Unto Their Royal Majesties Phelan and Amirah; Duchess Elzbieta Rurikovskaia, Aten Principal Herald; the Heralds in the Atenveldt College of Heralds; and to All Whom These Presents Come,

Greetings from Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy, Parhelium Herald!

This is the October 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Presentation. It precedes the external Letter of Intent that will contain the following submissions that are presented here, asking questions of submitters and local heralds who have worked with them; if these questions are not addressed, the submission may be returned by the Atenveldt College of Heralds. I accept online commentary, in addition to questions pertaining to heraldry and consultation. Please have commentary to me by 15 October 2008.

New Forms, New Fees: Don't forget that there are NEW submissions forms, downloadable from atensubmissions.nexiliscom.com, and from the Kingdom of Atenveldt website. USE THESE FORMS ONLY! Do NOT “use up” your old forms! Submissions on those are likely to be returned to you, to transfer the information from them onto the NEW FORMS.

Also remember that as of 1 July 2008, submissions fees for new items have been reduced in the Kingdom of Atenveldt. The fee for a new name, device or badge is $7.00/item. Local heralds will retain $2.00/item for use in the running of their local offices; the remainder ($5.00) should be sent on to the Parhelium Herald's Office via a check or money order made payable to “Kingdom of Atenveldt, SCA, Inc.” Thanks!

Consultation Table at Kingdom Arts and Sciences: I plan to have a Consultation Table at Kingdom Arts in the Barony of Sundragon (Wickenburg High School) on Saturday, 4 October 2008. If you'd like to help out, let me know ahead of time (which is nice) or just show up (which is nice, too)! Consultation Tables are an excellent way to hone your consulting abilities and to natter with fellow heralds. They're mostly fun, and if you're not careful, you might learn something, too!

Submissions Website: You can send electronic commentary on the most recent internal LoIs through the site, in addition to any questions you might have. Current submission forms (the ONLY forms that can be used) can be found on the site. Please let your local populace know about the site, too: atensubmissions.nexiliscom.com.

Please consider the following submissions for the October 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Intent:

Björn the Navigator (Ered Sul): NEW NAME

Björn is an Old Norse masculine given name, found in The Old Norse Name, Geirr Bassi Haraldsson, p. 8, where it 42 citations of the name. However, the name doesn't have an -ö-, but is rather Biǫrn, with a hook under the -o-. The same source has several maritime/sailing occupational names and epithets: mjöksiglandi, “much-sailing, far-travelling”; farmaðr, “sea-farer”; and snarfari, “swift-traveller”. The term Navigator is applied to the 15^th C. Portugese prince Henry (Prince Henry the Navigator), although the only pre-1600 English spelling for this term is nauigator, according to the Compact Oxford English Dictionary. The client desires a male name and is most interested in the meaning of the name (given as Norse); he will not accept Major changes to the name. In his documentation, he notes that if “the Navigator” is found to be overly problematic, he would accept Bjorn mjöksiglandi acceptable for registration. I'd advise him to go with this option, as it results in an excellent Old Norse name and indeed avoids the possible issues with a very late-period/post-period term. There are three registrations of the term in the Ordinary, but none occur after 1994.

Brandan der Wanderer von Arnswold (Mons Tonitrus): NEW BADGE

Argent, a swallow azure sustaining an ogress.

The name appears in the February 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Intent.

Hmmm. The blazon shown is as is written on the submission form, but the box for “fieldless badge” is marked as well. I'd check this both as a fielded and a fieldless badge and see if one or the other (or both) are clear of conflict.

Nest verch Rhodri ap Madyn (Mons Tonitrus): NEW NAME and DEVICE

Azure, a sagittary passant and on a chief argent three crescents azure.

The name is Welsh. Nest is a feminine given name. Madyn is a masculine given name. Both are found in “A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names,” Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn ( http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/welsh13.html ). According to Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 2799 ( http://www.s-gabriel.org/2799 ), Rhodri is the modern form of this masculine Welsh given name. There are examples of it spelled as Rudry in 1292-1293 (by an English speaker) and as Rodry in the 13^th C. (in a French document). Either of these are probably more accurate and closer to being temporally compatible with the rest of the name. (However, the Rhodri spelling was registered by the CoA as recently as November 2007, so while it might not allow an authentic 13^th C. Welsh name to be provided to the client, the original spelling of Rhodri could be maintained). This construction of a given name + father's name + grandfather's name can be found in “A Simple Guide to Constructing 16th Century Welsh Names (in English Contexts),” by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn ( http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/welsh16.html ). Both Tangwystyl's notess the Welsh verch being seen as an alternative to the Latin filia, “daughter of”. The client desires a female name, and is more interested in the language/culture of the name (none given, but it's likely Welsh). She'd like it authentic for the 13^th C. She will not accept Major changes to the name.

Thomas d'Revel (Tir Ysgithr): NEW DEVICE

Gules, a standing balance between three crosses Or.

The name appears in the March 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Intent.

No specific cross type was mentioned in the blazon, and I can't find anything like this; it's sort of a cross formy with ends flared, but the formy cross begins this flaring almost from the intersection of the arms.

The following submissions appear in the September 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Intent:

Commentary this month provided by Helena de Argentoune [HdA].

Ainaiyra al-Rashna (Tir Ysgithr): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Purpure, on a chevron argent three mullets of eight points azure.

Ainaiyra is a feminine Old Persian name found in “Avesta: Zoroastrian Archives” ( http://www.avesta.org/znames.htm ).

Ideally, the client would like to have the given name Inara, which she has found only on modern name sites (said to mean “ray of light,” http://www.behindthename.com/submit/view.php?name=inara). We have been unable to document it as a period Arabic name and ask for the assistance from the College in possibly finding a period source for this very much preferred choice of name. She will entertain any name that comes close to the pronunciation of Inara. She is aware (as am I now aware) that Inara is a character in the Firefly/Serenity series.

Rashna is a masculine Parsi name, referring to “Justice; name of an angel; name of the 18th day of the month”; it is found in the same source as Ainaiyra. “Period Arabic Names and Naming Practices,” Da'ud ibn Auda ( http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/arabic-naming2.htm ) uses as an example of a laqab, a combination of words into a byname or epithet of some admirable quality the person had (or would like to have) al-Rashid, “the Rightly-guided.” Rashid also appears as a masculine 'ism (personal name) in that paper. We are speculating that perhaps Persian might be closely enough related to Arabic that a similar construction could be made such that the name might reflect “Ainaiyra the Just.” If this is not the case, the client is willing to accept Rashna as a patronymic/nasab, as Ainaiyra bint Rashna, or something that is more correct in construction.

Ascelin àlainn inghean Ailill (Twin Moons): NEW BADGE: (Fieldless) Two dragons segreant addorsed, tails pendant and entwined argent.

The name appears in the 30 August 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Intent.

The badge uses elements from her device, also appearing on that Letter of Intent, Per fess azure and argent, a dragon segreant counterchanged. I'm unsure whether it should be included in the blazon that the edges of the wings are in contact.

Christiane Dax (Twin Moons): BADGE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, September 2008

(Fieldless) A shakefork gules surmounted by a death's head sable.

The name was registered July 2007.

The original submission, A skull sable jessant of a shakefork gules.,was returned for non-period style, between two steps from period practice, one being a charge other than a lion's or leopard's head jessant-de-lys, and the second being jessant a charge other than a fleur-de-lys. Removing the lower jaw of the skull eliminates the appearance of the skull jessanting anything. According to the Pictorial Dictionary, a skull missing its lower jaw can be blazoned as a death's head.

Gepa of Sundragon (Sundragon): NEW BADGE: Sable, four billets fesswise two and two, a sinister canton Or.

The name was registered September 2006.

Jean Michel du Tonnay (Tir Ysgithr): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Azure, a hawk rising contourny Or sustaining a trident bendwise sinister argent.

The name is French. Jean and Michel are masculine given names, dated to 1588 and 1509 respectively in "Given Names from Brittany, 1384-1600," Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn ( http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/latebreton.html ). Dauzat cites Michel as both a given name and a patronymic, but with no dates (p. 433 s.n. Michel); there are several examples of Michel as an English/Norman surname in Reaney and Wilson, dating to 1219 and 1236 (3^rd edition, p. 311 s.n. Mitchel).

Elisabeth Laurel Emerita provides documentation for the locative Tonnay: Dauzat et Rostaing Dictionnaire etymologique de noms de lieux en France sub Tonnay-Boutonne shows Tonnay-Charente, with the spelling 'Taunay' dated to 1142.  Tonnay-Boutonne and Tonnay-Charente are stated to mean Tonnay, on the Boutonne and Charente respectively (these are both rivers.)

The client prefers “du Tonnay” to “de Tonnay.” If he cannot have “du Tonnay” in his registered name, he would prefer to drop that part of the name completely and register “Jean Michel.” (Both forms are clear of simple conflicts in the Armorial.) The client desires a masculine name and cares most about the spelling of the name. He desires a 16^th C. French name.

Josep de Ackelane (Twin Moons): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Argent, a chevron azure between three acorns slipped and leaved proper.

Josep is an English masculine given name, a spelling variation of Joseph; this form is dated to 1273 in Withycombe, s.n. Joseph. Originally submitted as “Josep of Akorn,” we were unable to find any English bynames as Acorn/Akorn. The etymology of “acorn” seems to go back to a reference to oak (the acorn being the fruit of an oak tree), something to the effect of “oak's corn.” Upon further consultation with the client, she has chosen the byname de Ackelane. This is an English surname dated to 1275, with a William de Ackelane of Devonshire (Reaney and Wilson, 3rd edition, p. 2, s.n. Ackland, Acland. The Acland/Ackland names basically mean "from the land populated by oaks,” and so preserves the cant with the acorn sprigs. The client doesn't care about the gender of the name and is most interested in the meaning of the name. She will not accept Major changes to the name.

Marina de Medina (Tir Ysgithr): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Erminois, a demi-lion gules.

The name is Spanish. Marina is a feminine given name found in “Spanish Names from the Late 15th Century,” Juliana de Luna

( http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/isabella/WomensGivenAlpha.html ). de Medina is a Spanish locative name found in the same source

( http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/isabella/locative.html ). The client desires a female name and is most interested in the language/culture of the name (Spanish/Spain). She will not accept Major or Minor changes to the name.

Mateo Dominguez (Ered Sul): DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, September 2008: Per pale sable and gules, a chevron between two griffins combatant and a Latin cross formy Or.

The name appears in the 30 August 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Intent.

The original submission, Gules, a chevron between two griffins combatant and a Latin cross flory Or., was returned for conflict. Dividing the field has resolved that conflict and hopefully avoided running into new ones.

Melissa of Monster Hall (Atenveldt): NAME and DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, July 2008

Argent, a Gorgon's head cabossed proper crined with serpents vert and a bordure embattled sable.

The original device submission, Argent, a winged Gorgon's head cabossed proper, crined and with serpents vert, and a bordure embattled sable., was returned for inadequate contrast between the wings and the field, and for the non-standard depiction of heraldic wings. Upon further consultation, the client is happy to drop the wings altogether, and the resulting design still avoids conflict.

Melissa is the client's legal given name; she has provided a copy of her Arizona driver's license for Laurel.

The household name the Monsters of Monster Hall was registered to Denis of the Titans January 1973. Count Denis has provided a letter of permission for Melissa to use “Monster Hall” as part of her SCA name. The one sticking point here is that while Melissa and her husband are members of this household, they are not legally related to Denis. Further correspondence with his Excellency (he initiated the correspondence with me) demonstrates that he has no problem at all with the client using the household name as an element of her registered SCA name. Considering that the client is not trying to register “Melissa of the Monsters of Monster Hall,” this might not be an issue.

There was some commentary that the name was not registerable, as the designator of “monster” might be too generic, as opposed to specific beasts and monsters found in inn sign names were those typically associated with heraldic charges - dragon, mermaid, horse, lamb ( http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/inn/ ).

“Monster,” dated to 1567 and 1586 with this spelling, is found in the COED as an imaginary animal like a centaur or sphinx or an heraldic dragon or griffin, that, outside of heraldic jurisdiction, also suggests great size and ferocity.

“Hall,” as a place of residence, is dated to 1596 with this spelling in the COED. “A Brief, Incomplete, and Rather Stopgap Article about European Household and Other Group Names Before 1600,” Sharon L. Krossa ( http://medievalscotland.org/names/eurohouseholds/ ) demonstrates the use of “hall” in reference to a residence in 1430, as Stanewey halle ( http://medievalscotland.org/names/eurohouseholds/englandmanors.shtml ), albeit with a geographical designator.

The client desires a female name. She will not accept Major or Minor changes to the name, and she will not accept a holding name.

Richard Attekirck the Rabbit (Tir Ysgithr): NEW NAME and DEVICE: Per bend sinister gules and azure, a rabbit courant and two swords in saltire argent.

The name is English. Richard is a masculine given name found in “An Index to the 1296 Lay Subsidy Rolls for Rutland, England,” Karen Larsdatter ( http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/Rutland/given-masc-alpha.htm ). Attekirck is an English locative byname dated to 1301 (Reaney and Wilson, 3^rd edition, p. 266, s.n. Kirk). the Rabbit is a nickname having been given to him for his feistiness in battle (yes, indeed, “killer rabbit”) that “stuck,” and he would like to include it as part of his name, if possible. Period spellings of rabbit, according to the COED, tend to lean toward rabet, although the client would prefer just plain old rabbit.

Rowland Tode (Twin Moons): NEW NAME AND DEVICE: Argent, a chevron azure between two wooden wagon wheels proper and a frog vert.

The name is English. Rowland is a masculine given name, and this spelling is dated to 1529 in Withycombe, 3^rd edition, p. 256, s.n. Roland. This is supported by S. Gabriel reports 2294 ( http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi/2294.txt ) and 2637 ( http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi/2637.txt ). Tode is an English surname. This spelling, and the alternatives Todd and Todde are placed in a range 1547-1685; Thomas Tode is cited in a date range 1504-1515; Richard Tode is dated to 1530; and Abraham Tode is dated to 1547. All of these are found in the catalogue of Then National Archives of the UK ( www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ); the information was accessed in an advanced search for “Tode” with the date range 1300-1500. The client will not accept Major changes to the name.

According to the Pictorial Dictionary, a frog's default posture is tergiant as it is seen here.

Rowland Tode: NEW HOUSEHOLD NAME, Rowland Tode Haule

The name is English. Rowland is a masculine given name, and this spelling is dated to 1529 in Withycombe, 3^rd edition, p. 256, s.n. Roland. This is supported by S. Gabriel reports 2294 ( http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi/2294.txt ) and 2637 ( http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi/2637.txt ). Tode is an English surname. This spelling, and the alternatives Todd and Todde are placed in a range 1547-1685; Thomas Tode is cited in a date range 1504-1515; Richard Tode is dated to 1530; and Abraham Tode is dated to 1547. All of these are found in the catalogue of Then National Archives of the UK ( www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ); the information was accessed in an advanced search for “Tode” with the date range 1300-1500.

Haule is a variant spelling of hall, a large private residence or a manorial hall. The COED dates an example of this particular spelling to 1606. The Middle English Dictionary from the University of Michigan ( http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/med/ ) shows the spelling of haule c. 1500, and reference to a large public chamber within a residence, mansion or palace as haulle c. 1440 and haule c. 1450 ( http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/m/mec/med-idx?type=proxquote&q1=hall&operator1=Near&amt1=40&q2=haulle&operator2=Near&amt2=40&q3=&size=First+100 )

“A Brief, Incomplete, and Rather Stopgap Article about European Household and Other Group Names Before 1600,” Sharon L. Krossa ( http://medievalscotland.org/names/eurohouseholds/ ) demonstrates the use of an individual's full name, not just a surname, as a designator for his house, sir Henry Percy house, c. 1475 ( http://medievalscotland.org/names/eurohouseholds/englandhouse.shtml ). This article also demonstrates the use of “hall” in reference to a residence in 1430, as Stanewey halle ( http://medievalscotland.org/names/eurohouseholds/englandmanors.shtml ), albeit with a geographical designator.

The client desires to use his full name in the household name, to avoid conflict with the already-registered Toad Hall. He is also adamant about using a spelling of Hall that includes the -u- in it, hence documentation for the alternative spellings haule and haulle.

Seán an Gleanna (Barony of Atenveldt): DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Laurel, April 2008: Argent, three martlets gules, on a chief sable a claymore bendwise sinister inverted proper.

The name was registered April 2008.

The original submission was returned for mismatched emblazons on OSCAR vs. submission forms. That has been corrected, and the martlets have been rendered without feet.

I hope that many of you can attend Kingdom Arts and Sciences in the Barony of Sundragon - I look forward to seeing you!

Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy

c/o Linda Miku

2527 East 3^rd Street

Tucson AZ 85716

brickbat@nexiliscom.com

atensubmissions.nexiliscom.com