Society for Creative Anachronism
College of Arms
For the June 2025 meetings, printed August 14, 2025
To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from Birgitta Laurel, Sara Pelican, and Iago Wreath, greetings.
The Late AS 60 / Early CE 2026 Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium will be, as usual, a virtual event. The event will be organised by the Kingdom of Outlands on January 23-25; further information will be forthcoming.
As announced in the March Cover Letter, Maestra Magdalena Lucia Ramberti has finished her term as the Society Sign Herald. She is being succeeded by Mistress Tegan de Moreton, lately Alcyon Herald / Sign Herald for the Kingdom of Atlantia, with her term beginning on August 1.
Palimpsest's March 29th Rules Letter looked at charges beginning with the letters G and H. A number of these charges have been blazoned as if there were a default posture or orientation even if that orientation wasn't specified in the Glossary of Terms. Other defaults were specified but no precedent actually ruled that those were the defaults. Finally, we are modifying the defaults for some charges. All of these charges will cite this Cover Letter as the reference for the default. The affected charges are:
Gauntlet - Dexter gauntlet, appaumy. A pair of gauntlets, whether appaumy or aversant, defaults to thumbs to center.
Glove - Dexter glove, appaumy. When fesswise reversed the fingers point to sinister with the thumb to base. A pair of gloves, whether appaumy or aversant, defaults to thumbs to center.
Glove Puppet - Palewise affronty with the arms spread.
Goad - Palewise, point to chief.
Golf Club - Palewise, head to base.
Griffin - Segreant (rampant, wings addorsed) to dexter.
Hand - Dexter hand, appaumy and couped. When fesswise reversed the fingers point to sinister with the thumb to base. A pair of hands, whether appaumy or aversant, defaults to thumbs to center.
Harp -Forepillar to dexter; soundbox to sinister. Orientation is an optionally blazonable detail not worth difference. NOTE: The details of the forepillar are considered artistic details, which often aren't blazoned.
Head, Beast - Facing to dexter.
Head, Bird's - Facing to dexter (except an owl's head which is affronty).
Head, Demon's - Couped and facing to dexter
Head, Human and Humanoid - If feminine or child, couped affronty (guardant); if masculine, couped and facing dexter. When blazoned as a face, the head is affronty.
Head, Owl's - Guardant/Affronty
Hippogriff - None, must be specified.
Horn (animal or monster) - Palewise, point to chief or point to dexter.
Horn (drinking) - Palewise, opening to chief and the outer part of the curve (the back) to dexter. Horns with the points facing towards each other are respectant. A pair of drinking horns are respectant while two drinking horns both have their backs to dexter. A drinking horn fesswise has its point to sinister and its back to base. No difference is granted between a drinking horn fesswise (point to sinister) and a drinking horn fesswise reversed (point to dexter).
Horn (hunting) - Fesswise, bell to dexter and chief. No difference is granted between a hunting horn (bell to dexter) and a hunting horn reversed (horn to sinister). The strings, if any, are an optionally blazonable artistic detail.
Horn (trumpet) - Bell to chief, mouthpiece to base for straight-type trumpets and to sinister for curved trumpets (such as spiral trumpets and bucinas).
Horseshoe - Opening to base.
Hourglass - Palewise.
Humanoid monsters - These are monsters whose forms are basically human. They are generally affronty but see specific types of monsters (e.g., angel, harpy, etc.).
Cornetto - Palewise, mouthpiece to chief; when fesswise, mouthpiece to dexter. Whether the bell is on the dexter or sinister side of the instrument is an unblazonable, artistic detail.
Jew's Harp - Palewise, trigger to chief.
Mandrake - Affronty.
Sackbut - Palewise, mouthpiece to chief; when fesswise, mouthpiece to dexter. Whether the bell is on the dexter or sinister side of the instrument is an unblazonable, artistic detail.
Satyr - Affronty, may be shown in a slightly trian aspect so its tail is visible. When passant, the default is to dexter.
Shofar - Fesswise, bell to dexter and chief.
Troll - Trolls don't have a head; their face is embedded in the torso. The default is passant to dexter but with the body turned slightly so the face is in full view and one hand grasping its tail.
Wind - Facing to dexter. This applies to all types of winds including aeolus, boreas, zephyr, and mistral.
Based on existing precedent, a few charges are added to the table (with the relevant reference). In addition to these changes, a number of cross-references are added. For other charges, references to existing precedents are added as proposed by Palimpsest. The updated table will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/coagloss.html#default within a few days. Armory will be reblazoned as necessary over the next few months.
Occasionally we see submissions where the full-size emblazon in OSCAR is the same size as the thumbnail on the Letter of Intent. The Administrative Handbook VB2f says, "Submissions heralds are encouraged to use full-size scans of the emblazons, so that enlarged details may be examined by the entire College of Arms."
The most common cause is when new artwork is provided during internal commentary, and the submissions herald preparing the Letter of Intent copies the thumbnail from the comment rather than clicking through to the full-size image provided. Submissions heralds are urged to take care when changing artwork; small emblazons are not an automatic reason for return, but if the size and resolution obscures details or hinders identifiability it could lead to a return or pend for redraw.
We see a similar issue with documentation images attached to submissions. Particularly when transferring information from an internal letter to an external letter, please ensure that the images being attached are the full size images, not thumbnails.
As proposed on Palimpsest's March 27th Rules Letter, Administrative Handbook Appendix D, Suggested Standard Form Letters, is updated. The standard form letter for heraldic wills is modified to include blanket permission to conflict as an option. The revised form letter will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/admin.html#APPENDIXD within a few days.
As proposed on Palimpsest's March 27th Rules Letter, The Administrative Handbook section IV.F, Requests for Reconsideration, is revised to clarify that a request for reconsideration to a form recommended by Laurel when the name was registered is allowed. This change was approved by the Board of Directors at the July 12th and 13th meeting and the revised wording will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/admin.html#IV.F within a few days.
As proposed on Palimpsest's March 27th Rules Letter, with minor modifications, SENA Appendix E2b, Generic Order/Award Patterns, is updated to add the generic pattern Order of <Someone> with <a heraldic charge>. In this case "Someone" can be used in one of two attested ways. Firstly, if the "someone" would stand as an order name on its own: for example The Order of Saint Stephen with a Bell is acceptable as The Order of Saint Stephen is an acceptable order name. Secondly, if "Someone" refers to a specific group of people, e.g. the Knights Templar, or uses a word that can be used as a heraldic charge: for example The Order of Couriers with Spears is acceptable, as a Courier is an attested heraldic charge (as are friars, fools, etc.). The revised wording will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#AppendixE2b within a few days.
Palimpsest's March 27th Rules Letter proposed a revision to SENA PN2C, Name Requirements, that would allow name elements registered under the Existing Registration Allowance (ERA) to be considered gender-neutral in the same manner that we treat names submitted under the Legal Name Allowance (LNA). We wish to thank everyone who took the time to comment on this proposal. After a review of those comments, and discussions at the Roadshows during June's Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium, we have decided to accept this proposal with a few minor changes to the examples. The revised wording will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#PN2C within a few days.
There has been recent discussion around the protection of non-SCA names and where to list names that we have protected. The Glossary of Terms states that protected armory is entered into the O&A, but does not mention protected names. We are opening an LoPaD to discuss whether protected names should be added to the O&A, or listed elsewhere. Additionally, if members of the College feel that a list of protected names should exist outside the O&A, we welcome suggestions as to where such a list should live.
Under the definition of Tincture the Glossary of Terms currently states "Furs include the ermined furs and vair, potent, scaly, papellony, and their variations." However, as is made clear under the definitions of Furs and Field Treatment, we don't always consider scaly and papellony as a tincture. To clarify this, we direct Palimpsest to update definition under to Tincture to "Furs include the ermined furs, vair, potent, and their variants. The furs also include the variants of scaly and papellony that consist of solid-tinctured scales of two alternating tinctures."
On May 3, 2025 at the East Kingdom Crown Tourney, Kirsa Oyutai, Brigantia Principal Herald, created Thyra Eriksdottir a Herald Extraordinary.
On Saturday June 14 at Myrkfaelinn War Practice and Queen's Rapier Championship, Helena Mutzhasen, Silver Buccle Principal Herald, named Gytha Oddsdottir, AEthelmearc's Sign Herald, a Herald Extraordinary.
Effective July 1, Durham University has promoted Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Sans Repose Herald Extraordinary and Pelican Queen of Arms Emerita, in her mundane persona to Professor in the Department of Philosophy.
On July 4, 2025, at Battlemoor, Þorvaldr Þórólfsson á Vaksfjall, longtime Wimble Herald (Precedence) for the Kingdom of the Outlands, was elevated to the Order of the Pelican.
On July 9, Squirrel máni, commonly known as Baroness Squirrel or her Squirrelency of Atlantia, passed away. This was a great loss to the sign herald community.
On July 12, 2025, at An Tir July Coronation in the Barony of Wastekeep, Their Majesties Octamasades and Achaxe elevated Þorkell Palsson, Ducat Herald, to the Order of Defense in a surprise ceremony.
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 uploaded to the OSCAR packet for that letter. For armory, only colored forms are required.
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.
To subscribe to the mailings of the LoAR, please see the bottom of https://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 https://oscar.sca.org/index.php?action=137.
The June Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, June 22, 2025 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, June 21, 2025. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Calontir (03 Mar, 2025), Atlantia (04 Mar, 2025), Caid (10 Mar, 2025), Meridies (10 Mar, 2025), An Tir (17 Mar, 2025), An Tir (23 Mar, 2025), West (25 Mar, 2025), Artemisia (26 Mar, 2025), Ealdormere (26 Mar, 2025), Lochac (27 Mar, 2025), Palimpsest Rules Letter (27 Mar, 2025), Palimpsest Rules Letter (29 Mar, 2025), Atenveldt (30 Mar, 2025), Caid (30 Mar, 2025), East (30 Mar, 2025), Northshield (30 Mar, 2025), Ansteorra (31 Mar, 2025), Atlantia (31 Mar, 2025), Drachenwald (31 Mar, 2025), Middle (31 Mar, 2025), Northshield (31 Mar, 2025), Laurel LoPfR (29 Apr, 2025). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Saturday, May 31, 2025.
The July Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, July 13, 2025 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, July 12, 2025. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Calontir (02 Apr, 2025), Gleann Abhann (06 Apr, 2025), Laurel LoPaD (08 Apr, 2025), Meridies (10 Apr, 2025), Artemisia (13 Apr, 2025), Ealdormere (26 Apr, 2025), Laurel LoPaD (26 Apr, 2025), Outlands (26 Apr, 2025), Caid (29 Apr, 2025), Drachenwald (29 Apr, 2025), East (29 Apr, 2025), Atenveldt (30 Apr, 2025), Drachenwald (30 Apr, 2025), Laurel LoPaD (30 Apr, 2025), Lochac (30 Apr, 2025), Middle (30 Apr, 2025), Northshield (30 Apr, 2025), Palimpsest Rules Letter (30 Apr, 2025), Trimaris (30 Apr, 2025), Laurel LoPfR (05 Jun, 2025). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Monday, June 30, 2025.
The August Laurel decisions will be made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, August 17, 2025 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, August 16, 2025. These meetings will consider the following letters of intent: An Tir (01 May, 2025), Ansteorra (02 May, 2025), Calontir (04 May, 2025), Avacal (05 May, 2025), An Tir (06 May, 2025), Atlantia (06 May, 2025), Meridies (09 May, 2025), Æthelmearc (21 May, 2025), Laurel (25 May, 2025), Lochac (26 May, 2025), Avacal (27 May, 2025), Ealdormere (27 May, 2025), Artemisia (30 May, 2025), East (30 May, 2025), Outlands (30 May, 2025), Ansteorra (31 May, 2025), Atenveldt (31 May, 2025), Drachenwald (31 May, 2025), Middle (31 May, 2025), West (31 May, 2025), Laurel LoPfR (29 Jun, 2025). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Thursday, July 31, 2025.
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.
Be assured that I remain
In service
Birgitta Lulli
Laurel Queen of Arms
Created at 2025-08-14T20:10:54