Dominion of Myrkfaelinn
The Dominion of Myrkfaelinn is the only Independent Dominion in the SCA. Entirely surrounded by the Kingdom of AEthelmearc, it includes the geographic area around Ithaca, Elmira, and Corning, New York.
The Dominion's governance is based on Icelandic tradition. Leadership changes and other business are transacted at a meeting of the populace, or Thing.
History of The Dominion
In September of AS IX (1974), some people at Cornell University thought it would be a good thing to start a branch of the SCA in Ithaca. Being that at least one of them was a scholar of Old Icelandic, they wrote the charter in Old Icelandic. This was deemed as cool by the powers that be, and it was accepted. Things went well for the remainder of the Reign of the King of the East, Asbjorn I. Then a new king ascended the throne. And somehow, whether fealty was asked for, or it was fessed up before is not clear, the Myrkies were all like "what, but we didn't say that, didn't you read our charter?" It turns out that the charter swore to Asbjorn himself, not "The King". And thus the Myrkies declared themselves independent of the East.
It has long been said that this is the reason for all documents requiring an English translation, and why the English version is considered the valid one.
Currently some Myrkies consider themselves independent of Aethelmearc, some consider themselves a shire. Legally they are a shire, in game? The shtick changes depending on lots of considerations. For the most part the Dominion is full of fun-loving, hard-working people.
