A&S: Don’t Shout! Project
Maugorn the Stray will share tips and techniques suitable for Bards, Heralds and anyone else who wants to be heard better.
A&S: Open Display
There will be an open display for novices (those practicing their art less than two years).
A&S: Skill Growth Display
Everyone was a novice once, and it takes time and effort to become a skilled craftsperson. For this display, we are encouraging everyone to bring their first/oldest piece and their most recent creation (or the one you’re most proud of). The category of art or science does not matter; only that the pieces are displayed side-by-side to show the growth of the creator.
- Your first piece of garb and the one you made for your elevation? Great!
- Your first documentation and your most studied research paper? Stellar!
- A picture of your first scroll and your current work in progress? Beautiful!
Documentation is not required (but always encouraged). We only ask that you provide, on an index card we will give you when you check-in to our display:
- your SCA name
- how long you have been working in that field, and
- A short statement of your biggest challenge you overcame or what you love about your field
We especially would like to encourage Peers to display and show how far they’ve come.
Sponsored by,
Magister Ishmael Stedfast Reed and Magistra Adelaide Half-Pint
A&S: Poetry Activities
FLASH FICTION “MAKE A WISH” STORY COMPETITION AT STORVIK’S NOVICE 2026 (can write ahead, Sat. 2:30 performance in the Feast Pavilion). Requirements below:
- Frame: Wishes/desires are a recurring theme in Medieval and Renaissance literature, often explored through magical intervention, the longing for a forbidden love, or the dangerous pursuit of power or knowledge. These themes often caution against excessive desire. Key examples include Arthurian romance (longing for love), Faustian tales (wishing for knowledge) and folk tales featuring enchanted, sometimes tragic, wishes. Your main character is making a wish, is the wish granter/allegorical figure or
observing the wish of another and its consequences.
- Stories must introduce a conflict, climax and resolution and cannot exceed 300 words.
- Point of view: any
- Theme: Wish(es)/desires: ones that went wrong, or ones that went right, or ones that never needed to be made.
- Must mention “wish(es)” (and not just in the title)
- Setting: pre-1600’s or SCAdian
- Title: must have a title
- “Period-ize” your story: must use each of the following narrative devices at least once (and italicize usage): alliteration, simile, metaphor, dialogue, strong imagery (figurative language to evoke a sensory experience and mood), and either personification, allegory, allusion (a brief indirect reference to a person, place, event or artistic work typically from literature, history, mythology or pop culture –can be a period reference, modern or SCAdian) or juxtaposition (placing 2 contrasting elements – characters, settings, ideas, or images – side-by-side to highlight their differences, deepen meaning, and create irony or tension). For juxtaposition or allusion: For the judges, please add a couple of short lines in italics after the end of your story explaining what you did.
- No rhyming.
- Must be descriptive and dramatic. Focus on word sounds, cadence and presentation. Tales are being told.
- List the word count at the end of the story.
- Must be original works written by entrant and not just a translation or retelling of period stories on this theme*
- Must be performed (but can be done by proxy)
- Judging criteria: technical requirements, originality, entertainment value, and performability. There will be novice and experienced prizes.
- Bring 2 extra story copies. If using your phone to read your story at the event, please provide 2 typed or make 2 handwritten copies for the judges to use.
- One entry per person
*Medieval wish literature focuses on wishes for spiritual grace, courtly love, chivalric glory and allegorical desires where abstract virtues or desires are personified. Desires are often directed towards heaven or idealized unobtainable romance. Examples include Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the “Knight’s Tale” from the Canterbury Tales.
Renaissance wish literature explores secular wishes for power, personal ambition, knowledge, and earthly pleasure (earthly love and beauty and sensual passion) reflecting a shift to individual agency and prioritizing the here and now over the afterlife. Examples include Doctor Faustus, Paradise Lost and Shakespere’s sonnets.
Questions? Contact Tehair MacDiarmada/Sue Metzler on Facebook messenger or via email at metzler dot suzanne at yahoo dot com.
FUN WITH POETRY WORKSHOP AT STORVIK’S NOVICE TOURNEY 2026
(Saturday 12-3:30 in the Feast Pavilion)
For novice poets, experienced poets, and someone just looking to pass the time, there will be a poetry workshop exploring period poetic forms through:
- Blackout/Cut-Out Poetry (creating original poetry by blacking out or cutting out most of an existing text). Please bring 5 pages from: a period text, or a text on a period topic, or SCAdian text. Does not need to be poetry. I will provide some pages as well.
Haiga (combining haiku poems with a picture.) As a group activity we will split into teams. One team will each write haiku first then send the haiku to the other team to draw pictures to accompany them. The other team will each draw a picture first then send the pictures to the other team who will write haiku to accompany each picture. For the second round, the teams will switch activities: the original haiku team will draw pictures first and the original drawing team will write haiku first before switching. No drawing skill needed. All poetry skill levels are welcome. If you do not know how to write haiku, we will teach you.