Tags
Real Name: Zachary James Shields
SCA Name: Zachary of Heronter, sometimes called RooRoo
SCA title: Lord/Tiarna
Years in the SCA: 3.5
Where did you start, what was your first event?
Ice Dragon of 2015
What is your persona?
Primarily, a 9th century warrior and landowner from Northern Ireland, though I am experimenting with other times and places as well!
Why did you pick this persona?
Partially due to my love of the Irish branch of my ancestry, and Irish history. The location I chose because it is the region in which my family originally lived, before immigrating to the U.S
Do you have any group or household affiliations?
Being squired to Duke Marcus Eisenwald, I am associated with anyone who is part of his and Countess Margerite Eisenwald’s inner circle/household known as Hus Hygge. I am also protege to Antonio de Luna. But beyond these affiliations, I consider myself a friend to many, many households throughout Æthelmearc, and believe that strangers are just friends I haven’t met yet.
What SCA activities do you or have you participated in?
By far, heavy combat is my main focus, and I’m always seeking to fit in more service. Just secondary to heavy is my passion for historical combat, and I’m an active student of German martial arts from the 14th through 16th centuries, with a primary focus on long sword. But I have and continue to dabble in both rapier and cut and thrust. What folks may not necessarily know is that I have a great love of research in general, and am always seeking to learn more. Also, I technically have an art form I pursue! I am an active, though very amateur bard. Will sing for food or drink!
Tell us a little bit about your SCA experience (jobs, offices, duties, etc.):
I haven’t had a whole lot of official jobs. I’ve done some voice heralding here and there, which I really love, and served as chamberlain while my Knight and Countess held the throne. Beyond that, I wash dishes, carry stuff, and am an MIT.
When you started in the SCA what goals did you have?
I joined the SCA because I wanted the pageantry, joy, and excitement that I associated with things like Arthurian Myth, and wanted to have quests to go on, and to become a Knight someday.
What are your goals now?
None of the goals listed above have changed, I’m still endlessly chasing that rush of beauty, pageantry, and romance, and walking the path of chivalry. But I’ve added a goal to do more service, to help more people, and do good. I wasn’t thinking quite so actively about those things when I joined three years ago.
If you could accomplish only one thing in the SCA in the next year, what would it be?
To be more knightly. Is that answer cheating, since it encompasses multiple things?
If I had to pick one, I’d probably improve my time management skills, so I could better achieve my goal of both fighting and serving like an energizer rabbit.
What advice would you give to a new person in the SCA, or if new yourself what question would you ask and who would you ask it of?
Don’t feel pressured. Find your thing, take as much time as you need, and it’s okay if you feel out of place. We all did. We love you and we’re happy you’re here, I promise. If new again? I’d ask the same question I did when I went to my first meeting. “How do I start fighting?”
If you magically woke up with an SCA talent you do not already have, what would it be?
Better organizational abilities! I have some ideas for events that I think would be fantastic, but have little idea how to put them together, and keeping multiple balls in the air is difficult for me.
Don’t be modest, what award or honor would you like to receive above all else and why?
Knighthood. It’s the pursuit that brought me here, and a mighty tool to be wielded in the service of good. Everything I want to be is encompassed by what I think of as the chivalric ideal, and becoming worthy is my loftiest dream.
Please add additional comments as you see fit.
I’ll take this opportunity to plug the quest I just began, though in very short form. I’ve stepped into what I’m calling The Quest of the 1,000 Blades, where I meet every challenge set against me, with forms chosen by my opponent (heavy, rapier, archery, chess, anything) giving tokens to all challengers, and asking that they grant me a token in turn if I am victorious. For each New challenger on the journey, I’m donating to Operation Underground Railroad which fights human trafficking, and continuing the quest until I’ve attained 1,000 tokens of victory. A lot more detail and periodic updates can be found at the fb page entitled “The Journey of 1,000 Blades” link here –
https://m.facebook.com/The.Journey.of.1000.Blades
Last, I probably want to meet you or talk to you! I’m always rushing around, but come say hi! I need more friends. Whoever is reading this, I hope you have a day filled with joy and beauty.
If you are interested in participating in the “Populace in Focus” articles please learn how here: