About Us, Rolls, & FAQ About Us History We were not the first to attempt to achieve a historical appearance. There are many who have gone before us. They who expend time, effort, expense, and often encumber themselves with their embrace of 'accurate' appearance. They are the example, the shining light that we follow. All we're doing is uniting us. The Cabal of Historical Warriors On the 9th of July 2004, Duke Lucan Von Drachenklaue singled out two unbelted members of his household who he felt had consistently gone the extra effort on their appearance on the field. He then made the following proclamation: The Ordines Lucani Cataphractae (Order of Lucan's Cataphracts, or Order of the Cataphract) is an award given to Fighters in the Haus who display and encourage traits that reflect well upon the Haus VDK. These individuals through word and deed dress the part of a Cataphract, create an image to be followed and act as examples and leaders in our Haus. They act as inspiration to other fighters in their quest to better themselves. Membership: There are a number of requirements for membership into the order. Candidates must: - Be a member in good standing of Greater Haus Von Drachenklaue - Be a Member of "Ordines Lucani Buccelari" - Appear as if he walked from the pages of a book at a spear throws distance his appearance in Armour should inspire his Haus brothers to excellence. - Carry himself with Valor and heart on the field. The candidate need not be the most skilled, or heroic fighter, but he must fight with spirit and heart, always doing his best. - Be drawn from any unbelted member of the greater Haus VDK. All unbelted fighter may be considered for membership Privileges: - Members are granted the following rights and privileges. - The title of Cataphract - To wear the Badge and colors of a Cataphract - The right to submit candidates to the order for consideration. - The right to vote on potential candidates to the order Duties: - That candidate to be made member of the order does swear to uphold it´s ideals and accepts upon himself the duties and privileges herein. - To Encourage and inspire excellence in armoring and fighting - To exhibit knightly behavior on the field and off. Alumni: Ordines Lucani Equites Upon reaching the accolade of Chivalry a member becomes an Alumni and serves in an advisory position but no longer votes as a companion. Cataphracti Federatae (Order of the Fedoratii) Non-members of the house may be considered for honorary status. Which include all privileges of Cataphract save that of a voice in council. They have no vote in regards to new members. So proclaim I, Lukanus Dux As the numbers of Cataphracts and Fedoratii began to grow, it was decided that there was a need for a special tournament for fighters from all parts of the Knowne World who also embraced the idea of historical accuracy of kit. So, in January 2006, the Catphracts decided that they would Autocrat "A 'Documentable Kit' brawl for unbelts" at Pennsic. This would allow us to to showcase the hard work that many of our fellow SCAdians have put into their appearance on the field. Click here for the Tournament Page. With this event would also be this website, where others could find inspiration or include themselves amongst the ranks. Rolls Order of the Cataphract: Alaric Sigurtha Gwydyon Dag Buyandelger (Grevin) Kolskeggr Constantine Drakonteakles (Pennsic 2006) Brennan mac Fearghus (Pennsic 2005) Cullyn mac Kinnon (Pennsic 2005) Diomedes Sebastianus (VDKU 2004) Ordines Lucani Equites: Artorius Watson (VDKU 2004) Order of the Fedoratii: Emrys (East - Boredom 2005) Historical Coterie: FAQ: Q: Can I use some of that info for a class to try and enthuse the local area into more authentic kits? That's pretty much the idea behind the website. We would ask that you definately credit the person(s) whose page(s) the information came from. A plug for the site wouldn't hurt your Karma either. Q: My kit uses hidden plastic, would it pass muster? A: What you're hiding to protect your body and be safe is between you and God -- and should stay that way! If you look "correct" and documentable at 10', we don't care what you're hiding as long as it's hidden. The lacrosse shoulder siloutte is not hidden. There are MANY "early period" kits that are magnificent. Some likely use plastic. It's hidden, so we are not befronted by it. Q: Would a depiction of an item in artwork be considdered documentation? Maybe. A single painting or illustrated period document? likely not, depends on what you are trying to achieve. If you are trying to be "X figure from Y painting", then sure. If you are looking for some single item in a kit from that same period, then you want to find multiple instances in art of the same period that refelct a pattern. When using art however, you have to make the distinction that you are acting on the sources that you are. You must accept that, lacking actual finds or existing pieces, you are basing your assumptions on the best evidence available, and you should look for something to contradict your assumptions. Otherwise, you'll likely find yourself deep in fantasy. Q: Was there a 2-sword fighting style? A: Well, to quote Galleron de Cressy (MKA: Will McLean)... SCA Errata Sheet: Florentine and Two Sword Florentine was first used as a term for a weapon style within the Society for Creative Anachronism circa A.S.2 (1970 AD) to describe a fighting style involving the use of two pounds of spinach and a pair of salad forks. Later the spinach was either discarded or eaten (feasts often started late in those days) and the term came to denote any two-weapon style, or, alternatively "what medieval knights would have called fighting in tournaments with two weapons at once if they had ever done such a thing, which they didn't". The style is sometimes referred to as "Too many swords." While medieval men at arms sometimes carried a second sword in case their primary weapon was lost or broken, there is no evidence they fought in armored combat with two at one time. There are three main sources of inspiration for the use of two swords or two weapons in the Society's recreation of medieval armored combat. The Icelandic sagas sometimes describe characters fighting with two weapons. In Njal's Saga, for example one character is bushwacked while cutting firewood, and fights with his axe and his sword. The hero Gunnar often fights with his sword and his magic "halberd". (Since the story is supposed to be happening long before what we think of as halberds appear, it's a little unclear what the weapon actually was). One could argue that these were special cases, and that the Sagas are not entirely dependable as factual evidence. But even taken at face value, they are not evidence for the use of "two weapons" in tournaments, since the action occurs before the first tournaments are invented. The second is renaissance styles of unarmored combat that used either sword and dagger or, more rarely two swords. The third is a fighting style using two swords introduced by the Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi some time after 1600. The early 15th c. fighting manual Flos Duellatorum by Fiore dei Liberi does include a brief sequence on fighting with due bastone or two clubs. This seems to be an example of how to improvise a defense in unarmored combat, like a similar sequence on how to defend yourself using only a walking stick and a dagger. The clubs are rude and unshaped tree branches, the attacker is armed more conventionally, and the sequence ends with the defender throwing away one of the clubs. Fighting with two swords at once can be a reasonably effective technique using Society armored combat rules, but the combat style was almost or entirely unknown in medieval armored combat. The difference probably stems from a mismatch between the combat rules and reality. In SCA armored combat, swords are virtually unbreakable and hands are considered to be invulnerable to attack. Neither was true in the actual Middle Ages. Q: So, do you look down your nose at stick-jocks? A: No. Not at all. Follow your bliss bro. To quote Syr Justus de Tyre (regarding something completely unrelated) "When I'm in the press of a big melee, or even in singles combat, I don't give a damn whether the guy has a bar grill or is wearing tennis shoes, whether his persona doesn't match his armor or anything besides the fact that he is trying to best me, and I him." But, there is something grand about watching a fight where the fighters are in as close an approximation to historically researched armour as the rules permit. Period! (get it? "period"? -heh-).

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