Pre-War. Also, apocalypse.

[melannen]

Tonight I found myself thinking, "I'm very good at creating highly organized systems, just very crappy at maintaining them. I'm like God, in a way!" That just goes to show why melannen should get at least eight hours of sleep a day, no matter what.

Which is to say I am in the throes of packing for Pennsic War, and yes, packing for a trip is kind of like malaria with me. I have now fit two weeks' camping supplies for three people - including such utter necessities as a hand-cranked ice cream freezer, two tables, an archeologist's screen, and a cardboard pattern cutting board - into a Honda Civic sedan. Which I realize isn't exciting for those of you who have moved cross-country with the same sort of vehicle, but I was impressed. (And yes, it's still camping even when you bring a pattern cutting board.)

I am leaving for the wilds of Pennsylvania tomorrow afternoon, and this will probably be my last online post before I leave. I will see the internets again in two weeks! Unless, of course, our only Congress defaults, the world economy collapses, the US government falls, and the DC area descends into chaos and rioting - in that case, I can't think of a better place to be than in rural Pennsylvania among 10,000 historical re-enactors; we may stay a bit longer than planned - I'll get back to you once we've rebuilt civilization. (I packed lots of extra beans and cornmeal, just in case. :P)

In the meantime, I am really enjoying the thread on the Dresden Files anon meme about a DF SCA AU. Usually AU discussions on the meme quickly go in several different directions, or resolve into just one person talking, but this one has a bunch of anons who all seem to agree on what the AU would look like! It's as if it's really, really obvious how all the Dresden-verse characters would act if they were characters in a medieval re-enactment group instead of an urban fantasy novel. The bit where the Leanansidhe is obviously Marion Zimmer Bradley is possibly the scariest bit. (Also, I blame carmarthen, somehow.)

Also, some one remind me that the world does not need Summer Knight retold in an SCA AU such as to explore the issues of sexual assault and rape culture in a closely-knit subculture community. At least, not urgently. Quickly, someone convince me of this before I leave for Pennsic with the plot still going in my head and it's too late.


(Also, some of you guys might be interested in the post I just made on sca_attire showing off some of the historic costume projects I've been messing with.)

Comments

[staranise]

Oooh, a garb community!

I'll be honest, I would love that SCA AU. Largely because I want a relatively positive fictional representation of the SCA that isn't some kind of post-apocalyptic scenario where the SCA rules the world with its awesomeness lolz. I love the Society, but, um... it has issues too, okay? And I would like something about it that isn't either ego-wank or "look at the weirdos!"

[melannen]

Yeah, that's part of the reason I don't need to write it - I don't recall how well you know Dresden Files, but to AU Summer Knight, I would lower the stakes but keep the conflicts, which means the plot focus would be mostly on the Drama. Ranging from stupid personality conflicts and procedural arguments and old grudges, but building to the main conflict of the book, which would be the reveal of the long-term in-relationship abuse of a young woman by several highly-ranked members of the community, which is only revealed when they finally resort to physical force, and the fallout of that, which, given this is Dresden Files, would not be universally unfaily.

So, a) very hard to write, b) not exactly painting a rosy picture of the subculture. But.

[curuchamion]

Pretty much all I know about Pennsic War comes from the time Chris Claremont used it as a setting for a sword-and-sorcery novelette (because he's awesome like that), but I am jealous. Have a lot of fun! :D

:-)

[elke_tanzer]

I'll get back to you once we've rebuilt civilization.

This is awesomesauce.

:-D

[staranise]

I haven't read any of the Dresden Files at all, so I'll have to trust your judgment.

(ETA: Also, I joined the SCA at newly-sixteen, and played pretty frequently up until I was 21. My experiences were... pretty sexual harrassment-tastic. But EVERY TIME I bring it up and admit that I just felt uncomfortable and pressured, not assaulted, the older women I know go, "Oh, but the SCA is so much BETTER than all these other groups, so you're getting off easy!" and the men go, "Well, just tell the Chivalry, they'll beat the guy up for you." It leaves me a little eager for something willing to say "Yes, this is a problem, and the group is subtly allowing it to happen." That's my agenda.)

[synecdochic]

If the world ever ends, I'm totally finding my local SCAdians.

My favorite was the time I stuffed our entire camp (including a futon couch and a coffee table) in my Saturn, leaving space for two people (driver + passenger). That was a fun drive.

Have fun at War!

[carmarthen]

In the meantime, I am really enjoying the thread on the Dresden Files anon meme about a DF SCA AU. Usually AU discussions on the meme quickly go in several different directions, or resolve into just one person talking, but this one has a bunch of anons who all seem to agree on what the AU would look like! It's as if it's really, really obvious how all the Dresden-verse characters would act if they were characters in a medieval re-enactment group instead of an urban fantasy novel. The bit where the Leanansidhe is obviously Marion Zimmer Bradley is possibly the scariest bit. (Also, I blame carmarthen, somehow.)

What?! Unfair! *goes to read thread*

As for a Summer Knight SCA AU...wow, I'm not sure I could read that, but I have loads of bitterness about SCA sexual culture. It could be really, really good....

[holyschist]

So, a) very hard to write, b) not exactly painting a rosy picture of the subculture. But.

Given some of the stories I've heard, not inaccurate. Really, there's been some APPALLING stuff in the SCA, and I'm not sure that SCA culture doesn't contribute to covering it up and dismissing it as real problems.

[holyschist]

I joined when I was 18, and now I'm 26, and I've run into the same older women (not all of them, thank god), and

THEY ARE WRONG.

I have not encountered as much sexual harassment and general creepiness in ANY other hobby group as in the SCA, and whether or not it's "better," better isn't good enough.

And in my experience, members of the Chiv hiding behind white belts and shiny hats are some of the worse perpetrators, and they often target young newcomers who don't realize how fake the structure is or who they can go to for help. Plus there's a wide double-standard that you can tell "m'lord Nobody" to fuck off, but you have to politely ask Duke Sir Master Baron Oldasdirt to not sexually harass you, which I think is toxic.

I think a lot of the women tell that story because it makes them feel better, and because they are no longer the fresh meat easy targets and don't see a lot of what's going on--just because they are no longer targeted as much doesn't mean the current crop of teens and 20-somethings isn't.

And men in any group often seem to think "just beat them up" is a solution to sexual harassment, which is stupid.

(God, I sound so bitter. I love the SCA, but there are these rampant endemic problems that many people don't see because they avoid those circles--and good for them--and others don't want to see, not so good.)

[dejla]

Actually, I think the world does need that story. ;p

And you're right. The Leanansidhe as MZB will keep me awake for several nights.

Say hello to my roommate Devra the Baker. She runs Poison Pen Press. And I think she has some new costume books.

[melannen]

I hope I do! And yeah, a surprising amount of SF/Fantasy has SCA influences. :D

Re: :-)

[melannen]

I'm not saying the world is going to end, I'm just saying that if it does, I'm glad that's where I'll be.

[melannen]

I *might* have been able to make room for a passenger if I had to. However, we are not bringing a futon or a coffee table. :P

[melannen]

You people are not helping to convince me not too. :P

[melannen]

Leanansidhe as MZB is just so ... accurate, and that's wrong.

[melannen]

You realize that, since nobody even tried to talk me out of it, that if I do end up writing some, I'm going to have to make people first-reader it to fix all my Scadianisms, right?

[holyschist]

I'd totally be up for that.

[holyschist]

Heh, it's not that surprising, given that the SCA was founded by a bunch of SFF novelists and still tends to attract people who read/write SFF novels....

[sophia_sol]

...THANK YOU for linking that DF thread. It is priceless. And you have no idea how hard I cracked up laughing at the bit about the Leanansidhe and MZB.

[synecdochic]

We were camping in style that year :) (We were down in Willow Point! When your neighbor has an ofuro and your other neighbor has period-accurate air conditioning, it's a little embarrassing.)

[innocentsmith]

*delurks*

The really amusing thing about an SCA AU is how little you have to change the DF characters. Seriously. At any big event I've ever been to, there's at least one Charity, one Murphy, and three Mollys wandering around.

I would so love to see it as a fic. Just saying.

(I, um, may have been the anon responsible for MZB!Lea.)

*relurks*

[melannen]

Leanansidhe=MZB is so true that it is giving me dark thoughts about how many of the DF characters might be partly based on people Butcher knew through fandom.

[melannen]

Heh, well, considering some of the people who camp on that end of the lake bring an entire Italian Renaissance villa I kind of see your point. :P

[melannen]

I am still tempted to write something. I have the beginning, but then I get tangled up in how exactly things work at the kingdom level.

(I, um, may have been responsible for starting that thread...)

[synecdochic]

Ha, yeah, they are a little ridiculous, aren't they?

[sophia_sol]

....DUDE. I don't know if those thoughts are AMAZING or TERRIFYING. (probably it is C, all of the above)