Once again I made the journey 222 miles north to the Canterbury Renaissance fair, where I spent two weekends vending and traveling back and forth to my shop to make more stock between acts. At Canterbury and other renaissance fairs I like to get in character as if I am really from the 1500’s and thus neglect the usage of my phones camera… I spent the days vending from my booth, lighting my firebreathing dragon barking to customers, flirting with maidens, and heckling the “rats” (people dressed up as rats for the children to “catch”) as well as the “queen” and her entourage as they would pass playing the role of a rogue alchemist spreading the heresy of THE GREAT WORK in front of agents of the catholic Inquisition, who would most assuredly have burned me at the stake if it were actually the 1500’s. Nights were spent relaxing beyond the veil of a blackberry hedge with the company of fellow blacksmiths and other members of The Mongers Guild as well as at the pirate themed traveling bar. As an introverted WYRDo renaissance fairs allow me a platform to speak authentically to the point where acting becomes real where arcane concepts like astrology and alchemy are not disparaged but embraced.. being above the influence of the polarities of government yet finding myself in the presence of both polarities, I took the liberty to remind my fellow vendors the dangers of the state (fear) church (superstion) and the Mob(Ignornace) hoping to heal the division and walking away feeling a bit like Uther pendragon (Head Dragon) who as legend tells united both Christian and Pagan in a land of Chaos . In a time when so many are stuck playing a tabletop or videogame imagining themselves the heroic adventurer, a renaissance fair is subtle reminder that YOU ARE that heroic adventurer In the Game of Life!
Not all Treasure is Silver and gold mate.
Mystic Fire Forge 