Wealdlake

Service in the SCA

Service in the Midrealm takes many forms.

Group service

Service can be done by local branches holding events that are niche or specialty events such as WealdLake Herald's Pointe and Scribal Collegium. Service can be done by leading the way in helping families enjoy the SCA together like our event It Takes My Child to Raze A Village. Service to the kingdom is done by providing the location and handling all the details of a Coronation or Crown Tournament like WealdLake did for the Coronation of A'kos and Bella. Or even one of the Regional Arts and Sciences Fair like WealdLake did for Pentamere. These can all be referenced from our Events page.

A look at the Midrealm event calendar shows this in action all over the Midrealm like our neighbor barony Cynnabar holding their annual Terpsichore at the Tower - A day of dance classes followed by an evening of dancing. The Barony of the Cleftlands hosting the North Oaken Regional Arts & Sciences Faire for AS57(2023). The Barony of Shadowed Stars hosting Spring Coronation for AS57(2023). Without these events, the SCA would not exist in it current form.

It can also be done by a branch, guild, or other organized group of the Society for excellent service. Those that catch the eye of the Crown can receive the Award of the Purple Fretty for excellent service. Or if in the area of Arts & Sciences exemplary service in furthering A & S can be given the Award of the Grove.

The Barony of North Woods has a group award for service - The Council of Wolves. WealdLake was the first group to receive the Baronial award.


Individual service

In order to hold an event, it takes a lot of help from individuals from the event steward who oversees the full event, to the person washing dishes in the kitchen or the ones cleaning up after the event. If there is any martial activity - you need marshals especially the Marshall-in-Charge of the specific activity. If there are classes you need someone to gather instructors and schedule the rooms, making sure rooms have signage, chairs, tables, etc. There are the people at the gate (troll) who make sure people pay their admission fee so the site and all supplies can be paid for. They also direct people to the locations of the various activities for the event. All of these are forms of service to the Kingdom and the Society. And trust me, this is a very small list of those needed for even a small event.

Service is also performed by the officers of the branches, regions and kingdom. This includes the members of the BoD or Board of Directors and their various committee members and deputies. Although they are not officers - the Crown, their Heirs and the Territorial Barons and Baronesses also serve the Kingdom and the Society in ways the general populace rarely see or know.


This individual service when known by the Territorial Barons and Baronesses or the Crown can be recognized by various awards. In North Woods there are the White Wolfs - the first award many people ever receive in the SCA that reside/play in North Woods. North Woods also is the first and one of the few baronies that also has awards given by the populace - the Northern Stars. The Gules or Red star is given for service. North Woods Baron and Baroness have the Award of the Windswept Path they can give for service. There is also the Order of the Howling Wolf which is a Polling Order which means the induction of Companions into this Order is at the discretion of the Companions of the Order with the support of the Baron and Baroness of North Woods for long service to the Barony. The Award of the Blue Moon is give at the discretion of the Baron and Baroness of North Woods to an individual whom they consider to be rare, desirable, and valuable; worthy of recognition and deserving of honor for deeds, skills, accomplishments, attitudes, character, and integrity. It is an award to be given in a manner in keeping with its name and intent. The Golden Pearl is a tribute to the unceasing care, devotion, energy, kindness, giving, and love that shines like a rare gem within our Barony. Other baronies have similar awards.

The Crown of the Midrealm have long established awards. The first given is generally an Award of Arms. The Award of Arms is Society-wide. This grants you nobility in the Society so you have the title Lord/Lady/Noble/Armiger and "the right to bear arms as duly registered within the Society without let or hindrance from any and all rights and responsibilities conveyed by elevation to this rank." The quote is from the standard text for the Award of Arms. This award can be granted for service as well as many other diverse reasons.

For long and devoted service to a group, office, or kingdom: the Crown can bestow the Award of the Purple Fret. This can be received multiple times.

The grant level - the next level above the AoA - service award is the Dragon's Heart. The Dragon's Heart is given to those who have performed services on behalf of the Middle Kingdom above and beyond service normally expected of subjects of the Crown. Another award given for service is a Court Barony - typically for service to the Crown above and beyond that normally expected by the Crown’s subjects. You will see the Court Barony is for service to the Crown, while the Dragon's Heart is for service to the Kingdom. Often those who have served the Drown as Territorial Barons and Baronesses will receive Court Barony awards. You can recognize them by the 12 pearls they have on their cornets instead of the 6 for Court Barony. For those who have served the Crown as Their Champions they may receive the Award of the Royal Vanguard.

The highest award for service - or Peer level- is the Order of the Pelican - The candidate must have attained the standard of service to the Society or any of its branches equal to that of his or her prospective peers, which is above and beyond that normally expected of members of the Society. This is a is a Polling Order which means the induction of Companions into this Order is at the discretion of the Companions of the Order with the support of the Crown. This Order is Society-wide.


Some serve the Kingdom, the Crown and the populace by creating the award scrolls for the awards mentioned above. The Middle Kingdom - Midrealm provides a scroll with each award bestowed by the Crown. Other kingdoms only provide hand made scrolls for the highest level awards. We have two individuals in the Canton who have their work displayed on the Illumination in the SCA page and others not in the canton on the Canton Members Award Scroll page. These scribes are not officers - even-tho they may hold positions in the branches or Kingdom level - however their sharing their talents, resources and time to create these works of art are greatly appreciated by the recipients.

To receive these awards the the Crown or Territorial Barons and Baronesses must know about what you have done. They cannot be everywhere - so it is critical you let them know when you see someone worthy of any of these awards.

You will see in a short review of the WealdLake Nobles page that many members of WealdLake have received these service awards. It goes hand-in-hand when you look at what we do as a Canton or branch in service. We all encourage you do join us in service to each other, the Kingdom, Crown and Society.