Society for Creative Anachronism
College of Arms
For the July 2023 meetings, printed September 17, 2023
To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from Emma Laurel, Elisabetta Pelican, and Iago Wreath, greetings.
This coming January 26-28 will once again see the return of virtual Known World Heralds and Scribes Symposium (vKWHSS), this year headed by an interkingdom (and international!) team consisting of Ané{zv}ka Li{sv}ka z Kolína of the East, Malyss Makneile of An Tir, and Nest verch Gwilim of Atlantia, all of whom can be reached at [email protected]. More information as the event approaches will be available at the event website, https://kwhss.sca.org/ and on the KWHSS Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/kwhss
With vKWHSS 2024 creeping up on us, we'd like to get a jump on finalizing the team to handle vKWHSS in January 2025. This need not be hosted by a specific kingdom, but it may be easiest if all concerned are in the same kingdom.
We'd like for this team to be able to help the team running the January 2024 vKWHSS, and gain valuable experience in time for their turn at the wheel for 2025. Interested parties should have good communication skills, excellent Zoom, and/or Discord knowledge, and good scheduling ability. As a reminder, the vKWHSS is intended to run expanded hours so as to be more accessible to all parts of the SCA. We can provide the Zoom large meeting license and Discord channel.
Please email applications to [email protected]. Applications are due December 1, 2023.
We are happy to announce that the next Known World Heraldic and Scribal Sympsium will be held on the weekend of June 29-30, 2024, in the Kingdom of the East. Hosted by the Bailiwick of Ivyeinrut, the event will be held at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadephia, PA. More information will be coming soon!
The changes to sections V and VIII proposed in Laurel's April 9th Rules Letter are accepted with modification. In summary, those updates are:
V.A.2 Timely Notification of Submitters is updated to add the OSCAR notification system as an option and to recognize that limited means of contact may be available.
V.B.1 Authorized Preparer is updated to clarify that Principality Letters of Intent will appear under the relevant kingdom.
V.B.2 Prescribed Format is significantly revised to recognize that Letters of Intent now appear in OSCAR rather than on paper.
For joint registration, both owners' names should be listed.
Failure to summarize checkboxes or fully note information on forms (such as badge associations), is grounds for an administrative return.
Black and white emblazons are optional at the Laurel level though kingdoms may still require them.
Emblazons on forms and on the LoI must match. If redrawn, explicit submitter approval is required.
The correction feature in OSCAR may be used to withdraw an item.
V.C.1 Preparation of Submission Packets is updated to note that packets must be complete by the 10th of the month following the Letter of Intent and that copies of all non-Appendix H sources must be included. Also included is guidance on what should be marked "form" and/or "private".
V.C.2 Preparation of Submission Packet Scans is deleted as it duplicates V.C.1.
V.C.3 Payment of Laurel Office Fees is renumbered V.C.2 and some minor rewording is done.
VIII.B.1 Items Accepted for Registration is updated to incorporate long-standing precedent on which submission has precedence if conflicting items appear on Letters of Intent in the same month.
The revised Administrative Handbook will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/admin.html about a week after the October 2023 Board of Directors meeting.
We use the term "posture" when discussing animate charges and "orientation" when discussing inanimate charges. In order to make SENA consistent with that usage we are making a few minor modifications to SENA. In A5G7b posture is changed to orientation in two places:
b. Change of
Orientation for Non-Identical Inanimate Charges: Inanimate charges also may be divided into two categories: compact charges and long charges. Inanimate charges which fall into separate categories do not have comparablePostureorientations.postures
And in A5G7c posture is changed to orientation in one place:
c. Change of Orientation for Identical Inanimate Charges: When comparing two identical types of inanimate charges in different orientations, additional differences in
orientation can also be granted a distinct change (DC).posture
The wording will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#A5G7 about a week after the October 2023 Board of Directors meeting.
The Pictorial Dictionary states "The majority of beasts' and birds' feet (as distinct from legs) are erect by default, with the claws to chief; only human feet seem to go downwards by default." While they do often appear in this orientation in period armory, in Society armory we have far more often used "erect, claws to base" as the default orientation for bird's feet. This depiction matches how the foot appears when a bird's leg is in its default orientation. We are thus declaring that a bird's foot is erect, claws to base by default, and direct Palimpsest to update Table 5 of the Glossary of Terms to reflect this. The few instances that do not meet this definition have been reblazoned on the accompanying LoAR. The orientation of a bird's foot is taken from the claws, not the (sometimes barely present) portion of the leg attached to the foot.
A few submissions this month have given us reason to consider how we treat oak sprigs and other combinations of acorns and oak leaves. Examination of past registrations shows a wide range of arrangements and numbers of leaves and acorns. Without a standard arrangement of leaves and acorns to provide a clear orientation, the only visual cue is which way the stem is pointing, and we do not consider this a significant enough feature to be worth a DC. Period practice in the depiction of tree parts also varies widely, to such an extent that there are full oak trees that resemble oak sprigs more than anything else. To simplify conflict checking, allow submitters more freedom in depicting their armory, and to more closely align with period practice, going forward we will use the following definitions for arrangements of oak leaves and acorns:
An oak sprig consists of at least one leaf and at least one acorn. If there is only one of each they should be of about equal visual weight, otherwise they will be considered an acorn slipped and leaved or an oak leaf fructed. We will consider the orientation of an oak sprig to be optionally blazonable but not worth difference, making it a compact non-orientable charge. There is no default orientation; if blazoned, the orientation should be described explicitly, using phrasing like "stem to base". The tincture is taken from the leaves, no matter the relative size of leaves and acorns.
A sprig of oak leaves is a cluster of a few oak leaves without any acorns. We will consider the orientation of a sprig of oak leaves to be optionally blazonable but not worth difference, making it a compact non-orientable charge. This charge has no difference from an oak sprig for the purposes of conflict.
An acorn slipped and leaved has a single acorn as the most prominent element, with the stem and leaf or leaves having much less visual weight; the leaves are not worth difference, similar to slips and leaves on flowers. An acorn defaults to palewise, stem to chief.
An oak leaf fructed has a single leaf as the most prominent element, with the acorn or acorns having much less visual weight; the acorns are considered maintained charges for the purposes of conflict. An oak leaf, like other leaves, defaults to palewise, stem to base. As no difference is granted between an oak leaf and an oak leaf inverted, the leaf's orientation is optionally blazonable.
An oak branch is a long charge, with the wooden part of the branch as the most prominent single element. The tincture is taken from the leaves, which are vert when the branch is blazoned as proper.
The registered acorn and oak leaf combinations will be reblazoned over the next several months. Palimpsest is directed to update the Glossary of Terms.
Previous precedent disallowed order names using the specific name for gemstones [Gyldenholt, Barony of. Order name Order of the Citrine, 10/2016, R-Caid; Iron Mountain, Barony of. Order name Order of Vulcans Moon, 01/2020, A-Meridies]. We hereby overturn this precedent based on new evidence.
In grey period France we find diamonds as a heraldic charge (trois diamans taillez en lozange d'argent enchassez d'or). [Les armes et blasons des chevaliers de l'ordre du St. Esprit, 1623, Jacques Morin (München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek -- 2 Herald. 33), https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb10329139]. In grey period Italy, we similarly find rubies in the canting arms of Rubini. [Austrian State Archives, 1632 (AT-OeStA/AVA Adel RAA 354.19), https://www.archivinformationssystem.at/detail.aspx?ID=2720413]. We treat order names as pan-European, rather than limiting patterns by specific countries or languages. Therefore, these examples support the use of gemstones in order names in all European languages/cultures.
This month we ruled on the differences between the Arabic masculine given name `{A-}mir and the protected Arabic title Am{i-}r, specifically whether or not the Regina rule applies to the given name and therefore carefully examined for presumption in its use. The decision must consider how these names are recorded in standard transliteration systems. In this case, these two proper nouns will never be transliterated identically within a single transliteration system.
This decision builds on earlier decisions about how to compare names against protected titles. Compare this with the decision on the Middle English spelling of Ducke, which appears as a variant spelling of the protected English title Duke. That decision considered alternate spellings as variants among the languages within the same regional naming group. We can extend this concept to consider a single transliteration system as its own coherent group for interpreting non-Latin scripts, since SENA Appendix D limits us to using a single transliteration system for purposes of registering a name in an SCA context. If a single transliteration system would not generate the exact same spelling for two different words, including its standard diacritical markings, we cannot fairly consider them alternate spellings of each other.
Therefore, for purposes of considering whether or not a title is an alternate spelling or a different word in a language that uses a non-Latin script, we set the following standard for purposes of SENA NPN4B1: When comparing a protected title with a given name, the two spellings must be compared using the same transliteration system. Under this standard, the Arabic masculine given name `{A-}mir does not need to be considered for presumption.
Recently, we have been making it a point to reinforce that the names of artifacts, flora, and fauna that Pelican will register in non-personal names are separate from the blazon terminology that Wreath uses for registration in armory. The idea behind this division is to allow Pelican to evaluate the evidence of such artifacts, flora, and fauna in period dictionaries and other texts. In our period, order names and other types of non-personal names, such as sign names, use everyday words consistently whereas blazon does not. In addition, as we originally wrote on the August 2022 Cover Letter, the purpose of SCA blazon is for easy recognition and reproduction of registered armory. This concept does not similarly constrain non-personal names. This Cover Letter reinforced work done by previous Pelican Sovereigns of Arms; we have registered synonyms for blazon terms as early as 2013.
There are two major categories of material objects used to form order names: major religious symbols and ordinary objects. Among the ordinary objects are things like a spool, a jar, and a buckle. These are objects that people would have interacted with frequently, probably on a daily basis. A brief reminder - such objects are not the only basis for an order name. Order names based on animals and monsters are also common. Keep this in mind when considering what types of objects might fit into the category of 'plausible heraldic charge'. Consider finding similar types of things among attested period heraldic charges, and seeing what might be close enough to what we already know. As always, the burden of proof remains on submitters to provide the evidence of what they want to use as period artifacts, flora, and fauna. That evidence is then evaluated on a case-by-case basis as to whether or not it meets our standards for registration.
We hope this helps submitters, consulting heralds and commentary heralds alike in the creation, evaluation, and registration of order names going forward.
As we move towards incorporating cultures and time periods within the scope of the Society, we want to remind submitters and heralds alike to be gentle and patient with the process. Everything has to start somewhere! While we are learning about new languages and cultures, we are going to make mistakes, particularly if we do not have anyone available to provide commentary who is already familiar with the language/culture. Precedent, thankfully, can be written and rewritten as we acquire new data. We write our decisions with the knowledge that someone may (and hopefully will) come along with new data so that allows us to continue to improve our rules to make them more inclusive. We want to thank you for your patience as we continue growing our knowledge to better serve our populace!
Palimpsest's April 4th Rules Letter proposed adding a new section to SENA Appendix E that would provide generic order/award patterns. That proposal, with some modifications, is accepted. However, instead of a new section, these patterns are added to the existing section E2, Award and Order Names, as suggested by Gwen Recorder in commentary. We wish to thank Gwen for her well-thought-out modifications.
The current content of E2 is moved to a new section E2a, Award/Order Designators. Information on patterns is used to create section E2b. The wording of that section is:
b. Generic Order/Award Patterns.
The following are generic patterns for order and award names and are appropriate for any language within the Society's period. In the patterns below, Order is used to represent the designator and the patterns are described according to English practice. In the submission, matters of grammar such as word order and marking possessives must conform to the language of the substantive element. Alternate designators and appropriate prepositions can be used based on the rules in NPN1B2.
The patterns:
Order of the <Heraldic Charge>
Order of the <Heraldic Tincture Equivalent>+<Heraldic Charge>
Order of <Deity>
Order of <Personal Name> (may include Saint before the name)
Order of <Personal Name in possessive form>+<Heraldic Charge> (may include Saint before the name)
X of <branch name> (where X is one of the patterns above)
Order of <placename> (placename may be a registered branch name)
<Heraldic Charge> is not limited to the terms that Wreath would use to blazon a charge but may use an everyday term for a plausible heraldic charge. The spelling must be either period or an appropriate lingua Societatis form.
The revised appendix will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#AppendixE2 about a week after the October 2023 Board of Directors meeting.
Palimpsest's April 4th Rules Letter proposed adding a new section to SENA Appendix E that would provide generic heraldic title patterns. That proposal, with some modifications, is accepted. However, instead of a new section, these patterns are added to the existing section E3, Heraldic Titles. The revised E3 is:
3. Heraldic Titles: The modern English terms for heraldic titles for kingdoms and local branches are Herald and Pursuivant. Some appropriate translations into other languages can be found in Juliana de Luna's "Heraldic Titles from the Middle Ages and Renaissance" (http://medievalscotland.org/jes/HeraldicTitles/index.shtml).
The following are generic patterns for heraldic titles and are appropriate for any language within the Society's period. In the patterns below, Herald is used to represent the designator. Alternate designators can be used based on the rules in NPN1B4. The patterns:
<Heraldic Charge> Herald
<Heraldic Tincture Equivalent>+<Heraldic Charge> Herald or <Heraldic Charge>+<Heraldic Tincture Equivalent> Herald (order depends on the grammar of the substantive element)
<Motto> Herald (mottos include virtues and desirable qualities)
<Placename> Herald
<substantive element of order/award name> Herald (registerable to branches only)
<Heraldic Charge> is not limited to the terms that Wreath would use to blazon a charge but may use an everyday term for a plausible heraldic charge. The spelling must be either period or an appropriate lingua Societatis form.
Additionally, the pattern <Surname> Herald is allowed with English and French surnames.
The same rules letter proposed changes to SENA NPN1B4 that removed the language restrictions for heraldic titles. The revised wording of that section is:
4. Heraldic Titles: The designators for heraldic titles must follow a documented pattern for heraldic titles. In English, the standard lingua Societatis terms for heraldic titles for kingdoms and local branches are Herald and Pursuivant. Any pattern suitable for one such designator is suitable for the other. These designators may take a lingua Societatis form, or they may take the language of the substantive element. The designator Principal Herald and its translations are restricted to the chief herald of a kingdom. The designator King/Queen/Sovereign of Arms and its translations are restricted to the Laurel office. In general, changes of designator, for example from Pursuivant to Herald, do not need to be submitted to the Laurel office; if submitted, they are administrative actions, which do not require fees.
Note: the example is unchanged
We do not register heraldic titles in languages from cultures that did not use heraldic titles. This applies to both the designator and the substantive elements of such heraldic titles.
The updated wording will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#AppendixE3 and https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#NPN1B4 about a week after the October 2023 Board of Directors meeting.
To support the use of generic patterns for order/award names (Appendix E2b) and heraldic titles (E3), the addition to NPN1C2 proposed on Palimpsest's April 4th Rules Letter is accepted. This adds a new subsection (h) under Sources of Designators and Substantive Elements. That subsection is:
h. Generic Patterns: Generic patterns for order/award names can be found in Appendix E2b. Similarly, generic patterns for heraldic titles can be found in Appendix E3. These generic patterns may be used in any language, including languages where orders and/or heraldic titles did not exist in period. Other patterns may be registered but must be documented as described above.
The updated wording will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#NPN1C2h about a week after the October 2023 Board of Directors meeting.
As proposed on Palimpsest's April 4th Rules Letter, the example in SENA PN1B1 is updated to recognize that ingen is not limited to Middle Irish Gaelic. The wording of the revised section is:
1. Single Time and Place: A registerable name phrase must follow the rules of grammar and structure for a single time and place. It may not mix languages unless that mixing of languages within a name phrase is attested as a period practice.
For example, the name phrase de London is typical of medieval English documentary practice. Therefore, it is a registerable name phrase. However, von Saxony, which mixes the German von with the English version of the German place name, is not. It must be made completely German, as von Sachsen, or completely English, as of Saxony.
For example,inghean Áda, which mixes the Early Modern Irish Gaelicinghean, with the Middle Irish GaelicÁda, is not registerable. It must be made completely Middle Irish Gaelic, asingean Áda, or completely Early Modern Irish Gaelic, asinghean Aodha.For example, ingen Aodha mixes the Middle Irish Gaelic ingen and the Early Modern Irish Gaelic Aodha. Because ingen was still found in some 16th century records, the combination is registerable if the spellings ingen and Aodha are dated within five hundred years of each other.
The updated text will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#PN1B1 about a week after the October 2023 Board of Directors meeting.
On August 8, 2023, at a pop-up court at Pennsic, Sara al-Garnatiyya, Beacon Herald of Meridies, elevated Fiora Valori, Beacon Herald Emeritus, to the rank of Herald Extraordinary.
Also in that same court, Cormac Mor, herald of many offices and at many levels, was awarded the Burning Trumpet. The Burning Trumpet is a non-armigerous recognition given specifically for heraldic service to the Kingdom of Meridies.
On Thursday, August 10, in the Northshield Kingdom court at Pennsic, Beatrice Domenici della Campana, Green Staff Herald, was created a Companion of the Order of the Pelican by their Majesties of Northshield for her extensive heraldic service, among other things.
In the Ealdormere Kingdom court at Pennsic, Rylyn Buchanan, Silverwolf Herald, on behalf of Nika Dmitrieva doch' Zvezdina, Trillium Herald, did create Dietrich von Sachsen, former Green Mantle Herald (submissions), a Herald Extraordinary and charged him to register a personal heraldic title. Huzzah!
On August 19, at Villa Frumentaria's first event in the Kingdom of Calontir, with the permission of Rhodri Gold Falcon, Zaneta Basegio Gold Falcon Emeritas finished one last piece of work: creating Brigida von München a Herald Extraordinary. Huzzah!
On August 26, at Coronation in the Kingdom of the West, Queen Ciar admitted Frederick of Holland, former Vesper Principal Herald along with many other offices, to the Order of the Boar of the West. This Order is the West Kingdom's once-per-reign recognition of long-term contributions to the West. Huzzah!
At the same event, Her Majesty did admit Maxen Dawel ap Morgan, former Clerk of the West Kingdom's college of heralds, to the Scarf of Merit. This is the West's grant-level award for service.
On September 2, at Conquest of the Wastelands in the Barony of Bronzehelm, Their Majesties of Artemisia Timmur and Tianna did grant Aletheia Isidora of Philae, Northclif Pursuivant, the Order of the Golden Sun in Splendour. This is Artemisia's grant level service award.
Please send information about happenings to major heralds and major happenings to all heralds to Laurel, so that it can be published here.
Letters of Intent, Comment, Response, Correction, et cetera are to be posted to the OSCAR online system. No paper copies need be sent. All submission forms plus documentation, including petitions, must be posted to the OSCAR online system.
Cheques or money orders for submissions, payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms" are to be sent to Trent Le Clair, 928 Frazier Dr, Walla Walla WA 99362
Send roster changes and corrections to Laurel. College of Arms members may also request a copy of the current roster from Laurel.
For a paper copy of a LoAR, please contact Laurel, at the address above. The cost for one LoAR is $3. Please make all checks or money orders payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms". The electronic copy of the LoAR is available free of charge. To subscribe to the mailings of the electronic copy, please see the bottom of http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/lists.html#lists for more instructions.
For all administrative matters, please contact Laurel.
Items listed below in square brackets have not been scheduled yet. For information about future scheduling, please review the status table located on the Web at http://oscar.sca.org/index.php?action=137.
The July Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, July 23, 2023 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, July 8, 2023. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Ansteorra (04 Apr, 2023), Palimpsest Rules Letter (04 Apr, 2023), Meridies (05 Apr, 2023), Ćthelmearc (06 Apr, 2023), Laurel LoPaD (06 Apr, 2023), Laurel Rules Letter (09 Apr, 2023), Ćthelmearc (20 Apr, 2023), An Tir (20 Apr, 2023), Atlantia (21 Apr, 2023), Calontir (23 Apr, 2023), Trimaris (23 Apr, 2023), Artemisia (25 Apr, 2023), Middle (25 Apr, 2023), Outlands (25 Apr, 2023), Avacal (28 Apr, 2023), Lochac (28 Apr, 2023), Atenveldt (30 Apr, 2023), Caid (30 Apr, 2023), Drachenwald (30 Apr, 2023), Ealdormere (30 Apr, 2023), East (30 Apr, 2023), Northshield (30 Apr, 2023), Laurel LoPaD (13 Jun, 2023) (redraws). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Friday, June 30, 2023.
The August Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, August 20, 2023 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, August 12, 2023. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Calontir (24 Apr, 2023) (pushed due to packet not completed) , Ansteorra (03 May, 2023), Gleann Abhann (09 May, 2023), Laurel LoPaD (09 May, 2023), Meridies (10 May, 2023), Artemisia (15 May, 2023), An Tir (17 May, 2023), Ćthelmearc (23 May, 2023), Lochac (28 May, 2023), Outlands (28 May, 2023), Avacal (30 May, 2023), Middle (30 May, 2023), Palimpsest Rules Letter (30 May, 2023), West (30 May, 2023), Caid (31 May, 2023), Drachenwald (31 May, 2023), Ealdormere (31 May, 2023), East (31 May, 2023), Laurel LoPaD (10 Jul, 2023) (redraws). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Monday, July 31, 2023.
The September Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, September 10, 2023 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, September 2, 2023. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Atenveldt (30 May, 2023) (pushed due to packet not uploaded), Meridies (02 Jun, 2023), Palimpsest Rules Letter (03 Jun, 2023), Atlantia (04 Jun, 2023), Palimpsest Rules Letter (04 Jun, 2023), Ansteorra (05 Jun, 2023), Calontir (07 Jun, 2023), Laurel LoPaD (14 Jun, 2023), Artemisia (15 Jun, 2023), An Tir (18 Jun, 2023), Calontir (19 Jun, 2023), Middle (19 Jun, 2023), Ealdormere (25 Jun, 2023), Ansteorra (28 Jun, 2023), Drachenwald (29 Jun, 2023), East (29 Jun, 2023), Outlands (29 Jun, 2023), Atenveldt (30 Jun, 2023), Atlantia (30 Jun, 2023), Lochac (30 Jun, 2023), Northshield (30 Jun, 2023). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Thursday, August 31, 2023.
Not all letters of intent may be considered when they are originally scheduled on this cover letter. The date of posting of the LoI, date of receipt of the Laurel packet, or other factors may delay consideration of certain letters of intent. Additionally, some letters of intent received may not have been scheduled because the administrative requirements (receipt of the forms packet, receipt of the necessary fees, et cetera) have not yet been met.
REMINDER: Until all administrative requirements are met, the letter may not be scheduled.
Pray know that I remain,
In service,
Emma de Fetherstan
Laurel Queen of Arms
Created at 2023-09-17T10:15:03