Join the Fun

What is the SCA?
The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is an international, non-profit, educational organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. There are branches of the SCA on every continent except Antarctica, though the majority of branches are in the United States and Canada. Currently, there are between 30,000 and 40,000 members in the SCA. But it is estimated that for every paid member there are another three or four participants.

What makes the SCA so appealing is that we are a living history group. Instead of just researching various aspects of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, we experience them.

We make and wear the clothing and cook and eat the food of the time period. We put on armor and fight, learn the dances, play the instruments, and practice the arts and crafts of the time period. Practically everything that people did during the Middle Ages (except die of the plague) is done by someone in the SCA today, and we are always willing to teach.

How did the SCA get started?
The SCA started as a Medieval theme party held by a group of students in Berkeley, California in 1966. The party turned out to be so much fun, they decided to do it again. Before long, the SCA was incorporated as a non-profit educational society, with branches forming all over the United States, and eventually, all over the world.

What's this about Kingdoms?
Since the SCA is based on a feudal society, we divide the "Known World" into Kingdoms. Each has a King and a Queen to rule, and a Prince and a Princess as Heirs. A King must have won a Crown Tournament for the right to rule the Kingdom and make his Lady the Queen (or vice versa, if the woman fought). Once victorious, they serve a term as Prince and Princess, before being crowned King and Queen. In addition to these Royals, each Kingdom also has a council of Great Officers who handle the day-to-day business of running the Kingdom.

Well, where do I live?
There are currently seventeen Kingdoms in the SCA. If you're reading this handout, you probably live in the Kingdom of the East, also known as the East Kingdom or the Eastrealm. The second Kingdom of the SCA, the East Kingdom was founded in 1968 since the groups on the East Coast were so far from the ones in the West. Originally, the East Kingdom spanned the entire Eastern seaboard of the United States, and eventually expanded to include the entire continent of Europe. But over the course of time, portions of that territory became Principalities, which eventually broke away to become new Kingdoms.

Currently, the East Kingdom encompasses Delaware, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, eastern New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine in the United Sates, and Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland in Canada.

What do the Officers do?
At both the Kingdom and local levels, various officers deal with the day-to-day, organizational matters of the branch. Below is a list of some of the major offices you're likely to find in any SCA branch and their respective duties.

Seneschal - Acts as the legal representative of a branch. They are the person in charge of the organization of meetings, events, etc., and basically act as the President of the branch, with the other branch officers reporting to the Seneschal. The Seneschal's badge is a gold horizontal key on a red background.

Chancellor of the Exchequer - Maintains the bank accounts and oversees the finances of the branch. The Exchequer's badge is a blue background with a red and white checked stripe down the center and gold coins on either side.

Herald/Persuivant - Assist people in the development and registration of names and devices. The Herald also makes announcements at Court and around events. The Herald's badge is two crossed gold horns on a green field.

Minister of Arts & Sciences - Encourages the development of the arts and sciences. The MOAS may help to set up classes between people who know about a particular subject and those who wish to learn. The badge for the MOAS is a white, lit candle inside a white arch on a blue background.

Knight Marshall - Supervises the training and safety of the SCA combat. The Knight Marshall also organizes practice sessions for local fighters. The Knight Marshal's badge has two crossed gold swords on a black background.

Chatelaine - Welcomes and assists newcomers to the SCA. The Chatelaine is an excellent resource for information about all aspects of the SCA and often has handouts and resources designed for newcomers. (Note that Chatelaine is a feminine form of this title. Masculine forms are Chatelain and Castellan.) The Chatelain's badge has a gold vertical key on a green field.

Gold Key - Many branches have a collection of clothing and gear, known as Gold Key, available for loan to newcomers.

Chronicler - Produces the branch's newsletter. The Chronicler's badge has a white and black counterchanged quills.

Chirurgeon - Renders first-aid assistance as needed. The Chirurgeon's badge is red and white and displays a fleam (a period bloodletting tool).

Some larges branches have other offices in addition to these, such as Historian, Web Minister, or Chancellor Minor. At the Kingdom level, there are officers who cover practically every aspect of the SCA.

You may have noticed that the badges of the Seneschal and the Chatelaine are very similar. They both have gold keys on them. An easy way to keep them straight is this: the Seneschal's badge has a red background - stop and see if they're busy before you ask them questions. The Chatelaines badge has a green background - go ahead and ask them questions. That's why they're here.

So, where do I go for information?
There are a couple of sources you can go to for information on what's going on in the East Kingdom.

Pikestaff - Is the East Kingdom monthly newsletter, which accompanies a sustaining membership in the SCA. In it, you'll find a calendar of upcoming events, with detailed announcements for most. There are also lists of all Kingdom officers and branches in the Kingdom, with contact information.

The East Kingdom Web Site - www.eastkingdom.org In addition to much of the same information that can be found in Pikestaff, here you'll also find information on various guilds and activities, as well as the Kingdom Law and the Kingdom Order of Precedence.

Any other Questions?
The Chatelaine is the best source of general information about the SCA, and if they can't answer your questions they will help you find someone who can. All officers are also available to answer questions in their fields of focus. But don't forget the other people in the SCA. Most are more than happy to help, and will share whatever information they can. So, ask away and welcome aboard!

Back to Join the Fun main page