[Bards] Bardic regalia

[Marlin Stout]

Katherine of Scarborough wrote:

>Having never been a regional bard before, my question
>is: am I within my rights to start that tradition
>myself?  If so, what would be some appropriate,
>permissible things to include?  For example, if I
>wanted to create a bardic cloak, I am assuming I
>should NOT display the canton's arms on it in their
>entirety.  Would it be best to have a cloak in the
>canton's colors, with some sort of bardic-looking
>insignia on it, perhaps with an element from the
>canton's heraldry included?
>
It would be appropriate to have the Canton's arms on it, or at least the 
colors and charges thereof. As Bryn Gwlad's Bardic champion (and, as of 
two weekends ago it new Archery champion as well) I'm thinking along 
similar lines myself; I'd like to make a pass-down prize for my 
successor, since there wasn't one given to me.

Of course, I've got an easier task than yours. I recieved several 
pass-downs as Archery champion, including a banner in the Barony's 
colors, with crossed halberds and three arrowheads. So I'll probably get 
one made with harps in place of the arrowheads to give my replacement as 
Bard. There used to be just such a banner for the Bard, but in the 
manner of such things, it has 'grown feet'.

A cloak would be a wonderful pass-down prize, and my suggestion would be 
to have both symbols of a titled bard (harps are popular for this) and 
those of the Canton on it, so that it indicates the wearer's status as 
bard of the Canton.

My $.02, for what it's worth.

Ld Charles MacKinnon
Bard of Bryn Gwlad