3 Las Palomas
Orinda CA 94563
11 August XII (1977)
Karina of the Far West, Laurel Queen of Arms,
to the Heralds of the four Kingdoms,
Greetings.
The following arms, devices, and badges
are accepted by the College of Arms.
ACCEPTANCES
FOR THE KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT:
Bran mac Oengus. Gules, on a roundel between three death's heads all argent, a raven stooping sable.
"Mak" is not a variant of "mac", but a name coined by Robert E. Howard. There is no K in Gaelic.
"Stooping" means that the bird
is seen affronte' its wings addorsed and its talons extended as
if about to pounce on something.
Clare of Woodsend. Sable, on a pale ermine, a sinister hand apaumee' vert.
"Tanhlyta" is not a word in Gaelic
or Welsh; the combination nh never occurs. Do not
use a cartouche shape.
Kristen von der Hand-Falk. Barry argent and vert, perched on a sinister hawking glove fesswise to dexter vair tasseled gules, a hawk tergiant, its head facing dexter, sable armed and orbed gules.
"Tergiant guardant" is incorrect.
"Tergiant" means "with its back to the viewer"
and "guardant" means "facing the viewer".
Granted that hawks can do this, Kristen's isn't.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF THE WEST:
Anna McAyre of Gorabh.
Vert, a pile from sinister throughout argent, thereon a dagger
fesswise sable.
Anne de Villanova. Argent, three bendlets sinister wavy vert between a martlet azure and an open book Or leathered azure.
Martlets have legs, though the feet aren't
shown.
Aonghais Dubh MacTarbh. badge for Clan Creachainn West. Per pale argent and sable, a horse's head couped argent, orbed gules, crined of flames and incensed proper, gorged of a docal crown Or fimbriated sable.
It has been pointed out that one cannot determine, heraldically, an animal's sexual status by its head alone.
Place on roundel, not heater.
Benjamin von Ermantrodt. Or, in cross four falcons migrant clockwise and a fifth stooping, all sable.
The migrant position of the first four means
that here "stooping" is headon.
Brian the Reticent.
Gules, a pale Or between a gearwheel and a pelican, wings elevated
and addorsed, both argent.
Caroline of Waldland.
Sable, a Chinese dragon passant gules, orbed and armed argent,
spined, bellied, and fimbriated Or, in chief a butterfly Or.
Collin of Duntamknacken.
badge for Clan Colin. A merman, bow in dexter and arrow in sinister
hand, tail to sinister, argent.
Deporadh of Rannoch.
Per chevron debased azure and argent, two mullets argent and in
base a birch leaf erect proper. (Betula alba)
Eilis ni Roibeard O'Boirne. badge. A quatrefoil knot. (Named by analogy of the trefoil knot.)
{Here there be a drawing}
This is what badges ought to be likenot
secondary coats of arms! But Lord Codex would rather she settled
on some color for it.
Elaine of Wogen Cavern.
Sable, a bend sinister gules fimbriated Or, between a mullet and
a pegasus rampant contournee Or.
Eowyn Amberdrake. Vert, three dragons in triquetra, tails interlaced through an annulet, passant outward, Or.
I don't know whom I pity more, the dragons
or the artist who has to draw it.
Golden Rivers, Barony.
Vert, a chevron inverted wavy and in chief a laurel wreath, both
Or.
Gwydiaan am y'Gorlwyn. badge for House Smith. Vert, a cross argent voided, a smith's hammer bendwise sable overall.
There's some confusion over the arms; we're
checking.
Hugh ap Llewellyn. badge.
An ankh interlaced with a quatrefoil knot.
Hugh's lady is Eilis O'Boirne.
Joanna de Lisane. Vert, three chevronels interlaced, in chief between two stars of four greater and four lesser points, a fleurdelys voided, all argent.
Lord Codex feels rather strongly that mullets
are of five points.
Joanna de Lisane.
badge. A fleurdelys argent voided.
Mary of Uffington.
Per bend sinister embattled sable and vert, a sword bendsinisterwise
and a tower Or.
Morven of Carrick.
Checky gules and Or, a bear sejant erect sable.
Roberto Prospero de Ruyter Northkirk. Azure, a sword bendwise inverted proper, surmounted by a dexter arm argent fesswise, vested gules, fimbriated, cuffed and maintaining a quill argent.
Lord Codex says "debruised in fess
is improper blazon" and we bow to his superior erudition.
Rowenna de Manning. Argent, between three rowan trees a star of four greater and four less points azure.
Michaels van de Bogaart's "Azure, three
trees argent" show pollarded sycamores.
St. David, College of.
Azure, upon a bend dovetailed argent a bendlet azure, in sinister
chief a laurel wreath argent.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF THE EAST:
Queen of the East.
(alteration). Azure, two flaunches ermine, over all a wreath of
rose leaves, thereon three red roses slipped and leaved proper,
enfiled of an Eastern crown Or.
Princess of the East.
(alteration). Azure, a wreath of rose leaves, thereon a red rose
slipped and leaved proper, and enfiled of a jeweled circlet proper.
David du Lac, Farwanderer. Or, a drawing compass sable; on a chief embattled azure, a sword fesswise reversed argent.
The arcshaped piece is only found
on cheap compasses; see the drawing for Der Astronomus
in Amman's Book of Trades (p.21, Dover ed.); also Parker
p. 131.
Donal macRuiseart macDonal. badge. A masthead knot sable.
{an illustration of the knot)
(Method of tying shown in U.S. Navy Rate
Training Manual, Boatswain's Mate 3 & 2, NAVTRA 10121E,
ch. 3, pp. 34 35.)
Gualruad O'Culaigne. Argent treflyvert, a club flammant proper; a chief triplearched gules.
Morgiane de Provence. Azure, a tarask counterstatant gardant gorged and leashed argent.
The Tarask is an amphibious monster connected
with Tarascon, France. I'll publish details in a future Armorial
Illustration.
Peter Alexeivich of Novgorod.
badge for Druzhina (fighters of House Ostrov). Gules, two swords
in saltire sable fimbriated rayonny Or and in chief a tern countervolant
proper; a border sable. (Sterna hirundo)
Raymond the Gruesome. (alteration of blazon). Azure, a sunwheel ensigning a curule chair Or.
Please remember that curule is an
adjective! It can also refer to a team of horses, a city official,
etc.
Salamander Pursuivant. badge to be used as a seal (pursuivant to Barony of Bhakail).A salamander statant erect playing upon a trumpet.
This badge is not to be worn on clothing;
wear the arms of the Barony and the crossed trumpets of the College.
FOR THE MIDDLE KINGDOM (Provisional)
Nige of the Cleftlands. Sable, a rose gules barbed and seeded proper, fimbriated Or, within a border invected Or.
This lady is recovering form a serious gunshot
wound. Her application was lost in transit a year ago, and has
not appeared on a letter of intent. I am passing it provisionally,
after consulting Lord Clarion, since her friends believe that
a rapid acceptance will aid her recovery.
The following are rejected.
RETURNS
FROM THE KINGDOM OF THE WEST:
Hrorek Halfdane.
Conflicts with Kendell Wright, Yorkshire, 1782. Too bad; it's
beautiful.
Hugh the Undecided.
Conflicts with Allin, Somerset, 1543; Browne, Waterford County,
Eire, 1521.
Johann Heinrich . . . of Werngerode.
Conflicts with Baur of Kitzingen, Azure six estoiles Or.
Lindisir von Nifelheim.
Nifelheim is not a land inhabited by mortals.
Robert the Seafarer.
Conflicts with Passelaygue (Rietstaap), O'Leary (Brassard), and
the Bishop of Columbus (Official Catholic Directory) (Alfgar,
1 Dec. '76).
Robert Yrmwels.
Conflicts with Avar the Boneless, badge: Sable a viper's head
couped azure orbed gules.
Sarah MacColin.
Conflicts with Antonius Justinianus, Per chevron debased purpure
and argent, a unicorn salient and in base a lion rampant, counterchanged;
a bordure counterermine.
Seaghda of Green Mountain.
Conflicts with Appleyard, Holcrew (Papworth p. 401).
Susanna von Alfheim.
Alfheim also is not a mortal land.
William of Troy.
Where is the promised drawing? This doesn't look like the pictures
of steelyards I've seen.
FROM THE KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT:
Adahard.
One who is "noble and brave" has no need of the trappings
of wizardry. The design is virtually a direct copy from a recent
Tarot deck. Start over, and take a surname.
Airlie.
The orle is "enhanced" to the point of no longer being
an orle. Redesign. "Airlie" is a place name,
and would be good as a surname; take a given name.
Alcoholic Arts, Guild for the Appreciation
of. Why not "Brewers and
Vintners" as in other Kingdoms? "Barbs" of wheat
makes no sense, resubmit blazoning them as stalks of wheat, and
draw correctly, with awns. Why not ripe wheat proper, rather
than green?
Ali Alkhazar Mutasim.
This would give a headache to any herald who had to look at it
long enough to blazon it.
Alix d'Audincourt.
Too close to Arlene the Soother, Vert, a seahorse argent between
two flaunches Or. Purpure (which you list as a possible alteration)
would be all right. Do not use "counterflory" line
of division; use a standard variation such as nebuly, wavy, etc.
AmaranthJean of the Carpathian
Raven. Conflicts with Suzanne
of Ravenhill, Or a raven close proper grasping a broken tiltingspear.
Note the normal spelling of the name of the unwithering flower.
It is correctly (but rarely) spelled amarant; never amarath.
Corbin does mean "raven" but in English dialect; the
German is Rabe.
Aonghus Grahame. The "chevron enarched" you show is not the same as the "chevron inarched" shown in Parker (p. 109), nor is it the "chevron arched" which Parker states is only found in foreign arms. The head is not identifiable as a giant's, since different charges are not necessarily to the same scale. Clay pipes are out of period.
Aonghus Grahame.
badge. Conflicts with Heming, Papworth p. 386.
Aren of Rivenhorn.
Conflicts with Kioerning: D'argent, a un demiramure de
cerf d'azure (Argent, one stag's attire azure). Also Brigen has
the counterchange: Azure a stag's attire argent. If "Syldarian"
is different from Sindarin, please inform me where I can obtain
a dictionary.
Aureliane Rigel.
badge. Whether azure or gules, this conflicts with any number
of people (Papworth, p. 877).
Balan of Narsul.
Balan (with a surname) is acceptable, but "Narsul"
(Sunwind or Firewind) is rather presumptuous. The cross gules
and the wolf sable will merge into a blob at any distance. Start
over.
Balthazar of Endor.
The chimera is usually represented with the goat's head springing
from the middle of the back. It appears here to issue from the
lion's mouth. The charge in the corner would be better blazoned
a "threearmed millrind." I would prefer that
the canton voided be removed. (Lord Alfgar errs in saying that
the canton voided is a "squire," since that is a sort
of small gyron."
Bronislous of Vilnius.
Conflicts with Akataro Minimoto, Argent a dragon rampant vert.
Are you sure about the spelling of your name? Spellings for
the city are Vilna, Wilno. Vilnius is the masculine Latin adjective:
"he of Vilna."
Bronislous of Vilnius.
badge for the House of the Bloody Sword. This is a Dungeons and
Dragons monster, the SixArmed Horror, and has no place in
heraldry. Lord Alfgar rightly says that "Anything which
requires over fifty words to blazon should be sent to the Russian
front."
Clare "tanhylta" of Woodsend.
badge. Not readily understandable as blazoned. Run it through
again as a "cross avellane sable, the center roundel gules."
That will make the proportions clear and should not run into
any conflict. The word "tanhylta" is not Gaelic; my
source says the combination nh does not occur. Where
did you find it?
Courtly Graces, School of, Bjornsburg.
Border no difference from Burnavill (Papworth, p. 859).
Dafydd "pen Dragon".
Pendragon is not a surname but a title, Chief of the Dragon (i.e.,
Wales). Even without the Red Dragon it would be unacceptable.
Start over.
Elysonne of Arrowwood.
Too cluttered; no one will ever see those arrows. Try something
simple like two arrows in saltire between four trees.
Erasimierz Waspanieski, a.k.a. Greyraven.
The cross of Jerusalem may be drawn with the plain crosslets
inside or outside the cross potent, but they should not touch
its arms. Note the drawings from Parker's Glossary and
Boutell's Heraldry. The drawings in FoxDavies' Art
of Heraldry is essentially the same as the one in Parker.
(Parker illustration) (Boutell, illustration
1) (Boutell, illustration 2) (Erasimierz)
With the arms touching, as in the fourth
drawing, the design is unclear and likely to be confusing at even
a short distance. I know of no historic example of quarterly
dimidiation, and this submission shows how undesirable it is.
In any case dimidiation is a combination of two separate coats.
In the SCA this would be permitted to husband and wife, or to
their children (with marks of cadency), after both have registers
separate devices. Individuals may not use marshalling otherwise.
Erasimierz.
badge. Court of the Trionfonciu. This "Latin" does
not correspond to the language I studied for four years. How
is it derived? The badge is scarcely heraldic, but then a badge
needn't be.
Erasimierz. badge for the Ard Duine. I comment on these here since they are all submitted under the name of Edward Wenzer.
Ard Duine. The name conflicts with a copyrighted roleplaying games, "The Arduin Grimoire."
Ard Righ. The title is not allowed. It
means High King, and the title Righ has already been used in the
East Kingdom for the King. I cannot accept the "wolf's claw"
as a charge without knowing more about it. As shown in the illustrations
here, your version is shaped quite differently form that used
by the Swabian. How is this tool used? When was it invented?
Could it be used at all if shaped this way? Why, in any case,
is an Irish chieftain using a German forester's implement?
(FoxDavies illustration Arms
of the Herren von Stein [Swabia])
Wolfclaw.
(Erasmimierz illustration of wolfclaw)
Ollave. Conflicts with the Musician's College of Atenveldt: Per bend sinister sable and azure, a clarion Or, and Granville, Gules three clarions Or (Papworth p. 1045)
Sagarts. This badge is probably all right once it is dissociated from the name "Ard Duine." Resubmit.
Brehon. Conflicts with Dome, Gules a sprig of oak with three acorns proper. By the drawings, however, this is not an oak twig at all, as it has paired rather than alternate leaves. (They are unlobed, but this is characteristic of Quercus phellos, willow oak, native to the eastern U.S.)
Aralt. Lord Alfgar finds this unintelligible. I agree.
Leabar Righ. Same comment.
This household seems to have more officers
than the Barony.
Gangr Stormraven.
Please document this "beartalon." The drawing
does not resemble a bear's foot in any way. It looks much more
like an ermine spot with three tails.
Gilraen Remmirath.
The combination "Star" for
given name and the Pleiades ("netted jewels") for surname
is unacceptable. The device is unspeakably busy, and if simplified
would run into many conflicts. Start from scratch.
Gratian Fleta.
Conflicts with Van Somberghe (Rietstaap).
Igor Medved.
Conflicts with Audun Ulfsson, Gules a bear's head erased argent.
Ivivis of Cornwall.
Conflicts with the Province of the Sun, Argent within a laurel
wreath azure a fireball proper. For your information, the name
Ivivis is not English but Nehwonese; as used here it is acceptable.
Janet Shadowhawke of Astrevia.
The name conflicts with Shadow Hawk, the title of a novel
by Andre Norton. The Egyptian manner of drawing the hawk confirms
the intended reference. "Shadow Hawk" as used in the
novel refers to a pharaoh's son who must overcome a usurper.
Astrevia is a pretty name but poor Latin if it is meant to signify
"Star Ways." Device conflicts with van Straetzeale
(Rietstaap), Gules a hawk Or.
Joi du Lac.
Conflicts with Aurelia de la Licorne, Argent a winged unicorn
rampant sable, armed, crined, unguled and winged Or.
Katharina von Allysin.
These are baroque recorders, which are out of period. The lute
should be shown stringsfront. We do not use trian aspect;
it is out of period. The parted field azure and argent is typical
of Atenveldt corporate arms.
Katharina von Allysin.
badge. Conflicts with Rurik Axefinder, Azure a candle enflamed
at both ends argent. This badge may be approved if I receive
written permission for its use from Rurik.
Ketevia Segovia.
badge for House of the Silver Circle. Conflicts with Brekke Franksdottitr,
Sable, from a tripod a cauldron over a flame argent. (Households
with a royal chartere.g. Headless House-may have arms;
others are restricted to badges.)
Lloyd von Eaker.
The method of using "plumetty" distracts the eye; as
drawn, this does not look like a snake. Plumetty has in fact
not yet been authorized. When it is, a correct drawing will be
circulated; it doesn't look like this. If you want a rattlesnake,
you should blazon it as one.
Michelle of the Twilight.
Too much of a landscape and badly blazoned into the bargain.
Simplify or start over.
Nommadd the Barbarian. Russian? You're kidding. The device is uglier than ever. Start over.
Outlands, Principality of.
The name conflicts with Lewis Carroll's Sylvie and Bruno,
wherein it is a fantasy land whose peculiar properties are contrasted
with those of England.
Paiscumbre, shire.
badge. The name is not good Spanish, say my informants G.C. and
Carmen Edmonson. A copy of their letter, suggesting alternative
names, is being sent to Aten herald. On resubmitting please include
the name and address of your seneschal so that we can correspond
directly. You need arms, not a badge; this would do if the wreath
were laurel, rather than greenbrier.
Patrick of Isstarr.
badge. The tincture of the roundel dropped out, so that it was
blazoned uncolored on a field argent. You need not actually name
any color for a badge; why drop the field color? Also,
why not blazon it a gearwheel? I am sure that is what you
had in mind.
Randall von Nordlichtwald.
Conflicts with Derneford (Papworth, p. 1122).
Rieken ap Wald.
Conflicts with Puck of Pook's Hill. The name does not look at
all Welsh! Rieken is Japanese, Wald is German; "ap Wald"
would be macaronic for "son of the forest." I suggest
you check with Lord Taliesynne.
Rorik Gunnafsson.
Conflicts with Aschenburg (Rietstaap) and St. Marreius (Papworth
p. 1121).
Saguaro Herald.
Did we ever find out anything about this one? Is it a replacement
for Rio Salado, or what? If it's still alive, resubmit, including
the name of the person to write to.
Taliesynne yr Anghyfannedd.
As we established by direct correspondence, the surnames "Nycheymwrh
mab Tylwythteg" are not acceptable, since they refer to nonmortal
races.
Varina Valeske Kaztimir.
Conflicts with my arms, Azure a wyvern argent. Alter the tinctures,
e.g. Or a wyvern purpure. "Doublecoward" makes
no sense; what you have drawn might be described as "nowed
coward", but the other leg is not shown. Are you sure of
the spelling of Kaztimir?
I take great pleasure in announcing the
appointment of Lord MacCailavaghn of Macrae to the office of Codex
Herald Advocate. He is in mundane life Mr. Donald Calavan, Albany
Squire of Arms of the Lyon Court, that is, assistant to Albany
Herald. He is at present on detached duty and living in the Barony
of Golden Rivers.
His duties for the College of Arms include
checking applications against arms recorded in the United Kingdom
and against U.S. copyrighted designs as registered by the Bureau
of Patents and Copyrights of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
This will help us toward the eventual possibility of formal recognition
of SCA heraldry by the mundane heraldic community.
The word codex means "a manuscript volume, a code of laws, a bound book (as opposed to a scroll)." The title refers to his work with reference books and the laws of heraldry.
The acceptances in this letter (with one
exception) have been passed by Lord Codex as well as by Lord Harold
Breakstone, Clarion King of Arms, and myself. The exception is
the provisional acceptance for Nige of the Cleftlands, and it
will be checked by Lord Codex in the usual way.
The acceptances since the last Armorial
and Ordinary are in the computer now, and we should be able to
bring out a new edition soon.
I remain at your service,
(Seal of Laurel Queen of Arms) Karina of the Far West
O.L., Pel., Baroness
Laurel Queen of Arms
KFW:dcm
cc: Clarion
Codex
Virgule
Steward