Salaam alikuum!

The only true darkness is ignorance.

Who am I?

Good question. Over the years, I have gone by many names and stories. Some may remember Simon the Slaver, but that dies a quick death, for in the early days of the SCA, you were Norman, a knight, or nothing. They had very little use for non-English persons then.

So, for a while, Frank the Friar or Brother Dexter (with his friend Brother Sinister) roamed the lands of the four kingdoms of the Known Worlde. The population was rather sparse in those days, and so we put our energy into helping groups get started in the lands that became Meridies and Atlantia.

During this time, there was a great lack of helmets in the land, and so I turned my skills to the manufacture of a series of Great Helms, of which I am told some are still in service today. It was during these days that the Great Awakening occurred (many discovered the Lord of the Rings and other stories) that I was renamed Dur the Dwarph, in honor of my "dur-able goods" (further reinforced by my travel to the Principality of the Sun, where I was adopted as an Atenvelt Dwarf.) Well, it did go with my Danish Viking personna of the time.

The years passed, and after a time of indenturement to my Uncle Samuel, I departed from the East Kingdom. At that time, all the groups I had helped start went to the crown of the East and asked them to confer unto me an AOA (which all had asumed I had already.) This deed was done in absencia, as I had been wounded early in the Pennsic War that year, and was laying at death's door (actually, I broke my ankle, and couldn't make it to court.)

Shortly after my return to the Middle Kingdom, I was adopted into the Great Dark Horde (accept no substitute!) On his assention to the throne for his third reign, Andrew of Seldom Rest conferred upon me the title of Baron of the Court, in recognition of the aid I had rendered to all those groups in starting them, and not, as some would have it, for providing him transportation when his had failed. That would have happened in any event. (I was actually in court for this.)

The heralds finding such a "fantasy" name unsuitable, I adopted the name Dur of Hidden Mountain, the group by that name being the last of those I founded. (As it turned out, the heralds still were not happy with that name, saying that it belonged to a group in another kingdom, and I had to secure permission from the group to adopt that name. Go figure!) (p)My greatest treasure will be the Order of the Queen's Favor I received from Eislinn the Patient (which was the only other time I've been in court.) She was a dear to friend to me, and I still mourn her passing.

During this period, I had the good fortune to operate the Olde Pennsic Inn (that which has been made famous in Murder at the War or Knightfall). It never would have happened if not for the good intention of friends (and me being a sucker for service duty!)

After this brief sojourn, I returned again to the East Kingdom (which has recently become AEthelmearc). Shortly thereafter, I had the good fortune (?) to become Khan of the Great Dark Horde (commonly called Horde Classic) to serve the peoples thereof for a brace of years. That caused me to write a few bits for the folks. A few years later, I retired from the ranks to focus on things Arabic and Fire Safety. With the best interests of my friends at heart, I sought to teach the safe use of Fire to all my friends at Pennsic (many thanks to the late William Blackfox for his support!) If you'd like a copy of the little booklet in PDF form, click here for A Pennsic Pyro Primer

About that time, I took up drumming at the request of several friends, and to assist my teacher, I taught the beginning classes at our camp, The Orluk Oasis. This camp became a residence for many teachers of Middle-Eastern Culture over the past several years, and we hosted classes in many aspects of the culture. Of course, there were and are some who are jealous of fact that our camp became the focus of this culture, but we did nothing to take it from them, just offered hospitality to those who came. They were just as capable of doing the same.

I had almost managed to escape notice of the royals, until they invaded my camp with their awards (Sycamore) or trapped me in their own camp (Kings Order of Excellence) after I had avoided their courts. Verrrry Sneeeaky!

Anyway, I now pass myself off as an itinerant mathemetician and stone mason, with a small skill in music, poetry (mostly bad) and philosophy (of things SCA); What I am most proud of is my twelve lovely daughters, who are know as; niifah, sabirah, kirah, shandra, narah, sahar, maysa', dima, maysuun, Izdihara al-hakima, jala', and maa'isah...

However, if you are interested in the tale of my personna...

Mail to Durr al-jabal

updated 20050825