[MR] All new or interested in the SCA are Welcome to Defending the Gate this saturday!

[Barbara Miller]

Greetings to all those who are new to the SCA, or interested in re-enacting the Middle Ages,

I would personally like to invite you to an Event this saturday, March 27, in Spotsylvannia County, Virginia (near Fredericksburg). The Canton of Sudentorre is hosting their annual Event, Defending the Gate. (For the Event write-up and directions: http://sudentorre.atlantia.sca.org/event_DTG9.php )

To help you have a very enjoyable day, I send you some information and an invitation. The site opens at 10am. You will follow "SCA" signs to the site, and visit the "toll gate" first. They will assist you signing in and tell you where to park your car. In the SCA, we all dress in "a reasonable attempt of medieval clothing" at Events, so I am bringing tubs of medieval style clothes so you may borrow an outfit and feel as if you have stepped back in time. There is a tent to change clothes in. If you are able to stay for Feast (served about 6pm), I will have dishes for you to use. Atlantia's King Vladimir and Queen Kalisa will honor us at this Event, and will hold their first court at 11 am. At the end of the day, there will be a second Court about 4:30 where prizes for the various competitions will be awarded.

For you, about 11:30 am, any who wish to go on a guided tour of the site and all the activities will meet under the tree near where you "tolled in". I will lead our merry tour through the merchant area, to the Arts and Sciences area, to the Rapier field, past the Children's Activity Tent, up to the Archery area, to the Heavy Fighting field, and to lunch. On the tour, you will be introduced to people and activities common in the SCA. Lunch is provided to all on site. The Lunch Cook is asking everyone to bring their own plates, cups and spoons, but I will have disposable ware available for your use. You will be well fed! We can further talk over lunch and answer aditional questions about what you have seen, any of the activities and how you may get involved in them, or about the SCA in general. If you arrive after the tour has started, have no fear, come join us where ever we are. The good folks at Toll will help point you in my direction. I am
 available all day to help you in any way I can.

In the afternoon, enjoy the Event! I hope watching the Rapier and Heavy Fighting will be much more enjoyable and meaningful for you. I hope you will feel more relaxed to ask others what they are making or doing. I hope you will be encouraged to go back to the Archery Ranges and get to try your hand at archery. I hope you will be inspired to try new activities and experience the Middle Ages in a great new way. And most of all, I hope you have a wonderfully enjoyable day!

I am yours in Service,
Lady Blitha of Wolfhou
Chatelaine of the Canton of Sudentorre

PS, a Chatelaine is like a welcome wagon person. We hope to help you enjoy the SCA as we have come to do ourselves.