Much like the hardcore scene, the SCA has groups that although are unofficially a part of the SCA organization, are a large part of how people interact socially. Instead of Crews, the SCA has Households.
These households become your backbone, your support, your mentors, your brothers and sisters and is as much as a family can be to a person.
Beyond the “game”, when the armor and funny clothes come off, its the real life love and friendship and community spirit that really makes it feel real.
I knew nothing of anything at my first practice. At my first event a few weeks later I watched a guy who was so larger then life, so charismatic and fun, and yet taken serious that I spent alot of my first event watching and listening to him watch over the fighting making jokes, breaking balls and just keeping the spirits high.
That man is John Haren, who I was introduced as Duke Darius Aurelius Serpentius. He had names before and even now likes to be referred to as A Duke Called Omega, Tribune Omega, but for me- I call him boss.
When a beginning fighter wishes to participate beyond practices he must complete an authorization bout or “qualifying” bout to prove that they know the rules, are safe to themselves and others and has some semblance of being able to defend themselves in armor. Being good or killing people helps but being smart and safe is the starting point.
My 2nd event and 3 months in, I authorized under the watchful eye of Duke Darius. As I was signing my name, I wrote Joe and he told me “At least be Joseph, you can always change it later”. I still haven’t changed it and I wish I could come up with something cool but I’m not creative like that.
The next time I saw Duke Darius - he went into his armor bag and threw a tabard at me and said “are you going to rock our colors right” and gave me a smile because he knew the answer. I barely knew, but because I was friends with 2 guys already in his household- he knew before I did where I would belong.
Duke is a title earned in the SCA. It is the high point of being a good fighter. Fighters work hard to get themselves recognized for their skills, their honor on the field and one day recognized as a Knight and brought into the Order of Chivalry. It takes a long time and more work then many can handle, but if the knights and the King agree you are worthy- it is an honor worth all of it.
King you say ?
Yeah- we have Kings. Here in the East and in many parts of the SCA, we have 2 tournaments a year. One in the Spring and One in the Fall.
The winner of the tournament gets to be a prince that day and in 6 months, King. When he is King, we have another Crown Tournament to give the new King his heirs. The SCA would truly suck if there was just one king….
So when you’re done being a King the first time- you are called a Count.
Those who go on to win a second time, when they are done their royal duties, become a Duke.
As the SCA has been around since 1967, there are many Dukes.
So running into them, know that they were once the baddest stick amongst them all.
Duke Darius at my first pennsic war, took me on a walk within 3 hours of him showing up. It was something I’ll never forget. Everywhere we went, he knew people, he told stories and everyone laughed. I liked being around him.
After the war, I agreed to serve as his Man at arms. As he was a Knight and Duke, he is able to have squires, and being his man at arms was the first step.
All the while, as we grew as friends, he became the big brother and later father figure that was absent from my life for so long. He was a union pipefitter when he wasn’t an ass kicking Duke in the SCA and he was also married and much smarter then I about how to deal with women.
To this day, his tutelage in real life gets me by and I don’t have anyone else in the world like him. He stood by me with all court problems, he is there to break my balls and be the first person to make funny of me.
But he is the first and most accepting person in the SCA to me.
This post is about my SCA Family, and it wouldn’t be a family without my Knight, who I am squired to Duke Darius Aurelius Serpentius, Four Times King of the East.
PICTURE TIME….
TOP PICTURE-
The heraldry of our household. House Serpentius.
This emblem is on our favors on our belts, its on our tabards as we go into battle together and its under this symbol that we stand as a family.
It has grown to be one of the most well known Households in the East Kingdom and on the field of Pennsic.
Second Picture :
Me on the left, fighting Duke Darius/Tribune Omega at a fight practice last year.
Third Picture:
Pennsic 41, 2 summers ago.
House Serpentius walking off the field, still alive after a battle.
Duke Darius in the middle, me to the far right with my spear.
Fourth Picture:
He and I at the wedding of my dear friend Josh, who was the first person I met in the SCA and my knight in fancy clothes.
Josh or Master Horace, was squired to Duke Darius and it was a great day to hang with my SCA family celebrating real life moments.
SCA to some may seem like LARPing but the people and friendships are real and I am a better man because of Duke Darius.
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