Henry Percivale Kempe is the persona I have developed for the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), an international medieval re-creation group founded in the 1960s. Henry is an nobleman of mixed Anglo-Saxon and Welsh ancestry living in late twelfth century England. To learn more about Henry, see his persona history.
So how did I get involved in SCA? As a kid I had always been interested in the Middle Ages, especially knights in armor, Vikings, and castles. At the age of eight I found the scene in the movie Bednobs and Broomsticks pitting suits of armor against German commandos especially exciting; I was also a World War II aficionado. As a teenager I got a heavy dose of J.R.R. Tolkien and Dungeons and Dragons. I first learned about SCA in the fall of 1982, my freshman year at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.
In November of that year a friend persuaded me to go to a demo at the Middle School in Conway. The stuff at the demo was neat, although I missed seeing the fighting because I had to work that afternoon. Because members of the public were invited to join the feast that evening, I ran home hurriedly after work and put together a costume. I arrived back at the middle school in time to join the feast. It was a magical experience for me. I found myself transported back in time to the Middle Ages. The food, the costumes, the bards, all created an irresistable atmosphere--I was hooked. I found out when the next meeting was and joined the local SCA group.
I spent the next four years in SCA as a resident of the shire of Lagerdamm in the Kingdom of Meridies. For two years I occupied the office of shire pursuivant, or herald, and I was Lagerdamm's first fighter in armor. But at last I graduated college, and in January, 1987, I moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to begin graduate school. In the SCA Fayetteville is the Shire-March of Grimfells in the Kingdom of Calontir.
Because of the demands of graduate school, I went inactive by the fall of 1988. During the period of my inactive status I completed my Master's Degree and my Ph.D. classwork, passed my comprehensive exams, and began my dissertation. I also did alot of looking at illuminations and sculptures from my period of interest, the twelfth century. In the meantime my only direct contact with SCA was a co-worker, Cassandra McCraw, in SCA known as Countess Fionna, a former queen of Calontir. She kept me informed on when things were happening, and because of her I was able to get back into SCA when I was ready.
With my comps behind me and my dissertation well underway, I again became active in SCA in November, 1994, when I attended a session of the Royal University of Scir Hafoc (RUSH) held at the University of Arkansas. Since then I have integrated myself into the community of the Kingdom of Calontir. I have taught several RUSH classes. In September, 1997, I received recognition for my artistic achievements by being named a member of the Order of the Golden Calon Swan. I served in the army of Calontir in Estrella War in February, 1998. Then in March, 1998, my entry--a pair of embroidered leather shoes and an embroidered tunic--was selected by Her Majesty Aislinn as the Queen's Choice in the Queen's Prize Tournament. And since the Spring of 1997 I have been shire pursuivant of Grimfells.
My participation in SCA has allowed me to develop a number of artistic
talents. Those
include embroidery and costuming, illumination and calligraphy, armoring, woodworking,
and bardic arts. I am also interested in
heraldry, and have registered a device and
several badges with the SCA College of Heralds. And although I have the knees,
ankles, and body of an over-thirty person (which is fitting--I am over
thirty), I still fight now and then.
See a picture of Sigurd and Regin.
I would like to thank (soon to be) Master Kaz, Master Pavel, and Cheri Pearce for helping me get pictures on this site.