ho are you? This question has a special meaning in the SCA, for here you can be (within limits) whoever and whatever you want to be. Some people develop their personas with loving care, assembling each detail of their other lives; others don't worry about it, never going beyond their names. Offered here are some hints and guidelines for those wishing to create themselves more fully.

irst, the restrictions as regards personas. They are mostly common sense, and have to do with your origins. You cannot lay claim to titles of nobility that you, yourself have not earned in the Society, nor can you lay claim to a relation-ship that would confer such a claim. This means that while your persona could be that of an unacknowledged bastard child of a King, you could not claim to be a Prince or Princess. If you wish to be one, you have to do it the hard way.

laims of supernatural, deistic, or non-human parentage or abilities are not allowed. If you want to be an elf, be prepared to bleed green, as we Heralds like to check on these things. Please remember, we're an historical re-creation group, and although many of us play fantasy games, we don't do it here.

he Society's' emphasis is on European cultures, but you can, if you wish, take a non-European persona. The only restriction here is that it be a culture with which Europe had contact prior to 1600. Should you take a Japanese persona, for example, you would be considered a visitor from an alien land. If you want to partake of two cultures (your parents were from different countries) then these cultures should have had reasonably close ties during period times. Irish-Afghan personas, for example, would not be allowed.

our persona will be influenced by three primary elements, those being Time, Culture, and Placement. Time, of course, is the century in which you live. Culture is your tribe, so to speak. Placement is your social level and occupation within that culture.

ime and culture are intimately entwined, since most cultures had their good days, and their bad days. In the British Isles, for instance, there were the Picts, who were killed off by the Celts, who got trashed by the Romans, who got trashed right back, then the Angles and the Saxons chased out the Celts, were thumped by the Vikings, and then the Normans came in and cleaned house on everybody. All that activity on one little island group in less than a millennium! So if you were to want a British persona, you would have over a dozen different cultures from which to choose, depending on where and when you wished.

he first factor to consider is your own ethnic background, and whether or not you wish to partake of it. Many people feel more comfortable staying within their native ethnicity, others feel the pull of a foreign culture. Should you choose to keep within your familial culture, I would suggest you first become familiar with your own family history, and see whether your lines extend back into period. If so, you will find that history becomes alive for you, and events that were dry as dust in history class take on a new meaning when you realize that your ancestors took part in them. You may also find yourself getting upset when you find out who did what dirt to some of your ancestors, and getting quite partisan on the subject.

onsider now your impressions of the various historical periods, and where they came from. For most people, they derive from movies, television, and historical novels. Think back on these, and let the different memories come. Did you have an affinity for, say, Robin Hood? or the cunning Borgias? Are you a Hagar the Horrible fan? Were you impressed by the Six Wives of Henry VIII?

f you have trouble deciding, I suggest you view some tapes of historical movies. Ask just about anybody in the SCA; we know all the medieval movies, and we'll critique them for authenticity, and costuming especially. This will at least give you some exposure to different times and cultures, and allow you to make an informed decision. Please be aware, though, that Hollywood's' view of the Middle Ages is a bit on the rosy side.

istorical works, both fictional and non-, are excellent sources for both overview and detail. If you are still having trouble deciding upon what you want, read works covering different locales, and see what you develop a taste for. Once again, ask around for suitable titles; there is enough literature published that almost all times and cultures are covered.

aving now, I hope, decided on where and when you wish to be, it is time to decide what you wish to be. If you're a stick jock type, you may want to be a soldier in some great Kings' service, or a mercenary. If you do, say, calligraphy, you might be a clerk or scribe in a monastery or university. Think about what you do in the SCA (or would like to do), and decide whether you wish to incorporate that into your persona. You don't have to, of course. A point to remember is that your persona should not be static; as you change and grow, so your persona should as well.

s you learn more about the Middle Ages, you will find little tidbits that you can use to flesh out and give texture to your other self. This is to many the most enjoyable aspect of historical study, for it brings to life an otherwise dry subject, and makes it a journey of personal discovery.

ow, there is a mundane aspect to choosing a persona, one that has to do with your personal circumstances. Choosing a persona also determines what the majority of your really good garb will be. Before you choose, say, an Italian Renaissance persona, look at the garb. Ask yourself the following questions - How will I look in that stuff? Will I be able to make that stuff? and most importantly, Can I afford to buy the stuff needed to make that stuff? A poverty-stricken student living in a dorm (and there are a lot of us!) will be forced due to circumstances to go with a simpler persona than someone with lots of closet space and a sewing room.

limate and comfort are other factors to consider when choosing a persona. There will be times that you look at folks with a Greek persona in their nice, gauzy garb with envy, and at others, you will wish you had taken Eskimo. And if you really want to lose weight in a hurry, wear Elizabethan during the summer.

on't be afraid to try on a persona for size. Nothing is written in stone, so if you have what you think is a good idea, bounce it off some people and see what the reaction is. You could be pleasantly surprised, and if nothing else, it may cause amusement around bardic circles for years to come.

s another alternative, should you be torn between two or more good ideas, nothing says you cannot use them all. You can have alternate personas, and they need not be related in any way. The SCA allows you to register up to four names, though they will be registered under your primary persona name.

ne factor you must consider is taste, or lack thereof. While you might think that 'Sweet Guillaume, Florentine Pimp' would be a nifty persona, others may take a different view. Being a Ninja in a shire full of Samurai would probably be quite short lived, though they would appreciate a moving pell. Folks in the Society are easy going, but there are limits.

hoosing a name is an integral part of choosing a persona, and here is some advice on how to proceed. A name must consist of at least two elements, usually a given name and a last name. Your name elements should agree linguistically, and if you're going for a cross-culture name, the naming practices must be consistent. The grammar should be correct, but since you're probably not an expert in this area, don't worry too much about it. When you send your name up for registration, the Kingdom College of Arms can correct it, if you permit, and Laurel will frequently make minor grammatical corrections as well.

our last name can be a family name, a patronymic (Greta Grimmsdottir), a locative (Fred of Bedrock), an epithet (Cyrano Longnose), or an occupational name (Bjarni Biermeister). Use some common sense here, and don't get carried away with fantasy names. Elric Dragonrider will get bounced higher than the dragon.

o ease into your persona; talk to those with personas from similar cultures; given half a chance they'll bend your ears for hours with all kinds of minutiae of the culture. Your fellow SCAdians are some of the best references around, make use of them. After all, we are an educational organization. As the sage said, 'Know Thyself'. The more you know of yourself, the richer your society life will be. So be all that you can be ... in the SCA.