Unto Their Royal Majesties Phelan and Elzbieta; the Honourable Lord Seamus McDaid, Aten Principal Herald; the Heralds in the Atenveldt College of Heralds; and to All Whom These Presents Come,

Greetings from Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy, Parhelium Herald!

NOTE....NOTE...IF YOU HAVEN’T STARTED USING THE NEW SUBMISSIONS FORMS, DO IT NOW!...OLD FORMS WILL BE RETURNED AS OF 1 APRIL 2007!

This is the April 2007 Atenveldt Letter of Presentation. It precedes the external Letter of Intent that will contain the following submissions that are presented here, asking questions of submitters and local heralds who have worked with them; if these questions are not addressed, the submission may be returned by the Atenveldt College of Heralds. I accept online commentary, in addition to questions pertaining to heraldry and consultation for names and armory: brickbat@nexiliscom.com. Please have comments or questions to me concerning this Letter by 15 May 2007.

Kingdom Arts and Sciences Collegium: there will be an Heraldic Consultation Table at the Collegium in the Barony of Sundragon, 2 June, and submissions will be accepted there. It will probably be run the better part of the morning and all afternoon. If you’d like to drop by (to schmooze or to help with the consultations), to send some of your clients in that direction, etc., etc., please do so! The more, the merrier!

Submissions Website: You can send electronic commentary on the most recent internal LoIs through the site, in addition to any questions you might have. Current submission forms (the ONLY forms that can be used) can be found on the site. Please let your local populace know about the site, too: atensubmissions.nexiliscom.com.

Heraldry Hut : The next meetings are scheduled for Friday, 18 May, beginning at 7:30 PM.

Recent Actions by the College of Arms: the final actions on those submissions appearing in the 30 September 2006 Atenveldt Letter of Intent and finally considered by the S.C.A. College of Arms at its January 2007 meetings appear at the end of this report.

Please consider the following submissions for the MAY 2007 Atenveldt Letter of Intent:

Aurelia Chrysanthina Dalassene (Tir Ysgiithr): NEW DEVICE CHANGE

Per chevron argent and purpure, two roses purpure, barbed and seeded proper, and a dromon contourny argent, a bordure sable semy of Maltese crosses argent.

The name was registered October 2006. If the new device is registered, please retain her currently-registered device (seen under the name Sorcha Flannagann in the Ordinary), Per chevron sable and argent, two caravels in full sail argent and a rose purpure., as a badge.

Bláth ingehan Uí Laoghaire (Tir Ysgithr): NEW NAME and DEVICE

Argent, a sun in glory azure between three triquetras inverted sable.

The name is Irish Gaelic. Bláth is a feminine given name, that of two virgin saints (Ó Corráin and Maguire, Irish Names, p. 32). Inghean Uí Laughoaire, “feminine descendant of the Leary clan” (MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland, 6^th edition, p. 192, s.n. (O) Leary). The client desires a female name and is most interested in the meaning (that she has a reference to Leary in her name) and language/culture (Irish).

The following appear in the April 2007 Atenveldt Letter of Intent:

This month’s commentary is provided by Aryanhwy merch Catmael [AmC], Ástríðr Þórgeirsdóttir [AÞ], Grainne the Red [GtR], Helena de Argentoune [HdA], Knute Hvitabjörn [KH], Maridonna Benevenuti [MB], Taran the Wayward [TW] and Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy [MMM].

Adalize Fitz Symmons (Tir Ysgithr): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Or, a tree eradicated and on a chief embattled vert a rapier and a needle inverted in saltire Or.

The given name was misspelled in the LoP as Adelize; the client submitted it as Adalize. [MMM]

The example of <Adeliza> in Talan's article does not support the variant spelling <Adelize>. <Adeliza> is a Latinized form; the terminal <-a> marks the name as being in the nominative case. <Adelize> is not a reasonable spelling variant of <Adeliza> in Latin, as <Adelize> is an inflected form (dative/ablative, and probably also, by the end of the 11th C, genitive). We register given names in the nominative form only. S. Gabriel Report #3142 (http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/3142) recently discussed the history of the name <Adelaide> (from the same root), in great detail, focusing on the 9th to 12th C. There are numerous Latin forms of the name, none of which end in <-e>. Hence, either <Adeliza> (a Latin form) or <Adeliz> (an Old French form) is registerable, but <Adelize> would not be. However, by the 14th century, <Adeliz> would be wildly unlikely - by then the name was simply <Alice> or <Alis>.

The header in R&W is FitzSimon, not Fitzsimmons; Fitzsimmons is a subsidiary header. None of the dated forms of the byname have the

terminal <-s>. As subsidiary headers in R&W are registerable only if there is evidence that they are consistent with period spellings of the dated name, the citation from R&W alone is not sufficient for registration. Checking R&W s.n. Simmonds there isone example of <Simondes> 1308 (the example of <filius Simonis> 1325 doesn't count as an example with a terminal <-s>, since this is Latin, not English). Based on this one example of <Simodnes>, <Fitz Symondes> is probably registerable. Without further information, I have my doubts about the registerability of <Fitz Symmons>. [AmC]

The submitter should be advised to center the charges on the chief. I found no conflicts. [AmC]

Alexandra de la Mer Verte (Sundragon): NEW BADGE: Azure, on a pale between two swords inverted argent, three crosses bottony fitchy gules.

Crosses fitchy come to a point. The specific treatment of the basemost arms is unblazonable. [AmC, KH] That’ll be remedied. [MMM]

These are Latin crosses bottony fitchy. Vs. Simon Gwyn, "Azure, on a pale between two swords argent three open books azure," there's a CD for the changes to the tertiaries, and one for inverting the swords. No such luck vs.Tymothy Smythson, "Azure, on a pale between two swords inverted argent a sword inverted entwined by a serpent vert." Here there's just one CD for the tertiaries.[AmC, HdA, KH] Lord Taran has contacted both parties, and Tymothy was gracious enough to provide a Letter of Permission to Conflict (thanks to both of them!) [MMM]

Amalie Loreley (Tir Ysgithr): NEW NAME

What does Seibicke say about <Loreley>? Especially because this is not an appendix H source, it must be summarized. In particular, does he give any dates? [AmC]

Angus of the Blue Spruce Shire (Twin Moons): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Or, two wooden tankards proper and a blue spruce tree couped, a bordure embattled azure.

Tangwystyl's article gives no evidence that <Angus> is a plausible anglicization of <Áengus>. For that you want to turn to Black s.n. Angus, who has <Angus mac Dunec'> c. 1204-1211 and s.n. Angusson <Angus Angussone> 1630. The locative follows no pattern of English shire names that I know of. [AmC]

Is there a “Blue Spruce Shire?” Does there have to be for this to be registerable? [HdA] Lord, I wish there were such a shire. [MMM]

Is this intended to be “a blue spruce tree proper?” Or a “spruce/pine tree azure?” The practical difference of course, being the color of the trunk. [HdA] The entire tree is azure. [MMM]

Calandra Raleigh (Atenveldt): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Argent, on a pile between two roses vert in pale a rose argent and a lark close Or.

Note that while R&W doesn't actually date <Raleigh>, between the 1509 spellings of <Rawley>, <Rayley>, <Raweleygh>, <Raleygh>, <Ralegh>, and <Rawleigh>, the submitted spelling is plausible. [AmC]

Vs. Séigíne of Northwoods, "Argent, on a pile between two trefoils vert an Irish harp argent," there's a CD for the type of secondaries and another for the cumulative changes to the tertiaries. This was the closest I found.[AmC]

This is pretty cramped. Will the client consider a “per chevron inverted” line of division instead? Or perhaps putting the birdie on a fess? Better yet, removing the birdie altogether. Also, the two vert roses are really “in base” and not “in center fess” as the blazon implies. I’m really thinking that making this a “per chevron” line of division would clean both the device and the blazon up tremendously. [HdA] This is a reasonable placement for the secondaries such that their spot on the field doesn’t need to be mentioned. [MMM]

Cera Aghafatten (Sundragon): NEW NAME

My main concern with this name is that no information was provided, nor was I able to find any information, about when the village of Aghafatten/ Aughafatten was founded. Given the (modern) size of the village, I'm not optimistic about it having been known by the same name and/or having existed in the 7th century. Combine this with the vanishing rarity of locative bynames (especially early in our period), and I'm extremely dubious about the probability of this name for the submitter's desired culture and time period. There is also a possibility of temporal issues being a problem from the point of view of registration, since the form was only used until 1200. If the village itself, or the modern name of the village date to late in the SCA period this could create a temporal "weirdness". One way to get around this would be to change the given name to Ceara, which is the Early Modern Irish Gaelic form of the same name. Unfortunately, this sort of change is not allowed by the submitter. [KT]

Charles the Bear (Atenveldt): NEW BADGE and HOUSEHOLD NAME, Casa Libre: Or, a chain of seven links fesswise throughout, the center link broken sable.

Recommend the space between the halves of the broken link be made wider. It’s very hard to tell that the center link is broken until you read the blazon. Considering Marcus Tullius Calvus Cambrensis, Or, a dance sable., clear of “Charlie Brown’s shirt” by virtue of a complete change of type of primary. [HdA]

Vs. Marcus Tullius Calvus Cambrensis, "Or, a dance sable" [my gosh, I can't believe this actually got registered!] there's at least a CD for the type of fess, but this would have to be X.2 different for them to be clear. I have my doubts as to whether this is the case, but would recommend letting Wreath be the bad guy here. [AmC]

Visually, this is close to Or, on a fess sable seven delfs Or. [Consider] Ysabeau of Stowe on the Wowld: Or, on a fess sable five fleurs-de-lys Or. Single CD for RfS X.4.j.ii. [KH]

Cyneric Ollwydtir (Atenveldt): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Per pale argent and counter-ermine, a ferret rampant gules.

The preposition <o> 'of' was not used in Welsh locative bynames: "The preposition o is not normally found with proper names of places in Welsh names. On the other hand, it should be noted that in written records, the Latin preposition de more often than not is -- at least in the medieval period." (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR September 1997, p. 12) Even if <Llwydtir> is taken to be a generic toponym, rather than a proper place name, the preposition would not attach to the rest of the byname. [AmC]

“Wild Britain: Welsh Place Names,” by Jim Belote (http://www.d.umn.edu/~jbelote/welsh.html ) demonstrates llwyd and tir as name elements for place names or elements of place names that may be found in some of the wilder parts of Wales; locations or dates of existence for such places is not provided. [MMM]

Vs. Morgaine Brisen, "Ermine, a tricorporate weasel gules," there's a CD for the field and one for the number of bodies. This is the closest I found. [AmC]

Elena Stavraki (Mons Tontritus): DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, February 2007: Or, an ankh and a chief enarched azure.

The name appears in the 27 February 2007 Atenveldt Letter of Intent. The original submission had a virtually non-existent chief; this has been redrawn.

Gwenllyan verch Wilkin (Twin Moons): NEW DEVICE: Vert ermined, a domestic cat passant guardant and on a chief embattled Or three crosses formy vert.

Henry Erricker (Tir Ysgithr): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Vert, a winged sword inverted and a bordure embattled Or.

The entry in Reaney & Wilson says that "<Earwicker> is pronounced <Erricker>." This is not evidence in support of the name being spelled <Erricker>. The documented forms <Euerwacer> 1130, <Erwak'> 1320, <Herewaker> 1247, and <Euerwaker> 1327 all retain the <w>, even if that <w> was not pronounced. This needs to be changed to one of the documented forms in order for it to be registerable. [AmC] I’ve contacted the client, and although he’d prefer the Erricker spelling (he originally wanted a byname with Erik in it in some form, and this gave him a purely English name) because it stands less of a chance of being mispronounced, he will accept Herewaker, dated to 1247, if it is impossible to register Erricker. [MMM]

The narrow "wings" appear to be a wreath inverted. [It should be returned] for violating RfS VII.7.a. [KH]

Imma Kaillewey: DEVICE RESUB Laurel, December 2006: Per pale indented gules and purpure, a needle bendwise sinister and a bordure argent.

This device was returned for lack of forms. That problem has be rectified.

Isibel sverðaspillir (Atenveldt): NEW BADGE: (Fieldless) A raven displayed azure.

This conflicts with Sheila Eileen Natalia MacDougal of Perth, "Ermine, a dove displayed azure grasping a vine vert, flowered purpure." There's a CD for the field, but none for a dove vs. a raven displayed (since neither are found displayed in period armory), and the vine is almost certainly a maintained charge. [AmC, KH] The client has been consulted and has changed the submission to (Fieldless) A raven displayed within and conjoined to an annulet azure. [MMM]

Iuliana Muñoz Maldonado de Castile (Atenveldt): DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, November 2006: Gules, a catfish tergiant urinant and a bordure wavy Or.

This needs to be returned for redrawing; the bordure is neither wavy nor nebuly, but somehwere half-way in between. Additionally, the fish is "tergiant inverted", not "tergiant urinant". Redrawn as a proper bordure wavy, I found no conflicts. [AmC]

REALLY deep wavy. I don’t agree that it looks anything like nebuly. Perhaps it simply needs to be redrawn a little shallower? Are you allowed to do a top-down view of a fish??? It doesn’t really help with the identifiability (unless the “fish” is a hammerhead shark or a flounder). The tail is also drawn in trian here where it is best viewed in profile. If the client is interested in viewing the “whiskers” of the catfish, that is most easily done from the side-view. That is how catfish are usually pictured. It is worth noting that catfish do not have eyes on top of their head. To my knowledge, the only fish that do are flounders. This makes the “tergiant” view even less likely for a catfish. I think the “tergiant” posture is best dropped here in favor of the usual side-profile of a fish. [HdA] While this wavy might be a little intense, I agree that it isn’t something that would be mistaken for nebuly; a bordure wavy has been a hallmark of all the client’s attempts a registering a device; I’ll check the archives to see if there are any that could be a little less deep. While a little out of the ordinary (tergiant seen most often for insects and some reptiles), I don’t see the fish so unidentifiable that it couldn’t be tergiant. Nonna the Midwife has two carp tergiant on her armory, registered May 2003. Urinant has a fish in the vertical axis with its head to base; I think that inverted would suggest a fish fesswise, but belly-up (see the badge for Jararvellir, Barony of: Purpure, in pale a bar vair and a catfish fesswise inverted Or. [MMM] And here’s the Precedent of Interest:

[two carp naiant tergiant] We are not aware of period heraldry using fish tergiant. However, period heraldry uses fish in a wide variety of orientations and arrangements. These fish tergiant maintain their identifiability as fish. The tergiant posture is thus one step from period practice ("a weirdness"), but since this submission only contains one "weirdness", it is stylistically acceptable. [Nonna the Midwife, 05/03, A-Middle] Precedents - François, under FISH and DOLPHIN. There is a weirdness for the tergiant fish. [KH]

John Redere (Sundragon): NEW NAME

The gentleman actually wished to submit John Read, but changed the byname at the consultation table, because a possible conflict was called against the journalist John Reed (1887-1920); he was also an advocate of Communism, famous for his first-hand account of the Bolshevik Revolution, Ten Days that Shook the World. (The movie Reds is based on his life.) [MMM] After informally polling a number of people, both heralds and non-heralds (note: including a card-carrying Communist, who had never heard of Reed [MMM]), I am firmly of the opinion that John Reed is neither significant enough as a historical figure nor well known enough to be worth protecting. I would therefore suggest contacting the gentleman in question to see if he would like to change the byname back to. [KT] I’m sending this up as John Read, the client’s first choice, to see what the College’s consensus is. [MMM] Power to the People!

Kazimerov Velentov (Sundragon): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Per chevron inverted sable and azure, a tree blasted and eradicated and a bordure argent.

As documented, the name lacks a given name, violating RfS III.2.a. Paul's database has the patronym <Kazimirovich> dated to 1287, which puts <Kazimir> in the 13th century. Where are you finding <Velent> in Paul's article? I only see <Velen> 1195 and its variant <Welen> 1222, and the unrelated name <Velen'> 1222. Based on this, I recommend forwarding the name as <Kazimir Velenov> to meet his request for a 13th century Russian name. [AmC] Boy, I messed that up. There doesn’t appear to be a Velent. (There is a Valent, however...) [MMM]

This name is a perfect illustration of the principle that a excellent source, if used carelessly, can produce a inauthentic and unregisterable name. In this case, the submitter has managed to select two patronymics and is attempting to use one as a given name.

The masculine name “Velen” and the patronymic “Velentov” appear to be a good choice for the 13th century. It is more difficult to say wether or not Kazimer would have been borrowed into Russian by the 13th century. However, the fact that it was being used by the 15th century means that this name is both registerable and likely to be authentic, for the 15th century if not the 13th. In this case, the easiest way, and way that changes the name the least, would be to take Brikbat’s suggestion and change the name to “Kazimer Velentov”. If the submitter desires for both names to be patronymics, it would be possible to alter this name to make it a 2 generation byname, although this would require first selecting a given name. [KT]

Further consultation with the client: he’d like to submit ths name as Kazimer Valentov. [MMM]

Vs. Ygraine of the Seven Oaks, "Per saltire vert and sable, an oak tree eradicated within a bordure argent," there's one CD for the field, but none for blasting the tree: "... no difference between a tree and a tree blasted: "There is no CD between a tree eradicated and a tree blasted and eradicated, as noted in the August 1994 LoAR... This is because there are period depictions of trees with only a few leaves." (LoAR July 2000)" [Kenric of Rohan, 03/02, R-Meridies] [AmC, HdA, KH] The client was consulted, and he would like to submit Per chevron inverted sable and azure, in chief a tree blasted and eradicated argent. [MMM]

Kolfinna Raudulfr (Aten Highlands): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Purpure, three horses passant in annulo widdershins and a bordure argent.

<Raudulfr> is not found as a masculine given name in my article, nor is it a correct phrase meaning 'red wolf'. The documented form of the given name is <Rauđúlfr> or, in wholly Latin characters, <Raudhulfr>. <d> and < đ> are not interchangeable in Norse.

Unfortunately, <rauđúlfr> is not a plausible descriptive byname. Precedent says: "Kristin Hvithestr. Name. This name is being returned for lack of documentation that the construction of the byname Hvithestr 'white horse' follows a period pattern of bynames used in Old Norse in period.

"The submitted byname Hvithestr was submitted as a combination of two descriptive bynames found in Geirr Bassi, hvÃt 'white' (p. 23) and hestr 'horse' (p. 22). The most often cited example of the an Old Norse descriptive byname of the form [color] + [animal] is rauÃ̊refr, found in Geirr Bassi (p. 26). Geirr Bassi gives the meaning of 'red fox' for this name. However, this byname and meaning have been found to be an error. Via italics, he indicates that this byname came from the Landnámabók. However, the Landnámabók does not have an example of any person with that byname. It seems to be a typo for rauÃ̊nefr 'red-nose'.

"Further, as stated in a previous ruling: A pattern of anything cannot be derived from a single example. It takes multiple examples – the more examples found, the more likely it is that the theorized pattern is accurate. [Annalies Maria von Marburg, 09/01, A-Caid]

"Lacking solid evidence of a clear pattern of descriptive bynames of the form [color] + [animal] in Old Norse, there is no support for the submitted Hvithestr as a plausible descriptive byname in Old Norse." [LoAR 12/2003]

This ruling was upheld as recently as January 2006:

"Egill Gullbjarnarson. Name. Submitted as Egill gullbj{o,}rn, gullbj{o,}rn is a constructed byname intended to mean "gold bear". However, no documentation was provided and none found to suggest that color + animal bynames are found in Old Norse: Lacking solid evidence of a clear pattern of descriptive bynames of the form [color] + [animal] in Old Norse, there is no support for the submitted Hvithestr as a plausible descriptive byname in Old Norse [Kristin Hvithestr, 12/2003 LoAR, West-R]

"However, Gullbjarnarson is a reasonable patronymic based on the given name Bj{o,}rn with a prepended byname Gull- "gold". As the submitter will accept major changes, we have changed the name to Egill Gullbjarnarson in order to register it."

Because Kolfinna does not accept major changes, this cannot be changed to <Kolfinna Rauđúlfsdóttir>, and so it must be returned.[AmC]

Does Kolfinna wish to indicate that she and Robert Rauðúflr are a married couple? If so, the Norse did not use the same last name as an indiction of marital status. However she could be known as Kolfinna Rauðúlfs-kona meaning Rauðúflr's wife. That is, if Robert would be willing to use Rauðúlfr as his first name and select another as a by-name. If he chose to use Rauðúlfsson as a by-name this would indicate that Kolfinna is his father's wife. :( I'm avoiding using Roberts-kona since Robert isn't a Norse name. Would it work in lingua anglica as Roberts-wife? [AÞ]

If she wants to be "wife of Robert" in Norse, Geirr Bassi has the Norse cognate <Roðbert>, as well as the adoption <Róbert>. Since Norse names are registerable with accents used or dropped, <Robertskona> would be fine in a Norse name. [AmC]

The lady should be informed, in case she doesn’t already know, that in the Viking period descriptive bynames were based directly on the characteristics of the person who was given the nickname. So while it wouldn’t be impossible for two people who were related by blood or marriage to have the same nickname, in Viking culture sharing a descriptive byname would not indicate any relationship. Siblings would, of course share a patronymic byname, but this does not seem to be what is desired in this case.

“Raudulfr” is not found as a byname in the cited article. “Viking Names found in the Landnámabók,” Aryanhwy merch Catmael ( http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/norse/landnamabok.html ), does give the masculine name “Rauðúlfr” which is not the same name at all.The closest I could find to the desired byname is “inn rauði” which means simply “red”. The correct feminine form would be “in rauða”. Also taking into account the information provided by Albion, I would suggest either changing the byname to ““in rauða” or changing it to a patronymic byname based on the masculine name “Rauðúlfr”.

“Kolfinna” is a excellent choice for a given name, it is both attractive on its own merits and sadly underrepresented in the SCA. [KT]

After consultation with the client, she wishes to submit Kolfinna of Bergen. Bergen is a city in Norway, founded c. 1070; by 1240, it had replaced Trondheim as the capital of Norway ( http://www.uib.no/guide/html/history.html ). If the byname is more accurate as av Bergen, she will accept that. Thanks, Grainne, for the footwork! [MMM]

These horses are really in triquetra. They are also “conjoined” at the ground-placed forehoof. (Not sure how to blazon that ‘nicely.’) [HdA]

While animals passant in annulo have been registered in the past, the specific arrangement of these horses renders them, in my opinion, nearly unidentifiable. They should be separated from each other with enough space between them so that they don't appear to be almost touching. [AmC]

Nakada Tadamitsu (Granite Mountain): DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, March 2007: Per pale sable and gules, on a pile inverted argent the I Ching symbol jiji gules.

What's the status of his name? I found no conflicts, with either this field or with the field tinctures reversed. However, the mini emblazon doesn't have a per pale line drawn on it, and it should. [AmC] Argh, yes, I missed the line of division; the name was registered February 2006. [MMM]

Would this conflict with a “per pall sable, gules, and argent division?” I suspect so. Considering Taliesynne Nycheymwrh yr Anghyfannedd:

Gyronny arrondi of three, sable gules and argent, a leonine centaur counter-rampant proper, armed Or, carrying a Celtic harp in the dexter hand and wielding a double-bitted axe in the sinister hand, both argent., is there a CD for the “gyronny arrondi” vs. per pile throughout? [HdA] A correctly-rendered pile (or pile inverted) extends nearly to the opposite side of the field from where it originates; it doesn’t end in the center of the field, where a per pall or gyronny division would arise. [MMM]

Alternate blazon: Per chevron per pale sable and gules and argent, the I Ching symbol jiji gules. Per chevron fields are much more common than piles inverted. This could be reblazoned, leading to the issue of a symbol alone on the field. This would be the first registration of any I Ching symbol. It needs to be documented as being known to period Europeans.[KH]

Olaf mjöksiglandi (Atenveldt): NAME and DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, October 2005: Purpure, a griffin statant erect maintaining in its foreclaws a talon-headed staff bendwise and a bordure engrailed Or.

There's no reason that <Olaf the Traveller> couldn't be registerable if that's what he wants. <the Traveller> is a plausible lingua anglica form of the Norse words <fari> 'traveller', which can be found in the compound bynames farserkr, travel-shirt; harþfari, fast-traveller; kjölfari, keel-traveller; and snarfari, swift-traveller. Based on these documented bynames, a plain <fari> would be unremarkable, and 'the Traveller' would be the most natural lingua anglica form. There is no weirdness penalty for using the lingua anglica, so <Olaf the Traveler> is registerable. [AmC]

I suggest using the full Old Norse spelling of Óláfr mjÇ«ksiglandi (am I correct that the ö should be Ç« {o,} ?) Like Aryanhwy I don't understand why Olaf the traveler wouldn't be registerable. Perhaps if the client uses the Old Norse spelling of Olaf the college won't be confused into thinking it's later period Swedish or Danish. He could also try submitting Óláfr inn fari. Óláfr is found in "Viking Names found in the Landnámabók," Aryanhwy merch Catmael ( http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/norse/landnamabok.html ). [AÞ]

According to the article “Old Norse Men’s Names” by Gunnvor silfraharr which can be found at: http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ONMensNames.shtml “Olaf” is the usual East Scandanavian form of this name, with “Olafr” being the usual West Scandanavian form. If the submitter desires a wholly Icelandic name, it might be better to change the spelling to “Olafr”, which is the form attested in the article “Viking Names found in the Landnámabók,” by Aryanhwy merch Catmael. However, if he simply wants an Old Norse name, then “Olaf mjöksiglandi” should be fine. If, as I suspect is the case, the submitter really wants to be “Olaf the Traveler”, I agree that the large number of bynames that involve the word “fari” or refer to traveling in some other way, that Albion pointed out make it quite possible to support “the Traveler” under the lingua anglica allowance. [KT]

As for the device, the blazon should be changed to reflect the emblazon, or, if the submitter really wants griffin, the device should be re-drawn with a standard griffin. [KT]

Suggest using the phrase “chimerical monster” to describe the beastie. It’s not really a “griffon” nor is it a “dragon.” It’s a half-and-half-beastie without a name, right? … And I think this picture is rather 3D-ish. That alone would probably get it bounced at Laurel, never-minding anything else. [HdA]

Alternate blazon: Purpure, a dragon with the head and forequarters of an eagle statant erect maintaining in its foreclaws a talon-headed staff bendwise and a bordure engrailed Or.

[Consider] Edric the Unsteady: Vert, a cockatrice erect maintaining in its upraised dexter claw a needle palewise, point to chief, within a bordure engrailed Or. Single CD for the field.

[Consider] Marynel of Darkhaven: Purpure, a dragon salient Or, its neck embowed about an edelweiss proper. Single CD for the bordure. [KH]

Good calls. I’d give Marynel’s armory the second CD for the addition of the edelweiss on the field. Edric’s a way-old friend of mine and has provided a letter of permission to conflict.

Further consultation with the client has determined that he wants the name Olaf mjöksiglandi and Purpure, a monster with the head and forequarters of an eagle and the wings and hindquarters of a dragon statant erect maintaining in its foreclaws a claw-headed staff, a bordure engrailed Or. (Thanks, Katherine and Helena!) [MMM]

Robert Raudulfr (Aten Highlands): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Per saltire purpure and sable, a wolf’s head erased contourny argent and a bordure semy of card piques sable.

One step from period practice with an English-ON mix. This info is from the 2003 Lingual Weirdness Table. Rather than using the Legal Name Allowance, why didn't he just document the name Robert? Withycombe 3rd ed., s.n. Robert - Robert(us) is dated to 1071-5, DB 1086. I didn't find Raudulfr or Raudulf at SCA on-line O&A or in my copies of the LoARs. [MB]

See above for a discussion of the byname. As he will also not accept major changes, this cannot be changed to <Robert Rauđúlfs son>, and so must be returned. [AmC]

Per my comments above, if Robert and Kolfinna wish to indicate they are married, then Robert may want to change his name. Some Norse names that sound similar (as close as I could find) to Robert are: Roðrekr (Roth'-rekur), RÇ«gnvaldr (Rohgn'-valdur), RÇ«nguðr (Rohn'-guthr), Ráðormr (Rath'-ohrmr), Rauðúlfr (Rawth'-ulfr). All are from "Viking Names found in the Landnámabók." [AÞ]

The gentleman should be informed, in case he doesn’t already know, that in the Viking period descriptive bynames were based directly on the characteristics of the person who was given the nickname. So while it wouldn’t be impossible for two people who were related by blood or marriage to have the same nickname, in Viking culture sharing a descriptive byname would not indicate any relationship. Siblings would, of course share a patronymic byname, but this does not seem to be what is desired in this case.

“Raudulfr” is not found as a byname in the cited article. “Viking Names found in the Landnámabók,” Aryanhwy merch Catmael (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/norse/landnamabok.html ), does give the masculine name “Rauðúlfr” which is not the same name at all. The closest I could find to the desired byname is “inn rauði” which means simply “red”. Taking into account the information provided by Albion, I would suggest either changing the byname to ““inn rauði” or changing it to a patronymic byname based on the masculine name “Rauðúlfr”.

Since Robert is the submitter’s legal given name he is, of course, free to use it in combination with a Old Norse byname. However, it would be much better, at least from a authenticity standpoint, if he were to either select a Old Norse given name or to choose a byname from one of the numerous times and places in which Robert (or variants of Robert) were extremely popular. Alternatively, he might wish to consider using “Rauðúlfr” (which is a fine Old Norse masculine name) as a given name, and selecting another byname. [KT]

After consultation with the client, he wishes to submit Robert of Bergen. Bergen is a city in Norway, founded c. 1070; by 1240, it had replaced Trondheim as the capital of Norway ( http://www.uib.no/guide/html/history.html ). If the byname is more accurate as av Bergen, he will accept that. [MMM]

Argent is missing from the bordure's coloring. [GtR] Yes, it is. The blazon of the bordure ought to read ...and a bordure argent semy of card piques sable. [MMM]

The bordure should be larger. There need to be fewer and larger card piques. Redraw. [KH]

Romanus Rodrigo (Sundragon): NEW BADGE: (Fieldless and tinctureless) An octopus charged with a caltrap.

Tinctureless armory is not registerable, except in one very specific circumstance: "Corin du Soleil. (badge). Two swords in saltire surmounted by a harp, and standing atop them all a dragon passant. NOTE: Tinctureless badges were forbidden in my May 26, 1983 LOA&R, except for seals for heraldic offices." [LoAR 06/1984] [AmC]

From the Adminsistrative Handbook ( http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/admin.html#II_E ): "E. Tinctureless Armory - Tinctureless armory may only be registered as heraldic seals for the use of the Principal Herald/College of Heralds of a kingdom. Such seals must contain two straight trumpets in saltire, bells to chief.” He’ll have to pick some tinctures. [HdA] He has decided on (Fieldless) An octopus azure charged with a caltrap argent. [MMM] Vs. Kjartan Stafngrimsson, "Argent, an octopus azure.", this is clear, with a CD for the field and one for adding the caltrap. [AmC, HdA, KH]

Shonna Dennyng (Twin Moons): NEW NAME

The name is registerable as submitted, though it's not authentic for Scotland. It's unclear from the LoI whether she's requesting an authentic Scottish name, or whether she's just most interested in that language/culture should the name have to be changed in order to make it registerable. [AmC] That’s all the information on the submission form (read, the bane of checking only the little boxes without elaboration on the blank lines). [MMM]

I was unable to find documentation for “Denning/Dennyng” as a Scots name. Poking around in some baby name sites revealed that “Shona” is a modern anglicization of “Seonaid”, which is of course the Gaelic version of Joan. During the SCA period, I would find it more likely that “Seonaid” would have been anglicized as some variant of either “Joan” or its diminutive “Janet”. Since a Scots Gael would be highly unlikely to use a English surname (especially a ungallicized version of that surname), or a Lowland Scot to use a Gaelic given name, I’m afraid that there is simply no way to argue that this name is name authentic for any culture/language. I would note that names that involved some variant of “Joan/Janet” were quite popular, at least in Scots-speaking areas of Scotland. “Jonet Dennyng” would be a plausible name for a Lowland Scot and (assuming I’m pronouncing “Shonna” correctly) would have a remarkably similar sound. The name as it stands should be registerable using the Legal Name Allowance, but it seems a pity to combine a lovely, period and nifty byname like Dennyng with a out of period name like Shonna. [KT]

Timothy Blackwell (Atenveldt): NAME RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, August 2001

I know that the phoenix will need to be redrawn (if only to put it on new forms), but I’d appreciate help in finding potential conflicts.

<Timothy> can be found once dated to 1606 in my "English Given Names from 16th and Early 17th C Marriage Records"

( http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/english/parishes/parishes.html ). The same source also has <Tymothie> 1616 and <Tymothy> 1602. My "Index of Names in the 1582 Subsidy Roll of London" (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/english/london1582.html) has two examples of <Blackwell>, making this a fabulous late 16th-century English masculine name. I found no conflicts. [AmC]

Viola verch Hwyl (Brymstone): NEW NAME

Note that it isn't <Hywel> which is documented in Tangwystyl's 13th C Simple guide, but <Howel>. Only the given names in bold are found in the actual 13th century records; the forms in brackets are standardized modern forms. Ditto for <Hywel> in the Mawddwy article: The documented forms are <Hoell> and <Howell>. I haven't been able to find <Hwyl> anywhere. Morgan & Morgan s.n. Hywel says that "in med records it is very often written <Hoel>, or <Hoell>, or <Holl>." Dated forms include <Hoel> 1429 and <Hoell> 1547. [AmC]

The following are returned by the Atenveldt College of Heralds for further work, April 2007:

Amalie Loreley: NEW DEVICE: Per bend sinister gules and sable, a bend sinister between a horse rampant and a triquetra argent.

This conflicts with Kateryn of Cornwall, "Per bend sinister gules and sable, a bend sinister argent between a sun in splendor and an increscent moon argent," with one CD for changing the type of secondary charges. [AmC]

Device RETURNED for conflict.

Julianna Wilkins (Sundragon): NEW DEVICE: Argent, in pale an owl displayed and a tilia tree eradicated proper, a bordure purpure.

According to Wikipedia, "Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, in Asia (where the greatest species diversity is found), Europe and eastern North America; it is absent from western North America...The trees are generally called linden in North America, and lime in Britain."(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilia). I would reblazon this simply as a "linden". [AmC]

This looks like a standard heraldic tree to me, and I’d suggest simply blazoning it as a “tree proper”. If it is necessary to blazon the type of tree, either for the sake of clarity or because it is important to the submitter, I would suggest blazoning this as a linden tree. [KT]

Well, since the field is argent, it obviously can’t be a “snowy” owl….. :D (smartypants! MMM) I think the linden tree is the “default” tree and the linden leaf is the default “leaf.” But no harm in specifying it as a “linden” tree. Using a non-eagle bird displayed is one step from period practice. [HdA]

Device RETURNED for species of owl/change of tincture.

Kathryn Arégonde (Sundragon): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Gules, in base a crossbow inverted Or between a pair of flaunches argent, each charged with an iris gules, slipped and leaved vert.

<Kathryn> is not a common feminine name. The 09/2005 LoAR discusses this spelling: "There was some question as to whether the spelling Kathryn is registerable at all without resorting to the legal given name allowance. Research has shown that the spelling Kathrin is found at the end of the 16th C and in the gray area. Notes from "The Register...The Parish of Ballaugh" (http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxnb/v02p055.htm) shows three examples of Kathrin: Kathrin Kneen uxor Tho: Kennall, buryed 2nd October, 1598, Kathrin Corraige, infant, buryed 12th November, 1599, and Kathrin Quayle, daughter of Jon, bap: ye Ist of July, 1608. The spelling Kathrin also appears in 1635 in Sandy Coleman's transcription of marriage records from Middlesex, England, "Middlesex Parish Records"

(http://www.angelfire.com/fl/Sumter/k.html). Given that the i->y switch is well attested in English naming practices, Kathryn seems a reasonable late period variant of Kathrin." The spelling <Kathryn> appears once in "Index of Names in the 1541 Subsidy Roll of London," Aryanhwy merch Catmael (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/english/london1541.html). [AmC]

The combination of a late 16th century English given name with a 6th Frankish given name is not registerable: There is a weirdness for the lingual disparity, and there is a second weirdness for a temporal disparity of greater than 300 years. Additionally, the name lacks a byname, and so violates RfS III.2.a.Without evidence for unmarked matronyms in Frankish, <Aregonde> cannot be considered a matronymic byname here. [AmC]

I’m usually in favor of letting aural conflicts slide, and I’m not a big fan of the rule protecting the names of famous people in general. That said, this name sounds awfully close to “Katherine of Aragon” who in addition to being a crowned Queen (which by the rules would be enough) is widely known because of the large number of books, movies and television shows (including one currently airing on Showtime) that have been made about her life or at least the latter part of her marriage to Henry VIII. In short, if she isn’t worth protecting against aural conflict, no one is.

There is also a major temporal/linguistic issue with the name as a whole. The name “Katherine” seems to have been introduced to Western Europe in the late 11th/early 12th century, when returning Crusaders introduced the hagiography of St. Katherine of Alexandria to the Western portion of the Christian world.

So although St. Katherine lived in the 3rd century and was venerated by the Eastern Church early on, her name and deeds were unknown in France during the period when “Aregonde” was in use. Barring documentation that “Katherine” was being used by the Franks, or that “Aregonde” survived into the 12th century either as a given name or a matronymic byname, this combination of given name and byname is wildly implausible.

At the very best, it would be considered a combination of Frankish and Greek. This combination has not been ruled on, but given that Greek isn’t registerable with German, English and Gaelic I’m not optimistic about the registerability of a Frankish/Greek combination. [KT]

That one reached out and slapped me in the face! I, too, would call a conflict with Catherine of Aragon. [MB]

These aren't flaunches: "Wilhelm von Wolfsburg. Device. Sable, a trident Or between flaunches argent. Per the LoAR of September 2001, "Please advise the submitter to draw the flaunches issuing from the top corners of the shield rather than from the chief." Unfortunately, the flaunches in this emblazon are drawn in a fashion that is so far from the standard depiction of flaunches that they may not be registered without redrawing. Please advise the submitter that the flaunches must be drawn from the top corners of the shield in order to be registered." [LoAR 12/2003] [AmC] Return for violating RfS VII.7. [KH]

These figures aren’t really “flaunches” nor is this a pile ploye. It’s closest to a pile ploye throughout or chappe ploye, but the lines don’t meet in a point. If it’s “chappe ploye,” then the “shoulders” can’t be charged whereas if it’s a pile ploye throughout or real flaunches, the sides can be charged.

Note, however, that charging the flaunches (if they are flaunches) is one step from period practice. Is the client amenable to a “per chevron ployé throughout” division? [HdA] Are charged flaunches a step from period practice? [MMM]

The flaunches are almost unidentifiable as such, and are unlike any flaunches that I have ever seen. Barring documentation that this is a legitimate way of drawing flaunches, I’d suggest a re-draw. [KT]

Name and Device RETURNED for Name construction and Device redesign.

Timothy Blackwell: DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, August 2001: Per saltire sable and azure, a phoenix Or.

This conflicts with Jessica Llyrindi of Northmarch, "Gyronny sable and gules, a phoenix Or, issuant from flames proper," with one CD for the field, but none for changing just 1/4 of the tincture of the phoenix. [AmC, KH]

Consider Harald Haakonson, Per chevron argent and vert, in base a phoenix Or., with 1 CD for the field and no CD for type/tincture/posture/

orientation of primary. [HdA] CD field, possible CD placement on the field. The "in base" placement isn't necessarily far enough to base for a CD on a per chevron field, especially one this old. [KH] This is clear of Harald’s device (although Knut makes a valid point), with 1 CD for the field and 1 CD for the unforced move of Harald’s phoenix to base. Harald’s field is neutral, and since the upper portion isn’t Or, his phoenix would by default lie across the line of division (the contrast would be wretched, but it can be so on a neutral field). As a result, there is a CD for placement of the primary charge on the field. Huh! [MMM]

Device RETURNED for conflict.

Tuathflaith Ó Díomasaigh (Sundragon): NEW NAME

The name is Irish Gaelic. Tuathflaith is a feminine given name found in O Corrain and Maguire, p. 173. Ó Díomasaigh is found in MacLysaght, 6^th edition, p. 79, s.n. (O) Dempsey. The client has no preference for a gender name and is most interested in the language/culture of the name (Irish Gaelic); she will not accept major changes.

The byname needs to match the given name in gender, e.g. inghean uí Dhíomasaigh. However, this is a major change (as noted in a precedent above), which she does not allow. Also, the given name is Old/Middle Irish and the byname is Early Modern Irish; this combination is a weirdness. Furthermore, Tuathflaith appears to have gone out of use at a fairly early period; O Corrain and Maguire a queen of Leinster who died in 754, and Mari's "Annals Index" has no later example; unless we have an example of some form of the byname by 1054, the name would have a second weirdness for temporal disparity. [AmC]

Name RETURNED for correction/reconsideration.

Viola verch Hwyl: NEW DEVICE: Sable, a rabbit courant contourny ermine and in base a dandelion Or, slipped and leaved vert.

This is not just a dandelion, but a dandelion plant, and as it is mostly vert on a sable field, the arms must be returned for poor contrast. [AmC, KH]

I’m not sure what Ary’s comment about “dandelion plant” means here. We don’t call it a “thistle slipped and leaved” a “thistle plant.” But there ARE dandelion PLANTS registered in the O&A….Ah well. The number of dandelion blossoms on the plant may need to be specified. Not sure that it is legal for the dandelion plant to be placed on sable as more than 50% of the plant is vert. This will probably be considered to be color-on-color (vert on sable) and not neutral-on-sable. Now, if the client removed the leaves and just left the stem, then the situation slants in the other direction. [HdA] I’m afraid that I have to return this. The plant is more than 50% dark on a dark field. Were the whole dandelion Or (or Or, slipped and leaved argent), that would eliminate the contrast problem. [MMM]

DEVICE returned for tincture violation.

The following were registered by the SCA College of Arms, January 2007:

Alewyn Jouette. Name (see RETURNS for device).

Çynara of Twin Moons. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Per chevron argent and purpure, two roses gules slipped and leaved vert and a lyre Or.

The slips are drawn to fill the available space; their orientation need not be specified. We note that keeping them in the same orientation, as here, is much better heraldic style than the mirror-image orientation we often see. Submitted under the name Çynara del Mar Azul.

Dawn of Jusborne. Reblazon of device. Per pale argent and azure, a standing balance per pale sable and argent, above the dexter pan a child recumbent proper, above the sinister pan a mullet of eight points Or.

When registered in January 1973, the primary charge was blazoned simply as a balance.

Falcone Piacentini. Name and device. Per pale gules and vert, an eagle displayed argent within an orle of fleurs-de-lys Or.

Hamdun al-Rashid the Toe. Name and device. Checky Or and gules, on a fess purpure a cross fleury between a pair of drinking horns Or.

This name mixes English and Arabic; this is one step from period practice. We have consistently reblazoned trousers of nobility as a pair of drinking horns (e.g., January 2003, Scheherazade al-Zahira). We will continue to do so.

Jacqueline du Perdepays. Reblazon of device. Per saltire argent and vert, a hand balance Or between four fleurs-de-lys in cross counterchanged.

Registered January 1974 with the blazon Per saltire argent and vert, four fleurs-de-lis one, two, one counterchanged, overall a balance Or, the balance is not overall: it is the central charge, and the secondary fleurs-de-lys are well away from it. In addition, the type of balance was not specified.

Samuel Zetetic the Skeptic. Reblazon of device. Gyronny azure and sable, in pale a standing balance, its arm bendwise sinister and maintaining in the sinister pan a weight, and two arrows in fess conjoined at the points argent.

When registered March 1980, the primary charge was blazoned simply as a balance.

Zekel Zofia. Name.

Submitted as Zsofia Zekel, the consonant combination zs is not found until after 1650. Eastern Crown notes "This sound was typically written as 's' in period. However, it was sometimes written as 'z'." The name Sofia Zekel is the expected form for this name in a Latin document. However, in a Hungarian context, we could expect Zekel Zofia; this form preserves the double-Z initials that the submitter desired. We have changed the name to Zekel Zofia in order to register it and to meet the submitter's preferences.

The following were returned by the SCA College of Arms for further work, January 2007:

Áedán Mac Néill. Device. Azure, on a saltire between in pale two crescents argent and in fess two mullets Or, two arrows inverted in saltire proper flighted vert.

This was a resubmission. The LoI noted:

'The original submission, Azure, on a saltire argent between four pairs of a decrescent argent and a mullet in fess Or, two arrows inverted in saltire proper flighted vert., was returned for being overly complex: "It uses six tinctures (azure, argent, Or, vert, sable (for the arrowhead) and brown/wood (for the shaft of the arrow) and four types of charge (saltire, arrows, decrescents, mullets). This exceeds the rule of thumb set forth in RfS VIII.1.a. The College had some questions about whether the sets of decrescents and mullets surrounding the saltire would have been found as a secondary group design in period armory. If the submitter has documentation for such a practice, it would be helpful to present it on resubmission. We decline to rule at this point on the acceptability of such a design.

‘While the number of charges and tinctures remains the same, the client has addressed the issue of the "sets" around the saltire. The client strongly prefers to use "proper" arrows (which add to the complexity by virtue of sable points, wooden shafts, and a tinctured fletching, all on one charge!), which does add to the complexity count.’

The primary cause for return was the complexity - the use of six tinctures and four charges, which as the LoI noted was not addressed in this resubmission. The device is again returned for being overly complex.

Alewyn Jouette. Device. Per chevron vert and azure, two bunches of sage inverted and a dragon passant argent.

This device is returned as the sage is unidentifiable as sage. While the submitter is welcome to resubmit this device, we are not certain that a bunch of sage can be drawn in such a manner that it is identifiable. As we do not have any examples of bunches of herbs used in period heraldry, we are unable to provide an example to aid in an attempt to emblazon the sage. From a heraldic viewpoint, a single sage leaf would be better style.

Çynara del Mar Azul. Name.

No documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that the byname de la Mar was ever modified by an adjective. Barring such documentation, the name del Mar Azul is not registerable. We would drop the element Azul, but the submitter will not accept major changes. Her armory was registered under the holding name Çynara of Twin Moons.

Daibhídh mac Dubhghaill. Name and device. Quarterly argent and azure, a tower and in chief two roundels, all counterchanged.

This name conflicts with David MacDougall, registered December 1987. The pronunciation of the two names is nearly identical.

This device is returned for redraw. As drawn, the charges are co-primary; however, the blazon would make the tower lower on the field so that it is per pale argent and azure instead of quarterly azure and argent as submitted. As we were unable to derive a blazon that would accurately reproduce this emblazon, the device must be returned.

Thomas DeGuy Bassard. Badge. (Fieldless) In pale a vulture close sable perched on a covered tankard azure charged with a compass star of sixteen points argent.

This badge is returned for being two steps from period practice. The first is for the use of a compass star (which is an SCA-compatible charge). The second is for using a New World bird that is not found in period heraldry heraldry - this bird is clearly a variant of the American birds named "vultures" rather than the unrelated European birds named vultures.

Please advise the submitter that having a vulture in his badge doesn't cant on his name as in period Europe, buzzard didn't refer to a vulture, but to the Buteo genus of hawks: "An inferior kind of hawk, useless for falconry," according to the OED. Applying the term buzzard to a vulture seems to be a uniquely New World practice. We note that European vultures are perfectly acceptable as heraldic charges. But they weren't depicted with featherless heads, as here: featherless heads distinguish New World vultures.

Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy

c/o Linda Miku

2527 East 3^rd Street

Tucson AZ 85716

brickbat@nexiliscom.com

atensubmissions.nexiliscom.com