Monday, November 7th, 2022
What-Ho! Two knaves engageth in fierce battle by yon Grand Lake!
Fear not! The combat is but a spirited cosplay betwixt olde friends
By Leslie Gartrell
Photo by Leslie Gartrell/The Daily Standard
Levi Blake, left, and Jeremy Jamison spar at North Shore Park in Celina on Sunday. Ignore the 21st century sidewalks and street signs.
CELINA - Donned in armor and helmets, Levi Blake and Jeremy Jamison sparred on the lawn of North Shore Park late Sunday morning.
Cars slowed down to watch the pair exchange blows with wooden swords and halberds. Some stopped to lean out of their windows to take pictures, while others hooted at the men or honked their horns.
During a lull in the battle, a stranger approached them.
"Would you guys mind if I took a picture?" he asked. "My brother's into Warhammer, he's super into this stuff."
"Sure, no problem," Blake replied.
It's nothing unusual for Blake and Jamison.
The men are part of the Incipient Shire of Grenemere, a group devoted to the research and recreation of pre-seventeenth century skills, arts, combat and culture.
The shire is a local branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), an international non-profit volunteer educational organization.
Members of the SCA study and take part in a variety of activities, including combat, archery, costuming, cooking, metalwork, woodworking, music, calligraphy, and more, Blake said. If it was done in the Middle Ages or Renaissance, there's likely someone interested in it in the SCA.
The Shire of Grenemere is part of SCA's Middle Kingdom, the third oldest kingdom, encompassing Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, the lower peninsula of Michigan and parts of Kentucky, Iowa and Ontario, Candada. The shire has seven members hailing from Mercer, Auglaize and Allen counties.
Not quite a historical reenactment group or a fantasy live-action roleplaying group, the Shire of Grenemere and the SCA fall into a middle ground Blake said is comparable to living history.
Photo by Leslie Gartrell/The Daily Standard
Blake, 29, slips on the armor before battle.
Every member picks their own name to go by in the group. Blake, 29, Minster, is known as Erling Eldiarnsson, a 14th century Norweigian. Jamison, 39, Wapakoneta, goes by Brynjarr Halfdanarson, a Viking of the Byzantine Empire.
Blake serves as Seneschal, akin to president of the group, and heavy marshal, supervising regular weapons practices.
While names can be simple or elaborate, Blake noted no one can use the name of an actual person from history or legend. Naming can also be serious business - the SCA has its own College of Arms to register a name and heraldic device, which requires documentation, he said.
"The original name I picked I had documentation I submitted. I was like 'Hey, this is from Norway from that time period,'" Blake said. "And they (SCA) were like 'No, it's too Icelandic, and also too early period, this is 20 years too early.'"
Photo by Leslie Gartrell/The Daily Standard
There's scholarly research, historical accuracy and lots of good fun. And Jamison and Blake are happy to pose for pictures taken by passing knights and damsels.
Jamison and Blake are the only fighters of the Shire of Grenemere. The pair said they expect ogling eyes, questions and photo requests during their regular sparring sessions at the park.
The men practice battles in armor and use rattan swords. Rattan, which looks like bamboo but has a solid core, is springy enough to absorb some of the force of the blow without snapping, and light enough to approximate the weight of a steel sword, according to the shire's website.
Blows are softened by pieces of foam located at the tip of each weapon, Blake said. Fighters also wear armor, which some members create themselves while others purchase armor online.
While period-accurate clothing and armor is the goal, it's not a requirement to participate, Blake said.
"You strive to be period accurate, but it's not required," he said. "So if somebody is coming out with their new fighter and they're in loaner gear or something that's a little more fantasy, I'm not going to begrudge him for that because it takes a lot of time to put (armor) together."
Photo by Leslie Gartrell/The Daily Standard
Jamison, 39, adjusts the leather and chain mail accoutrements before getting all medieval on his friend.
Jamison, whose persona is based in the early Viking age, wears more full-coverage and traditional armor out of safety rather than period accuracy.
"My period is, I should just be fighting in a pair of paints and maybe a helmet, and that's it," he said.
The bouts are short, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute, but physical. Jamison rained down attacks against Blake with dual swords, while Blake fought back with a long sword.
Later, Jamison traded his dual swords for a sword staff, a long-range weapon, and Blake swapped his long sword for a far-reaching halberd.
Fighters must be authorized to fight before they can compete in tournaments, Blake said. Fighters are trained on how to use weapons, how to defend themselves and how to judge blows received in combat before competing in tournaments, he added.
Every fighter on the field is honor-bound to accept a blow sufficient to a "wound" or "kill" in battle, Jamison said. For example, if a fighter strikes another participant in the shoulder, the fighter who is struck is expected to yield.
"There's a lot of communication and honor in battle between fighters," he said.
Aside from battles, the greater Shire of Grenemere group meets once or twice a month to conduct business meetings, as well as arts and science meetings where members can work on projects.
"We encourage people to do what they can in every aspect (to be period accurate), but we understand it takes a lot of time and commitment to get there," Blake said.
For more information on the Shire of Grenemere, visit or contact the group's Facebook page or visit their website at grenemere.org.
Photo by Leslie Gartrell/The Daily Standard
Levi Blake, left, and Jeremy Jamison, right, spar at North Shore Park in Celina on Sunday.
