A Merry Yule to the Good Gentles of Coeur d'Ennui & Axed Root.
May this season bring you joyous tidings from friends and loved ones.
Pray, permit us to speak of two worlds this missive.
We go forward through cold and winter with hope. Hope that our warriors return safe and victorious from battle. Hope that our artisans and people of science continue to delight our senses and emotions with their good works. And hope that our bonds of friendship continue to help us escape...for a while.
Through this new year, may good fotune smile on us all. Yours, with joy and happiness in service,
Philosophy of the SCA
by Kateryn de Devlin
© 2001 Debra Hense
I consider the C in SCA to stand for challenge. It is a personal challange to get as authentic as I can given my limitations. Everyone has limitations: time, money, personal physical limitations, availability of ingredients, appropriate fabrics, dyestuffs, understanding of period instructions, etc. Some of us have more of a challenge than others.
The challange for me is to make the closest approximation I can. To make a creation to the best of *my* ability and to consistently improve on that. A large part of this is the satisfaction I get when I find the right ingredients, experiment with period techniques successfully, etc. The fun comes in finding out what I *can* do to overcome these limitations. I can confidently say that I will never get it 100% right - but I'll certainly give it my best shot and have a hoot of a time while doing so.
Greetings good members of the Barony of Coeur d'Ennui,
I write to you this day to ask your help. Having recently gone through my SCA stuff, I have realized that I have misplaced a haulberk of aluminum chainmail. I remember loaning it out to someone for a demo, but don't remember getting it back. This was quite literally years ago. If anyone might know where it is I will be glad to come and get it from wherever it might be. Please contact me at (515)288-8954 and leave a message.
Sincerely
Edward Blythe
The cautious guest who comes to the table speaks sparingly.
Listens with ears, Learns with eyes.
Such is the seaker of knowledge.
- the Viking Havamal
These are the words the Herald spoke in the Court at Kris Kinder:
People of Calontir. Hear now the words of the Huscarl, Ilya Yaroslavich, by the Grace of Dongal and Aislin, General of the Falcon Host.
Brothers and Sisters of Calontir,
I come before you now to tell you of your Kingdom's need. Even now in the West are heard the rumblings of war. The Aten hordes are assembling to bring low our staunch Outlands allies, those who stand ever by our side. We cannot let them face this challenge alone.
Your Crown has pledged aid to this noblest of ally, but that pledge will be naught but hollow words if you do not head this call.
To the Chivalry here assembled, I say this. Gird the on sword belt one more time. Take up your shield in defense of the Crown. How can you not rally to the call of the Kingdom which has showered up on you the greatest of honors?
And fellow Huscarls, hear this. We are tools of war, forged in those firey battles which are our only true home. Today a King calls, as your Sovreign, but also as your Brother. Will you take up your axe and stand beside the man so proud of You that he bears Our badge up his very chest?
For the Fyrdmen, my shield companions, I have praise--and a challenge. You are the true might of the Calon Army. In your hands lie victory or defeat. But when our Queen takes the field, which of you will be there to defend Her and to carry Her to victory?
Good Man at Arms know this. Only in war will you truly see the value of your striving and training. Come with us. Don a Falcon tabard. March to the field surrounded by song and brotherhood. Feel the warm glow of victory. See awe in the eyes of ally and foe alike. Learn what it is to be Calontir.
Unto the archers, Novice, Fyrd and Hirth, a call is made. Your skill has been honed to a fine edge in friendly competition, but now your Kingdom asks you to travel to a far land. How many of you don purple and gold to show the world the prowess of the Heartland?
And to the Artisans, I beseach you. Those in the harsh Western deserts know Calontir as a land of warriors, with a mighty army. But do they know of the grace and beauty with which you have filled our land. I know the road is long, but come with us and show your skill for all to see.
Good People of Calontir, I ask for aid. You may not take up arms, but an Army does not take the field alone. Every one of you is there upon the field in victory or defeat. Come and join in the revellry, see the wondrous wares from throughout the known world, join the gracious Fourth Company and be truly cherished and loved.
And to all who listen hear this. You know that legends are made at war. Stay home and we will bring these legends back to you in song and story. But if you come with us you can create those Legends!
Question Time: Presentation at Demos By Brendan macRonan
At Salisbury Fair this year, we shared the site with a jousting company. Our music consort was situated across from them at Education Day , so they were hard to ignore. Even if they didn't atttract screaming hordes of adoring fans (they did, sometimes), they had a flunky set up with a modern drum trap set. No ignoring him.
You have to admit, they looked good. And I know little about horsemanship, but they seemed to handle their mounts well. And yet we could do better than that, I'’m sure. Their final melee tapered off into the headbutting and helmet throwing.
The question: what can do do to improve our presentation at demos-- especially at the fighting demos that are many people's first exposure to the SCA? What equipment would help? What else should our people onsite be doing.?
We're sort of in a quandry here, friends. Salisbury is our primary recruting venue, but a lot of the crowd there is more concerned with a good show than good history. In that setting, I believe that our great selling point is that we have the skills, knowledge, and passion to be good living history interpreters. So how can we draw and keep a crowd, and remain good stewards of history.
Respond with your thoughts in this space! Write to Tatiana, or tell me in person, and trust me to paraphrase your opinion faithfully.
Disclaimer This is the Boar’s Snore, a publication of the Barony of Coeur d’Ennui of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. The Boar’s Snore is available from Shannon Ward, 1002 Osceola Ave. Des Moines, IA 50316, 515-264-1364. It is not a corporate publication of the SCA and does not delineate SCA policies. Copyright 2001, Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. For information on reprinting articles & artwork from this publication, please contact the editor, who will assist you in contacting the original author/ artist. Please respect the legal rights of our contributors. Additional note on Reprint Information: Any article printed here by an SCA member can be assumed to be copyright protected. Editor’s noteAll art & icons appearing in the Snore, not credited, come from copyright free sources.
Baronial Survey
The SCA is all about us. When you look past the medieval aspects of our group, it's just about the people. In order to make the SCA and our local group better fit what we want, I have put together this survey. It asks some basic questions about what you do and don't like. If there are any questions you don't wish to answer, don't answer them. I hope you will answer all of them, as I plan to use these answers to help the barony grow into what the populace wants. Thank-you for your time.
Murd
Seneschal Cd'E
SCA Name: Mundane Name:
What is your persona?
How did you join/ what got you interested in the SCA?
What do you do in the SCA?
What do you like about the SCA?
What don't you like about the SCA?
What types of things do you do at events?
What events have you been to in the last six months?
What did you like/not like about them?
What would you like to do locally that we don't do?
What is your best SCA memory?
How can we attract new members?
How can we retain new members?
Have you worked at a local event recently? Yes No
If so, what did you do/would you do it again?
If not, would you like to do something?
General comments about the SCA and Cd'E.
