[Ansteorra] Original Scrolls

[Jay Rudin]

Eve wrote:

>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. 

The scrolls with the recipients' specific praise and life history are a holdover from the early days of the SCA, when we made things up rather than researching what actually happened in our period.  They have nothing to do with period practice, being more closely related to "The Dating Game", where the M.C. would introduce each contestant with a brief complimentary bio.

Scrolls are legal documents, not significantly different from title deeds or marriage licenses.  My marriage license doesn't tell how I fell in love with Serena, or what she does to make me want to be married to her.  It says that we are married, by this priest, at this time and place.

Similarly, an AoA scroll should not describe what the person did, or why she deserves to be a lady.  It merely states that she is a Lady, made so by this Crown, at this time and place.

But don't blame the scroll for the boringness of court.  Reading the scroll in court is just as inauthentic as the early SCA "Dating Game" scrolls.  Father Gus didn't read our marriage license aloud at our wedding.

If we want to make our courts less boring, we should research period ceremonies.  That would be a real boon to Ansteorra.

Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin

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