[Ansteorra] Resources for persona development

[Harris Mark.S-rsve60]

The good lady, Elysia de Solares, commented on some of the
trials of being new to the Society and commented:
> I.E., His Excellency Pendaran was very forgiving, even when I
> called him by
> the *entirely* wrong name! (I'm still blushing over this one...)

I'm assuming you are talking about using a lessor title such
as "Lord" instead of "Your Excellancy" or some such. I doubt he
would have realized you were talking to him had you addressed
him as "Susan". :-)

Anyway, most people, Peer or not, will respond to a polite
"m'lord" or "Lord". IMHO, any of them that get upset because
you unintentionally used the wrong title, probably don't
deserve their recognition as a Peer. I can think of many more
that would much rather you take a chance on using the wrong
title than have you avoid talking to them because of this fear.

> This being the case, for all of you who favor authenticity
> out there...
> allow me to ask you to take us under your wings. Help us, not only by
> setting an example, but by showing us how a persona begins. I know His
> Excellency Pendaran holds a persona class.

If you have the chance, I would highly recommend you attend
His Excellancy's class or any of the other classes taught by
various folks on personas. They won't all agree on everything,
and from this you can develop your own ideas of what a persona
should be.

> Perhaps others who  are equally
> fervent in their pursuit of authenticated personas/play could
> be persuaded
> as well. We, the newcomers, are eager to participate in the
> Dream, but many
> of us simply don't know where to begin. Having a name and a
> neat set of garb
> does not a persona make, as I have found out.

Well, it makes for a rather shallow persona anyway. Even after
12 years I'm afraid my persona is not much beyond that. Sometimes
it is awlfully hard to concentrate on just one period or time when
everything is so interesting. :-(

For more info on persona development, including some useful
guidelines and questionaires, check some of the files in the
PERSONA section of the Florilegium. Here are a few of the
files there:
Easy-Persona-art  (12K) 12/26/00    "An Easy Way to Create a Persona in the SCA"
                                       by Lady Meliora Leuedai de Ardescote.
Inquisitn-Gme-art (17K)  5/24/99    "The Inquisition Game" by Daniel of Raven's
                                       Nest.
persona-art       (14K) 11/12/96    An article on persona by Duke Cariadoc.
Persona-Build-art (14K)  2/24/99    "Building A Persona"
                                       by Pamela Hewitt, the Harper.
Persona-f-Beg-art (12K)  1/13/02    "Creating Your SCA Persona for Beginners"
                                       by Lady Lucia Borromeo.
persona-msg       (77K) 12/ 8/00    Persona development. Ideas of Persona.
Vikng-Persona-wsh  (8K) 12/21/01    A Viking Persona worksheet by
                                       Gunnora Hallakarva.

Still think personas are stuffy? Or need something different for
a particular event or revel? Check these files:
per-insanity-msg  (36K)  9/13/96    Insane personas, insanity in period.
per-lepers-msg     (9K)  2/23/01    Stories of using leper personas.

The Florilegium is on the web at: http://www.florilegium.org

I hope you find some of these files interesting enough to go check
them out and that you can use them to develop your persona.

THLord Stefan li Rous
stefan at texas.net