Protégé to:

Elevated: November 13, 1999 by TRM Angus and Meaghan

The Problem Pict
When I joined the SCA in 1980, I named my persona without careful thought, and the name is now well established as mine. The effort to explain the name has resulted in a detailed history of my persona. Now when I assume my persona, I have a specific knowledge of his history, desires, motivations, and future. He doesn't exist in a vacuum.

Why Be a Pict?
COSTUME: I like minimal clothing and comfort, and our climate is not conducive to later Medieval and Elizabethan costume. Also, Picts were described as fighting naked and painted blue, which excuses some pleasant excesses in me. RANGE OF CIVILITY: Historically, the Picts existed as a people from the time of Christ until the mid 1100's. Thus, I could combine elements of the noble savage, the barbarian raider, and courtly sophistication. I chose Galloway and the 1100's for the free mixing of and conflict between Pictish, Anglo-Norman, and Norse cultures. Galloway was the last stronghold of the Picts, and the Picts are last mentioned as a people in the Battle of the Standard (1138). After that, they are lost among the Scots forever. Living in this location and time, my persona can partake of several cultures while being one of the last to maintain his own. MYSTERY: Regardless of the century, the limited information on Picts places them at history's misty borders. This lack of fact allows me to quietly flirt with Færie. RARITY: Like many people in the SCA, I was attracted to things Celtic; however, my natural bent is to try to be recognizably different. The Baron of Bryn Madoc, my SCA birthplace, is crawling with Welsh and Irish (and Italians), so I looked at Scots to be both Celtic and different, and while looking at them, I discovered Picts. Thank God I did because Tir Briste is overrun with Scots!

Click here to read a very entertaining and informative history of Sir Fiachna..