From a Kingdom of Heroes Comes Adena Terricsdottir
From the Barony of Namron, the Ansteorran Gazette is honored to feature a lifelong member of the society and fixture of the northern region. For many in Namron, some of their earliest memories include a pleasant greeting from Adena, and if anyone had ever served feast in Narmon, its hard to imagine not running into her with a tray in one hand, and a pitcher of tea or water in the other.
From a Kingdom of Heroes comes Her Excellency, Adena Terricsdottir
Introduction
Question: What is your full SCA name and full title? Also, what do you prefer to go by at events?
Answer: Baroness Adena Terricsdottir, OP -- Adena is fine
Question: How long have you been playing in the SCA (also, how long have you been in Ansteorra)?
Answer: I have been in the SCA since I was born, so 35 years. My first event was a Namron Medieval Fair, and I was about a month old.
Question: How did you come into the SCA?
Answer: My mother, and that entire side of the family, has been in the SCA since the last 70’s. My Mother, Grandfather, 2 uncles and 2 aunts were all at Pennsic IV. My father began playing in the late 70s as well, with both of my parents in Caer Mear (where I still have a cousin who play), they moved to Ansteorra in 1980, and I was born in 1982. I have always lived in Namron, and always played in Ansteorra.
Question: What is your (current) persona?
Answer: 11th Century Norse
Question: What is your local SCA group? Have you played in any other groups previously?
Answer: Namron, Ansteorra. Always
Question: Are you an officer, deputy, or in another type of leadership role? (please feel free to elaborate on any of these you feel comfortable with, including time in, the job, and your favorite parts of the job)
Answer: I am a Pelican (which I think counts as a leadership role), but I am also currently the Namron Treasurer.
Skillsets Within the SCA
Question: What activates do you most often participate in at events?
Answer: List Mistressing, feast serving, and Waterbearing. I have been working on learning new things, so I have recently been spending a lot of time under a pavilion learning from others.
Question: What activities do you most often participate in with your local group?
Answer: I always attend populace meeting (as an officer) and I sometimes attend Arts & SciencesS classes.
Question: What awards do you have, and why/how did you receive them?
Answer: My list is long, so without naming them ALL, I have mostly service awards, with a smattering of A & S awards in there too. I love being of service, and have done many types of service. Working with Kids was always a favorite, and I soon will be doing more there, I am sure. I enjoy doing work that is fast paced, but also organized (feast serving and list mistressing), and I love teaching others to do those same services.
Question: Do any of your awards have a particular emotional significance to you?
Answer: I was honored to receive a Compass Rose when I was young (for work with Children). I have always loved doing that, but it has fallen more towards the wayside as I got older. My elevation to Pelican will always hold a very special place in my heart, as will my Court Barony.
Question: If someone were to see you at an event during the day, what would you most likely be doing?
Answer: Sitting and nahlbinding or embroidering.
Question: If someone were to see you at an event in the evening, what would you most likely be doing?
Answer: Eating feast, or perhaps helping with court.
Question: Have you tried a new activity recently, and if so, what was it and what were the results?
Answer: Card weaving… so far, not so good.
Question: What is something in the SCA that you love to talk about?
Answer: The hand skills that we have. The way that artisans can take ordinary items (thread or metal) and make truly amazing and inspiring items out of them!
Question: Are there any SCA activities that you would like to learn more about?
Answer: metalworking and pottery are both on my list of things I want to learn.
Question: What do you feel is one of your strongest skills in the SCA?
Answer: My ability to talk to people, and to make people feel included (I HOPE)
Question: What do you feel is a skill that you want to grow more in the SCA?
Answer: My art. I say now that I am crafty, but not artsy. I want to work more on artsy.
The Person
Question: If someone wanted to talk with you at an event, or at a meeting, but didn’t know you, how would you like them to approach you and address you?
Answer: I think that I am approachable, but I know that the titles and hat can intimidate some people. If someone chooses to address me as Mistress or Baroness, that is fine, but certainly not something I would ever chastise someone for not doing. I think that just approaching me and asking me for time would suffice.
Question: Do you consider yourself approachable, or perhaps a little intimidating?
Answer: See above. I don’t usually think of myself as such, but some people do find certain ranks intimidating. Please approach me!
Question: Could you talk about some of your SCA relationships? (students, teachers, friends, formal or informal).
Answer: Sometimes, it feels like all of my relationships are SCA. I am lucky to be in a very close knit group of SCA friends. Many weekends, if we aren’t at an event, we still find ourselves at a movie, house party or a birthday party with the same people. We have much more in common than just the SCA; reading interests, movie interests, humor, intelligence. I think that these friendships might have started out as SCA, but have evolved into true, mundane friendships as well.
Question: Do you usually go to court? (why or why not)
Answer: Yes, anytime I am at an event, I am at court. I love seeing those I know being recognized for the good that they have done. I think that recognition really helps people keep going and doing what they love, and I like being able to support that.
==Some Big Issues==
Question: What is something about the current SCA that you would like to change, and why?
Answer: I wish we (myself included) made an effort at being more period. I think that includes upgrading every-day items, less talking about totally mundane things (movies or politics), moving cars out of line of sight…
Question: What do you feel is your biggest current contribution to the SCA?
Answer: I hope that it is making people feel welcome and keeping them in the SCA.