APPROVALS 1 31 October XIX (1984)

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED:

Kingdom of Atlantia.

Anne of Ridgehaven. Name and device. Per bend sinister argent and azure, a mullet and an acorn slipped and leaved, counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: SCA convention places the two charges on opposite sides of the line of division. Unless there is something else in the blazon that is likely to make it ambiguous (such as an unusual arrangement of charges or a field semy), it is not necessary to say "in dexter chief" and "in sinister base."

Anne of Threadneedle Street. (submitted as Anne Cavalieri of Threadneedle Street). Name and device. Azure, a chevron erminois between two cotises

engrailed on the outer edges argent, in chief two ash keys fesswise reversed, and in base a domestic cat couchant Or.

NOTE: Cavalieri is too close to cavaliere, the Italian word for 'knight'. We have omitted it in order to register the device.

Bjorn Bjorklund. Device. Quarterly vert and Or, a chevron couched dexter and another sinister, conjoined at the points, counterchanged.

Diana of the Dragon Isles. Device. Per bend engrailed sable and Or, two horses courant to sinister reguardant counterchanged.

NOTE: Very nice.

Elsa von der Seeküste. (submitted as Elsa von Seeküste). Name and device. Per bend sinister sable, and argent semy of ivy leaves vert, in dexter chief an eagle's leg erased at the thigh Or and in sinister base an estoile gules.

NOTE: "Of the seacoast" is "von der Seekffste." We have corrected the name accordingly. DISCUSSION: The eagle's leg could also be blazoned as erased à la quise (French 'at the thigh'), but Parker gives an example of a leg blazoned using the English translation (p. 368), and the meaning is certainly more obvious to someone who doesn't know the French. An estoile has six wavy rays by default.

Eric von Charlottenberg. Device. Vert, a pall inverted between three mullets of four points argent.

NOTE: Good heraldry.

Findlaech MacAlasdair. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Jonathan Ryder. Name only.

Michael le Marin. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Nerissa of the Golden Sea. Name and device. Vert, three stalks of wheat bendwise sinister in fess and a chief wavy Or.

Sean of Bedford. Name and device. Ermine, a lion sejant affronty erect, forelegs displayed, per pale azure and Or, the head counterchanged, within a bordure engrailed azure.

Shea Kildare. Name and device. Sable, on a bezant engrailed a unicornate sea­horse passant sable, and on a chief invected Or, three torteaux.

DISCUSSION: A hippocampus is a natural sea­horse. Engrailed and invected are blazoned from the perspective of the charge to which they are applied, not the field. A roundel engrailed has the points outward, and a chief invected, the bumps.

Thomas Longshanks. Badge. Per fess argent and azure, a clarion counterchanged.

Thóra Arnketil. (submitted as Thjóra Arnketil). Name only (see RETURNS for device).

NOTE: Thjóra does not appear to be correctly formed. We have substituted the known given name Thóra. Arnketil is a valid Scottish surname derived from an Old Norse personal name. A more consistent form would be to use the Old Norse metronymic, Arnketilsdóttir.

Kingdom of Caid

Abdur Rahman Curom Memo Hazara Khan­ad­din. Badge. Gules, a warhammer bendwise sable, fimbriated, within a bordure argent.

Alfrede Raedwald of Devennport. Name change from Aelfraed Raedwald of Devennport (appeal). NOTE: Appeal sustained.

Alinor of Flarionwood. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Alix Concordia von Alterstein. (submitted as Alix Concordia von Altstein). Name and device. Per pale purpure and vert, a pale rayonny argent between two trowels Or.

NOTE: According to Mistress Cynthia, the German adjective alt 'old' takes the ending ­er before the noun stein 'stone'. DISCUSSION: It would appear from the example in Parker (p. 491) that an ordinary rayonny may be drawn with alternately straight and wavy rays.

Alrik Einar Thorvald. Badge. Argent, a praying mantis passant close vert within a bordure wavy sable.

DISCUSSION: This is clear of DARIA JOAN DE COURTENAY, "Argent, a praying mantis rising [wings addorsed] vert." (SCA) Daria's mantis is drawn with wings addorsed, providing the needed minor point for position.

Boethius, College of. Device. Bendy sinister sans nombre argent and azure, a laurel wreath vert and on a bordure Or five open books azure.

NOTE: The argent parts of the field should be more dominant, to provide contrast for the green laurel wreath.

Ceridwen Dafydd. Badge for Caer Ddysg. Argent, on a tower vert an equal-armed Celtic cross Or.

Devin Faol­lonn. (submitted as Devin Lonnfaolan). Name and device. Per chevron inverted gules and argent, a sword sable within a wreath of flames proper.

NOTE: In Gaelic, the adjective generally follows the noun. We have corrected the clan name to Faol­lonn. DISCUSSION: This was submitted as a sword "environed of flames." According to J. P. Brooke­Little, environed means "encircled by," and is usually applied to a serpent "coiled so as to form a circle." (An Heraldic Alphabet, pp. 90­91) Since fire has no shape of its own, a charge "environed of flames" would be within a closed circle, which is not what is drawn here. I have instead blazoned this as a "wreath of flames," which, given the Society definition of a wreath, accurately describes the charge.

Guy Quartermain de Roncevalles. Name and device. Quarterly Or and sable, a cross gules between four sinister hands aversant counterchanged.

Kylan Javan McRoy. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Kingdom of Calontir

Alban St. Albans. Name and device. Argent, on a saltire gules between four crosses potent vert, a tower Or.

Alix Coeurbois. Device. Per chevron azure and argent, two crosses crosslet Or and a tree stump snagged proper.

DISCUSSION: Snagged means that the top of the stump is couped "so that the section is seen in perspective." (Parker 582) The term has been used previously in SCA blazon. The stump is not eradicated; the roots shown are what one would normally see, not what one would see if the stump had been uprooted.

Bran Gwyn ap Arthur ap Maelgwyn. Name change from Bran Gwyn ap Arthur (see RETURNS for device).

Brian d'Amarcian. Name only.

Brom Blackhand. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Caitlyn of Penryn. Badge. An English stirrup argent pierced through the pad by an arrow bendwise Or.

Calontir, Queen of. Device. Purpure, a cross of Calatrava, in chief a crown Or, within a wreath of roses lying as on a border argent.

NOTE: The position of the wreath is poor style, but it has been allowed previously in the arms of the king, and they are entitled to the allusion. This could be improved by enclosing the crown as well as the cross, and calling this an orle of roses. DISCUSSION: In SCA heraldry, a wreath is a U­shaped charge or arrangement of charges, as opposed to a chaplet, which is a closed circle. (What mundane heralds call a wreath is better known to us as a torse.).

Calontir, Crown Princess of. Device. Purpure, a cross of Calatrava, in chief a crown Or, within a wreath of trillium flowers lying as on a border argent.

NOTE: This could be improved by replacing the wreath with an orle of trillium flowers.

Calontir, Kingdom of. Badge for King's Compaignie of Archiers. Purpure, a cross of Calatrava above three arrows reversed fesswise in pale Or.

Conn MacNeill. Name only (submitted as Conn MacNiall).

NOTE: Mac takes the genitive form of the parent's given name. The regular genitive of Niall is Neill.

Corisande Seathwaite. Name and device. Per bend sinister embattled erminois and purpure, a cross moline and a maunch counterchanged.

Deotrich Hiltipard. Name and device. Azure, on a pile throughout between two panthers incensed combatant argent, a Latin cross azure. DISCUSSION: A real

medieval pile!

Donato el Lobo. Name only.

Erich Hlodowechssun fon Hocheichhalu. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Fernando Rodriguez de Falcon. Name change from Ferdinand of Falcon's Peak.

Heinrich Wolfhart. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Isobel of Norfolk. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

John Wystan of Deodar. Name and device. Argent, a Maltese cross between two flaunches vert, each flank charged with a Maltese cross counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: I find this blazon clearer than ones that describe the three crosses as being "in fess," since it leaves no doubt that two of the charges are on the flaunches, and not overlying them.

Jörg Kratz. Device. Argent, a bend embattled vert between a stag's attires and a bow bent and stringed bendwise sable.

DISCUSSION: A bend is by default embattled on its upper edge only.

Kara Montagu. Name and device. Azure, a lightning bolt bendwise, on a chief argent three mascles gules.

Loric Silvestris. Name and device. Gules, on a bend sinister between a sword inverted and two linked annulets Or, three lyres palewise gules, all within a bordure Or.

Marianne of Wareine. Name only.

Morgana of Dragonheart. Name and device. Sable, a dragon passant and on a chief embattled argent three hearts gules.

NOTE: Nice device.

Peadrus Ocie. Name only.

NOTE: Peadrus is not, as nearly as we can tell, a Scots Gaelic form of Peter (which would normally be Peadar), but it does appear to be a reasonable latinization.

Petrina the Herbalist. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Sara of Rockcliff Manor. Name only.

Standing Stones, Shire of. Device. Per saltire Or and sable, a laurel wreath vert, two dolmens argent, and a sun sable.

NOTE: This device could be improved heraldically by replacing the sun in base with another green laurel wreath. DISCUSSION: "The default form of a dolmen is a trilithon." (WvS, 29 Dec 80, p. 2; quoted in Prec III, p. 29). This is also the term used in the ordinary.

Stanislaus Blachuta. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

NOTE: We're not positive, but we believe the use of the feminine ending (­a) in a male name is a late development.

Stefan Albrecht Kaltstahl. Badge for the Free Archers of Three Rivers. Per saltire azure and argent, four pheons in cross, points to center, counterchanged.

Thoman Shadan Secarius. Name and device. Or. a gurges gules, overall a dagger inverted sable.

Kingdom of the East

Alterkämper Feld, Shire of (submitted as Alter Kampe Feld). Name only.

DISCUSSION: Schwarzdrachen has provided the Laurel office with a Persian duplicate* of a dictionary entry defining Kämpe 'Soldat, tough old veteran' and alter Kämpe 'old hand'. (Heinz Messigner and Werner Rgdenberg. Langenscheidts Handwörterbuch Englisch. Part I: Englisch­Deutsch, page 322. Langenscheidt, 1977.) If I understand the comments correctly, the two words coalesce and are inflected, yielding either Alterkämper Feld or Alterkämperfeld.

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* Hail, Xeroxes, king of the Persians!

Anastasia Jaroslavovna. (submitted as Anastasia Jaroslavna). Name and device. Or, a crocodile bicapitate and double queued tergiant vert within a bordure purpure charged with three bezants.

NOTE: According to Lady Adelaide de Beaumont (who asked her Russian teacher), the correct patronymic ending is ­ovna, not ­na. DISCUSSION: The crocodile is not displayed, as its limbs are not splayed (this being the apparent operative criterion).

Anton Winteroak. Name and device. Per pale sable and argent, an oak tree eradicated gules and in chief two wolf's heads cabossed counterchanged.

Arnoff Ragnarsson. Name only.

Ashraf Qaraci. Name and device. Gules, on a bend rayonny between two cushions Or, a bend sable.

Corwin Renwald. Device. Argent, a bend sinister purpure between a raven volant, wings erect, and a garden rose, slipped and leaved, issuant from sinister base sable.

DISCUSSION: The raven was blazoned in the letter of intent as preying, but Parker and Brooke­Little both associate this term with trussing, i.e., eating its prey. I have instead blazoned it as volant, with the position of the wings stated explicitly.

The objection was raised that the name Corwin, in combination with the sable rose on argent, is too reminiscent of Corwin of Amber. All of the past rulings have dealt with submissions that had a white rose on a black field (Corwin's attributed arms); the objections to the present submission point out that Corwin's colors are black and white, and that the counterchange of his arms appeared on the cover of one of the early editions of the books. (The ruling on the submitter's previous submission doesn't help. Laurel suggested he change the tincture of the field or the charge, which would have resulted in a color not used by Corwin of Amber; the applicant interchanged the tinctures.)

My feeling is that this is a case in which the letter of the law has evaded the spirit. We are no longer asking if the applicant is claiming some connection to a fictional character, we are asking if he is using one of that character's symbols. Since the colors being used are the counterchange of Corwin's, and the symbol is the lesser of a pair of different secondary charges, I believe the answer is "no."

Damon de la Main. Name and device. Per bend vert and Or, a sinister hand apaumy couped and a fret counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: A fret couped would have all four of its limbs foreshortened. A fret throughout would have its bendwise sinister limb extending into chief. What is depicted here (with the bendwise sinister limb terminating at the line of division) follows logically from our convention of arranging charges symmetrically about a line of division.

Daria Joan de Courtenay. Device (reblazon). Argent, a praying mantis rising, wings addorsed, vert.

David Davidson of Renwick. Name only.

Dawyd z Gury. Name change (from David of Gury).

Delftwood, Barony of. Badge. Quarterly azure and argent, a windmill, sails in cross, counterchanged.

Diana ferch Morfudd. (submitted as Diana merch Morfudd). Name and device. Per bend sinister gules and sable, in dexter chief a harp argent, and in sinister base a calendula Or, eyed sable, between in bend sinister two daisies argent, eyed Or.

NOTE: Merch 'daughter of' mutates to ferch following a given name. The device could be improved considerably (and the blazon simplified) by making the three charges in base the same.

Ecaterina Amber of Tospenwood. Name and device. Per bend vert and Or, two oak leaves in bend sinister conjoined at the stems counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: Adossé is the French for "addorsed," and is not acceptable as the sole description of this rather curious arrangement of charges. A herald unfamiliar with the specific plate in Woodward would have difficulty reconstructing the emblazon from the blazon.

Edward Rivers of Cheshire. Name only.

Elaigne Kerr Benicoeur. Change of device. Per bend sable and azure, a bend raguly between two cur's heads erased and sinister facing argent.

NOTE: Her old device is released.

Fiachna of Glencar. Device. Gules, a bend Or surmounted by a sword bendwise sinister proper and in chief a tern volant, all within a bordure argent.

Frederick MacGregor. Name and device. Azure, a saltire chequy gules and argent between a goose displayed, head to sinister, and three ducks naiant argent.

Garlon Dragonheart ap Rheged. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Gwilym o'r Tair Afon. (Gwilym o'r Afonydd Tair). Name only.

NOTE: According to Batonvert, the number (tair 'three') should precede the noun (afon 'river'), which is singular. We have corrected the name accordingly.

Honoré Pierre d'Ardres. Name and device. Purpure, a natural leopard's face proper, jessant­de­lis, within a bordure potenty argent.

Janina Katrina. Name and device. Argent, a horse's head couped at the shoulders sable, maned of flames proper, within a bordure embattled sable.

Jesse the Smith. Name and device. Per fess purpure and argent, three roundels within a bordure embattled, all counterchanged.

NOTE: Very nice.

Joanna Forward of Spurling. Name only.

Johann Carl Otto Maximilian von Adlerturm. Badge. Argent, on a pale between two fleurs­de­lys purpure, a sword inverted, the blade wavy, Or.

DISCUSSION: Unless there is a specific name for this type of sword, I am inclined to treat the fleur­de­lys at the end of each quillon as being within the bounds of artistic license.

Josef Gajdos. Name and device. Azure, two bears statant erect respectant Or within six plates in annulo.

Joseph of the Red Griffin. Name and device. Per bend sinister engrailed Or and azure, a griffin segreant gules and two keys in saltire Or.

DISCUSSION: "In the SCA the use of engrailed with per bend, per bend sinister, and per fess should ... have points to chief." (WvS, 21 Feb 84, p. 9).

Josephs Marci de Marseilles. Name change (from Josephs Marcia de Marseilles).

Justine the Purehearted. Name only.

Katya Ulibak. (submitted as Katya Ulibaushoy). Name and device. Argent, a lion's head caboshed between four goblets in cross sable.

NOTE: According to Lady Adelaide, the genitive plural of the Russian noun 'smile' is Ulibak or Ulibok.

Kaylitha Rhiannon of Southhaven. Badge for House Southhaven (held jointly with Galen of Bristol). Per pale gules and azure, a compass star elongated to base and a base embattled Or.

Keriwyn of Shadow's Dance. Name and device. Vert, a castle triple­towered and on a chief indented Or, two hearts gules.

Larkin Marion Oaksbane. Name and device. Argent, an oak tree eradicated and sundered proper, fructed Or, in chief a lightning bolt palewise sable, all within a bordure vert, semy of acorns Or.

Leslie of Fairferd. Name only.

NOTE: Leslie apparently didn't come into use as a given name until the 19th Century. (Withycombe 194­195) Please advise the applicant of this. It is his mundane given name, and so is acceptable.

Madeline of Northcote. Name only.

Madeline of Starwood. Name correction (from Madelaine of Starwood).

Malkyn of Glenhaven. Name and device. Per chevron Or and vert, two trefoils slipped and a stag trippant reguardant within a bordure embattled, all counterchanged.

Margreta Oaksbane. Name and device. Per fess azure and argent, a dandelion Or, slipped and leaved vert, within a bordure counterchanged.

Matilde des Iles Froides. (submitted as Matilde des Froidisles). Name only.

NOTE: Coalesence does not, to the best of my knowledge, affect word order. In the absence of examples, I'm forced to agree with the commenters who felt that the normal French word order would be preserved.

Maximilian der Sperling. Name only.

Merlynia of Rivenoak. Name change (from Merlinia Silver Dove the Faye) and reblazon. Per fess sable and azure, a tower between in fess four mullets in chevron inverted, and in chief a gull volant to sinister argent.

DISCUSSION: The above blazon is, I believe, a more accurate description of the emblazon than that listed in the armorial. There are two mullets on each side of the tower, two and two, with the pair in chief being further from the tower than the pair in base.

Micheal Mor O'Faolain. Name only.

Mikhail Gregorievich of Kiev. Device. Vert, on a bend sinister ermine between six bees volant en arriere Or, a weaver's shuttle gules.

Narrenbeck, Canton of. Name and device. Sable, a foot couped reversed within a laurel wreath Or.

DISCUSSION: This was submitted as a sinister foot. Who can tell?

Publius Genericus Scotus. Name only.

DISCUSSION: Brigantia's arguments for the use of Genericus as a gentile name seem to me to be plausible, even if they are not conclusive. Given her endorsement, I am inclined to allow the submitter the benefit of the doubt. (Isn't the Generic Scot the mascot for Safeway's "Scotch Brand?")

Robyn of Deira. Name only.

Sebastien de la Main Gauche. Name correction (from Sebastian de la Main Gauche).

Serena del Cavallo. Name and device. Purpure, a bend vert fimbriated between two water bougets argent.

Silver Tarn, Shire of. Name only.

Taurandir the Hunter. (submitted as Taurnadir an Sealgair). Name and device. Per pale gules and argent, a chevron between two wings conjoined in lure and a wolf's head cabossed, all counterchanged.

NOTE: "Sindarin may be used to form an SCA given name or byname so long as such a name is consistent with the Sindarin names adopted by humans in Middle Earth." (WvS, 28 Mar 84, p. 8) While an earlier ruling (25 Nov 82) allowed Scots Gaelic to be combined with Sindarin (and Quenya), I believe the later rulings have superseded this. In order to register the device, I have substituted the English translation (this being how Tolkien represented Westron, the common speech) for the Gaelic byname an Sealgair 'the Hunter'.

Batonvert objected (echoed by Master Wilhelm) that taur­ is too similar to the royal prefix Tar­, and that the name Taurandir infringes on that of Tarondor, seventh king of Arnor (also the name of the twenty­seventh king of Gondor). I cannot agree. Taur (Sindarin 'wood', 'forest') is distinct from Tar (Sindarin 'high'; Quenya 'high', 'noble', used as a royal prefix by the rulers of Nùmenor who took their names in Quenya), and Taurandir (Sindarin 'forest­wanderer') is from different roots than Tarondor Quenya, 'royal rock?'). (Ruth S. Noel, The Languages of Tolkien's Middle­Earth, pages 192 and 194. Houghton Miflin, 1980. Also Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle­Earth, pages 475­476. Ballantine Books, revised edition 1979.)

Yosef Alaric. Device (reblazon; see RETURNS for name correction). Azure, in saltire a trumpet inverted Or and a lute in profile proper.

Yosef Alaric. Badge for the Fellowship of the Grimflaed. A monster rampant composed of the forequarters of a camelopard Or, spotted sable, conjoined with the hindquarters of a dragon Or.

DISCUSSION: While I would hesitate to allow a created monster of this sort in a device, it seems a reasonable badge.

Kingdom of the Middle

Alix la Gauchère. (submitted as Alix à Gauchers). Name only (see RETURNS for device).

NOTE: French for 'the left­handed' is la Gauchère. (Dubois I 343) We have corrected the name accordingly.

Amyas Calcularis. Name only.

Bardolph Odger Windläufer. (submitted as Bardolph Odger Windläufer Windrunner). Name only.

NOTE: Repetition of the epithet "Windrunner" (in two languages) appears to be modern whimsy.

Brandr Halfdanr. Name and device. Azure, three bars wavy argent, overall a long sword inverted proper and in chief two chalices argent issuing rays of light Or.

Cynethryth o Went. (submitted as Cynethryth na Gwent). Name and device. Argent, an arrow bendwise sinister proper, flighted azure, in dexter chief a riven star, all within an orle azure.

NOTE: According to Batonvert, the correct Welsh for 'of Gwent' is o Went. We have amended the name accordingly. This device could be improved by rendering the arrow in a single, heraldic tincture, and by adding a second riven star in sinister base, for balance. DISCUSSION: The riven star was defined by Karina of the Far West when she approved the arms of the Barony. The applicant was the first recipient of the baronial Order of the Riven Star, so the use seems appropriate.

Elaine Ladd. Device. Per fess wavy argent and barry wavy azure and argent, in chief a tower sable enflamed proper.

Elaine Ladd. Badge. Vert, on a bend invected between two unstrung recurved bows bendwise Or, another vert.

DISCUSSION: The bows shown in the color copy were not the same as those shown in the miniature emblazon that was circulated with the letter of intent.

Fernanda de la Forêt. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Guillaume le Fort. Name and device. Azure, semy of swords argent, a smith's hammer fesswise reversed Or.

Korok Starbear the Hammerhand. Name and device. Sable, two chevronels throughout between two compass stars and a bear's head caboshed, all within a bordure argent.

Korok Starbear the Hammerhand. Badge for House Starbear. Per chevron argent and sable, a chevron between two compass stars and a bear's head caboshed, all counterchanged.

Marc Uther Corwyn David Rengarth. Name and device. Azure, a sword inverted proper surmounted by a pair of scales within a bordure argent.

Maria Teresa Tibeiro dos Santos. Device. Azure, two quill pens in chevron inverted, and in base an ornamented trivet in profile Or.

Valerius Paencalvus. Name and device. Azure, in pale a demi­bear rampant to sinister Or and a double­horned anvil argent.

DISCUSSION: Parker says that demi­beasts may be rampant.

Kingdom of the West

Aislinn Gildara Breemore. Device (reblazon). Gules, on a heart Or, a chaplet of heather vert, flowered purpure, all within a bordure Or.

Anne Barton of Great Oaks. Badge. A Manx cat statant to sinister sable.

Branwyn Guilford. Name and device. Per fess indented sable and gules, a dance between two mullets of four points Or.

DISCUSSION: Dance is an old name for a fess dancetty. The term is somewhat obscure, but no less so than the medieval definition of dancetty, which the College of Arms has adopted; and its use may help reinforce the latter definition.

Brendan ap Niall. Name only.

Cecilia of Lindley. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Dafydd ap Donal ap Gwilym. Name and device. Per pale gules and argent, a fess dancetty cotised counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: It seems reasonable to assume that the cotises will follow the ordinary they surround. If not, the ordinary can easily be blazoned as cotised plain. The device appears to be sufficiently different from GABRIELLE TARA DWENWYN, "Per pale vert and argent, a fess cotised counterchanged." (SCA) I count a minor point for change in tincture of half the field, a major point for line of division on the fess, and an additive minor for the cotises.

Dikran Aivazian. Badge. Or, a hautboy fesswise, mouth to dexter, within an annulet azure.

DISCUSSION: When there is some question as to the default orientation of a charge, I prefer to spell it out. There have been far too many instances in the past of defaults proclaimed on the basis of a single submission. Such defaults are seldom remembered and ofttimes contradicted by later spur­of­the moment definitions, with the result that no one can figure out what a device looks like without seeing the original emblazon.

Edward of the Apple Tree. Name and device. Quarterly gules and argent, an apple tree eradicated sable, leaved and fructed proper, between four mullets counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: The Riding of Squirrel Haven and the Province of Tree­Girt­Sea both have apple trees "fructed proper" (gules).

Emerentiana Rose. Name and device. Or, on a pale between two chains palewise sable, a rose slipped and leaved Or.

Gloria Nightstar. Name only.

NOTE: Please advise the submitter that Gloria is out of period. (Withycombe 135) It is acceptable because it is her mundane given name.

Gwendydd Rhosyn o Gymru Newydd. Name and device. Vert, two unicorn's heads couped respectant, horns crossed in saltire, in base a crescent, a chief argent.

Iestyn o'r Wlad Bell. (submitted as Iestyn o'r Wlad Pell). Name and device. Barry and per pale azure and Or, a triangle argent masoned sable within an arch argent.

NOTE: According to Batonvert, the adjective Pell becomes Bell following the mutated noun Wlad. DISCUSSION: The arch is drawn according to the illustration in Parker (p. 15). I believe it is standard practice for pieces of masonry (castles, towers, and such) to be drawn masoned, and the term used only if the lines are of a different tincture, or if the charge is not something that is normally bricked up.

Iseult nic Elam. Device. Gules, a bend sinister argent, overall a horse's head couped at the shoulders counterchanged argent and sable.

DISCUSSION: "The Imperial College of Arms has dropped the former distinction it used to make between 'counterchanged', 'countercharged', and 'countercolored', as being unnecessary hair­splitting. It now uses the single term 'counterchanged' in all cases, relying upon the structure of the remainder of the blazon to assure clarity." (HB, 20 Sep 71, p. 3; quoted in Prec I, p; 17).

Jocelyn Holyer. Name only.

NOTE: Please inform the applicant that, in period, Joscelin was a masculine given name.

Kahina Dhahabiya. Change of device. Azure, on a chevron throughout sable, fimbriated argent, three sexfoils gules, fimbriated argent, and in base a hand of Fatima couped argent.

DISCUSSION: I have reblazoned the chevron as throughout. This is what is shown in the emblazon in the file.

Lewis Whitaker. Name and device. Per chevron argent and purpure, two trefoils purpure and a ram's horn open to sinister base Or.

DISCUSSION: A cornucopia (Latin cornu 'horn' + copia 'plenty') is depicted issuing a variety of foodstuffs. This is simply a ram's horn.

Mary Matilda d'Eath. Name and device. Azure, three fleurs­de­lys in fess between two bars gemel wavy Or.

NOTE: "De Ath, D'Eath, etc., must be regarded as affected spellings designed to dissociate the name from death. OE dea ." (Reaney DBS 98) They may be out of period.

Rhyanon de Vaux. (submitted as Rhyanon de Veaux). Name and device. Quarterly sable and gules, a natural leopard's head erased within a bordure potenty Or.

NOTE: A more conventional spelling of Rhiannon would be preferable. De Veaux is grammatically incorrect. It might be du veau 'of the calf', des veaux 'of the calves', or possibly de veau 'of calfskin', although the latter seems unlikely. We have substituted Vaux (similarly pronounced), which Brigantia says is the name of a town in France.

Roddhu Oakburn. Name and device. Per pale argent and sable, an oak leaf vert, on a chief per pale sable and argent, three mullets counterchanged.

Rodric Windlion. Name and device. Or, a winged lion statant to sinister vert between three caltrops gules, a bordure vert.

Sean the Wayfarer. Name only.

Susan of the Black Forest. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Sweinn of Ringsted. Name and device. Per bend sinister gules and azure, a bend sinister between six mullets, a bordure embattled Or.

Teresa le Marchant. Change of device. Per pale sable and Or, a garb counterchanged.

NOTE: Very nice! Her old arms are released.

Turgar the Pathfinder. Name only.

William of Brittany. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE RETURNED:

Kingdom of Atlantia

Charles of the Red Oakes. Device. Sable, semy­de­lis, on a bend cotised argent, two oak trees eradicated and blasted gules.

NOTE: This infringes upon HELLERD, "Sable, a bend between two cotises and six fleurs­de­lis argent." (Papworth 207) There is a minor point for the difference between six fleurs­de­lys and semy of them, and an additional minor for the tertiary charges.

Findlaech MacAlasdair. Device. Or, on a saltire nowy lozengy azure a shark naiant argent.

NOTE: This conflicts with CASSANDRA OF KHIVA, "Or, on a saltire nebuly azure a swan naiant argent." (SCA) There's a point of difference for the type of saltire, and a minor point for the tertiary charge.

Michael le Marin. Device. Quarterly azure and argent, a cross between to dexter two fleurs­de­lys and to sinister two hearts, all counterchanged argent and gules.

NOTE: This is unbalanced. Heraldic convention is to use four identical charges, or to place one pair of charges in bend and another in bend sinister.

Nathon of Arindale. Device. Azure, a Latin cross throughout between in base two bears combatant argent.

NOTE: Given the distortion that occurs when a charge is drawn on a shield, I am not convinced that a Latin cross throughout is worth a full minor point. Some displacement of the crossbar can be expected because of the charges in base. This submission thus differs only in secondary charges from JON ST. VINCENT D'OUTREMER, "Azure, a cross between in bend an anchor palewise and a sword palewise argent." (SCA).

Talan ap Rhys. Device. Per bend sinister sable and gules, a pair of wings conjoined and in chief a trefoil argent.

NOTE: This is in conflict with REYNE, "Gules, two wings conjoined and displayed argent." (Papworth 1122) There is a minor point for difference of half the field, and another minor for the addition of the charge in chief.

Thóra Arnketil. Device. Per bend argent and azure, two piles, triple­pointed, bowed and counterposed, in fess two hearts counterchanged.

NOTE: The commenting members of the College of Arms strongly opposed this field division. Without specific knowledge of the plate in Elvin, the emblazon is not reconstructible from the blazon. Please redesign.

Kingdom of Caid

Alinor of Marionwood. Device. Purpure, a linden tree issuant from a crescent, all within a bordure Or.

NOTE: This is too similar to the arms of BETVA A BEDIVYN, "Vert, a birch tree argent, leaved as for autumn Or, within a bordure Or." (SCA) There is one point for the tincture of the field, and a minor (demoted from a major) for the tincture of the tree. The crescent, being visually a part of the tree, adds less than a full point before demotion, and less than a minor point after. The crescent is difficult to recognize in this configuration, and is poor heraldic style.

Helmut Wolfgang von Drache. Device. Gyronny argent and gules, a dragon segreant to sinister vert, winged and bellied Or, maintaining a halberd azure.

NOTE: This conflicts with WILLIAM THESPOS DRAGONSCLAW, "Per bend sinister gules and sable, a dragon segreant to sinister Or." (SCA) There is a major point for the field, and a minor for the tincture of the charge. The halberd adds less than a minor point. I consider this barely clear of TALIESIN OF NORDOVEST UPON THE LONG ISLE, "Or, a dragon rampant to sinister vert, spined gules, breathing flames proper." (SCA).

Kylan Javan McRoy. Device. Or, an axe palewise and another inverted reversed sable between two flaunches azure, each charged with a unicorn's head couped respectant argent.

NOTE: This conflicts with LOTHAR OF ROTHENBORG, "Or, a sword fracted sable hilted gules, between two flaunches azure." (SCA).

Kingdom of Calontir

Bran Gwyn ap Arthur ap Maelgwyn. Device. Azure, chaussé, a raven close argent.

NOTE: This conflicts with ROANE FAIRGGAE OF LOCHLANN, "Argent, on a pile throughout azure a harbor seal haurient argent." (SCA) There is a minor point for the difference between a pile throughout and chaussé, and another for the type of the tertiary charge. In addition, the raven strengthens the association pointed out by Batonvert between this name and that of Bran Davies, the albino son of King Arthur in Susan Cooper's The Grey King and Silver on the Tree. This is not acceptable under our rules.

Brom Blackhand. Device. Per fess indented gules and vert, a sword inverted issuant from a stump snagged and eradicated argent.

NOTE: This infringes upon DUBHGLAS THE SCAVENGER, "Vert, a sword inverted argent, inflamed and issuant from an oak stock proper." (SCA)

Calontir, Crown Prince of. Device. Purpure, a cross of Calatrava, in chief a crown, within a laurel wreath lying as on a border Or, overall a label throughout argent.

NOTE: This submission raised the question of whether or not it is appropriate for the arms of the crown prince to incorporate a crown or a laurel wreath. A quick check of the ordinary reveals instances of crowns being registered to crown princes (and at least one crown princess), as well as to several royal offices, so I do not think this poses a problem. The laurel wreath is another matter ­ it is specifically the mark of an SCA branch, and as such is appropriate only to the arms of the sovereign. There are two exceptions to this rule on the books, and I do not wish to create any more.

Erich Hlodowechssun fon Hocheichhalu. Device. Or, an oak tree fructed and eradicated proper within a bordure engrailed gyronny sable and gules.

NOTE: This conflicts with ROWENA DE SEGOVIA, "Or, an orange tree fructed and eradicated proper within a bordure invected sable." (SCA) I count a major point for the line of partition on the bordure (engrailed and invected are distinguishable when applied to an ordinary), a minor point (demoted to negligible) for the tincture of half the bordure, and a weak minor for the difference in the type of tree.

Heinrich Wolfhart. Device. Argent, a chevron inverted enhanced and in base a mullet of six points, both Or fimbriated azure.

NOTE: A chevron enhanced does not intersect the chief. The composition of the device is questionable, involving both "thin­line" heraldry and a great deal of white space, and several of the commenting heralds observed that it resembled the ribbon and pendant of some military order. Please redesign.

Isobel of Norfolk. Device. Gules, two ostrich feathers argent and a bell Or.

NOTE: This infringes upon GRIGGS, "Gules, three ostrich feathers argent." (Papworth 699).

Maksymiliana Agata Michalska. Device. Or, three bendlets enhanced sable, in base a serpent nowed vert.

NOTE: This infringes upon the arms of AMBROSINE DARCY, "Or, three bendlets enhanced sable and in dexter base a cross crosslet fitchy gules." (SCA).

Petrina the Herbalist. Device. Per pale gules and sable, on a pale Or a sprig of moneywort sable, flowered gules.

NOTE: This conflicts with CATRIONA NI BHRIAIN, "Per pale gules and sable, a pale between two harps Or." (SCA) There is a major point for removing the secondary charges, and a minor for adding the tertiary. It also infringes upon MELUSINE DE RONCEVERTE, "Vert, on a pale argent, a greenbriar slip vert." (SCA) I count a point and a half for tincture, and a weak minor for the addition of the tertiary. And it differs by two minor points (one for field, one for tertiary charge) from the flag of BELGIUM, "Per pale sable and gules, a pale Or.".

Ranold of Skye. Name.

NOTE: According to Brigantia, this name conflicts with that of the founder of Clan Ranald, who was also king of the Isle of Skye.

Stanislaus Blachuta. Device. Argent, a decrescent sable within a mullet pierced azure.

NOTE: This conflicts with the badges of ASTRA CHRISTIANA BENEDICT, "On a mullet a cross crosslet," and AELFWYNN GYRTHESDOHTOR, "Argent, a mullet of nine points pierced azure." (SCA)

Stefan Albrecht Kaltstahl. Device (appeal of submission returned at kingdom level). Argent, a cross portate to sinister gules between two mullets of eight points and a tower azure.

NOTE: Whether or not the cross portate is period, it clearly does not take well to having charges placed around it. This device is badly unbalanced, and it does not appear to be compatible with either medieval or SCA heraldry. The College of Arms and the Laurel office concur with Gold Falcon in his decision to return the original submission.

Valbairn Graycroft of Deeside. Name and device. Azure, a chevron engrailed to base between six hearts, four and two, argent, and three hunting horns reversed Or.

NOTE: Valbairn appears to be coined along the lines of a surname, rather than a given name, and we do not presently allow surnames to be used as given names. There are several problems with the device. The number and arrangement of the charges on both sides of the chevron is non­standard, as is modifying only the lower edge of an ordinary. Please redesign.

Kingdom of the East

Arval Benicoeur. Device. Per saltire Or and sable, a Maltese cross counter­ changed.

NOTE: This is in technical conflict with MOORE, "Per saltire gules and Or, a Maltese cross counterchanged." (Fabulous Heraldry #386).

Cassandra ffowlke. Device. Per fess with a right step gules and azure, a camelopard passant proper, winged Or.

NOTE: I think it is important, with an unusual field division such as this, to place the charges so they will not obscure the line of division. With a field "per fess with a ... step," any large, central charge will tend to obscure one or both of the angles, making it difficult for the observer to tell if the field is per fess, per pale, or per bend (indented?). Two appropriately­shaped charges in bend sinister or in fess ought to work, as would placing the winged camelopard on a more jejune field.

Dafydd Sean ap Hywel. Device. Sable, a demi­sun issuant from base and elongated to chief Or and in chief two mullets of four points argent.

NOTE: This conflicts with KAFFAR FIUIRLATH, "Sable, in chief a catamount passant guardant argent, maintaining in each forepaw an arrow inverted and issuant from base a demi­sun Or." (SCA) There is a point and a half for the differences in the charges in chief.

Emerald Glen, Shire of. Device. Or, a dragon dormant sable within a laurel wreath vert, on a chief ermine three cedar cones vert.

NOTE: A chief ermine on a field Or is considered a violation of the rule of tincture in SCA heraldry.

Garlon Dragonheart ap Rheged. Device. Azure, a dragon's head, sinister facing, within and conjoined at base to a heart argent voided azure.

NOTE: The design is better suited to a piece of jewelry than to a coat of arms; I believe we have returned similar submissions in the past. It also conflicts with ANNA GERTRUDE LEONHARDT, "Azure, on a heart argent a lion rampant azure." (SCA).

Hussein al Rafadan ibn Osman. Device. Per pale sable and argent, a lotus affronty environed of a double­headed serpent respectant, nowed beneath each head and at the belly, all within a bordure counterchanged.

NOTE: As striking* as this is visually, the snake is not in an heraldic position, and I doubt that the emblazon could be reconstructed from any reasonable blazon. Please redesign.

Johann Carl Otto Maximilian von Adlerturm. Badge. A rose gules barbed of five spear points between five crosses crosslet sable.

NOTE: This is visually too complex for a badge, even given the somewhat lax standards of SCA heraldry, and the base form (argent, a rose gules) runs into a whole raft of conflicts. Please redesign.

Marian Greenleaf. Device. Or, a point "flory counter flory" vert.

NOTE: It is my judgement that this line of division is too complex for use in SCA heraldry.

Mithgiladun of Carillion. Name and device. Gules, ermined argent, a mullet of four points saltirewise surmounted by another crosswise, each gyronny of eight argent and vert.

NOTE: The name Mithgiladun combines elements from both Sindarin (mith 'gray', gil 'star') and Numenorean (adûn 'west'), and does not appear to be correctly formed. The compound star on the device is too complex, and the overall effect is not heraldic. Please redesign.

_______________________

* As if any self­respecting snake would strike at a lotus blossom ...

Ruth Stewart. Device. Azure, a sand dollar between two bars wavy and in chief six birds volant argent.

NOTE: The small charges in chief are not recognizable; I would have to treat them as seal, and I know of no way of powdering only part of a field. Three or four martlets would be acceptable.

Sud degli Alpi, Shire of. Name.

NOTE: According to the Italian instructor with whom one of the people on my staff spoke, Sud degli Alpi is a form that would be used as a modifier or to indicate a direction ("over there"), but it would not be used to name a place.

Urho Waltterinen. Device. Counter­ermine, on a fess nowed doubly to chief and singly to base argent, a snail shell reversed and a snail shell sable.

NOTE: This conflicts with ORSON DIE GROSSE MAUR, "Counter­ermine, a fess embattled argent masoned sable." (SCA) There is a major point for the change in the line of partition of the fess, and a minor point (demoted from major) for replacing the masoning with the snail shells. No additional difference is possible because all of the changes have been made to the same element of the coat (the fess).

Urho Waltterinen. Badge. Argent, in fess a snail shell reversed and a snail shell sable.

NOTE: This is in visual conflict with the badge of ROBIN OF GILWELL, "A moustache pointed." (SCA).

Yosef Alaric. Name correction (to Yosef Alaric of the Baliset).

NOTE: "A balisette is a musical instrument in Frank Herbert's DUNE, which makes it out of period by at least several millennia." (KFW, 30 Jun 79, p. 74; in Prec II, p. 3) [The quotation is from the Conclave letter, on the name of ALANA BALISETTE.] "BALISET: a nine­stringed musical instrument, lineal descendant of the zithra, tuned to the Chusuk scale and played by strumming. Favorite instrument of Imperial troubadours." (Frank Herbert, Dune, page 514. Berkeley Medallion, 1977.).

Although the epithet "of the Baliset" appears on Yosef Alaric's original submission form, I can find no evidence that it was ever approved. His name and device appeared in Ioseph of Locksley's acceptance letter of 31 Jul 84. The office copy of this letter has the epithet written in by hand, but this was apparently done at a later date by someone other than Ioseph. Since we know the term to be non­period, I do not feel I can approve the correction without a more certain indication that the omission was accidental.

Kingdom of the Middle

Alix la Gauchère. Device. Argent, in pale a unicorn couchant to sinister reguardant sable and a rose gules, between two roses gules, slipped and leaved, the stems crossing in base, vert.

NOTE: The device is poor style, as is apparent from the somewhat confusing blazon, and the stems of the roses are indistinguishable from a laurel wreath, which in the SCA is reserved to the arms of branches. Please redesign.

Fernanda de la Forêt. Device. Or, a single­headed chess knight couped at the shoulders vert within a bordure embattled gules.

NOTE: This infringes upon JANINA KATRINA, "Argent, a horse's head couped at the shoulders sable, maned of flames proper, within a bordure embattled sable." (Kingdom of the East, above).

Ohan of Skaanland. Name and device. Per bend gules and sable, on a bend argent a lightning bolt azure.

NOTE: "Coined" means that a name is made up, not that its provenance is unknown. There is nothing wrong with asking the College of Arms for assistance in substantiating an applicant's claim, but you should make an effort to find out what the submitter had in mind, and to pass this information on in your letter of intent.

The device conflicts with US 11TH SPECIAL FORCES, "Per bend gules and azure, a bend argent." (Military Ordinary #265) There is one minor point for half the field, and another for the addition of the tertiary.

Rendulf of Dunlapia. Device. Azure, a seagull volant argent within an annulet Or.

NOTE: This infringes upon RORIK FREDERICSSON, "Azure, a grey goose (Anser anser) volant bendwise proper." (SCA) There is a point for the addition of the annulet, but there are no changes in tincture, and the difference in position of the bird is at best a minor point (if that much).

Kingdom of the West

Cecilia of Lindley. Device. Argent, a sun sable eclipsed Or, on a chief azure three garden roses argent leaved Or.

NOTE: This infringes upon 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." (SCA) There is a point and a half for difference in type and tincture of the primary charge. The changes to the white roses on the chief are negligible.

Mists, Principality of. Badge for the Order of the Silver Spoon. Azure, a spoon in profile bendwise sinister within a bordure engrailed argent.

NOTE: A spoon in profile is only barely recognizable. Please turn it around so the bowl is dead­on.

Regulus the Traveler. Name and device (appeal). Or, two gores sable and a cock enraged gules.

NOTE: Given the period examples of both Marcus Atilius Regulus (NCE 2296) and St. Regulus or Rule (Farmer 349), I consider Regulus to be an acceptable given name. As Brigantia has pointed out, however, the Roman and the Scot are both associated with specific travel legends, which under our present rules constitutes conflict. (This is a point I would like to address when the rules are reviewed this coming Spring. You might want to make a note of it, and bring it up again then.).

A considerable number of the people commenting on this submission, most particularly the ladies, found it offensive. The problem is not one of "quibbling over suggestive wording"; it is of the labial image formed by the two gores, with a bright­red cock hovering at the aperture. In view of the objections raised, I have no difficulty in disallowing this submission under article V.3 of the Rules for Submissions, as detailed in Appendix II, item 2, "anything that displays or suggests pornographic images or practices, such as ... overly explicit anatomical details, or other allusions.".

Susan of the Black Forest. Device. Sable, a "hurst" of pine trees argent, a bordure compony gules and argent.

NOTE: A hurst is a grove or clump of trees, occurring normally "either upon a mount in base or upon a chief." (Shield and Crest, p. 160) I can find no examples of a free­floating hurst, nor can I determine how else to blazon this submission.

Tahtadan Kiliç. Name and device. Sable, five swords crossed "in mullet" between as many crescents, all argent.

NOTE: It would appear from the forms that Tahtadan is intended to be the given name and Kiliç, the surname. Kiliç does indeed mean 'sword', and from the example of Kiliç Arslan appears to have been used as a surname; and as nearly as I can determine, Tahtadan translates as 'wooden'. (Ingilizce­Türkçe Redhouse Sözlügü [Redhouse English­Turkish Dictionary], pages 989 and 1139. Redhouse Press, 1974) What we are lacking is some indication that Tahtadan was also used as a given name.

The device is visually confusing and is not conducive to conventional blazon. Please simplify.

William of Brittany. Device. Per pale vert and argent, a spear palewise and a chief embattled counterchanged.

NOTE: The College of Arms felt that counterchanging a skinny object along its long axis was poor style and had insufficient contrast.

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE PENDING:

Kingdom of the Middle

Siobhan Medhbh O'Roarke. Device. Argent, three chevronels braced within and conjoined to an orle purpure.

NOTE: This was blazoned on the letter of intent as a bordure rather than an orle (which fact was not evident from the line drawing), so it has not been properly checked for conflicts. It will be reconsidered at the January meeting.

Kingdom of the West

Reynardine of Tara. Name and badge (appeal). Vert, a tau cross conjoined at the juncture to a chevronel couped Or.

NOTE: This name is unacceptable under the present rules because the applicant is male, and "A man may not use 'of Tara', as that was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland." (WvS, 19 Jun 84, p. 12) I am unwilling to uphold this rule in its present form. The restriction of a byname to a person of a specific gender is meaningless, because we do not limit the use of masculine given names to men or feminine given names to women, thereby blurring any distinction the restriction is supposed to make. The question before the College is, what restrictions should we place, if any, on use of the place­name Tara? This submission will be reconsidered at the January Laurel meeting.

Note to Monsho: Is the annulet/bordure encircling the mon of Nippon Fudosan Bank a component of the design? You didn't mention a source, and I don't know where to find the blazon.