Rangers and the SCA

[Steve b]

The Society, I've noticed, tends to follow whatever movie has just come out. We had an influx of people carrying the blades from LotR and some of the kit, after the movies were released. After Pirates of the Carib, we were overrun with Sparrow wannabees. And yes, with the current fascination with vampires and steampunk, there's plenty of that, too. I'm actually hopeful, this year, that we may get people based on the new Robin Hood movie. While the accuracy was questionable in spots, it's the best thing of it's type I've seen in some time.

Yes, we are overrun with rules. Quite honestly though, I've found that most of them just don't apply to what I do. I quit heavy fighting years ago, and I don't go to the rapier field much anymore. If you are not involved with combat, most of the rules are irrelevant. As long as you are dressed in kit, and sign the waiver you can live pretty much in period and ignore the rest of it. Having seen too many people with no clue, I don't have a problem with the archery safety rules.

So I go, I sign in, set camp and then spend the day doing what I want to do. Sewing new leather kit, cooking over the fire, shooting at the range, sharpening knives, whatever the persona would do. If the site is wooded, I'll go off and walk the woods on my own. The Society provides a background for my activities, people dressed in more or less period garb that adds to the scenery.Yes, some of that background can be pretty abysmal, but it's better than going out into a state forest on my own and being hassled by Park Rangers who think I'm hunting or hikers and picknickers who are more intrusive than bad garb.

The trick is to make the Society work for you, not bog yourself down trying to follow everyone else's expectations.

Hawkyns

[Pwyll]

I'm happy to have missed the Pirates period, as well as the newest Victorian and steampunk wave. The LOTR stuff might have been fun though, all things considered. Robin Hood now...hmm is Museum Replicas carrying that line? If so, yeah, expect to see some.

I was doing heavy combat, combat archery, etc., so I got hit by the rules, to the point of "what's the latest change so I have to redo all of my combat arrows..." All this while we were actually working hard to develop something safe and usable. And all the while there was this heavy push to get rid of it.

As for the live archery rules, yeah, absolutely keep things safe. That was one aspect that remained enjoyable for quite a while, when we could be safe and still have a laid back range. But then we would get some officious twit running the range and it was all over.

Still, Hawkyns, your approach sounds quite good. Actually, the idea of a primitive encampment, with people practicing relevant crafts and getting off for some time in the woods to work woodcraft... Yeah, that would be good. Then off to the range for some quality time with the bow. I like it.

Now I'm wondering though. Instead of fitting into the SCA scene, would a better format be that of a Rendezvous, such as practiced by the buckskinners? There's one hell of a lot of overlap in the skills and social scene, if not historical focus.

BTW, yes there is, or was, a period camp. It's called the Enchanted Ground, and I think it's run by Cariadoc. From what I understand, it's pretty cool. But as I've not been to Pennsic in some years, I can't say for sure.