Gyldenholt, Caid
16 September 1986, A.S. XXI
Unto the members of the College of Arms,
from Baldwin of Erebor, Laurel Emeritus.
My lords and ladies,
The enclosed materials were, obviously, completed
somewhat later than the nominal date shown on the official cover
letter etiquette requires that it be dated within
my tenure, since it does contain a few official pronouncements,
however mild these may be. The masters for the July LoAR were
run on the 7th; those for the August LoAR and the cover letter,
on the 14th.
Personnel
Please remove Mistress Eowyn Amberdrake from
the roster. Her term as Clarion Queen of Arms having ended, she
is returning to the relative calm of her remaining SCA pursuits.
Acknowledgements
Laurel may get to take most of the heat, but
this had hardly been a oneman operation. A considerable
number of people have served on my personal staff over the past
two years.
Mistress Eowyn Amberdrake and Master Bruce
Draconarius of Mistholme have been "my left and right hands
and threequarters of my memory," taking on a variety
of special projects, and lending their invaluable counsel. I
could not have done it without them.
During the time he was Crescent, Master Hrorek
Halfdane of Faulconwood abstained from much of the discussion
on Caidan submissions, so as not to gain an unfair advantage through
his attendance at Laurel meetings; and he constantly reminded
me of things said at meetings that needed to be repeated to the
College. Such integrity is beyond price, particularly when one
can play conscience and still remain friends.
Countess Leonora Morgana stepped into the breach
a year into my tenure, giving up one to three evenings a week
and many lunch hours to cope with the filing and try to bring
some order to my correspondence.
Lord Wilihelm Roderick FitzLovel, Lord Akagawa
Yoshio, and Lord Sebastian Blackwood were all regular attendees
at the Monday night work parties. Lady Adelaide de Beaumont (who
also handled the office finances), Lady Ceridwen Dafydd (who did
yeoman's service labeling files), Lady Ceinwen Haele Cynwyth,
Lord Cei Myghchaell Wellinton, and Lady Arwen Mildthryth Dafydd
made up the complement for the monthly meetings.
My lady wife, Jerilyn, countenanced the invasion
of her house, two nights a week and one day a month, by my staff;
made desserts for the work parties and lunches for the meetings;
tolerated the phone calls in the middle of dinner, the marathon
sessions at the word processor, and the somewhat obsessive nature
of her husband's conversation; and even found time to do some
research of her own.
To each and every one of these hardy souls,
for support both physical and moral, my thanks.
Et cetera
What do you call a former sovereign of arms,
besides "(title) Emeritus"? Mistress Eowyn has observed
that "trump" is a recognizable shortening of "trumpet"
(the symbol of the SCA herald), making Alisoun MacCoul "Queen
of Trumps", and Eowyn and myself "two no trumps".
Mistress Graidhne signed her first postDragon/postPennsic
letter "Vegetable Herald". One of the people on my
staff, with more wit than mercy, suggested that I style myself
"Broken Pen Herald." I stared at him blankly, and he
added, "Formerly known as His Nibs."
Now, if this were a regular SCA kingship, I'd
be a Count. That's not how things work, however, so I'm left
to close this letter as,
Your servant,
Baldwin of Erebor
NoCount of Arms
enclosures