magic-moments-msg - 7/1/08 Those "magic moments" that have occurred to others in the SCA. "All of us who participate in the SCA have at one time or another experienced a magic moment, a point where we witness something so special that it will stay with us forever." NOTE: See also the files: A-Study-o-SCA-art, Fndng-T-Dream-art, SCA-as-family-msg, SCA-reasons-msg, SCA-The-Dream-msg, The-Blow-art, The-Society-art, SCA-Sociology-art, A-Peer-Within-art. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ > All of us who participate in the SCA have at one time or another experinced > a magic moment, a point where we witness something so special that it will > stay with us forever. From: bronwynmgn at aol.com (Bronwynmgn) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: magic moments Date: 14 Apr 1996 13:14:31 -0400 My magic moment of record ocurred in a church basement at Twelfth Night, when I suddenly realized that absolutely everybody in the room was doing something that would have been done in a great hall in period, in the winter, with it snowing outside. I was sewing; another lady had coerced a small child into running full tilt around two poles carrying her weaving thread (the poles were just far enough apart to measure the right length for her warp threads); many of the lords were rehashing last summer's battles; others were singing, talking of their current projects, discussing the upcoming feast, etc. Bronwyn From: llfarnha at uci.EDU (Lucia L. Farnham-Hudson ) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: magic moments Date: 13 Apr 1996 17:27:14 -0400 Melisend spoke of the beauty of taking off her glasses at events. I concur. I am also profoundly nearsighted, but occasionally find myself thinking I am lucky to be so. When I take my glasses off in the middle of the eric, I am in the middle of a glory of color with no mundanities intruding into our pageantry. Music, color, and conversation are all. On the other hand, fighting without my glasses can be quite amusing. Many years ago (long before I had contacts) I fought in a resurrection battle in a war between the Mists and Cynagua in the West. When you died, you were to return to a designated _secret_ spot to resurrect. If the enemy found it, they could capture it for their own. When I died, I grew suspicious of the enemy dead around me, and decided I'd take off in the opposite direction from the site, just to throw them off. I was right, they did follow me for a bit, but I eventually lost them. By that time, I was totally turned around in the woods. There were no landmarks for me, and the battle sounds were too muffled to get directions from. I eventually banged into a fence and followed it too an open field from which I could spot the encampments, and from there finally made it back to the resurrection site. At which time the horn was blown indicating the end of fighting. I'd lost more calories that day fighting the woods than my enemies ... :) It's little experiences like that that make me _very_ glad I was born in _this_ century, where I _can_ correct my vision. Cyrie llfarnha at uci.edu From: david.razler at postoffice.worldnet.att.net (David M. Razler) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: PENNSIC/power Date: Mon, 08 Jul 1996 04:42:57 GMT <snip> Now all of this is a con: pretending to do medieval while abandoning not a single creature comfort of our modern world, and, like I said, my limited system will be in place to give me relatively cooler crash space 'round noontime, when I happen to need it. Everyone has their own justification for not living in the style of the Enchanted Ground, such is mine. But unless one has *greater* health problems <and therefore can get a site with power> electricity does not belong at Pennsic: Magic Moment Pennsic XIX <my first> Almost all of the region is blacked out Friday night. And almost no one at Pennsic knows or cares. The lanterns work, the torches work, the ice blocks keep things cold that we insist be kept cold.... Aleksandr, Traveller/dmr David M. Razler david.razler at worldnet.att.net Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 10:26:34 -0500 To: ansteorra at eden.com From: Gunnora Hallakarva <gunnora at bga.com> Subject: Magic Moments Sir Burke asked about magic moments. Do you remember those old children's history specials "YOU ARE THERE"?? That's the feeling I associate with the most magical moments, the ones that let you really believe, all the way through, that "you ARE there", even if it's only a fleeting moment. I'll never forget the first time I felt that way. The event was a War with the Midrealm (aka The Chigger War or The War the Chiggers Won) during the reign of King Sigmund I. The site was a lake in northeast Oklaholma. As the battle lines were being formed in the early morning, there was a heavy foggy mist above the lake and swirling around our knees. The Midrealm lines were barely visible through the fog, which erased all traces of mundanity, revealing colorful glimses of banners and surcoats. It was my first war, and like any medieval soldier I was scared, and excited. Then, just asthe tension had built to almost breaking point for me, behind the Ansteorran lines the haunting wail of a bagpipe skirled up into the mist... the hair stood up all over my head and I had tears in my eyes. THAT is sti9ll the single most powerful moment I have ever experienced in the SCA. The next best had to be during my Laureling, when, fueled well by the Mead of Inspiration, Sir Kief af Kierstad extemporized Norse alliterative poetry for over ten minutes extolling my virtues as testimony to the crown why I should be made a Laurel. It was a moving tribute, and a spine-tingling moment as well for the feeling of "realness" that hearing those measured lines of poetry rolling out conveyed. Gunnora Hallakarva Herskerinde From: zarlor at acm.org (Lenny Zimmermann) To: ansteorra at eden.com Subject: Re: Magic Moments Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 17:55:16 GMT I must admit that I am still realtively new to the Society, but I find some of the most magical moments to be some of the little ones that I just enjoy the most. Often right after a feast sitting among friends with a happy belly, pleasant conversation and exquisite candlelight I find myself drifiting off into silence and just pondering and ejoying the moment. It just seems like there is no place I would rather be than among such fine friends at just such a time. But, despite my great enjoyment of such a little moment, it is not one of those moments when you are "there". There have certainly been times at Lyonesse that have come close and at one of my first events at a Yule Revel where we sat out in the dark of the woods in the middle of the night listening to songs while the fog rolled in. Civilization was not to be heard anywhere and Mistress Mari's voice lilting out Celtic sounding songs just seemed right. Not quite "there", but still pretty close. I think the hardest part for me is that I work hard to learn a great deal about my persona and the "character" of a Renaissance courtier and diplomat and it is just not completely "right" to be with so many disparate cultures. Much like a stranger in a strange land, is perhaps the best way I see it, so it's all kind of odd to me anyways. Just as my modern sense tells me that what we participate in is out of time and place, the feel for my persona is the same way. Perhaps in that sense I am often "there", as well. There are, indeed, so many things to savor and enjoy in the SCA, I hope I can always maintain that wide-eyed wonder at the pageantry we do. (Although it can be DARN tough at some events! ;-)) Honos Servio, Lionardo Acquistapace, Bjornsborg (mka Lenny Zimmermann, San Antonio) zarlor at acm.org Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 19:11:25 -0500 (CDT) To: ansteorra at eden.com From: amazing at mail.utexas.edu (dennis grace) Subject: Re: Magic Moments Aquilanne here. Sir Burke asked for magic moments. I started in the SCA in Montana/Atenveldt, in the eternally-incipient shire of Braanshelm (Billings, MT), way, way out in the SCA boonies. I had only been playing a few months when a bunch of us carpooled to a fighter's college in Silver Keep (Bozeman). Some knights and other charity-minded folk from the Barony of Loch Salaan (Salt Lake City, Utah) had traveled up to teach and share. The event was held in the upstairs area of a school gym--fighting, feast, festivities and all. It was the first event I'd been to where there was dancing. They got the dancers started with a simple pavan. I was standing to the side, watching, when I was approached by a tall, stately gentleman wearing a (gasp, nervous figit) coronet, the first I had ever seen. I bowed, and moved to let him by, but, low and behold, he stopped, bowed back, took my hand and asked oh-so-politely if I would honor him with a dance. I was absolutely agog. The *Baron* asked *me,* a "nobody," to dance! We shared a pavan, bowed to one another again; he conversed pleasantly with me for a little while and went on. I still remember how absolutely charmed and excited I was to be asked to dance by someone so important and so genteel. Years later, Baron Sir Robert de Spencer still stands in my mind as a paragon of nobility. In that shining moment, so young into the SCA experience, I was no longer a "nobody;" I *was* a lady at court, fortunate enough to have had the Baron's arm for a dance. As proficient as I like to believe myself at communication, mere words can't begin to do justice to the magic of that moment for me. _____________________________ Dennis Grace University of Texas at Austin English Department Recovering Medievalist amazing at mail.utexas.edu Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 19:57:39 -0500 (CDT) From: kal35810 at jetson.uh.edu (Kathy Lee) Subject: Re: Magic Moments To: ansteorra at eden.com How to choose just one "Magic Moment" ... OK, so how about my first? I had done some fencing in college, and originally joined the SCA in Loch Sollier for the rapier combat. At fighter practice, I met up with Rodger of York, who was then a newcomer as well. We knew each other from high school, and soon became fast friends and travelling companions. (Getting horribly lost most of the time.) At our first event, which was Quest for Clover, Rodger and I stumbled across a bardic circle. People were taking turns performing, and the candle eventually made its way around to us. We were clueless. We had sung together in high school, though, and we both knew "Today." That was as close to Period Music we could come. We steadied our nerves, stood up, and did our best. The circle made a few more rounds, and we managed to avoid performing again. Afterwards, a red-haired lady with a crown on her head, who had sung the most beautiful song I'd ever heard, introduced Rodger and I to the concept of largess. I still have the string of beads she gave me, and Rodger I believe still has the pin. I later found out that the lady was Duchess Siglinde, and the song was "Come Share the Dream." She shared her dream with two newcomers that evening, and it's been alive for us ever since. -Katerina Subject: My Magic Moment From: Mark Wallace <blackfox.mwal at webzone.net> To: Ansteorra Digest <ansteorra at eden.com> Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 23:04:49 -0500 Greetings unto the members of the list from Master William Blackfox: In response to one comment in a previous issue, not all SCA magic moments involve poor visibility. They do seem to revolve around bagpipes, though, don't they? So does mine. Aaaaallllrightee, then. NSTIW, Pennsic 19, after the thursday evening bagpipe seminar. We managed to get about 6 pipers together along with a motley assembly of drums, bohdrans, dumbeks, etc. We started marching around in the general merchanting area and nearby camps. Being thursday, the dancers were having their masked ball. We were all feeling froggy so we sauntered up to the barn and asked to speak with one of the dance masters and offered to play for "Road to the Isles". When the Known World Dance Band (gotta hear 'em to appreciate 'em) took 5, we formed up at the barn door and struck up a short march. We filed in like we had been doing it for years, then peeled apart into a "concert formation" which was basically a line facing into the dance floor. I was struck by the fact that there were several lights that happened to spread out just where we were standing and we certainly didn't feel like the motley crew we must have appeared to be. With a quiet count-off, I started our little troup into "Scotland the Brave" and thrilled to the sight of dozens of couples rushing into place and starting in unison. We played about 8 times through, falling closer and closer into sync as the dancers jumped and shouted and pranced to the sound of our pipes and drums. I swear that I could feel the mutual air of pride and joy among our entire troupe. When I signalled to stop and we cut off together, the roof went up from the cheers. With a simple command, I called the troup to play the outgoing tune and we marched into our original columns and out the door to another howling of cheers. We had to come back to the door for one more bow. I don't know how to describe the feeling when half a dozen guys from the ends of the earth get together and make beautiful music with such effect. Sadly, nothing like this has recurred in my experience. Magic times are just that. Yours in service, Wm To: "Ansteorra Mailing List" <ansteorra at eden.com> From: "Vicki Marsh" <zarazina at flash.net> Subject: Re: Magic Moments Date: Tue, 24 Jun 97 09:21:59 PDT > All of us who participate in the SCA have at one time or another experinced > a magic moment, a point where we witness something so special that it will > stay with us forever. Greetings, Sir Burke, I have so very many special moments that it is difficult to select one or two. But I will try... I have witnessed lots of special times, but the ones that stand out are those that I was personally involved in the making of. At Dragon's Fire Tor two years ago, I played the harp and sang a lullaby written by HL Mot Cather. The bardic fire was beautiful, glinting off the strings of the harp. The valley was quiet and cool in the mist of the evening. The words and the notes from the harp came from me, but were not mine in the making. It was like being able to watch it from afar. When the song finished, the audience was quiet, then they all sighed at once. Turning to my love, Llywelyn, I was surprised to see the tears in his eyes matched those in mine. At a Byrn Gwlad Baronial Championship several years ago, I was involved in a Thomas of Tenby presentation of Beowolfe. Prior to the actual performance, we had several rehearsals to prepare for the event. One night, under a full moon, in Thomas and Clare's backyard, we did a complete run-through. It was in regular clothes, with the lights and sounds of the city around us, but we were transported to a time before time. The full moon, the harp, the drum, the telling of the story in Old English.....everything. It was awesome. When the time came for the actual performance at the event, the wind which had been blowing incessantly, stopped. The clouds parted for the moon to shine upon us and the firelight danced upon the dragon banner. At the end, when the story finished and the last note of harp and drum sounded, no one could speak or breathe for a moment. The small audience was frozen in time, many with tears shed and unshed in their eyes. I have been very blessed with memories such as these, as well as the honor to be involved in the making of them with my friends. Thank you, Burke, for the asking, Zara Zina Date: Wed, 25 Jun 1997 01:24:57 -0500 (CDT) From: Heidi J Torres <hjt at tenet.edu> To: Ansteorran Mailing List <ansteorra at eden.com> Subject: Magic Moments Greetings from Mari! Interesting topic. This is one my friends and I have been discussing at great length for several years now. Probably the climax of all "magic moments" for me occurred at a Bjornsborg event (Fall Court, I think) a few years back when Thomas of Tenby directed and performed "The Battle of Maldon" around a campfire. As is usual in many of Thomas' performances, the performers were stationed around and within the circle. The quality of the performance was such that you were immediately caught up within it. I cannot tell you the words every one spoke, but I still remember the firelight, the ring of their voices, the stillness of the rapt listeners -- who in hearing had become participants. I honestly felt their voices vibrating within me. I wager that everyone else at that fire did as well. Thomas and his players swept us all up into their performance and their world, caught up our senses then pulled them so taut they could play our emotions like strings. At the end of the piece, the crescendo of battle peaks and crashes, there is a moment of silence, then -- I still have this memory so clearly -- I can see Ragnar, the victorious Viking chieftain, his great axe hung over his shoulder, and hear his soft, gravelly voice saying "Row, men, row. The monks of Ely (?) sing of their dead. Let us row and listen awhile....." And at that moment, Robyn Solarius' angelic voice rose from the woods, pure and sweet, singing an old chant. The players all pulled back into the darkness, leaving Robyn alone by a torch, shining like a candle flame and singing, until he too stepped back and trailed off, like a candle going out. The hair was standing up on the back of my neck and I don't think anyone was breathing. There were this long, incredible moment of silence -- none of us who had heard and were a part of it wanted it to end -- as if everyone's breath was indrawn, waiting; then, I don't remember how, the howling and cheering and clapping started and I don't know how it ended. Everyone around me -- Athena, Galen Nicolli, Rognvald -- had tears running down their faces. To me, the world is often divided into those of us who were there that night, and those who weren't. I'm not sure those who weren't will ever comprehend what it felt like, but I hope another chance comes along. And I will always bless Thomas for my chance. Mari ferch Rathtyen From: Mjccmc01 at aol.com Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 13:31:02 -0400 (EDT) To: ansteorra at eden.com Subject: Re: Magic Moments My most magic moment came at Pennsic one year. I was in the camp of the Norselanders, a subgroup that does exclusively Norse personna, and does it superbly. We were sitting around a campfire in their encampment, not a formal bardic, just general chatting. A fight broke out among two of the younger men of the group about (of course) a woman. At one point in the discussion, one man called the other a fool. The other man replied, "What is wisdom, anyway?" At this point, Gunnar, the leader of group and a very large individual, leapt up, went _through_ the fire, picked up the second man by his tunic, pulled him up to his face, and proclaimed, "Wisdom is what Odin gave his eye for," and dropped the offending young man, and immediately launched into a recitation of a saga. My retelling of this moment cannot possibly capture the scene, but for just a moment, I got a glimpse about what a completely foreign culture (both time and place) must have been like. I've often thought I learned more in that moment that in hours in a library, not factual knowledge about what the Norse ate, drank, wore, etc., but a far more intangible knowledge about how they viewed their world. Fondly, Siobhan From: Tyrca at aol.com Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 12:43:59 -0400 (EDT) To: ansteorra at eden.com Subject: Magic Moments I have a couple of things to share. I started playing in the SCA in a very small place that still isn't even a shire, just a couple of contact people. As almost all of us were newcomers, we had get-togethers that taught us courtly graces and basic costuming. But the time came for my first "real" event. We drove 4 hours to Salt Lake City (Barony of Loch Salann) to attend the Outlands Investure (yes, that long ago, when Outlands was still a principality, and Artemisia was a twinkle in Atenveldt's eye). It was the investure of Robert and Leah as Prince and Princess, and they held it in an historic church next to the State Capitol. It was wonderful. We sat on pews with a large center aisle, and up front, the altar had been moved aside for the thrones of the prince and princess. It was all so amazing to me, in my first attempt at a T-tunic. The herald calling individuals, the processions up to aisle to the throne, the shouts of acclaim. And then the newly-invested Prince Robert called Master Gunvaldt into court. In he came like a great golden bear, with his hair french-braided to the middle of his back, his long golden beard forked in the front, the representation of any Dwarf. As he came forward, the herald regaled the populace with Gunvaldt's accomplishments, and then read the glorious words of the scroll of a Lion of Atenveldt. And then my friend who brought me to this wonderous event wiped tears from her eyes and explained the significance of a Lion. I found that I was crying too, without knowing why. After an introduction like that, what could I do, but continue in our game? And from another side, I have another memory. We were in Drachenwald, and it was the first event that Thorgierr and I attended as Tanist and Tanista. We were in the Caer Philly castle in Wales, and I was at head table. We had no court planned, but wanted to give some largess and recognition, so we asked the local seneschal to identify for us their newest individuals that were showing excellent efforts in both arts and deportment. With this information, we had the herald call forth a man and wife that had only been in the Society for 3 months, and were as well acoutered as any in the hall. We presented them with a plate that we made ourselves with the Dragon of Drachenwald on it. And I began to understand the joy of surprise recognition from the other side of the court. The looks on their faces made all the effort and bad politics worthwhile. Lady Tyrca Ivarsdottir Barony of Namron From: sharra2 at aol.com (Sharra2) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments Date: 2 Apr 1998 08:02:59 GMT "sunshinegirl" <sunshinegirl at steward-net.com> writes: >I am interested in collecting stories about special moments in the SCA. >They might be "living the dream" memories or "Suddenly I was really in the >1400's" etc. Waking up at Estrella to a lone piper on top of the hill. There was a low fog swirling and the entire park looked like I could have been at a real medieval tournament. All the cars were hidden and you could just see the peaks of the bigger pavilions. Krista Triaria de La Riviere Flagstaff, AZ Sharra2 at aol.com From: Dana Tweedy <tweedy at mail.cvn.net> Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments Date: Thu, 02 Apr 1998 10:16:33 -0800 sunshinegirl wrote: > I am interested in collecting stories about special moments in the SCA. > They might be "living the dream" memories or "Suddenly I was really in the > 1400's" etc. > > As an example, one of my special moments came at a weekend war that the > Canton of Summergate sponsored many years ago. It was at Poway Riding > Stables, in San Diego County. The site had a valley surrounded by small > hills. In the valley, we had a wooden castle set up for the castle > battles. There were banners flying from the castle towers. I was on one > hill, watching the battle below. I glanced across the valley at another > hill and caught my breath. Duke Armand, in full Chain, was on his horse, > also with barding, watching the battle below. Something about that scene > has stayed with me for over a decade now. It was truly a very special > moment for me, a vision of Knighthood made real. > > So, What is Your "special moment"? > Melandra of the Woods I remember an early spring event where it was cold outside, and I was inside the Hall near the fire, listening to the converrsations and sining around me.. The wind was blowing thorugh the crack in the doors and for a brief moment, I could imagine that there were wolves ouside in the woods. I found myself feeling sorry for any poor travelers who hadn't found shelter that night. Suddenly I realized I was at a camp in Southen PA and there hadn't been any wolves in the area for 200 years. The feeling lasted only a few seconds, but it was eerie but thrilling at the same time. Karl Rasmussen of Tvede From: hrjones at uclink.berkeley.edu (Heather Rose Jones) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments Date: 2 Apr 1998 18:22:11 GMT Organization: University of California, Berkeley sunshinegirl (sunshinegirl at steward-net.com) wrote: : I am interested in collecting stories about special moments in the SCA. : They might be "living the dream" memories or "Suddenly I was really in the : 1400's" etc. I think the one that still stands out most vividly in my mind -- even after a decade or more -- was a Sunday morning at an event in the northern "fog-belt" of the California coast. The camp was just beginning to stir; the rising mist blurred the edges of everything outside immediate view; and out in a grassy field, a group of children -- all dressed in wonderfully ordinary everyday medieval clothing -- were playing a game of tag. I felt like I'd stepped into a Breughel painting. For me, it's never the outstanding, dramatic, heroic moments that take my breath away -- it's those ordinary, everyday moments when you feel the eternal connection with what makes people people when all the modern accoutrements are stripped away. Tangwystyl verch Morgant glasvryn From: DDFr at best.com (David Friedman) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments Date: Thu, 02 Apr 1998 10:59:44 -0800 Organization: Santa Clara University "sunshinegirl" <sunshinegirl at steward-net.com> wrote: >So, What is Your "special moment"? The crown tournament that Asbjorn eventually won ran out of light while we were still in the first fight of the finals. The finals were continued twice--I think I calculated later that the three fights ran to four and a half hours--we knew each other pretty well. The final bout was held on Staten Island, in a field near the sea, with Angus (then King), Duke Akbar, the two of us and a few others. There was nothing modern around, just fields, trees, perhaps the sea in the distance, and a few people in period garb. I remember walking out towards the fight through the field. Akbar was some distance ahead of me, and I was walking after him for some reason--to kill him, to bring him some news, I didn't know what, but I felt as though I was suddenly in the middle of one of the Icelandic sagas. David/Cariadoc From: bellatrix2 at aol.com (Bellatrix2) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments Date: 3 Apr 1998 04:00:58 GMT There are so many stories and events that make me feel as if the world we recreate is real. My childhood goals dreams and memories were not thoseof the modern child. I have related myself in many ways to the child of the medieval world who growa up working toward knighthood, having the desire to make a name for themself and aspiring to be king. I attained those goals and the times were so real and life fullfilling that I could not even explain. There are also battles and chivalric acts galore that stand out and the bardic circles that have transported me back are too numerous to list (later). Of all those that have been so important to me there is one that stands out the most, and although it starts in combat that is not the moment alone. I bring you you to March Crown AS XXIV, in the Kingdom of the West. I was facing Sir Drew Fortesque. I had lost to him ealrier in the day. The first two bouts were split. We faced each other for the final bout and I turned to my Lady Niobe. I had been inspired the entire day by her, but for some reason this time it felt different. I lost the second fight because I said to myself that if I win I will be King. This time I saw the love and support she felt and saw her mouth the words "I Love You." At that moment I was transported to another time. I was facing a long time friend and one of would fall, and one of our ladies would soon be Queen. The Bout went on for oonly a few moments. The Final blow launched and before it landed I knew the outcome. As Drew fell I dropped and felt my lady behind me. I rose and kissed her. The area was misting and the hills were a wet green. No mundanities were in view. The wreath was handed to me and I was placing the wreath on Niobe's brow, and I could not help think about that child who dreamed of Knighthood and of someday being King. The one thing, though that the child never dreamnt of was finding his true love. Stephan From: mok at mdi.net Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments Date: Fri, 03 Apr 1998 01:55:13 -0600 "sunshinegirl" <sunshinegirl at steward-net.com> wrote: > I am interested in collecting stories about special moments in the SCA. > They might be "living the dream" memories or "Suddenly I was really in the > 1400's" etc. Every year at Pennsic I get the same chance for this experience to happen, and after eight years it has never failed to sustain me untill the next year. Standing in line before the start of the great field battle. It is the most incredible feeling that has ever come over me. To be in the company of your comrades in arms, to hear the chink of mail and the slap of plate. The smell of the mown grass and the leather and sweat. To gaze across the field and see the "enemy" with painted shields and a forest of pike waving in the still morning air. Pennons fluttering, the standards of all the great houses and kingdoms. The jests of soldiers, the shouts of commanders trying to get their lines into some semblence of order. That feeling that I get when the two minute warning is up....it starts in my toes and seems to go straight to Walhalla...everything seems to feel and look and sound and smell so much sharper and clearer...I have never been so alive in my life at that point, and every year, without fail it becomes more and more. This is a dream i have searched for all of my life and finally found, and I count myself so blessed because of it. Lord Cruaddon AKA Crow BMDL From: Reed <"mihaloew" at mitre.org (A. Reed Mihaloew)> Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments Date: Fri, 03 Apr 1998 08:40:49 -0500 > So, What is Your "special moment"? > Melandra of the Woods I've had several "special moments" over the years. The first one I remember was in my first fighting Pennsic (VIII). We were marching out to fight the woods battle, with a piper skirling in the lead, the populace cheering us on. I was wearing armor, bearing sword and shield, my helm pushed back on my head. If I looked ahead or behind, I saw an armored host marching two by two on a dirt road--to either side was nothing but a medieval-looking (to my glasses-less eyes at least :-) crowd. For just a second, I felt like the whole thing was "real"--that I had been trasnported in time. An amazing thing! I get (literally) goosebumps remembering it. (I have goosebumps *now* just writing about it! :-) For the others, perhaps another day... Rolin Thurmundsson mka Reed Mihaloew From: Storm <tjhortman at earthlink.net> Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments Date: Fri, 03 Apr 1998 08:08:04 -0700 > So, What is Your "special moment"? > Melandra of the Woods It was in a small mountain park with a shelter resembling a hunting lodge. A few of us had arrived just before sunrise to set up for the day. The horizon to our left was a glory of color but much of the slope before us and to our right was still in shadow. Mist rose from the slanted pocket meadow just below us. The smell of wildflowers, grass and pine was rich and sweet. My lord came up behind me and wrapped me in his cloak as we watched a small herd of deer, including a magnificent stag, step from the woods and wander, breakfasting, across the grass. A pair of hawks spiraled above us. No modern intrusions disturbed us. It was the perfect opening for a day of hunting games, questing, feasting, dancing, singing and storytelling. Wyndylyn Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: ojirelan at localhost Subject: Re: special moments Organization: Xerox Date: Fri, 3 Apr 1998 18:53:35 GMT >So, What is Your "special moment"? I'll give you two: The first Coronet of AEthelmearc was held during Hurricane Hugo at a 4-H camp just outside of Rochester NY. The camp had unheated cabins and a large dining hall with a huge fireplace at one end. During the feast, we had shut the window shutters due to the cold and wet. We had a large fire going in the fireplace and the only light was from that and the candles on the table. Several people had brought their dogs to the event - between the lighting, the dogs and children running around the hall, period music being played, and general conversation, I was transported back to a medieval hall during a dinner or feast. To top it off, the next morning we came into the hall for breakfast and found rows of sleepers curled up near the fireplace, dogs too. My second was the Pennsic where I was 8 months pregnant with my second child. For some reason, I was much more connected to Orianna that Pennsic and I think being pregnant and mostly confined to camp did it. One night, (as is usual with being that pregnant) I had to get up to use the privy. As I was walking back down the hill to camp, I had the oddest feeling of no longer being in the 20th century - I was barefoot, wearing a loose gown with a shawl thrown over it, it was moonlit and quiet...it was wonderful! Orianna AEthelmearc Date: Sat, 04 Apr 1998 21:05:53 +0200 From: Jan Frelin <jan.frelin at wineasy.se> Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments At the Visby medieval fair some 7 or 8 years ago, my lady and myself was walking along the town wall (in garb, as almost always during the fair). As we walked down the path, we met five or so knights from one of the jousting groups, as they were trodding towards the jousting fields for the night. Without speaking, my lady and I stepped aside and bowed. A very eerie feeling ensued... ======================================================================== Hartmann Rogge Holmrike, Nordmark, Drachenwald Jan Frelin Stockholm, Sweden jan.frelin at wineasy.se From: "Chris K. Hepburn" <chepburn at calcna.ab.ca> Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 11:07:17 -0600 Organization: Calgary Community Network Assoc. I've had many, many special SCA moments and most of them seem to have happened at Clinton War... One of them happened at my first Clinton. I was waterbearing during the war and at one point I looked over to see a lord in armour apparently battling the world's largest dust devil. The cone of this thing must have stretched a hundred feet up and there was this guy right in the middle of it. I'm certain the only thing that kept him from being carried away was the weight of his plate mail! The dust devil moved on to suck a couple of sun hats right up into the sky. I still remember the way they slowly circled each other as they ascended into the heavens...and then the crows attacked them. Quite a surreal moment. Another Clinton a few years later it had rained all weekend. Pretty much solid, grey, cold. I found out too late I had parked my tent right beside a giant ant mound. And the rain caused all the residual horse puckey to float around my door. And of course my tent leaked like a seive. Merchant sales were down, I was really poor, and everyone around me was cranky because of the rain. I had brought only canned goods to eat and had forgotten my can opener at home. So in this pathetic state I remember wandering up the main road one morning searching for some way I could get something warm (and hopefully caffeinated) to drink. I wandered by a sturdy tent and a voice beckoned me to enter. A man, whose name unfortunately I forget, sat me down and gave me coffee and listened patiently while I explained my woes. It was such a small act for him to do, yet it cheered me immensely. And the third magic moment (yes, I know I'm rambling) is *any* camping event at night. It's too dark to see the cars, the blue tarp pavilions, the Reeboks. A sea of shadily lit pavilions stretches on into darkness. Someone's playing one of those belly dancing drums, the dancers are spinning, sparkling in the torchlight. Someone hands me a cup of homebrewed mead. The stars overhead are more brilliant than they ever could be in any city. There is an intangible sense of "otherness", a kind of magic that seems unreal in the light of day. This, to me, is what the SCA is all about. Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 13:26:01 -0500 From: Berwyn <lordberwyn at ibm.net> Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: special moments RMorrisson wrote: > Greetings from Myfanwy! > Mine was the Pennsic (I don't remember which number) the "chalk" > horse that someone had made with sheets the night before. That would have been 21, the year before I got to go. From reading the descriptions here on the Rialto at the time, I could almost feel I was there, although my first Pennsic was 23. My magic moment came last year at Warriors and Warlords in Osseo, WI. Two things will help you understand this tale. There is a Mistress of the Laurel, Mistress Morganna bro Morganwyg, who is a renowned story teller. There is also a household of fearsome visage, called Shadewes Company, lead by the Big Bad Visigoth, Olaf Blodhox. Now it came to pass that one evening, Mistress Morganna happened into Shadewes camp, where the fierce warriors sat around the fire quaffing great horns of ale. The crowd became silent as the old woman began to speak, and sat in rapt attention as she spun her tales of the Norse gods, and of the bringing of light into the world. The real world faded away and the past came to life in the circle of flickering firelight illuminating the faces of those listening to the wisdom of the elder. And when the woman had finished her tale, the mighty warlord Olaf knelt weeping at her feet. Berwyn From: Jay Rudin <rudin at ev1.net> Date: July 18, 2007 10:23:45 AM CDT To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org> Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Help with a project (favorite SCA stories) I had joined the Barony of the Steppes, and was fencing, performing, and a few other things, but didn't really understand the SCA yet. I had talked to the Knight Marshal, Master Lloyd von Eaker, about starting to fight heavy, but had never actually made it to a fighter practice. Then came Steppes Warlord, our big tournament. The morning of the list, Master Lloyd came up to me and said, "You've said you wanted to start fighting. We've got 23 fighters in the list. Would you like to make it an even number?" This was the seventies, and there was no such thing as "authorization" in Ansteorra. I said yes, and they found me some armor. Squire William of Weir gave me two minutes of shield practice, and I was called to the tournament field, my first time in armor, having never actually swung a sword before, to face... His Royal Highness, Count Jonathan De Laufyson, the Crown Prince of Ansteorra. There's only one fighter in Ansteorra who has ever won Crown tourney, and he's done it twice. He was very polite. He let me throw a bunch of blows, then he threw one ... to the leg. You know all that lovely leg armor we wear now? I didn't have any of that. I think I screamed. I got on my knees, he threw away his shield, and then he killed me. I walked off the field in pain and sweat, feeling stupid and miserable and confused -- and worse yet, it was double elimination and I had to do it again. And I had no reason to. I was hot, embarrassed, and in great pain. I was wondering why I was there, and considering getting in the car and going home. And then a messenger came over to me -- the Crown Princess wished to see me. I was scared to death. The Crown Princess didn't know me from Adam's off ox. She only knew two things about me: 1. I have just tried to kill her husband, and 2. I was appallingly bad at it. I didn't know the protocol. I had no idea what I had done wrong; I was quite certain that I hadn't done anything right. So I walked over to her, scared, confused, and lost. I bowed to her, awkwardly (thereby exhausting my entire store of courtly protocol). Her Royal Highness, Princess Willow de Wisp, having seen my miserable excuse for a fight, told me, "My lord, I saw that you faced my lord in combat, even without having practiced before. I know that he can only earn glory because there are those who have the courage to face him, and I thank you for that. "I also saw that when they called the fighters to salute their ladies, you had no one to salute. Will you do me the honor of carrying this my favor for the remainder of the day?" And she handed me a simple ribbon. All of her ladies-in-waiting added their favors as well. I proudly entered the list in the second round with seven favors on my belt. That was more than a quarter of a century ago, and I've fought in many tourneys since. I've had my share of victories, won my share of prizes, and gained my share of glory. But I have *never* had a victory to match that defeat. From: Susan <swieland3 at austin.rr.com> Date: January 20, 2008 4:25:41 PM CST To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org> Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Magic Moments Jay Rudin wrote: > Imagine two people watching the same fight: > > Person A: Look at that. Sir John is wearing sneakers. And Lord James's > fighting technique is so mundane. > Person B: Sir John is using Fiore de Liberi's longsword technique, and > making it work! And isn't Lord James's fluted armor stunning? > > 1. Who is focused on the 21st century, and who is focused on the > period? > 2. Who will encourage more people to do authentic things? > 3. Who would you rather listen to? > 4. Who is having more fun? Robin, your missive reminded me of a one of my own, "you are there" moments. It was a Pennsic. I was fighting in the main battle. Barn & Kat were Crown. The "moment" was a culmination of several moments. I had never been in an army before. But as we stood shoulder to shoulder before the "Lay on" cannon was fired, there was a roar that began to sound. It started slowly and engulfed us like a wave. Sword and shield folks were yelling and beating their shields. Spearmen were raising weapons to the sky and yelling with excitement. As I joined the throng, I had several memories pass through my mind; the previous evening when we all met with King Barn to discuss tactics; having armor inspection from Sir Baden; reminders from Sir Kein to stay hydrated; Then the boom from the cannon. We followed Sir Kein who began running across the field. I wasn't Susan anymore and I had forgotten that I didn't like to run. I was Damaris of Greenhill, serving in the Ansteorran Army and my goal was to help my comrades in arms, take the hill. Alas I was one of the expendable ones. But the "moment" will always be with me. I don't remember if I even saw anything mundane. I was in the Ansteorran Army. And I was proud to serve. It was glorious. Thanks for reminding me of that time. Regards, Mistress Damaris From: Susan McMahill <sueorintx at hotmail.com> Date: January 20, 2008 8:03:17 PM CST To: "ansteorra at ansteorra.org" <ansteorra at ansteorra.org> Subject: [Ansteorra] Magic and favorite events Magic is what you believe with your heart, not neccessarily with your eyes. Personally, I find magic in virtually every event I attend. It may be only a moment or two, but it is there, no matter how 'mundane' the site. I will celebrate the sixth anniversary of my first SCA events this year and I love the 'game' now as much or more than I did the first time I went to an event. My heart and mind CHOOSE to make each event magic, whether others see it that way is their problem. In the long history of this organization, we have grown in so many ways. No longer do our fighters use carpet armor and freon can helms. Our safety record is amazing considering the kinds of game we play. Fighting has changed. Armor has changed. There are reasons for this. Once upon a time, fighting was 'real.' People got hurt, sometimes seriously. My own Lord was a victim of these days when he took a blow to the knees back when knees were not protected by hardened knee cops. As a result, he had surgery and had months of convalesence and has not been able to fight for many years because of the damage done. I am glad to see the improvements. I don't get a chance to watch as much fighting as I would like, often because I am on the archery range, marshalling. The fighting I do see, however, doesn't look particularly unreal to me. I still hold my breath when a shot looks particularly hard or seems to cause a fighter more than a routine bruise, and cheer (at least inwardly) when both fighters rise and shake hands and leave the field as friends. This is magic. I love the A & S displays. Wow! what amazing abilities some of our friends have. I want to learn it all, but know that I don't have the time, discipline, money, or skill....Magic...it's here, too. Watching as a gentleman, without a word, picks up or takes a burden from a lady. Perhaps she is new enough to not even have her AoA, and he a knight or duke or a typical teen also without being asked, offers to help set up a pavilion or serve a feast....these are magic. I have dined with the King and Queen as the guest of the newly appointed Royal Huntsman...WOW!!! that was a magic moment!!! How many people sup with a Queen and share child-rearing and childhood stories. It's been three years and I still am amazed! I have watched as my friends were called before their sovereigns and were awarded rank, precedence, and honor. I can't think of anything more magical than that....unless it has been getting that summons myself. Each time it has happened, I have been awed, overwhelmed, swept up and away....Yep...magic. Each Coronation that I have been able to attend, I cry with sadness at the departure of the old Crown and weep with joy at the crowning of the Heirs as they take the Sable Thrones. The Lion's challenge, The Roses welcoming their new member, The releasing and renewing of the fealty of the Knights and Peers.....I often shed a tear at each. If this isn't magic, I don't know what you would call it. I have met the most amazing people. Count Simon and His lovely Countess, Tessa. Sir Karl and Mistress Kasilda, Master Don Robin of Gilwel, Master Modius and Countess Sara, HL Jean Paul de Calmont, HL Moreg (who sadly has moved to Meridies) Count Gunthar, I could count people by the hundreds and still have more to mention. Most of them, I only see at events somewhere far from our home, or theirs. This is the only chance we often have to catch up on each other's lives, both SCA and modern. I'm sorry if our chat of life outside the SCA disrupts the ambiance for some, but quite honestly, tough! Mostly we talk of things that have been going on around us, but we do share things about our non SCA lives, too. If it takes that little to 'ruin' things for some folks...well they need to re-evaluate what the SCA is about. A couple of years ago, I met my knight in shining armor. He may not be in armor anymore, but he is a Knight and he shines with all the light in the world for me. Sharing the dream together is definitely magic. Finding a soulmate is magic. Being proposed to at your first Gulf War and having a shooting star slice the sky during court immediately afterwards...magic. And finally, at the close of every court, having my heart swell with love and pride...Long live the Queen, Long live the King, and Long Live ANSTEORRA!!!! 100% pure unadulterated magic. Lyneya de Grey. <the end> Edited by Mark S. Harris magic-moments-msg Page 18 of 19