Society for Creative Anachronism
College of Arms
For the December 2022 meetings, printed February 7, 2023
To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from Emma Laurel, Elisabetta Pelican, Oddr Wreath (outgoing) and Iago Wreath (incoming), greetings.
We have gotten increasing questions about whether or not Facebook messages can be considered official. Per the Society Seneschal's handbook and a brief discussion at the most recent meeting of the Board of Directors, Facebook Messenger is not considered an official channel of communication.
What this means for us is that letters such as Permission to Conflict can be negotiated via Facebook, but the actual letter should come via an official channel of communication, such as email. Facebook Messenger can still be used to ask and answer questions as needed. Other non-email communication systems, such as Discord or Instagram, should be treated likewise: fine for normal communication, but cannot be used for official letters.
This month we discussed the role of the line art in our armory submission process. We asked commenters to consider whether or not we still need the line art at the Society level: should it be removed entirely, or considered optional, especially given that the line art generally does not influence registration of the colored emblazon.
After much consideration, we are declaring the line art emblazon on the Letter of Intent optional, effective immediately, at the Society level. Kingdoms may choose to require the line art form and emblazon, keep them optional, or drop them entirely. The line art form is already not required at Society.
When a kingdom internal letter is transferred to a Society level Letter of Intent, OSCAR will transfer all the information and data as before, except for the line art emblazon.
The Admin Handbook section IV.C.1 will be updated to state that the black-and-white armory form is optional for kingdom files. Section V.B.2.e will be updated to state that the black-and-white emblazon is optional.
This month, we considered the submission of the Order of Durga, an order name based on a non-European deity. Order names based on deities and saints are well-established [Order of Artemis, East, Kingdom of, 06/2013, A-East]. Durga is a Hindu goddess who was known to people in India as early as the 6th or 7th century C.E., but likely not known to Europeans until the Portuguese presence in India in the 15th century.
Prior precedent held that order names could only be created in languages from places that actually had orders in period. [April 2011 Cover Letter]. However, "orders" as such appear to be unique to Europe (although research on this is ongoing). Given the changes to the Society's mission statement, limiting order names to only elements from European cultures is overly restrictive and inconsistent with our treatment of other names. Therefore, effective as of the date of this letter, we will allow order names to be created using the names of deities, personal names, or heraldic charges that can be documented to the SCA's period in places other than Europe.
In the coming months, we will be releasing a Rules Letter to consider how we will be evaluating all non-personal names going forward as we become a more inclusive society for all cultures pre-1600.
We would like to take a moment to reflect on the progress that we have made in expanding the pool of languages and cultures that are now available for submitters to draw from. In the past few years, we have gained knowledge from Ethiopia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and India; we have learned names in the Korean, Ruthenian, Nahuatl and Algonquin languages. We have made incredible strides towards a diverse and inclusive set of onomastic knowledge in the SCA College of Arms.
As far as we have come, there is still more work to do. We don't know what we don't know; we welcome all levels of research as we grow our understanding of the world pre-1600. In recent months we have added articles on gender-neutral names, names from the Low Countries, naming patterns in Lithuania, Iron Age Finnic names, and Korean names. More is always better! We are always seeking to add to the Laurel website, so that submitters can easily access information to be inspired to register a name.
We would love to geek out about your research with you! Please consider sharing it with us! Articles should be emailed to Pelican Sovereign of Arms ([email protected]) and Codex Herald ([email protected]).
As proposed in Palimpsest's September 30th Rules Letter, we are adding two examples to SENA PN3C6 to illustrate that the addition of an article or preposition is insufficient to clear conflict. These examples are added to the end of the section:
For example, John the Smith has an identity conflict with John Smith. Although the addition of the is a significant visual difference under PN3C4 as more than two letters have been added, the addition of an article (the) does not contribute to the difference in sound under PN3C2. Similarly, Mariota Hamiltoun has an identity conflict with Mariota af Hamiltoun as the removal of a proposition (af, which is Scots for "of") does not contribute to the difference in sound under PN3C2.
The updated text will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#PN3C6 about a week after the April 2023 Board of Directors meeting.
As proposed in Palimpsest's September 30th Rules Letter, SENA NPN1C2f is revised to allow order names with a double locative to use at Branch name based on period examples of order names as described in the July 2022 Cover Letter. The revised wording is:
f. Branch Name Allowance: Name phrases may be created from the registered forms of SCA branches. The name phrase must use a lingua Societatis form meaning 'of Branchname' or 'from Branchname'. In English, the usual lingua Societatis form incorporating an SCA branch name is 'of Branchname'. In order names with double locatives, the form 'at Branchname' is allowed (see the July 2022 LoAR for details on the use of double locatives in order names).
Name phrases should stay as close to the exact registered name of the branch as possible, while obeying the grammatical requirements of the language used for lingua Societatis. Translated forms based on the meaning of branch names will not be registered under this allowance, even if the translated form matches the intended origin of the submission or of the branch.
[Note: No changes to the two lingua Societatis examples.]
For example, Order of the Defender of the Flame at Starkhafn is registrable as the first locative refers to a manor house or tavern (such as Inn of the Flame) and the second is a larger entity, the Barony of Starkhafn.
[Note: The final example is unchanged.]
The revised wording will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#NPN1C2f about a week after the April 2023 Board of Directors meeting.
As they appear to be a post-period stylization of this charge, originating as a symbol of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, notched keystones will not be registered after the June 2023 decision meeting without evidence that they were found in period. This sunset does not affect other keystones.
A submission this month raised questions about the acceptable placement of labels. SENA Appendix J notes that "a label only can be overall and in chief"; however, wording in Appendix I did not support that. We are updating the wording in Appendix I to align with Appendix J. The updated wording for Appendix I4 is
4. Overall Charge Group: An overall charge group is a charge or group of charges which crosses the center of the field, lying partially on the field and partially on other charges. It can only appear on a design that has a primary charge group. The underlying charge is the primary charge, while the overlying charge is an overall charge. There can be only one overall charge group in any design. In period heraldry the overall charge is almost always a bend.
An overall charge must overlie a primary charge; if there is no other primary charge, there is no reason to refer to a charge as "overall". An overall charge must have a significant portion on the field; a design with a charge that has only a little bit sticking over the edges of an underlying charge is known as "barely overall" and is not registerable. We do not allow overall charges to overlie peripheral ordinaries, except as an Individually Attested Pattern. Labels are an exception to this and may be overall in chief, overlaying a peripheral ordinary without overlaying the primary charge.
The following example is added to this section:
For example, Gules, a lion and bordure argent, overall in chief a sword fesswise Or is not registrable as the sword does not overlie the primary charge and it does overlie a peripheral ordinary. However, Gules, a lion and a bordure argent, overall in chief a label Or is registrable as a label may overlie a peripheral ordinary rather than the primary charge when in chief.
The revised version will be available at https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html#AppendixI4 within a few days.
On November 12th at Meridies' Crown List, Beacon Principal Herald Sara al-Garnatiyya elevated Adelaide Collette de Monferrer to the rank of Herald Extraordinary. Congratulations!
On January 7th at Kingdom 12th Night in Atlantia, Triton Principal Herald Gisela vom Kreuzbach elevated Hagar the Black, Pearl Herald (Ceremony & Protocol), to the rank of Herald Extraordinary in recognition of his many years of service to the kingdom. Congratulations!
On January 14th, at An Tir's very busy Twelfth Night, Black Lion Principal Herald Pompeia Rufina elevated Marya Kargashina, former Black Lion and other heraldic offices and current Queue Forchée Herald (contingency deputy), to the rank of Herald Extraordinary. Moments later, Fina Black Lion also elevated Hafr-Tóki, Blue Anchor Herald (web deputy) to the rank of Herald Extraordinary. Both of these gentles have offered many years of useful service to the kingdom. Congratulations to them both!
Also that day, Their Majesties Octamasades and Achaxe were pleased to welcome Gianna Maddalena Alberti, Ruby Herald emerita of Gleann Abhann, to the Order of the Pelican. Gianna is most recently known for her work with the Board of Directors, furthering the Society's efforts in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
In addition, Their Majesties Octamasades and Achaxe welcomed Iuliana de la Sara, Dexter Gauntlet Herald emerita (Order of Precedence) to the Order of the Pelican.
Also that same Court, Their Majesties Octamasades and Achaxe elevated Jadwiga Radomyskova, some time Cheval et Lion Herald (heraldic artist), to the Orders of the Laurel and of the Pelican.
Lastly, Their Majesties Octamasades and Achaxe elevated Dagrún stjarna Ulriksdóttir, former Basilisk Pursuivant (baronial herald), to the Order of the Laurel.
In non-SCA but still related news, on January 19th our own Birittha Wf (in her modern guise, of course) was elected President of the Heraldry Society of Finland. Congratulations!
In sadder news, we regret to report the passing of Alban St. Albans, second Morsulus Herald of the Society. For many years he ran an independent publishing company which made many heraldic resources available in the days before easy accessibility online, and contributed greatly to the study of heraldry throughout the Society. He will be missed.
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 December Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, December 4, 2022 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, December 10, 2022. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Trimaris (04 Jul, 2022) (pushed due to lack of packet), Trimaris (01 Sep, 2022), Atlantia (04 Sep, 2022), Calontir (09 Sep, 2022), An Tir (12 Sep, 2022), East (16 Sep, 2022), Artemisia (20 Sep, 2022), Gleann Abhann (23 Sep, 2022), Laurel LoPaD (24 Sep, 2022), Æthelmearc (25 Sep, 2022), Atenveldt (25 Sep, 2022), Ealdormere (25 Sep, 2022), Lochac (25 Sep, 2022), Middle (25 Sep, 2022), Outlands (26 Sep, 2022), Avacal (30 Sep, 2022), Caid (30 Sep, 2022), Drachenwald (30 Sep, 2022), Palimpsest Rules Letter (30 Sep, 2022), West (30 Sep, 2022), Laurel LoPaD (12 Nov, 2022) (redraws). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Wednesday, November 30, 2022.
The January Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, January 15, 2023 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, January 21, 2023. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Trimaris (01 Oct, 2022), Atlantia (06 Oct, 2022), An Tir (11 Oct, 2022), Artemisia (15 Oct, 2022), Ealdormere (24 Oct, 2022), Gleann Abhann (24 Oct, 2022), Ealdormere (25 Oct, 2022), Ansteorra (26 Oct, 2022), Lochac (26 Oct, 2022), Atenveldt (27 Oct, 2022), Middle (30 Oct, 2022), Outlands (30 Oct, 2022), Æthelmearc (31 Oct, 2022), Avacal (31 Oct, 2022), Caid (31 Oct, 2022), East (31 Oct, 2022), Middle (31 Oct, 2022), Northshield (31 Oct, 2022). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Saturday, December 31, 2022.
The February Laurel decisions will be made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, February 12, 2023 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, February 11, 2023. These meetings will consider the following letters of intent: Meridies (02 Nov, 2022), Calontir (08 Nov, 2022), An Tir (11 Nov, 2022), Laurel LoPaD (13 Nov, 2022), Artemisia (15 Nov, 2022), Atlantia (16 Nov, 2022), Ealdormere (25 Nov, 2022), Lochac (25 Nov, 2022), Meridies (25 Nov, 2022), Ansteorra (27 Nov, 2022), Outlands (27 Nov, 2022), Middle (28 Nov, 2022), Caid (29 Nov, 2022), Middle (29 Nov, 2022), Æthelmearc (30 Nov, 2022), Ansteorra (30 Nov, 2022), Atenveldt (30 Nov, 2022), Avacal (30 Nov, 2022), Drachenwald (30 Nov, 2022), East (30 Nov, 2022), Northshield (30 Nov, 2022), West (30 Nov, 2022). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Tuesday, January 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 2023-02-07T19:46:35