| Within each kingdom a number of social and special
interest organizations exist. Guilds comprise people with similar interests who work
together and study a particular aspect of life in the Middle Ages. Guilds vary among
kingdoms from small, local groups to kingdom-wide organizations. They can meet as
frequently as once a week or they might meet one or twice a year, sharing information
during other times by newsletter. Both kingdoms and local groups may charter a guild. In
general, membership is open to anyone expressing an interest in that study area, although
there may be specific criteria within the guild for advancement to different levels of
membership.  "Households" are groups of people who have joined
together to share the work and fun of SCA. They can be as small as a lord and his family
or a large group with members from several kingdoms. Households are more common in some
kingdoms than in others and many people do not belong to one. Household leaders determine
the membership requirements and decide who to invite to join. Each household requires a
certain amount of loyalty to the group. As a newcomer, you may not be aware of the
alliances that come with each household. Take time before bestowing your allegiance on a
particular group and consider what obligations you will need to meet as a member. The SCA
encompasses both serious study and frivolity. Those who join for fun, companionship, food,
and drink play alongside those who make a serious attempt to authentically duplicate the
clothing, skills, and crafts of the Middle Ages. Both aspects, the playful and the
serious, and valid but neither should dominate to the exclusion of the other. Those who
lived in the Middle Ages worked hard, but they also took the time for recreation and play.
People who join SCA for fun can help make the serious work more enjoyable. Those who join
for serious study can add depth to the merriment. Be courteous and show respect for the
reason that your neighbor entered the Current Middle Ages.
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