Family Heirlooms: how heraldic inheritance really works

With the interest in heraldry growing from the funeral of QEII, there's something I've noticed a lot of lately from folks outside of the SCA, and that is (mostly Americans) not understanding how heraldry works. So, you know those heraldic shops at cultural festivals and renaissance faires and occasionally the mall? You know, the ones … Continue reading Family Heirlooms: how heraldic inheritance really works

Herald’s Admonishments: Chivalry for Heralds

About a decade or so ago, I became acquainted with Gerald Legh's Accedens of Armourie (1562) as a relatively new herald. Gerald Legh was an English lawyer (specifically the Inner Temple of the Inns of Court) and wrote a lot on heraldry specifically. Within the Accedens, he also admonishes that the people acting as heralds … Continue reading Herald’s Admonishments: Chivalry for Heralds

Pomp and Splendor: what to do with your heraldic device once registered

Once you've registered your arms, there are a multitude of ways to display them, all which add to our game. While I'll be using my arms as an example, keep in mind that different shapes may work better (or worse) with your arms. When you work on your own ideas, sketch out your own arms … Continue reading Pomp and Splendor: what to do with your heraldic device once registered

Straight Outta SLC: Quick and Easy SCA Names Using FamilySearch

Documenting names for the SCA doesn't always require large tomes or some sort of wizard with super-linguistic skills to interpret a source. One of the best sources we have at our disposal is FamilySearch, a genealogical tool that has compiled not only International Genealogical Index records, but other records (such as parish and birth) as … Continue reading Straight Outta SLC: Quick and Easy SCA Names Using FamilySearch

Making Choices; or why Konstantia wore one outfit over another

Seriously. This is pretty close to what we had. I live just north of the green circle. Calontir Coronation was this weekend, and as is often the risk with midwestern kingdoms in January, we had the prediction of some pretty heinous weather. So not kidding - we had a winter storm warning issued that morning … Continue reading Making Choices; or why Konstantia wore one outfit over another

Demystifying Heraldic Submissions: Waiting Is the Hardest Part

Picture the scene: you've got your name picked out, your badge forms coloured in, and you're itching to get your device painted on your shield. You go to your local herald, and as you're discussing the process, the question of how long your submission has comes up. This article will go into the submissions process … Continue reading Demystifying Heraldic Submissions: Waiting Is the Hardest Part