Knights, trolls and merchants bring medieval times to St. Michael and All Angels

While the 16th century French knight watched his peers battling in the yard, the metal smith taught Viking wire weaving inside while the questers cleaned up after their experiments with the catapult.

Such was the scene at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church Saturday as it played host to the ”Feast of Eagles,” an event put on by the Society for Creative Anachronism’s Kingdom of Calontir.

First formed in the 1960s, the Society for Creative Anachronism brings medieval enthusiasts together to recreate the arts and skill of pre-17th century Europe. The events become giant role-playing festivals. Participants take on a character — a 1450s Germanic blacksmith, for instance — and interact with others.

Fiona the Autocrat (or Jane Nichols the event organizer, as she would be known outside the realm of the CSA) said the kingdom, which includes, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and part of Arkansas, hosts an event practically every weekend.

“People come from all over,” Nichols said, “to have the chance to interact with others who love the same things.”

The Viking wire weaving workshop.

Mikel Sams of Independence, who protrays a French knight named Andre at CSA events, said he practices sword fighting three to four hours most weeks in preparation for the tournaments.