[Ansteorra] Award Query

[Don and Monica]

HE Dore' Wrote

> Master Darius,
>
> It is good to hear from you. I trust you will not take offense if I offer
> debate on a minor part of your thesis.

Greetings Your Excellency! It is good to hear from you as well. I thank you
for your points of debate as after re-reading my initial post I find I did
not represent my view as well as I had intended.

Certainly my intent is not to disparage or in any way impugn those members
of any of the Grant orders of Ansteorra. Truly if that were my desire I
would bashing myself as much as any one as I am a member of two of these
orders myself. I would not even think to say that any one who has served
this kingdom in the Office of King or Queen or their counsilors have done a
disservice by wishing to give recognition to their populace.

I do voice a concern that there need not be an award or Order for every
single activity we have within the SCA. Certainly SCA Kingdoms have far more
venues of recognition than existed in period (but then in the SCA a Knight
outranks a Lord). However Ansteorra has more awards/orders than most SCA
kingdoms. Part of this is the nature of the game we play. People like
receiving recognition. I am sure that this possibility is part of the appeal
that has brought many into the society.

Part of it is that people want to be recognized with something extra special
that you have to go through a very particular hoop to get to. I feel it
likely this has added impetuous to the creation of awards and orders in this
kingdom as an avalanche effect. I use as an example the current thread
regarding group awards:

presuming the Crown decides to create an service award for groups

Soon people wonder why there isn't an award for groups doing A&S projects
together. After much discussion the crown adds that to the long list of
kingdom honors

But Wait what about fighting units' do they get a group award to?

Do we need separate fighting unit awards for the Heavy and Rapier fields?

What about Siege weapon crews:

What about.... what about....

OK this is a hypothetical chain of events but it is also a very realistic
possibility.

Already we have 6 Grant orders as well as a General Grant of Arms, and Court
Barony. Also according to Article III section 3, paragraph j, of Kingdom Law
Landed nobility also receive a grant at the pleasure of the Crown. Including
the Landed nobility (a limited point to be sure) that is 9 different ways to
receive a Grant of Arms currently in Ansteorra.

We have nearly as many AoA awards + the 14 Baronial service orders that
carry an Award of Arms if one is not already held.

Then we have several Non armigerous Honors some of which where closed by
past crowns for various reasons.

Gentles may become, and even be recognized as leaders in a field of endeavor
without having a new title and shiny heraldic widget from the crown. The
more awards we have the more we have to define a smaller area of endeavor in
the SCA. Eventually if the awards and orders continue to be created one
after another one day we will find ourselves creating an Order for the
keeping of Northern European Game hens. Not much different than Merit
Badges.




> > (strangely there are still no Armigerous level awards for anything but a
> > basic AoA, A&S, and Service. No marshal or armed activities at all.)
>
> Not so strange when you see the new grants as working orders and not just
> awards.

I still find it strange.We have arts and service awards at the armigerous
level and yet still those companions of the Iris and the Star of Merit are
expected to be leaders and members of a working order. Certainly they do not
have meetings of their orders but they do no less for this kingdom than
their marshal bretheren. Why should Marshal and Armed activities be set
apart in this fasion?

In Faith

Darius