Gather 'round

[Kaznen]

Greetings Band,

 

I returned from a trip Last week and Helike suggested I tell you folks about my adventures. :D

 

So, Back in March I joined the SCA, for those who don't know about the SAC you can learn more at http://www.sca.org, but a few weeks ago I went to their biggest event worldwide, the Pennsic War.

 

I arrived on a Wednesday as the second person of the eight people camping with my Barony to arrive. Our campsite was on a hill and while I was still setting up my tent the first person returned to camp and offred to take to a class and show me around. I didn't even have time to change out of my polyester t-shirt and shorts and get into proper garb.

 

The class had already started so I wandered one of the merchant areas and bought a grey wide brim hat, not a Mat Cauthorn hat sadly :( and returned to my camp and finished setting up my tent and I put on a tunic and my belt just to feel not so out of place. Later the other person returned and showed me around the rest of the common areas and when we came back to camp and the third person had just arrived.

 

So we helped him set up his new period tent, called a French Bell I think, and I went to bed early becasue I started out that morning at 4:30 am.

 

The next day I fought in the Early Bird Rapier Tournament and great fun was had. And that night I went on a walk about down in the "Swamp" and "Bog." When I thought I was following the road I wandered inot a camp but the people were cool and gave me a beer (I didn't need to buy alchohol the whole time I was there) and one of the people offered to show me around on my walk about.

 

The temp was in the fifties and I took off my cloak and was wearing guaze beach pants and a light shirt, but sweat was still dripping down my face. We ended at the end of the Great Eastern Highway and I returned to camp. I never saw the guy again at the war, and didn't even know his name.

 

Next, party were it all began and why camping on a hill is bothersome when drunk.

[Kaznen]

So my third day of Pennsic (my first BTW) was the first Friday, 8/11 I think, and following the advice of one of the other people in Barony of White Waters (South Bend, IN) who wasn't able to attend this year, I went to meet the people of his house, The Silver Talons.

 

I went by the camp twice that day and no one was around; but the third time, after returning from a town run, there where people. The Talons were great people and invited me to a party they were heading to.

 

The party was in the camp of The March Barony of Debatable Lands(Pittsburgh and surrounding areas). Side note: When Pennsylvania was still part of the East Kingdom this Barony was what was fought over with the Middle Kingdom (Midrealm), basically in theory the winner got Pittsburgh's.

 

They were roasting two whole lambs, a bunch of chickens, and ears of corn. When the food was served the drinks shortly followed. During one point the baron or king, I don't remember which one, said "Let's hear it for the lord who prepared the feast!" And being the ignorant SCA newbie I shouted what I heard in the Midrealm courts, feasts I attended "What say you, Hyoba!" And every one looked at me funny. I learned in their kingdom Aethelemarc(?) they say vevote.

 

Now on to the drinks, the MBoDL has a VERY good brewer's guild. One of the guilds-men had brew a batch of double bock for just for the party. He would reach into plastic bin and pull out a bottle then say "who wants beer" and six mugs would shot up in front of him, which he happily filled. And that stuff had a kick.

 

One of my new friends in the Silver Talons also asked me if I've read The Wheel of Time, hehehe, I told him about Dragonmount.com. 8)

 

Once everyone started to get lubed my hosts started singing a song in tribute to there kingdom. I was invited to join in, but I afraid the only kingdom I can sing tributes to is the Midrealm, Draco Invictus.

 

The bottles emptied and people moved onto the keg. After a while I decided it was time to go home while I could still walk.

 

After I stumbled back to my camp I learned the perils of camping on a hill when drunk. While getting ready for bed, it's not always easy to stand on a hill sideways when sober, drunk I almost fell over and one time tried to use the wall, of a nylon dome tent, for support. Fortunately I stopped myself before I brought my tent down.

 

Also when camping on a hill it isn't fun to have to sprint uphill to relieve your needs, when you can barely walk. One time when I ducked to get under the rain fly and back into my tent I kept heading for the ground and hit a tent pole and fell against the wall BESIDE my door. Surprisingly the pole didn't become dislodged, those Coleman people make fine tents.

 

Next time: The man, the myth, the legend....Moonwulf :D

 

BTW: feel free to post questions and comments between stories.