Collected Dec. 4, 1994
From Tracy Sears at a SCA event
SCA member is stalked by muggers. Gets to his car and opens trunk just as the muggers put a switchblade to his ribs. He picks up his gigantic double-blade ax, screams "Blood for Odin" and the muggers break the minute mile out of there.
Collected from Jane Beckman
From the Internet
Originally posted June 14, 1990
In an incident exactly like the one in Crocodile Dundee, a mugger confronts an SCA type who whips out a huge knife or broadsword, drops into a fighting stance, and says "That's not a knife: THIS is a knife!" He takes the mugger's switchblade home as a trophy.
Collected from Monica Cellio
From the Internet
Originally posted June 21, 1990
Some SCAdian is walking home from an event or meeting (in garb) in New York City. A mugger approaches, draws a knife, and demands all of our hero's money, and of course our hero says "no". The mugger then says, "Look, I've got six inches of steel that says you're going to give me all your money *right now*." At this point our hero reaches over his shoulder, draws the bastard sword he is carrying on his back, and says, "I'll see your six and raise you thirty." Exit one scared mugger, quickly.
Collected from Robert Huff
from the Internet
Originally posted June 21, 1990
Somewhere down South an indoor event was being held in a good-sized city. Unknown to most, the site was on the border between a decent and a not-so-decent part of town. As the event was breaking up for some reason a handful of out-of-towners left the hall (in coutume, including long cloaks,
but unarmored) looking for a store (exact variety unspecisied). They took a bad turn, and soon realized they were lost. They also realized that they had picked up a following (of about their own number). During the attempt to avoid trouble they found y) nodded to the others. The group threw open their cloaks, pulled (steel) swords and the lady said "See your four, and raise you thirty-six." There was a long pregnant pause, the knives dropped to the ground, and the prospective muggers fled.
The Anachronists wasted no time in getting out of there and finding directions back to safe ground.
Collected from Robert Huff
from the Internet
Originally posted June 21, 1990
Mugger enters gas station office with knife out. Sees large man in chain sharpening full-length broadsword. Mugger looks at knife, at sword, at knife, at sword, puts knife away and leaves.
Collected from Harald Giffin
Nov 9, 1994 at a fight practice
A knight from the New York area decided to take the subway home from fighting practice, but was too tired to deal with the hassle of removing his chain mail first; he just put his coat on over it and walked into the subway. He sat down and began to doze. Presently a mugger came over to him and drew a knife, saying, "Give me your money!" The knight opened one eye and said, "No." This confused the mugger a bit, as he wasn't used to hearing such a reply. He repeated, "I said, give me all your money!" The knight answered, "And I said no." The mugger then stabbed the knight with the knife, which hit the chain mail and broke. The knight, still wearing his gauntlets, then backhanded the mugger across the subway car. When the subway drew to a stop, the mugger ran out of there as fast as he could go without looking back.
Collected Nov. 16, 1994
From Alon Jacobs-Friedman at a fight practice
SCA member works at convenience store. He goes to fighter practice after work, so he always wears his chain mail under his clothes. Guy comes in and asks for cigarettes. He turns to get them, feels something in his back, and the guy demands the register money. He picks up blunt weapon (sometimes a rattan sword) from under counter, turns and clocks the guy, knocking him cold. A patron is helping him pull a knife out of his chainmail as the cops arrive.
Collected from Carrie DeWeese
Nov. 9, 1994 at a fight practice
One SCAdian type was a health inspector from someplace in New Jersey (or so the story goes). Anyway, this person never took off his chain mail (people sometimes wear it all day in order to get used to the weight, but this man took that to extremes by wearing it under his suit to work.). One day he was called upon to inspect a particularly bad restaurant and to shut it down. He arrived there with the appropriate papers and was just about to declare the place closed when the owner threw a meat cleaver at him. Imagine the owner's face when the meat cleaver bounced off the inspector's chest! Anyway, the owner got some time in jail and the inspector got a few bruises.
Collected from Marji Klugerman
Collected from the Internet
Originally posted June 18, 1990
SCA person works late nights in a convience store. He had just finished a chainmail shirt, and was wearing it to get used to the weight. He was bending over stocking some shelves when a thug walks in. The thug walks by the SCA person. The SCA person feels a bit of pressure on his back and turns to look at the thug. The thug has a freaked out expression on his face, and then runs out of store. The employee then goes back to his work. About 10 minutes later a woman walks in the store, sees the employee and screams. At this point the employee realizes that a knife is sticking out of his back, stuck in the chainmail...
Anonymous
From the Internet
Originally posted June 18, 1990
There was once a lord who lived in the downtown area of a large southern city. Now this lord as many members of the society do had a fascination with weapons. He had all sorts of weapons, many of which he kept on his living room wall. He had axes, morning stars, maces, daggers, polearms, several swords, many many different and lovely implements of destruction, but his pride and joy, the star of his collection a truly marvelous katana. This ancient long
sword from japan was the envy of all his friends, made long ago by a master in Japan. The lord was fastidious about caring for his weapon, keeping it sharp as only ancient katana can be sharp. He kept it oiled and clean, placing it in a case above his couch. Now this being the downtown section of a large southern city there were in existence varlets, rogues, thieves and burglars. Now some of these less savory types did choose one night to assail the lord's abode. Now on this night when the less savory types did choose to assail the lord's abode the lord, being a sensible sort, had learned early on that during the summer in large southern cities to sleep in the state he was born in. And so snoozing, au natural, he head a creaking sound, as if someone were attempting to open his back door with a prybar. He arose and proceeded to don the only garments handy, to wit a pair of old gray socks that rumor has were once white. So accoutered he proceeded downstairs to investigate. On arriving at the lower landing he found that not only did it appear that someone was indeed attempting to pry open his rear door but that someone was also attempting to open his front door. Now here the lord had to make a choice, the front door was locked but it had a rather insecure lock, while the rear door was securely barred. He figured that he had at most a few minutes before the front door was opened and perhaps a few more before the rear succumbed. And knowing the police in this city would not get there before a day or two, he decided that he had to take matters into
his own hand. So thinking he reached for his treasured blade which hung above his couch and stood ready to receive the varlet before the front door. He succeeded in forcing the lock and as the door opened, saw the worthy standing in front of him. He immediately decided to attack, rushing upon our lord, carrying a blunt instrument which he had brought with him. The intruder rushed forward, swinging a baseball bat over his head. The lord dodged the deadly swing, and struck at the robber, severely lacerating said foeman's epidermis and causing him to howl in agony. At this point the criminals at the rear door succeeded in forcing it. Now good gentles I ask you to imagine the scene before the scurrilous rogues, they had expected a nice easy robbery, what they found was a large naked man in gray socks holding a dripping sword over a fallen confederate who whimpered and bled on the floor. The lord darkly growled to the suddenly pale interlopers "Get out of my house." The thieves then proceeded to set new land speed records exiting the house. Alas all is not happy though, the lord, being a kindly sort, called the police and an ambulance for the fallen intruder. They arrived and picked up the fallen villain. The lord
thought it was over and done with, when several days later he received a subpoena, the thief was suing the lord for mental anguish, causing permanent physical harm, and interfering with his livelihood. It seems that the thief had
a large scar running the length of his chest, had lost partial use of his right arm below the shoulder and total use of his left arm below the elbow. When taken before the judge, they each told their stories, after a short
deliberation the judge came forth and decided that the lord was indeed in the right and since the criminal was in the process of of committing a felony, to wit attempted murder, he deserved what he got, though he did caution the lord that it ever happened again to make sure that the blow caused damage that was a bit more "permanent".
Collected from Beth Moursund
From the Internet
Originally posted on June 17, 1994
The story was that a group of SCAdians consisting of one man and several ladies were coming home from a revel on the subway when they were accosted by a gang of, shall we say, socially disadvantaged youths. The man supposedly held off the gang long enough for the ladies to escape, and was pretty well cut up in the process. He was knighted by the king of the East while he was still in the hospital.
Collected from Beth Moursund
From the Internet
Originally posted on June 17, 1994
There was an SCA demo going on at some campus and someone heard a woman screaming. They saw two (mundane) guys dragging a (mundane) woman into a car. The two SCAdians who saw this were carrying live steel halberds, and they got in front of the car and set their polearms in the "prepare to repel horse" position. Supposedly one polearm went through the windshield and the other went through the engine block.
Collected from Jane Beckman
From the Internet
Originally posted June 18, 1990
It sounds like it could have spun off an incident at Chico State years and years ago, where some mundanes in pick-em-up trucks tried to kidnap an SCA woman for a little fun and games. (Wenches, you know.) It turned into a wild car chase. I've never been sure if it was a legend or something that really happened. I do know the SCA hasn't done demos
at Chico State, ever since.
Collected from Marji Klugerman
Collected from the Internet
Originally posted June 18, 1990
A gentleman in the SCA witnessed a rape occurring in a subway somewhere in New York City. He interrupted the rapists and was pretty badly hurt by them while the girl got away. The King of the East knighted him for his deed.
Collected from Karen J. Norteman
From the Internet
Originally posted on June 20, 1990
This one is said to have taken place in New York. A woman was walking down the street when a knife-wielding mugger attacked her. He was about to rape her when a bunch of SCAdians, still in armour from fighting practice, came around the corner. Instantly they drew their swords and attacked the mugger, eventually driving him off. After ascertaining that the woman was okay and drawing some passersby to look after her, the fighters left. Later on the woman testified to the police that she'd been saved by some knights in shining armour, but she never did find out who they were.
Collected from Shirley Monroe
From the Internet
Originally posted June 21, 1990
It seems there is an active Shire aboard the USS Nimitz, since many SCA members are also in the military.
---
It also seems that the ship was at one time (who knows when?) being followed by a Russian trawler. This trawler had been shadowing the Nimitz for some time, taking lots of pictures, the whole bit. Well, the captain of the Nimitz
decided to have some fun.
An announcement went out over the public address system of the ship: "All SCA fighters, not on duty, report to the deck in full armor in ten minutes. All others not on duty, help the fighters into their armor."
The order was carried out, and, when the fighters got to the deck, the further order was given: "We will now commence two hours fighting practice."
The trawler took notice and took even more pictures; it is said that it edged in closer to the ship.
So, if they weren't destroyed on sight, somewhere in KGB files there are a w lets, were dismayed at the sight of a "knight in shining armor", and opened fire. The bullets (of course) bounced off, but did manage to trigger the short temper of the fighter. He advanced on the police, who continued to fire. Eventually, he was enraged to the point that he drew his two-handed sword and clove a Volkswagon bug in half.
Collected from Karen J. Norteman
From the Internet
Originally posted on June 27, 1990
Prior to the Stop the Draft Week demonstrations in Oakland, CA in the late 60s, a couple of the prospective demonstrators were training under and SCA fighter with sword and shield. They went to the demonstrations with rather specially constructed picket signs. The sign was plywood,
and rather heavier tahn one might suspect and the picket was larger and thicker than usual. It was also rather easy to remove the picket from the sign. In addition, there were straps on the back of the sign . . .
When the demonstrations turned violent, and the police moved in--these two are reputed to have gotten out in the street, back to back, removed the pickets from the signs, put their arms through the straps and awaited the police. . .
They are reputed to have clubbed down about a dozen officers before be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
Collected from Andrew Draskoy
From the Internet
Originally posted on May 14, 1991
On the way to their first Pennsic last year, this SCAdian had to run the usual guantlet of airport customs and immigration officers. Now, if you've ever flown over a (mundane) border to an S.C.A. camping event, you'll know what was running through his head. "Please don't ask too many questions... please don't want to open everything up, I'll never be able to put it all back together again. I don't want to explain why my camping gear includes daggers and goblets, and why I've got all these funny clothes, and what the bodhran is."
The fellow at the immigration counter asked him where he was going. Safe enough. What was he going to do there? Go camping. Was he meeting friends or family? Hmmmm... well, he's sure they'll become friends, but it's probably easier to say... "No."
"So, you're going camping in the woods all by yourself?" he said suspiciously. "Well, no," says the SCAdian. "Aha! So you *ARE* meeting family or friends!" expounds he, delightedly. Heaving a mental sigh, the SCAdian resign
himself to saying "I'll be with a group of people who do historicalre-enactment." This is what he was told to say by seasoned Pennsic veterns. "Avoid mentioning the S.C.A., or the word 'medieval'", they said.
"What time period?" queries the surly border guard? "Shit", thinks the SCAdian.
When the SCAdian tells him, he says something like "Are you part of that Creative Anarc...something..."
"Society for Creative Anachronism", the SCAdian said. "Oh! You're going to Pennsic!"says he. "Go on through."
..... "!!!" says the SCAdian.
Collected from Josh Mittleman
From the Internet
Originally posted on May 15, 1991
It came to pass that Aelfwine, King of the Easterlings, travelled across the ocean to visit his subjects upon the British Isles. As this was a ceremonial visit, he brought with him all the necessary bits and pieces: haubrake, crowns, sword, and so on. Upon reaching those distant shores, the local immigration official required him to open his luggage for inspection, and was most disconcerted by that which he discovered within. Politely asking Aelfwine to wait a moment, he fled to find a supervisor. As the inspector and his supervisor returned along the corridor, the supervisor was overheard to say "Don't be silly. It's been 900 years since anyone came to England with armor and a sword, and they didn't stop at Customs!"
Collected from Mark Waks
From the Internet
Originally posted on May 17, 1991
Well, as I heard it, it was Aelfwine. As the story goes, the easiest way to carry the chain mail was to wear it. When they got to Heathrow, the junior customs officer didn't know what to do, and went to a superior. Overheard from the conversation:
"Don't be *daft*, man! London hasn't seen knights in shining armor in five hundred years!"
Collected from Jane Beckman
From the Internet
Originally poste June 14, 1990
Members of a motorcycle gang decide to crash an SCA tourney, kick some ass, and generally wipe up the ground with those people in funny clothes. King sees them coming, yells "For steel!" and every person there pulls a weapon and heads for the bikers, who exit quickly when confronted by this heavily-armed army.