Alright, I'll admit it. I'm a huge nerd.

It really isn't surprising. Taking a look at my hobbies and interests, there's a bit of a pattern evident. I love to read long books about fantasy and science fiction, I have a degree in molecular biology, and I get excited about octopuses and other cephalopods when the topic comes up in conversation. But only recently have I gotten a chance to get involved with what many would consider a definitely geeky pastime, something which I've wanted to be a part of ever since I was a little girl.

Renaissance reenactment.

You know the people who dress up in dresses with corsets, or fancy hats with swords on their belts, who work and entertain at Renaissance faires? Before I was born, my dad was a member of the SCA - the Society of Creative Anachronism. This group would attend faires in costume, reenact battles with weapons and armor, demonstrate activities and crafts which would have happened at the time, and have a king and queen who would lead the rest of the society. I loved to hear stories of when my dad was in this group, and see pictures of his younger self at faires. So when I met a friend of a friend who was involved in a similar group, I jumped at the opportunity.

I joined a regional group, called the Brotherhood of Steel, Inc., that makes it their mission to educate and entertain at these faires. The Brotherhood consists of three houses - one in Cedar Rapids, one in Des Moines, and one in Kansas City - but travels to faires all over the country, especially in the summer. I haven't been a member for long, but I have great plans for how I want to entertain at faires. I'm learning how to fight with a sword - it requires safety gear and fine control over your movements, so becoming a fighter is a process that's taken very seriously by the group. Right now I'm only allowed to train with a wooden training sword (a shinai) since I'm a novice fighter. Others who have passed the test to become an intermediate, then a master fighter, stage fights using actual steel weapons: swords, axes, shields, and sometimes even dual-wielding. It's always exciting to see when two master fighters clash their weapons at faire, but what many patrons don't see is the hours of practice and planning that go into these fights. After all, the group uses sword-fighting to entertain at events, not to actually stab or maim its own members! As a result, even though we want our fights to be exciting and showy, safety is always the first priority.

Not all members of the group want to wield a weapon, however. There are many people who just want to wear garb and keep the faire running, or to sell their wares to faire patrons. Often there will be performers who adopt a fun persona and do anything from tell jokes, to play music, to juggle flaming batons. I've been fascinated with fleshing out such a persona for myself - a bard who loves to tell jokes, write stories, and recite poetry, all while poking fun at other members of the Brotherhood.

So why would anyone want to join the Brotherhood, or any other reenactment group? I don't often get paid for participating in faires, and buying clothes and weapons can get kind of expensive unless you happen upon a lucky break. The answer lies in the camaraderie. The other members of the group are some of the nicest people I've ever met, and when I'm at a practice or event I feel like I'm part of their family. It doesn't matter what's going on in my personal life, there's always someone there who I can turn to for assistance. By joining the group and meeting new people from all over the area, I've developed a network of like-minded friends, far surpassing anything I dreamed of back in high school. The Brotherhood of Steel, Inc., is a group that is guided by a sense of honor, good will, and above all, family. So if you find yourself able to visit a Renaissance faire this summer, we hope to see you there.