Correction: Last month we forgot to note that the Rhydderich Hael's badge was forwarded to Laurel on XLoI Æ74 (January 30), to be decided on in May 2004:
Per pale vert and sable, a bee Or.
The Hael has now procured an additional letter of permission to conflict from André Lessarde, which we have forwarded to Laurel.
The items accepted in this letter have been forwarded to Laurel on XLoI Æ75 (March 27); they will be decided on in July 2004.
Vert, a triquetra and on a chief Or three shamrocks vert.
Since evidence of Lamháin as a given name could not be found, the name was changed from Áine inghean Lamháin to Áine ingen Flaithimhin after consultation with the submitter.
The submission has been redrawn with three-leaved shamrocks.
(Fieldless) A wine amphora vert.
Great badge!
Sable, three ravens displayed and on a chief argent a kris blade fesswise argent.
Several of you expressed concern that these ravens are insufficiently distinctively raven-like. We elect to leave any decisions to reblazon in Wreath's capable hands. We refer you to the October 2003 Cover Letter to read Zenobia's words about the pros and cons of reblazoning 'generic birds.'
Argent, on a saltire between in fess two decrescents sable a mullet argent.
Submitted as Donnachadh of Maccuswael, we wrote to the submitter trying to clarify what he'd really like (because Donnachadh of Maccuswael is just not possible as a "10th c. Scots name" for a variety of reasons!) and he expressed a preference for an all-English styled name, and chose the given name spelled Donecan.
Argent, a saltire between in fess two decrescents sable, overall a sword gules.
Argent, in saltire a sword sable and a rose branch proper.
(Fieldless) A saltire couped bretessed quarterly gules and azure.
Sadly, this name is being returned for mundane conflict with Juana "la Loca," Queen of Castille 1504-20.
(Fieldless) A crampon argent.
Great badge!
(Fieldless) A sparrowhawk volant contourny argent.
Unfortunately, this redesign still has multiple conflicts. We are returning the badge for conflict against Taira den Fharraigi Thiar (Per fess indented azure and Or, in chief a swallow volant to sinister argent), Fionndaire Fearcuairt (Per pale azure and sable, a falcon volant to sinister maintaining in its claws an oak slip argent), and Petr Aleksivich of Novgorod (Per pale sable and gules, a tern volant to sinister proper). In each case there is a single CD for fieldlessness, but no CD for type of bird, and no CD for change of position between fielded armory and a fieldless badge.
Pean, a human skeleton rampant affronty argent its dexter hand raised over its head maintaining a lily fesswise reversed argent slipped and leaved vert.
No documentation was provided by the submitter, and none was found by our commenters, to support "La Maison de la Petite Morte" as a period style name for an organized group of people. The Rules for Submission, III.2.b.iv. Household Names, states:
Household names must follow the patterns of period names of organized groups of people. Possible models include Scottish clans ( Clan Stewart ), ruling dynasties ( House of Anjou ), professional guilds ( Bakers Guild of Augsburg , Worshipful Company of Coopers ), military units ( The White Company ), and inns ( House of the White Hart ).
Concerning the badge: The Rules for Submission, VII.2. Period Armorial Elements, states "Use of an element in period art does not guarantee its acceptability for armory. Use of the Greek key design, which was common in period decorative art, never carried over into armory." The depiction of a dancing skeleton in a period woodcut is not proof of its acceptability as an heraldic charge.
Furthermore, the posture of the skeleton is not reproducible from the blazon. The Rules for Submissions, VII.7.b. Armorial Element Requirements, states:
b. Reconstruction Requirement - Elements must be reconstructible in a recognizable form from a competent blazon.
Any element used in Society armory must be describable in standard heraldic terms so that a competent heraldic artist can reproduce the armory solely from the blazon. Elements that cannot be described in such a way that the depiction of the armory will remain consistent may not be used, even if they are identifiable design motifs that were used before 1600.
Additionally, the submitter attempted to blazon this skeleton as "rampant affronty." From the September 1997 LoAR we read "Additionally, this is a humanoid monster, and we don't register rampant humans or humanoids."
Per pale azure and sable, on a roundel per pale Or and argent a raven displayed wings inverted head to sinister sable.
Or, a bear rampant maintaining a mace and on a chief gules, three Edelweiss argent.
Originally submitted as Thorin bjornkarl, we have changed the spelling of the name because documentation seems to suggest that names compounded out of 'bjorn' as a prefix take the spelling 'bjarn-.'
Quarterly argent and azure, in dexter chief a raven azure.
Unfortunately, this device is being returned for conflict with Reginleif Ragnarsdottir (Or chape gules, a raven azure). There is one CD for changes to the field, but no CD for the forced change of position in Wilhelmina's design.
(Fieldless) A winged stag's head affronty erased at the shoulder wings displayed azure collared of an escarbuncle pendant from a chain argent.
This seemed the more likely of the two designs to be registerable.