily agreed). Well, we walked into an overcrowded hotel room, and there was this VERY hirsute man, wearing a kilt (& bathrobe) standing on one of the beds, loudly declaiming some Norse saga in, what he assured us, was Old Norse). I learned later that this was Edwin Bersark, who was known for doing such things.) I didn't run screaming, and the lady who I now knew was Lady Bevin Fraser of Stirling, leaned over and said "You didn't run away. You'll fit right in."
The next day's author's brunch was fun, but the SCA has lingered for 42 years.
John ap Griffin
Bjo/Flavia & I were long-time science fiction & fantasy fans. We participated (sometimes ran) conventions, participated (& sometimes ran) masquerades. When the Hobbit & Lord of the Rings books were published, we devoured them; we'd been sword & sorcery fans & Tolkein's work took these to a whole new level. We moved to the SF Bay Area from SoCal in 1967 & some fan friends there suggested that we join them in attending a medieval reenactment event in March; they knew we'd be able to come up with costumes (even if Bjo was 8 months pregnant with our 2nd daughter Lora/Lorissa). So that's how we witnessed the first actual coronation in the SCA, when Henrik the Dane (now Duke Henrik of Havn) rode in to be crowned on a borrowed horse.
Johannes de Seleone
Tolkien, and the old 1958 film "The Vikings" - saw it when I was a kid and loved it. Found the SCA in '79 and only played for 6 months. Found the SCA again when I moved to Mississippi in 94 and have been involved ever since. It's a major part of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way.
K-O
Lachlan of Cromarty
When I was in highschool I stumbled across a demonstration at Jackson's Mill in Lewis County, West Virginia. The demo was hosted by the Barony of the Debatable Lands (Pittsburgh, PA. Then Kingdom of the East, now AEthelmearc). I recall seeing heavy weapons fighting and got to try my hand at fencing. Being D&D players, my best friend John and I were pretty intrigued. We wanted to do armored combat, which eventually I would try long before picking up fencing for real. But first we helped found a shire in Morgantown, WV known then as the Shire of Swampwater Springs (not my name!--I did design atrocious branch heraldry, however!). Our first real event was Pennsic in perhaps 1984? After high school, I moved to Caid and John moved to Pittsburgh. We both participated in our respective kingdoms for some time, though John was more interested in other Living History groups and eventually parted from the SCA. I'm apparently here for good!
Liudmila Vladimirova doch'
In the fall of 1998 I started grad school at UCSD, and during the club rush (I think that's what it is called) encountered an SCA table by the College of St. Artemas. They told me the current King was named Ivan (Eye-van, which I told them was wrong) and I could totally do Russian stuff if I wanted to. So the following week I went to their meeting (in a long dress with a shawl because I thought you must make an effort at all times). Richenda Elizabeth Coffin was there teaching about embroidery ("You can do it between classes! It isn't hard!") and showing awesome Elizabethan garb. I was hooked, and went online to find out what could I do without sewing skills. I discovered the Slavic Interest Group and came up with the name. I also encountered Mistress Soraya, to whom I later apprenticed. And in a couple of days I made my first outfit by hand because I didn't own a sewing machine, so that I could attend Calafian Anniversary. In a proper embroidered headdress, of course, because Richenda! That first outfit had gold rick-rack on it, which I later replaced, so my daughter now wears it to events.
Lucia Zaffarana
Seventeen years ago last March, I saw a small two line plug in a local paper for a Medieval Event in the Calendar, March Hare in Heatherwyne, I had been a life long Ren-Faire folk since the early 70's, Sci-fi and Fantasy fan/con person and some how missed the SCA... researched it on the internet- entered A&S pages in Atlantia and emerged satiated and eager to go to the event.... .been hooked since my first event.....
Mary Taran of Glastonbury
When I was at the annual Spring Picnic of the West Los Angeles branch of the Mythopoeic Society (primarily JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and Charles Williams, but all Fantasy) someone referred to as "the Anachronist" crashed the party in April 1970 (AS 4). Found it again at Mills College in Fall 1972. Never let it escape again.
Natalya de Foix
In 1975, I was working at UCLA's Graduate School of Management, and as part of an Arts Management project, we decided to put on a play. One of the grad students and I got to talking, and the SCA came up. He said, "Here, you should call this person and talk to her about it," so I did. That's how I met Bevin Fraser of Stirling, who invited me to her home for tea. My first "event" was a council meeting at the home of Piers and Ximena; my first costumed event was the investiture of Thomas and Elaine. About six months after joining, I became Principality Seneschal, and somehow it's now murfle, murfle decades later. . .
Muirgen ingen Ailella
I entered the Knowne World through the Griffin Dyeworks Portal, aka The GateWay To The SCA. Almost six years ago, I attended a 3 day Friday - Sunday Fiber Retreat. I met so many amazing, generous, loving and talented people . . . but they all had two names!!! It was a bit confusing . . . Bjo/Flavia . . . Roberta/Bridget. . . Debbie/Lynnette . . . . . So I asked, what was that all about? They told me amazing stories of Lords and Ladies . . . of Kings and Queens and Barons and Baronesses . . . of people who were courteous and chivalrous and brave. Sunday night I got home from the Retreat, went online - joined the SCA and went to the next Fighter practice. I have been a citizen ever since. And can't believe how blessed I am to have found you all.
P-T
Padraic Armstrong
Ren faire pre military, turned into SCA as a boot E5 in the military as the Corvus warband showed the comradarie and discipline that I wanted in my SCA fighting. 22 years latter it still holds true. Through the many ups and downs the Raven is strong.
Selene Colfox
My neighbors took me to a Feast of Fools and I worked with them in the kitchen. Nearly 35 years later, I'm still there.
Sely Meadowcroft
Back in 2002 I got involved with dancing and camped with The Isle Of Standofish at The Renaissance Faire for two years then some of us became Shifting Sands in 2004...I have since then travelled to Phoenix and California Wars and events with other groups and recently got interested in our local Barony and went to an Archery practice and an Arts and Science get together...fell in love with the bow and everyone I've met in The Barony so far...and am focusing on fencing and Archery and working my way to the battle field.
Tierrynna Caer Narvon
Noticing the high school trend. I was about 15, one summer my best friend and i were walking around and she said she had a meeting to go to. Not wanting to intrude i said i'd wait at the library. But she insisted that i'd be welcome. So i went. The small group was planning a weekend camping event, and as i sat and listened to these folks brainstorming, well i had to contribute to the idea pool. My first event was probably 6 months later, 12th nite. It was truly a magical night of fun, costumes, food and frivilousness. But i was only 15 going on 16. I was unable to be involved for a few years. But after graduating HS, i found the local group in So. Idaho. I jumped right in and still enjoy my friend's and SCA family.
Triona Le Fox
It was during winter formal in HS. I was with my date, and we were having dinner w/ a few of the other kids. One of them was talking about sword fighting. I HAD to know more. So he told me about this wonderful group called the SCA where they would teach you how to use a sword (Allied Gardens) , dress up in medieval clothes, and go camping. Not long after I found myself going to said park, and meeting some of the fighters. I went to Potrero, but left for school so it really wasn't till a couple years later before I was able to do much beyond wars.
U-Z
(MKA)
(Amy)
My boyfriend got me involved. I'd always loved the idea of Renaissance "play" but I didn't have the money to get to a "Faire". He told me about this and I have been enamored ever since, but it's only been since March this year. LOL
(Jane)
As I call it my first true event was Gyldenholt's first anniversary, but I had gone to a few meetings before that. I seemed to be adopted into Duke Armand's household to learn the ropes. Within six months I became the Lists officer. Didn't have a name yet and Gyldenholt was doing a Henry VIII court, I did Lady Jane Gray. I was told I could not use that name (which I already knew). So back than to get a name passed I had to write a basic story of my life for it to pass. I did and it passed as did my arms. I have since registered a second name and may make that my official name but I have not decided yet.
(Pete)
The 1980's. My junior high English teacher and her husband were members of the SCA from Berkeley. Went to a fighter practice and was hooked. This was also the D&D teenage years so the chance to experience a part of that in the real world was very exciting.
