This is the recognized website for the Shire of Loch Cairn, of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., and is maintained by Edain ingen Raghailligh ben MacDonald (Keri Peardon). This site may contain electronic versions of the group's governing documents. Any discrepancies between the electronic version of any information on this site and the printed version that is available from the originating office will be decided in favor of the printed version. Copyright © 2009 Shire of Loch Cairn. The original contributors retain the copyright of certain portions of this site. For information on using photographs, articles, or artwork from this website, please contact the web minister at webminister@lochcairn.org. She will assist you in contacting the original creator of the piece. Please respect the legal rights of our contributors.If you or an identifying element (such as heraldry) appears in one of our pictures and you do not wish to be shown, please contact the web minister at webminister@lochcairn.org; we will obscure you or the identifying elements, or remove the picture entirely, depending on the situation. |
Martial Arts |
This is a list of martial activities in the SCA, and those in our Shire who are authorized to participate in them. | |
| Combat Archery | (None at present) |
| Equestrian, Combat | (None at present) |
| Equestrian, Games | Sir Stuart MacDonald |
| Equestrian, Jousting | Sir Stuart MacDonald |
| Equestrian, Riding | Edain ingen Raghailligh ben MacDonald; Sir Stuart MacDonald |
| Heavy Combat | The Honorable Lord Corwin Giollapahdreag; Lord Dimitri der Roxolani; The Venerable Brother Owain Fitzmarshall; Lord Roland MacCleod; Sir Stuart MacDonald |
| Rapier | The Honorable Lord Corwin Giollapahdreag |
| Seige Engines | (None at present) |
| Target Archery/Thrown Weapons (no authorization is required to participate) | The Honorable Lord Corwin Giollapahdreag; The Venerable Brother Owain Fitzmarshall; Lord Roland MacCleod; Sir Stuart MacDonald |
FAQs on Fighting Is it choreographed? No. Each and every fight is unique, with each fighter relying on skill and a little luck to beat his or her opponent.
Are they really hitting each other? Yes. Each kingdom has, by custom, its own gauge of a "good" blow, but even at the lightest caliber, a good blow can leave a bruise on unprotected skin. Safety rules prevent many more serious injuries, but broken bones, injured knees and the like do happen from time to time. The strenuousness and "hurt factor" is probably close to that of high school football.
Children, however, fight with foam "boffer" swords and do not bruise one another.
How do you know who wins? Fighters are trained to recognize a good blow from one that is not considered strong enough to "kill." Once fighters have been authorized, they are on their honor to call an opponent's blow if it is good. If the blow is to the body or head, the fighter is "dead" and will either fall down or indicate to that his opponent has won. If the blow is to an arm, the "injured" fighter will place it behind his back and continue to fight; if the blow is to the leg, the fighter will drop to his knees and fight from that position. It is considered a very honorable gesture if the uninjured opponent likewise handicaps himself. Why do you use wooden swords? Medieval knights sometimes used wooden swords when they were practicing combat, both because they didn't want to get hurt and also because swords and armor were very costly; they didn't want to damage either if they could avoid it. We are simulating that practice combat, not real combat. Wooden swords are less dangerous that even a very dull metal blade. For instance, all wooden swords must have a diameter greater than 1.25", and all visors on helmets must not have an opening wider than 1". This safety rule keeps people from getting eyes poked out, but would be impossible to implement if we fought with a metal sword. |
Can only men fight? No, women can and do fight too. In the Kingdom of Meridies, we have one female knight, and many other women also fight. Women fight with the men as equals, and are held to the same rules and standards. We also have a youth combat program for children under the age of 18.
How do you get to be a knight? Fighters are elevated to knighthood by the vote of the other knights, and by the consent of Their Royal Majesties. Fighters must be above-average in skill and must also demonstrate leadership abilities, service (through volunteering at the shire and kingdom level) and chivalry on and off the field. Knights make up less than 10% of all fighters, so it's a prestigious award.
Can I fight? Sure! First you need to contact the Knight Marshal of the local group. He can tell you when and where there will be a fighter practice. Most groups have loaner armor that the Knight Marshal is in charge of, so he can bring it if he knows you are coming. It's not the best, prettiest armor, but it does meet the minimum safety standards.
When you come to the fighter practice, you will have to sign a legal waiver saying that you understand that what you are about to do is a contact sport and you might get injured and you will not hold the SCA liable. Once you have signed that, the Knight Marshal will help you get into the armor. Once you are ready to go, one of the fighters will show you what to do.
If you decide that you like fighting and want to get authorized so you can fight in tournaments and wars, you will need to make or buy your own armor. Fighters in the group can help you with both. You will also have to buy a membership in the SCA. Once you have your own armor and membership, and have learned the written rules about safety, and have learned from experience how to call blows, then a knight and Knight Marshal will test you; if you pass, they will sign off on your authorization and you will get a Fighter's Authorization Card. You will need to show this card every time you enter a tournament or war. |
