PHOTOS: Street Culture: Society for Creative Anachronism’s Great Western War

Katheryn Hardin-Cleveland of San Jacinto, Calif., has been active in the society for about a year. “I’m saving up money to get armor ... and then I want to do archery.”  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Liudmila Vladimirova doch’ is dressed as a Russian from the era of Ivan the Terrible because “that’s when the pearl hats came in.”  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Marcia Schlemm of Kansas City, Mo., is a chirurgeon with the society, which means she helps with first aid, an essential for combat events.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Ceridwen Killian is dressed as a 9th century Viking woman from Denmark.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

The brilliant white, locally made boots worn by Jacob Maxmillian, a knight of the Black Forest.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Lord Darius Kamenwati is a resident of the Kingdom of Calontir, which includes the city of Kansas City, Mo. “I’m doing all the major wars this year,” he said.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Kelly Long, also known as 10th century Viking Duke Thorfinn the Cruel, is a sword fighter when with the society and a brewer when not. Here he imbibes some mead he made himself. The period jewelry he wears is crafted by friends around the world.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Colin Adams, also known as Owen Flechyn, is likewise dressed as a 10th century Viking.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Simon Montgumery wears the clothes of a 1570s Englishman. He and his wife have long been attracted to the Elizabethan era. And being based for three years in England with the Air Force “definitely upped the ante,” he said.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Robert Hohertz of La Verne as Baka Dhurokov, the 15th century Cossack.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Augustine von Frieburg is a 16th century German knight. He chose a persona in that time and place because it was the era of choice of most of his friends, “and they have great armor,” he said.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Brian Krinsley of Ventura as a German of the 1560s.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Thomas Oliver of San Diego is Baron Oliver Dogberry of the Barony of Calafia (San Diego and Imperial counties).  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Ron Robert of Tuscon is also known as Sir Zhigmun, a 14th century German. His tunic is decorated with hand-cast bezants, a medieval type of coin.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Kalli, of Pasadena, as a Persian (at left) and Gehrig of Los Angeles as a Viking.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Kuma, of Orange County, a Germanic man at arms, at left, wearing armor he made himself, and Asa, of San Diego, a 10th century fighter from western Russia, wearing a suit of hand-made chain mail that, he said, took about 80 hours to create.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Jergen, left, is dressed as a 1600s fighter from Japan. Known otherwise as Travis Grabowsky of Hemet, he studied martial arts for 13 years, which led to his attraction to Japanese armor. Darrell Nice of Apple Valley said he prefers his 1400s Japanese armor because of the type of fighting it requires. “There’s more aggression in it because we don’t use a shield,” Nice said. The two said that kingdoms in the society are inspired by a variety of historical empires, including those that once ruled Asia, Greece and Persia.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Albert Anderson of San Diego, as the centurion Albert de Moulton, said the society combined the teamwork, camaraderie and brotherhood in arms he found in the Army, which he left in 1997. “It’s like having the best of the experience without the deployments and ... other things that are less fun,” he said.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Roberta Brubaker, known as Baroness Bridget, in her day clothes inspired by medieval illuminated manuscripts.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Baroness Bridget is transformed into a fighter in her Romano-Celt armor.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Michael Huarte of San Diego, also known as Sir Valrik MacIann, became attracted to the Kurdish clothing he wears here while researching Sufism. “I just liked these long coats they wore. They’re really pretty,” he said.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

The society values respect for superiors, forthrightness and politeness. Submitting to the social mores and ethics of the time as defined by the society teaches participants to be both stronger and more gentle in the real world, said JeNell Hays of San Diego, known as Baroness Brianna Je Nell Aislynn of Blue Shadows. “The modern world forces you to make compromises. Here you get to be the person you want to be or think you should be,” she said.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Duchess Faizeh al-Zarqa, or Jill Warden of Lancaster, is dressed as a 16th century Persian. “The culture is very beautiful, something that speaks to me,” said Warden, who in modern life is also a belly dancer.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Stacie Tibbetts, or Countess Leanora Morgana, wears the clothing of a circa 1100 Saxon.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Scott Farrell of San Diego in his persona as the knight Guillaume De Belgique, a 14th century Burgundian. His hat includes pewter pieces that would have been collected by Roman Catholic pilgrims.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Patraic O’Ceallaigh, or Brad Kelly of Long Beach, wears armor of the 1250s modeled after images from illuminated manuscripts. Kelly discovered the society five years into a decade-long stint with the Marines. “It’s great stress relief,” he said. Kelly also appreciates the strict ethics and rules of the group. “In the real world you don’t know who you’re running into,” he said.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Lady Mora Ottavia Spadera wears a hand-stitched and machine-sewn dress of the late 1500s France. She learned how to sew through the society. “We all share our knowledge here, and it lifts us all up,” she said.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Nicholas Cochiolo of Lancaster, also known as Niccolo D’Angelo of the Barony Dun Or, said his 15th century Italian armor is roughly a $2,000 investment. The sabatons on his feet weren’t meant to be walked in, he said. More appropriately, Cochiolo would be riding a horse, and the sabatons would have been on eye level and a menacing sight for a foot soldier.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)

Clark Acton of San Fernando as Thorin O’Seaghdha, an Irish Viking.  (Tara Godvin / For The Times)