SCA

Warning: Spoiler alert! There are articles here that have yet to be published elsewhere. All content copyrights belong to “True Thomas the Storyteller” (Robert Seutter) and/or the SCA. If you would like to re-publish these articles in your SCA newsletters, magazines, etc. please feel free to contact THL Thomas Whitehart (True) and he’ll be glad to help you.

• ABC-SCA, The SCA Alphabet Primer
• A Shield Wall of One!
• Bad-Bard, Bad-Bard, Whatcha' Gonna Do?
• Born in the SCA
• Crag's Lyst, (April Foolish!)
• The Medieval Diner
• Sunny Valhalla SCA Retirement Home
• Secret Stratagems
• Siege Towers 101
• The Boke of the Dyseases le SCadyian
• The Fyne Art of Combat Brewing
• True’s Glossary of…EVIL!, Version 3.0!
• Happy Hanu-Kwana-Solsti-rismas!
• The Fyne art of Feast Warfare
• SCA Heraldic Zodiac Bling
• Welcome to the New Middle Aged-ness
• The Fyne Art of Picking a Nemesis
• A Visit From Sir Sven A Claus

• Class Handouts

Born in the SCA

By: THL Thomas Whitehart

It is a funny old world. Geezer that I am, I can actually say I pre-date the SCA. In that I was born before the SCA was created (but not by much…thank you.) I’ve worn the loaner Freon can helmet, and the green shag carpeting of yore and have watched the Society grow and develop. But my wonderful son (Taliesin), has always been in the SCA. He’s been attending events since Pre-natal. Kids who are born in the SCA have a slightly different view of the world. In my son’s case, dressing up in garb is second nature. He does not realize that other folks do other things than go to wars on major holidays. The words “HOLD” and “M’lord and M’lady” are universal to him. Once while he was seven or eight, I was talking to some people at a school event and I asked him to introduce himself. He sketched a proper bow, and introduced himself as “Greeting’s M’Lady, I am Taliesin, Bard in training”. It was second nature to him, and it brought some smiles and raised eyebrows from the folks. “Err, RJ, the other intro.” “Oh. Hi, I’m RJ, pleased to meet you!”

Parenting in the SCA has it’s own unique challenges. SCA kids tend to be a lot like their parents. Creative, inquisitive and energetic. And a challenge! For one thing, what we as adults think of as cool, (ooh look, a really period Viking encampment) may require some maturity to appreciate. Seeing someone in armor is no big deal to a kid who grew up around it. For a young person, watching Sponge-Bob beats watching a procession, pretty much every time. So to our indigenous SCAdians, it’s all relative. As in “my relatives are making me go.”

For those people thinking about creating some new SCAdians, I thought I would offer some handy tips to help you get through the next 18 years or so. First, make friends with other parents. The only way we can stay ahead of the lil’ buggers is to team up on them. And “Hand-me-downs” rock. Secondly, give your kid a Celtic persona. That way, all the tartan pajamas at Target make for a cheap pair of trews. And while there, invest heavily in wet-wipes. Third, buy nothing that’s really nice that you won’t mind being lost, torn or stained.
And finally, here are some phrases you might want to practice. (Learned over time).

1. No, you can’t play hide and seek in all the tents. Yes, there is an invisible wall between those tents and these tents.
2. No, you can’t play on the siege engines.
3. Yes, she’s in armor. Yes, she want’s you to hit her. No, she did not get all dressed up for nothing. “WHUP!” “Well of course she’s going to hit you back!”
4. Yes, you can go play boffers with the other kids…. HOLD! That is NOT a boffer!
5. Yes, those folks over there are noisy. Very noisy. Yes, they are making funny noises. I don’t know. Maybe he’s tickling her? Yes, he’s tickling her a lot!
6. Yes, the middle ages are boring. No, you can’t play with your (dvd/gameboy/cell-phone.)
7. HOLD. Yes, flaming peeps are cool. NO. You can’t see if they can fly.
8. Yes, they have a microwave in there. No, you can’t have a sleep-over. I don’t care if they said it’s okay.
9. Well yes, they are playing Pirates. But Grown UP Pirates. So that’s not a Kid-Pirate song!
10. This is court. Sometimes it takes a long time. Well yes, you can buy a crown-thingie. Yes, that would be a lot faster.
11. Where did you-
1. a. leave your trews/hat/cloak/staff/belt/boffer/book/cup/flashlight/(ad-infinitum)
2. b. learn that song?
3. c. leave your babysitter?
4. d. get that food?
5. e. get that toy? (sword/baby/ballista bolt/wagon/dog/etc.)
6. f. get that crown-thingie????!!!
12. No, they did not have light sabers in the middle ages. Those are uhm.. magic swords.

Having a kid in the SCA can lead to some special moments. My son can make the energizer bunny look like a wheezing geriatric. One day at war, after the 20th boffer battle, he came to me and said “DAAAAAD, let’s fight.” I looked around exhausted and saw 3 strapping big lads in their teens walking by. “Certainly, my young grasshopper…but first…DUM-DAH DUUUMMM!. You must defeat them!” I was joking of course, but quick as flash, he was over there and challenging them. “Uh, Taliesin WAIT!” But it was too late.

They were very good natured and accepted his 8 year old challenge. A short period of time later, he had managed to “Kill” two of them in sequence, and legged the third before they figured out that the kid meant business. I have to admit I was pretty proud of him. I doubt I could have taken them. Later, I found out that they were part of my friend Sheridan’s crew. (Which explained why they were so well mannered, but then they should have known that smaller “hobbit-like” fighters can be ferocious!)

So as he grows, I’ll try to share my SCA interests with him and see if any of them interest him as well. It makes me proud to see him bow for the ladies and to see him get up and perform (I’m teaching him the family trade, after all.) If all goes well, hopefully, he’ll turn out like some of the incredibly cool 2nd generation SCA adults I’ve seen grow up in the SCA. And maybe, just maybe, some day, I’ll hear this…”Dad…Are you playing with the Crown again? Come on, put it back.” (Sigh. He never let’s me have any fun!)

Blessings and good luck with your medieval family!