Lady Fiona's Page

I have been active in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), for several years now. The SCA is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to the study and re-enactment of the Medieval and Renaissance period (600 - 1600 AD). We cover all aspects of this time period including, but not limited to, history, combat, costuming, brewing, calligraphy & illumination, music, dancing, archery, armoring, leatherwork and more. To learn more about this international group click here and see if there is a local branch near you! I belong to the southwest Chicagoland chapter, The Shire of Rokkehealden.

Many SCA members living in the "current middle ages" choose a persona that reflects the time period and place that they are interested in studying. Fiona Caoindealbhain is my SCA persona. Fiona's history is still in the works. But, I can tell you that she is an Anglo-Irish scribe living in Northern England in the early half of the 14th century. While she is active in the scribal arts, she is also known to dabble a bit in the textile arts. I chose this persona because, as an Irish-American with a sprinkling of English, I was interested in learning a bit of my family history and how my ancestors would have lived. I choose the 14th century because, as a visual artist, I was drawn to this period's amazingly beautiful manuscripts and architecture. "Caoindealbhain" is my mother's family name in Gaelic (the modern "Quinlivan"), and has its roots in Munster (Counties Cork, Limerick & Tipperary). I choose Fiona simply because it is a lovely name. However, I was to later learn that the name "Fiona" is, in fact, Scottish by way of the 1800's. There are a lot of "Fiona's" in the SCA so apparently, I was not the only one duped. By the time I discovered this little bit of information, most circles knew me as "Fiona" so I kept the name.

On April 21, 2001 at an SCA coronation event, a handsome rogue going by the name Lord Johannes Machiavelli, stole my heart. He has yet to return it, so I decided to steal his. We eventually married and have been quite blissful since. He's as mischievous and devilish as ever, but he's easy on the eyes, so I decided to keep him! Having met my husband through the SCA was, what you would call, a major plus! I've also met many very talented and interesting people, some whom I now count among my dearest friends.

I have been quite busy despite being plagued by the creeping 'mundanes'. This page has been set up to showcase some of the things I have done while playing in the Society.

SCA Guilds and/or Groups I belong to:

Household of Silken Petals, which is a small scribal household within the Shire.
Household of Riven Dale, which I happily became a member of when I married their household champion.
Rokkehealden Scriptorium, a local scribal group. This group was presented with an Award of the Grove in 2003 in recognition of its services to the kingdom and crown.

Awards I have won in recognition of my scribal work (click to view scrolls):

Offices I hold: Minister of Arts & Sciences for the Shire of Rokkehealden

This page was last updated on 1/1/2009

Below are thumbnails to some of the scrolls that I have made. Click on each picture for zoom and short description.

Back in March of 2006, the Rokkehealden Scriptorium was invited to produce the Ducal scrolls for the April 16th Coronation of TRM King Alaric and Queen Noelle. These scrolls were presented to Brannos and Rebekah as they ended their reign as King and Queen of the Midrealm and assumed their new role as Duke and Duchess. Five scribes from the Scriptorium accepted the challenge (these scribes were also members of the Household Silken Petals). Those scribes were: Lady Akiko Catherine O'Brien, Lady Isabel of Kenniston, Lady Ambr Stormwatch, Lady Philippa of Otterbourne and myself. We each drew from our strengths and produced the scrolls pictured below. Lady Akiko documented the entire project and created a Special Gallery Exhibit (with the help of Lord Austin Chadwyck) showing the step-by-step progress of the project and other juicy details.

Here are a couple of covers I did for the Shire of Rokkehealden's publication "Glyph Notes".

I'll be adding more pictures and other goodies as I complete them. And, I plan on adding a section showcasing the garb (the good, the bad, and the ugly) that I have constructed during the last few years. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep the 'mundanes' at bay!