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I started playing in the Society for Creative Anachronism in 1992. My SCA name is Lady Garanwyn of Erlinstar, which means I have earned the rank of Lady, and I belong to the house or Erlinstar.

For those who have no idea what the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is, it is a world wide organization of people interested in how life was back in medieval times. So we study the old crafts such as sewing, embroidery, weaving, calligraphy, shoe making, armoring, swordplay, fencing, the art of war, cooking, and so on. The only thing we usually don't bring into play in the SCA is religion, as people tend to get a little too upset when they are contradicted. Besides, religion was basically what made the dark ages dark, and although it was an inspiration for many lovely art forms, it has no place in the SCA. Many religious people from all religions play, and all are invited to attend, as long as you are courteous to all and practice your faith on your own. The SCA was founded on the idea that if everyone is courteous to everyone else, and if honor and chivalry are kept alive and well, people will get along. To this day the SCA is the only place I've ever heard of where 5,000 people can get together and drink wearing live steel swords and nobody gets hurt. I've never heard of anyone pulling a knife on someone in anger at SCA. If you have an issue, you challenge them to a duel, and if you yourself do not fight, you appoint a champion to fight on your behalf.

For those who like to hit things and think it's fun to fight, the SCA revolves largely around fighting. We train with swords, rapiers, spears, and even jousting, although we usually use rattan sticks on the field so that nobody gets really hurt or killed. After all, it is a game, and everyone likes to sit around the fire drinking ale and wowing the ladies with their bruises of an evening! Speaking of women, the SCA is not sexist. Women are free to put on armor and fight alongside the men in all styles of fighting. Many women fight, and some are better than the men!

For more info on SCA, try this link: http://www.outlands.org/index.aspx

I earned my Award of Arms in 1994, mostly for my seamstress abilities and for basically clothing the entire Shire of Lost Souls for a year as it was just coming together. I was the first person to bring SCA to Durango, and it was my idea to start a shire. Unfortunately I had to leave to attend college, leaving my fledgling shire under the management of  those who remained. Although I am no longer associated with Lost Souls, I still feel proud that they are doing so well. They are a Barony now, I think. I won one other award from the SCA, the Dogwood medallion. The Dogwood Medallion was invented by the Lost Souls shire to represent valor and courage in maintaining an SCA code of conduct even outside of the SCA. I won this medal for saving a lady with osteoporosis from a house fire at 3am on the way home from Prom. My date won the same medal, and to this day I think they are the only two in existence. Actually, he is the one who entered the burning house, I was outside with a hose on the burning porch trying to keep his exit open while he brought the lady and her adult son out.

I chose the name Garanwyn from a series of books by Theresa Edgerton called The Green Lion Trilogy. Actually Garanwyn is a boy's name, and is either pronounced Garan-win or Gahr-in-noon. Once again I managed to end up with a name nobody can remember or pronounce, so most of my friends just call me Pinky. This name was acquired when I showed up to an event with pink hair once, and the name stuck.

My first SCA household was Nighthawk of the Lost Souls, but when I left I pretty much stopped playing with them. We are still friends, and I like to drop in on them from time to time, or make a surprise appearance at a shire meeting.

I became a member of Erlinstar in 2003. I usually ended up camping with them anyway for several years prior to that, as I only attended occasional events for about a decade. Erlinstar is based out of the Shire of Drygestan, so I usually have to commute about 6 hours to play. As you can imagine, I only end up making that rip a few times per year. Someday I'd love to live in Drygestan and play full time. I like the people here, and I'm friends with most people already from Drygestan and Al-Barran.

For me, SCA is my de-stressor. It's a place I can go to get away from the mundane routine of day to day life, yet without the expense and planning involved in planning a vacation. I just put a couple of pre-packed rubber maid bins in the car, and my tent, and drive away. It's also a place where I can practice art forms that are not much appreciated in modern life, yet I enjoy doing them.

Well, I'll probably re write this part later, I'm not really in the mood to write coherently at the moment.