Greetings! Welcome to the official home page of the Shire of Eisental. Eisental is an official chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism, an international group dedicated to re-creating the arts, culture, and sciences of the Middle Ages. We are located in the SCA's East Kingdom and cover an area which includes the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Quakertown, and Reading, Pennsylvania. Upon the pages of this web site, you will find many facts and resources relating to us and what we do. It is largely practical stuff here. But there is also a spirit to Eisental which is hard to encapsulate on a web page. Let me try to do so here anyway.

Here in Eisental, we have a very sincerely felt motto; "Friendship, Industry, and Honor." The motto is unofficial by Society standards, yet it fairly expresses the core of who and what we feel our Shire is. It has developed out of the ideals of the Society itself and those principles which we, as members of the Society, have taken to heart. As a visitor to our fair Shire, you will find many different personalities. Each of us has a unique perspective and set of interests. Each of us came to the Society in a different way and is seeking a different form of expression within it. Yet, we are not separated by this fact. Rather, we have found similarity in our differences. Friendship is the thread which binds us together into one colorful tapestry. It is also the warmth we hope to share with those who come to us.

Together, we have found this common drive: the drive and dream we share in the Society requires hard work to bring about. Industry, then, is our watch word. We recognize that doing what we are here to do in the Society is worth doing well. Each of us contributes something to the effort of bringing the past to life and the work itself teaches us much. It is not uncommon to find members of Eisental contributing materials, their homes, their free time, their personal strength and their wits to the group's activities. Generosity is a part of Industry in Eisental. Industry is what has made our Shire a success in our eyes.

Finally, there is Honor. Perhaps the word is bantered about with too much freedom. Yet, it is the heart of this organization. As Eisental remembers its roots and reaches for its future, we keep this word close to mind. We are always discovering new definitions of this word, but its basic truth is not faltering. As we work with others and as we make new friends, Honor guides us to do so fairly and openly. Honor demands responsibility and rewards us with pride and respect from others.

So, as you explore Eisental, please feel at home. If you're interested in recreating the past as the SCA does it, we have something in common and we would be happy to assist you. If you believe in Friendship, Industry and Honor, you have a home here for certain.

Vivat Eisental!

Sincerely,

Lord Matsuyamaji Mokurai
Eric Munson, mokuraibozu@yahoo.com