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I attended “Unchained Doom,” an SCA event held near Cullman, Alabama, which — I thought during the drive over — was somewhere near the edge of the Earth. And that’s pretty extraordinary considering how very pleasant and relaxed the folk were who attended. Sadly, the weather gods frowned on the event and saw to it that rain and cold were the elemental order of the day.

I discovered that people have a hard time reading in the rain, especially if their teeth are chattering (a significant problem for those who read-d-d-d-d-d out-t-t-t-t loud-d-d-d-d).  It’s not surprising then that book sales were held to a minimum. Why buy if you can’t read? Similar fates fell to the other merchants, all of whom took it in stride, much like the combatants who, between shivers, were wailing away at each other with rattan swords. I can’t even imagine the bruising…. Ouch!

I remained with the non-combatants huddled near the bonfire. A camaraderie of the miserable? Actually, no. These folk are hardier than that, and most joked about the weather.  Only the merchants, myself included, groused about the limited turn-out. All in all, I was impressed by the local SCA, even if the bulk of them are rocket scientists or their associates.  Rocket scientists?  In Cullman, Alabama?  Check your maps. Cullman is but a wee bit south of Huntsville, home of the Redstone Arsenal — Rocketville, USA. “Wilt thou yield, or must I smote thee with a MIRV?”