I Can Kill You With … (Martial Activities Available in the SCA)

(Taught April 6, 2017 for the Aire Faucon Newcomer A&S Night)
(Taught October 21, 2017 for the War of the Wings newcomer track)

Activities of the SCA
The SCA has three pillars supporting it: Arts, Service, and, the most exciting, Martial activities. As a newcomer you have a lot of different options in learning combat and weaponry in the Society for Creative Anachronism.

Martial Activities

Armored Combat / Heavy Weapons – Traditional knight fighting. People wear armor, fight with various rattan weapons, and self-score damage. Marshals monitor combat for safety of the participants and audience and do not decide the winner. Fighting is done in single combat, small unit (or team) style, and large maneuvers. Various tournament formats exists including single-elimination, double-elimination, bear pit, and wars.

Light Combat / Rapier – Olympic fencing taken to the streets. Participants wear fencing masks, specialized garb, fight with various fencing swords and parry objects, and self-score damage. Marshal again are safety officers. Fighting is done in single combat or small unit style. Various tournament formats exists including the Spanish Circle, the Slippery Slope, and Barroom. Oh, and since they are late period they allow single shot rubberband guns.

Cut and Thrust – The new kid on the block requires armor but uses the standard of “unarmored” for measuring the effectiveness of blows, because the weapons are real … not sharpened, but real. Everything from side swords to two-handed are brought to the field.

Youth Combat – Armored combat for participants between ages 6 and 17. Marshal do monitor the “scoring” but the participants are the final arbiters. Fighting is done in single combat or small unit style.

Combat Archery – Using specialize arrows and wearing appropriate armor, archers enter the armored combat field for large maneuver activities. Most combat archery, due to the expense of the special combat arrows, is “sniper” type.

Target Archery – Target archery can be done with crossbows, recurve, and long bows. Royal rounds are done at practices and at events and count toward the Archery Ranking system. A royal round is a shoot consisting of “six shafts each shot at 40, 30, and 20 yards, and a 30-second timed round at 20 yards”. A clout shoot occurs at Pennsic and involves getting arrows inside a “castle” at 120 yards. Themed archery competitions occur at many events. (More details can be found at https://scores-sca.org/public/scores_rules.php?R=2&Shoot=2)

Thrown Weapons – Thrown weapons include knife, hand axe, stars, and spears. The Middle Kingdom has a royal round format for ranking.

Siege Weapons – “There are two types of siege devices: active siege engines and passive siege structures.” Active siege engines, including man-powered trebuchets, are designed to deliver small or large ammunition to range of 40 to 80 yards. Siege structures include towers and ramp and are used to support personnel, but not fitted with active weaponry. Ammunition includes “rocks”, 4-tennis ball clusters, combat archery arrows, and ballista javelins. Activity at events including participating in large combat maneuvers and target practices. (SCA siege weapon handbook is here: http://www.sca.org/officers/marshal/docs/siege/siege_engines_handbook.pdf)

Equestrian (Jousting) – Jousting is done with lances at rings ranging in size from six inches down to one inch. Other activities include spear throwing, “stabbing objects on the ground, knocking (fake) heads off posts with a sword, obstacle courses, and archery from horseback.” Pageantry is an essential element of equestrian activities and many people have full barding for their animals.

Coursing – Canine activities including rabbit chasing. This martial activity is rare in Atlantia.

Black Powder – At Pennsic and other large events, you may meet those playing very late period. They do rifle maneuvers and shoot the cannon to announce the beginning and end of battles.

List Minister – An officer position involved in registering fighters and organizing the administrative portion of competitions, especially large single-combat tourneys.

Marshal(s) – The safety officer responsible for inspecting equipment, both armor and weapons; inspecting the field; monitoring the physical and mental state of fighting participants and the observers; organizing fighter practices; training people (if local officer); organizing fighting at events (marshal in-charge, MIC); running authorizations; and turning in the waivers from fighter practices.

Waterbearing – Gentles who bring water out to participants on the fields of battle. Lifesavers!

First Aid / Chirugeon(s) – Gentles who provide first aid in the SCA. This group is a guild.

Specialized Vocabulary
Kit – The armor and weapons used for the marshal discipline of choice. Often includes the fighter authorization card and repair kit.

Authorizations – Anyone can attend fighter practices to learn how to fight. To enter tournaments, you must be an authorized fighter. An authorization includes inspecting your kit, a Q&A session on the basic rules of the SCA marshal form, and a series of one-on-one combats showing ability to hit someone, block being hit, taking a blow, and participating in a live exchange. Authorizations include the marshal doing the combat and two observing the activity.

Inspections – Review of weapons and armor for wear-and-tear and meeting the present regulations.

List – Both the list of fighters and the field upon marshal activity is being practiced.

MIC – Marshal in-Charge. The event MIC may oversee several activity MICs. Because of this, all marshals must train in general discipline knowledge as well as their specialization.

Hold – When spoken on the list, fighters are to freeze. Usually something dangerous has occurred and the marshal needs to fix the situation. Examples: Child runs onto the archery range, a tip falling off a rapier blade, a buckle busted from the last hit in heavy causing the armor to swing free.

Clear – Used to let people know active weapons are in play. Most often heard in archery with “Clear down range.”

Lay on – Let the battle begin. Most often used in single combat.

The truly dangerous group in the SCA – I can kill you with … the arts
Kitchen Crew, Herbalists, and Gardeners – The Known World Apothecary Facebook Group, the Atlantian Herbal Guild, The Sacred Stone Cook’s Guild, etc.

Other Kingdom Guilds are listed on the Kingdom A&S Minister’s Webpage.

Upcoming fighting activities the summer
April 21-23

1. SAAD – South Atlantia Archery Day – Canton of Crois Brigte in the Barony of Sacred Stone (Booneville, NC)
2. Queen’s Rapier Championship (Royal Progress) – Isenfir (Weyers Cave, VA)
3. Kingdom War Practice (Cathage, NC)

April 28-30 – Costal Raids – Armored, Rapier, and Target Archery – Barony of Raven’s Cove (Richalands, NC)

May 5-7 – Spring Crown Tournament – Marinus (Clarksville, VA)

May 19-21 – Hawkwood Baronial Birthday (Royal Progress) – Armored, Rapier, Target Archery, Thrown Weapons

June 16-18 – Return to Crecy IV (Royal Progress) – Armored, Rapier, Youth, Cavalry, Combat Archery, Target Archery, Siege

August 26 – Flight of the Falcon: St. David’s Market Day and Fair – Armored and Rapier

Fighter Practices
Canton of Aire Faucon – Does not have a regular martial activity practice of any sort.

Canton of Charlesbury Crossing – Armored combat practice in Freedom Park. Rapier is also welcomed, but often does not have the marshal required to allow the practice to occur.

Barony of Hawkwood – Aire Faucon’s nearest neighbor after Charlesbury Crossing (and depending on your location within the group may be even closer), has various practices.

Barony of Sacred Stone – Archery practices happen further north in some of the other cantons and BSS has a monthly rapier practice as well.

A Newcomer Class: Offices of the SCA
(2 Hour Course)

Prepared for the Aire Faucon Newcomer Meeting on 5 January 2017
by Lady Prudence the Curious
website: penpoint.biz                 email: PrudenceCurious@aim.com

ALL OFFICERS
All officers of the SCA, including Autocrats and the Crown must: Maintain SCA membership for the duration of their office and be over the age of 18. Deputies (except for autocrats, the Crown Heirs and anyone directly handling SCA funds) do not need to be official SCA members or over the age of 18 allowing for people to train to see if they actually want the office.

REQUIRED CANTON OFFICES
Seneschal, Exchequer and at least one of the following three offices: Herald, Marshal, A&S Minister.

(Baronial required officers are Seneschal, Exchequer, Herald, Marshal, and A&S Minister.)

SENESCHAL – The Club President. Named after steward of the great medieval houses who oversaw the day-to-day business for the lord of the manor.
Duties – (THIS OFFICE IS REQUIRED FOR GROUP TO EXIST). Attend Seneschal training to become warranted. Will need to have Internet and phone access and a mailing address; must be willing to have phone number, email and a mailing address (PO Box is okay) published on the kingdom and local websites and newsletters; must regularly check email. Turn in a quarterly report on the activities of the group to Kingdom. Review the Exchequer reports and sign off on them. Oversee the autocrats of any local events; attend all events the group holds. Arrange the business meetings (no min or max requirements for Cantons). Monitor the local group’s social media. Support the officers of the group and be the acting officer if the group does not have one with the exceptions of herald and exchequer. Be a signee on the group’s bank account. ONLY THE SENESCHAL CAN SIGN CONTRACTS. (SPECIAL NOTE – The exchequer and the seneschal cannot live in the same mundane household or be closely related to each other.)

Duties specific to the Barony of Sacred Stone – Attend or send a report to the baronial business meeting & newsletter at least once per quarter.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon – Run a business meeting once a month.

Nice to do – Write recommendations for members of the group as appropriate. Attend all group activities as possible (ex. demos, business meetings, A&S meetings, and fighter practices). Attend the Baronial and Kingdom Unevents.

SPECIAL NOTE: Autocrats are treated as deputy seneschals from the time the group accepts the bid until the final (exchequer) event report is accepted by kingdom.

EXCHEQUER – The Club Treasurer. In medieval times, the exchequer was responsible for the management and collection of taxation and governmental revenues.

Duties – (THIS OFFICE IS REQUIRED FOR GROUP TO EXIST). Attend Exchequer training to become warranted; in Atlantia this is two classes which last about 2 hours each. Turn in a quarterly to Kingdom which has been reviewed by the Seneschal. Review all financial bids for events for legal financial requirements and help autocrats complete the final event report. Help the autocrats of any local events to set up troll and verify all troll staff meet the kingdom requirements of age & membership; for the event itself, make certain the waivers are collected and the final box is counted by themselves or a fully trained and specified substitute acceptable by the Seneschal, Exchequer and Autocrat. Publish the year-end report (usually called a domesday) through a public medium like a group newsletter or in the business meeting minutes available to all members of the group. Be a signee on the group’s bank account. Be available to write checks for events and other financial purchases. Review all financial purchases by the group to meet SCA and Federal non-profit legal requirements.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon- Attend or send a report to all canton business meetings.

Nice to do – Attend the Baronial and Kingdom Unevents.

HERALD (At-Large Option) – The Group’s Ceremonial Officer and Messenger/Ambassador. Named after the official employed to oversee state ceremony, precedence, the use of armorial bearings, and carry proclamations and ceremonial messages.

Duties – (This office is optional at the Canton level (and required at the Baronial level), but helps meet the three required offices a Canton must have. If a Canton does not have a herald, the Baronial Herald acts for the Canton in this capacity. This is the only office where the Baronial officer is specifically stated in kingdom law to act both for their office and a canton.). Arrange with kingdom to become warranted. Turn in a quarterly report to Kingdom. Help an autocrat arrange for heraldic coverage at events, including but not limited to: field herald, announcement herald, court herald, and feast herald. They do not have to be the event herald, but they are to aid an autocrat in getting the coverage an event needs. In many groups, if the Seneschal is not present at a business meeting, the herald is to run the meeting.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon- Attend or send a report to at least one canton business meeting per quarter.

Nice to do – Attend any demos the group has as well as several fighter practices to work with fighters on field heraldry. Arrange with the A&S minister for two classes on heraldry to be taught per year in the Canton, one of names and one on devices (mixing these in with the Newcomer night works really well). Encourage all forms of heraldry within the group. Attend the Baronial and Kingdom Unevents.

Forms of heraldry: “SHOUTING” – Field heraldry, announcement heraldry (including feast), court heraldry (overlaps with Ceremony), speaking for the group or individual at a court, silent heraldry; “BOOK” – name heraldry, device heraldry, commentary; “CERMONY” – Court heraldry (including the report turned into kingdom), precedence and recommendations, setting up major ceremonies, making a group “pretty” by encouraging use of passed heraldry; “SCRIBAL” – Assignment and collection of scrolls, Wording of scrolls, Calligraphy of scrolls, Illumination of scrolls, Assignment and collection of medallions, medallion cords, medallion crafting.

ARTS AND SCIENCES MINISTER – An Educational Officer. Note: In some groups, this office can be broken into an Arts Minister and a Sciences Minister.

Duties – (This office is optional at the Canton level (but is required at the Baronial level), but helps meet the three required offices a Canton must have. If a Canton does not have an A&S minister, the canton Seneschal is to administer the A&S duties including but not limited to turning in the quarterly report.) Arrange with kingdom to become warranted. Turn in a quarterly report to Kingdom. Help an autocrat arrange for A&S at events, including but not limited to: classes, exhibitions, competitions, solars, performances, and judging. They do not have to be the event A&S coordinator, but they are to aid an autocrat in getting the coverage an event needs.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon- Attend or send a report to at least one canton business meeting per quarter. Arrange for A&S hosts and teachers for the weekly meetings.

Nice to do – Attend any demos and A&S meetings the group hosts. Support anyone interested in A&S by helping them network with other people with their interest. Attend Baronial & Kingdom Unevents.

MARSHAL (At-Large Option) – A Safety Officer. Note: Marshals are specific to a fighting/weapon style and include: heavy, rapier, archery, combat archery, thrown weapons, siege, equestrian, and youth combat. A group only needs one main office holder, but they can have multiple deputies to cover any additional fighting styles the group may have interest in.

Duties – (This office is optional at the Canton level (but is required at the Baronial level), but helps meet the three required offices a Canton must have. If a Canton does not have a marshal, the canton Seneschal is to administer the marshal duties including but not limited to turning in the fighter practice waivers.) Arrange with kingdom to become warranted – this is a multi-month training process including a class and an apprenticeship and is completed separately for each fighting form.  (Further Note: If a youth combat marshal, they must also go through the process of a background check which is paid for by the kingdom. Renewal is required every two years.) Make sure all group fighter practices are being held with appropriate supervision and following of SCA safety rules. Collect the group waivers at the local fighter practices. Turn in a quarterly report to Kingdom; turn in the group’s fighter practice waivers or report no waivers were collected. Help an autocrat arrange for all fighting forms at events, including but not limited to: tournaments, group maneuvers, and classes. They do not have to be the marshal-in-charge (MIC) over the entire event or any particular activity, but they are to aid an autocrat in getting the coverage an event needs.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon- Attend or send a report to at least one canton business meeting per quarter. Support the Charlesbury Crossing and/or Hawkwood fighter practices as our Canton does not have one at this time.

Nice to do – Attend any demos and fighter practices the group hosts. Support anyone interested in marshal activities by helping them network with other people with their fighting form. Attend the Baronial and Kingdom Unevents.

OPTIONAL OFFICES YOU MIGHT FIND IN A CANTON

CHATELAINE/CASTELLAN – Newcomer Officer. Chatelaine is the femine and Castellan is the masculine forms. Historically a chatelaine is the chain to which the keys of the castle were attached and the castellan was the warden for a castle.

Duties – (If a Canton does not have a chatelaine, the canton Seneschal is to administer the chatelaine duties including but not limited turning in the quarterly report.) Arrange with kingdom to become warranted. Have Internet and phone access and a mailing address; must be willing to have phone number, email and a mailing address (PO Box is okay) published on the kingdom and local websites and newsletters; must regularly check email and the social media of the group. Turn in a quarterly report to Kingdom. Work with autocrats on any newcomer centric activities, arranging for gold key if appropriate.  Attend any demos hosted within the bounds of the Canton, if at all possible.

GOLD KEY DEFINITION: Garb, feast gear, A&S tools, and weapons a newcomer can borrow for an event to help them learn about the SCA.

DEMO DEFINITION: Demonstration of SCA activities presented to non-SCA members, usually with an educational bent. Demonstrations can be done for youth groups, schools, libraries, for-profit stores, non-profit groups, home school groups, conventions, and other groups of people. We cannot do them for payment, but will accept donations. Activities presented could be art forms, marshal forms, lectures, and hands-on activities and vary in size from one person to several dozen presenters and can last from a single hour to multi-days.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon- Attend or send a report to at least one canton business meeting per quarter. Support the local group running at least one demo per year. Verify any canton gold key is cared for, but the chatelaine is not required to store it themselves. Work with the A&S Minister to have a monthly Newcomer meeting; help arrange for a topic and instructor.

Nice to do – Attend A&S and fighter activities as possible to help integrate newcomers into the SCA. Assemble the list of newcomers and provide regular contact throughout the first year, helping them know about activities them may be interested in. Attend the Baronial and Kingdom Unevents.

WEBMINISTER – Website Administrator.

Duties – (If a Canton does not have a webminister, the canton Seneschal is to administer the webminister duties should the group have a dynamic website.) Arrange with kingdom to become warranted. Have Internet access and be willing to learn the group’s website format. Turn in an annual report to Kingdom. Work with local autocrats on setting up a page specific to their event to help with advertising. Support the local seneschal in monitoring the group’s social media activities. Verify the website meets all SCA requirements for photograph models and intellectual property.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon- Attend or send a report to at least one canton business meeting per quarter. Publish the monthly business minutes provided by the Chronicler to the website. Publish the annual domesday provided by the Exchequer to the website. Keep the officer list on the website up-to-date.

Nice to do – Attend the Baronial and Kingdom Unevents.

CHRONICLER – Secretary and Publisher.

Duties – (If a Canton does not have a chronicler, the canton Seneschal is to administer the chronicler duties including but not limited to the publication of the business notes.) Arrange with kingdom to become warranted. Have Internet access and email. Turn in a quarterly report to Kingdom. Arrange for business minutes to be taken at any of the local group’s business meeting and published in a manner to allow all members of the group to have ready access to the minutes, usually through a newsletter, website, or email distribution. The officer does not need to be the person who does this activity at every meeting; they just need to arrange for it to happen for all meetings. Should the local group have a newsletter, the chronicler is to see to the regular publication and meeting any SCA requirements for photograph models and intellectual property.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon- Attend or send a report to at least one canton business meeting per quarter. Send the monthly business minutes to the webminister for publication.

Nice to do – Restart the Air Currents and/or support the Baronial Chronicler with The Phoenix. Attend the Baronial and Kingdom Unevents.

CHANCELLOR OF YOUTH (At-Large Option) – Educational officer specific to activities of legal minors.

Duties – (If a Canton does not have a youth minister, the canton Seneschal is to administer the youth minister duties including but not limited to quarterly reporting requirements.) Arrange with kingdom to become warranted, plus arrange for a background check by SCA Inc (renewal required every two years). Turn in a quarterly report to Kingdom. Assist local autocrats in arranging children and youth activities (outside of youth fighting) for events; they do not need to be one running the activities, just help the autocrat in making the arrangements. Kingdom does require a youth minister, at-large or group-linked, to run one youth activity at an event per year.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon- Attend or send a report to at least one canton business meeting per quarter. Work with the A&S minister to have at least two children/youth-centric A&S activities per year, helping the A&S find appropriate teachers and background-check adult support (mixing these in with the Largess nights works really well).

Nice to do – Attend fighter and A&S activities as able to get to know the children and youth of the group and what their interest are. Attend the Baronial and Kingdom Unevents.

MINISTER OF LISTS (At-large option) – Administrator of Tournaments.

Duties – (If a Canton does not have a Minister of Lists, the canton Seneschal has no additional duties.) Arrange with kingdom to become warranted. Turn in a quarterly report to Kingdom. Assist local autocrats in arranging for any marshal tournaments to have organizers; the list minister does not have to attend the event, just help the autocrat arrange for coverage. Work with marshals at events on warranting new fighters.

Duties specific to the Canton of Aire Faucon- Attend or send a report to at least one canton business meeting per quarter.

Nice to do – Attend fighter practice regularly to get to know the fighters and show support, also to gain familiarity with the marshals. Attend the Baronial and Kingdom Unevents.

REQUIRED BARONIAL OFFICERS

As previously mention: Seneschal, Exchequer, Herald, A&S Minister, and Marshal.

In addition

BARONIAL SEAT – The Baron and/or Baroness. May be held by one or two people of the same or different genders in real-world or SCA-persona.

Duties – (If a Barony does not have a Baronial Seat, the Crown will choose a Regent until such time as a new Baronial Seat can be chosen.) Turn in a quarterly report to Kingdom. Attend all events held by the local group as able. Attend appropriate kingdom level events as able. Hold court regularly and hand out awards as appropriate. Support the local officers in their duties. Support the local Canton activities as able. Choose champions.

Duties specific to the Sacred Stone – Call business meetings (the Seneschal runs them, but the Baronial Seat calls them). Be part of the Financial Committee and the Emergency Financial Committee (the Exchequer runs these).

Nice to do – Attend demos, business meetings, A&S meetings, and fighter practices as able.

OPTIONAL OFFICES YOU MIGHT FIND IN THE BARONY ABOVE AND BEYOND THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED OFFICES FOUND IN CANTONS

Under Exchequer – Chamberlain

Under Herald – Scribal Coordinator, Medallion Coordinator, Entourage coordinator

Under the Baronial Seat – Order Principals

ADDITIONAL OFFICES EXIST AT THE KINGDOM AND SCA LEVELS BEYOND PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.

For example, the SCA is overseen by a Board of Directors and the Kingdom has the Crown office and an administrator of kingdom law. But these are beyond the scope of a newcomer class, so I won’t go into them here.