[ANSTHRLD] Zelda and a Badge.

[D. Vandever]

Thanks so much for all the time you took to write such a long reply.  I
shall try to help out and clarify as much as I can.
Annes
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim McDaniel" <tmcd at panix.com>
To: <heralds at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 1:57 PM
Subject: Re: [ANSTHRLD] Zelda and a Badge.


> I'll address the proposals as given, but then I want to step back and
> ask "why are you thinking about this?".
>
>
> The only words that are Capitalized in an SCA blazon are
<<<<snip>>>>
> The current Wreath Queen of Arms really wants to use commas
<<<<snip>>>>
> "An" has to be followed by a vowel or vowel sound (or consonant "h" in
> certain dialects of English).  "An dexter" is misspledd.
>
> The default hand is a dexter hand.
<<<<<snip>>>>>
> Normally we try to avoid "in chief ... in base"
<<<<snip>>>>
> A "bezant" (note spelling) was in origin not just any coin, but a gold
> coin.  Indeed, "bezant" is short for "roundel Or" and so it includes
> its tincture.
> So, in toto:
>     (Fieldless) In chief a hand sable maintaining a bezant and in base
>     a sinister hand gules sustaining a wooden bowl proper.
>
> If submitted, it would be immediately returned.  Rules for Submission
>         A fieldless design must have all its elements conjoined>
<<<<snip>>>>
> Also, there's a rule-of-thumb of complexity: the number of types of
> charge plus the number of different tinctures should not exceed eight.
> This design is at seven
<<<<snip>>>>

I really appreciate the corrections.  I know (as should be obvious) very
little about how to design or even to blazon a device.  My learning curve
steepens ever more.  But it will make me a better herald and so I do listen
to those who know more.  I don't always remember, but I do listen.

> > 2. Fieldless, A maiden maintaining a dexter wooden staff proper and
> > a sinister wooden bowl proper.
<<<<snip>>>>
> "Dexter" means "right" and "sinister" means "left".  "A dexter hand"
> and "a sinister hand" mean "a right hand" and "a left hand",
> respectively, and that makes sense.

Good!  I was beginning to think nothing I had written had!  That was
reassuring.

>I assume you mean "in her dexter hand" and "in her sinister
> hand

Yes, that is what I meant.  Thanks again.

> Since you did not give a tincture after the maiden, the tincture
> applied is the next tincture specified, "proper".  "Human flesh
> proper" is deemed in the SCA to be a light color.  You don't have to
> specify her clothes or hair, but you can.

I wasn't sure what to call her coloring.  At this point of this design,
everything is pretty up in the air.  I'm just trying to see what can be
done.  Can the lady in question be tinctured in other colors?  Oh, wait,
cancel that...I just answered my own question.
<<<<<snip>>>>
>
> > I would really like to use a Hag
<<<<snip>>>>
> Looking at my little dic, "hag" has as its first definitions "female
> demon" and "hobgoblin".  This would not produce the intended
> depiction, I think.  I would suggest "woman" and leave it at that.

Another person suggested just saying "old woman".  That makes two who seem
to say that both "maiden" and "hag" might not be what I want, and you would
be right.
>
>     (Fieldless) A woman maintaining a wooden staff and a wooden bowl
>     proper.
>
> With two types of proper (Caucasian and wood), it might fall afoul of
> Pictorial Design or Natural Depiction, though I would tend to doubt
> it.  I don't see any clear rules violations here.

Ok, I must have come in later to this movie than others...no, I know I did.
So, are you saying that the charge on a device can't look too real?
Hmmm....any suggestions on what to do to make it less real?  Believe me, my
artistic ablities are such that I doubt that she would look all that real.
Above, I understand that she can be a different color than is normal, such
as red, yellow, green or blue.  Would that help with making her look less
real?

>
>
> But we should step back a minute.  Why do you suggest a badge?

I am looking at a badge because Zelda is an alternate personnae.  My
registered SCA name is Annes Clotilde von Bamburg.  I already have a
registered device for Annes.  Therefore, if I want something that lets
people know that Zelda is at an event rather than Annes, I would need to
register it as a badge.  Or at least this is my understanding.

>What
> attribute or use of a badge did you have in mind?  In period, badges
> eo nomine were used to mark important property or retainers.

As implied above, I would use it to mark Zelda's encampment mostly.  I'm
thinking of placing it on her "hovel".  I have an old dome tent which I am
currently looking at for some way to make it look rather like one of those
wicker shelter/hovels. (Much creativity of thought has already been expended
on brainstorming this idea.)  Alternately, I was thinking of perhaps placing
it on a particularly shady tree with her meager bedroll underneath or some
such other use.

By
> definition, a beggar has almost no chance of having either.  In the
> SCA, "badge" means any ensigns armorial that aren't a primary device:
> badges proper but also household banners, alternate arms, seals, and
> such.  It's true that in Normandy even peasants are recorded as having
> seals and arms, but what legal documents will a beggar need to affix a
> seal to, and how will she display alternate arms?  If you're looking
> at a beggar persona, I don't see how it could be justified.
>
Zelda is currently trying to gain the Crown's attention to permit her to
start a begger's guild.  Since she is unable to read or write (poor thing),
I think something fairly easy to draw might be a way for her to do something
like...sign in at the gate or to affix to the local equivilant of a begger's
license at an event.  Which is why I am more interested in the first design
as I think it would be a fairly easy and quick draw.  At the moment, and as
far as I know, I am the only person who has thought of this as a possible
way to raise money for worthy causes in and around the kingdom for all that
she begs is given as "taxes" to the local hosting group to earmark as they
see fit.  I talk with the hosting group prior to attending and we work out
what the beggings will be used for.  Plus the personnae play that Zelda
generates is phenomenal.  I have been Zelda at a small number of events in
and around Stargate and she is starting to be asked for at more and more
events. (She has been invited to Crown tourney by the autocrat.)  I have
been in the SCA for 15 years and never have I seen more sustained and
complete personnae play as when Zelda comes up to someone and attempts to
beg from them.  I think she is going to be more and more of an asset as
people become more used to seeing her about.

But I am a bit off topic.  I need a badge because I already have a
registered device.  Zelda would use it as stated above.  Thanks again for
all your help.  I am looking forward to more commentary and a further
steepening of my learning curve.

Annes
Dear God,  Help me to be the person
my dog thinks I am.  Amen