SR - Heraldry & Names

[Timothy A. McDaniel]

The suggestion was made about an Ansteorran star being held
by or on a lion.  There is a ... feature of the Rules for
Submission that a small object being held by a larger one
does not count for difference.  (Down, Gunnora.)  Two
options that come to mind:

- a lion rampant, the standard posture, with a black star on
his shoulder.  This is a moderately common period motif.
Especially with lions, which were so common that they felt
free to do more unusual things with them.

- a lion sejant, sitting, holding in both paws a star
comparable in size to himself.  This *would* count for
difference.  In period, lions sejant were almost always used
when they were holding something, and usually with both
paws.

I much prefer the first option, lions rampant being so
wonderfully period.

May I make a lobbying request?  I know of no examples in
period heraldry of a star with greater and lesser points.
Could we just use a standard 5-pointed star, or if not a
10-equal-pointed one?  To many people, the black star of
five greater and five lesser points Resonates As A Symbol Of
Ansteorra.  To me, it Resonates With A Feeling That We
Didn't Know What We Were Doing And We're Stuck Now -- rather
like looking at a "my first garb" display -- at every event
with a kingdom banner present.

Especially with the lion rampant option, the star will be
small enough that few will be able to see little points, or
want to embroider / paint them.

The lion should be crowned, or "gorged of" a crown (wearing
a crown as a gorget).  The laurel wreath can be stuck
somewhere (and I have some rude suggestions).  I'd prefer
not to have the SCA standard "add a charged chief" / "add a
charged bordure" business.  If anyone has seen the arms of
the King of Spain, e.g. on the Spanish flag, there's a
"point pointed ploy{e'}" at the bottom on which he put a
symbol of Granada (pomegranete?).  A point pointed is at the
bottom of the shield and looks like

\      /\      /
 \    /  \    /
  \  /    \  /
   \/      \/
    \      /
     \    /
      \__/

"Ploy{e'}" means bowing the edges in.  Heck, it's one of
those cases where a picture is at least 1000 words.  It puts
the laurel wreath at the bottom in its own compartment, and
it's rather different from the usual SCA style.

Daniel de Lincolia
--
Tim McDaniel.   Reply to tmcd at crl.com;
    if that fail, tmcd at austin.ibm.com is my work account.
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