Persona Survey

[Marc Carlson]

Since I don't think that this has ever been done before, all the
arguements I can make on this topic are based on supposition.  Personally,
I hate that.  Therefore, if you would consider answering this short
survey, based on your persona history, and returning the response to
me (By private email preferably).  You may feel free to get responses
from people who aren't on the Rialto and pass them along as well.
You may publish this questionaire anywhere you want.

I will compile the responses at the end of June (or earlier, if they 
stop coming in before that) and post them here.  I will not ridicule
any responses I receive, nor will any judgments about the probability,
plausability, or literary merit of anyone's persona be made; and if 
I happen to be shown wrong in any of the opinions I have expressed 
publically, by these returns, I will publically apologize for having 
voiced those opinions.

Diarmuit
(IMC at Vax2.UTULSA.EDU)
===========================================
The following is a short survey about your persona (as I am attempting
to determine some idea of what exists in the Society, I would prefer it
if "Real" people's life stories were left out)

Please answer as simply as possible (Do not feel as though you need to 
justify any of your answers)

1.  Do you have a persona history?

2.  Have you changed or altered that history to reflect any SCA titles
    you have earned?

3.  In YOUR opinion, do you feel that your SCA titles accurately reflect 
    what could plausibly have happened to your persona in mundane history?
    (For Example, an Englishman being made a Knight by his king is 
    perfectly plausible, while a Saxon plowman being raised to the
    Peerage for service to the Kingdom is not as plausible)

4.  According to your persona's "back story" (the events that occured 
    before you first portrayed them in the SCA) was your persona born:
	a.  A peasant or cotter?
	b.  A villein or slave?
	c.  The child of a noble?  (if so, please specify, the first born,
            or other)
	d.  The child of the merchant (or similar "middle Class" background)?
	e.  Into some nomadic or pastoral people?

5.  According to your persona's "back story" was your persona:
	a.  An orphan?
	b.  Adopted?
	c.  Kidnapped by Gypsies/Mongols/Vikings (or any other nomadic 
            people)?
	d.  Fostered out to some Noble in a different Kingdom?

6.  According to your persona's backstory, have "you" ever 
	a.  Been on Crusade?
	b.  Been on Pilgrimage?
	c.  Been on raiding parties to plunder distant settlements?
	d.  Traveled more than a few days distance from the place you were
            born, for any other reason than those listed above? (if so,
            please specify why.  Examples may include (but should not be
	    limited to) traveling to fairs or tournaments, wandering 
	    scholar, outlaw vagabondage, traveling performer, and so forth.

7.  Has your persona ever belonged to a specific mundane historical group? 
    (For example:  Served in the Varangian Guard, as a Jannisary, a 
    Landshneckt, Yeoman of the Guard, Swiss Guard, etc.) [While the 
    examples are military, your response need not be.]
	7a.  Does your persona STILL belong to this group?

8.  What year (or century) was your persona born in?

9.  Does your persona have more than two ethnic influences in its origin?
    (For example:  Irish is one, Irish raised by an English household is
    two, and Irish raised by an English household living in France is three, 
    and so on.)  Places that they've visited count only if they have adopted
    some native cultural trait from that region (e.g., a Viking with a 
    preference for Persian boots, picked up while visiting there).

10. Do you have more than one persona?