Are you interested in strengthening your skills as a branch or consulting herald? Or would you like to learn the trade so you can join the College of Arms?

Meet a small group of heralds in Østgarðr for a mini-schola on March 31, 2018, where you can review the consultation and submission process, and strengthen your armory design and name research skills.

We’ll gather on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in the space Whyt Whey uses for its A&S evenings: http://bit.ly/whytwheysolar

We’ll begin with a light lunch at noon and continue until around 5:00.

We’ll have talks on designing and checking arms and badges, researching names, working with consultation clients, and dealing with submissions paperwork.

Talks will alternate with Q&A periods and hands-on sessions in which you’ll have the opportunity to work on real or imaginary submissions, so please bring any incomplete registrations or other projects you’re currently working on.

If you have heraldry reference books or other materials you’d like to share with the group, we’d love to have a bit of show-and-tell time.

No fee; casual attire; feel free to bring a snack to share with the group.

Please repost this as appropriate; folks from neighboring groups would be welcome.

RSVP to herald@ostgardr.eastkingdom.org so we know to expect you and have enough handouts.

On February 10, Østgarđr will host the Their Majesties of the East Kingdom for the occasion of selection of their new Arts and Sciences and Bardic Arts Champions.

The event will follow the schedule set forth below:

On the thirteenth day of January, Anno Societatis 52, their excellencies Suuder Saran and Lada Monguligin, Il-Kha’an and Il-Khatun of the Il-Khanate of Østgarđr, did progress to Deck The Halls of Valhalla, held in the Old Stone House in their canton of Brokenbridge, and therein did they hold court.

Firstly his excellency Suuder addressed the populace and thanked them for their attendance in that hall.

Then the newcomers were called into court, being those for whom this was their first, second, or third event, and their excellencies did gift them each with candles in the form of the province’s badge, and bid them return again soon.

Their excellencies next did hear from the stewards of the event, Brandr Aronsson and Arnora Ketilsdottir, who thanked those who had taught classes, granting them tokens of the canton’s leporine emblem, and did give two bottles of mead to Cedar the Barefoot in appreciation of their entertainment on that day.

Lady Arnora was then seated but their excellencies did demand Lord Brandr return to their presence, speaking highly of all he had done there in Brokenbridge, teaching at his forge, laboring in the kitchens, and assisting all those who needed aid. In recognition of this work, they did summon the members of their Order of the Sea-Dog and bid they welcome Brandr into their ranks. A scroll was read and presented which did attest to his skills and generosity, written and illuminated with signs of meat and metal by Lady Beatrice della Rocca, who served the court that day as her Excellency’s retainer.

Their excellencies opined that the order was not yet complete and did call before them Lady Godiva de la Mer, thanking her for her service as Minister of Arts and Sciences in their canton of Whyt Whey, and bid her also join the Order there assembled. The flowery scroll which documented her success in arranging monthly classes in the canton had been prepared by Hlæfdige Alienor Salton, lately the Seneschal of said canton and well acquainted with those efforts.

The populace did then give cheer for Lord Brandr and Lady Godiva as they were welcomed by the members of the order they had joined.

Mistress Sofya Gianetta di Trieste then addressed the populace, asking for their assistance with preparations for the kingdom’s upcoming bardic and arts championships, and for the kingdom’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations.

Next Cedar the bard approached, bare of foot and fleet of tongue, and did graciously swear fealty to their excellencies, remembering days past spent together in Østgarđr’s feast halls, and bravely binding themself to stand ready at all times to taste for poison in their mead-cups. Lada and Suuder accepted their oath, promising that in Østgarđr they would always find a roof over their head and plenty of drink in need of testing.

Finally, their excellencies invited Lady Arnora Ketilsdottir to return to their court, which she did though burdened by her cherubic offspring. Suuder spoke of her years of service to Østgarđr, including her recent service as webminister of the province, and her willingness to increment their populace by the most miraculous of means, and for all of these reasons did induct her into the Order of the Seahorse. The order was called forth and Lord Brandr did present Lady Arnora with a medalion of of storied lineage. A beautiful scroll was presented with illumination and words by Anneke Walmarsdottir featuring calligraphy by Brian Smiley, and the populace did cheer thrice for Lady Arnora.

As the hour grew late, their Excellencies did thereupon declare their court to be closed, and passed thence with the approbation of all.

These were the events of the day as recorded by their servant,

— Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Seahorse Pursuivant