Wending toward Hundred Minutes
Metal Mete Mentors East
Matthew and Fiamuin
Having heard this one, deft
High Host of Being, and
See to setting said deeds
So they might be recalled
Known for knowledge seeking,
Noted to face challenge
Sunlight Spot of Spinners
Sets his group’s ether space
Guard of Grounds Adjutant
Getting prepared to rise
And Other Obligations
As observed by Our Eyes
All these Accomplishments
Add to recognition
BattleBoard Brain Baubles
Before Rink Mikkelsen
Arms are Awarded and
Added to his acclaim
In the Shire of Rusted Woodlands
Anno Societatis LIX
Wordcount 99
Key - Dróttkvætt
6 syllables long
Dróttkvætt Alliteration
(a) - (a) - A -
A - - - - -
Compound Words
Kennings
(KENNING MEANING)
Imperfect Syllable Count Notation
Heraldic Language
We are Where the winds blow
Wending toward Hundred Minutes 7
Metal Mete Mentors East (MAJESTIES)
Matthew and Fiamuin
Having heard this one, deft
High Host of Being, and (MANKIND, HUMAN)
See to setting said deeds
So they might be recalled to full!
Known for knowledge keeping,
Noted to face challenge
Sunlight Spot of Spinners (WEB MINISTER)
Sets his group’s ether space
Guard of Grounds Adjutant ( DEPUTY SENESCHAL)
Getting prepared to fill
Other Obligations
As observed by Our Eyes
All these Accomplishments
Add to recognition
BattleBoard Brain Bauble (AWARD OF ARMS)
Before Rink Mikkelsen
Arms are Awarded and
Added to his acclaim
In the Shire of Rusted Woodlands
Anno Societatis LIX
Chills you to the BLOG
Every kenning in this scroll is an original creation. Though, as is seen, there are some derivatives from existing kennings. I am proud of this. It was not that long ago that the idea of creating my own kennings terrified me.
To that end the prep work for this scroll was mostly focused on the creation of the kennings and arranging the words into the rigid structure of the Dróttkvætt Meter.
We are Where the winds blow
Wending toward Hundred Minutes 7 *
The opening couplet would have been a proper Dróttkvætt verse, had the name of the event contained an extra syllable. It was let to stand though because it was the name.
As it is, I really like how this sounds and it's strong, yet lyrical. Which I credit toward using the W.
Metal Mete Mentors East (MAJESTIES)
Matthew and Fiamuin *
There are myriad kennings translated for kings/chieftains/Rulers. Many of them are variations of wealth distributors or gold Givers. For this scroll I played around with some keywords, until I came up with a combination that suited the scroll and alliteration the best.
Giver of gold to men
Supplier
Protector
Children of Men is mankind
Men = many (in an effort to keep it gender neutral)
Mentors to the Many
Mentors give out gold
Give out - to mete out
Mentors mete out metal
This is a little bit of word salad, but I hope the process my brain got to the final kenning can be seen.
Having heard this one, deft
High Host of Being, and (MANKIND, HUMAN)
Here I wanted to slip in a kenning to this couplet. When I saw the kenning host of men [MANKIND] My first thought was of the quote “Children of Men.” A phrase stuck in my head for ages now. Not just from kenning research, but the movie by the same name.
My brain always says, “that's a kenning for humans!” When I hear it.
Playing around with words, I came up with:
Host of men
Men = Human Being
Host of being - as in human being
This kenning ended up with another movie reference.. Host of Being evoked a Ghost in a Shell reference in my head.
It is only now as the Blog is being written that I see the Christian religious influence that host could have. When I was writing it, my inspiration was the movies above, and as I understand it, possibly a philosophy of the soul/ghost, and the definition of host as:
“a person who receives or entertains guests socially” or “a living organism on or in which a parasite lives.”
The concept of the Heavenly Host or An army of God, (found in many religions) had simply not occurred to me until I re-read the couplet.
I hope my initial intention is understood as it is read out into court. One can only hope.
See to setting said deeds
So they might be recalled to full *
The first fully correct Dróttkvætt! At least by my interpretation of the verse form. Albeit “so” counts as a little word and not one that would be alliterated to. But I am still claiming victory here!
Known for knowledge keeping,
Noted to face challenge
The last two digit word in the first line makes it not truly alliterative. As the fifth syllable alliterative spot is a K sound, and not the N.
This and the proceeding couplet are the first descriptive couplets in the scroll; expounding on the recipient’s attributes.
Sunlight Spot of Spinners (WEB MINISTER)
Sets his group’s ether space *
This was a full Dróttkvætt verse! That makes almost three that were composed correct!
The SCAdian Kenning, Sunlight Spot of Spinners for the Webminister was created for this scroll and inspired by the heraldry of the Web Ministry, emblem.
You can see how the evolution of the kenning was created:
Spider
Web spinner
Webs cross spaces in the house
Path of the sun - Sky
The brave army of the famous guardian of Norway [NORWEGIAN KING = Óláfr] was far from reluctant to wound the troops of the Jótar. Óláfr under the path of the sun [SKY]
From: The Phoenix and The King of Birds or the Lady of the Phoenix
Song of the tenth or eleventh centuries
By George Stevens
Thinking of a spider crawling across its web
Paths of the sun
Steps of the sun
Sunlight Steps of Spinners
As I was referencing the arms of the Webministry I decided to change steps to spot, although that can change as needs dictate.
Sunlight Spot of Spinners
When I first create one of these SCAdian Kennings, and oftentimes afterwards, I try to define what they mean in the text of the scroll. Unlike the appellations for Their Majesties, Which usually aren’t defined, because Their names are following the kenning.
Guard of Grounds Adjutant ( DEPUTY SENESCHAL)
Getting prepared to fill
The SCAdian Kenning for Seneschal, Guard of Grounds, had been created in 2023 for a Silver Crescent. From here I looked for two or three syllable words that fit deputy and came upon the word adjutant.
While this was first used in the 15th century in association with the Spanish Military, it seemed to fit here for the role of deputy.
Like all of these kennings, Adjutant may be changed at a later date to suit the needs of the scroll. But it is nice to have a base to work on.
Other Obligations
As observed by Our Eyes
Technically “little words” aren’t included in the alliteration and vowels are sort of treated as the same sound in the original languages. This was tried in many different directions until this final version was chosen, Not exactly correct according to modern grammar, but not exactly incorrect by the ancient standards of the original poetry.
I am in essence, choosing when or not to abide by all of the rules of these ancient poetics. I acknowledge that, and will keep doing it as needed for the individual award document’s needs.
All these Accomplishments
Add to recognition
This Has solid alliteration and is a good transition in the story of the scroll from the description of the recipient’s attributes to the bestoring of the award.
BattleBoard Brain Bauble (AWARD OF ARMS)
Before Rink Mikkelsen *
My inspiration for the kenning was first to describe the shield shape that represents the award of Arms on paper.
I found: Battle Board SHIELD
“let us grasp the battle-board [SHIELD] in our hands.”
While by some definitions of a kenning, this would be more of a compound word as it is not really a metaphor but a descriptor.
Stone of the shore of thought HEART
Battle Board of the thought stone
In organizing some of my notes, I had found a previous attempt at a kenning for the AoA:
Study stone's battle board
Created 9/2024 before I remembered that scroll was a wheel and not an AoA So I had tucked it away to revisit later.
When I came across it I started to ponder
Study Stone
Thought stone = Brain Bauble
Bauble - bauble (n.)
early 14c., "showy trinket or ornament," from Old French baubel "child's toy, trinket," probably a reduplication of bel, from Latin bellus "pretty" (see belle). Or perhaps it is related to babe, baby. The meaning "a trifle, thing of little or no value" is from the 1630s.
Battle board of Brain’s Bauble became the kenning for the Award of Arms! And to top everything off, I had created the complex kenning in such a way that it fit the first half of the Dróttkvætt meter.
Arms are Awarded and
Added to his acclaim
Once againI found myself defining what the proceeding kenning was in the next alliterative couplet. As before it needed a definition and I had to room available to do so,
It is not a Dróttkvætt couplet, even with three alliterated syllables in the first half! “And” is a little word and does not count technically, plus it is on the end syllable not the penultimate syllable of the first half of the couplet.
In the Shire of Rusted Woodlands
Anno Societatis LIX
The last line of the scroll with the final two pieces of information required of these award documents. Not in Dróttkvætt, nor does it contain alliteration, but the Latin used in the SCA to determine the year. Sometimes you reach a point where the composition needs to stop on a positive happy note and add the last little bits of information.
This scroll contains four of what I have set as the rules for Dróttkvætt verse syntax. Five if you count the one where the event name added an extra syllable. I am proud of that. English does not lend itself easily into the Dróttkvætt meter and when I succeed it makes me happy. That some are not completely correct is an adjustment I have mentally made for the needs of the scroll. Therefore I deem it as an added bonus, rather than a success or failure of my attempt at this ancient poetry in a different language.
Even better that these verses added to the overall piece of the recipient’s Award of Arms!
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