[Steppes] SCA at SMU

[Quill]

Dear Steppes;

A report from your self-appointed representative at Southern Methodist
University.

That makes two collegiate newcomers who have been to populace that you've
managed to totally enchant! Well done!

The Medieval Club here on campus is having some trouble getting on its feet
this year, but I still feel that SMU is ripe for the plucking. I have at
least half a dozen people who show true interest in what I tell them, and
seem to speak in terms of "when" rather than "if" they join us. It is my
hope that wherever I go during this semester, be it a small meeting or a
large event, I will have at least one new person beside me, so break out the
loaner garb and gear.

That goes especially for fighter practice. There are two young ladies with
that stick-jock glint in their eye, and one of them met Sir Britta this
Saturday. I can only hold them back for so long! But seriously, anyone with
gear that will fit a female better, I hope you'll bring it out; being
rather... travel-sized myself, I know how cumbersome it can be to face off
someone with a mask that doesn't so much protect as obscure. ("But with the
blast shield down I can't see! How am I supposed to fight?" "Trust your
feelings!" *lops off the marshal's head" "Put up the blast shield! Put UP
the blast shield!!!") Actually, that might not be such a problem for these
girls, seeing as they're bother taller than me... but still smaller than
most fighters.

In order to facilitate my little "recruitment" crusade there is now a
Facebook group, created and run by myself, called SCA at SMU, where I hope to
coordinate and get out information. If you happen to have one of these silly
things, please do join us (if only to make it look like a more popular group
than it actually is).

I've been told that in the past you've managed to get a few people out here
for our medieval faire, but it's difficult because everything successful
that happens on a college campus has to happen during the day on a weekday.
I'll be honest, I don't think that the faire is happening this year, which
means that in terms of putting on a demo, everything can fall into your
hands. Her Excellency and I have discussed a few vague ideas, and the one
I've liked most is a sort of extra-long Populace/Demo, for which we get a
big pavillion on the quad with plenty of banners and go-to people, a little
bit of fighter practice outside, a little bit of mini-court inside,
alongside A&S displays, maybe even a herald to yell at passers-by who want
to act like all this is perfectly normal at their school. You come up with
the show, I'll be trying to find out how to get permission for something
like that.

Meanwhile, I'm just trying to indoctrinate people as fast I can. I have two
immediate plans. The first is to organize the handful of really excited new
people I have to get them to their first event - hopefully Queen's Champion
or Candlemas. The second is we're going to get together soon so that I can
teach them a couple of songs. I don't intend to teach "bardic" per se just
yet, but it's one of those really wonderful things when you hear a refrain
and know you can join in a couple verses of "Wild Rover, "Born on the
Listfield", "Stand Brother Stand", or (god help us) "Old Dunn
Cow/MacIntyre". This may become a regular thing, and in future, if anyone
thinks they'll want to join us (and please do - contrary to popular belief,
my words are not always divinely inspired [a rumor I did NOT start myself, I
promise] and I don't know all the words to all the songs out there - any
help would be hot), I'll post more about time and location.


And now, although this doesn't necessarily relate to Steppes, I'd like to
pass on some good news, for us and for the Society: in the Western Region of
Ansteorra, new members include one family of five, and two other
individuals. Meahwhile, in the Kingdom of Calontir, two new members play, in
Lost Forest and Heraldshill (I think that's what they're called, don't quote
me on that). In Caid, the Barony of Gyldenhold also has two new players and
possibly their families as well. And finally, in Drachenwald, West
Dragonshire has obtained a bit of my own flesh and blood. (If I'm half as
good at recruiting for Ansteorra as I am for out-of-kingdom, we're set. Just
goes to show you what the power of the internet can do!)

And now, back to preparing for classes, which start on Tuesday... *meep*

-- 
In service to The Dream and Dreamers all,
Cuillioc /|\ "Quill"
Titled Bard of the Barony of Bonwicke