I love the fall up here, the leaves change the air cools off, and the submissions come in before the local area tucks them in for a long winters nap.

First one that came to me was so easy to construct (wife of our chronicler well like all families half the work was done) add to that he decided to use his real name, after some research it isn’t quite modern and with the rules of using his real name it’s a matter of connecting the dots for Brenden Crane.  His device I have to admit, was done by himself or his wife, and it’s really well done.  Bull with wings, and two colors and one metal.  Nice sweet and simple.

Brenden Crane it was a pleasure to see this go through

Vert, a winged bull courant wings elevated and addorsed argent and a base Or.

Solveig Bjornsdottir, was a classic A plus B Norse name with a Patronymics set up.  I love names like this, where I give them the lists and go “ok which do you like best….. and who do you want your father to be”  put it all together and print.  Love it when a plan all comes together.

Family adds another one.  there was one that was with me for almost all the beginning, saw my rebuild and supported all i did from the 5yrs or so of what I like to call “self impulse exile”.  She came forward to wish to get her name set up, and we toyed with the brother and sister set up for our persona.  So she looked through a series of names that worked well with an Doire surname.  then she came up with Áine.  I looked at it, the goddess of beauty in Ireland, oh that clinched it.

Her device took some time, she wished to have one similar to mine, adding with a Thistle which was to be for her.

Per pale sable and azure, in pale a thistle and a crescent argent

It is these memories and the other work that I do, that keep me loving this job and continue to keep at it with all my heart and soul

Till next time

Conall an Doire

I will defiantly say that the differences a year can make.  For example, experiment number 1 about the Point being close to my encampment, failure do to the fact many feel that they were coming into an encampment in talking with heralds.  So what was the change, stick me inside merchant row.  Oh location, location, location.

With Heralds Point within merchant row, I have found that brings in a lot of people to wishing to speak with heralds, having a place that a lot of traffic is going to happen to begin with is indeed a key.

Among with a lot of the conversations that I had this year’s GNEW my adopted daughter, and her husband decided on getting names registered, after working out their given names it came time as what surname they wish to register.  “Well yours of course” ok shocked, surprised, and misty eyed. (Meanwhile my brain is going “I can document that easy” No devices as of yet however it was a pleasure getting this started for them, and I give you Sorcha an Doire, and Odam an Doire

Another one that I had the pleasure of working with is the husband of a friend of mine I have had the pleasure of knowing for a very long time, like I mean we grew up together went our different paths in the mundane world and then reconnected in the SCA.  Her husband had his name pass however while his device is going through on part of his device failed in a manner of design. Result ended up being instead of a chevron make it per fess.  I must say it’s pretty snazzy once he submits the form in.  I give you Gaius Claudius Valerianus

Per Fess, argent and vert, a stag’s head caboshed sable, and two lightning bolts in saltire Or.

Another mutual friend of all of above, (it amazes me how many circles many of us travel in) wished to have a scots name that proved to have a bit of a tricky situation as to which he wished to have a three part name, uncertain on how this could be done I phoned a herald and found out that in Scotland, the concept of using a “middle” name was difficult, so we decided to go with the two names he liked better and add the third as a nick name  know all around.  I give you Ducan Ian Grahm.

A wonderful lady then approached me next and I must say the first thing I noticed was her style of garb, I am always a fan favorite in the pointed hat and vale, there is something about that hits my child hood and when I would look at old pictures I was captivated on how they extinguished a ladies class.  And since then I consider her a good friend and one kick ass warrior, priestess, and wicked smile.  I knew her name was going to take some more to dig up all that I needed to for her name that I did not have access to at the event itself, so after I got back I started right in on this, this was a time consuming to find the right French combination however as soon as it was complete the giggles still have me “I love this job” I so looking forward to seeing Vivien de Valois going through the lists.

On final note for this session, if your herald, or any herald hands you back your paperwork and shows you the instructions to get it submitted, and you hang on to it and not send it in. you have only one person to blame. Get your paperwork in your herald is excited to see that going through as you are.

Till Next time

Conall an Doire

Since we last spoke, the summer progressed, and getting my name out there, and the dedication of the work that i do started to be known and people started to talk to me.  I like this for that shows and in no offence to those that come before me, the work and the things i work for is for the benefit of those within the local group.  I adore helping the wonderful gentles whether Lords or Ladies, within seeing the first of many goals to come across them and the look on their faces as I announce the Letter of Acceptance and Return that they dreams are being fulfilled and their names are shown with the words Registered.  To me this is also a milestone to help for them along their way.

The first of a few people during this time, has done the initial work on his own.  I like this for an society that encourages research, to take the time and make the effort yourself shows that you are wishing to do allot of the legwork on your own.  However, with that being said.  These type of submissions are not the kind that you can look at and go “ok check done” for as properly stated before, part of the job as local herald not only do you answer to the client, you must make sure any submission coming from your area is documented right and keep the submission herald happy to.  This is a few classes I have taken to show how the documentation is to be laid out, and the format for that.  Anyway, with submission like this, then you go back and cross the T’s and dot the I’s and make sure that all is in order.

The name itself was not an issue for both can be found in one of the many English resources I had, the device he set up and after looking over it, I relied that one of the members within his household could cause a conflict.  Let me take a moment and make a mention of what is conflict in heraldry.  What I mean by that is that conflict is where two or more devices are so close together there is not enough difference to separate the two apart from each other.  This is usually an element needs to be changed, something added, or if both parties agree a permission to conflict.  What this is, is simply a form that states that the two in kind are ok with their devices looking alike.  Sometimes this is relatively simple sometimes this can be a chore.

For the person in question.  John Fowler, a wonderful device, and possible for a couple of points of difference to separate it from possible conflict.  however to make certain and cover all bases we included the permission to conflict with it to be certain.

John Fowler (Gules, a goose reguardant argent and a tierce ermine)

Next on the deck for this time, was a household.  Now I will admit I have little to non experience in documenting households, for where they can follow the same principles there are subtle changes that when doing a regular name it’s important to capture each part, as well with a household it gets harder for each part of the name has to be also shown to in period.

There name was also easy for the documentation was also right there in the same book as with John Fowler, (any herald that has to have one book to start their library, I would always say start off with The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names by E.G. Withycombe)

Their device (or in case for households their badges)was a bit more tricky, as they wished to have a Marlette as their primary charge, the trick with that is unless some clever designing takes place they would conflict with not only just anyone that would have a single Marlette, however a bird is a bird is a bird.  So any single birds that are close in regards to that style would be an conflict from them as well.  Well to time warp a bit, their first attempt did just that where they did conflict with someone that did have a single Marlette on their device, and after many different ideas passed back and forth, for its not just the clients, has the herald I offered some ideas to them.  What we done here is take their thoughts and incase the device in a border, giving them a second point

House Fulton

Sable, a martlet and a bordure argent

Final entry for this time, is a wonderful person that returned to us after some time apart, and her return is a bit of a interesting story, as she was driving down the road, saw a sign for the sca and got excited and grabbed garb and showed up.  her name was real tricky but at the same time, while talking to her and looking into how some Scottish and other areas naming convention, was able to achieve a ways that she would like.  Her device I loved to death, for this gave me an practice on a type of animal charge i have yet to play with yet.  As well in the same time within the same heraldic stances that you may see a Lion, Tiger, ect. it was such a delight to place this together and a bigger delight right before our big event up here seeing her reaction to getting it all registered

Christine Violet

Argent, a mouse Passant proper,within a bordure Purple

Tell next time,

Conall an Doire

After the summer ran through its course, and the Pennsic returns came in with the stories from that war from far away.  I know within my heart that I so look forward to working at Heralds Point at Pennsic.  To me that would be the goal as equal to a heavy fighter being in the thick of it on the field, or fencer or archer at their respected parts, for a Herald, to be at the peak of what we do, at the largest event in the known world “or one of the largest for that matter” is for me the peak of being a Herald.  One day when the stars align, job doesn’t interfere, or any real life hurdles to work through.  It is my goal and constant work to make it there.

With that being said, I found my first Summer as Herald to be still finding my feet.  I had some conversations at Orchard Wars, and couple of others as I start to branch out using social media like Facebook, to reach out to those within my Providence that I would normally hardly see to give them the attention they need to work out their names and devices.

There was this couple that I do wish they return to the society,  charming couple with a young one starting out, I have found that working with their devices to not so much being a challenge however a pleasure to work with.  It shows how ones real life passions “with for example one being a teacher in the real world” and incorporate their mundane feelings into sca heraldry.  With their names, Caddius was the more challenge do with the fact that incorporating a name that he had found in a fantasy book and using it for playing various roll playing games and transferring it to something that could be period, and Ælffled I just love that time and feeling when I see names like this, I instantly think Camelot

For them I give you

Ælffled Cooper

“Azure, an ivy vine bendwise sinister between an open book and a bell Or”

And

Caddius Cooper

“Argent, a chevron Or, between two bears combattant and a barrel palewise azure”

So after seeing the title to this you may ask yourself “the summer of slow?”   Well starting off as herald, for me it took some time to gain traction, and get the word out to talk to me, and I will help you with your herald needs.  With that said let me also say something about turn over.  Turnover can be a wonderful  process where the outgoing officer and the incoming officer can talk about, things that can be done, what has been worked on, as well as a series of “this worked “ or “this didn’t work don’t do this” .  I am a huge fan of turn over.  Surprises where funny for many can turn a person as grey.  With this being said surprises the day of an event can give people heart attack, I for one am all against that.

Ok with that out of the way, at first not to many were off to speak right away about doing the paperwork version of my office, and I understand that this part take time to get the ball rolling, and as you will see in future blog posts that oh man it is a pendulum swing, between busy and dead, I am ok with this, when dead I will venture to my second favorite activity Archery.

Well with this is the first time working as herald at our premier event, and in my joy the anniversary of me finding out about the society, The Great Northeastern War.  Now no offence to any other herald that came before me however the turnover I got is “you can do with this as you want to.”  This to me means ok how can I do this and be good for me.  This to me also is what not to do at an event and a consultation table.  What do I mean by this?  Well take this trip with me.

So as I look the amount of stuff that comes with the herald to run a consultation table at any event.  Let’s face it, when you can have internet access and carry a laptop and printer that works so well, however between printer, laptop, paper, ink, books, a normal herald’s box is roughly 75 to 100 pounds at times.  So what did I think of let is portion off a section of my encampment, set up my own easy up for shade and there we go, quick, clean, and simple.

Here is where the folly of this kicks in.  Having a heralds point so close to an encampment, may make the lugging part so much better to work around, however at the same time people tend to not be so open to walking into heralds point for this factor.  So needless to say when I got the feedback some time later, Rule number four find a better venue for Heralds Point (and ohhh boy did I ever but that will be a story later)

It was around this same time that the proprietor of our tavern event “Tyger and Bucket” (I love this bar) wished to register the heraldry for the tavern as a badge.  After looking at the badge (Sable, an Tyger Rampet maintaining a bucket Argent.) simple right?  Well we work out the forms, send it off and I have my first experience with conflicts.  Not just conflicts within your local group, or kingdom, however the entire society.  This is (as the date I am writing this) still a work in progress and will update the saga as we go on.

Anna was a fun name to work with on so many levels, for with many people that wish to come up with a name they normally have a locative in mind, a time frame and it’s a matter of find something within the many resources they like.  Anna had an idea and had the idea of a Greek  / roman combination.  Not bad until I start the normal research process and hit the Greek section of the Academy of St Gabriel and one of the suggestions from the East Kingdom Heralds Educational group (for here on out I will refer to as Phone a Herald) is that the search engine in question (http://www.lgpn.ox.ac.uk/) which if you’re not familiar with the site is not only Greek based, but also can be in some parts Greek script.  Needless to say the way to document this was many “Phone a Herald” sessions.

David Morteyne was a full rework from an attempt beforehand.  The name was a simple change from what he had before to document what he wished, the surname was in place, and David is relatively easy to document.  The trick became his device.  The previous attempt was just blue (Azure) with four owls, now he is looking for the blue background, the four owls, the northern army star, and the cross line division with a white bordure.  To me this became close to the complicated part of heraldry.  Heraldry being what it is can be grand and colorful, and encompass all that you wish it to be, the more that you add to it, the more complicated it gets, and the more complicated it gets the more difficult to pass.

Needless to say after some talk back and forth and placement with the owls. The cross, the star, the bordure we come up with (Azure, on a cross sable fimbriated between four owls, each pair addorsed, a mullet of four points elongated to base, all within a bordure argent.)  Complicated yes, fun to work with very much so.

What did I learn during this time?

Location, location, location

When in dought phone a herald

The more complicated a device the more interested and difficult it can be.

Yours in Service

Conall an Doire

So, it begins, about 6 months after training under to become deputy Herald, I found myself in a position to take over the job at the next elections.  To say I was nervous was an understatement to say the least.  Wondering on things that I was never told, how to promote heraldry for the local group, and being a good herald overall.

After  a good amount of emails, and face book messages about the status of people’s names, and / or device submissions, it started to dawn on me that too many this is really important to them.  Two sites became vital for me to keep the outstanding people informed on their progression.  First is the OSCAR, which is the Online System for Commentary and Response. (in the past was http://oscar.eastkingdom.org/index.php?action=100&loi=142 now is https://oscar.sca.org/) another for that was the Search Forms for the SCA Armorial (http://oanda.sca.org/)

(ok Rule number three when you help someone make a submission follow them all the way threw so they can see the process from their end)

With these two sites I am able track each submission i work on from beginning to end.

Now I must make a note that two things have changed from the time frame of any herald before me, and from when I took over.  First a major rules change, the standards heralds would use in the past were to use as a guidelines in their process had been reworked to The Standards for Evaluation of Names and Armory (also known as the SENA ) (http://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html)  and the other, in days past heralds were responsible for helping complete the form, collecting the money of the clients and send that and their paperwork to the Kingdom to start their journey, well not any more, we are to assist with the forms, print out what is needed, and then return the packages to the clients and instruct them on where to send the forms to.

Now to see there was some growing pains in getting the correct information down, is an understatement, and there were many forms that the kingdom level heralds I am sure where scratching their heads however that will be explained in greater details as these get posted.

Some of my work at that time frame include:

Birna Svensdotter:   

First experiment into the Viking naming system.  The Viking Answer Lady (http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/) was a valuable resource in constructing these.  All the information that I could name as far as names, documentation, patronymics system instead of surnames.  This particular client had done her research beforehand so this was completely simple.  Her device of red (gules) with a white band in chief, with a white bear rampant  with three sticks within the white band.  The story about this is basically “Do not poke the angry bear” in which we get a blazon (written description of the device ) ” Gules, a bear rampant on a chief argent three wooden staves bendwise sinister proper.”

Edward and Isabella de Bosco:  

This was really easy to construct as the family in question did all their back ground work before hand.  an interesting story about Edward’s device.  One of his original designs was to have an Oak tree with three crescent moons in chief.  (mmmm that sounds way to familiar) so after showing him my device we worked on a rework, and came up with a pair that worked well for them Edward’s “Azure, a tree Or and on a chief embattled argent three Latin crosses flory sable.” and Isabella’s “Azure, a horse rampant and on a chief embattled argent, three shamrocks vert.”

Heather MacDowell:  

This was the first person that wished to talk to me about being a deputy for me.  Her name was a good practice in tying her real name with a documented Scottish name.  Her device featured her favorite things at that time, of archery, oak leaves, and a quill to become “Vert, on a bend between a bow reversed and a quill pen bendwise argent, three oak leaves palewise azure.”

For now the beginnings are work, but the rewards of seeing my first projects completed are the big reward.

Yours in most wonderful services

Conall an Doire

I started working with Marcus Blackheart about being his deputy herald, when I moved from Lewiston back to Portland.  I was actually excited about this process, to learn what it takes to be a successful herald, learn about things from those that came before me, and to assist those that wish to get their names and devices registered (because like Lay’s Potato chips you shouldn’t really only have one).    Within a couple of meetings working with him I was given my first project.  “Hey the Chronicler is going to need the Order of Precedence (OP for short) update so they can publish the POMP for an upcoming Moonstone newsletter.”  He says to me.

“Hmm ok I can do that.” I reply thinking that I should just take last years, update for the current year, and all is grand.

“Ok, here is the POMP from four years ago, all the Pike Staffs from this last year, and what I am looking for is an excel sheet that we can add as needed, move things around easier,  like that.”

“Ok, so what you are saying is that this hasn’t been worked on for a bit.”

“Yep.”

“How long do I have?”

Wait for it, cause trust me you can almost hear the trumpets in the background playing that solemn tone of impending doom.  “Four weeks.”

So my mind is racing, the OP has not been updated in a while, he has taken the office back in January, or back then whichever time frame it is, has sat on this request, and at the eleventh hour handed this off to his deputy to make happen or see him sink in progress.  Ok let the motor run cause I soooo got this.

So after looking over the last Pomp and disregarded all the devices to be used for later use, I quickly saw how the OP was set up like.  (Royalty, peers, high merit) etc.  With this I set up the excel sheet to reflect the lineup of the information I have.  Once that was in place, go through all the pike staff, try to pick from the current OP and other articles who currently a part of the Province, who I recognize so I can add them, update for their current honors, and then reorganize the whole thing to everyone’s current at that time frame current positions.  (Oh did I happen to mention I am doing all this while between calls at the call center that I am currently working at)

When the process started to find a rhythm to it than the mountain of information has turned into a nice grassy hill.  After three days of organizing, updating, shifting, and double checking (using the East Kingdom version where all the court reports are reflected) came up with a home run of an Order of Precedence that I still update to this day.

(Feel free to check it out here) http://malagentia.eastkingdom.org/main/malagentia-order-of-precedence/