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Montgomery Josh

From EastKingdomWiki

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Josh wearing his beloved Virginia Tech kilt at Yule

The Legend of the Kilted Filker grows...
Information
Resides: Barony of Iron Bog
Status: Active at both Baronial and Kingdom levels. Authorized in Siege and Combat Archery and working towards becoming a Combat and Target Siege, and a Combat Archery Marshal.
Awards: Order of Precedence
Heraldry
Not Submitted Yet
Not Submitted Yet
Award & Office Badges
Award of Arms Companion of the Order of the Silver Brooch Companion of the Order of the Silver Mantle Blue Tyger Legion Order of the Sable Compass Order of the Sable Bell Order of the Sable Gauntlet
Chatelaine

Introduction

I am Montgomery Joshua Barr of Cumberland, the Kilted Filker. Also known as "Josh the Hilariously Awesome". When marrying Katherine Barr of Cumberland, she took my name in the real world. I offered to take her name in the SCA and collaborated with the Heralds on something that combines both. As of June 2025 my new name is still going through Society-level review. Assuming it passes you are free to call me by either name since both are me, or simply call me Josh. Just don't call me late to feast.

Josh at 100 Minutes War 2025

After attending Pennsic 49 I found my passion within the SCA developing Siege Weapons and joining Combat Archery, writing Scrolls and other works, Chatelaining, Heralding for Equestrian, and injecting a sense of fun and energy such as walking around in a kilted TRex costume in the middle of the Pennsic heat. After Pennsic 50 I cemented my place within Missile Command and the Siege community. For me, it's both the engineering, and use in combat, and in building the community of builders and engineers. Once we grow the siege community (including target siege and tabletop siege), I plan to hand over the reigns to someone else and continue to marshal and play and explore other areas within the SCA.

In the Spring of 2025 I apprenticed to both Master Quinn of An Tir and Sir Jan of the East. While I have learned a LOT about siege on my own, this is a chance to learn from Quinn's experience, and learn woodworking and melee from Jan. With both of their guidance, I look forward to making some amazing works and developing tactics for the Eastern Army and ConFed to use.

If you see me at an event or on social media, please feel free to stop by and say hello. I enjoy meeting people and hearing about your persona and work in the SCA. Or your work outside of the SCA. Or, well, anything really as I am entering the "Kenobi" phase of my life being the old wizard to enjoy both doing things myself and enabling others around me. I will always make time for anyone who wants to teach or learn.

I can be the glowing flame of energy at times, but when I am not what you might not see is that I'm assembling the kindling around me so that flame grows and spreads to others. With a community of people, there is nothing we can't accomplish. Except apparently stop the Tuchux with only three siege engines when they are charging in a field battle. But we will stand our ground and take out as many of them as we can before we are physically overrun. And we did.

Persona

Josh after the East won the Siege/CA battle at Pennsic 50

My persona is "me" in a different time and place: who I might be if I lived in Period? For me, my SCA persona is an extension of myself and not an escape into another person. My journey is to discover how I might have lived centuries ago. Most of all, lucky to have not been cast into the Iron Maiden or lava pit for the blasphemy that comes from my mouth because at-home latte makers haven't been invented yet and no way would I survive having to milk a cow before coffee in the first place.

So if I am going to be me... as they say, the great engineers were Scottish thus I am taking on the persona of a late 16th century Scottish engineer, bardic wordsmith, stand-up philosopher, and basic "Josh". I am choosing this time period for a simple reason. One of my early events was Bhakail's "Yule" in Dec, 2021. One reason this event is so amazing is that it is indoors without fighting thus people can wear their "nice" garb. There I met a man in a Great Kilt, and above all of the other wonderful garb at that and other events, I thought it was the most beautiful look I had seen to date. It felt like "me". The name Montgomery Josh is a tribute to a great fictional Scottish Engineer (who just happens to not be born yet) whose actor made the character Scot because all of the great Engineers were Scot. Thus you may also call me Joshy or simply Mister Josh. Just never call me late to morning coffee especially when I use the same joke in the same wiki page.

Heralding the 2024 EK Equesterian Champs

In period, I am a private engineer from the Highlands that creates devices and equipment for civilian and military applications. I do not necessarily still live in Scotland but dress in kilts when I can. My name may be a tribute to a fictional naval engineer and miracle worker but I am not a military officer. Just a loyal Highlander. Within the SCA this matches my desire to be involved in siege weapons, work on improvements to combat archery equipment, and/or improve any other martial equipment and tooling. And I get to play with them, too. Plus as an educated man with a zest for life, do wordsmithing for scrolls, writing for barony / kingdom needs, heralding for Equestrians, and planning fun events whether I am in a Dinosaur costume or not.

Josh and the crews of his machines next to Biggus Stickus at Pennsic 51

Over the past two years, I have focused on Siege growing both the community and the engineering / A&S side of Medieval Engineering teaching anyone I can at numerous events. As a result of this work and the amazing community growing around me, we authorized 13 engineers at Pennsic 50, set the record for time to victory in the Siege / CA battle, and showed the impact Siege has in a battle leading to Siege and CA being awarded the Blue Tyger Legion. I am beyond proud of our emerging team and the new siege engineers. At Pennsic 51 I trained numerous crews including engineers for allies, and debuted "Biggus Stickus", the first Class A torsion Ballista in over 20 years. I will move from a "sales" and "if you build it they will think its fun" mindset to an "enablement" mindset so others can build their own insane designs, learn about the Siegic Arts and the siege community can grow. My focus is now on the people from both the engineering and the use in combat or target. And all of the other activities in this hobby of hobbies.

Offices & Positions

  • Lt Commander, Siege for Pennsics 50 and 51
  • Founding East Kingdom Siege Guild Master (2024 - Present)
  • Iron Bog Chatelaine (2024 - Present)
  • A&S Champion, Iron Bog (2025)

Affiliations

  1. Husband to Mistress Katherine Barr of Cumberland.
  2. Member of the Company of the Flying Tygers.
  3. Member of Mountain Confederation (ConFed)
  4. Apprentice to both:

Projects & Publications

Kilted Filker YouTube Channel (Started August 2024): https://www.youtube.com/@KiltedFilkerWorkshop This is currently focused on Siege, but will grow. Due to time constraints planning a wedding I have a large backlog of footage shot but not edited and published. I will add content likely after Pennsic 52.

A&S Competitions / Demos

  • Yule Revel 2022, Zen and the Art of a Craftsman’s Journey: Lessons Learned While Designing and Prototyping a Period-Inspired Roman Trigger Mechanism for a Euthytone Catapulta Ballista in SCA Siege Combat. DOWNLOAD: Project Overview, Full Documentation
  • Birka 2024, Reconstructing Scale models of Period Correct Euthytone and Palentone Siege Engines. This included "Zen and the Art of Engineering Archaeology: Designs for a SCA 'Class A' Combat Siege Engine based on a Roman Palintone 'Rock Thrower' Ballista" DOWNLOAD: Class A Changes from Period Note: this document was on the "as-designed" engine and does not include changes made since then during the actual construction.
  • Fall / Winter 2024 Online Display, Creating a SCA Combat Ready Ballista Based Off Period Designs. Updated the Birka document to include the changes from construction and testing. DOWNLOAD: Design Changes Building Biggus Stickus
  • East Kingdom 2025 A&S Crown Competition, Zen and the Art of Engineering Archaeology: Modernizing a Greco-Roman Palintone “Rock Thrower” Ballista for Live SCA Combat. Updated the Winter display for additional detail to also include some of the original research into the historically correct design and add background material to make this a complete document. Entry was both the historically correct model and the full size ballista. DOWNLOAD: Modernizing a Greco-Roman Palintone “Rock Thrower” Ballista for Live SCA Combat


Montgomery Josh Bardic Portfolio Details on wordsmithing for scrolls. NOTE: This has not been updated in some time and will move to a separate web page once I create it. I took a break from scroll work while planning the wedding and will resume as time allows. That said there are examples of both serious and funny scrolls at both baronial and kingdom level.

SCA Projects where I learned new skills and period design:

  • Multiple early-style walking kilts designed and made for Pennsic: easy to put on and off, sewn in knife pleats, simple and cheap to make in case it gets ruined in the elements. Designed to be made by someone in an evening using a home sewing machine.
  • 28" x 34" end-grain throwing target for knives and axes made from 4x4's with a 2x6 frame.
    Both Docmo Arbalests at Pennsic 50
  • A SCA-compliant Roman Euthytone Ballista (#KF-01) using older plans, updating the design to use more period elements and fill in gaps in the plans. Was not happy with how it performed and shelved it. Applied lessons from this in making later models and operational Ballistas.
  • Period correct one-span scale model Roman Ballista: "Mini-B" (#KF-02). This was an Engineering Archaeology exercise based on the writings of Philon and Vitruvis, and extant finds an Xanten and Carameal to develop a design that is both period correct and can be used in Combat and Target Siege. I applied lessons building the prototype in the design of this.
  • Two Docmo Arbalests for use in Combat Siege: "Spicy Pants" (#KF-03) and "The Flying Tyger" (#KF-04), pictures below.
  • Rebuilding leather armor I purchased used so it fits and matches my persona.
Biggus Stickus at Pennsic 51
  • Period correct rock-throwing Palintone model Roman Ballista: "Stickus DeMinimus", the "Little Stick" (#KF-05). This was another research and design study to understand the nuance and mechanics in order to build a full-scale SCA combat ballista based on Vitruvius designs.
  • SCA-compliant Class A 5-bolt shooting ballista, named "Biggus Stickus" (#KF-06), debuted at Pennsic 51. This was based off of the "period right" Stickus DeMinimus model but with adaptations for SCA combat. Some of those design changes are documented in the Birka display noted above with others made during construction. Full documentation and videos are pending.



Facebook photo galleries:

  • Birka display entry of both scale siege models

    Birka display entry of both scale siege models

  • The end-grain throwing target

    The end-grain throwing target

  • Front view of the prototype ballista

    Front view of the prototype ballista

  • "Mini-B" one-span Roman torsion ballista model

    "Mini-B" one-span Roman torsion ballista model

  • Biggus Stickus

    Biggus Stickus

Interests

  • Siege Weapons, from an A&S point of view to research and improve the design to make them easier to make and transport, and become more accurate and easier to use for combat and target shooting.
  • Siege Weapons, from a tactical point of view using them at Pennsic and other events for combat or target
  • Target Siege, blending Target Archery and Combat Siege engines. Best of both worlds and without needing armor.
  • SIEGE SKEEBALL and Tabletop Siege!!!! Making Siege both fun, accessible, and open to all ages and interest groups
  • Bardic Arts, wordsmithing and writing, whether a custom scroll or announcement or other document at the Kingdom or Baronial / local level
  • Dinosaur-based events for the children of the known world
  • Filking, whether through words or personas. You do NOT want me to sing. Ever. For any reason. It won't end well.
  • My morning latte or coffee or whatever caffeine potions exist
  • Standing on the Shoulders of Giants within the SCA to learn their trade, from garb to blacksmithing and allowing others to stand n my shoulders.
  • Heralding for whatever may be needed, whether it be last minute equestrian events giving color commentary or something more traditional. This includes being a "Horsey Herald" for the Southern Region
  • Combat Archery, when I can go to events and have some fun
  • Building in general and learning how they made things in period, but updating the technique so the average person can make it in a basic workshop with limited tooling
  • Reminding people of why they joined in the first place and trying to inject a sense of fun while trying (in vain sometimes) to preserve and respect the dignity of the event. No really, if this isn't fun why are we here?
  • Elevating those around me. A rising tide lifts all ships

Awards and Recognitions

Note: Iron Bog awards are not showing in the Order of Precedence

  • 3/2/2023: Silver Brooch and AoA, Mudthaw (Mohammad I and Corotica I)
  • 6/10/2023: Silver Mantle, Iron Bog Investure (Brennan IV and Caoilfhionn IV)
  • Pennsic 50: Blue Tyger Legion (as Siege Lt. Commander) (Brennan IV and Caoilfhionn IV)
  • 9/23/2023: Sable Compass of Iron Bog, River Wars XII (Andre and Genevra)
  • 6/1/2024: Sable Bell of Carillion, Southern Region War Camp (Tysha and Mairghread)
  • Pennsic 51: Sable Gauntlet of Iron Bog (Andre and Genevra)

In Case of Court

Please contact Katherine Barr of Cumberland as she can work her Jedi-zen voodoo magic to make sure I'm where I need to be and still in proper garb. And she will make sure to hide the T-Rex costumes in plain sight.

To any scribes or wordsmiths stalking my profile: As a scribal wordsmith I appreciate the task ahead of you. I see how much time my scribe spends trying to find exemplars that match a persona's time and country. In my case, I am honored enough to be considered for an award. Please do not feel limited to something historically accurate to Scotland in the 1590's. I'd rather see your creativity and artistry in matching a scroll to me, whether it is historically accurate to an exemplar or not. Impress me with your creativity in design and wording. Dinosaurs, Siege, Smiles and fun are always appreciated.

More Information

If you still want to know more about me there are three great ways: you can pull me aside at an event or chat through social media, you can talk to those close to me, or you can look at my work. The things I design or write or make are all a manifestation of me -- it takes a certain type of person to write a scroll in Smurf or design and build an insane Ballista. Seriously though, talk to me. I'm just a guy in a kilt.

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