[MR] SPIKE

[WELENC,LUCINDA]

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 16:05:00 -0500
  <scry42 at cox.net> wrote:
>Or with the Hippocampus as well - an award for young 
>people in Atlantia.

>> Others better versed in heraldry should comment on this, 
>>but I believe that a 
>> plain heraldic sea-horse would conflict with the badge 
>>for the Crown Province 
>> of Østgarðr in the East, which is a natural sea-horse 
>>proper.

No, the use of these symbols by certain groups does not at 
all deny others the use of them, any more than any other 
symbol.  With the exception of certain specific symbols 
that are either emblems of rank in the society (crown, 
laurel wreath, wreath of roses, closed loop of chain, 
pelican, etc.) or have been deemed offensive (swastika) 
ANYONE can use ANY charge in the design of their armory. 

The Atlantian badge for the Hippocampus is "(Fieldless) A 
seahorse erect argent tailed azure." This is a white 
heraldic seahorse with a blue tail. Any heraldic 
submission must differ from it by two Clear Differences. 
(Our heraldic rules at 
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/rfs.html
lay out what is a clear difference)

If someone were to submit a black seahorse on a gold 
background, it would not conflict with the Hippocampus, 
because you have changed the color of the seahorse and the 
color of the background, both Clear Differences.

Alanna