OTC- Twyg

 Order of the Tygers Combattant for Antonius Gracchus (known as Twyg).

This was based on a funerary stone I had seen while traveling on Cologne (Koln) a number of years ago.  Thankfully, Jay has all his pictures organized and I could find them.  This was in the Romano-Germanic Museum (see below):

Exemplar from the museum

The scroll is on papyrus that was brought back to me from Egypt as a gift.  Because of that, I wanted to make the materials the star of the scroll and left the rough edges in place.  Illumination was done using period paints by Archangel Arts.  

Words and Latin translation by Aelia Fortunata.

Illumination and calligraphy by me (ink on some very bumpy/fibery papyrus)

Words are as follows:

Prae populis Orientalibus, propter facultatem armibus magnam, Antonius Gracchus nominatUr Twyg Ordoni Tygridem Combattantes excellitur, et armam adnuitur. Fecerunt Donovan Rex et Megha Regina Orientis, intra Bellum Centum Minutae in Silvestre Ferruceo.


Before the Eastern people, because of great skill with arms, is Antonius Gracchus called Twyg praised into the Order of the Tygers Combattant, and is granted arms. Done by King Donovan and Queen Megha of the East, during the 100 Minutes War in the Rusted Woodlands

Remy - Laurel

This was another collaboration with Nataliia, but with some wonky timelines due to Pennsic and Pennsic A&S prep. 

I basically had the time from when I came back from the event to Falling Leaves to get the calligraphy done and get as many of the word to fit in the space provided as possible. I did a lot of work and rework of the calligraphy trying to get the just slightly out of period hand to work for me with the abbreviated timeline, but again. Learning a new hand in a short timeline is not the brightest of ideas so some of the letter forms are not ideal and look a bit more like other hands I know better. All in all though I think it pulled together well and made for a complete piece with the stunning illumination Nataliia did.

Illumination by Natallia Anastasiia Evgenova 

Words by HRH Donovan Shinnock 

Calligraphy by me using Dr. PhMartin's Specralite gold 18 carat. 

Souce is http://bibliotecaestense.beniculturali.it/info/img/mss/i-mo-beu-gamma.l.10.18.pdf (used exemplar on page 8 of the file)

Project: Pennsic A&S Champions 2025

March - August 2025 

I revamped my Kingdom A&S project once I found out I was accepted to the A&S champs team for Pennsic this year.

First and foremost, I was going to finish the decoupage folio from March.

Second, I wanted to take the comments from champs and expand my research.

My revamped documentation is up on my google drive here.  If nothing else, the annotated bibliography is pretty damn good and I've very proud of it.

At the end of the day, the East/Middle (purple) team scored 2 War Points vs the Allied (green) team's 1War Point for Art and Science.  6 of the East folks won their category including two folks with PERFECT SCORES (who happen to be two very awesome and kind friends of mine).  All of the East entrants kicked so much ass and I'm sure proud to be part of a collection of awesome artisans and researchers.

I'll leave you with a few pictures to document the very good day....

My revised decoupage calligraphy folio.

I won my category: Lived Objects (Non-Laurel)

The East's Art & Science Entrants:

Back: Engracia de Madrigal, Remy Delamontagne de Gascogne

Middle: Alanna of Skye, Nuno Cabral do Mar, Aesa Feilinn Jossursdottir

Front: Estgar æt Hrofeceastre, Isabel del Okes, Celine Elisabeth de Meaux, Gavin Kent, Fearghus Mac Cailin

Anezka - Golden Rapier

 May 3, 2025

This project consisted of two parts: and official document scroll and a "story" scroll telling what led the award to be given.  My part on this was to do the very long story scroll.

Pelikan 4001 black and Dr Ph Martin bright red ink on pergamenata.

Calligraphy by Æsa feilinn Jossursdottir (main text scroll) and Thyra Eiriksdottir (charter scroll)
Words by Gun∂ormr Dengir, Aelia Fortunata, and Cosmas of Prague. 

Some light scraping needed to be done, but this was basically the final piece of my half of the project.

Exemplar:

Bautzen manuscript of Cosmas's Chronicle of the BohemiansVIII.F.69; Library of the National Museum in Prague; Prague; Czech Republic;https://www.manuscriptorium.com/apps/index.php?direct=record&pid=AIPDIG-NMP___VIII_F_69___2NZEPX1-cs#search 

Words are from:
Chronicle of the Czechs

Wolverton, Lisa and Cosmas of Prague. The Chronicle of the Czechs. The Catholic University of America Press, 2012. Project MUSE, https://muse.jhu.edu/book/24839.

Main Text

Here begins the next chapter of the Chronicle of the East

Anno 56 - As the Ram departed the skies, Ryouko'jin Of-The Iron-Skies and Indrakshi Aani Aravinda were crowned king and queen of the East, soon after Mohammad triumphed on the field and he and Corotica were crowned Prince and Princess of Tir Mara.

Anno 58 - Under an ill-omened eclipse, Matthias and Æsa feilinn were crowned king and queen. A second eclipse of the sun followed their reign, darkening the skies at mid-day.

Anno 59 - Crowned at the end of the previous year, Emerson reigned as King Consort with sovereign Tindall II, well remembered for his well attired court. At the closing of the year Ryouko'jin and Indrakshi, second of those names, were crowned to great acclaim

Anno 60 - The law, as they commonly say, has a nose of wax and the king has an iron hand and a long arm, so that he can bend it however he pleases. Thus the king proclaimed that his tournament was to be fought with thin blades of steel. There, with all the leading nobles of the empire—dukes, margraves, satraps, and barons—agreeing and praising it, that Caesar chose an heir, one to rule Tir Mara and then his own lands, after his fate.


There too, with the esteemed of the kingdom standing at his right and left, the nobles and comites sitting in a wide circle, and all the warriors standing behind them, Anezka Liska z Kolina was summoned to be present before them. In a loud voice the King began to praise her, describing her skill with blade and how all were transfixed by the beauty of her lunges. When faced with a foe, just as a flame let loose in a dry haystack rages and consumes everything in a moment, so too she disarmed her adversaries with iron and threw them into despair. Oh Hell, he proclaimed, how many victims will be given you! Open your workshops to receive souls from this Czech. Much more was said praising her study of the art of Fabris, a marvelous interpreter of the martial page. Finally both King and Queen were seen to write their signs, with their own hands, on the privilege given to her that day inducting her into the Order of the Golden Rapier


Charter
English

Ryouku'jin our Emperor and King, and Indrakshi, our beloved queen, both second of that name, confirm that Agnes of Kolin otherwise (seu or sive?) Anezka Liska z Kolina, is a member of the Order of the Golden Rapier, and may claim the rights and bear the badges as per the law and custom of the East.


Done in Glenn Linn, AD 2025, first regnal month, Indiction 3, AS 60, 5 days before the nones of May

Latin

Ryouku’jin Imperatorque Rex, et Indrakshi, Regina amata nobis, secundum nominis eorum, Agneti Coliniensis nominatur Anezka Liska z Kolina conferunt collegiam esse Ordonem Spathae Aureae, meretur ac benificios ac insignia de iure moribusque Orientalis.


Datum Glenn Linne, a.d. MMXXV, regnum mense primo, tertia indictione, a.s. LX, V nonas maii

Tyger's Cub - Angeirsson

September 2024

The second scroll I did that month went to a friend's kiddo.

Words and calligraphy by me. Illumination is by Lauralee (a scribe from Meridies).

Word were loosely based on text from the Ynglinsa Saga, verse 20. From the Heimskringla or The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturlson (c.1179-1241)

Tindal was the name of the king, who ruled with Emerson as his consort. About the deeds of the Eastern youth, they commanded Feilinn to write of it thus: --

"Arngeirsson the Dragonslayer, the mighty warrior,
It is no hidden secret thing,
Has gone to show his skill,
Axes and knives find their target.
For friends old and new
He extends his hand.
The raptor pack of these tiny tygers
Brave Arngeirrson invites them to join.”

And so it came to be that Arngeirsson was named a Tyger’s Cub, and bore the sigil of the order with pride. It was the 14th day of September, as the sun started to set and the skalds gathered to tell their stories in fair Stonemarche, A.S. 59.

Silver Brooch - Amalia

 September 2024

Silver Brooch backlog scroll from the reign of Tindal and Emerson.

Calligraphy by me.  Illumination by Danielle Bird of Meridies. Words by Alys.

Silver Rapier - Molly

 November 2022

This picture was hanging out in my phone because there was a lot going on this day.  I had been working this very sneaky scroll and everyone else was being sneaky about me getting a Writ for the Pelican the same day.

Leonete has much more information on this project on her blog which you can find here.

This was a fun collaboration project for a dear friend.

Calligraphy by me!  Ink on perg

Illumination by Leonete d'Angely

Award of Arms - Madwen

 May 2024

A quick turn-around Award of Arms and my first after step-down.  I did the calligraphy and words, gold ink on bristol.  The illumination was a lovely scroll blank I had in my stash.

Seamstress to the Crown - Cassandra

 April 2024

I know there is not supposed to be a scroll for this award, but I did it myself and don't feel that bad about it.

Cassandra was an absolute rockstar during the reign and put up with a lot of my insecurities around garb for an entire year.  This was a scroll blank I had from Keziah that I had stashed and wanted to make sure it got put to good use.

Calligraphy by me. Gold ink on bristol

Silver Crescent - Keziah

 August 2021 - April 2024

This one was a hard one.  I had taken this assignment (assigned it to myself) back in Aug 2021 because it was a short turn around and.... it was the first scroll deadline I missed.  Ever.  I did send it up to the event to be shown in court and signed (it was not signed at the time), but asked for it back to finish.  I got it home....and there was a catastrophic water splash right over the calligraphy as I was working on it.  The scroll went into a time out until I could get to Eva to help me fix the calligraphy.

After the calligraphy was cleaned up I went back to work on it and....couldn't.  I had painting paralysis.  Every time I looked at it, I was filled with dread and ...I just couldn't do it.  So it went to my desk to chill....and there it sat.  Waiting. Lurking. Judging.

My time as Signet came to an end because lo and behold, I was now the Princess of the East and by god I was going to get this done before we stepped up.....

Step up came and went and we gave Keziah a writ for the Order of the Laurel.

After I got home, I made a promise I was going to get this done before we gave her the Laurel.  

I got close.  I actually finished it right afterward because there was just too much going on.

Entire scroll by me: Calligraphy is Pelikan ink on perg. Raised gilding on the illuminated capital and gold dots. W&N gouache.

Based on: https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/105TH2 (Five Leaves from a Noted Brevity)

  

Illumination detail with gilding.

Close up of the exemplar

The Water Catastrophe.

Tyger's Cub - Connor

 September 2023

The last scroll I did as Princess after I had said "I promise I won't do any more scrolls."  This is for the child of some dear friends and I was not going to let this one pass me by.  He's a great kiddo and deserves nice things.  I went with a more "grown up" style of scroll for the Cub, because I felt like he's appreciate the nod to getting similar scrolls to his parents.

Order of the Tyger's Cub for Connor Shinnock

C&I by me.  Calligraphy is 18K gold ink on perg, Illumination is from 1500s Italian Book of Hours

Side by side with the exemplar

Some in progress pictures:

Defense - Marguerite

 May 2023

Well May was a trip but I was not going to let an opportunity to do a scroll for a dear friend pass me by.  The logistics on the timing for this were rough and the scroll was not going to be done in time for this, so it was done it two parts.

The first part is I made a small promissory scroll with the help of my daughter so there was SOMETHING to be given out at court.  I made an inspirational copy of a piece of art from a modern day artist's work.  Her inspiration was from the "Conference of the Birds" and I added some transliterated text.  I asked my daughter to color the piece in since the recipient is one of her many SCA "Aunties".  There is also something to be said that this was coming from the sitting Tyger Princess and the Lady of the Northern Shores (title given to the real life children of the Eastern Heirs).

Gold ink and micron pen on bristol.

Illumination by Kira of Darostur (age "almost 5") using color pencils

Now that we had some breathing room, the real scroll was in process with my intrepid co-conspirators.  Liadan and Sara agreed to help with the illumination and words respectively.  Both of them did spectacular jobs with this.  Inspiration piece was "Durga confronting the Demon Mahisha in the form of an Elephant".  Liadan did the border on both pieces of perg so we could work independently, but still have both halves of the piece match.  Calligraphy by me in gold ink on perg.

Scriptorium Workshop - How many scrolls in 18 days?!

 January 1 -18, 2023

Where our hero and a pair of accomplices made "decisions" to get a TON of scrolls done in a very tight turn around for the Kingdom. 

Leonete d'Angely, Marieta Charay, and I made a choice and I would not recommend doing this in the future.  A lot of the prep work was done during our winter break where we had time off from work.  We were dumb, but we wanted to make sure the recipients were properly recognized.

We were later awarded the Rabbit in the Moon for our work on this by Their Majesties.  

I did the calligraphy only on these, all illuminations were done by others or were scroll blanks. I sadly didn't get pictures of everything I worked on.  Anything in Arabic was transliterated due to the time constraint.

Pelican scroll: 18K gold ink on perg

AoA: ink on perg

AoA: 18K gold ink on bristol

Sagittarius: ink on bristol

County/Rose - Indrakshi

October 2022

A HUGE thank you to my illuminator Liadan Ingen Chineada, one of my favorite poets Marguerite Ingen Lachlainn, and Sara al-Garnatiyya (principle herald of the Kingdom of Meridies) who worked as my translator.  The text is in Farsi - a language I don't read and that is written right to left.  Calligraphy is done with Dr. Ph. Martin's Spectralite 18 carat gold ink on pergamenata.

The highest compliments I received on this that I will treasure forever: a hug from the recipient and a research friend saying "For someone who doesn't know the language, you sure did great."

Combined Rose and County scroll for Indrakshi Aani Aravinda

Calligraphy by me: Dr Ph Martin's Spectralite 18K gold ink on pergamenata

Words:

"It is obvious that in the elemental world there is nothing more magnificent and noble than the precious existence of monarchs, on whose high mindedness the external order of the world depends. It is certain that to entrust a world to one person and to place the affairs of the world in the hands of one individual is to put the world of meaning to her, or rather to create the soul of the world of meaning - particularly a monarch who can detect whiffs of breezes of spiritual spring and grace the throne of success, and has become a painter in the studio of meaning, a host of the banquet of reality, an intimate in the private apartments of the visible world, and a confidant in the pavilion of unity, and who graces the throne of felicity with good fortune.

Be it known by these letters patent, read into the court of Sultan Mohammad Al Wajdi Al Abderrafi Al Manil Ibn Horrah Ibn Gowan and Brenhines Corotica merkka Senebelnae, on October 1, AS 57,that the person known as Indrakshi Aani Aravinda is to be inducted into the Order of the Rose, and then the felicitous title of Countess, which she shall bear in honor as long as the moon waxes and wanes."

Reference: Abu’l-Fizal, The History of Akbar, Vol 1, Translation by Wheeler Thackston, Harvard University Press, Cambridge Massachusetts, 2015. ISBN 9978-0-674-42775-4 (Pgs 14 - 15)

Progress pictures of the calligraphy:

Laurel - Vivian

March 2022

I did some calligraphy on a Laurel scroll.  This is Dr. Martin's Spectralite 18 carat gold ink on pergamenata.  

Illumination by Nataliia, words by Alys Mackyntoich, and Arabic translation by  Sara al-Garnatiyya (Kingdom of Meridies).  Gunðormr acted as my Arabic "proof-reader" and says he is rusty but offered some help with letter forms and kerning.

Scroll is base on a 16th C Quaran:  https://www.meisterdrucke.uk/fine-art-prints/Ottoman-School/659616/Folio-from-a-Quran,-sura-71:9-28;-sura-72:1-9-and-part-of-10,-detached-manuscript-folio,-2nd-half-of-16th-century-(ink,-opaque-watercolour-and-gold-on-paper).html?fbclid=IwY2xjawIy911leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHe65vXUGyKWFuGV5ksdOyshzDMluVjfyR8L6t4q12AySUNJ32mTZo1qiew_aem_oS0l-U_yPXNk809LtsgrOQ 

Rejoice! For upon this 26th day of March in the 56th year of the Society, Ioannes and Ro Honig, Imperial Sovereigns, invested and endowed Vivian de Dunbar with laurels and high accolades, showering praise like rose petals upon her head. A wreath of laurel leaves they gave her, and gifts of great value, and, that her worth be known, also Arms by Letters Patent, Purpure, a decrescent and on a chief argent three sprigs of heather palewise purpure. Rejoice!


Arabic:
نبتهج! في هذا اليوم السادس والعشرين من شهر مارس في السنة السادسة والخمسين من عمر الجمعية ، استثمر إيوان ورو هونيغ ، الإمبراطورية السيادية ، ومنحها فيفيان دي دنبار أمجاد وأوسمة عالية ، وتملأ الثناء مثل بتلات الورد على رأسها. أكاليل من أوراق الغار التي قدموها لها ، وهدايا ذات قيمة كبيرة ، ولكي تُعرف قيمتها ، منحت مكانة خطابات براءة اختراع ، أرجوانية ، متدلية وعلى رأس ثلاثة أغصان من هيذر أرجوانية باهتة. نبتهج!


Transliteration:
Nabtaji! fi hadha al-yawm al-saadis wa leishrin min shahr maris fi al-sanat al-saadisat wal-khamsin min eumr al-jam-ee-ath , aistathmar 'iiwan wa ru hunigh , al'iimbiraturiat al-siyadiat , wamanahaha fifiaan di dinbar 'amjad wa'awsimatan ealiatan , watamla al-thana' mithl bitlat al-ward ealaa rasiha. 'akalil min 'awraq alghar alati qadamuha laha , wahadaya dhat qimat kabirat , walikay tuerf qimatuha , manahat makanat khitabat bara'at aikhtirae , 'urjuaniat , mutadaliyatan waealaa ras thalathat 'aghsan min haydhar 'urjuaniat bahitatun. Nabtaji!

Award of Arms - Ander

 

December 2021

Award of Arms for Ander Tynegate.

Words and Calligraphy by me.

Silver Crescent - Lilias

 Order of the Silver Crescent scroll for Lilias de Cheryngton

Scroll text by Gun∂ormr Dengir, Ælia Fortunata and Jerome of Stridon; based on the Song of Songs: http://www.drbo.org/drl/chapter/24001.htm 

Calligraphy and Illumination by Æsa feillinn Jossursdottir; based on Manuscript Vat.lat.9490 f.25v - Vatican Library

Finished scroll

Original, open folio view

Burgundy acid free paper, Dr. Ph. Martin's Spectralite 18 carat gold ink, goauche, schminke water color

Manuscript - Manuscript - Manuscript - 

Latin text:

Quae est ista quae progreditur quasi aurora consurgens, pulchra ut luna lunata, electa ut sol, terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata?
Actiones illia columnae marmoreae quae fundatae sunt super bases aureas. Opera eia ut Atlantis, Mundus Cognitus sustinens.
Ea flos Orientis, illa Lilias Cheryngtonis.
Sicut lilium inter spinas, sic Domina nostrae inter Tygrides.
Sicut turris Orientis vis eia, quae aedificata est cum propugnaculis; mille clypei pendant ex ea, omnis bellatores fortium.
Si murus est, aedificemus super eam lunae argenteae;
si cimeliarchium est, ponamus corona Orientis in cautione sua.
Servicium eiae quam signum in Nostro Cordibus, quam signum in Nostra Armis, quia fortis est ut mors Noster Amor eiae.

in illo tempore, cum illis verbis fecerunt, in primo anno Suus Maiestates Tindale et Alberice consulibus, inter nubes candentes, exaltaverunt Liliatem Cheryngtonis ad Ordinem Selenarium Argenteum suo, ut hoc signum gerat, In pale a crescent inverted argent and an Eastern crown Or; simul ut potentias et responsabilitates ordini utatur in saecula saeculorum, vivat.



English text:

Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising,
fair as the crescent moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array?
Her acts as pillars of marble, that are set upon bases of gold.
Her labors like Atlas, supporting the known world
She is the flower of the East, this Lillias of Cheryngton.
As the lily among the thorns, so is our Lady among the Tygers
Her Strength is the tower of the East, which is built with bulwarks;
a thousand bucklers hang upon it, all the armor of valiant warriors.
If she be a wall: let us decorate it with inverted crescents of silver
If she be a treasury, let us place an Eastern Crown within her care
Her service is as a seal upon Our Hearts,
as a seal upon Our Arms,
for Our Love for her is as strong as death

It was in those times and with those words that their majesties Tindal and Alberic, in the year of their first Counsulship did, amidst clouds of light, elevate Lillias of Cheryngton to their order of their silver crescent, that she might bear the mark, In pale a crescent inverted argent and an Eastern crown Or, and exercise the powers and responsibilities of that order for ever and ever, vivat