Society members forego ‘mundane’
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overcrowded, stuffy HouTran bus that showed up a
half hour late,” he said, “I feel like beating the hell
out of someone with a stick!”
Most of the courses in the college, attended by 75
people, dealt with the fighting aspect of the SCA.
Weapons and armor construction were the two most
popular subjects. All weapons must be constructed
of rattan and wrapped with tape.
There are a number of regulations that deal with
the size, weight and construction of weapons, and
all must be approved by the Knight-Marshall before
they will be allowed in combat. Also, a combatant
may request that his opponent not use a certain
weapon if he feels it would be unsafe.
There are many types of armor that can be made,
mostly out of leather, metal, or some combination of
the two. Master Godfrey de la Fosse (Jeff Morgan, a
Texas A&M student) taught chain mail construction.
Chain mail is small metal rings linked together to
make a fabric-like material that can then be
fashioned into a coat. Master Godfrey said making
chain mail takes “little skill and a lot of patience.”
More common is leather armor or metal-reinforced
leather. The most important qualities that an armor
maker tries to put into his work is freedom of move
ment and absorption of blows.
There are a few lady fighters, too. Lady Sharallele
of the Curly Locks (Debra Bays of Austin) joined the
SCA a year ago, and got into fighting because “it
looked like fun. It is.” Lady Sharallele wears into
combat a set of leather armor that she says cost
$100 in materials and 40 hours of work to make.
Even though, she said, “This is a cheap hobby
compared to a lot of other hobbies.”
Most of the women in the society, and there are
quite a few, devote most of their time to craftwork,
domestic chores and playing the medieval role of
the lady in waiting. Lady Kasilda Kubasek (Donna
House of Houston) said she joined SCA because "it
allows me to live out fantasies that I’ve had since I
was a little kid. I was always the one in the back
reading Sir Lancelot and dreaming of being a lady in
waiting.” Mundanely, Lady Kasilda teaches English
and history to junior high school students. “They
think I’m totally crazy,” she said.
All members have at least one medieval costume
to wear to events. Lady Kasilda said she has 10,
four of which are for formal occasions. Although all
fighting is done with weapons make of rattan, most
society members are collectors or weaponry, and
many a steel dagger, sword or axe was hanging
from their belts.
Saturday night there was a revel and feast at the
Quonset huts. Everyone was wearing their best out
fits, and the candlelight, cloaks, swords and music
managed to turn the hut into a grand eating hall. The
revelers had brought their own utensils and drinks,
and there was about an hour of socializing before
the meal began.
Some people, like Lord Clefe Falastra (Martin
Catt), brew their own beer or ferment their own
wine. Lord Clefe was drinking a wine he had made
that was very sweet, very strong, and quite good.
Lord Clefe said he joined the SCA “mainly because
I like all the people in it. This brings out the roman
tics, the philosophers. You got to have a little
dreamer in you to take part in this.”
Then the herald, Master Telbyrne Morningstar
(James Bozarth of Houston), made the announce
ment to begin the feast. The food was all supposed
to be the kind people would have eaten in the Mid
dle Ages. There was sausage and roast pork, along
with a number of vegetables, sauces and “sub-
leties,” or desserts. These folks do know how to set
a table. After the meal, there was entertainment
which included storytelling, harp music and an
adequate rendition of the theme song from “Gilli-
gan’s Island.”
Official business was taken care of next, as the
prince and princess of Ansteorra, Prince Sir Simonn
of Amber (Ben Lee) and Princess Mistress Tessa of
the Gardens (Elizabeth Lee, Ben’s wife) held court.
The knights of the realm, along with principality and
local officials, presented themselves to the throne in
a ceremony known as the “Order of the March.”
There is a very carefully maintained hierharchy,
SIR SIMONN OF AMBER (Ben Lee),
above left, the Prince of Ansteorra,
shows body armor made of leather and at
least 16- or 24-gauge metal. He worked
on this piece of armor for about three
years. Left, Lord Sigmund the
Wingfooted (Ron Goforth) and Sabia
O’Comerall (Therese Honey) are teach
ing a class in the medieval dance called
the Pavanne. A future society member at
the age of 11 months, Aaron Edward
Douglas Fleming, right, watches the ac
tivities out of the corner of his eye while
being held by Jaelithe Maurelena (Julie
Scott). His mother is known as Elisena
Lightheart (lucy fleming). Above right is a
medieval sword used by members of the
SCA. Real medieval swords had sharp
edges and were made of steel, but on
this weapon the edges are dull and the
plumbing tee on the end is used as a
counter weight and not, thank goodness,
to hit anyone.