I had heard all the tall tales, from people that didn't necessarily hold the Tuchux in high regard, even. One of my good friends,  Taemok, from the Pentwyvern Dagorhir boffer fighting group I was camped with, was camping with the Tuchux.   He always spoke fondly of his tribe. Everyone in Pentwyvern thought he was a little crazy, and they were ALL afraid of the Tuchux. Actually, they seemed terrified by the Tuchux.  When I got to Pennsic for the first time I was camped down by the lake across the marsh from Vlad's, just down the road from the back entrance of Tuchux hill. I could hear the camp every night. The drumming, and the glow of the fires were not foreboding , they were like a beacon. I wondered, "What is Taemok doing up there?"

One night, I was feeling particularly disconnected. I went to Vlad's and the festivities, and libations at Vlad's just was not really doing it for me. I felt somehow out of place. I walked across the road, and sat on a stump at the corner of the path that lead up to the back gate of the Tuchux encampment (The old Tuchux Hill). I was wondering to myself if this SCA stuff is really where I belong. A group of Tuchux returning home rounded the corner, and one of them acknowledged me, and referred to me as "dog". I wasn't in much garb at the time, but it was dark, somehow one of them thought I was one of them.

Later that night, I was standing guard duty at our encampment (Pentwyvern) and there was a loud raucous coming don the road. It eventually arrived at our gate, and I found myself face to face with Minimal. Built like a brick shit house, he towered over me. He was one of the most feared Tuchux on the battlefield, and he was the subject of many tales, and dare I say, legends. Deep down inside, I was concerned, and actually worried, but I didn't show it. To my delight, he was rather polite and respectful of our sleeping camp. He told me that some "drunken SCA DOG" had just challenged him to a wrestling match on the road, and he wished to request using our front lawn to settle this challenge. I could have said no, and it would have probably made for unfavorable relations. But instead, I set a boundary. I told him he could use the grass but nobody could cross the bridge over the marsh into our main encampment. The match ensued, and soon the pack of dogs were on their way home. Minimal was the last to leave, and he thanked us for our hospitality, left half a case of beer, and said, "If you ever need a similar favor in turn, let me know"

Later in the week, it was my friend Taemok's birthday. He was not around our camp of course, but I figured he was up on Tuchux Hill.  I thought I would pay him a little surprise visit. I knew it was a "Closed Camp" night for the Tuchux, so I got a clever idea to go visit, and cash in Minimal's offer. The folks I was camped with were really worried, and did everything they could to dissuade me. I was not drunk, and they were not going to stop me. Later that night I found myself at the front gate of Tuchux Hill, asking for Taemok of the Kur Clan. I "Challenged him to a wrestling match" The response I got was , "Closed camp, go away!" .I responded that Minimal had told me I could request this return favor "anytime"..   Some  silence as a guard went back into the depth of the encampment.  After a while I figured they just were waiting for me to go away, so I was about to wander off when a voice from the darkness said, "Wait!"  A large arm reached around grabbing my arm, and yanked me past the gate. It was Minimal. He dragged me through the camp, past tall teepees and fires. I was a bit of a spectacle as the Tuchux stopped and stared at me being dragged deep inside the huge encampment.

We arrived at a clan fire. The clans camped in slices of the land all circled around one large tribal fire circle. It was the HillCat camp, and Minimal said, "Wait here while I find Taemok". I stood there while a crowd of curious Tuchux gathered. Soon the crowd parted, and Minimal entered the fire circle with a short stout man. He said, "Taemok's not here, but I found you a match. This is my brother Duran, you will wrestle him. But first, sake!" The two of us met over the small fire with a shot of warm sake to discuss the rules of engagement. We both learned we had grappling experience in school, so we settled on the rules we were familiar with, to wrestle until pinning both shoulders to the ground for a 3-count. 3 matches. best 2 out of 3 wins. I beat him in the first two!

After some noise, and even some cheers, I found myself at the tribal fireside. the reason it was "closed camp" was this was the night of the tribal fire, and I was one of very few "outsiders" to witness it. There were some musicians present, much drinking of the war bribes, and dancing around the fire. Ibex played a really amazing drum solo on a huge drum set, and many war stories, and the Tuchux history itself unfolded before me from the lips of Tuchux dogs and wenches. It all painted a tapestry of a real tribe, and a real family that was far more , and far deeper than just a fantasy role play, or something adapted from a book, or some piece of history. This was not an anachronism, this was real, right here, and right now.

I later found out Taemok was off site on a date with his girlfriend for his birthday.

The experience that night changed me forever. But I was about to move away to Toledo Ohio. It seemed like a million miles away. Even farther from the Tuchux. So, when I got to school in Toledo, I became involved in the barony of the Red Spears. I was a fairly accomplished fighter, and many baronial households wanted me to join them. I was even awarded a Doe's Grace before ever becoming an SCA member because I saved a life of a peer (in actuality) in transit to a baronial court before I lived there. I felt showered with the attention, and for a time , it was good, but my heart just did not feel at home there.

When I got to Toledo, I found myself driving vast distances to go to events that the Tuchux were at, and I even found a Tuchux wench who lived in Toledo who I would carpool to events with.   We even dated for a time.   The barony could see I was growing more distant. Eventually, I only went to heavy weapons fighting practices, and tournaments. The baroness came to me as I was leaving the list one day with a proposition.  Since I was a student , and had a lot of time, she asked if I would be willing to take n the Pennsic land Grab duties for the baronial encampment. She explained that the barony traditionally was neighbors with the Tuchux. Of course I accepted!   She needed land, and she knew I was friendly with the Tuchux.
That summer, I arrived early for land grab. I parked my car in the large empty grass field on Tuchux Hill. I noticed over in the Tuchux plot, a Chevy Blazer with a canopy slung from it. After getting my own tent set up, I walked over to introduce myself. I met a fascinating dog named Zenon. or "Z" as most call him. Z is handicapped, and confined to a wheelchair. Yet his dogs would strap him into a war chariot and wheel him right into battle with them! Z and I spent several days, and nights sharing a campfire, and a few bottles of whiskey before the rest of our encampments arrived. We even agreed to pool land resources, and set up a "soft boundary" since neither of us knew exactly how many people would actually show up, or when hey would arrive.
Eventually that boundary was settled the week before war as we got an idea of where people would be. I was kind of reluctant to see that wall go up. As luck would have it, the bear Clan camped against that wall, and my wench friend from Toledo was there. I soon found out that the wall was "invisible" to certain well regarded neighbors. That year, while I laid my head in Red Spears camp, I spent most of my time in Tuchux camp, and even fought by their side in some of the battles. The rest,as you say, was history, and in subsequent years, I was camping with the Tuchux.

In 1997, I moved to California to pursue my career. I am still there. There are no other Tuchux here. My wagon has taken me to the far reached of this land. In all of my travels, I have yet to find another place with people as complete in spirit as my tribe.    Someday, I will return to my people. Until then, keep your quivas sharp, keep your bosk groomed, and keep your wench's feet from draggin'.