Actually, you can find them for much less. Nitram's hand-me-down set was only $200. Several beginners get them for even less, as older fighters want to get you armored and started fighting. Most groups have 'loaner gear' until you can get your own, and older fighters will sometimes give away armor when they have built a newer set.Kettch wrote:
There is usually a session cost or dues (for insurance at the very least). If you wish to aquire your own waster It'll set you back $65-75. SCA combat gear can easily start at over $500 for a beginner's set of armor & weapons.
The SCA is not 'fantasy medieval', we leave that to the RennFaires. Outside of the combat, we strive to recreate the arts & sciences (weaving, sewing, metalworking, cooking, brewing, alchemy, calligraphy/illumination, etc) to the best of our ablities, keeping up with the current research and archeological papers.It comes down to what your intrest is, a fantasy medieval culture immersion, or historical recreation of combat techniques. For just as foil fencing is different then real rapier combat, SCA combat is different than actual combat techniques. Of course if you have the time, you can do both.
We do not use LiveSteel in combat for safety reasons. We use modern equivalents to create our armor for safety reasons. Unlike many LiveSteel demonstrations I've seen, this means that our combat is Full Contact - we are not going at half-speed, we are not holding back our shots, and we dont' have to aim for a shield to prevent bodily harm.
The titles of Lord/Lady, Baron, Duke, Knight, King... all are Meritocratic titles, unlike another group that gives out titles based on the membership fee you pay. I earned my Award of Arms by serving as Chronicler (newletter publisher) of two groups and by serving as Seneschal (president) of a third. I'm far less active in the Society now, so I doubt I'll raise any higher, but you never know until you're called up in front of their Majesties in Court. After all, your fellow Scadians are the ones that recommend you for rewards.