House Deorc was formed in late 1983 when a small group of role playing friends finally found the SCA. Sharing a passion of swinging sword shaped objects meant the group were already engaging in combat of sorts using hard wood swords carved by the eventual house leader Damon. Being avid readers of Sci Fi and Fantasy novels, the guys had already seen reference to the SCA when Piers Anthony credited the Society as partial inspiration for his Battle Circle series of books.
Discovering that the SCA had a chapter in Sydney meant the group now had access to the resources it needed to officially enter ‘The Dream’.
House Deorc (Anglo Saxon for Dark) was formed with Damon of Deorc as fearless leader. The initial members were Damon and Stefan der Kalt von Brandenburg with hold outs Wulfwine of Grimwald and Dysig Sabanna joining a week or so later.
House Deorc was given a lot of support in it’s early days. James the Sinister visited a number of times for fighter training sessions and Houses Spon and Hawkhurst from Rowany were extremely helpful in House Deorc’s move to share the passion and form a shire.
The shire Deorc fostered was to become the Barony of Mordenvale, and the founding officers were predominately Deorcian.
Deorc’s involvement in the SCA at large was mostly as a mercenary fighting household. Bottles of cider being the most common monetary unit at the time were often traded on to recruit archers as by this time Wulf and others were brewing huge amounts of beer.
A particularly strong concoction aptly named Black Death was probably responsible for the formation of The Deorcian Boys Choir (the DBC). The song and dance routine entitled ‘A Wandering Foaming Hound Am I’ was their first foray into the SCA entertainment world. They gained immediate ‘acclaim’, despite almost burning down the high table with a candle incident and no doubt horrifying King William the Lucky who was visiting from the West. Wulf has continued the DBC tradition into the present having performed puppet plays, plays, songs and ridiculous dance routines over the years sometimes under the guise of The Trelleborg Choral Ensemble. He appologises profusely for inflicting the Joms Viking Song on the populace. “Hands on my head…what is that here?….”
Damon’s knighting brought a second wave of Deorcians into the household as squires, continuing the fighting tradition. Amongst these squires were Ragnar and Loyola who would both eventually be knighted. Both these knights would go on to become Barons of their respective groups, Mordenvale and Rowany and Ragnar has also served as Prince of Lochac.
Deorcian’s were largely responsible for the formation of a craft brew tavern at Spring War. The early incarnation, The Sever’d Arms, being run by Hawk and Wulf.
Sir Jock MacTavish was once squired to Sir Damon Deorc. In 1995, he swapped to become Sir Alfar of Attica’s squire after Sir Damon moved away to Newcastle. Since both Damon and Alfar had been squires to Sir Elfin of Mona, there was still the link there to House Mona. In recompense for losing a squire, Damon made Alfar give him some miniatures. This became a a long running joke between those involved. Sir Damon made a knight belt that had his device carved into it, which he gave to Alfar for his knighting, who then passed it on to Jock for his knighting.
As the members of House Deorc aged and began tossing their armour aside, the household became less well known by the populace at large. It’s name however can still be heard in the obligatory shouting after court whenever a Deorcian is present. And yes we know we mispronounce our own name but frankly it rolls off the tongue better the way we yell it and people are less likely to think we are pointing out someone with awkward social skills.
A number of Deorcians are still active within the Society. Master Wulf and Mistress Alexous are still very active focussing on their Dark Age encampment and rapier combat. Wulf fights under the pseudonym El Lobo of Deorc and still brews far more than he could ever consume. Golgol stands watch over the north and Sir Loyola and Annora have recently served as Baron and Baroness Rowany. Two of our most recent Deorcians Sir Andrew Daniels and lady Allegra uphold our honour in the heavy and rapier lists respectively. As we have always absorbed partners of members into the household, we also lay at least partial claim to Mistress Bethan of Brockwood. And of course there is bonny young William, the youngest member of our household.
Sir Damon’s colours are black and yellow and you will sometimes see Deorcians wearing these colours in his honour.
You are very unlikely to come across a Deorcian war unit on the field these days but you may well find them in one or more peerage meetings at any given event.
DEORC!