Liadan inghean Ghlasain

For years I'd been in love with Medieval things..... perhaps not the plagues or the killing.... but the outfits, the Chivalry... the Castles and all the romantic stuff.

I never in a million years thought that there would be a group of people who would get together to do Medieval things. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but I never really expected anyone else out there would be interested in it. So when I heard about this "SCA" group, I was stunned and excited.

So after a few events, when I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of, I decided to become a proper (paying) member of the group, and I registered a name and Device.

A Device is like a coat of arms. Mine is a Triquetra (One of the few Pagan symbols the SCA will allow [so that it's comfortable for everyone]) within an embattled border (Heraldically speaking it is: "Argent, a triquetra within a bordure embattled, purpure").

Having a purple Device was obvious! so I just had to decide on what "Charge" (the main decoration, in this case the Triquetra) would be, and how it would look. I really like embattled edges, so I picked a nice simple Device.

My name wasn't so simple.. I got help from a herald to find something as close to "Obsidian" as possible. Liadan means "grey Lady", and Ghlasain means "glass" - so since Obsidian is volcanic glass (most commonly thought of as being black, although it does come in many colours), this seemed to be the closest name I could have that was accurate for the time. But it took a fair amount of resubmitting and messing about to get it registered. But that's done now.

Chirurgeon....
For a while I was the Stormhold Chirurgeon (the official first aid officer). I created a website for Stormhold Chirurgeons.... where we could access paperwork, contact details for emergency services (and things like chemists) close to SCA events etc. I ended up being asked to make it into the Lochac Chirurgeonate site.... quite an honour indeed!!!! I set up some online reporting forms and resources... but then over the years since I've left the Chirurgeonate (since I've found it hard to keep it up with time constraints and affording to keep my first aid qualifications up) it's been changed handed over to other people who have changed it, so most of the work I did on it has gone. But that's ok..

Archery....
Much to my surprise, I found that I am actually interested in archery! (and I'm not too terribly crap at it either) It all started when I was talking to someone about their arrows. Hers were designed to look like a rose. Green shaft with red fletching. Then I started thinking about that concept. I realised that if I had 3 purple feathers (which I had to dye myself) and an all white arrow, it would be basically my device on an arrow! That inspired me to take up archery :)

Me being me... I couldn't leave it at just the arrows. I made a leather Quiver and arm bands (OK.. my Father helped me a bit), with my device on of course. I also made a white glove with a triquetra on the top of the hand, but that ended up being to small to actually wear :(

Awards....
In the SCA they give out awards for some things. I admit, I'm not really interested in entering many competitions, as I'm not big on Arts & Sciences (not being particularly artsy or sciency :))... But the two A&S competitions I've entered, I've won!

The first was a display of fighting equipment, where I just submitted my quiver, arm bands and glove. The second was a heraldic display, where I also entered my banner (flag) and a dress I'd made (all white with purple embattled hem).

I've also won 2 archery competitions (ok... not fancy just minor target archery ones at Monthly Bash, but hey - I beat the others...I'm pleased!)

I have a "Drakkar Sweep" which was an informal award one of the previous Baron & Baronesses invented to award people who stay behind after feasts and things to help clean everything up. I was awarded a Boronial Commendation, mostly I think for the fact I'd made a 20 metre long "bunting" (small triangle flags) rope for marking out the fighting field... onto which I'd painted the symbols for our Barony (raindrops and viking Drakkar ships). I'm pretty impressed that like 8 years on, they are still using it!

I'm yet to get an Award of Arms (so I can't be called Lady Liadan - I joke that it's probably because I'm not enough of a Lady :D) .... maybe one day...