[Ansteorra] Original Scrolls

[Bree Flowers]

I've also lived in enough kingdoms to see both systems (in Ealdormere
it's all original artwork and it's always delivered at the time the
awards are given, no backlog; An Tir does charters with only one
design per award per reign, 2 for AoAs). The only real objection I had
to charters was the wording. I didn't care for having a
pre-calligaphed scroll where they just filled in the name. The reason
it bugged me was that it made court BOOORING. Having to listen to the
same scroll being read over and over was excruciating. I also like
hearing something about the recipient and why they are being given
their award, and one-size-fits-all wording doesn't really serve that
purpose. And yes, I know that the crown is supposed to say a little
something about the recipient, but not all royalty are the best public
speakers. Heralds train to be heard and work very hard on their
projection, so it's nice when those personal touches are in the scroll
they read. Honestly, I haven't attended court here yet (courts and
fussy newborns don't mix) so I don't know how much of your charters
are pre-printed (whether it's just line drawings or words too).

Ealdormere's scribal college had a vast collection of "scroll blanks",
so except in rare occasions it was a matter of selecting one that was
most appropriate to the recipient and composing words and doing the
calligraphy, so I'm sure that helped a bit with making deadlines.
There are ways to make scroll blanks that are friendly to new scribes.
You can print water-mark images on the page and simply go over the
image with ink and paint. You can trace something you like using a
light box. That's a little less daunting than having to draw it
yourself or the stress of painting someone else's original drawing.

Scroll blanks are also a nice way to break-in new scribes. I know I'd
be more inclined to make blanks than either paint charters or do
commission works. I'd appreciate both the creative freedom and the
lack of deadlines. Me and deadlines just don't mix. I'd also be happy
to paint charters that were just line artwork because they'd have a
longer shelf-life and I would know my work would be used, not junked
when the next royals stepped up and that design was retired. Also,
getting back to that wording thing, I'm disinclined to support a
system that results in me fighting to stay awake in court. Different
strokes for different folks though, and I also understand that finding
painters is a lot easier than finding calligraphers. Running the
scribal stuff for the kingdom is a big job, so however it gets done is
great.

~Eve