The term "sheaf of [charges]" is a short way of blazoning two charges in saltire surmounted by a third palewise; the charges need not be bound. Though normally applied to arrows, it has been applied to other charges in mundane blazonry, and we have adopted it for SCA use (finding it preferable to such inelegant constructions as "in estoile" or "in gyronny").

Nice badge.

Please instruct the submitter to draw the bend more substantially wavy.

Against Sallay (Papworth 1007), Argent, on a pale sable a crozier Or, there is one CD for the addition of the sea-horses, and another (per Rule X.4.j.ii) for type of tertiary charge. This is notably true since the arrow in this device is correctly drawn, with large, visible fletching and point. (Yes, that's a hint.....)

The general feeling of the College was that this badge wasn't really good style: the knotting, chaining, and overall complexity didn't feel period. Lacking an explicit reason for return, however, we gave the submitter the benefit of the doubt in this case.

Given that the Latin and Old Norse terms for volcano translate more-or-less to "mountain with fire", we can consider this name a translation into the Society's lingua franca.

Please instruct the submitter to draw the horse in a more usual rampant posture. The byname was submitted as di Rucellai, implying either a patronymic or a toponymic. Rucellai being documented only as a surname, the preposition was inappropriate, and was deleted.

Hanks & Hodges' Dictionary of Surnames, p.204, cites Mac Geargáin, "son of Geargán". Gargan seems a reasonable anglicization of Geargán.

See the cover letter for a full discussion of household naming standards. The rule of thumb we've devised boils down, in this case, to the question: "Would we register John Nighthunter?" If so, then we would have to register House Nighthunter; period house names were often taken from the byname of the founder. Nighthunter is right on the edge of acceptability -- it smacks of the overly fantastical, and no documentation was provided with the submission -- but Hunter is a period surname (Reaney DBS2, p.187), and the OED cites such period and near-period constructions as nightfarmer, nighthooker, nightman, nightrunner, nightsnap, night-trader, nightwalker, and nightwatch. Given all that, we're inclined to register House Nighthunter (with a sigh).

The name was submitted as Killian nic Iain MacFarland. Lord Dragon suggested this more period form, which the submitter (present at the meeting) promptly accepted.

Please instruct the submitter to draw the fimbriation thicker.

Much of the commentary opposed this submission, as over-complex and having insufficient contrast. However, it's acceptable by both period and SCA standards: period, as illustrated by the arms of Say, c.1586 (Per pale azure and gules, three chevronels counterchanged, fimbriated argent); SCA, as illustrated by the acceptance of Tristan Blackmoor of Darkwoods, April 92 (Per bend sinister gules and sable, a bend sinister counterchanged, fimbriated argent). This submission meets the same standards of simplicity: an ordinary, no complex lines, straight counterchanging, a choice of colors that (for two dark tinctures) maximizes visibility, and no other charges (or even types of charges) in the design.

Moreover, if necessary, this could be reblazoned "Per saltire gules and sable, a saltire argent charged with another per saltire sable and gules"; by that blazon, this would have raised far fewer objections. We opted for the more elegant blazon.

Nice device. The given name was submitted as Siôn, with a circumflex; while that is the modern Welsh spelling, period Welsh wouldn't have used diacritical marks.

Having the escallops all bendwise on the saltire is unorthodox, but acceptable.

Possible conflicts were cited against Cheverell (Papworth 1082), Argent, on a saltire azure five bezants; York (Papworth 1080), Argent, on a saltire azure an escallop Or; and Woodward (Papworth 1069), Argent, a saltire azure between four woodpeckers proper. Taking these in order: Against Cheverell, we get one CD for adding the birds, and another CD per Rule X.4.j.ii for type of tertiaries. We believe the change from roundels to escallops to be a "substantial change" within the meaning of the Rules. Certainly, comparing Azure, an escallop Or vs. Azure, a bezant, we would consider this a substantial change sufficient for Rule X.2, Sufficient Difference, to apply. A change that could invoke X.2 when applied to primary charges can invoke X.4.j.ii when applied to tertiaries.

Against York, there is again a CD for the addition of the birds. Rule X.4.j permits number and posture of the tertiaries to be worth a CD; while there's been talk in the commentary about granting nothing for posture of tertiaries, as the Rules currently stand it does contribute toward difference.

That leaves the potential conflict with Woodward, and this engendered the most discussion. There is one CD for adding the tertiaries. Prior Laurel rulings have granted no difference for types of birds in identical postures (LoAR of Nov 90, p.16); and since Woodward's woodpeckers were probably chosen for their canting value, the fact that they weren't blazoned "ravens" is not itself proof that they were drawn differently.

However, Lady Black Stag came up with evidence that Woodward's birds, if drawn as the local breed of woodpecker, would be striped black and white (with minor red details). (Peterson's Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe) That gives us a CD for the birds' tincture, which brings this clear.

Good armory! His current device (Counter-ermine, a falcon displayed, head to sinister chief gules, in chief a mullet of four greater and eight lesser points elongated to base Or, within a bordure gules) is released.

When the device was registered Oct. 91, the secondaries were misblazoned as snails, a decidedly different charge.

Please instruct the submitter to draw the mullets larger.

The name was submitted as Lothars sohn, and was altered to Lotharsson on the LOI. The submitted form, once it's coalesced into a single word, seems to be a correct German spelling. We've restored the submitted spelling.

Please instruct the submitter to draw the flaunches issuant from the corners of the chief.

Her current device (Per pale sable and gules, a winged boar volant argent) is released. Her byname was registered as Kietrick on the LoAR of July 86. This seems to have been a pure glitch: the submitter's forms, the LOI, and all the commentary at the time said Dietrich.

Nice armory!

Da'ud says: "Pretty armory."

There are several conflicts, notably with Culehech (Papworth 982), Sable, a griffin rampant argent; Griffine (ibid), Vert, a griffin rampant argent; and Griffin Val Drummond (SCA), Per pale purpure and azure, a griffin segreant argent, bearing in its dexter talon a morgenstern and in its sinister talon a targe charged with a tower azure. In each case, there's a CD for the field, but by SCA precedent, there's no difference between rampant and sejant erect. The only real change is the placement of a hind leg. In the case of Griffin Val Drummond, the "held" charges add no difference.

This conflicts with O'Donnel, cited in the LOI (Papworth 1089): Gules, a galley, her oars in action Or. There is a CD for the swords, but we have hitherto granted no difference for type of ship; and as a longship is so nearly symmetric, reversing it cannot count as a second CD.

This conflicts with Payne (Papworth 149): Per fess sable and argent, two lions passant counterchanged, armed and langued gules. There is only one CD, for changing a feline to a fish.

This conflicts with Ann of Galway (SCA): Gules, a sea-griffin erect to sinister argent. There's a CD for field, but not for the head posture or number of tails.