"I love the arts and sciences," adds his Baroness, Brenna Chaimbeul (otherwise known as Michelle Carey). The Vikings were known for their rough ways, but they also valued art and culture. "I love making and re-creating the things they would have used during that period. Viking knitting, for example, was done with a single needle."

Some people get so into their characters, "they can tell you what they had for breakfast," says Sir Sean Kirkpatrick Tarragon (Sean Oppenheimer), who is an Irish-born, English-raised knight of the 1350s. He finds this time of the Hundred Years War fascinating. "I like the fashions. I like the mind-set. It was a hundred years of constant struggle, and as an English knight, I get to be in Ireland, England, France. I see all sorts of different political, religious and economic changes."

Sir Sean has been involved with SCA for 22 years. "My parents were into it, and they brought me to fighter practice. I loved it. I was fortunate to find a knight to train me at a young age." He's been at it ever since.

The fighting is the biggest attraction, he admits, "even though it is the least historically accurate thing we do."

The methods are similar. Even the clothes — the chain mail and armor — are similar. But the weapons are not. "We use rattan swords, which fairly accurately simulate the weight and balance of a real sword. But if rattan breaks or snaps, there are no splinters," he says. In this case, safety is the more important factor.

In the battles themselves, combatants follow a strict code. "Honor is the thing that makes this an exciting sport. We rely on the honor of our opponents to accept a good shot," says Sir Sean. If a knight feels he has taken a serious shot to an arm or a leg, he won't use that limb. A "fatal" shot means the opponent will lie down and "die."

Nothing is choreographed, adds Father Robert, Lord Bedlam (Robert Woodruff). "It's a martial art, a sport that has evolved, with rules and standards." Father Robert is a priest hiding in the Black Wing Company of Queen Elizabeth's muskateers. "Catholicism is frowned upon now, you know. But I provide solace and confession" — and he gets to fight.

He got involved with SCA when he was in a "Taming of the Shrew" play with some of the other members. "It's a blast," he says. "We have a great time."

Mistress Jadi (Lea Benson), a Timurid Persian from the 1420s, got involved with the group with her parents in Georgia. "This is my fourth different kingdom. I've been here a little over a year." But that's one of the exciting things about it. "You can go all over the country and feel welcome. Any time I go on a trip, I try to find out if something's going on in that area."

She also loves the fact that "I'm learning something new all the time. It's a chance to try something new without having to be perfect. I've done embroidery for years, but I wanted to try leatherwork." So, she found a master leatherworker, who was "very tolerant of novices."