Come Play in the SCA!
Hey! You wanna put on armor and fight on the Field of Honor with sword & shield? Or rapiers? Do you have a yen to wear medieval clothing and spend your weekends visiting an age that other people experience only through books & movies? Perhaps it is the arts and sciences of the middle ages that interest you? Or the joy of dance? The gorgeous medieval feasts? Could you be a bard disguised as an ordinary university student? Is there a Knight, or Baroness, or maybe even a "Your Majesty" hiding inside you, just waiting for the chance to come out?
Well then you're in the right place!
How Do I Get Started?
The best way to get started in the SCA is to just jump right in and splash around until you know whether or not you like the water. In other words, the best way to get involved is to...well, get involved. The people inhabiting the Current Middle Ages are a friendly lot and are always happy to see new faces at events and other SCA gatherings. So don't be afraid to say "Hi, I'm new!" and introduce yourself.
If you're unfamiliar with the SCA, check out our Society Website and our Kingdom's Website. Links to all the websites run by local branches of the SCA can be found on the St. David's Calendar page.
IMPORTANT: One key thing to remember is that if we don't know that you're new to the SCA, we can't help you connect with people who share the same interests as you. We won't know to explain what's going on or why people do the things they do. If you keep to yourself and don't say anything, most SCA people will respect what they assume is your wish to be left alone. That's a good way to miss out on a lot of the fun. So please, even if you're shy, make sure to let people know that you are just now joining us. At least for your first several events, workshops, and whatnot.
Things to Do
- Email the Caer Darth Chatelaine -- She's very nice and can answer any questions you have about the SCA and how to start playing in it. She can also explain all about SCA rules (there aren't many unless you're an officer or peer) and people's titles, and just generally how things are done.
- Join the College of St. David group email list -- Introduce yourself, meet other interested UCSC students, alumni, and many members of the local SCA populace.
- Join the Canton of Caer Darth group email list -- Meet the local populace and be kept up to date on all the local SCA news, meetings, workshops, and so forth. Don't forget to introduce yourself! If we don't know you're new, we can't help you get in on the good stuff.
- Come to Thursday Night Fighter Practice -- Not just for fighters!! ...Yes, this is the when and where the local fighters get into gear and hit each other with sticks, but it is also a social nexus. Coming to fighter practice is a great way to meet the local SCA crowd and other "Daves" in person, in a very relaxed setting.
- Come to monthly CSD Meetings-- The College of St. David meets once a month, but does not currently have a set meeting schedule. Contact the Liaison to the College of St. David to confirm next meeting date & location.
- Come to monthly Canton Meetings -- Meetings are casual and fun, and sometimes we do a potluck - which means, you know, Free Food!
- Come to SCA events -- Here are some useful links: St. David's Calendar of Local Events, etc., Caer Darth Calendar, Darkwood Calendar, West Kingdom Calendar. You don't have to be a member of the SCA to attend events. You don't even have to come in medieval garb, although it is more fun that way and loaner garb is usually available for those who want it.
- Attend other SCA gatherings -- Workshops, classes, group sewing & project nights, choir practices, instrumental music practices, dance practices, armor nights, scribal nights, work parties, SCA demos, and, of course, fighter practices happen all the time. You can find out more about them and how to find them either by using the calendar links listed above or by joining SCA group email lists (such as the College of St. David and the Canton of Caer Darth group lists) and expressing an interest.
Page Last Updated: 05/15/08