Tim Osborne, of Livermore, in grey, fences with Chris Schmaling, of Standish, on Saturday at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth. Katie Langley/Portland Press Herald

CAPE ELIZABETH — If you were walking in Fort Williams Park on Saturday afternoon, you might have noticed about a dozen medieval warriors engaged in heated fencing matches.

The “citizens” of the Province of Malagentia — the local chapter of a national group of historical hobbyists and reenactors — hold regular meetups to fence and explore all facets of life in the Middle Ages.

For many, the draw is more than the period-accurate garb or the thrill of beating their enemies in battle.

“I like the sword fighting, but it’s the friends you meet along the way — it really is. It’s a really good community,” said a Waterboro-based participant who goes by the name Camille Des Jardins. “We didn’t fit in other places, and we fit here.”

Greg Tremblay, of Boston, agreed.

“(It’s) community — 100%,” said Tremblay, who plays under the name Gavin Kent.

Malagentia is the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism, or SCA, a group founded in 1966 with a focus on learning about and recreating the Middle Ages and Renaissance eras in the modern age.

Most members have their own niche interests in the group, from traditional fencing practices to the Dutch masters of art.

“Our goal is to educate people and encourage the exploration of things within that life. How did people cook? How did they dress? How did they make their swords?” said Collette d’Avingnon (her SCA name), of Biddeford.

In addition to fencing and weaponry, players can take up activities like medieval dance, painting, cooking, woodworking, calligraphy and more.

Des Jardins has the role of fencing instructor in the group. An SCA member for about 25 years, she dons a purple Elizabethan period-inspired outfit and armor.

“I started fencing in college, and fencing is kind of the gateway for a lot of people,” Des Jardins said. “For years, I did nothing but fence, then I realized there’s other things. So now that I get involved, there’s dancing, there’s cooking, I do artwork.”

Seth Wilhelm of Westbrook holding up a hockey jersey with the fencing chapter’s Malagentia seal. Katie Langley/Portland Press Herald

Fencing practice meets each week at Payson Park in Portland in the summer months, and during winter at the Sullivan Gym at the University of Southern Maine.

The friendly competition uses rapiers and daggers that are blunted at the end, so no one gets hurt. Touch your opponent’s limb, they can no longer use it. Hit them in an important artery, and they’re “dead.”

Chris Schmaling, of Standish, who goes by Q in the SCA world, went up against Tim Osborne (also known as Rwuan), of Livermore. For Schmaling, SCA is a family affair.

“My daughter has been doing this since she was 2 days old,” said Schmaling, who has been role-playing for about 25 years.

Eli Parsons, of Portland, is a newcomer in the group. Parsons said he was hooked as soon as someone handed him a sword.

“After COVID, I was looking for some kind of social club, something to get out and go do something,” Parsons said. “I happened to hear there was a sword fighting practice going on every Tuesday and I was like, ‘Let me check it out.’”

Whether you’ve been in the organization for two decades or two days, SCA aims to be welcoming to all.

“One thing that we really pride ourselves in is being accepting of people, so this is a place where anybody, it doesn’t matter where you come from, what you do … we want you to come here and play and explore and feel safe doing so,” D’Avingnon said.