SCA Name: Arianne de Dragonnid

Arms: If my arms pass in this form, they will be a silver dragon rampant (?) and three gold fleurs-de-lis on a blue field.

Awards: None, but I've had the pleasure of being Seneschal and Art / Sci Officer in a college group and Art / Sci Officer in the Shire of Starhaven last time I lived in the shire.

Location: I live in the Shire of Starhaven, in the kingdom of Trimaris. At least I THINK I do -- there's some question as to whether the county I live in is even part of the shire! I'm trying to get a group together locally, but haven't gotten very far in the month since we moved here!

Persona Information: In my 12th century personna, I am a Norman French noble lady living in the year 1198, shortly after the Third Crusade. I lost both my older brothers in the Crusade (Pierre fell to disease, Michel during the fall of Acre), an older sister, Eleanor, to childbirth, and a younger brother, Phillippe, to a bad fall off a horse. This left just myself and a younger sister, Marie, who my father sent to a nunnery as thanks for my son (I was to have been the thank-you if my brothers returned from the Crusade). I spend my days running the estate I inherited, trying to civilize the Scot my father married me to, caring for our two young children, and supervising our servants.

For my 14th century persona, the year is currently 1352. I am the descendant and namesake of my other persona ;-) . I lost all my siblings and my parents to the Black Death, and again found myself the heiress. I haven't figured out how I got married to a Scot this time, perhaps my father decided he'd see me married before he died and picked the first available man... The important thing is that, for whatever reason, he's not insisting we leave my lands for his. I spend my days in much the same way as my ancestress, but wear flashier clothes!

SCA Interests: The garb is the first thing I noticed about the Society and a big part of why I am here. As you might guess, costuming is a BIG interest. I love having an excuse to dress like the people in the illuminations and such! I do or have at least tried pretty much everything that relates to garb-making, although my weaving is with cards instead of a loom and I've only used modern chemical dyes as yet. I get bored by embroidery, but can applique rather well. I've been sewing since before I knew how to read, and mostly by hand, so my handwork is a real source of pride. On the other hand, I CAN'T make my hands make basting-size stitches for ANYTHING!

Besides costuming, I do basketry, candle-making, and dabble in a few other crafts. I love teaching my skills to others, at least in a casual situation. Put me up in front of a group, and I can't remember a thing!

Other Information: I'm a full-time mother, with two lovely little children (my daughter's three and my son's nine months), a wonderful husband, and so little personal time it's not funny. I'm currently writing a fantasy book called The Lady of Fairehaven, but it's slow going right now. I've had some works published in the past, but this is my first novel.

Modern Name: Grace Payne

Email: arianne@blackroot.org