Why I joined the SCA as told by Lord Stephan of Durham Squired to Duke Sir Kane Redfeather Well, I grew up reading Tolkien, Arthurian legend, Song of Roland, anything with swords and or magic. I wanted to be Ivanhoe. I wanted to be the hero coming in to save the day with my famous sword. I'd heard of D&D, but couldn't find anybody who played it. Most of the people at my High School didn't even know what it was. Then I graduated HS and went to Mississippi State. Within two weeks, I had a first level fighter with orc blood on his sword. By October, one of the guys I was gaming with started telling us about some guys he had seen that did it for real. Well almost. And so at the tender young age of 18, I was introduced to the SCA. We had no idea what we were doing since Riviere de Sang didn't have any fighters. So we started making armor from anything we could scavenge, being the poor starving college students that we were. We got two suits together so we could actually hit each other. Somebody managed to get Hoppy to come down from Memphis. He actually knew what a snap blow was. Wow. Within six months, I managed to save up for an event and off we went to Star-mangled Spanner VI. Hammerhold knew how to party even back then. It took a while, but after going to 3 or 4 events, we all started making our own armor. I got authorized at Virgin Wars, fought in Eagle Wars II, the Wrath of Kane. Didn't know who Kane was, but I got to get my but kicked as a mercenary for Hammerhold. All my friends warned me about those eagles, don't go drinking with them, they are worse than any frat house, they will do all kinds of bad things to you. If you pass one, hope they don't notice you. Then I got to fight in my first tourney. Double elimination, I drew this rhino-hide named Skull in the first round. I died. Get ready for the second round, maybe I will have better luck this time. I step into the ring, and see my opponent. This tall guy wearing a black cape, black armor (very little) covered with black fur, with a red belt around his waist. I knew what that red belt meant, I was in deep s**t. Then the herald announced his name, Lord Kane Redfeather. Why did I get HIM. The Eagles were bad, and here was there leader, oh please don't let me pee in my armor.... It was over before it started, and I was dead and out. Eleven years later he was a knight, and he took me as a squire, and I'm still wondering Why did I get him.