email Germanicus at: Eq_Germanicus@yahoo.com

~My SCA History~

I started out in the SCA while at Clark Community College in Vancouver, WA. We played with “boffers” until a couple from the West Kingdom arrived. They were a part of a Mercenary Group called Blackwood. I was invited to try out heavy fighting by getting in the sweaty armor of one of the two, and I was immediately hooked. That weekend I went over to their house and together we cranked out a suit of armor out of leftovers; this was summer 1989.

At no time was I ever expected to join Blackwood. I went to events with them, hung out with them, fought beside them, and even gamed with them. There was never any pressure. They gave freely of their time and effort because another person dressed in garb and in armor is someone else to play with, whether they join or not.

Over the years Blackwood grew to over 35 people here in the area. There were combatants, support personnel, kids, and attachments. It was a great time. Blackwood still exists in the West Kingdom today.

Over time the group moved away and the leaders left the area; I left to become a squire, and the group eventually dissolved.

Since then I’ve moved away and had my own adventures, and learned a lot about real-life and how other kingdoms do things. I also founded the Yahoo SCA Newcomers Club (now e-group) to help newcomers on a society-wide basis. I was knighted about a year ago.

Learning from past mistakes, I think another group could fulfill this role. “The Colonia” is designed with this in mind: A group that is geared towards having fun and helping newcomers while striving for authenticity.