Awards and Coronets

[Leslie Miller]

> I would like to learn about Ansteorran traditions and practices.  One thing 
> I immediately
> noticed was that your Baronial coronets are much simpler than in the East.
> How did this tradition start?  

You know, that's an excellent question.  In al the years I've played 
in Ansteorra, I've frequently wondered about it myself, and I've 
never heard a reasonable answer.   

> I have also heard  many different awards
> given in court but I don't know what they are for.   I will greatly
> appreciate all your help gettng me more comfortable in my new home.

Well, I can provide you with the most common awards as I understand 
them off the top of my head. If I'm mistaken, I'm sure somebody will be 
kind enough to correct me and fill in any gaps I may have lft.

Ansteorran awards for Arts and Sciences:
Sable Thistle (carries AoA)
Iris of Merit (carries grant)

Ansteorran awards for Service:
Sable Comet (carries AoA, given for shire service)
Sable Crane (carries AoA, given for kingdom service)
Star of Merit (carries grant, given for heroic sacrifice {sawing off 
limbs, donating gallons of blood, etc} on behalf of the kingdom)

Ansteorran awards for fighting:
Heavy weapons-
Sable falcon (carries prestige but nothing else, given for impressing 
the Crown in some ashion or other on the field of combat)

Centurion of the Sable Star (a fairly new order which carries, I believe, 
a grant?, aimed at fighters who give their all, but aren't knights)

Then there are light weapons awards which I'll need some help on:
Queen's rapier (equivalent of Sable falcon???)
Order of the White Scarf (carries grant????, title of Don)

Ansteorran miscellaneous:
Rising Star (for children)
Order of the Motley Sash (for fools, magicians, jugglers, etc.)

And others which I'm sure I'm forgetng.

At any rate, I hope you enjoy being in Ansteorra. Maybe this will 
provide a bit more meaning to our courts.

HL Gunhilda Amberstar
Shire of Mooneschadowe
Stillwater, OK