APPROVALS

28 NOVEMBER XXII (1987)

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE APPROVED:

KINGDOM OF AN TIR

An Tir, Kingdom of. Badge. Chequy Or and argent, a lion's head caboshed within a bordure sable.

An Tir, Kingdom of. Change of badge for Pied Pipers and change of name from Pied Piper's Place. Per saltire Or and argent, a transverse flute fesswise sable.

Berek von Langental. Change of name from Berek von Langenthal.

Bronwyn ferch Lewis. Name only.

Note that Gruffudd (Welsh Personal Names, p. 62) cites Lewis Glyn Cothi as the name of a fifteenth-century Welsh poet. Therefore the use of the name Lewis in the Welsh would seem to have been documented in period.

Caomhghin ap Rhys o Dun na hEan. Name and device. Argent, a triple-towered castle, on a chief azure an eagle displayed argent.

He has been granted permission to conflict by Anne Louise of Bluecastle ("Argent, a castle triple-towered azure, portalled, crenellated and pennoned gules, within a bordure azure, semy of oak leaves Or.").

Conal Fitzalan. Device. Sable, on a pile, doubly cotised, Or a sword inverted sable.

Darien Tevarson. Badge. Or, a cedar tree proper issuant from mount, all within a bordure vert.

Eiríkr Stórox. Name and device. Per pale gules and azure, a lion and a dragon combattant argent, maintaining in their forepaws a sword and a great axe crossed in saltire, in base a massacre Or.

The name was submitted as Eiríkr Stórrox. By the submittor's own documentation, the adjective should have only one "r" in the compound here so we have dropped the surplus consonant. Note that this very nearly falls over the great cliff of overcomplexity: were the charges not confined to two tinctures, this would be too complex.

Eirikr Thorinsson. Change of name from Arthur de Montague.

Elizabeth Ashley Longbow of Newcastle. Name and device. Purpure, a natural seahorse naiant to sinister argent.

Note: the beastie in the device of Denis de Courcey of the Kells ("Or a sea-horse erect to sinister vert.") is indeed an heraldic sea-horse so there is no identical outline.

Elizabeth of the Fields. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Gytha Anora ni Chiarain. Device (see RETURNS for name change). Or, a seastag passant reguardant gules, on a chief three roses argent.

The submission was made with a change of name to Gytha Anora ni Kerean.

Gytha Anora ni Chiarain. Badge. Or, a seastag passant reguardant gules.

Kerryk Wolfram. Name only.

Liesel von Langental. Change of name from Liesel Alpenblum von Langenthal.

Marta de Caernis. Name only.

The name was submitted as Marte de Caerynis. Unfortunately, the form "Marte" is not a coined variant of Martha, as stated on the letter of intent, but a well-documented period form of the common noun "mart" which has several meanings, the most familiar of which is for a market (see the OED under "mart"). Therefore, we have modified the form of the given name to the closest form given in the submittor's documentation. Also, the forms of the family name (given under "Cairns" in Black's Surnames of Scotland) do not have a final "ynis" which would change the meaning and sound of the name considerably. Therefore, we have used the simpler two-syllable form of the name, as shown in several variants in Black.

Meagan ferch Meredydd. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Randell Elinor Raye of Crianiarich. Device. Argent, on a chevron between three Celtic crosses vert, a Celtic cross argent.

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

Richard Fitzgerald of Broadmeadow. Device. Per pall inverted azure, Or and argent, in chief two lions rampant addorsed, maintaining swords, counterchanged Or and azure, and in base a cross crosslet fitchy gules.

Roger Fitzlyon. Badge for The Brotherhood of the Wandering Sword. Argent, a dexter wing conjoined at the base with a sinister gauntlet sable maintaining a sword gules.

Rosemund Longfellow. Name only.

Sarah of Three Mountains. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Per bend sinister Or and azure, a unicorn salient to sinister sable and a tower argent, masoned sable.

The submission was made under the name Sarah Sarahson. Note that the unicorn on the device of Morgaina Serai la Foncée was registered as azure, although this tincture was accidentally omitted from the latest armorial.

Stephen Schwarzpferd. Name and device. Per pale gules and sable, on a plate a horse rampant sable, in chief a flamberge fesswise argent.

Thorvald of Vulkanfeld. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Or, a bear rampant, maintaining an axe, within a bordure embattled vert.

The submission was made under the name of Thorvald Halfdane.

KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT

Asa Birdfoot. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Barbara of Levedia. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Argent, on a pile ployé throughout vert, a daffodil, slipped and leaved, argent.

The submission was made under the name of Renya Valeska Nyék of Levedia.

Beatrice Morgana. Name and device. Or, a goblet between five mullets in chevron sable and a base rayonny gules.

Daphne of Ered Isen. Device. Sable, a sword inverted surmounted by a retort fesswise gules, fimbriated Or, distilling from the retort a goutte d'Or, a label Or.

As noted when this was returned in May, we have a moral obligation to pass this submission which adds only a plain label Or to the registered arms of her father. Note that the lady would be entitled under AR23a to display this device without registering it. Through several submissions, she has taken great care to "play by the rules" and should be complimented on her patience.

Eleanor la Maladroite. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Genevieve nic an Cheannai. Blazon correction. Per pall gules, purpure and azure, a unicorn passant reguardant and a bordure argent.

When the device was registered in July, 1987, a typo resulted in the field being described as per pale.

Godwin of Rye. Device. Per bend sable and argent, in bend sinister three scorpions counterchanged.

James Treebull the Stubborn. Name only (see PENDING for device).

The name was submitted as Jamie Treebull the Stubborn. Since we could not document the use of the diminutive form as a separate entity in period, we have substituted the formal use name "James".

Mons Tonitus, March of. Badge. Argent, a pile inverted sable, surmounted by a chevron inverted counterchanged.

Please ask them to draw the chevron inverted properly, with its point coming farther down than it did on the emblazon sheet.

KINGDOM OF CAID

Adrianna Somerset Morgan. Name and device. Sable, two lion's heads, erased and sinister facing, and a lion rampant to sinister Or.

The name gave some of the Laurel staff twinges, but Somerset Maugham's given name was William, not Adrian.

Althaea della Terra di Rugiada. Procedural correction.

Crescent has properly noted that, when her name was approved in July, 1987, we omitted to specify that this was a change from the holding name of Althaea of Calafia.

Balin of Canterbury. Device. Azure, a dragon passant to sinister Or between three crosses of Canterbury argent.

Briana O Dúnadhaigh. Name and device. Per fess embattled gules and Or, two fleams and a hawk's head erased counterchanged.

Caterine Sybille de Montmorillon. Device. Per bend argent and purpure, two cat's faces jessant-de-lys counterchanged.

Céline Jeanne de Hermain. Blazon correction. Argent, a raven displayed sable between three fleurs-de-lys gules, all within a bordure sable.

The tincture of the bird was omitted when the device was approved in July, 1985.

Conrad Friedrich von Troppau. Name and device. Per saltire argent and azure, an eagle displayed, wings inverted, between four crosses formy counterchanged.

Derdriu MacKinnon. Name and device. Argent, on a pomme between four holly sprigs in cross proper, a spiral hunting horn argent.

Focarta Faolmear. Name and device. Gules, a wolf salient guardant within a bordure rayonny argent.

The name was submitted as Focarta Faol-mear. The evidence of such names as "O Faolchair" (MacLysaght, Surnames of Ireland, p. 102) indicates that the two elements would coalesce, not be joined by a hyphen.

Galen the Mad. Blazon correction. Azure, on a saltire nowy quadrate argent, cotised Or, a bull's head cabossed sable.

When this was registered in June, 1987, the important modifier nowy was omitted from the blazon. Our thanks to Vesper for catching this.

Ian of the Isle. Badge. Argent, a lion's jambe bendwise erased gules.

Since the issue was raised by Æstel, we checked on the mundane and Society defaults for a lion's jambe. In depictions of the jambe where no orientation is given, it has the "business end", i.e., the claws, to chief. In accordance with this practice, the jambe on the badge for the Order of the Jambe de Lion of An Tir ("Chequy Or and argent, a lion's jambe bendwise inverted erased sable.") has its claws to base. Thus there can be no question of conflict here.

Lyondemere, Barony of. Change of device. Argent, a sea-lion proper grasping a laurel wreath vert, a base engrailed azure.

Marcus Naturalis. Name and device. Or, a bend sinister sable, overall a monster composed of a human figure with the head and foreclaws of a griffin and the mane, tail and rear paws of a lion, kneeling and maintaining a pellet.

Note that there is evidence for the early use of the term "natural" for the mentally deficient so that this usage seems reasonable. (The submittor should be informed of this connotation, however!) After some lengthy consideration, we decided that Dragon was correct and it was primarily the rendition of the monster, which would have done credit to a professional strip inker, that prejudiced so many commentors against it. There is, taken in itself, nothing unreasonable about the monster and, in a full-sized emblazon, it is clearly identifiable.

Maredudd of Castell Dolwyddelan. Name only.

The name was submitted as Maredydd o Castell Dolwyddelan. She asked that changes be made to preserve the sound so we have changed the preposition to English to avoid the need to mutate the following noun to "Gastell". The given name has also been changed to the usual Welsh form to preserve the sound: all evidence points to "y" appearing only in Anglicised forms ending in "th".

Marie de La Rochelle. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Micheal of the Daugava. Spelling correction.

When the gentle's name was passed in June, 1987, it was inadvertantly spelled with the usual spelling Michael, although his forms indicated he wished to use the reversed diphthong of his mundane name: Micheal.

Philippe Lyon de Marseilles. Device. Per fess rayonny Or and sable, in chief a lion rampant gules, maintaining a quill bendwise sinister, between in fess two fleurs-de-lys sable, in base a sun argent.

Timotheus Zacharia von Schloss Zwilling. Change of name from holding name of Timotheus Zacharia of Altavia.

KINGDOM OF MERIDIES

Alexander Tair Gwal Garreg. Name and device. Per fess gules and sable, on a fess embattled counterembattled Or between two cats passant argent, a cat passant to sinister sable.

The name was submitted as Alezxander Tri Carreg Gwal. The submittor allowed corrections to the name so we have dropped the surplus "z" from the given name. The word order of the byname was also modified to follow Welsh practice and the modifiers were given the appropriate forms to accompany the feminine noun "Gwal".

Bjorn Rhys. Device. Per bend sinister argent and sable, in dexter chief an elk's skull caboshed sable.

Brenna Lowri o Lanbedr. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

The name was submitted as Brenna Lowri o Llanbedr. After the preposition "o" the initial consonant must mutate.

Charles John ben Moses David of Guiles. Name and device. Azure, on a bend sinister argent a mullet of six points azure, a chief embattled and issuant from base a demi-sun Or, eclipsed azure.

The name was submitted as Charles John Ben Moses David of Guiles. The patronymic particle by convention is in lower case. The submittor has demonstrated that medieval Jewish names could link two names each consisting of two names and Society practice has long allowed the use of names from different linguistic traditions in the same construct.

Garret MacFaelain. Name and device. Per chevron azure and argent, two arrows inverted in chevron argent and an acorn proper.

Note that O Corrain and Maguire (Gaelic Personal Names, p. 92) show Fáelán as a usual Gaelic form so that the patronymic is properly formed.

Geoffrey FitzRoger. Badge. A male griffin segreant sable, armed Or, within an annulet azure.

Meridies, Kingdom of. Badge for Chirurgeons. Argent, a fleam gules.

Muirgheal Cinnsealach. Name and device. Per bend sinister argent and purpure, a bend sinister erminois between a chess rook azure and a conch shell fesswise argent, all within a bordure erminois.

The name appeared on the letter of intent as Muriel Kinsella. However, the paperwork for the lady indicated that she wished the well-documented Irish form.

Sionyn Muirgen ni Dhomnall. Change of name from Siobhan Muirgen ni Dhomnall.

The name was submitted as Sionann Muirgen ni Dhomnall. The submittor provided a number of possible Irish variants, but none were linguistically valid for the submitted given name pronunciation save for those associated with the name of the Shannon River and divine lady from whom its name is supposedly derived (a sea-goddess granddaughter of Lir). This latter lady is anything but human and it was the association with her (reinforced by the epithet "sea born" used here) that caused the name to be modified in the first place. However, we have found a form close in sound and spelling in the Welsh masculine given name and we have used this since the lady did permit changes of grammar and spelling.

KINGDOM OF THE MIDDLE

Bronwyn ferch Gwyn ap Rhys. Name only.

Note that Gwyn appears to have been a masculine given name in period as well as a descriptive byname. Morgan and Morgan (Welsh Surnames, p. 116) copiously document its use as a given name in sources from as early as the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

Riverwood Tower, Shire of. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Silfren Mere, Shire of. Name and device. Argent, a tower sable, its base environed of a laurel wreath vert, all within a bordure embattled azure.

This does not conflict by outline with the Shire of Emerald Keep ("Or, a tower within a laurel wreath within a bordure embattled vert."), since the laurel wreath in that case fully surrounds the tower.

KINGDOM OF THE WEST

Caroline O Cainnigh. Change of name from Caroline nic Chainnigh.

Note that O Corrain and Maguire (Gaelic Personal Names, p. 43) support the form Cainnech.

Catriona Gleannfhithich. Name only.

The name was submitted as Catriona as Glenfhitheach. We have modified the byname to give the proper form for Raven Valley. Note that the preposition has been dropped in favour of an appositive phrase as is exceedingly common for locatives in Gaelic: this avoids some of the syntactic difficulties created by the dependent genitive.

Eric Karl Krause. Name and device. Quarterly argent and azure, in bend sinister two swords inverted bendwise Or.

The name was submitted as Eric Karl von Krause. The preposition would not have been used with the adjective form "Kraus" or without an article with the noun "Krause". Since his mundane last name is "Krause", we have simply dropped the preposition, as we did for his father on the October letter.

Étienne the Inepte. Name and device. Azure, a fess bretessed ermine between three mice statant Or.

While the Olde Englishe spelling is a bit "twee", it is not excessive here.

Helena of Heathcote. Name and device. Argent, a heathcock passant to sinister within a bordure purpure.

Lilian Guy of Swanton. Spelling correction.

When the name was registered in June, 1987, we misread the forms and used the form of the given name with three "l"'s. She wishes only two.

Karina of the Far West. Reblazon of device. Azure, a wyvern statant argent.

The original blazon ("Argent, a wyvern argent.") is deceptive since it assumes that the wyvern is in the "ramping" posture which is the default for dragons and wyverns.

Lucina Sara Hawkridge. Badge. Per pale and chevronelly inverted sable and argent, a pink flamingo volant, wings addorsed proper.

Comment from Laurel Staff: "She should be told she can get all the household badges she wants from a mail order place called the Cat's Pajamas. They specialize in plastic flamingos of all kinds (including clocks!".

Snorri Ottarson. Spelling correction.

When the name was registered in June, 1987, the byname was inadvertantly spelled with only one "s".

Tzipporah bat Deborah. Change of name from Eleanor du Mont Saint Michel.

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE RETURNED:

KINGDOM OF AN TIR

Adrian Blackfire. Device. Azure, a chevron inverted throughout Or, overall a wyvern couchant coward argent.

This does in fact conflict with Karina of the Far West ("Azure, a wyvern statant argent." as reblazoned elsewhere on this letter) which has a wyvern statant in almost precisely the posture that is here blazoned as couchant. The wyvern on Adrian's arms is closer to the traditional statant than couchant in any case (a wyvern couchant would be in the same posture as a dragon couchant).

Alain de Trois Rivieres. Device. Per fess enhanced wavy purpure and azure, two seawolves combattant between a mullet and three spears issuant from base, points conjoined in fess point, Or.

A complex line of division such as wavy is permitted for fields in which the divisions are of the same tincture category only in cases where the contrast between the tinctures is good and the line of division is not obscured by overlying charges. This device meets neither criterion: the contrast between purpure and azure is almost the poorest imaginable and the sea-wolves overly the line of division to such an extent that it is only by examining closely that it is possible to determine that it is not a plain line.

Ambiorix Draconis. Name and device. Purpure, a dragon's head erased Or.

Unfortunately, the name Ambiorix seems to be a unique name for one of the greatest of the Gallic leaders who appear in Caesar's Gallic Wars. Indeed, his fame was only exceeded by that of Vercingetorix and it is arguable that Ambiorix, chief of the Eburones, who led a major revolt against Roman power in the 50's B.C. was a greater leader as he was not compelled to surrender to Caesar as was Vercingetorix. Also, the proper formation for the byname would have it in the nominative ("Draco"). Such a byname is perfectly legitimate and would be suitable both for a Romanized Gaul or a Roman. The device, unfortunately, conflicts with the badge of Sarkanyi Gero ("A triskelion of dragon's heads Or, tongued gules."): no difference is created by the languing, which could just as well have been left to artistic discretion and the only other modification is the addition of the conjoined dragon's heads in base.

An Tir, Crown Prince of. Device. Chequy Or and argent, a lion couchant, queue fourche, sable, gorged of a coronet argent.

Note that the submitted device is not sufficiently different from submitted for the Crown Princess since they differ only by the type of gorging, which is at most a weak minor (by DR1c the minimum difference permissible between devices where permission to conflict has been granted is a major point). This also is in conflict with several devices cited by commentors. Given the extremely low contrast field, which appears to be argent in many lights, it visually conflicts with William the Silent ("Argent, a natural panther passant guardant sable."). It also conflicts with Houri the Savage ("Argent, a lion rampant sable, orbed and langued gules.") since virtually no difference can be derived from the addition of the gorging and none whatsoever from the orbing and languing.

An Tir, Crown Princess of. Device. Chequy Or and argent, a lion couchant, queue fourche, sable, gorged of a wreath of hearts and roses argent.

This is not sufficiently different from that submitted for the Crown Prince. This must be returned for the same conflicts cited for the proposed device for the Crown Prince.

Cerys o Aberystwyth. Name only.

Unfortunately, all evidence points to the given name as a modern formation from a Welsh endearment (equivalent to an English name of "Darling"). The documented form Ceridwen or possibly the neoclassicist name Charis would be viable alternates. (In either case, she would probably do well to use the lingua franca preposition: "of".).

Dublin O'Guinn Silverwolf. Name only.

Æstel himself indicates the reason why this appeal must be returned: "The stated intention of NR12 is to make allowance for the submittor who bears what is now thought of as a given name but in period was only a surname." The cited examples of geographical names used as given names (most of which were only used as given names after our period) are commonly recognized as such: thanks to their use over the years names such as Neville, Mortimer, Gordon, Leslie, etc. now have as their primary identity a given name usage, although they may have originally been family names derived from place names. This is not the case with Dublin. Not only is Dublin not commonly used as a given name, it does not appear to have been used as a family name: neither Reaney (Dictionary of British Surnames) nor MacLysaght (Surnames of Ireland) show Dublin in any form as a family name. So far as we can determine, it is used solely as a locative and a very famous one at that. To gauge the effect this non-period usage will have on a gentle who would be introduced to the submittor for the first time, try substituting Berlin or Copenhagen or Brussels for the first element of the name. Clearly, the "modern" effect here is so disruptive that the leniency granted to mundane names which will not overly disrupt the medieval ambience of the Society cannot be allowed in this case.

Elizabeth of the Fields. Device. Argent, a bend coloured as a natural rainbow between a garden rose bendwise gules, slipped and leaved vert, and a heart gules.

This is a clear case of non-period style. Such rainbow tinctured charges as this have been banned from Society use for some years.

Gytha Anora ni Kerean. Change of name from Gytha Anora ni Chiarain.

The form of the name above was originally submitted with documentation indicating it was a variant spelling of Irish Ciaran and, when the name was registered in January, 1987, the patronymic was modified to the proper Irish form which the paperwork suggested the submitter wished ("ni Chiarain"). Æstel has submitted a name "correction" to the original form. Technically, this is a change of name or appeal rather than a correction (which term should be used only when there is cause to suspect that Laurel has mistyped or otherwise accidentally modified the submitted form, not when the change is clearly intentional). Unfortunately, the change was made originally to avoid several problems with the name and the documentation provided by Æstel does not resolve these. In the first place, "Kerean" is not a valid variant, English or Irish, for Ciaran. The forms cited in the letter of intent and all others we have been able to find have no diphthong in the final syllable. Irish "Ciaran" and the Anglicized forms "Kieron", "Kieran", etc. are pronounced not at all like "Kerean" and orthographic variants in both Irish and English tend to follow pronunciation. As the "k" form is used, we must suppose that this is an Anglicized form, which would not usually have been used with the Celtic feminine patronymic particle "ni". In any case, if the feminine particle is used, it would aspirate the following given name, as in the registered form of the name. To accept the appeal, it would be necessary to ignore our long-standing strictures on prepositions and nouns following the grammatical rules of the same language.

Ian Jameson. Name only.

The name conflicts with the registered name of Ian James of Silverlake. Under our current rules, adding a sufficiently different locative would clear the conflict.

Lao Tao-sheng. Change of name from Lao Xue-sheng and device. Lozengy argent and sable, a monkey rampant guardant azure, vested and booted in the Chinese manner Or, wearing a tam sable with two feathers, and maintaining in dexter forepaw a staff Or.

Although the new given name was documented as the name of a period monk, no meaning was given for the name. As the name is not a common one and most Chinese names have meanings, this is necessary here, particularly in view of the aural similarity that a number of non-Chinese oriented commentors found to Lao Tzu, known in the West as the founder of Taoism. Note that the beast depicted here is considerably less a primate than that on the original submission and would be more readily identified as a lion. Also note that, even with the expanded description, it is doubtful that a competent heraldic scribe would arrive at this depiction from the blazon. Finally, the problem with the interpretation of this beast as the "Monkey King", which was raised in the original return, has not been addressed in the letter of intent or in the documentation.

Lao Tao-sheng. Badge. Lozengy argent and sable, a Chinese beret gules, decorated to sinister with two feathers azure, eyed vert, overall a bend couped bendwise Or.

The feathers on the cap, omitted from the blazon, are not a minor detail in the design, although they fade into the sable portions of the field. This form of cap is not the usual one depicted in Chinese art and would not be reconstructed from the suggested blazon by any heraldic artist. Indeed, the image presented by a "Chinese cap" to most heraldic artists we queried differed substantially from this image.

Lorraine Mary d'Aquitaine. Name only.

All documentation that we could find, including the source partially cited in the letter of intent, supports the view that the use of Lorraine as a given name is well out of period. As Lorraine was an important geographical entity in period, it is necessary to have some evidence for its use in period. She could use her mundane given name, Laura, which is documented in period.

Marisse the Unattainable. Name only.

By the very documentation included in the letter of intent, the name forms offered as sources for Marisse date from after our period. The only period formation we could find that was really close was the geographic family name of origin "de Marise" cited in Reaney (p. 232) which derives from the French word for a marsh.

Meagan ferch Meredydd. Device. Vert, a triple-towered castle and a chief embattled argent.

Conflict with Hjalmar of Aachen ("Vert, a castle argent, portalled and masoned sable, on a chief argent three oak leaves vert.").

Miles Longfellow. Name only.

Conflict with the registered name of Miles Long. The name is not only close in sound, but also in meaning: in the citation from Matthews (English Surnames, p. 140) provided by the submittor as documentation it is stated: "The proper English word to describe a tall man was Long (Lang or Laing in the North), or he could be called Longman or Longfellow.".

Richard Raedwulf. Name only.

The name is just too close to Richard Randolf. The possibilities for confusion are only increased by Richard Randolf's registered alternate persona of Randwulf Raedwulfing!.

Sarah Sarahson. Name only.

The name conflicts with that of a character from one of Peter Schickele's P.D.Q.Bach albums. While neither Peter Schickele nor the persona of P.D.Q. Bach may properly be called period, they both have a certain cult status in many areas of the Society. Many members not only recognize the music but can recite the lyrics to most of the published work. Given this circumstance, the use of the name of even a tangential character from the P.D.Q.Bach corpus seems unwise.

Thorvald Halfdane. Name only.

The name conflicts with the registered name of Thorvald Halfdanarson.

Valtorr of Oslo. Name and device. Quarterly Or and argent, a Sleipnir rampant sable within an orle gules.

We would really have like to be convinced by the argumentation on the name. Unfortunately, all the evidence provided by Æstel only supports the original grounds for return. The argument that "Viktor" demonstrates the use of "tor" as a deuterotheme sadly has no foundation in fact since it is merely a northern spelling variant of the Latin "Victor". The citation from Haugen's Scandinavian Language Structures (p. 66) designed to show that thorn does become "t" in period confirms the original evidence that it does not do so in the context offered since it indicates that this change occurs "initially when stressed" [italics ours]. By a somewhat longer process the thorn developed into "d" "initially when unstressed" [again italics ours]. The documentation offers no evidence that this occurred internally in words, compounded or not. Indeed, the evidence provided by the submittor in the form of citations from Reaney argues that it does not, for every single one has the "Thor"/"Tor" component as the first element in the name. (It is notable that in all the theophoric names we could find from Scandinavia, like that of the majority from the Mediterranean, the "divine" element is always the leading element: Thorfinn, Theodore, Apollodorus, etc.)

As for the device, the resubmission did not address the issue of the propriety of registering a Sleipnir in the Society. No evidence has been presented in support of the use of this magical creature so closely associated with the Nordic pantheon, even outside of the context of a theophoric name and commentary in the College was even dubious concerning the use of such a unique creature on this occasion than when it was first submitted. Moreover, since any blazon to indicate the tinctures of the submission was omitted, the College could not check properly for conflicts which might have arisen since the original return.

KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT

Adelvarg va Midnatthimmel. Name and device. Sable, a wolf statant to sinister atop a rock argent.

Although both name and device were listed as resubmissions on the letter of intent, the name was actually being appealed, as there was no change made from the form returned. This appeal did not address the major objection to the given name, which was that neither "varg" nor any cognate form appears in the fixed pool of Germanic naming elements (either as a protheme or a deuterotheme). The submittor has provided copious documentation for the use of "Adel" as a protheme (which was never in dispute), but no evidence that "varg" was ever used in period or today in place of the "ulf" form that is common in Germanic names as a deuterotheme. It has long been established that the use of an element with meaning in one language does not necessarily mean that a translated form can be used in the same manner in another language. His argument basically is that, since "ulf" means "wolf" and is used, "varg" which also means "wolf" should also be used. This is not a valid argument. Also, no documentation has been provided for the use of "va" as a prepositional form, as opposed to the more familiar "av" that he has documented.

In resubmitting, he has attempted to avoid conflict with Walter de Montagne ("Sable, in chief a lion passant dismembered and in base a mount argent."), but beast is very definitely secondary in importance here and the conflict must be held to still exist. It also now runs into technical problems with Guillaume le Chien Blanc ("Sable, a samoyed dog statant to sinister proper and a chief argent.") and Haroun ibn-al-Dhib al Abyadh ("Sable, a wolf passant to sinister argent, in base a scimitar fesswise reversed Or.").

Asa Birdfoot. Device. Or, on a chevron throughout between three bird's footprints in pall, toes to center, vert, a chevronel argent.

While the secondary charges are well-drawn to fill the field in the medieval manner, they are not identifiable as bird's footprints (we are dubious whether anything could be): a significant proportion of the commentors and Laurel staff thought they were caltraps before the blazon was read.

Blanche Cecile d'Etoile Noire. Device. Argent, a chevron rompu between two mullets of six points sable and a wyvern passant vert.

Conflict with Salt ("Argent, a chevron rompu between three mullets sable.", as cited in Papworth, p. 459).

Callum MacLeod. Name and device. Argent, masoned sable, a ford proper and overall a bull's head cabossed sable.

Unfortunately, since the given name is a form of Malcolm, the name conflicts with that of Malcolm MacLeod, first independent chief of the MacLeods of Raasay (Moncreiffe, Highland Clans, p. 173). While we cannot agree that the use of the bull's head cabossed (the badge of the MacLeods) is per se an infringement when used as the primary charge with the name MacLeod, the use of the charge overall here, overlying a base does appear to be non-period style, the more so since the ford is not drawn properly but rather as a "base wavy azure charged with four barrulets wavy argent".

Eleanor la Maladroite. Device. Quarterly gules and azure, a two-horned fool's cap conjoined to another inverted at their brims quarterly Or and argent.

Conjoined in this manner the fool's caps are totally unidentifiable. Some thought they were crescents and Crescent is perfectly correct in calling conflict with Wilby ("Gules, a fer-de-moline argent."), Brun ("Azure, a millrind Or.") and, given the fact that the current rules allow no difference for the field, the Society badge of Tristan Melinydd ("A millrind purpure.").

Renya Valeska Nyék of Levedia. Name only.

Leaving aside the issue of the credibility of the submittor in view of the contradictory documentation provided for the given name in Caid and in Atenveldt, there is no doubt that the given name is diminutive in form, almost certainly from Regina, and that there is no evidence for its independent use in period. Additionally, the documentation for "Valeska" comes from a dubious source (Wells, Treasury of Names, p. 156) which gives no date for its use and it may be doubted that this is a period form. Finally, although the documentation does show that Nyék is the name of a tribe, it is specifically stated that the usage is parallel to that of the name "Magyar" for a people and it is not shown that this tribal name would be used as a family name in the sense we use them.

KINGDOM OF CAID

Johannas von Bern. Badge. A bear, sejant erect to sinister, sable, atop a stump Or, maintaining a sword argent, upon which it breaths flames of fire proper.

This badge labours under several difficulties. It clearly violates the spirit of the rules on contrast, as it is difficult imagine any field on which it would display adequate contrast (a gules field would suffice were it not for the flames of fire proper which are largely gules and appear to be a major component of the design). It is overly complex for a badge. Finally and not entirely irrelevantly, it suffers from terminal "cutesiness". (Note: his name was returned on the August letter.).

Marie de La Rochelle. Device. Azure, a chevron between two fleurs-de-lys and an escallop argent, all within a bordure Or.

Conflict with George Lumsden, as cited by Æstel ("Azure, a chevron Or between two wolf's heads erased in chief and an escallop in base argent, within a bordure of the second.").

KINGDOM OF MERIDIES

Aindrea MacFirnaclachan. Name and device. Argent, a saltire vert between a pile and a pile inverted sable and in fess two thistles proper.

The patronymic is not properly formed: while there are occasional instances of patronymics formed with "mac" plus an occupational noun, we could find none with a a noun formation purely derived from a location. Moreover, the formation "Fir na Clachan" is not how Gaelic would indicate a man who lived in a stone house. The blazon does not really correctly describe the device as the sable is not really pile-shaped. The nearest blazon probably is "Per saltire sable and argent, a saltire vert, fimbriated argent, between in fess two thistles, slipped and leaved, proper." However, this is not permissible since much of the "fimbriation" will fade into the argent portion of the field. This is not period style.

Brenna Lowri o Lanbedr. Device. Azure, on a pile invected Or between two estoiles and a crescent argent, a raven's head erased sable.

There was strong feeling in the College that this is not period style since there would be no space for the crescent beneath a pile properly drawn. It is also a tad complex, involving four types of charges and five tinctures.

Brynja of Burrhyll. Device. Azure, three geese naiant in pall, heads conjoined at the center, within a bordure potenty argent.

It was the consensus of those who saw either the miniature emblazon or the actual emblazon sheet that the geese were functionally unidentifiable largely because of their unusual posture. Note that the bordure on the emblazon sheet was much too narrow.

Gwenhyfar le Wita. Name and device. Per chevron gules and gules, semy-de-lys, a chevron and in chief two crosses moline Or.

The given name lacks the "w" which is necessary for the proper pronunciation of the Welsh form Gwenhwyfar. As Pennon himself noted, le Wita couples a French article with an Anglo-Saxon noun in a manner which is not documented from period sources. The most serious problem with the name, however, is the implications which come from linking the name Gwenevere with a term like "wita" which could so easily be associated with Arthur's queen. Although the given name was used by other ladies in period and is licit for Society use, the contexts in which it is used must be carefully examined in order to avoid offense. The device conflicts with Slough ("Gules, a chevron between three crosses sarcelly Or."). There is also a visual conflict with Gaufridus Baldewin Gilbertson ("Gules, a chevron between two chess rooks and a caltrap Or."): Crescent is correct in stating that the visual effect is such that the semy-de-lys in base must not be considered as a divided field for purposes of difference, but rather as part of the group of secondary charges about the chevron.

KINGDOM OF THE MIDDLE

Aberafonydd, Shire of. Name and device. Or, a saltire wavy azure, surmounted by a laurel wreath vert, between four hop cones azure.

Unfortunately, this is a case where the rules technically require a return of the name since it is a direct translation of the name of the Shire of Riversmeet in the Kingdom of the East. However, it has previously been ruled that translations of such generic names as these may be registered if the group with which it conflicts gives permission and we would suggest that Dragon approach the Shire of Riversmeet for such permission. Unfortunately, if the saltire is drawn with appropriate thickness, rather than as the conjunction of thin lines used on the emblazon the laurel wreath vert will almost completely fade into the azure saltire (it is nearly unidentifiable as it is).

Antonio di Casa d'Aqua. Badge for Casa d'Aqua. Vert, a millrind Or.

Conflict with U.S. Navy Judge Advocates Corps ("A millrind Or.").

Riverwood Tower, Shire of. Device. Ermine, a bend sinister azure between a tree eradicated proper and a tower sable, overall a laurel wreath vert.

There was a general consensus amongst the commentors that the wreath overall was excessive, especially since it obscured the tower to such a degree. The device needs to be simplified, possibly by placing several metal laurel wreaths on the bend sinister.

KINGDOM OF THE WEST

None

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSION IS PENDING:

KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT

James Treebull the Stubborn. Device. Or, on the crown of a tree issuant from a mound sable, a bull's head cabossed Or, all within a bordure embattled sable.

The blazon on the letter of intent and the writen emblazon on the submission sheet had the emblazon above, but the emblazon sheet shows a plain bordure. If the blazon is correct, we need an emblazon sheet to match. If the emblazon is correct, then Aten needs to resubmit this for proper conflict checking by the College.


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