Once upon a time there was a big, Non-Squired fellow, that was pretty hot stuff in the fighting arena.

He was talking to a Pompous Ducal fellow named Orlando one fine day, and an interesting conversation passed. Orlando told Kane, "OK, here's the deal: get ONE LINK from the Chain of Each of Meridies' Knights, and I will bring up your name in the Knight's Circle ---but that's ALL. just 'bring up your name'. No promises after that." Kane happily agreed. And Orlando gave him the First Link.

Kane happily got some needle-nosed pliers, a storage pouch, pen and tags, and went in search of Knights to ask for a link from their Chain; he was on aQuest! Ha ha! Life looked very bright indeed!

The first Knight he approached was Bearkiller, who did indeed agree, And laughingly gave him a link. Francois followed suit, after the suitable finger-wagging lecture. Then he ran into trouble. The third Knight he approached laughed in his face, and ridiculed him-- and told him he would NEVER give him a link. Ever. Forget it! He'd be damned before he ever saw Kane in a Knight's meeting.
Kane was floored; completely downcast, and went to Orlando to tell him it was no good-- he would never get ALL the Meridian Knights to give him a link.

Orlando said brightly, " Oh, I meant just the IMPORTANT ones!" ( and gave that lovely evil grin he has). "Tell you what, Kane; you get a link from 50 Knights--any Kingdom-and I'll bring up your name! Come to me when you have them!"

Well, the Quest was on again. The SCA Twentieth Year event was a great event for the Chain! The Chain grew steadily... until Kane did the unthinkable. He won Crown List, unbelted. Being Kane, he withdrew from his Quest until such time as he was no longer on the Throne, because he did not want to use the Position to help this particular Quest. Ah, but the news had traveled! Even as he sat on the Throne, Knights and Kings from Other lands sent emmisaries, bearing their links as support in his Quest ( infuriating the Knight That Said Nein! ) and presenting them in Court. The KTSN would try to snatch the links to keep them from Kane; but It Is Good To Be King <G>.
He got them, anyway. It was entertaining to smack down the KTSN. The stories of the links were also entertaining! Some funny, some very poignant. As we left Pennsic one year, I glanced in the Rear-view mirror, and saw Squires running after us, yelling "STOP!" as their Knight wanted to
Give a link, but was too slow to catch us.

The Five Knights of the Outlands ( ALL of them, at that time) gave him a 5-link section of their Chains, explaining that they must always be joined together, as they are in the Outlands, when each gives one link to every "baby Knight" that they elevate.

Earl Pheland promised Kane the 50th link, "So I can chase down that damned Orlando and pound him for this stupidity!" The King of the West at that time sent a Solid Gold one. One Knight cut himself so badly on his own Chain that we had to get him all stitched up. Kane was tracked down by Knights at every event, even those from Other Kingdoms, that wanted to sponsor him with a link.

The Chain grew longer, even as Kane did More UnthinkableThings-he won Crown List Again, becoming the first Unbelted Duke in the Society.

After stepping down again, the Chain grew at an unprecedented rate. King Bearkiller, (Kane's Heir), was scandalized to think that every Thomas, Richard, and Harold might try to get the same thing going and try to get Knighted that way! He ranted and raved about letting this go on.

Then one day IT happened. Kane was Knighted, by Bearkiller at a Border Raids in Kentucky. King John made VERY sure that everyone knew that Kane was being Knighted for his prowess, teaching and knowlege, and not because of some silly Chain. ( It took some convincing to get Bear to do it with that Chain. He adamantly was opposed to it.) I still have the video. You should
have seen the buffet! Whew! Good thing Kane is a big fellow!

The Chain, and it's 53 links are safe in our castle, and the names of the Brothers that gave a Link are listed privately, and are not to be given out, unless they themselves wish to do so.... Yes, he does occasionally wear it around. If you see him wearing a really odd Chain, of all different kinds
of links; that's it.

And THAT is the Real Story of Sir Kane's Knight's Chain.

By the hand of Duchess Ilissa