Adiantum has many talented and active members and has hosted a variety of events throughout its history. By far the largest and most well-known event is the Egil Skallagrimsson Memorial Tournament, held every year over the Memorial Day weekend.

The name “Adiantum” arises from the scientific genus name for the maidenhair fern, which can be found in plentiful quantities throughout the forests of the Barony.

Legend has it that Adiantum’s original proposed arms featured a banana slug — another common fixture of the region — but that this was squelched by the College of Heralds, leading to the adoption of the current arms: Sable, a double-headed bear erect affronty, forelegs upraised, heads displayed, Or, armed argent, langued and orbed gules, within a laurel wreath argent. The baronial mascot is also referred to as “The Bicranial Bear”.

Adiantum – How It All Began

Alyanora of Vinca threw a Halloween party in 1973, and five people decided to sponsor a “first SCA event” which happened January 26, 1974, at Laurelwood Community Center. That was followed by a Revel at the Hendricks Park shelter autocrated by Michael of Dragonswood and Alyanora. The next known event was a feast on January 11, 1975 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

After that, activities picked up: in March there was an in-garb visit to the movie The Four Musketeers, followed by a potluck after-revel in Hendricks Park. The following month, there was an April Revel at St. Mary’s with dancing, fencing, belly dancing, singing, a potluck feast and contests for Homemade Wine, Meat Pies, Men’s & Women’s Renaissance Costume. Michael of Dragonswood was again the autocrat.

With this run-up, the group was ready to hold the first Egil Skallagrimsson Memorial Tournament on Memorial Day weekend in Armitage Park. There was a lunar eclipse, and Daphne of the House of Cruzan’s husband LeRoy cooked a whole suckling pig. It was too long for his stove at home so he smuggled it into the restaurant he worked in and cooked it there. The tourney prize was a silver mounted drinking horn by Thorgeirr Eikenskjaldi. A full page article about the tourney appeared in the May 23, 1975 Springfield News.

The next month Ulfhedinn organized a booth at the Oregon Renaissance Faire (predecessor of The Country Fair). Another Hendricks Park Revel followed in August.

At this point the group was holding monthly get-togethers for costuming, bardic singing, and culinary research. In October they held two revels: a New World Revel in Hendricks Park on Oct. 4 and a Trick or Treat Revel on Halloween. The New World potluck theme was pre-1650 western hemisphere food and there was a contest for the best story about how you got to the New World.

In November, Adiantum sponsored a showing of the film Cromwell at the U of O and planned a winter film series. In December they held a Wassail Christmas Party and roasted a goose. Dance practices were preparing everyone for the first Midwinter Feast, held January 17, 1976, at the Lane County Fairgrounds. The autocrat was Diana of Cruzan. The feast included a peacock in velvet and a dragon ice sculpture. There were contests for Best Decorated Vegetable Dish, Men’s Costume, Women’s Costume, and a Bard’s Contest for short adventure stories.

Adiantum applied for Baronial status, and the SCA Board of Directors granted their request on February 10, 1976. On March 27, Michael of Dragonswood and Alyanora di Vinca, newly appointed Baron & Baroness of Adiantum, received Grants of Arms from King William of Hoghton of the West at An Tir’s Principality Coronet Tournament in Three Mountains. In less than two and a half years Adiantum had gone from birth to Barony.

By late summer 1977, the Barony’s monthly newsletter, The Elf Hill Times, had evolved into a twice yearly arts and sciences magazine, and monthly event information was sent to the Principality’s newsletter, The Crier. In March 1978, Manfred & Koressa, Prince & Princess of An Tir, declared the Elf Hill Times the Arts & Sciences Magazine for the Principality of An Tir. The Elf Hill Times would go on to publish twice yearly editions through January of 1991, with three more numbers published between 1992 and 1998.

Baronial Awards

All awards are given by the Baron and Baroness unless otherwise noted. Their Excellencies would be delighted to receive award recommendations. Please read the list of awards. 

• Baronial Brownie This is a first level service award for Adiantum that was first awarded in AS 12 (1977!) to Victoria Anna de Toledo.  You may have heard this being given out in court when the populous joins the herald in announcing the “Great and Glorious, Noble and Prestigious, Splendid and Magnificent, Baronial Brownie.” It also grants the recipient permission to wear a “Brownie Button” and “Brownie Points.”  Who have you seen participating and contributing to the greatness of the barony or helping it to function smoothly? 
• Coulter and Cornucopia This is a “mid-level award for service and contribution to the Barony and the populace.” The Coulter (plow blade) and Cornucopia (a horn-shaped basket overflowing with abundant harvest) are symbols of the work and rewards of gifting time and efforts.  The individuals who volunteer or serve in any of a myriad of ways are what make being in the SCA such a wonderful experience!  Who do you see who is going above and beyond in service to the barony?  Perhaps they are organizing events, or spend their spare time organizing our online presence?  Do they take demos to the public or donate clothing or largess?  Service takes so many shapes!  When you think of someone you’ve seen serving at an above-and-beyond level, let our Baron and Baroness know so that they can consider them for the Coulter and Cornucopia award!  
• Fern and Quill This is a first level award given for “exceptional skill and service to the Barony in arts and sciences.”  It was first awarded in 1988 and continues to be a means of recognizing the makers of useful and beautiful things in our lands.  Who do you see working to explore and improve in their skills of creation?  Recommend them for a Fern and Quill!
• Vigilant Bear It was first awarded to Morgan the Truehearted in 1995 and continues to be given for “exceptional martial prowess in armored combat, archery, rapier or thrown weapons” as well as in support of these activities, as begun in the tenure of Tadhg and Morrghan.  It is the barony’s first level award recognizing martial skill. (Source: Adiantum Ceremonial) We have so many talented fighters in our barony, many who are even current champions!  Who will you nominate for the Vigilant Bear?
• Order of Adiantum his is given for a lifetime (also mentioned as “considerable time”) of exceptional service to the barony.  This is a very special and rare award for those who really live the dream long term here in Adiantum.  It is the highest service award of our beautiful barony.  It has only ever been given out 32 times, with the first awarded in 1992.  This one may feel a little more difficult when trying to think of someone to recommend, especially if you’re newer.  But let me just encourage you to look around and find those people who are helping new people acclimate and get connected, or those you see who are keeping things running.  Even if that person has not spent a lifetime serving in Adiantum (yet), getting their name in a recommendation is an honor for them and will bring them to the attention of  Baron Brynjarr and Baroness Isis so that they can be recognized when the time is right! 
• Band of Briars This is a service award given specifically to those who work in the clearing or upkeep of land.  A LOT of this happens in preparation for Egils every year as we prep the site.  In fact, it was originally created by Baron Brutus and Baroness Katerine in AS 41 as a way to acknowledge all the work that happens there  But it can also happen elsewhere such as our archery range or site clean up after storms.  The people who do these oft-unnoticed jobs make playing possible and more enjoyable for all of us.  Fun fact: the wording of this award is based on the St. Crispin’s Day Speech written by Shakespeare!
• Order of Courtesy of Adiantum Given to those members of the populous whose actions exemplify courtly and courteous behavior.
• Ordo Aurei Ursi Coronet’s favor to be bestowed at the pleasure of the Coronet.
• Order of the Golden Comb Given to households or encampments for having an exceptionally period appearance.
• Silver Fern Coronet’s favor to be bestowed at the pleasure of the Coronet.
• Order of Bastet For exemplary and inclusive involvement with new populace of the Barony.

If you feel like someone you know has earned one of these honors, please take a moment to recommend them.

Want to recommend someone for an Award? Please send an email to Adiantum.Coronet@antir.org or fill out this Form.

If you are not sure what awards someone has, check out the An Tir Order of Precedence here. You can search by award or SCA name to find out what awards they might have.

A Chronology of Adiantum – Updated August 2021 (PDF)