The victorious Adolphus the Devourer was captured in this strikingly realistic portrait by Ben Fugler.
Once upon a time, in the spring of the year as the mud thaw ground gave way to greening, a kingdom was beset with a plague that distended bellies and left all affected exhausted, longing but to lay down for many hours at a spell.
The bearers of this affliction were a nation of hardy, olive-skinned ones, who came in great numbers from their homeland, a place of fire and boiling waters. They came and set upon small clutches of people who seemed unable to bear resistance of them, and the people were unable to fight off this new scourge upon the land, amid the burning pyres around which listless people had gathered.
Among them was a man named Adolphus, now known as The Devourer. He was a man who truly represented the heart of chivalry that night, wresting over the burning pyres that green-skinned legion, oily and filled with things grown in the earth – fungal things, dark, heavy-scented, and the color of ichor.
Their shining plate was blinding in the flickering flame, all who looked upon them groaned as people whose bellies had seen more than enough carnage that eve alone. When I, humble witness to this deed, rode forth to this ground of my neighbors, they had done what they could against the numerous adversaries. My own nearby village had fought nobly against them, barely surviving, every man, woman, and child having struck again and again at their ranks until at last they were no more.
Illumed by fire it was clear that they were too much for the meager crowd assembled, and though they were well-armed with blades and spiked sticks with two to four tynes, they were forced to cower before these invaders, and it appeared that their place may have been forever given over to these sticky things.
But Adolphus – brave, brave Adolphus – he did stand and with noble bearing and a chest most extended with posture – how could we be but inspired by such a man? One who, selfless, looked upon the wreaked tableau and the foe arrayed in clusters surrounding the pile of sacrifices made to their savage, orange, earthy gods and held no fear and did not cower.
Nay, he set upon them armed but with a single fork.
Never have I seen such slaughter, and I have seen the brutality of wars for ten whole years hence.
Each olive-skinned, puffed-up, white-war-painted member of that oppugnant clan was brutally pierced and then, in a manner which would give nightmares to all who born of those boiling waters – they were forced into his mighty maw, that he may make of them an example to their kin. For he saw that this rabble distressed the people and vowed that he would avenge them, leaving not a single survivor as he looked upon them in haughty pride.
When it was seen that only a few pockets of resistance remained, did Adolphus let them lay there as dead, only to have them be rescued by their servants and returned to the fiery hall of their birth?
No! He marched forth with long strides and stood, looking down upon the vanquished, made of them an example to all of the Clan Ra’Violi of the Tort’linni born of the murky pastes of Semolina, and their many kinfolk. Again, it was not sufficient to rend them with his spikes, but he did eat whole each and every enemy in a brutal display, which is why he is known as The Devourer.
And when he was done, nothing was upon that battle field but empty plate which lay unmoving even with the peoples’ wind-like sighs of relief.
Then swooped down the Prince of the realm, who had been fighting his own battle against these small but mighty foe. And he did say unto Adolphus that he had seen from afar his victorious prancing and had heard the cries of joy from his people, so hearty that he had been inspired to travel from his own war-ground to investigate. And he did celebrate with the people, and Adolphus was begged by them to sit again at his place that he may be venerated with tale and song.
All who cross forks with Adolphus ought quake with fear and flee.
For he did save many of us that day and the flames once thought to be mesmerizing pyres did become bonfires of celebration most joyful as we raised a toast to Adolphus, protectorate of the people.
Know ye all that this is true. For it was witnessed by many, including this most honest bard, and also the herald vox regis, who has, herself, given this tale the seal of truth.
All honor to Adolphus the Devourer!
May his fork be ever sharp
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This tale was extemporaneously performed at Mudthaw during feast, primarily for the table next to my own, for Adolphus had asked if I would please come sing for them. Once done, he decided to take care of the remaining homemade ravioli from the table. I decided to make it a more dramatic endevour. As he acted I described and as I described, he acted. It was quite a piece of cooperative improv, to the delight of his table. When we were all toasting and laughing, Prince Gregor came down and startled the lot of us, noting that he’d been forced to check on us after seeing Adolphus’ dramatic prancing and hearing the noise. We were then taken to task for appearing to have more fun than the royal table. (Which was likely a level critique. It was a lot of fun.) And so was born the tale of Adolphus the Devourer.
Unto the people of the East do your Cyng Kenric and Cwene Avelina bring greetings. It is Our Will that all good people be well-praised for their deeds and there is one in your number whose praise we would note.
Lord Hew of Albion has, from his village in the northern marches, toiled for the Crown and wrapped Us in the fruit of the weft and the warp. He has trimmed us with soft wool. He has coloured us with fine fibers.
It is written in the Homilies of Ælfric, “Ge mid geswynce wuniged …þu wefst, & wæden teolest, & earfoðlice wast ealre þinre neoda getæl.” You lived with working …you wove, and would toil, and with difficulty were all your needs counted.
It is therefore Our Will that Hew be named Weaver to the Crown and may, as he wish and without hinderance, wield distaff and wheel, spindle and spike, shuttle and loom, card and reed, throughout all the lands of the Eastern Crown.
Given at the King & Queen’s Bardic Championships in the Barony of Bergental on this day, the eighth of March, on the Feast of St. Rhian, anno societies forth-eight by the honorable Kenric and beloved Avelina, who hath made here their sign.
*(You loved this life, and then you lived with working … you ground, and baked, you wove, and would toil, and with difficulty were all your needs counted.)
We find an early reference to it as the verb wefan in the 12th century, in the Homilies of Ælfric: http://alexpolistigers.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/on-weaving-and-webs/
St. Rhian is a Welsh abbot about whom little is known, save that the town of Llanrhian in Pembrokeshire in west Wales, has a church dedicated to him.
This is a song for a warrior who has been told by the norns that if he lifts a sword again, he will turn to stone. They have already named him river-bone (stone.) He knows his body will break if he puts on his armor. But he will not, as any good Norse warrior would not, lay in his bed and wait, but chooses to join his brothers at war anyway, calling on the valkyries to come as he asks Odin for one final battle before the norns sever the threads of his life if he battles. We don’t know what happens, only what his will is.
I may make this into a story at some point too.
This poem/song is inspired by Talen Wristbiter, whose warrior-spirit raised my muse today – her spear held to my back until I finished it – by writing about how he has been told that he must stop fighting (and working) for his health, but how he refuses to stop fighting and working because those things give him purpose and meaning, without which life cannot be truly lived. That fierceness of spirit felt brave, and foolish, and admirable, and I was (and remain) in awe of it.
Thank you my war-brother. May your days on the field be many. -aneleda
Visitors and SCAdians at Fort Knox in Maine. Photo by Ed Dumont.
We have a big demo annually at a beautiful granite fort which is a state park. It brings between 1000-1700 members of the general public on a single Saturday in September who see a day of SCA activities, staged somewhat like a theatre show or a circus – there is a large green where the “performances” happen and the “audience” is around them.
We have a parade, fencing, music, dancing, and a pas d’armes – the set takes about 2.5 hours and there is a fashion show in the middle before the second set begins. We also have A&S displays and martial displays happening around the fort. All four of the SCA groups in Maine attend and assist at this demo and sometimes folks will come from even farther to play!
Singers perform near one of the gun bays. Photo by Ed Dumont.
Because it can be overwhelming, one year I made a SCAvenger Hunt to help littler ones have a good experience. It worked really well! The next year we got neighboring Malagentia’s Mistress Carolyne de laPointe, to make a little scroll for us to give as a certificate. We photocopy them on cool paper and sign their name in calligraphy. We change some things every year and even adults get into the spirit of the thing!
it gives a goal and some focus
it ensures that visitors have an idea of all we do
people get a checklist of things to try
it is rewarding on its own; more with a token upon completion
it can be done on any timeframe (minutes or hours!)
it is easily adaptable
it is very inexpensive
it encourages people to interact with our SCA members and ask questions about the Society
Here is what we use – make some for your demo or event. We print them on half-pages of regular sized paper.
Or maybe give younglings a token when they complete the hunt!
This is our certificate:
SCAventer Hunt for 2011
There is a lot going on today! Do the things listed, and
get an SCA member initials beside what you’ve tried.
When you’re finished, come to the Info Point inside the
Fort for a special certificate!
Learn and say a medieval name.
Listen to a piece of music.
Touch something handmade.
Hold a piece of chain maile.
Touch a ballista.
Hold a sword.
Talk to someone in armor.
Count the feathers on an arrow.
Try on a helmet.
Find someone wearing a kirtle.
This is a leather game board which is a variation on “Il nuovo e molto dilettevole giuoco dell’oca” — “The new and very entertaining game of the goose” – a late-period Italian board game. It’s painted with acrylic paints, and the dice are hand made with sculpty clay which was baked and painted. The game pieces are carved stone cats, which were purchased at Birka (made in Peru!)
It was made as a gift in the East Kingdom Artisanal Exchange for the second EKAE swap, for Lady Matilda Fossoway. As her heraldry features cats and acorns, this version of the game features cats and trees.
Il nuovo e molto dilettevole giuoco dell’gato – The new and very entertaining game of the cat
Death is fishing for his cat.
The labyrinth has a seam ripper as the fountain statue.
The garden where all those heraldic flowers come from, the Inn, and also Gate – where you cannot leave until another player’s piece lands to take your place. (Originally the jail, but all SCAdians know how Gate works. Heh.)
The dice rolled in 4&5 or 6&3 send you to these. The dice are color coded. If you roll another kind of thing that adds to 9, you basically win the game by going cat to cat.
The rules on this version are as follows:
To play, roll dice and advance the number shown. If you land in occupied space, the player in the space goes to the space the other player came from. Some spaces have special effects. Cats – go double the dice forward, or backward, as the cat faces. Bridge – Go to square 12. Labyrinth – return to square 30. Gate – Stay until another lands, go to his prior spot. Skull – return to start. Roll a 6&3 go to square 26; if a 4&5 go to 53. To win get to 63 exactly, if too many, go backwards the surplus. He who reaches 63 is the winner of this fine diversion.
**Note: I ought to have noted that Gate may not leave until someone else takes their place, and pressed for space, these read a little like foreign translations of stereo installation instructions.**
“The new and very entertaining game of the goose” has a somewhat mysterious origin, but is rooted firmly in period. A version of it was given to King Philip II of Spain in 1580 by Ferdinando I de ‘Medici. It is said that Philip was quite amused by the game.◊
The boxes on the version of De ‘Medici were decorated with symbols that were part of the tradition: two dice, a skull , a queue, a bridge , a maze or a goose. Some believe that it is a simple gambling game and the winner would take the pot and purchase the goose for feasting. Others find deep symbolism in the goodness of the geese and the tragedies one may encounter as they journey around the board.
In general, the board is 63 squares in a spiral and is played with two dice, and what markers one wishes to use. Skill is entrusted to the luck of the dice, and the board offers blessings and curses – geese allow forward motion, or backward on occasion; hazards keep one from moving or, in the case of death, send one back to the beginning of the cycle.
The game board has been adapted by regions and in different times in history to represent many different things, though the root of the game is basically the same.
Variation in boards is found but all seem to have the a well/pit, prison, bridge, skull/death, labrynth/maze, and geese (or people), and specific places to be when specific combinations of dice are rolled.
As this is a gift board for a specific individual, it has been altered to suit her persona and interests. Geese have been changed to cats; it has a bridge, a well, a maze (featuring a seam-ripper sculpture fountain), death (who is fishing), and the jail has been replaced with an SCA event gate – since that is a space where one must stay until another lands and replaces the player – a lot like actual gate!
It features heraldic elements from Tir Mara and from the lady for whom it was made, as well as nods to the Boreal Army star, my own heraldry (snails) and the Northern Army’s star. The sea monster is for her home in the maritime provinces of Tir Mara. The seasons weave in and out of the game board. “Special” squares are highlighted in gold ink. The feature of the game is the center which boasts her coat of arms, and a medieval pavilion in which waits a cat. The sky is meant to represent the Duc du Bary illuminations which have beautiful colors of sky in them. Some parts of the board have actual constellations; Polaris is in her correct relative place, for example.
The “Gato” rules are a combination of the rules of several boards, simple as they could be made but still true to the original game as much as possible.
Below are several boards.
Il novo bello et piacevole gioco della scimia (1588)
Game of the goose with 99 spaces (17th century) from the print shop of Gabriel Guasp in Palma de Mallorca.
Filosofia cortesana de Alonso de Barros (1588)
Venitian board, possibly 1800s
Il novo et piacevol gioco del giardin d’amore (1590s)
Unknown origin
Il novo e piacevole gioco del pela il chiu (1700s)
The Rules
Variations in rules are remarkably limited – for the most part the game seems to survive with stunning similarity to its original version!
Book of hours, France ca. 1485-1490 (NY, Morgan, MS M.26, fol. 88r)
Ruleset 1
The object of the game is to be the first person to get to the end of the journey.
The youngest player goes first. Roll the dice and move your counter one square for each spot on the dice. Then it is the next player’s turn unless one of these things happens:
If you throw a 3 on your first turn you can move straight to square 26.
If your counter lands on a Goose square you can move again without throwing the dice. You move the number of spots of your original throw. For example throw a 4, land on a Goose, move four squares forward again.
If you land on the Bridge, square 6, miss a turn while you pay the toll.
If you land on the Inn, square 19, miss a turn while you stop for some tasty dinner.
If you you land on the Well, square 31, make a wish and miss three turns. If another player passes you before your three turns are up you can start moving again on your next go.
If you land on the Labyrinth, square 42, you will get lost in the maze and have to move back to square 37.
Boulogne-sur-Mer, Bibliothèque municipale, ms. 130I, fol. 233r (Vincent of Beauvais, Speculum historiale, France ca. 1294-1297)
If you land on the Prison, square 52, you will have to miss three turns while you are behind bars. If another player passes you before your three turns are up you can start moving again on your next go.
If you land on Dead, square 58, you have to go back to square 1 and start all over again!
Players may not share squares, so if your dice roll would land you on an occupied square you will have to stay where you are until it is your turn again.
To win you must reach square 63 exactly. If your dice roll is more than you need then you move in to square 63 and then bounce back out again, each spot on the dice is still one sqaure in this move. If you land on any of the special squares while you are doing this then you must follow the normal instructions.
When you land on square 63 exactly you are the winner!*
Lyon, bibliothèque municipale, Ms 6881, fol. 30r (book of hours, Lyon, ca. 1505-1510)
Ruleset 2‡
Some boxes of arrival have a special effect. In the traditional version, the boxes representing geese (hence the name of the game) allow you to move forward immediately a number of squares equal to those covered by the movement just made. These boxes are placed every nine boxes from boxes 5 and 9 (a consequence of this provision is that an initial launch of 9 immediately brings the player to the box 63 and then to victory).
The other boxes special are the following:
at box 6 (“the bridge “), you pay the post and repeat the movement as in the boxes with the geese;
in box 19 (” home “or” inn “) you pay the post and remain still three rounds;
to boxes 31 (” pit “) and 52 (” prison “) will remain stationary until it arrives in the box another counter, which is in turn” imprisoned “;
in box 42 (” Labyrinth “) you pay the post and return to 39;
in box 58 (” skeleton “), you pay the post and return to 1.
The box of the target (63) must be reached with a roll of the dice exact, otherwise reached the bottom, you go back the excess points.
book of hours (the ‘Harley Hours’), England 13th century* (British Library, Harley 928, fol. 44v)
Ruleset 3 †
II. There are no captures in the game but as we all know from the old spaghetti-westerns , “this field’s too small for the both of our pieces”, so when you land on an occupied field the other piece has to move back to the field you just came from.
The board consists of 63 fields. Some of them are specially marked:
III. 5, 9, 14, 18, 23, 27, 32, 36, 41, 45, 50, 54, 57 – The Goose. If you land on the goose it allows you to move your piece again and again with the same number of pips until it lands on a goose-less field. You should say – “from goose to goose I move as I choose”. However some of the geese “take a backward glance” so then you should “move as you choose”, but backwards.
IV. 6 – The Bridge – if your piece lands on the bridge, you immediately advance to field 12, declaiming “from bridge to bridge come see if I miss”.
V. 19 – The Inn – we all know what happens when entering a nice pub – you lose a turn; but there’s one exception – if another player arrives at the Inn in the same turn, he or she loses a turn but you land on the field he came from.
VI. 31 – The Well – you miss two turns – if another player lands there, he or she frees you and you may return to the field you came from.
VII. 42 – The Maze – you must go back to field 30, sorry.
VIII. 52 – The Prison – you stay there until another player frees you – then you go to his or her previous field
IX. 58 – The Skull – skulls have never meant anything good, you have to return to field 1 and begin again.
X. 26, 53 – The Dice – if you throw a 6 and a 3 you automatically land on 26, whereas if you roll a 4 and a 5, you go to 53. You’re supposed to say “from dice to dice I slide and get by”.
XI. 63 – The Goose’s garden – yes, you won!
XII. But to win the game you have to land exactly on 63. If there are too many pips on your dice, unfortunately you have to move backwards in the amount of the surplus (counted from field 63) and try once again until you succeed.
