Eastmarch

3 Las Palomas

Orinda, CA 94563

22 October XI (1976)

Karina of the Far West, Laurel Queen of Arms,

to the Heralds of the four Kingdoms,

Greetings.

I first want to express my thanks to Lady Sikhijvala for sorting out some of the old Laurel files­­a carton box full of correspondence, representing about 1/4 of the unsorted archives­­flying to Mists from Phoenix at her own expense.

The following acceptances and rejections constitute somewhat less than half of the applications processed in October; difficulties of scheduling with the Lord Clarion have held up the remainder. I will meet again with him and send out the balance as soon as possible.

As usual, decisions were taken with the advice of the Lord Clarion, Harold Breakstone. His comments are set off {in brackets}.

In response to requests for a clear statement of the rules we work under, first let me say that they have never been codified, and there is no one who knows all of them. This is the next major project I will undertake.

The next edition of the Armorial and Ordinary will be issued in November. There will, presumably, be three copies for each Kingdom, as before. Please send me the mundane names and addresses of the people who should received copies of this edition. Copies of the previous edition should be passed on to others who can use them.

For the following, where there has been an alteration of the blazon, insert the phrase that is underlined, delete the phrase in [].

ACCEPTANCES

WEST

Aaron the Mighty. Gules, a wooly mammoth (Mammonteus primigenius) proper statant upon a roundel azure fimbriated argent.

This is a borderline case, in that the mammoth was extinct in the Middle Ages. However, there were pictures in French caves which could have been seen, and a trade in Siberian mammoth ivory.

Allysen of Dunrobin. (Alteration). Quarterly per saltire Or and purpure, in chief a thistle proper, in base an English robin (Erithacus rubecula) close proper grasping in its claws a trumpet sable.

The American robin, Turdus migratorius, is a thrush.

Antonius Justinianus of Chalcedon. Per chevron debased purpure and argent, a unicorn salient and in base a lion rampant, counterchanged; a bordure counter­ermine.

April of the Dales. (Correction of blazon). Vert, a monster with a rabbit's body and two goats' heads springing argent, attired Or, beneath a chief invected argent.

Vice "two­headed goat".

Astrum Excubitorius. Sable, a tyger sejant erect Or; upon a chief azure fimbriated Or, three mullets of six points Or.

The name sounds more like a job description than a name­­someone who stays up to watch stars­­but the device is absolutely lovely.

Avram of Mercia. Gules, three caltrops in bend and in sinister chief a sun, all argent.

Handsome!

Baylor of the Red Thorn. Per saltire sable and gules, a saltire gules, fimbriated or, between four thorn sprigs Or.

Caitlín na Daraċ. (Correction of name and blazon; formerly listed as Caitleen na Darach). Or, in chief two sprigs of oak leaves vert fructed Or, and in base four bendlets wavy vert.

Dreiburgen, Barony. Argent, three piles azure issuant from base, in each a tower argent with portcullis open; in chief a laurel wreath counterchanged.

Eden of Lions' Guard. (Name change from Eden of Faire Monte; blazon unchanged). Gules, a griffin dormant Or.

Edward of Stockwood. (Alteration of registered device). Vert, a Jerusalem cross Or; on a chief purpure fimbriated Or, a lion couchant [coward] Or.

This is not a change of position. See the illustration for "lion couchant" in Chapter IV of Boutell.

Gangenrath Woodwender. Or, on a fess vert between three oak leaves proper, an arrow Or.

Gernot of Gallimaufry. (Alteration). Ermine, a bordure azure, overall on a bend azure a scarpe nebuly [bretessee] Or, in dexter chief a decrescent Or.

I still consider this too complicated.

Gilmirron of the Blue Flame. Badge for House Amaranth. Azure, an amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) flower argent.

Glanwyn dy Merionydd. Ermine, an African lion cub couchant guardant gules, in its teeth the stem of a four­leaved shamrock vert.

Had this been a quatrefoil, the stem would have issued from a leaf (see Parker, Trefoil). "African lion" will henceforth be used, like "Bengal tiger", to distinguish the natural animal from the stylized one.

Grimn the Hele­Bourne. (Formerly Otto the Solitary). Sable, upon a flame gules fimbriated Or, a skull argent.

Hans Wolfgang Manfried von Gutreich. (Formerly Gaheris von Friesland). Per bend sinister enhanced and arched, sable an estoile of four greater and four lesser points argent, and argent a wolf's head affrontee erased sable.

ART WORK HERE

John of the Angular Dove. Per chevron inverted from chief, ermine and gules, in base a dove rising Or.

Kathleen of Riverrose. Or, a winged unicorn statant.

This was submitted as a "horned Pegasus" but since we already had the usage "winged unicorn" I have used it. {Wish I'd thought of it.}

Keith Robertson. (Badge). An R­rune ste in a chevron reversed.

Badges may have letters and numbers. See acceptance letter of 2 December 1970, badge for Hal Ravn.

Koryu Morimoto. (Change of name from Valgar Dracomnus). Sable, a crescent debruised in pale with a Ken blade argent.

The Japanese usage, of course, would be Morimoto Koryu, with the family name first.

Leo de Coronado. Argent, a pale engrailed sable; six lion's heads cabossed in annulo counterchanged.

Striking! {Very pretty indeed}.

Margrethe Astrid Ravn. Azure semee of pearls, a white marguerite slipped and leaved, all proper.

Excellent canting.

Melissa Kendal Badge: A pen sable quilled gules.

Pen is from Latin penna, a feather. Quill is the hollow central shaft of a feather. If I must disagree with Franklyn in the name of common sense I will do so.

Michael Rheodi. Vert, a bend sinister gules fimbriated argent, between a glass drinking horn of red wine with a drop dependent therefrom, and a boot spurred and rowelled, all proper.

Nicholas Worthington. Per fess indented of three indentations, sable and Or, a pale counterchanged; on each sable trait a lion's head cabossed Or.

Ondine Patru de Limantour. Azure, a mermaid proper, holding in both hands a scarf, striped longitudinally gules and purpure, arched over her head.

Paul McDaniel. (Correction of blazon). Tierced per pale azure, gules, and vert, three lighted candles proper aureoled Or in flat candlesticks Or, two and one.

When this was accepted (31 January 1974), the bordure from Deirdre Muldomhnaigh was miscopied onto it.

Richard des Tenebres. Vert, an ibis passant argent above a sword fesswise Or.

Note correct grammar! Tenebres has no singular in French.

Rosemary of Talmont. Azure, a rosemary wreath proper between three mullets of six points argent.

Elegant.

Seitse (of Havn). Badge. Sable, a rainbow proper, between its bases a mullet pierced argent.

Please take a surname.

Sumengo of Amaranth. Argent, a panther's head erased contournee sable respecting an amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) flower proper.

Sumer Redmaene. Badge for Order of Greensleeves. Upon a heart Or, two maunches conjoined at the shoulder vert.

Delightful.

Theo the Pilose. Argent, a bicorporate dragon, tails in chief, azure, bellied vert, armed and line gules.

Theodosia Arcadiana. Per chevron debased sable and purpure, a unicorn dormant argent.

William the Lucky. Badge. Per fess embowed and counter­embowed azure and Or, two valley oak (Quercus lobata) leaves, stems to widdershins, counterchanged.

EAST

AEmelye Octavya. Vert, a drakkar in full sail argent, targeted gules, and in base a crescent Or.

"Targeted" refers to the round shields along the bulwark.

Amron the Stygian. Sable, a hawk countervolant, wings aventred, Or.

"Countervolant" means "volant to sinister". (See "Counter" in Parker for examples such as counter­rampant). "Aventred" (French ventre, belly) means that the wings extend downward: cf. addorsed.

Donal macRuiseart macDonal. Or, on a saltire gules four anchors Or.

Very handsome.

Hundiel. Gules, a stone hammer in bend sinister proper.

Khadijah of House Hakim. Argent, a strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) plant leaved, blossomed, and fructed proper.

Sigismund von Care. Ermine, an oak sprig of three leaves vert, veined sable, in pall, alternating three acorns Or.

Vuong Manh. Gules, on a hide Or, a flame vert. ART WORK HERE

This was submitted as "Or ... four flaunches Or [error for gules]". Flaunches, however, represent the sides (flanks) of an undergarment showing beneath a sideless surcoat. Since the shape as drawn suggests a stylized hide, I am using that as the name of the main charge. I have discussed this with the applicant and he agrees with me. (I could have blazoned it "a saltire expanded formy", but that would have ruined a perfectly good concealed pun).

William de Montegilt. Sable, a two­peaked mountain or, capped argent.

This is highly stylized and not a "landscape".

MIDDLE

Anne the Merciful. Per chevron azure and vert, a crux ansata formy argent.

No need to say "pierced azure", since that is the tincture of the field under the loop.

Denis Flaxenhelm. Azure, on a bend sinister Or, a goblet upright sable.

If not otherwise specified, the goblet would be aligned with the bend, as shown. ART WORK HERE

Gareth the Russel. Azure, a skunk (Mephitis mephitis) statant proper.

Simple is beautiful!

Hrothbjart Hrothbjartsson. Argent, a shakefork fleury inverted sable between three dragons' heads erased gules.

Splendid.

Marcus Gladius. Tierced per pall vert, sable, and gules, overall a gladius inverted proper.

A gladius is a Roman shortsword.

ATENVELDT

Andrassy Magyri of the Lowara. Sable ermined Or, a chevron gules; overall a tyger sejant, Or, langued and orbed gules.

Beautiful! We'd like more information concerning the name; we don't at present have a Romany dictionary.

Catherine Carnimirie von Westphalia. Per fess azure and vert, on a cross Or a Catherine's wheel sable.

Don the Archer. Sable, two arrows in saltire, in chief a tulip­tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) slip fesswise, all Or.

A "slip" is a twig with three leaves. If with five, it may be called a "sprig". "These rules are not rigorously followed", says Parker.

Galan­Schol von Met. Badge for House Arborea. Vert, a fess azure; overall a sprig of three leaves bendwise sinister argent.

George of Port Kar. Per bend sinister sable and gules, a bendlet sinister argent, in chief within an annulet sundered in chief argent a tongue of flame proper, fimbriated argent; in base a hawk's head sinister erased sable, fimbriated argent.

This is barely tolerable.

Ioseph of Locksley. Badge for Locksley's Company of Players. Per fess vert and argent, a cock argent upon the back of a domestic cat herissonee proper upon the back of a dog statant howling gules upon the back of a domestic donkey braying proper. (Or: the Town Musicians of Brement, proper.)

The context (from a well­known fairy tale) shows that this is a domestic cat rather than a "catamount", a term loosely applied to several wild species of Felis and Lynx.

Jeffrey of Spirit Valley. Azure, in dexter chief three lightning bolts bend sinisterwise in bend Or; in sinister base a mullet argent.

Konstantin the Red. Or, a barrulet; in chief a pentaskelion of chevrons, all vert ART WORK HERE.

The next edition of the Armorial will correct Douglas Longshanks' blazon to "a pentaskelion of armored legs".

Ksudra Yutha. Purpure, a procession of eight elephants in annulo argent.

"Little Herd of Elephants" is three years old.

Mary Margaret of Derby. Badge for Family Trammerlaine. Gules, on a pale Or three batwinged lions salient gules.

Mary Margaret of Derby. Badge for Hospitalers of Atenveldt, pending further information on status. Gyronny azure and gules, a dexter hand apaumee couped Or.

Matsya Candra. Per bend sinister azure and argent, an increscent double­arched and an angelfish naiant bendwise, counter­changed.

The order and family are of little use to me. Please give the genus. There are many "angelfish", not all related to each other.

Panka Puspam. Badge. Per chevron vert and sable, a lotus argent.

Beautiful! The name translates as Mud Flower; the applicant is a four­year­old.

Rafael Blackriser. Vert a Pegasus counter­rampant, wings endorsed, sable fimbriated argent.

Robin of Rhovanion. Badge. Argent, two R­Runes (Danish Normal futhark) addorsed, sable. ART WORK HERE

Her initials are RR in both SCA and mundane use. The Angerthas Daeron #45b is u:. Hence I have specified the non­Tolkienian version for its relevance.

Rodney of El Dorado. Or, on a saltire sable a unicorn forcene Or, crined unguled langued armed and orbed gules.

I'd prefer El Dorado as a branch name, but he got it first. The use as a city name is in period. Cf. "...the Great and Golden Citie of manoa (which the Spaniards call El Dorado"­­Sir Walter Raleigh, 1596.

Rorik Gunnulfsson. Sable, a sickle fesswise, blade to chief, within a bordure, all Or.

S'ikhijvala Gehe Candrasya. Argent a Bharat peacock strutting gules. ART WORK HERE

This is from an Indian painting. "Bharat" is Hindi for "India".

Steppes, Barony. Per bend vert and sable, a bend indented on its upper edge Or, between a laurel wreath argent and an English oak (Quercus robur) eradicated proper.

I guessed the species of oak from its shape. If you meant a different species, notify me.

Taliesynne yr Anghyfannedd. Badge. Gyronny arrondi of three, sable argent and gules, a leonine centaur counter­rampant proper, armed Or, carrying a Celtic harp in the dexter hand and wielding a double­bitted axe in the sinister hand, both argent.

If it were a "sagittary", it would have had a bow and arrow.

Taras of Helsgard. Badge. Argent, a triangle inverted sable within a wreath of wild fox grapes (Vitis labrusca) proper.

You specified V. vinifera, the generally sweet European grapes, but I understand from Lady S'ikhijvala that you wanted sour grapes, so I picked a suitable species.

Terans den Sjofarende. Per bend sinister gules and azure, a drakkar's figurehead Or, orbed and garnished gules.

A similar head may be found in The Viking (Tre Tryckare) on p. 273.

RETURNS

WEST

Ariadne Catarenya etc. of Kierney.

What a lot of names! Conflicts with John ap Griffin, Vert a griffin segreant Or. (The tiny castle underfoot is inconsiderable as a difference).

Amelia von Markheim.

Vair must be composed of one metal and one color. Conflicts with Trinepee, Vair a saltire argent.

Ayslinn the Youthful.

Infringes Lars Vilhjalmsson, Per pale sable and vert a snowy owl affrontee; close to Kemreth­Danil of Vandelalven, Argent an owl contournee azure.

Brennan of the Black Rose.

Conflicts with Barnesly of Stafford.

Caspian of Celerande.

Caspian is the name of ten kings of the Telmarine line of Narnia, and is not otherwise used except for a body of water. Celer and hadn is a bastard compound; use one language for both parts. Device infringes the King of Torenth. Think up something of your own.

Dan of Hamildoon.

This is ridiculous. Do you realize that the rays indicate the sun is behind the cloud? How does the cloud support a caltrop?

David (Nishimura).

Infringes Japan Air Lines. {At least pick a less­well­known airline!}

Diana of the House of Cruzan.

Nullo modo! It is not heraldry! {This represents a school of art a good 3+ centuries outside our period­­good design is not automatically good heraldry.}

Edvard af Jylland.

I have never seen Paleolithic flaking technique combined with Neolithic polishing technique. If you persona is Iron Age, he would be unlikely to know flint in any form other than "elf­shot" (flaked arrowheads), considered magical (see chapter 4 of L. Sprague deCamp's Lest Darkness Fall).

Elsbeth Estarriol Guildensterne.

The name Estarriol is that of a male wizard (Ursula K. LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsee). The device is both ugly and magical; either reason would be sufficient to reject it. You can do much better without infringing the actual arms of Gyllenstjerne.

Galen macCochrane.

Interferes with Caeryl de Trecesson, Sable a dragon dormant Or. Three of any one prominent additional charge would do it. {That star is a Mogen David unless magical, in which case, no way!}

Gray of Ravenshold.

The name "Gray" conflicts with a famous English noble family. "Lady Gray" (as she would sooner or later be called) would correctly be the title of Earl Grey's wife. There are six pages on the Grey family in the 11th Britannica. One of them, Lady Jane Grey, was proclaimed Queen of England after Edward VI's death. (Not to mention a variety of tea!)

Guinevere Elspeth Malyn.

Conflicts with Edwin Bersark, Gules, a rounder (or cumple) argent.

Jon Trimara.

Infringes the Great King of Hos­Hostigos, 4th level Aryan­Transpacific, Kalvan Subsector (H. Beam Piper, Gunpower God).

Leon de Asturias. Badge.

Too close to Rale. Consult your local herald.

Morrigan Caillte.

Putting wings on an enfield does not make it legal.

Safanna.

Take a surname. This ART WORK HERE is a crescent; I don't know what this ART WORK HERE is, but a crescent it isn't.

Saint Katherine, College.

Conflicts with Belvoir, Azure a Katherine's wheel Or; St. Katherine's, Cambridge, Gules a Katherine's wheel Or; Segeman, Azure a demi­Katherine's wheel Or. The laurel wreath was omitted from the 30­day letter. Give me the name of the person to register this to, until/unless the Board of Directors approves it as a branch.

Meggan Starforge.

Conflicts with Ioseph of Locksley, Vert a tree eradicated argent.

Sterling of Bufo ("Toad Hall") (also known as Sterling Beast Tamer).

Conflicts with Jocet der Kervillart, Azure a squirrel Or, and Wiesener, Vert a squirrel sejant proper (Rietstaap).

Strider the Persistent (son of William of Duramen).

William of Duramen's application is rejected, this is the same with the label for first son.

Trelon of the Wood.

{Try an orle of lioncels and pines alternated with no central charge, or any combination of lioncels and trees.} The orle is insufficient differentiation from a whole rage of people in Papworth.

William of Duramen.

Conflicts wtih Aurelia de la Licorne.

EAST

Laura de Segovia.

Too complex; simplify or start over.

MIDDLE

Aerdigwidder von Zauberberg.

Infringes Flammen, Argent a volcano sable enflamed proper.

Gaston de Lyon.

Infringes de Stockove, Argent a chevron gules between two ermine spots and a lion's head sable langued gules.

ATENVELDT

Adler des Berges. Badge.

Infringes on Griffenberg, Gules an eagle's talon's Or.

Aiden de Longhorns.

Infringes Mychalene de Topo, Dorthea the Unsure, and Edgar the Unready.

Artisans of the Philsopher's Engine.

The name implies use of philosopher's stone (cyclotron, etc.) in transmuting elements. Better: calculating engine. Give attestation within our period for the binary abacus.

Athelwulf Bolverkson.

Please give the provenance of the spike­collared "war wolf".

Bjo:rnsburg, Shire.

Infringes Fitz­Urse, Or a bear passant sable. (Besides, it's ugly.)

Blaise the Varian.

"Varian" is not a form of "variable"; it is the name of a twentieth century business (Varian Associates). There are many medieval forms to choose from in the Oxford English Dictionary. Star polygons are forbidden. Start over.

Brendan of the Bright Wind (f.).

Brendan is, to the best of my knowledge, a masculine name only.

Charles of the JACs. Badge.

Send correct blazon: those are not batons; are they Or (as on the drawing) or gules (as on the history form)?

Crispin the Crusar.

Infringes Rauledem, Sable on a fess between three lozenges Or, three annulets gules.

Dawn Bird Trammerlaine.

Too much of a landscape. Consult your local herald. {Choose a plain field and some particular bird that flies at dusk and/or dawn.}

Dirick Damhsa Bhasmor.

The name is being checked; if it means what it says ("Dagger of the Dancing Death") it's awful. If the hourglass were drawn correctly it would be a mess. Try something else.

Drstha Maida of the Lowara.

The blazon is confused. What is "fouche tene" intended to mean? The serpent is not an Ouroborous; it is not swallowing the tail but biting near the tip. The badge is too much of a power trip. {Anyone even slightly into Western high magic will recoil at this. Including colors, I count at least five symbols, and I'm not an adept! The combination of snake and hand in itself is questionable.}

Gandharva Candra.

The musical instruments should be placed in their most recognizable aspect­­in this case, strings front. I have checked with the head of your house to be sure you had permission to use the badge; I would prefer it not be used this way, but it is not forbidden.

Grey Niche, Shire.

Give a reason for the name, and the name (mundane and medieval) and address of the seneschal. It looks pretty; a pity to delay it.

Gukoy.

Take a surname. Give genus and species of willow. If it is a weeping willow, Salix babylonica (of Chinese origin) it may conflict.

Hieronymus the Sarabite.

What does "Sarabite" mean? Far too busy; start over and try not to claim dominion over the sun, moon, and waters. {No question, that is what it indicates.}

Ioseph of Locksley. Badge (with harp).

Infringes the Office of the Arts.

John the Idiota.

Resubmit with a brief description, and let the other heralds in on it. (Thank you for sending me the documentation).

Julie of the Blackwater. (Two badges).

Both infringe Herzen, Argent a heart gules.

Karak of Clearmount.

As blazoned, the sword would be on the field, as though broken by the pile. As drawn, the sword is on the pile; it is too small to be seen well. Which do you want?

Kathryn the Innocent.

Of the fifteen commonest Oenothera species in California, eleven are yellow and four white; none has a black throat; all have heart­shaped petals. Goodness knows what kind of primroses there are in the rest of the world. Give genus and species.

Kimineko, Sakura.

Remove the heart from the lion's cheek; it's too small. Are you sure you want a lion? "Neko" is a house cat.

Marek of Stonebarr. Badge for Maison de Mortaine.

The comte of Mortains was reserved for the reigning house of Normandy, and subsequently bestowed by the kings of England. It was given to Robert by William I, to Stephen by Henry, to John by Richard I, and later to Edmund Beaufort. The animal is a hind, not a hart: a female red deer rather than a male.

Marta as tu Mika­Mysliwy.

Please explain your name more fully; my skimpy knowledge of Slavic languages only confuses me here. Meanwhile, I hope you will have reconsidered your device. We can easily do without the blazing star.

Lo:we von Kurland (Yukio Kiyoshio).

The trian aspect is nineteenth­century. Resubmit correctly drawn, {and give the specifications of this particular type of helmet. "Kabuto" merely means "helmet"; this one is ornamented.}

Meridies, Principality.

Submission with bend and three fires has been withdrawn; we are in direct communication.

Mirhaza av Morktorn la Lilitha de Sombras. House badge pending.

The meaning of the name is given as "Star­witch of the Dark Tower, the Lilith of the Shadows". NO WAY. This is not merely magical, its non­human.

Mandrigal of Mu.

Your name is not Latin. "Mu" is from a 19th­century attempt to use what Diego de Landa mistakenly thought was the Mayan "alphabet" (there is none). It is meaningless. Nothing in your name means either "wizard" or "king"; it is a mere garble.

Red Orm.

This is the name of the hero of The Long Ships by Franz Bengtsson. What are those things at the sides, called "snaffle bits"? Possible conflict with Christina of the Runes.

ART WORK HERE ART WORK HERE

snaffle bit "Snaffle bit"

Robin of Ironwood.

Conflicts with Rentry, Argent a battle axe gules.

Stefan the Bear (Sakura Tetsuo).

One persona per body, please! My Mongol persona has not registered a device, and will not. In any case "trian aspect" is nineteenth­century.

Taliesynne yr Anghyfannedd. Device.

Name "of Elphynne's Weyre" rejected; and so would "Taliesynne" have been, but with Taliesin Didymus of Nordovest accept by Ioseph (over my strenuous objection), I will accept this to dilute the mana. As to the device, what is that lambda­shaped object? The various papers call it a "prickspur" and a "tenterhook"; it doesn't look like either, and it's metal on metal. Get rid of it.

Tetsuo, Sakura. Badge for House Iron Flower.

Conflicts with Christina of the Runes. There's that cherry blossom again. {Not to mention the common motif of the dragon with the pearl.}

Yari the Seeker.

Infringes Karina of the Far West, Azure a wyvern [statant] argent. Trian aspect is nineteenth­century. The cherry­blossom was already rejected in June for Sakura Tetsuo. Start over.

Thus far the current acceptances and rejections: seventy­two and fifty­nine of them respectively. Most of the rejections should have been culled out before they ever got to me. I will run the remaining ones past Lord Breakstone as soon as I have the chance.

Finally, I want to speak a word of praise for the Armorial of Fabulous Heraldry compiled by the Lord Brigantia. I can see where it's going to save me many a trip out to the library annex (which we keep in the garage). And if everyone would consult it before submitting devices, it would save me a lot of work.

I remain at your service,

Karina of the Far West

O.L., Pel., Baroness

Laurel Queen of Arms

KFW:dcm

cc: Clarion

Laurel Emeritus

Steward/Banner