9 March XX (1986)

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE APPROVED:

Society for Creative Anachronism

Society for Creative Anachronism. Joint badge for Arts and Sciences. Azure, a candle enflamed within an arch stooped argent.

Kingdom of Ansteorra

Catriona MacEanruig. Device. Ermine, a heart gules pierced by a tiler's nail palewise argent, on a chief triangular sable a mullet within a crescent Or.

DISCUSSION: What is drawn here is most certainly not a Passion nail. "Passion nails are drawn as cut nails: square in section, tapering, and the heads forming a pyramid." (Shield and Crest p. 249) See also the drawing on page 447 of Parker. I have blazoned it as a tiler's nail, which Franklyn describes as having a round head and being tapered.

The "enflamed" passion nails mentioned by Brachet are, I believe, confined to the armory of Baroness Kathryn of Iveragh; they are not the conventional representation.

Ceridwen Stewart Logie of Cat's Guard. Name only.

Coinneach Balgair Logie. Name only.

Elzasif O'Donnell. Name change (from Elzasif Ironhand).

Godwin Alfricson. Name and device. Quarterly Or and sable, a cross paty throughout counterchanged, overall a dragon's head erased gules.

Gunnora Hallakarva. Name and badge. A demi­kestrel displayed gardant azure, armed and breasted Or, the wings barry azure and Or.

Haldane Jensdottir de Baliol. Name only.

Keri Dietrichsdottir of Roosebeck. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Soviny Barcsi János. Name change (from János a soviny Barcsi); appeal.

DISCUSSION: He has provided ample documentation that the surname precedes the given name in Hungarian usage. This leaves us the question of what other registered names need to be amended. SARKANYI GERO and DEBRECENI ILONA are already surname first. GIOVANNA MARIA HUNYADI DI GHIBERTI is primarily Italian, and can stand as it is. How about ANYA HUNYADI DE SZECHEKI? Does she become HUNYADI ANYA? Any others?

Kingdom of An Tir

An Tir, Kingdom of. Badge for Chatelaine. Vert, a ring of three keys within a bordure Or.

An Tir, Kingdom of. Lion's Blood Herald. Name only (see RETURNS for seal).

Alexandra von Rothau. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Alfreada of the Lake. Name and device. Quarterly gules and sable, an annulet Or charged in saltire with four mullets of four points counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: Although this figure does meet with at least one of the mundane definitions of chaplet, Society usage restricts the latter term to certain annular floral arrangements. See the 7 April 1985 cover letter for a discussion of wreaths and chaplets. We have used a more explicit blazon for the charge.

Amelia des Lis. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Arias the Innkeeper's Daughter. Change of device. Gules, a boar rampant to sinister argent and in chief two suns Or, eclipsed counterchanged.

Aurelia the Undaunted. Name only

Barnet Acelin. Name and device. Argent, a mullet gyronny of ten gules and Or between a base arched and two flaunches azure.

DISCUSSION: Enhanced flaunches were disallowed in July 1984. What is shown in the emblazon lies within the artistic bounds of normal flaunches, so we have omitted "enhanced" from the blazon.

Beorn MacElan. Name and device. Or, a crab tergiant azure maintaining in its claws a glaive fesswise reversed proper, within a bordure embattled azure.

Bitter End, Shire of. Device. Sable, a mullet of eight points elongated to chief and to base Or within a laurel wreath argent and an orle Or.

Caoimhghin O'Dalaigh. Name only.

Carol Stewart of Horsehill. Name and device. Vert, a musimon's head erased argent, horns wreathed Or and sable.

colin MacKay of Balmaghie. Name only.

Christine of Islay. Name only.

Crisiant ferch Eirian. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Cristiona of Ulidia. Name and device. Ermine, a Celtic cross vert within a bordure sable charged with three bezants.

Dafydd y Peiriannydd (submitted as Dafydd yr Peiriannydd). Name and device. Argent, a trebuchet proper between a chief embattled and a base azure.

NOTE: Between two consonants, the definite article "the" is represented in Welsh by y, rather than yr. (Living Welsh, p. 32: A Welsh Grammar, p. 6).

Dak Ulfredsson. Name and device. Pean, a bend sinister azure fimbriated Or and overall a goat's head erased Or. *

*It's a scarpegoat!

Daniel of Stafford Pele. Badge. Gules, a broad arrow argent.

Donald Thomas Maxwell. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Eisenmarche, Shire of. Device. Sable, mulletty Or, a lymphad in full sail reversed Or, charged upon the sail with a laurel wreath vert, and on a chief Or three towers sable.

Gareth of Eastbrook. Name only.

Geoffrey de Rennes. Name change (from Ilkka the Crazed) and device change. Or, a whirlpool rayonny vert.

NOTE: This really ought to be drawn with more rings, so it doesn't look like concentric annulets. Please advise the submitter. His old device is released.

Giorsal of Heatherskeep. Name and device. Per pale argent and purpure, in fess two unicorn's heads couped respectant and in pale a heather blossom and a heather blossom inverted all counterchanged.

Gwendolyn Fitzalan. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Hroswitha of Helmsdale. Name and device. Per bend Or and gules, on a bend sable between a double rose gules and an open book argent, a baton argent.

Ilaria Veltri (submitted as Ilaria Veltri de l'Ansari). Name only (see RETURNS for device).

NOTE: The place name appears to be grammatically incorrect. The mountains in question are the "Jebel el Ansariye" (according to the Times Atlas) or "Jabal an Nusayriyah" (according to the 1981 National Geographic Atlas). The name is presumably plural, so I believe it would take either degli (if masculine) or delle (if feminine) followed by the Italian name of the mountains; or else the appropriate (Arabic?) "preposition and article followed by Syrian place­name.

Kevin O'Connal. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Llywelyn ap Evan. Name and device. Per fess azure and vair ancient, three escallops in chief argent.

NOTE: Very nice.

Madelêne l'Incomplète. Name only.

Malcolm Strider of Amesbury. Name only.

May Fayberry of Elphinstone. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

DISCUSSION: Feaberry or fayberry is a type of gooseberry; the earliest quotation in the OED is dated 1597. (The quotation really is on page 113 ­ of volume IV. See the note in the cover letter.)

Michel of Cedarwood. Device. Gules, a ewer, spout to sinister, within a bordure argent.

NOTE: Very nice.

DISCUSSION: A ewer is "a large, wide­mouthed pitcher or jug." (AHD) Parker uses this as the head­word for his discussion of pitchers, laver­pots, and the like (pp. 244­245); Papworth lists a couple of the pitchers under pitcher, and places the rest (including ewers) under cup. Or maybe Papworth placed them under cup, and Morant stuck the leftovers in pitcher ...

Montengarde, Barony of. Device change. Argent, semy of wild roses proper, a bull's head erased affronty sable, armed and gorged of a chain Or, within a laurel wreath vert. (Rosa acicularis)

Tancred de Brus. Name only.

Terra Pomaria, Canton of. Device. Azure, three chevronels braced argent, in chief two broad arrows and overall a laurel wreath Or.

DISCUSSION: A broad arrow is an arrowhead; it is essentially a pheon without the engrailing on the inner edge. Brooke­Little's Heraldic Alphabet notes that this distinction between the pheon and the broad arrow is not always observed in blazon.

Tess Ella of Silvershadow. Name and device. Or, on a sun gules a decrescent argent, in chief three mullets gules.

Torgul Steingrimsson. Name change (from Torgul Bahadur); see RETURNS for device.

Trudi von Bayern. Name and device. Per pale wavy gules and argent, two domestic cats sejant guardant respectant counterchanged.

Ulfarr Ordlokarr Rikhardsson. Name and device. Argent chap? gules, a wolf rampant maintaining a great sword sable and in chief two frets throughout Or.

Wulfgar von Lübeck. Name only.

Yseult of Broceliande. Change of badge to device. Argent, four scimitar blades in cross azure.

Kingdom of Atenveldt

Frithjof Tryggvason. Correction. The name approval (as Tryggvasson) in the January 1986 LOAR was in error. The name was originally approved (as Tryggvason) 12 May 1985.

Gordon the Righteous. Device (reblazon). Or, a Greek cross gules and a mount vert. [June 1975].

Susannah Northwind. Correction. The name approval in the February 1986 LOAR was redundant; name originally approved 5 Jan 1985.

Tristram Lorentz of the Coffins. Correction. This was listed in the February 1986 LoAR as a name approval; it should have appeared as a name change from TRISTRAM OF TIR YSGITHR.

Kingdom of Caid

Aelfred Halvdan of Holdene. Name change (from Owain ap Caradawc) and device change. Azure, a tricorporate lion and on a chief Or three suns gules.

NOTE: His old device is released.

Aelfred Halvdan of Holdene. Badge. Gyronny Or and azure, on a sun gules a lion's head cabossed Or.

Angelina Nicollette. Release of badge for the Company of Clothiers (transferred to the Kingdom of Caid).

Barnabas McPeregrine. Name and device. Per chevron throughout vair en pointe and argent, two unicorns combattant Or and two lutes, necks crossed in saltire, azure.

Caid, Kingdom of. Badge for the Company of Clothiers of Caid (transfer from Angelina Nicollette). Azure, semy of thimbles argent, issuant from a maunch Or a hand proper grasping a needle threaded argent.

Damales Redbeard. Badge. Or, a pegasus volant to sinister, wings elevated and addorsed, within a bordure sable.

Echegry of Shadow Valley. Release of name and device. Argent, a sun gules charged with lion's head cabossed Or. [March 1980)

NOTE: These are a former name and device of the person now know as Aelfred Halvdan of Holdene (above).

Evah Marguerita Palma de Yuste. Name change (from Evah de Yuste) and badge for the Fellowship of the Footprint. Argent, a sinister human footprint bendwise sinister within a bordure azure.

Rufus Tenstone. Name and device. Gules, a griffin couchant to sinister, wings elevated and addorsed argent, within a bordure argent semy of torteaux.

Kingdom of Calontir

Megan O'Reilly. Device. Vert, three bendlets enhanced Or, overall an otter statant argent.

NOTE: Please make the otter more prominent. This will reduce the apparent similarity to WULFNOTH MACFINN O'DOMHNAILL: Vert, three bendlets enhanced and in base a wolf statant Or playing leather bagpipes proper.

Kingdom of the East

Aralyn Ermintrude of the Falling Waters. Device. Per pale vert and sable, a stag trippant guardant and a base rayonny Or.

Armand de Crecy. Device. Or, two scarpes engrailed between two fleurs­de­lis, all within a bordure sable.

Coinneach MacKenzie. Joint badge (with Megin Gwendylon) for the House of the Confused Cat. Sable, a cat statant guardant coward argent between a ferret courant to sinister and a ferret courant and inverted Or.

Coppertree, Canton of. Badge. Quarterly azure and argent, a crabtree eradicated gules.

Cormac Kyle of Skara Brae. Name only.

Degonell Collingwood of Emerald Lake. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Dair Hawkwind of Skara Brae. Name and device. Sable, in bend sinister a Chinese dragon couchant bendwise Or and another couchant to sinister bendwise argent.

NOTE: Please draw the charges more recognizably.

Dair Hawkwind of Skara Brae. Badge. Sable, in bend sinister a dragon's head bendwise and couped Or and another, bendwise, couped and sinister facing argent.

Dillon Griffith a'Bheithir. Name and device. Per bend sinister Or and purpure, two bunches of grapes, slipped and leaved, within a bordure, all counterchanged.

Eleanor FitzWilliam. Device. Argent, a bend sinister engrailed sable between two butterflies azure.

NOTE: Nice and simple.

Elizabeth Idlewine. Device. Per chevron azure and Or, two suns and a griffin segreant to sinister, all counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: This submission was held over from the February letter to allow me more time to consider the cited conflict against THOMAS EDMUND OF RUISLIP: Per chevron azure and Or, two martlets rising respectant and a sun counterchanged. (SCA) There are a number of ways of counting this, all odd (I'm afraid the rules on difference don't cover this case very well), but I think I can justify a major point for arrangement (the displacement of the "sun" sub­group from base to chief) and another for type (of the "non­sun" subgroup). I find no visual conflict between the two.

Ferall von Halstern. Device. Sable, a bearded pithon erect guardant, wings displayed, within a bordure embattled argent.

DISCUSSION: I am extending the bordure rule [XII.5] to apply to all uncharged bordures, not just ones with a straight line of partition. (Note that this rule is still invoked "on a case­by­case basis.") The submission therefore does not conflict with HEINRICH PALANTINE: Sable, a unicorn's head couped argent, collared of a chain Or, within a bordure embattled argent. (SCA)

Geoffrey Soulspeeder. Name only.

Ilmari Markku Kanteleensoittajista Karjalainen. Name only.

Jane Trower. Badge for Lucy Ales. Vert, two ewes passant respectant and in chief four mullets in cross, all argent.

Johanna Reeves. Device. Or, a chevron engrailed sable between two horse's heads couped and a dragon segreant gules.

Justinian of Rakovec. Name only.

Karl von Süssen. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Keep by the Endless Sea, Canton of. Name only.

Keilyn Elwyn Fartraveller. Device. Azure, two tilting lances in saltire and on a chief embattled argent, a lion passant sable.

Lorin of the Dual Masque. Name and device. Lozengy Or and azure, a mask, comic to dexter, tragic to sinister, per pale argent and sable, features counterchanged.6

DISCUSSION: The field is lozengy, not fusilly. As Roger F. Pye has argued, a fusil is a segment of an indented ordinary.

Macsen Felinfoel. Name and device. Argent, a dragon statant erect to sinister, wings displayed, and a chief embattled gules.

Megan Gwendylon. Joint badge for the House of the Confused Cat (see Coinneach MacKenzie).

Nan Neillillian of Skara Brae. Name and device. Purpure, a knot of four loops in cross within a bordure Or, semy of holly sprigs vert, fructed gules.

NOTE: This could be improved by making the central charge a Bowen knot.

Ogami Akira. Name and device. Gules, a triangle argent within a delf voided and fracted in cross argent.

Philllipa Cupbreaker. Name correction (from Philippia). [February 1986]

Rhys Pwyll ap Maelgwyn. Name change (from Rhys ap Maelgwyn Dinistr gan Herodau).

NOTE TO BRIGANTIA: The original submission forms gave his name as "Rhys ap Maelgwyn y Tragaeliwr gan Llanerchymedd Dinistr gan Herodau" (on the information sheet) and "Rhys ap Maelgwyn Dinistr gan Herodau of Carolingia" (on the emblazon). The LoI combined the two. I can find no evidence that an earlier submission containing "Pwyll" was ever received by the Laurel office.

Saint Swithin's Bog, Shire of. Name only.

Thorkel of Neville's Cross. Device. Or, semy of hearts sable, a cross flory within an orle gules.

Kingdom of the Middle

Far Reaches, Shire of. Correction. The name approval in the January 1986 LOAR was redundant; name originally approved 30 Nov 1981.

Steffen von Urwald. Name correction (from Steffan). [April 1983]

Kingdom of the West

Andred Fairhair. Device. Argent, on a bend sinister azure between two goblets sable, three daggers argent.

Arinbjorn Richardsson of the Chasm. Name and device. Quarterly gules and sable, a narwhal haurient to sinister argent and a bordure Or.

Bran of Lochiel. Device. Per pale gules and Or, an annulet within a bordure embattled, all counterchanged.

Brendan Mayhawke. Name and device. Per saltire argent and vert, a sword inverted sable between two crosses fleury quadrate argent.

NOTE: Please make the squares on the centers of the crosses larger and squarer. Quadrate means "having four sides and four angles; square or rectangular."

Brusi Anderson of the Shetlands. Name and device. Or, on a fess nebuly vert between four hurts, three and one, each charged with a trefoil argent, a griffin segreant Or.

Cenwulf Godfyrht. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Donalbain MacPherson. Name and device. Per fess azure and gules, in chief two comets inverted bendwise sinister argent and in base two recorders in saltire Or.

Elizabeth Sharaden. Name and device. Counter­ermine, a bat­winged woman kneeling to sinister, wings addorsed, Or maintaining a sword argent enflamed proper, a bordure Or.

DISCUSSION: According to Gold Falcon, this is a drawing of a succubus from a D&D manual. It's in questionable taste, but I'm not convinced it's illegal.

Ella Gajewi. Name and device. Vert, three open books and on a chief triangular argent, a sprig of rosemary vert.

Erik Ravenclaw. Device. Argent, a bend sinister embattled­counter­embattled azure between a raven striking, and a raven's leg erased a la quise sable.

Everard de Brieuse. Name and device. Sable, on a cross portate Or, an anchor bendwise sable, in dexter chief, a sun in splendor Or.

DISCUSSION: This seems a reasonable use of the cross portate.*

* Unreasonable uses are blazoned "a cross poortaste", which may be found on the same plate in Elvin as the chevron recherch? and the cross potent repugnant.

Falan Bitor. Name and device. Per chevron argent and gules, three mallets counterchanged.

James the Goose. Name and device. Argent, a goose naiant vert and a bordure wavy gules.

Kalida Ivanovna. Name only.

Kathleen O'Donnelly. Device. Vert, a cinquefoil and on a chief Or, three leaves vert.

Knut Gunnarson of Smaland. Device change. Per fess argent and sable, a pale counterchanged, three chess pawns sable.

NOTE: Very nice! His old device is released.

Larian Blacthryth. Name change (from Blacthryth the Solitary of Wolfhaven).

Maelen Faulkner. Name and device. Azure, a falcon rising wings elevated and addorsed between in base two scimitars inverted and addorsed argent.

Marian Cwmbran. Name and device. Gules, a crescent pendant and on a chief wavy Or, five torteaux.

Michel le Blanc. Name and device. Barry sable and argent, a mullet of three points pallwise throughout Or.

DISCUSSION: I consider this a point different from a pall. It is, after all, the only charge on the field; and allowances for inventive or sloppy drawing can only be taken so far. [Q: When does a seal look like a mullet?)

Mordenvale, Shire of. Name and device. Per chevron inverted vert and sable, a chevron inverted between a lymphad, sails furled, and a cup within a laurel wreath, all Or.

Owen Revelstorm. Name and device. Argent, a tankard gules within a bordure invected sable.

Raven of Golden Rivers (submitted as Raven ni Roane). Name and device. Gules, a seal naiant, its tail reflexed above its head, within a bordure engrailed argent.

NOTE: We have just discovered, to our considerable chagrin, that roane is the Gaelic name for a seal; and more specifically, a skin­changer akin to the silkie. (Briggs, An Encyclopedia of Fairies, pp. 340­341) Unless it can also be shown that Roane was used as a given name (in period), "ni Roane" is a claim to non­human ancestry, an allusion compounded by the presence of a seal in the device. We have used her SCA branch name as a holding name, in order to register the device.

Rhiannon of Starfire Retreat. Name only.

Robert MacClintock. Name only.

Thorolf Richardsson of the Chasm. Name and device. Per pale and per chevron gules and sable, on a chevron Or, three towers sable, a bordure Or.

West, Kingdom of. Order of the Silver Tear. Name and badge. A goutte de larmes charged with a goutte d'eau.

West, Kingdom of. Order of the Roman Lilies. Name and badge. Three lily blossoms in triquetra Or.

William Shay Forestborn. Name change (from Andrei the Wanderer).

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE RETURNED:

Kingdom of Ansteorra

Armilda Astyages of Lydia. Device (reblazon). Per pale gules and argent, a swan naiant within a tressure counterchanged.

REASON FOR RETURN: Current Society usage is that the term tressure is used only in the sense of a "double tressure", and is so qualified in the blazon. This question is addressed at further length in the cover letter.

Juliane of Eashing. Device. Sable, a dagger inverted argent set with a gem gules.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts with (1) ROBERT LEAVENWORTH: Sable, a dagger inverted argent beneath three sharks embowed in chevron Or (SCA); (2) UTA VON MAINZ: Sable, a sword inverted between the two halves of a broken chain fesswise abased argent (SCA); and (3) MARMION: Sable, an arming sword, the point in chief, argent. (Papworth 1103) Faceted stones are said to be out of period; is there any documentation to support the charge?

Keri Dietrichsdottir of Roosebeck. Device. Argent, two bendlets engrailed in chief and invected in base azure, overall a garden rosebud bendwise sinister Or slipped and leaved vert.

REASON FOR RETURN: The gold blossom is not visible against the argent field. Please use another color.

Kingdom of An Tir

Alexandra von Rothau. Device. Per pale argent and sable, a wavy­bladed dagger palewise throughout between two natural sea­horses erect addorsed all counterchanged.

REASON FOR RETURN: "The Laurel office has held previously that a skinny object such as a sword should not be counterchanged along its long axis because of the lack of contrast." (BoE, 14 Jul 85, p. 17) Please redesign.

Amelia des Lis. Device. Sable, on a bend sinister between two calla lilies facing inward argent another affronty azure.

REASON FOR RETURN: The sideways calla lilies are difficult, if not impossible, to recognize. Stylistically, all three ought to be in the same aspect. This conflicts with KEVIN PEREGRYNNE: Sable, on a bend sinister argent a peregrine falcon descending, talons extended and wings addorsed, azure. (SCA) [Major for addition of secondary charges; minor for change in type of tertiary.] It also conflicts with PEREGRINE I.D.A. DORAN: Sable, a bend sinister between a Latin cross and a Greek Orthodox cross, all argent. (SCA) [Major for type of secondaries; minor for addition of tertiary.)

An Tir, Kingdom of. Seal for Lion's Blood Herald. Goutty, a lion sejant affronty queue­fourché, crowned and in base two crossed trumpets.

REASON FOR RETURN: The crown is not an appropriate charge for use in a herald's seal. There are a couple of registered examples (Star and Vesper), but these are for Principal Heralds.

Asahla Telerion. Name and device. Or, a dromedary camel statant, and on a chief rayonny sable, an endless knot Or.

REASON FOR RETURN: To quote Silver Trumpet, 'The Teleri were the third and largest of the Three Kindred of the Eldar, and were also called Sea­Elves. Telerion means "of the Teleri", just as Silmarillion means "of the Silmarilli". Foster s Complete Guide to Middle­Earth, Ballantine, 1978.) To claim to be of Elven race is prohibited by RFS VII.5.' According to the OED, the word tellurian ("Earth­dweller"), of which this is said to be a variant, is a 19th­Century coinage.

The "endless knot" really isn't a suitable heraldic charge; the term does not adequately describe its shape. We feel this falls into the same category as Celtic knotwork. "Heraldry cannot describe or define any but the very simplest of knots." (KFW, 30 Jun 79, p. 71; in Prec II: 22)

Crisiant ferch Eirian. Device. Argent, a chevron cotised sable, overall a wolf rampant gules.

REASON FOR RETURN: The device conflicts with that of RORY PHALEN: Argent, a fox rampant guardant gules between two flaunches sable. (SCA) There is a single point of difference, for change in type of secondary charge.

Donald Thomas Maxwell. Device. Azure, a dove rising argent, wings displayed and inverted, on a chief Or three crosses crosslet gules.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts visually with BULLINGHAM: Azure, an eagle displayed argent, on a chief Or three crosses crosslet gules. (Papworth 308)

Egil Bloodax. Badge. A double­bitted battle axe gules.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts with ADELHARDT WERNER: Per pale purpure and Or, a double­bitted axe counterchanged. (SCA) There is a single point of difference, for the tincture of the axe.

DISCUSSION: The axe in the arms of THORVALD THORLYFSSON is indeed single­bitted.

Guillaume d'Anjou. Badge. On a mullet of six points fesswise argent a tau cross vert.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts with HAGGARD: Azure, a mullet of six points 'Argent. (Papworth 989) There is a minor.point for the addition of the tertiary charge; the change in orientation is worth nothing at all.

Gwendolyn Fitzalan. Device. Argent, upon a lozenge azure between in chief two forget­me­nots azure, seeded Or, a unicorn's head couped to sinister argent.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts with PHILLIP THE FREEBORN: Argent, on a fusil azure a wolf's head erased argent langued gules and in chief two decrescents azure. (SCA) There­is at best a major point for change in type of secondaries, and a minor for the tertiary. There are no points of difference between a lozenge and a fusil.

Ilaria Veltri (submitted as Ilaria Veltri de I'Ansari). Device. Azure, a greyhound rampant argent above a mount of three hillocks vert fimbriated, a bordure argent.

REASON FOR RETURN: Fimbriated mounts were disallowed in August 1983. This submission does not fall within the grace period, nor does it qualify as a hardship case. I'm afraid there are no grounds for the appeal.

Kateryne the Healer of Hindscroft. Name and device. Azure, fretty argent, a violet purpure seeded Or.

REASON FOR RETURN: The lady is entitled to be styled "the Healer" (she is an M.D., which fact should have been noted in the LoI), but "the Healer of Hindscroft" is considered, by College of Arms standards, to be a title. (Cf. JASON OF ROSARIA; WvS, 14 Oct 82, p. 1) "Kateryne of Hindscroft, the Healer" would be acceptable.

Even with the fretting enlarged, as has been done in the emblazon, the purple flower does not have enough contrast against the blue part of the field. Please choose another color.

Kevin O'Connal. Device. Gyronny of eight sable and argent, a mullet of three greater and three lesser points inverted counterchanged, an orle Or.

REASON FOR RETURN: We find this design visually confusing. The identity of the charge in the center is not at all clear. We would suggest using a solid mullet.

May Fayberry of Elphinstone. Device. Gules ermined argent, a pale sable, and overall a winged unicorn passant Or and in base a crescent argent.

REASON FOR RETURN: Although sable on "gules, ermined argent" is permitted by the Rules [IX.5), the contrast is poor, and the overall charges obscure the charge in A" question (the pale) even further. RFS IX.5 explicitly states that "The basic requirement in all cases is that there be sufficient contrast for clear visibility," and the pale is not clearly visible.

In addition, the charge in base is not an heraldic crescent, and the arrangement of the overall charges is such as to suggest a "rocking­unicorn." I do not know if rocking­horses are period. If they are, then it seems to me that a rocking­unicorn would make an acceptable charge; but it should be submitted as such, not constructed of heraldic odds and ends. Please redesign.

Nikolai Grendal Gornych. Name and device. Argent, semy of double bitted axes and roses gules.

REASON FOR RETURN: The documentation submitted does not support the name Grendal.

To the best of our knowledge, the latter is the unique name of a monster in Beowulf; the proposed Russian derivation is grammatically incorrect.

Patrick the Temperate. Device. Vert, two flanged maces crossed in saltire argent, overall an inverted tankard Or.

REASON FOR RETURN: The device conflicts, unfortunately, with WILLIAM OF WOODLAND: Vert, a tankard Or within an orle of crosses crosslet fitchy argent. (SCA) The inversion of the tankard is not visually evident, so the only real change is the replacement of a group of secondary charges.

Reginleif the Unruly. Badge. Sable, on a horse's head couped umbrated argent a flame proper.

REASON FOR RETURN: Although there are period examples of umbration, it is not considered "good" heraldic practice, and has been banned from use in the SCA. Please redesign.

DISCUSSION: Umbration, or adumbration, is known in SCA armory as "chasing." "Chased means voided but with the interior details and lines still showing as well as the outline." (WvS, 22 Jan 80, p. 3; in Prec III: 14) The practice was disallowed in April 1982, as part of the general ban on "thin­line heraldry" that also restricted voiding and fimbriation.

Reiger von Rostock. Device. Azure, two swords in saltire surmounted by a sword inverted, the tips surmounted by three wolf's heads cabossed argent.

REASON FOR RETURN: The device conflicts with NORTON: Azure, three swords one in pale point upwards surmounted by two in saltire points downward argent. (Papworth 1109) The wolves' heads are a major point of difference, but we do not feel the orientation of the swords is sufficiently visible to contribute the needed additional minor.

Torgul Steingrimsson. Device change. Sable, a tyger sejant erect affronty Or, pendant from each forepaw a metal cuff and broken chain sable, fimbriated Or, on a chief argent, a crown inverted between two crowns gules.

REASON FOR RETURN: The. crown is a reserved charge, required of the arms of a kingdom and permitted as a mark of honor in the arms of a royal peer. Inverting the crown demeans it, which is inappropriate, and may be considered offensive, especially by other royal peers.

DISCUSSION: The fimbriated chains are covered by the grandfather clause, since he is in effect adding a charged chief to his existing arms. Inverting one of three identical charges on a chief is poor practice.

Vladimir Bloodaxe the Rus. Device. Argent, a double­headed vulture displayed gules maintaining in base two battleaxes inverted in saltire sable.

REASON FOR RETURN: As drawn, the double­headed vulture is not recognizable. Vultures are probably best represented in profile; displayed, they are indistinguishable from eagles and other raptors. Please choose another charge, or find a more distinct position. I'm inclined to consider this a conflict with MILTON: Argent, an eagle displayed double­headed gules armed sable. (Papworth 296)

Kingdom of Caid

North Riding, Canton of. Name only.

REASON FOR RETURN: A riding is an administrative or geographical division. In SCA usage, a riding is a subsidiary of a province, just as a canton is a subsidiary of a barony. (Known World Handbook,, pp. 9­10) The designation is not correct, since Altavia (the parent branch) is a barony, not a province.

The usage also appears to be tautological: one would be "the North Riding" or"the North Riding of Altavia" (if Altavia were a province); but "the Canton of North Riding" is like "the Barony of the Shire."*

* Or "the Barony of Westermark"? Oh, well.

Kingdom of the East

Dagonell Collingwood of Emerald Lake. Device. Barry wavy of eight vert and argent, on a bend Or three roses gules, barbed and seeded sable.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts with GLAGGE ("Gules, on a bend Or, three cinquefoils gules"), cited in the letter of intent. There is a major point of difference for the field; but a rose and a cinquefoil are at best a minor point different, and when the two are tertiary charges, the difference is negligible.

Karl von Süssen. Device. Vert, a stork passant, wings elevated and addorsed, argent, beaked, membered and bearing in its beak a fish Or.

REASON FOR RETURN: Conflict with RICHARD DE TENEBRES: Vert, a stork passant argent, in base a sword fesswise Or. (SCA) We see less than a full point of difference for all the changes in the stork.

Morgan of Caer Graeme. Device. Sable, on a pale between two roses argent, barbed and seeded vert, an armored cubit arm, fist clenched, sable.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts with MICHAEL THE LUCKY OF LANCASTER: Sable, on a pale between two mullets of eight points elongated to base argent, a sword inverted gules. (SCA) [Major type of secondary charges; minor for the type and tincture of tertiary.] It also conflicts with KATHERINE OF NORTHHALL: Sable, a pale between two open books argent. (SCA) [Major for type of secondaries; minor for addition of tertiary.] And it infringes on the mundane arms of KENINGHAM: Sable, a pale between two cinquefoils pierced argent. (Papworth 1004) [Minor (at best) for rose ­> cinquefoil; minor for addition of tertiary.].

Orianna vander Delft of Winfield. Badge. A shamrock per pale counter­ermine and argent.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts, alas, with OLWEN OF BUCKLAND: Azure, a trefoil stalked argent. (SCA) There is a single point of difference, for the tincture of the shamfoil. (Or was that a trefrock? A Prufrock? Do I dare to eat a peach?).

Sarra Elizabeth Graeham of Birnham. Device. Per chevron Or and gules, two crosses formy fitchy sable and a falcon displayed Or.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts visually with CIARAN OF KELLS: Per chevron Or and gules, three crosses fitchy in fess enhanced sable and a cup Or. (SCA)

Kingdom of the West

Cenwulf Godfyrht. Device. Or, an equal­armed patriarchal cross azure and a mount vert.

REASON FOR RETURN: Conflict with GORDON THE RIGHTEOUS: Or, a Greek cross gules and a mount vert. (SCA) We count a major and a minor point of difference for the cross, and no difference for the mount.

Westermark, Barony of. Badges. (1) Azure, a "W" throughout argent and in base five plates in annulo, all within a bordure argent. (2) Gules, a "W" throughout argent and in base five plates in annulo, all within a bordure argent. (3) Purpure, a "W" throughout argent and in base five plates in annulo, all within a bordure argent. (4) Sable a "W" throughout argent and in base five plates in annulo, all within a bordure argent. (5) Vert, a "W" throughout argent and in base five plates in annulo, all within a bordure argent.

REASON FOR RETURN: No formal restriction is placed on the number of badges a branch may be submit because it is assumed that branches may have good and constructive reasons for more than one badge. This is an abuse of the privilege. Please advise them to pick one.

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE PENDING:

Kingdom of An Tir

Sophia de la Mer. Device. Argent, a seahorse erect vert within an orle flory azure.

PENDING: The tincture of the sea­horse was omitted from the blazon.

Kingdom of the East

Lyanna of Kerneough. Badge for Tylu Kern yn Kerneough (addition of designation; badge registered December 1984).

PENDING: The designation was omitted from the letter of intent.