Eastmarch
3 Las Palomas
Orinda CA 94563
10 March XII (1978)<
Corrected 4 April 78
Karina of the Far West, Laurel Queen of Arms,
to the Heralds of the Five Kingdoms and the many Principalities:
Greetings.
The following arms, devices and badges are accepted and registered with the College of Arms.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF THE WEST:
Alan of Rowan. Per bend sinister, sable and Or, in dexter chief a scorpion and in sinister base a rowan tree eradicated both proper. (Hadrurus hirsutus; Sorbus aucuparia)
Hadrus hirsutus is golden-brown in color. Sorbus aucuparia is a large, round-headed tree.
Anne Christopher of Cheshire. Argent, a goblet sable between two roses gules, barded and seeded proper, and on a chief azure a decrescent, between the horns a mullet, argent.
Ann Elizabeth of Westmarch. Vert, a lion rampant sable, fimbriated argent.
Athelas of the Knife. Ermines, two unicorns combattant Or, crined, orbed, langued and unguled gules, and in chief a Saracen's head proper.
Lord Virgule objected to the plant name athelas as a person name; "Basil" (royal) is also the name of a herb; "Oliver" and "Perry" mean olive- and pear-tree.
Beagle de la Souris Folle. Badge. Vert, a Celtic hound statant coward proper.
[Picture] Note: Celtic hours are brown.
Bjorn of Havok. Ermines, a Lisbjerg gripping beast gules.
Gripping-beast is a general term for a wide variety of creatures which drip themselves or each other. See the end of this letter for the illustration.
Brann Morgan Dunmore of Galloway. Badge for House Dunmore. Gules, ermined argent, on a fess argent a peregrine falcon displayed gules.
Use a roundel, not a heater.
Charles of Dublin. Or, a dragon passant on a cloud gules above a castle three-towered azure.
The epithet "friendly," meaning with the portcullis open, is not heraldic and is a matter between Ld. Charles and his local artist.
Chiméne des Cinq Tours. Sable, estoilée argent, a leopard passant gardant Or armed and langued gules above a mount vert fimbriated argent.
"Chiméne," of course, is the French form of Ximena, a name found in Moorish Spain. "Ruatha" is a Pernese name-out of period and l'Ruatha" makes no sense
Christóbal degli Glicine che Mangia Uome. Sable, a peacock in his pride argent perched within a flowering wisteria wreath proper. (Wisteria sinensis)
Cruser the Ranger. Vert, upon a bend sinister Or a Mogen David between two stars of six points, gules.
We will consider the exact name of the Jewish emblem when we get to the Reblazoning Project.
Dafydd Lyn O'Seachnasaigh, Argent, a maunch vert and on a chief sable a sword argent.
Dana the Irish Moor. Vert, a quatrefoil slipped sable, pierced by a serpent bendwise wavy gules, all fimbriated argent.
Dediana du Corwyn. Sable, between three crescents a stag's attire affrontée erased, a bordure dovetailed argent.
Duncan Greencastle. Argent, a tower vert and on a chief azure a comet contourné argent.
Elaine of Gad. Argent, a cock's head erased sable, orbed and beaked Or, combed and wattled gules, grasping in its beak an earwig proper, and in chief three clusters of grapes proper. (Froficula auricularia)
F. auricularia, the "European" earwig, found throughout the world. We will have to say "grapes" unless you can give confirmation of period of Flame Toaky grapes. EB Says grape variety used in Tokay region, 1900 AD, is Furmint. Wattled and jellopped are both correct; no need to use the more obscure term.
Esmirelda Dancingstar. Purpure, a shooting star bendsinsterwise Or.
Elspeth Schnee-Flamme. Argent, a star of six cross crosslets fitchy conjoined at the points, gules.
I love it!
Elwyn Greystar. Azure, a chevron wavy and in chief an estoile of nine points argent.
I'm surprised it wasn't taken already.
Galina de Keri. Alteration of arms. Sable, a violet slipped, leaved, and eradicated, within a wreath of flames of many colors, proper. (Viola odorata)
Sorry to lose the cat's ear lily.
Order of the Arachne's Web. Badge. Sable, a spiderweb argent.
An award for excellence in lacemaking
Geoffrey of Northhaven. Badge. Azure, an English robin volant proper.
George Silver Tongue. Vert, a gamecock springing to sinister, wings addorsed, Or.
Glenn Halfdan. Vert, in fess a plate between two double-bitted axe heads palewise argent.
Glynys of Arran. Name change from Gwinever of Arran, Azure, a unicorn's head couped argent; on a chief nebuly argent a thistle proper.
Ld. Clarion's comment: "Why can't we get more like that?"
Guillym Avery of Royse. Per bend, sable a mushroom erased argent, and argent, three cinquefoils in bend gules, pierced Or.
Ian Michael. Gules, a unicorn counter-salient Or, attired, crined, and unguled argent.
Ilona Debreceni. Change. Azure, a pegasus counter-salient and in chief three compass-stars of eight, Or.
Ilona is her given name. She puts surname Debreceni first, Hungarian style.
John ap Griffin. Badge for Griffin Freehold. Sable, a griffin countersegreant surmounting a twin-towered castle Or.
Katwen du Griffin. Azure, a balance Or, the dexter pan elevated, therein a mullet argent, the sinister pan lowered, therein a heart gules.
Maria Alysaundre de Rohese. Vert, in cross four cubit arms joined at the elbows, hands clenched, Or, thereon a quatrefoil gules, pierced Or.
Ld. Virgule comments, "I believe 'Rohese' is a Christian name." Does anyone know for sure?
Morgan of Aberystwyth. Gules, a wyvern contourné grasping in its sinister member a sword erect between five caltraps 2, 2 and 1, all Or.
Ld. Codex could not understand the blazon submitted; we sent him the emblazon and he reblazoned it. "Member" means its foot.
Serhana-Grey of Ravenshold. Or, a double-bitted axe vert, issuant from dexter fesse a lozenge gules charges with a decrescent Or; issuant from sinister fesse a lozenge gules charged with a sun Or.
Tober Thorval. Vert, an osprey volant proper. (Pandion halliaetus)
Harolde of Gloster. Gules, between three bezants, as many cubit arms conjoined each holding a book, Or.
Harald Tostason. Azure, a star of four points gyronny argent and Or: a bordure ermine.
Linda of London. Per chevron azure and Or, in chief two open books and in base two cubit arms vested, couped, the hands clasped, counterchanged.
Michael the Black. Badge for House Black Fen. A frond of bracken fern sable. (Pteris aquiline)
Beautiful!
Phillippe of the House of Cruzan. Argent, an ostrich plume sable issuing from in base a star of six points Or fimbriated and lined sable, charged with a torteaux encircled by a torse Or fimbriated sable.
A torse can be of one color only.
Reginleif the Unruly. Sable, within a flame gules fimbriated Or, a rough-legged draught horse forcené argent.
The Clydesdale is a recent version of the rough-legged draft horse.
Richard of Blackhill. Argent, a fess chequy argent and gules, in base a Lacy's knot gules.
[picture] This is the form given in Boutell, not the simpler form in Parker. Also submitted as Ruiseart na Ard-dubh; but according to my elementary Scottish Gaelic book, ard means "high, tall"; "hill" is croc.
Roderick dubh Macrae of Kintail. Lozeny argent and azure, upon a chief indented gules, three roundels argent.
Turns out it's good Gaelic not to capitalize dubh, "the black."
Rupert Fairchilde MacChlurain. Per fess, sable mullety argent, and vert overall a pheon argent.
Serena of Bagulay. Vert, a bend sinister azure fimbriated argent, between in dexter chief three lozenges conjoined in fess and in sinister base a bell Or.
The name Cleindori is Casta (High Darkovan) for "Golden Bell," and as a future language is not acceptable. Try a Spanish or Italian translation.
Su of the Silver Horn. Sable, a bat-winged car counterrampant, wings addorsed, vert, fimbriated Or, holding in its forepaws the strings of a drinking horn argent.
The horn as drawn defies the law of gravity.
Susanna Fairfax. Alteration, formerly Susanna de los Copiheus. Argent, a sprig of three copihues proper. (Lapageria rosea)
The copihus is also called "Chilean bell-flower."
Tamsin of the Raven Tresses. Gyronny of 16, azure and Or, a bezant.
Appeal accepted on advice of Ld. Codex.
Thomas for the Interim. Vert, a dexter gauntlet sable, grasping in saltire a rose gules barbed, seeded and slipped proper, and an artist's brush sable, ferruled and all fimbriated Or.
The hand, incidentally, is fisted, palewise, knuckles in chief, its back of the viewer. All this seems to be default.
Treya n'Iurge ar Glan'abred. Argent, two oak sprigs slipped, leaved, and fructed proper: a chief nebuly vert mullty argent. (Quercus robur)
I have assigned the genus and species names on the basis of the drawing; please inform if it's some other species.
The Royal University of Ithra. Gules, on a sun Or eclipsed gules, an Arabian lamp flammant Or.
The University was charted by King Paul of Bellatrix in AS IX. The name Ithra is Arabic for "excellence."
Victoria Anna de Toledo. Sable, an increscent argent, overall a doe courant gules fimbriated argent.
You may not call your household "Elvenhome."
William of Gad. Argent, a cock's head erased sable, orbed and beaked Or, combed and wattled gules, grasping in its beak an earwig proper and in chief three walnut trees erased vert.
See notes to Elaine of Gad.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT
Anastasia Fedorovna Pantera. Gules, within an orle a leopard's face jessant-de-lis, all sable, fimbriated argent.
The fleur-de-lis is generally drawn smaller in proportion to the head.
Aureliane Rigel. Badge. Argent, within a mascle azure a gladiolus open and displayed Or, slipped and leaved vert.
Betva a Bedwyn. Vert, a birch tree argent, leaved as for autumn Or within a bordure Or.
The bordure was submitted "of Celtic knotwork", which isn't heraldry. But she may diaper the bordure in any way that pleases her. . . .
David the Lightgatherer. Gyronny argent, and azure mullety argent; a crescent Or.
Dolores del Corazon de Oro. Or, in chief a roundel sable within a bordure gules charged with eight hearts Or.
Drstha Maida of the Lowara, Argent, upon a sun gules a dexter hand apaumée couped argent.
Erasimierz Waspanieski Greyraven. Badge. Or, a cross couple sable contrevoided.
"Contrevoided" means the arms of the cross are voided and the center is solid. Ld. Codex provided the term.
Exaltation of Larks. Badge for dancing guild of Bjornsburg. Azure, a lark displayed argent, beaked and membered Or, charged on the breast with a heart gules.
The songbird seems an odd choice for dancers, but whatever....
Fergus na Cu Radraighe MacConla. Per pale Or and sable, two Irish wolfhounds combattant counterchanged.
Very good device. We'd rather ignore the forty-generation patronymic he included with the name.
Jefferson of Guntzburg. Azure, two flaunches vert, fimbriated Or, a columbine blossom inverted Or, all within a bordure Or.
Are you sure "Jefferson" is Welsh? I believe Jeffries is the correct form. In any case, it is a surname, "son of Geoffrey."
John the Idiota. Or, a zonecuilli azure.
[picture] This is a well-documented Aztec design motif, representing a blue worm.
Katherine of the Abbey. Gules, on a pale argent a domestic cat statant regardant, back arched, between two cinquefoils in pale, sable.
The cat is looking merely curious, not herissonée (bristling).
Kathryn of Iveragh. Badge for the House of the Fervent Kip, Per bend azure and sable: in sinister chief a plate between four compass-stars of four, two and two, argent; in dexter base a sun Or; in fess point a roundel sable, fimbriated and charged with a cross Or.
[picture]
Kemreth Danil, Badge. Argent, a Bourchier knot vert.
[picture] Note that this is different from a square knot.
Liane O'Day. Per pale azure and ermines, a great horned owl affronté, grasping in its dexter talon a scroll, argent, in dexter chief an estoile Or. (Bubo virginianus)
Lloyd von Eaker Badge. Gules, a baton argent, overall a sword, tip fracted, inverted proper.
Nancy Heyl. Badge for House of Revian. Per fess azure and vert, a fess dancetty to chief argent; in chief a melanstic gerfalcon proper and in base a stag statant at gaze ermine, attired and unguled Or.
PLEASE give us a SCA name to register this badge to! "Melanistic" means that this particular gerfalcon is nearly black-as the "black" panther is only a very dark spotted panther.
Sabrina Morna. Per bend argent and vert, a Celtic cross and a Pegasus countersalient counterchanged.
Torgatai Blackwolf. Per bend sinister ermine and sable, a bend sinister divided raguly gules and argent, in dexter a wolf's head erased sinister facing sable.
Vassillissa Koshkovna Nokhodchivaya. Badge. Argent, a cat sejant affrontee azure; a bordure azure guttée d'eau.
FOR THE MIDDLE KINGDOM
Alair of the Bloody Fountain. Azure a wolf and a unicorn combattant argent.
Alison macKieran Dhu. Or, a cross couped sable between a decrescent, a sun, a start of eight points, and in increscent azure.
Annora Yvain Aeđelbrand, the Subtle
. Or, a cross crosslet gules, overall in pale a lion passant vert bearing a sword imbrued proper, and a lion counterpassant vert bearing a sprig of mistletoe proper. (Viscum album)I suppose that's the species of mistletoe you want-the drawing isn't clear. It's not necessary to give genus and species of lion, as they are not 'proper.'
Armendel Nightsinger. Azure, a gore dexter and sinister; above, a pair of wings conjoined in lure; all argent.
Einar Lutemaker. Vert, a nefr Or.
This isn't a stringed instrument, but an Egyptian hieroglyphic meaning "heart and windpipe." It's for good luck. No worse, I suppose, than horseshoes or four-leaved clovers. . . . But how does an Icelander know about it?
Malutka sep Srebnitska. Ermine, a turkey vulture displayed, dexter wing erect, sinister wing inverted, proper. (Cathartes aura)
Supposed to mean "Little Buzzard the Silversmith." I'd appreciate comments-my Polish vocabulary is only 1000 words and no grammar.
Perygen Northhymbr. Sable, an otter sejant regardant argent holding bendwise a felling axe argent hilted proper. (Enhydra lutra)
Zarina Daeth. Gules, a bend sinister sable fimbriated argent between a whip coiled Or and a head sable fimbriated and bearing in its sinister chief a keyhole, both argent.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF MERIDIES
(Ld. Beacon, forgive me if any of your people are still in with Atenveldt; I did try to sort them out)
Cadwallon Cornwealhas. Azure, on a bend between six horseshoes argent, a mullet sable.
Brandalyn the Flaming. Argent, three piles conjoined and issuant from fess point, 2 and 1, sable between three flames 1 and 2 gules.
Beacon Herald. Badge for use as seal. A beacon enflamed.
Seals don't have tinctures. (Even if you were planned to use a three-part rubber stamp in sable, Or, and flame-colored ink.)
Muireann Deora-De of Rivercroft. Quarterly vert and Or, in the second quarter a mullet of eight and in the third quarter an escallop, both argent, overall a bend wavy vert, fimbriated argent.
This blazon courtesy of Ld. Codex.
Rebecca of Twynn, called the Demanding. Formerly Rebecca of Vandelalven. Vert, a domestic cat's head affrontée argent, collared and grasping in his mouth a dagger palewise, hilt to sinister, argent hilted sable.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF THE EAST
Ælfwine đęs Sūžgemęres. Per pale argent and azure, a bend cotised counterchanged, overall an elm tree eradicated proper.
This authentic spelling courtesy of my Icelandic element. Would you care to provide your favorite transliteration for the computer, or take your chances?
Ahab ibn Ben'Achmed. Formerly Garanhir of Ness. New Arms. Vert, a mill-rind between two estoiles in bend sinister Or.
Ahab ibn Ben'Achmed. Badge (old arms). Argent, a wolf's head erased sinister facing gules.
Andreas de Vulpes. Argent, a woodpecker contourné vert perching on a branch proper between three lozenges in chevron enhanced azure.
Anne of Hatfield. Azure, a saltire per saltire Or and argent, overall a mortar and pestle argent.
Please fimbriate the mortar-I suggest azure or sable.
Avisa of Rideja. Per saltire Or and argent, a maple leaf vert.
Another beauty!
Cassandra of the East Winds. Alteration. Sable, on a plate a flame gules.
Charolette Keri O'Donelle of the Misty Hills. Per fess azure and vert, a gull volant and in dexter chief an estoile argent.
Embla Willsdottir. Alteration. Vert, an elm leaf in bend sinister environed of a cartouche voided argent.
Emerant Levana of the Rising Sun. Argent, on a sun issuant from base gules a fleur-de-lis argent; on a chief vert a fleur-de-lis argent.
Evert of Bangor. Sable, an owl volant argent armed and orbed Or, and in base a rose argent barbed and seeded proper.
Freya of the Amber Hills. Azure, a chevron sable fimbriated argent between two daggers proper and an increscent argent.
Geoffrey d'Ayr. Badge. Azure, an octopus displayed argent.
This will of course be displayed on a roundel.
Giliniel Silmelinë. Per chevron: argent, in chevron a pen inverted and a sword azure, hilted sable; and azure, a star of six points argent.
Ianthe d'Averoigne. Sable, on a cartouche purpure fimbriated argent, a rose slipped and leaved inverted sable fimbriated argent.
Isolde die Graue aus dem Lebendhertz. Ermine, a chevron inverted gules, overall a fountain.
Jeffrey Beauchamp de Tournoir. Per fess gules and Or, a pale counterchanged, three talbot's heads erased Or.
Ld. Codex says that there's no such thing as party of six, and that the talbot's heads would be understood to be gules.
John the Rhymer. Badge. Azure, a falcon's head couped contournée argent.
Lys d'Arras. Quarterly argent and vert, a distaff of wool proper, an orle of fleurs-de-lis counterchanged.
Pretty.
Magda z Stalburg. Azure, a gout d'eau charged with a violet slipped and leaved proper. (Viola odorata)
I can't find any references for V. o. latris.
Malkin Grey. Or, on an open book proper edges sable, a cat counter-couchant sable.
The book should be drawn flat in the plane of the device; see various university arms, as Oxford-any book they publish.
Marc Arianddraig o myndd du. Vert, a dragon counter-involved argent, in chief a sword fesswise reversed Or quillioned argent, on a chief azure fimbriated argent three estoiles argent.
Merlinia Silver Dove the Faye. Per fess able and azure, overall a tower between in chief a gull countervolant and four stars pilewise all argent.
My typewriter can't handle the Cyrillic alphabet, so I have retransliterated "Silver Dove."
Morgana di Sanpere. Per fess indented purpure and Or, in chief three estoiles in fess and in base an escarbuncle counterchanged.
Lovely
Michael of Bedford. Ermine, a lion sejant affronté, forelegs displayed, per pale azure and Or, the head counterchanged, a bordure gules.
Ragar Bodyguard. Gyronny azure and argent, a spider extended sable.
Rosamond Tindomielle. Vert, a bend sinister Or between a white oak argent and a lyre argent entwined of a vine Or.
Slobadan Sretenov Ivaniŝević
. Sable, a wolf counter-salient, in dexter chief a twelve-pointed star, in sinister chief a decrescent argent.Smoking Rocks, Shire. Argent, a sperm whale naiant sable and in chief a laurel wreath vert.
Handsome and original.
Tamar the Gypsy. Vert, a bezant charged with a wyvern statant vert.
Tojenareum Grenville of Devon. Azure, within a vire a roundel Or; in sinister chief a sun Or charged with an annulet sable.
Tomas de Chamberlain de la Rose d'Argent. Purpure, a pale sable fimbriated argent between two garden-roses slipped and leaved argent.
Beautifully rendered.
Traidenis Vilkas of Winter Oak. Argent, on a pile sable, a wolf's head cabossed argent.
The following are rejected.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF THE WEST
Allyn Samildanach.
The pentacle, or pentangle, or 5-pointed star polygon, is a well known magical symbol. The reference in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to the pentacle on Gawain's arms is the only appearance of it anywhere in English before the seventeenth century. We wouldn't pass the other charge on Gawain's arms either, which was the Virgin Mary. Try a five-lobed interlace.
Amanda Kendal of Westmorland.
Roses have five petals, or multiple of five. "A sixfoil alternately argent and gules" would be all right, but not "A rose argent/gules" of any number of petals. Please specify the genus and species of lizard: though the are not "proper", the artists will need to know what kind of lizard to draw.
Andre Lessard.
Conflicts with Aktaro Minimoto; see also comments under Amada Kendal about that "rose."
Benedicite Draconis Traepischka.
Benedicite is a prominent canticle of the Church. Instead of Benedicite, which means "Bless!" how about Benedicta, "blessed"? Also, if Traepischka is a nickname and Draconia a surname, why not change the order?
Erinn of Lemati.
This isn't heraldry. "Arched-counterarched-arched" is not proper blazon, not is "per fess wavy of two crests." Please re-do it so it can be blazoned in standard terms.
Gerhard Kendal of Westmorland.
See Amanda Kendal about "roses." Please specify lizard.
Jana Seasgair.
Conflicts with William of Sark: Sable, a flame proper.
Secalemox pen Tyrhon. Name change to Rhiannon of the Mystic Isles.
Is or are the Mystic Isles a mortal land? Where located?
Melissa Kendal of Westmorland.
See Amanda Kendal about "roses."
Robin Yrmweis.
Conflicts with the badge of Avar the Boneless, Sable a viper's head couped azure orbed gules. Appeal denied on the advice of Lord Codex.
Stephanos Markos.
Lord Codex tells me pallets cannot be borne upon a pale, and I believe it. Please simplify.
Protector of the Royal Wards.
Conflicts with De Backer, Azure, two swords in saltire proper, in chief a crown Or; Pistorini, Azure, a rose gules between two swords in pile proper, in chief a crown inverted and in base a fleur-de-lis Or.
FOR THE KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT
Aureliane Rigel.
The bagwyn is variously described in my sources as "early sixteenth century," "hard to give out an instance," "a supporter." It's a fine-looking monster but I'm afraid it's out of period. Could you settle for a plain old antelope?
Erasimierz Waspanieski Greyraven. Badge with raven and bordure variously compony.
I can do no better than to quote Lord Codex again: "This sounds more like the crest of an Ugandan General. Are you sure this is a BADGE?" A badge is the sort of thing you use to mark your possessions, small children, faithful retainers, and other tourneyside kipple. It should be simple. Please make it so.
Sean MacFflam of Ravenswaard.
Conflicts with Heeley, Denbigh, Wales, 1444 (Royal College of Arms, rematriculated by Visitations 1622) viz: Sable, a Cross of St. Anthony Or. It's too bad, because the device is very attractive, but you need three points of difference.
Josiah Scorpious.
Checky follows the law of tincture; change either the sable or the vert to a metal. But I like the scorpion.
Jan Lewanski. Badge for Loyal Free Company of Bjørnsguard.
Conflicts with Milnes, Or a bear rampant sable collared and lined gules; Orly, Sable, a bear rampant Or. It's a nice looking bear and it would be nice to use the Principality's colors, but you have been beaten to it; sorry.
Roger Fitz-Ralph.
Conflicts with Anderson, York England, 1564, viz: Quarterly, chequy argent and sable, gules, overall a bear's head cabossed Or. Lord Codex comments: "I was really surprised to see this, who would have thought it? It's a good idea for a device and I like the arrangement, but he needs two more points of difference; might I suggest Quarterly, chequy sable and Or, and gules, overall a bear's head cabossed sable (and then langued, orbed , armed, etc., etc. in any colour that he chooses; you see all this orbed, langued, crined, armed, or whatever incidental, only make 1/2 a point of difference COMBINED)."
Barony of the Steppes. Badge.
Lord Codex disapproved pungently of a bend "indented to sinister" so as to look like a flight of steps. "A bend is an Ordinary of Arms, not a staircase." The Barony already has the same object on its arms, registered 'way back in 1973, but this was done in ignorance and I don't want to compound the error. I would like the Barony to try to bring the arms into line with proper heraldic usage too if possible; I think a bend indented on both sides would be acceptable.
Tanasan Dimrithil.
Conflicts with Roberta Lynn of the Golden Heart: Sable, a heart Or within a Bowen Knot crosswise argent. Try another tincture.
Veneficia de Luci.
Venefica means, literally, a poisoner, and only be extension a witch. In either case it is not suitable as a name. The drawing is a pretty design but not heraldry. Start over.
FOR THE MIDDLE KINGDOM
Aelfric of York.
Once again I quote Lord Codex: "There are several errors of marshalling. ie: (1) first and foremost, there is what is erroneously called a "chief embattled Or," upon QUARTERED arms (impossible) . . . it comes off appearing as a label of six Or, and why would he have a label? (2) he bears the arms (in quarter) of York, I know what he is doing and I don't approve of this kind of self-vestiging, would you allow an arms quartered with England? or Wales or Scotland or maybe an arms quartered with that of an SCA kingdom or a shire or Barony, I see it as the same thing. I urge you, please do not allow it. I'm sure you can see the kind of precedence it would open up. (3) he bears in the lower quarters only an overall chevron and lion passant, which is very unorthodoxical in quartered arms and is only used as an enhanced charge of Accomodation, this fact, coupled with the York quarter, I'm sure that the English Royal College of Arms would throw it out. On the basis of this alone, I recommend that you reject the application and inform the applicant of the exact reasons why-so that we may not see a resubmission varied but with the same errors."
FOR THE KINGDOM OF MERIDIES
Deliashellyn of G'Bonnlake.
Conflicts with Stefan of Seawood: Azure, upon a sun Or an eagle displayed sable.
Elaine Darkenlight of the Silver Seas.
Conflicts with Diantha Sylvana: Per pale argent and azure, two dolphins uriant respecting each other counterchanged.
FOR THE EAST KINGDOM
Aachental, Shire.
Aachental means Aachen Valley; Aachen (or Aix-la-Chapelle, where Charlemagne used to swim in the hot springs) is "situated in a pleasant valley," according to the Encyclopedia Britannica . . . I'm afraid there already is one. Also, the snowflake is improperly drawn. WE don't have many snowflakes (Clovia Lumi, Roderick of Charlo), so the field is fairly wide open. But do remember that all the arms of the snowflake emanate from the center.
David du Lac.
On the advice of Lord Codex we counsel him to keep his device the way we passed it: Or, a drawing compass sable, on a chief embattled azure a sword reversed fesswise argent.
Embla Willsdottir. Badge for House Deben-Taj.
This isn't heraldry. I have no idea what fascinating things all those shapes represent, but "the lower halves of two lozenges conjoined in fess," representing something about 1/10th the width of the shield, just isn't heraldry and I don't know what to call it.
Fernando-Salazar y Perez.
Conflicts with Michaelson, England, 1665, Sable, a horse courant argent, in chief 2 mullets Or.
Geoffrey Thomas Paget of Cam.
This is much too busy; where it doesn't look like a landscape it looks like religious vestments. Please start over from scratch.
Gerald de Verrre.
This is a very interesting design. When I sent the blazon to Lord Codex, he replied that he didn't understand it. I sent him a persian-copy of the emblazon, and he replied that he didn't know how to describe it. I must therefore reluctantly (for I have seen much worse) conclude that it is not heraldry and ask Gerard to start over.
Owain of the Idle Wode.
"A pheon brassed proper" doesn't make sense. Why not just a pheon Or?
Here end the acceptances and rejections.
By the bye: recently one the Principality Heralds inquired of me as follows: "If my Pursuivant gives you a 9-track, 1600 bpi tape, can you print the Ordinary on it for us? He will then be able to feed the tape to his Xerox printer. (He says that any tapes he uses must be unlabeled, or us OS standard labels." Well, Lord Golem's answer was "Yes." And as soon as we get the tape he will deal with it and then the Pursuivant can print out some extra copies for his region. Does anyone else have computer access? Let us know the kind of equipment you have, and maybe Lord Golem will be able to send you a tape too.
I remain at your service,
Karina of the Far West
Laurel Queen of Arms
KFW:dcm
Encl: gripping-beast
cc: Steward
Clarion
Codex
Virgule