In the winter of 1977, three friends (later known in the SCA as Master Sir Aedward of Glastonburh, Etien Durand and Gunter Holder) decided to start a group in Albany, Georgia

A recruitment demo was held at Albany Junior College (now Darton College) and was reported in the AJC quarterly publication. At about the same time, crude fighter practices began at the home of Aedward's parents.

In January of 1978, the then, incipient Shire of Ravenwood, provided a spectacular addition to the first Coronation in the new Kingdom of Meridies.

Etien provided a deer which they attempted to roast open pit 30mph winds and record cold temperatures. The carcass was carried slung on a pole by a retinue of bearers to the main table in the feast hall. The outsides were mostly overdone , the interior scarcely warm and the edible zone was wafer thin. None-the-less, it was a memorable contribution to the first Coronation feast.