Minutes from the Guild meeting at War of the Trillium

Minutes from the Guild meeting at War of the Trillium, which was graced by the presence of Her Majesty.

1. It was decided that for the modern versions of the maps, a standard set of symbols should be established for ease of navigation and use on the kingdom webpage. Augusta Gamarelli will draw up and share the symbols we came up with. Please use them when making your modern maps.

2. Speaking of modern maps, we need to do them first so that Kyle Andrews (the kingdom webminister) can use them on the kingdom website. When the new boundaries are set, and we have been alerted by Michelle Moll that we can move forward, we will revisit and update those maps. For current boundaries (or a rough guideline thereabouts) Augusta will draw up a kingdom map you can all use as reference. (Roni Furst, I know you have been assigned the kingdom map, and you can certainly still do one, but we need to move on this ASAP and Augusta does quick work. Also, see point 4 below.)

The deadline for these modern maps is the end of the calendar year.

Modern maps should be supplied in both pdf and graphic forms (being at least 300 dpi).

Remember to put north at the top of your modern maps, and make them no bigger than 11 x 17" (which is the largest size that you can scan at Staples).

Modern maps should not only show SCA settlements (cantons, etc) but also major modern roads, cities and towns.

3. If you are uncomfortable or uncertain how to make a modern map, please contact Ralf Wall, and he can help you out.

4. Please note that now both Augusta and Roni will be doing kingdom maps, which I have no problem with. Anyone can map anything. The more maps the better. No one map will be "the" definitive map.

5. The period style maps do not have to use the standard set of symbols that the modern maps will be using.

6. Future project ideas:

a. We should have a room set aside for us to use at Winter War to display what work we have done so far, and/or to work on our maps.

b. Compile and bind an atlas.

c. Organize a scavenger hunt using period maps and using minimal landmarks.

What way is up?

One question I was asked yesterday was which direction we should place at the top of our maps. In period, east was at the top of the maps (since that's where Jerusalem was located). I've seen lots of SCA maps that mimic that by placing west at the top (since that's where California is located, and where the Society was born).

I think our best option for modern maps, those that are to aid people (especially new people) in finding local groups, would be to maintain the modern convention of having north at the top of the map. I have heard of lots of people looking at SCA maps and not being able to read them because west was at the top instead.

However, for period versions that we do, I think what direction is at the top of the map should be left to the discretion and preferences of the cartographers involved.

What say you?

Chartered!

Our charter was signed and read into court at Crown Tourney today! Thank you to Magistra Nicolaa for doing the calligraphy. Tomorrow we will begin discussing how we want to proceed with our mapping projects! (After I've had some sleep.)

Guild Founded

The Ealdormerean Cartographers Guild was founded on April 22, 2014 (AS 48). It is currently unchartered, though once Coronation has passed this will hopefully be rectified.

The Guild was founded for all cartographers and map lovers of the Kingdom of Ealdormere to gather information and work on mapping projects.