The SCA can be a wonderful, transformative organization, teaching others medieval arts, courtesy, and other skills that can affect not only their in-game life, but their world outside of the organization. However, like any modern organization that contains people, the SCA has a DEI puzzle to solve. When studying the medieval world, its class systems … Continue reading Omphaloskepsis: In Defense of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
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Family Heirlooms: how heraldic inheritance really works
With the interest in heraldry growing from the funeral of QEII, there's something I've noticed a lot of lately from folks outside of the SCA, and that is (mostly Americans) not understanding how heraldry works. So, you know those heraldic shops at cultural festivals and renaissance faires and occasionally the mall? You know, the ones … Continue reading Family Heirlooms: how heraldic inheritance really works
Herald’s Admonishments: Chivalry for Heralds
About a decade or so ago, I became acquainted with Gerald Legh's Accedens of Armourie (1562) as a relatively new herald. Gerald Legh was an English lawyer (specifically the Inner Temple of the Inns of Court) and wrote a lot on heraldry specifically. Within the Accedens, he also admonishes that the people acting as heralds … Continue reading Herald’s Admonishments: Chivalry for Heralds
Breaking Byzantine: building a Byzantine persona for the SCA
This originated as part of building a basic persona guide, written for the Midrealm Pursuivant's Handbook (located here). Within that guide, I discussed the basic history of the Eastern Empire, as well as basic points of clothing, weaponry, literary references, political groups, religious information, as well as people within the Empire of note. This guide … Continue reading Breaking Byzantine: building a Byzantine persona for the SCA
Omphaloskepsis: Scaling Ivory Towers – SCA and Academia
The Society for Creative Anachronism has its share of people doing some landmark research within experimental archaeology. Yet, within academic circles, many SCAdians are told to de-emphasize their involvement. This article will go into why SCAdians have such a polarizing view within academia, and will also discuss ways to give a better impression of the … Continue reading Omphaloskepsis: Scaling Ivory Towers – SCA and Academia
Pomp and Splendor: what to do with your heraldic device once registered
Once you've registered your arms, there are a multitude of ways to display them, all which add to our game. While I'll be using my arms as an example, keep in mind that different shapes may work better (or worse) with your arms. When you work on your own ideas, sketch out your own arms … Continue reading Pomp and Splendor: what to do with your heraldic device once registered
Making Choices; or why Konstantia wore one outfit over another
Seriously. This is pretty close to what we had. I live just north of the green circle. Calontir Coronation was this weekend, and as is often the risk with midwestern kingdoms in January, we had the prediction of some pretty heinous weather. So not kidding - we had a winter storm warning issued that morning … Continue reading Making Choices; or why Konstantia wore one outfit over another
Byzantine Monograms: a heraldic practice
As an early-period Byzantine within the Society, I have come to grips that my arms and badges as registered with the College of Arms are perhaps not the most period for my persona, and so, this concept of trying to find a way of marking things that were mine or even blinging out things further … Continue reading Byzantine Monograms: a heraldic practice
Achieve!, or the Diary of making an Achievement of Arms
Achievement of Arms are a period way to show off one's accomplishments in the SCA, as combined with one's heraldic device. I had the great fortune to create a conjugal coat of arms for my Byzanbestie Anna and her husband Gieffrei, and ended up also blogging the process, too. Let's start off with the details and … Continue reading Achieve!, or the Diary of making an Achievement of Arms
Upcoming Classes
I'm tinkering with classes for an upcoming event. If you're going to be in Calontir over Memorial Day weekend, I'd love to see you at Valor! I'll be hosting a scriptorium (just a time for scribes to hang out and paint) on Sunday, with a class on regalia, court protocol, and writing award recommendations, and … Continue reading Upcoming Classes
konstantia kaloethina 
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