1: What is the SCA?
2: What do you actually DO in the SCA?
3: Full armored fighting? Isn't that dangerous?
4: How "historically accurate" do I need to be?
5: What is a persona?
6: What accoutrements do I need to play this game?
7: Do I need to be a member to play?
8: What does membership provide me?
9: How do I become a member?
1: What is the SCA?
The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a non-profit educational organization devoted to the study of pre-seventeenth century Western culture. It concentrates on the European Middle Ages and Renaissance, and members work to recreate the arts and skills of this era. Some members study the Middle East and explore the interaction between Europe and Asia during the period under study. The SCA was incorporated in 1968, but recognizes a tournament held in Berkeley, California on May 1, 1966 as its founding date.
2: What do you actually DO in the SCA?
Members of the Society occupy themselves through several forms of historically based activities. Activities include martial arts (full contact "heavy weaponry," meaning full armored sword fighting; "light weaponry," meaning rapier fighting similar to modern-day fencing; and both combat and target archery), fine arts (costuming, cooking, brewing, calligraphy, illumination, armor making, leather working, performing arts, and anything else that you can imagine making throughout history), as well as other historically based
3: Full armored fighting? Isn't that dangerous?
No matter how historically accurate a person may want to be, NOBODY wants to get hurt! Therefore, historical fighting has been modified to meet with modern safety regulations. All fighters MUST be trained and authorized by an authorized kingdom Marshall to ever fight in an SCA-sanctioned tournament. Each fighter must meet AT LEAST the minimum kingdom armor standards for his or her own protection. The swords used are made of rattan, which does not splinter or cut, and delivers the same impact as a metal sword. Each fighter is trained to know whether a particular hit would be a damaging one or not. The fights themselves are based upon the honor system. Each fighter is expected to judge and call all good hits that his or her opponent makes.
4: How "historically accurate" do I need to be?
In an ideal world, everyone showing up to his or her first event would look, act, and in all ways, BE an individual that could have existed in history. However, NOBODY can be expected to come into this game perfectly. Often times, it takes years of work and research to develop a persona. In fact, it is this never-ending quest that keeps people active in this game. As a rule of thumb, do your best. At each event you attend, try to push yourself a little bit further towards achieving your persona.
5: What is a persona?
A persona is the individual that you represent within the Society. While you cannot be a person who physically existed within period, everyone is expected to represent an individual who COULD have existed at some point between 600 and 1600 in Western Europe, including cultures that had contact with Western Europe during that time.
For example, if you are a fan of the Robin Hood legend, you may wish to research the time period in England in which Robin Hood was purported to exist - learn about the culture, dress, social system, customs, monarchy, etc, of that time period. Choose a name based upon the naming conventions of the time. Eventually, become the person you have invented.
Easy to accomplish? Not really. Fun to perfect? YOU BET!
6: What accoutrements do I need to play this game?
Everyone within the Society is expected to be self-sufficient. After all, it is not a right to participate within the SCA, but a privilege. Everyone needs to be responsible for his or her own clothing, feast gear, armor, and, of course, behavior. When starting out, you may be able to borrow some of the bare necessities, but you will eventually be expected t be self-sufficient. When in doubt, track down a Hospitaller for assistance.
7: Do I need to be a member to play?
While you do need to be a member to fight or hold an office, you do not need to be a member to attend an event. In fact, membership should NOT be considered until you feel confident that you really would like to continue participating in the SCA. After all, you may attend an event or two and determine that this is not what you want to do. However, if you find that the SCA provides the kind of excitement that you really crave, I would strongly encourage membership.
8: What does membership provide me?
Membership provides a couple of things. Firstly, you will receive the kingdom newsletter, Talewinds, which contains letters from the kingdom offices, informational articles, and upcoming event details. In addition, you will receive a copy of the SCA's magazine, Tournaments Illuminated, a quarterly publication that contains news from around the Known World as well as interesting articles of historical note. Finally, membership provides you with an automatic discount when attending events. In a nutshell, if you plan on attending AT LEAST one SCA event per month for a year, the membership more than pays for itself!
9: How do I become a member?
That's easy. Ask a Hospitaller for a membership form. Processing time of your membership form may take a couple of weeks, so save a copy of your form and a copy of your check. That way, you will immediately be able to start saving on entrance fees to events.