Alright, I've been considering starting my own house for a few years now. I'm not well known in the SCA, don't even have my AoA yet(no one notices the guy who helps clean up when he can, heaven forbid anyone not fighting and making things gets an AoA, lol)

But I'd still like to start a household, It would be small to start with, I can only think of one person other than me to bring into it, but I figure it would be a nice way to start gaining some more notability as well as some new friends (Small house parites for the win)

I was wondering if anyone out there would have suggestions, organizaitional wise, member gaining wise, etc for someone who is determined to have his own house? (I have this obsession with having a 'family')

Suggestions severly appreciated.

Aye, I'm in the same boat. It's all good though, I still have fun and I have decided that I don't need an AoA or title to help and have fun. 

The members I have (and it seems to be growing) have come from friends that I knew were interested in the same stuff I was, then them communicating with their friends, etc. 

It's slow, but worth it. I can just imagine the headaches of a larger house. I'm content with it growing and evolving as is.

ehh... I realize that wasn't much help toward your question, sorry :/ 

Well, usually a houshold starts with 'like minded' individuals... You can simply start a household by announcing to your friends that you are starting a new houshold, and it's called <place name here>.

Depending on how you want the group to be, service household, drinking household, etc.. you should decide what format you want, then set your goals and go to it. It usually helps to develop and register a badge with your Kingdom so nobody can take your ideas for a household. Keep in mind, the larger your house gets, the more potshots you will take about your household 'taking over' blah blah blah.. if you remain steadfast and honorable, they will eventually die out and people will appreciate the house more. Just be ready for those kinds of issues, and try not to let them get to you.

As far as membership, you can opt for the 'open membership' (someone telling you they want in the house and you letting them)

or set up guidelines for prospective members ( members should not hit other members with halibuts, never spit on a member, be nice, eat pizza, etc)

Then the other way is to only pull in members you and your house have been watching, secretly and subversively approaching them like a secret cult, and telling them you've been watching them, and if they would be interested in joining the house. (This works best with a company of black hooded people surrounding them...J/K)

Some Houses try to snatch up newbies.. The households in my group wait at least 6-8 months before letting a newbie in simply because there is alot they should learn before deciding what household is right for them, if any.
There.. that's a little info on what I know.. bottom line is:
Just try to keep it fun, don't get TOO serious and the household 'should' run itself.

Hope that helps!

<disclaimer> Only my humble opinions. There are plenty out there on how to handle Households.

The larger it gets, the harder it is to manage.. I prefer smallish households of 10-20 max (you keep better track of their names that way)

Nothing against large households

Shadow Legion, Rolling Thunder, etc.. but you could be a member and NOBODY could verify it, I could say I was Shadow Legion, their group is so large that the head of the household is harder to meet than the King or Queen. Nope.. I like smaller groups, little drama, lots of fun, etc..

Thats fine Bjorn, I'm content with the the way my house seems to be developing, It's going to be me and a bunch of newbies I keep meeting to start with.

I'm just worried about particular people in the sCA and their groups who don't like me causing problems in the long run.

I hate how heresy is so prominant, I realize the hatred towards me by a few people, won't likely grow outside of their small clusters of friends, and clans, but I know that vindictive people can cause harm.

I don't care about me, just the people of my household, I can take a group of people harrassing me directly. I just don't want my friends and family to get attacked.

My suggestion is, in whatever you do during your time in the SCA, ask yourself two questions when faced with any task or decision:

1) Is it Honorable?
2) Is it Chivalrous?

If you can answer yes to both questions, proceed. If not, then go back and rethink your options.

Whatever other people do in the SCA, as long as you stay within those two guidelines, you cannot go wrong. Let vindictive people and hateful people do what they will. Let them dishonor themselves. People like that I rarely worry about, because they usually end up falling on their own swords. Treat everyone with courtesy, even if they do not deserve it. BE honorable and chivalrous throughout and let others who aren't do what they will. If you have conducted yourself in this manner, you have integrity and a good following, and will also have more to bring to the table of Officers, (should the problems grow out of your control) and measures can be taken. Otherwise, do what you will, and remember the Dream over all things. They will eventually leave you alone, or follow along side of you.

It is hard sometimes to always be the bigger person, but this game we play is based on those two aformentioned things. It makes no difference if others will be dishonorable, so long as you do not dishonor yourself or friends and family. If others are to conduct themselves badly, then the rest of the people around them will see this, and act accordingly.. Things have a way of working out if you stay vigilant in your resolves.

It takes a lifetime to earn your honor.

It takes less than 3 seconds to lose it.

When we formed our Household we did not have AOAs. We were just 3 of the newer SCAdians

We had a concern over the lack of participation north of the Barony and decided to rectify the situation by creating a mixed Service/Fighter/A&S Household.

Most of us were new members who lived north of the Barony. While ours is not a large Household, We feel we have contrubuted in the dream in our own humble ways.

Ironically, that's exactly how our houshold (Gryphon's Keep) got started. Our shire had little happening so we decided to make it happen.


One minor concern we have had is how our affiliation with our own, non-peer orinted household would limit our ability to be picked up by a peer.

After some discussion with Sir Callidus of Aethelmearc, it became apparent that being affiliated with a small group can make one more visable if that group is visable (an ant hill is easier to notice than a single ant).

Thank you for this post. I wish everyone in the Society felt as you do...it would be much better for everyone.