[Ansteorra] Original Scrolls

[John Atkinson]

On Sun, Nov 8, 2009 at 9:24 PM, Catrin ferch Maelgwn
<ladycatrin at gmail.com> wrote:

> There is nothing wrong, of course, with being a scribe yourself and saying
> that you personally would like to make more original scrolls, and that you
> would like to help others who are interested in doing the same.  This is a
> worthy and wonderful undertaking.  Pushing yourself and encouraging others
> to excel is always a wonderful thing.  But whether it's intended or not, to
> say that it would be better if everyone got an original scroll is to
> minimize the efforts of the people who have labored, out of the kindness of
> their hearts, to give their gifts to the kingdom in the form of innumerable,
> beautifully painted charters.

Personally, I really appreciate all the scribes who do the work.

I have one, count 'em, one award and hence one scroll, and frankly the
issue of whether or not it is "original" never really crossed my mind.
 Frankly, it's up on my wall (well, it was, we are in the process of
unpacking from a move and nothing is where it should be), and when I
pass it, I admire the painting and laugh about the court I got it
in[1], not say, "I wish I had an original with my arms on it and
Byzantine-style art".  If I want that, I'll get it made for a later
award and expect to recompense the scribe in accordance with the hours
of research and time it will take to paint.  And I certainly won't
expect it done at an event on short notice!

Besides, the logistics of doing a "personalized" scroll would be
complex if none of the scribes know the person in question.  It
crosses my mind that while some things may be obvious from the nature
of an award (obviously someone who is being awarded the Sable Thistle
for brewing is a brewer--unless something is horribly wrong with award
recommendation), others may not.  Arms may not be registered yet, in
fact rarely are for folks receiving an AoA-simple because they haven't
been playing that long.  If my name and award recommendation got
handed to a scribe in Northern Region, most people there would be
forced to use a charter even if they WANTED to do an original award
because few people up there know me, other than heavy fighters who
have had a chance to fight me.

I really don't feel like I have a lot to throw into the discussion
because I'm pretty unlikely to paint a scroll.  It's really not my
thing.  I appreciate the artwork, just like you don't have to cook
feast to enjoy it.  But I think it should be said that I appreciate
the fact that, as in many other aspects of this game, scribes spend
hours and a lot of effort making things for the rest of us to enjoy,
that add to OUR game.  I feel strongly that where possible, all awards
should be accompanied by scrolls at the time they are made, and that
if the best way to do that is to use charters, then use them.
Especially if doing otherwise would discourage new scribes from
starting out or would require scribes to sit at a table illuminating
like mad ten minutes before court when they would really rather be
eating feast with their friends.

Ioannes
whose LIKES his AoA scroll, dammit!
[1] Mostly about the picture that someone took of me while I was getting it
-- 
"Thousands of Sarmatians, Thousands of Franks, we've slain them again
and again.  We're looking for thousands of Persians."
--Vita Aureliani