Eastmarch
3 Las Palomas
Orinda, CA 94563
17 August XIII (1978)
Karina of the Far West, Laurel Queen of Arms
to the Heralds of the Kingdom and Principalities
Greetings:
The following arms, devices, and badges are accepted and registered with the College of Arms.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF THE WEST:
Allyn Samildanch. Gules, between two mountain lions combatant Or, a mullet argent. (Panthera concolor)
Allissaundra Olympia Martiessa de Constantine. Argent, a dragon involved in annulo Or fimbriated sable, surrounding a double rose gules seeded Or.
The change in blazon avoids conflict without changing the emblazon, which is at lease as much Or as sable.
Acarius. Archery Guild, Golden Rivers. Badge. Vert, upon a chevronel inverted throughout wavy Or, two arrows sable.
Ayslynn MacGuaran. Azure, a snowy owl affrontée proper grasping in its dexter talon three roses Or, slipped and leaved vert, and in its sinister talon two of the same, within an orle Or. (Nyctea scandiaca)
Bern Bellower. Badge. Argent, a bellows sable.
Christina Northlander. Per fess dovetailed azure and argent, in chief three lilies one and two argent, in base a clarion vert.
(Clarion being not a trumpet but a claricord, sufflue, or organ-rest.)
Colin de Wyndmere, Azure, a sea lion erect and a chief nebuly argent.
Only four-legged creatures may be "rampant."
Curtis of Rum. Vert, a pile argent, overall a crab inverted counterchanged.
Gregoire Reynard de Bourgone. Per chevron, barry wavy of ten Or and azure; and argent a red fox sejant proper.
Gregory of York. Argent, a falcon striking proper, on a chief azure three roses argent, each charged with a rose Or, fimbriated sable, all barbed and seeded proper.
John Aquila of Eaglesdown. Purpure, an eagle counter-close Or.
Lonna Animalia de los Piños. Vert, in bend two bezants, each charged with a pine tree proper.
"Des Piñes" isn't Basque nor anything else.
Margaret Threadbare. Argent, fretty gules, a snail passant bend-sinisterwise Or.
Maria Mindalova. Azure, an almond flower proper. (Prunus amygdala)
Meggan of Starforge. Argent, issuant from base an oak tree vert, on a chief sable a star of eight points argent.
Richard of Wyvern's Mark. Azure, upon a saltire Or, in bend sinister three dragon's heads between in bend two dragon's paws vert, armed sable.
Robert Kinslayer. Vert, a stag's head cabossed within a double tressure Or, between the stag's attire a death's head couped at the jaw argent.
Saskia van Voorhees. Gules, a bend sinister Or between a candle argent, flammant Or, and an open book argent.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF CAID
Acelin de Renard. Argent, a bend sinister cotised in base gules, overall in chief a barrulet embowed sable charge with five stars of six points argent.
Codex would rather we used "cotised" than "costed," though for a bend the latter term is technically correct.
Brann Morgan Dunmore of Galloway. Argent, upon a pile reversed throughout, between two ravens sable, a tower argent.
Canyons, Canton of the. Gules, within a laurel wreath proper three chevronelles braced, in honor point an estoile of eight points Or.
Cedric of Mercia. Gyronny of eight gules and sable, two winged wolves combattant Or.
Gyronny is of eight by default, but Codex would prefer we said "of eight" anyway.
Dinan de Sevigny. Azure, a decrescent within seven trees in orle argent.
Duryn the Red. Gules, upon a chevron Or, a wheel of five spokes between two double-bladed axes gules.
Eloise of Lancaster. Argent, an African leopard passant proper; on a chief gules three fleurs-de-lis Or.
Frances Stardragon. Sable, on a gore sinister argent a dragon bendwise couchant azure, wings erect, in canton a comet rising bendwise argent.
Guinevere Elspeth Malyn. Gyronny of eight argent and azure, upon a plate enflamed proper, a dolmen sable.
There are no marks on the "round shield" to distinguish it from a plate.
Lyrel-Phillippa of Essex. Per fess azure and vert, two martlets argent voided.
Talanque. Change of previous arms. Azure, a horned demon's head erased Or.
It's the famous grotesque from Notre-Dame, sometimes incorrectly called a gargoyle.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT
Ansteorra, Prince and Principality. Or, within a tressure, a compass star of ten sable, interlacing a laurel wreath vert ribboned gules; issuant from base and overall a sun in glory gules.
Courtesan's Guild, Utanwayard. Badge. Argent, a toad sejant affrontée vert warted Or, bearing on its chest a heart gules fimbriated Or, encircled by the motto: Before you meet the handsome prince you have to kiss a lot of toads.
We don't register mottoes except as part of badges; I don't like them a whole lot even then. However.....
Francesco di Calabria. Vert, winged unicorn counter-volant argent, maned and tailed sable, armed and within a bordure embattled all Or.
Gandarva Candra. Azure, two sitars affrontées in saltire Or.
That is, the strings of the sitars are facing the viewer so they don't look like spoons.
Gwenedd Edwina Lealee ab Glendwry. Per pale potenty, sable and argent; a star of four points Or and an oak tree couped at the base proper.
Hillary Stormrider. Or, two cubit arms crossed in saltire at the wrists, the dexter vested of a plate gauntlet sable, crossed by the sinister vested of a glove gules.
Jason the Blue. Or, a four-armed demon azure, winged gules.
Marie du Lys Argent. Per bend argent and azure, in chief a garden rose in bend gules, slipped and leaved proper, barbed gules, and in base three fleurs-de-lis in bend argent.
Medithkgr the Diverse. Per fess azure, a gout de sang fimbriated argent; and Or, two frets couped fesswise, the dexter vert and the sinister purpure.
Codex says that goutée need not follow the rules of tincture and this fimbriation isn't necessary. If you want to drop it, let us know.
Sean MacFflam. Badge for House Ravenswaard. Azure, three Tau crosses, stems conjoined in trefoil, argent; overall a raven displayed sable, fimbriated argent.
S'ikhijvālā Gehe Candrasyā. Badge for Chalā Gajā. Argent, an elephant's foot gules, wearing an anklet and pendant therefore an oriental dancer's bell Or.
Yukio Kioshio. Argent, a bend azure, overall a winged dolphin embowed azure charged on the bend Or, langued gules.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF MERIDIES
Rhithn yr Gwlad yr Hav. Azure, a plate charged with a cauldron and a domestic cat in its curiosity sable.
That is, the cat is standing on its hindpaws, its forepaws on the rim of the cauldron, and is peering in.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF THE EAST
Bhakail, Barony of. Order of the Salamander. Or, a salamander turgiant sable.
The following arms are voided, the office having been abolished:
The Imperial Tribune. Vert, a wingless sphinx sejant Or.
The following are rejected.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF THE WEST:
Amanda Kendal of Westmorland. Badge.
Conflicts with Morgaine la Foncé, Per saltire vert and azure, a fret throughout Or.
Anne of Caerdyyd,
Conflicts with Gunnar Mulcha of Odin's Seat. We have not been able to reach Gunnar, and the consensus of the Kingdom and Principality Heralds is that silence does not imply consent.
Damian of Silvertere.
This is so busy as to defeat the purpose of heraldry.
Daniel Shadygrove.
The nesselblatt (nettle-leaf) is a charge, not a bordure, and in any case it's German heraldry, not English. The Amanitca muscaria has a white stem, a red cap flecked with white. Instead of the nesselblatt, you might try a hide, a somewhat similar but much simpler shape.
Elliott of Ruxon Hall.
Conflicts with Amyas (Papworth), Sable, a chevron between 3 escallops argent. And by the way, Elliott is a surname. It is used as a given name in the twentieth century, but was not so used in our period. Please find a given name.
Elwyn Greystar. Badge
Star Polygons are forbidden.
Faugn Gwyndarr ap Llyr.
Llyr is a Celtic God; you cannot claim to be his son.
James Drakeslayer.
Conflicts with Tamar the Gypsy: Vert, on a bezant a wyvern vert.
Martinus de Macascogh.
Too much of the Jerusalem cross has to go on the field, violating tincture. It's not the proper design for the Jerusalem cross anyway. Please redesign so that it observes the law of tincture, when it will be quire striking.
Mika.
This quarters Theodulf of Borogrove (previously passed) and Anne of Caerdydd (rejected, see above).
Musicians's Guild, Golden Rivers.
A dumbec is a drum used in Middle Eastern music; it can be made of all kinds of materials and cannot be "proper".
Truedana of the Bells.
I quote Lord Codex: "In conflict with Gillis-Porter, Armagh, Eire, Ulster, Northern Ireland-1736, by Ulster King of Arms, within one point of difference. An arms of vacancy in the same manner [that is, something which would not be in conflict] would be: (1) per pale azure and Or, (2) per pale gules and Or, or (3) per pale gules and argent; if these examples were coupled with the following in the same numerical sequence: (1) a chevron gules, (2) a chevron azure, (3) a chevron azure, or (4) a chevron vert, sable, purpure, ermine, etc. You will add besides the one point of different two points in the #1 and #2 groups, 3 points for #3 and 4 or 5 points in #4. It's such a nicely balanced arms (heraldically) that I really would like to see the subscriber have something akin to it."
White Unicorn Pursuivant.
Conflicts with Unicorn Pursuivant, Scotland; also with various mundane arms and Oberon, King of Amber. Also, the laurel wreath is not suitable for the seal of a branch herald. Finally, remember that seals have no tincture.
Yvonne de la Hippocampus.
Keeping to one language, the name would be Yvonne du Hippocampe. (Or Ioanna Hippocampi.) And a field division in the shape of tow opposed horse's heads is not heraldry in our period. Way late and decadent. Pretty, but not medieval heraldry; actually it looks like one of the works of Escher. Please start over once again. (This was described as a "resubmission," but we don't have a history form or a previous submission.)
FOR THE KINGDOM OF CAID
Aubrey Middlemas of Norleigh.
Conflicts with Kingdom of the Islands (in Red Moon and Black Mountain), Azure a wheel Or. And if you removed the wheel the result would look like Harley-Davidson. Start over please, and remember that "middlemas" should be the name of a feast (Christmas, Candlemas), not a person.
Balin of Tor.
Conflicts with Murcheson, Exeter, Devonshire, 1840 by rematriculation of Murcheson, Salop 1491. A vacant arms would be Gules, two wings in lure argent, overall a sword erect azure. (Codex).
Brynhildr Kormaksdottir.
We need documentation on the Urnes-beast. I can recognize the general cultural and artistic style but I need something more specific reference on exactly where the original is found; a photography would be nice. (Note that according to Geirr-Bassi Haraldsson your name is perfectly acceptable.)
Cameron of Caldoon.
What you have drawn is (or are) not Fu dogs, or temple lions as they're also called, which appear in many standard works on Chinese mythology and art. If you want Fu dogs' heads, please resubmit with a new emblazon; or if you want what you have here, please let me know what they are. Either one would be lively to be approved, since we have none of either registered.
Robert of Lawrence, called Thin Robert.
Conflicts with Danielle Christine: Sable on a bend invected Or a bend gules, thereon a dove rising bearing a lily argent.
Rowen-Lynn of Woodvine.
Conflicts with Gwendolyn of Caer Cerrddinen: Argent, a rowan tree eradicated fructed proper, a bordure embattled vert.
Thomas of Whitelow.
Conflicts with Starkad Maledon: Argent, a Chinese dragon vert...entwined about a sword Or.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT
Kostin von Näherin.
The classical chimaera has the head of a lion, the body of a goat (with the goat's head rising out of the middle of the back, whereas the lion hard is attached to the shoulders in the normal manner), and the tail of a serpent, or sometimes a tail which is a serpent. Your chimaera appears to have a two-headed lion's body, the dexter head that of a lion and the sinister that of a goat, and a tail which is a serpent. Can you provide documentation for this as an "oriental" chimera? Or would you prefer to use the classical model? In the latter case, the beast should be passant or otherwise seen from the side, so as to display its interesting anatomy. I should note that this is the first chimaera of any kind to be submitted to the College of Arms.
Tagan the Talesmythe.
The south end of a dragon going north is not a suitable subject for heraldry/ You could have a dragon's tail emerging from a cave or from behind a rock; or even from behind an avil or other piece of smith's equipment. Or a dragon's tail couped and served on a platter for Twelfth Night. But not a dragon's fundament escaping over a wall.
FOR THE MIDDLE KINGDOM
Eric Odinsson.
I wrote Lord Dragon's predecessor about this in the year X, saying "For one thing the emblazon shows the kraken with eight tentacles instead of the appropriate ten, and an oval human eye instead of a round molluscan eye. For another there is no such thing as a kraken proper; they change color according to their mood of the moment, and Mithras only knows what emotions a kraken would experience while vulning itself in the head...Could you persuade the fellow to start over?" Apparently he wasn't persuaded; a pity since we have so few cephalopods. (Have the Heralds all seen Styrbjørg Ulfeđnar's excellent article on suggested heraldic conventions for cephalopods, forwarded to me by Brigantia? If not, I'll make copies and distribute them.) And of course he can't be "Odinsson" without proof of his parentage, (A few ash leaves in midwinter?)
Finally: the submissions for Alewaulfe the Red (badge), Princess of Ansteorra, Rodrigo de Cerdaña (house badge), Strider the Persistent, Utsanna Nandana, Viviane Aurore de la Mer, and William of Duramen have been queried by Codex and I have to write to him about them. They have not yet been either passed or rejected.
I remain at your service,
Karina of the Far West
Laurel Queen of Arms
KFW:dcm
cc: Codex
Virgule
Clarion
Banner
Bassi
Steward