[Scriptoris] Answers Regarding Charters . . . (kinda long)

[Diane Rudin]

Nuala asked several questions.  While "official" answers to some of these will
have to come from Star Signet, some of these are my baliwick.  Of course, I
will not hesitate to offer opinions on other questions as well.  :)

> 1.  How is the determination made to "retire" charters?  What criteria
> determine the necessity of retiring one charter against another;  i.e.,
> if there are two (2) AoAs, designed at approximately the same time, of
> similar quality, why would one be chosen for retirement as opposed to the
> other?

Opinions:

The most pressing reason to "retire" a charter, which no longer applies these
days, is a radical change in document text that would require a complete re-do
of the calligraphy, and the calligrapher is unwilling or unable to alter
his/her work.

The second most pressing reason, in my opinion, is quality control and design
issues.  The first charters created after the 1988 overhaul of the system were
made in accordance with the intent that the preprinted charters *would no
longer be painted*.  That died with the subsequent Crown, and people were
forced to paint artwork that had never been intended to be painted.  Therefore,
there was a pressing need for paintable artwork, right then.  This led to some
charter designs that were less than the best work the kingdom could produce;
than even that particular artisan could produce.  As better-designed and
better-executed charters became available, the older ones were quietly
"retired".

The current main reason for charter retirement, as I understand it, is a desire
to rotate designs so that charter painters don't get totally bored out of their
minds.  

> 2. Once "retired," are charters ever "reactivated?"  If not, why not?  It
> could be fun to "reactivate" some of the older designs for limited time
> periods as a nod to our history.

My opinions on this are implicit above.
 
> 3. I have heard from the people who paint charters (as opposed to doing
> originals, designing, etc.) that they would like more variety available
> for the various awards.  We currently have a total of 49 active charters
> and, of those, only eight (8) are for an Award of Arms.  Shouldn't there
> be more active charters than 49?  And, if, say 50, is the optimum active
> number, shouldn't  more than eight (8) be for AoAs?  (I am asking this as
> it is my understanding that the Kingdom gives out more AoAs than any
> other award.)  Would it be feasible to reactivate some older AoA charters
> so that the people who only want to paint charters have a bit more
> variety for the award(s) Kingdom gives out most often?

Few of the older charter designs would be suitable for use today, as explained
above.
 
> 4.  Would it be feasible to have a rotation of charters with, for
> example, a base of 100 designs but only 70 active at any one time and
> rotating one set of 30 into circulation and another 30 out on an annual
> basis?  This could give more variety for the good people who paint these.
>  The changes could be made at a Red Tape where there is a scribal
> meeting.

Annual seems too often to me.  We can hardly get people to notice *years* after
some designs are retired.
 
> 5.  Could someone explain to me why we have charters for White Scarfs and
> Centurions but not Knighthood.  I thought all of these were peerages.  If
>  Knighthood needs an original only, why don't White Scarves and
> Centurions? Or any of the other peerages? I don't understand.  From my
> research, it would seem that any of these peers could then commission an
> Achievement, if they desire one.  What am I missing here?

>From Serena, Blanc Gryffoun Herald (and awards texts producer for Ansteorra): 
The rank of each award is on the header of the page on which the text is given
in the Official Ansteorran Awards and Honors Texts document.

>From Serena, Zodiacus Herald (maintaining precedence database and educating
about precedence in general):  White Scarf and Centurions of the Sable Star,
along with Iris of Merit, Star of Merit, "Arcus Magni", and "Golden Lance", are
all Grant-level orders.  The only so-called "peerage" orders are those which
carry a Patent of Rank:  the Orders of Chivalry (Knighthood and Mastery of
Arms), the Order of the Laurel, and the Order of the Pelican.  (In some
kingdoms, the Order of the Rose carries with it a Patent of Rank; Ansteorra is
*not* one of those kingdoms.)

>From Serena, Stellar Scroll Herald (registration of achievements): 
Achievements are registerable by anyone with a Grant-level or higher award. 
The stripped-of-detailed-exceptions-and-exclusions explanation of who gets what
is:  Grant-level--helm, torse, mantling, crest; Patent-level--helm, torse,
mantling, crest, motto; Nobility (court barony, viscounty, county,
duchy)--helm, torse, mantling, crest, coronet, supporters;
Nobility-in-Patent-bearing-Order--helm, torse, mantling, crest, motto, coronet,
supporters.

Don't contact me about assignments to do achievements.  I only register the
stuff; it's up to Star Signet to broker marriages between scribes and clients,
as necessary. 

> 6.  Does anyone have an approximate  breakdown by reign of how many of
> each award is given per reign?  An average over the last three to five
> years would be helpful for figuring out what the demand for each type of
> charter is and, therefore, calculating how many of each design would be
> ideal to have active at any given time.  It seems (to me, anyway) that
> the awards given most often need the greatest variance in available
> designs with, perhaps, descending numbers of available designs for those
> awards given less frequently.  Does this make sense to anyone?

>From Serena, Zodiacus:  This information is not, and will not be made, publicly
available, for political reasons that don't bear going into.  Those who wish to
have an approximation (exact numbers are impossible, due to limits of the
availability of the data) may contact me privately, and I'll forward it to my
CyberGeek Team.

> 7.  It is my understanding that certain awards (King's Archer, King's
> Gauntlet, Queen's Rapier, etc.) are given once per reign.  Could the new
> Crown select from the designs available and have these done specifically
> for their reign between Crown Tourney and when they are actually awarded?

Serena, Zodiacus:  King's Archer and Queen's Rapier are given out rather more
often than once per reign.  It is true that the King's Gauntlet and the Queen's
Glove are given out at the end of the reign and are few in number.  The only
award given out a maximum of once per reign is the Lion, and it has no set
text, for reasons explained in the awards texts document.  Perhaps you are
thinking of the ceremonial honors, like Queen's Champion, King's Champion,
etc.?  It can be confusing for the novice that so many things are designated
"King's this" and "Queen's that".

The clock starts ticking at Coronation, not Crown Tourney.  Although it has not
yet happened in Ansteorra, the results of a Crown Tourney have been voided in
other kingdoms, requiring the tournament to be re-fought.  In addition, the sad
possibility exists that a Crown Prince and/or Crown Princess might pass away
before being crowned.

I hope that this has cleared some things up for you, and others who might have
those questions.  Keep asking questions; it's the only way to get answers!

--Serena
Blanc Gryffoun Herald
Zodiacus Herald
Stellar Scroll Herald
washed-up middle-aged scribe of 18+ years


	
		
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