Kingdom of Artemisia

History of Artemisia

Compiled and Submitted by: Master Einendoch of Hostel Haus — Thegn, Arn Hold

Updated AS 31 (Feb.1997)

The history of Artemisia begins with the formation of the first group within its current boundaries. In AS 11 (March, 1977), meetings were held which lead to the formation of the Shire of am Salaan Fasach, later Loch Salaan, in the Salt Lake City area. Taking much-needed advice and support from established SCA communities in A1-Barran (Albuquerque) and Caertha (Denver), these former “trekkers” quickly established an SCA presence which soon spread to areas adjacent to Salt Lake. Elsewhere within Artemisia, other groups started to grow, seeded by military transferees who had known of the Society during other assignments, and having brought with them their desire to continue playing this game, living this dream. Within two years, eight separate groups existed.

These early groups supported and encouraged each other of course, but often traveled to Al-Barran and Caertha, both within the Principality of the Outlands, as these were the closest major hubs of SCA activity. When pressed with the question “Where are you from?” each answered with the name of their local group, which precipitated “Where’s that?” This led to a brief geography lesson which indicated, to the surprise of some, that there was SCA life in the desolate region between the Rockies and the Cascades. Addressing this issue while returning to their home in the Shire of Otherhill (Green River, Wyo.), from an event in Caertha, a group of travelers, which included Garwood Cadburyinus and Donella Cameleon, coined the name “Artemisia,” which was based on the presence of Artemisia Tridentata, sagebrush, throughout the region. The use of this term spread quickly among the groups in the area, and it became the as-yet unofficial name for northwestern territories of the Principality of the Outlands when that principality formed in AS 13.

The geographic boundaries of the region were not well-defined until AS 17 (Jan. 1983), when the incipient group of Braanshelm (Billings, Montana) formed. Petitioning for status, they were informed that they were within the bounds of the Kingdom of the Middle. It would seem a player from the Middle had moved from his Dakota home to Butte, Montana, and took his newsletter with him. The Registrar’s office recorded a player receiving the Middle Kingdom newsletter in Montana. As there were no other registered members in the state at the time, Montana belonged to the Middle Kingdom. Having no previous contact with Middle Kingdom groups, and having dealt exclusively with groups identified as part of the Kingdom of Atenveldt, the group, Braanshelm, with assistance from the Outlands Principality Seneschal, petitioned for a change and got it. This definition, combined with the established boundaries with the Kingdom of the West, the newly formed Kingdom of An Tir, the Principality of the Sun and the generally accepted division of the northern portions of the Principality of the Outlands by the Continental Divide, finally gave Artemisia fairly firm boundaries.

These boundaries were later confirmed and solidified when in AS 21 (1986) the Principality of the Outlands petitioned for Kingdom Status. After a considerable amount of political and social wrangling, it was decided, by persons other than Artemisians, that Artemisia would no longer be a part of the Principality of the Outlands, and would remain part of Atenveldt, with the Continental Divide boundary confirmed. Thus was the Region of Artemisia formed.

With regional status came regional responsibilities: officer corps, championships in the various arts, and a very real sense of identity. Regional officers from many of the 18 areas having SCA activity at the time represented the Region well. In AS 22, Aten King Mika Longbow, a former resident of the Region, granted the area a new status, that of Crown Lands, or, the Crown Principality of Artemisia, in recognition of the growth and strength its populace had shown. A little less than a year later, in AS 23, the first Coronet List was held. On July 17, 1988 (AS 23), Artemisia became a principality, the fifth born of the once-immense Kingdom of Atenveldt. The Principality Arms, blazoned as “Sable, on a pile between two Griffins combatant, each maintaining an arrow, Or, a Laurel wreath, sable,” were submitted and passed without conflict. In the 18 Princely Reigns which have occurred to date, the Principality has continued to grow, adding more talent, spirit and strength to The Dream.

There are 22 population centers within Artemisia which have SCA representation. These currently include 4 Baronies, 10 Shires, 1 Canton, 4 Incipient Groups, and 3 areas which have ‘contacts’ but are lacking formal organization. These numbers, which started at “1″ in AS 11 with the formation of the group in Salt Lake City, have never declined on the whole in the history of the area. There are many groups which now bear names other than those used when the initial groups formed in a given area. These changes have largely been due to conflicts brought to light by the College of Heralds. Some groups have risen and fallen in population such that the original group was forced to disband due to lacking membership numbers. In all cases where groups have been forced to disband, new groups formed later (2 of the current incipient groups represent areas previously organized). There are currently no population centers which have had SCA representation in the past, that do not have SCA representation now.

Notes to the Internet version:

Added with permission to the web site for the Kingdom of Artemisia on March 22, AS XXXV (2001 CE)

OCR scan verified 100% accurate with original document. Minor punctuation and spelling corrections made.

SCA name updates:

“Braanshelm” is now “Bronzehelm”

“Loch Salaan” is now “Loch Salann”