The Armour Archive

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Although it's not a standing law in Atlantia, it is pretty common for the incumbent Monarchs to require registered heraldry as a condition for entering Crown. Quite apart from any practical considerations, though; I would advocate going through the process to register your heraldry just because It's...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

As I understand it, a lot of country priests learned the Mass by rote and many of them had only a general idea of what the words meant. But anyone who aspired to higher ecclesiastical office would need a working knowledge of Latin. That common language enabled clergy from many places whose common la...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Sapphire Joust, and may the Lord have mercy on me . . .

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Are you wanting to make the emblazon (image) match the blazon (description), or to make the blazon match the emblazon? The blazon of the image you provided is: Per chevron argent and per pale sable and gules, two Continental panthers combatant sable incensed gules and a wolfâ€™s head couped argent. ...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

If you're not part of a group, try to find one to link up with. There IS a section of the camping area set aside for individual campers, but there are so many logistical aspects to camping for a whole week that unless you're an experienced camper, you might have trouble keeping up with everything. S...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Oddly enough, I think I could go to Pennsic, not fight, and STILL have a good time. It was amazing. A lot of people do go to Pennsic and not fight. Even some fighters. I've often debated whether I would elect to go to Pennsic if I had an injury that kept me from fighting but didn't affect my genera...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Hey guys, who are we to tell another group, an independent group, how they should evolve or behave?

The Tuchux are an entity unto themselves, we in the SCA have no right or business telling them what to do.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Kilkenny wrote:And then there's the blocking thing

Sure, fellows, but give the lad a chance; he's just getting started!

Donal Mac Ruiseart

On the fourth day of May in the forty-fourth year of the Society, being by the Gregorian reckoning MMIX, I, Lord Ingvarr Ã˜rrabein, known else as Ingvarr Stansson, did set forth an invitation to the warriors of Atenveldt and the Known World, that they might, on the seventh day of May, meet me in a D...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

There were the Sleep Wars, the Sheep Wars, and the Salt Wars, in the southeastern part of the Known World. The Sleep Wars were brought on by one king's phoning another after he and his quee had gone to bed. Sheep Wars started when one king captured another king's favourite (sheep, called Poopsie) an...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Meanwhile in North America, moose and elk are entirely different.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

[Sir Vladimir's] polearm . . . was padded . . . At the time I made that statement that was my belief. But yesterday I was talking with Sir Otto von Schwartzkatz, Deputy Earl Marshal for Armored Combat, who inspected Sir Vladimir's weapon; and he told me it had a split-rattan head. I answered based ...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Well, I stand corrected as to the spelling . . .

Donal Mac Ruiseart

In Atlantia, "Thrusts to the head, outside of the face, are not telling blows and need not be counted. "

This appears in para. 3.6.1.4.5 of The Policies of the Great Officers of Atlantia.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I'll stay off your lawn if you stay off my cooler

Donal Mac Ruiseart

From what you have written, I think you benefited from performing this deed.

I am glad that my words aided you in this.

I think your father would be pleased and proud.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

The modern coat of arms of the CIty of Rome is an unusual design because it consists of a cross and those letters (S P Q R) in gold on a red field, in bend: http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/misc/it)rm-rm.gif The crown above it is a variation on the mural crown. Modernly it is often used to identify the ...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Anjouleme wrote:I can't help but smile when there's a harpy on my head.

Arrrgh, weapons of mass distraction!

Donal Mac Ruiseart

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<center>Pictures?</center>

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Donal Mac Ruiseart

A couple of years ago, there was the Novice Tourney and there was the Graybeard Tourney, one immediately following the other; I forget which followed which. There was a gentle who qualified for both - He was in his early 50s and had been fighting less than a year. He fought in both, and did well.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

It is true that exceptions are made, but that is the general rule. And trying to explain the intricacies of exceptions, in this environment, to someone new to the art, would probably cause more confusion than it solved. In any case, I seriously doubt that black on green would qualify for exception.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

A hotter otter? I'm assuming this is for the SCA? I just did a quick SCA conflict check and I think it's clear, though conflict checking is not my strongest suit. If you like what you've got there, get someone (like your local herald) to do the form up properly and send it in. I like it; it looks sh...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

To blazon a heraldic design means to describe it verbally in the "language of blazon," the peculiar jargon of heraldry. To emblazon a design means to depict it graphically. This is the blazon of your design: "Per chevron vert two otters rampant combatant Or and counter-ermine." A...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Cian, that ballock-dagger you show: Is the blade rattan, could it be made SCA-legal by the addition of a tip and tape?

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Here's my interpretation of it:

Donal Mac Ruiseart

One way to ensure that the otters are above the line of division would be to blazon it:

Per chevron vert two otters rampant combatant Or and counter-ermine.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I recall an image from a manuscript somewhere, with a tavern identified by a broom sticking out the window in the same manner as that saltire of spoons. The modern caption indicated that the broom was a conventional mark of a tavern.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

In 1978, as part of my Tour of the Known World, I visted Las Cruces. I think it was part of what was then called South Pass at the time. Oddly, I cannot recall the name of the family on whose sofa I spent a couple of nights, though I do recall that they lived on the outskirts of town on a street cal...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

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Cry "Havordh!" and let slip the dogs of war!

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Donal Mac Ruiseart

Ingvarr wrote: Would it be wrong to have mine and my wife's arms displayed at the sign in table?

In my opinion, it would be entirely appropriate.

It would be better still were you able to display your late father's arms as well.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Ingvarr, it was with great satisfaction and pleasure that I read your announcement. You do great honour to your late father, to your name, to your kingdom, and to the very name of chivalry in performing this deed. The only thing that would increase my pleasure would be to cross weapons with you myse...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I too sometimes feel a lack of enthusiasm as I'm packing and loading for an event, as I'm travelling to it, indeed even as I'm setting up. But then I get into my armour and the change hits. I do some stretches and I'm rarin' ta go. I'm not sure how it works or why it works, but it works, and has for...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Corby de la Flamme wrote:I renew my contention that His Highness is the best polearmsman in the world.

That is high praise, Sir Corby, especially from you (whom I consider to be among the best, and I think most would agree).

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Skutai wrote:Did Vlad's polearm have a padded, or rattan edge?

It was padded, as was the glaive of the other gentle who at one point took that style into the Lists. Otherwise it was all sword and shield. I don't think unpadded pole-arms are sanctioned in Atlantia, and I hope they never are.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Edmund of Hertford wrote:Vlad . . . has been up there at Crowns for as long as I have been traveling to Atlantia (13 yrs?) and longer . . .

Aye, now he can retire those 27 dresses.

Re: polearm to the win