[MR] Re: Heraldry - why?

[Charlotte Johnson]

Thank you to everybody for your candid and helpful responses. The digests are
coming faster than I can respond to each, so I’ll put all of my thoughts in
one message.

For starters, I think that the College of Heralds does a fabulous job with both
the heraldry and the names. It’s one of the few areas that we have that has
good rules and regulations regarding what is period and what is not. Anybody
who knows me knows that I’m all about having anything that increases the
period-ness of anybody’s impression. :-) 

> Besides, heraldry is cool.

:-D Certainly – I’ll agree with that. I find it interesting how many people
are out there encouraging people to get arms registered. I see it as a Good
Thing (tm), if appropriate for your persona. I’m looking at it from this
angle – there are a LOT of cool things that people can do to make their game
more medieval. It’d also be cool if as many people encouraged others to, say,
wear period shoes, or wear appropriate headwear. A part of me wonders, if I were
ever princess (I can wax philisophical about it, because that event is *highly*
unlikely ;-) ), if I would get a LOT of pushback/evil nicknames were I to
require that entrants and/or consorts had/wore period shoes.

>Having heraldry is just a little effort put forth to make the game better. 
>It's like covering camp chairs near the list field, not wearing blue jeans & 
>tennis shoes, standing for approaching royalty & allowing ladies to take your 
>seat when you feet are screaming. 

> No one is being forced to do this unless you want to play at a higher level.

Actually, this is the only point which bothers me, somewhat. I find it somewhat
insulting (? – maybe not the right word) that one would think that I’m not
taking the game seriously, or playing at a "high level", because I have not
registered arms. I know that most of you don’t know me, as since I’ve moved
into the kingdom I’ve been playing lightly, but I have in the past given
blood, sweat, and tears to this game, and I know many who have that do not have
or use registered arms. To that end, I think it’s valuable to think of the
term "the Game" as nebulous as the term "the Dream". Both the "game" and the
"dream" are different for all, and what is taken for a higher level by one,
might not be considered a higher level by all. 

Egil, once my baby is born, house is sold, other house is built, our gear is out
of storage and my husband and I are attending events again in the style that we
prefer (due to health issues, I’m stuck with short day trips for now), I’d
like to invite you to my camp for refreshment. I would invite you to judge for
yourself whether or not you feel like our level is suffering for my current
lack of heraldry. That is a good faith, serious offer, that I intend in a
friendly manner, and would be most happy if you would take me up on when we
have the chance. :-D

That all said, I do think "because it's cool" is the *best* reason to request
that people have heraldry, to fight in crown, or for any other venue. :-D I
think as a test of your commitment to the "game", it would be somewhat
inappropriate. I’m pleased to know more about the reasons behind this, and
when it comes to the wishes of the crowns for their list, I’m certainly a
royalist. 

>Take a deep breath, count to ten (10 for the fighters) & remember this is a
>game.  Make the game fun for others & the game is more fun for yourself.

:-/ I'm somewhat distressed by this – I'm afraid I didn't express myself very
well. I'm not upset about the policy in the least, I just wanted to hear
different opinions on the prevailing push for all to register heraldry. I
wouldn't want you to think that I'm angry, feel disenfranchised at all, or am
upset with anybody. I’m afraid that wasn't conveyed very well through my
message – I tried to pepper it with smilies so people knew. :-)

Kwellend-Njal, thank you for your long, well thought-out answer. As I say above,
I think it a good addition for the appropriate personae. Though the cheeky part
of me also has to answer this:

>All that said, can you imagine a Middle Ages without heraldry?  

Nope, I can't. But *I* also can’t imagine it without turnshoes, wool/silk, fur
linings, and metal armour. ;-) I think it *all* should be encouraged!

Like I said, I’m feeling cheeky... (usually)

Cheers!
Mathilde