Komatsu no Ayame

Ayame and Emily

Komatsu no Ayame is a lone travelling artisan. Her skills often render her quite personality, as well as her quick wit go along with her brush skills.

She was born in "Kanoe Saru - Year of the Monkey, Elder brother of Metal" (1320 C.E.) As the seasons changed on the island of oki, she always in the spring went on a long journey back to her homeland of Kamakura, to visit that place where all of her childhood still remained. On that faithful spring day crossing the ocean to get to the mainland, her ship sailed off course. A Typhoon raged. Only some time later when she woke, she realized she wasn't in Japan anymore. This strange new place was full of interesting new people and places to see. And, with that, she found her belongings (some were a little wet...) and walked for many many miles, finally settling in Lionsdale.

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Currently, Ayame lives besides the house of oranges, and often visits the Barony of Lions Gate to *badger* visit the current Baron and Baroness. She does heraldry research for the gentles of the shire and paints devices as well. Very recently she has started to lend her skills to charter and scroll illumination, which she enjoys very much. Ayame wishes to one day have her own house, own her own land, and carry on life in An Tir, as if she were living in Japan still. One day, she will travel back to her homeland.

Now in An Tir, she never has anytime to do all of the things she would like to do! Some of her most recent include: Studying the laws/history/culture of An Tir, Illumination, Marshalling, Running Lists, Dancing, Heraldry, Arts and Sciences, Creating period garments, Games, and Bardic.

The current year is "Hinoe Inu - Year of the Dog, Elder Brother of Wood" / 2006 C.E. / AS XLI

Some memorable landmarks in An Tir:

• Asked to be Lady Elspeth Selwode of Wilton's Lady in Waiting AS XLI
• Invited to become Her Ladyship Genevieve d'Claurviux's first student XLI
• Her first Clinton War XLI/2006 (her best event so far)
• Being tested as a Courtier of Lions Gate, even though she has only been in An Tir for a little over a Year
• Having gained the companionship of new friends from close and afar.
• Hold the offices of Deputy Mistress of Stables for Lists (currently on hiatus) and Lionsdale Pursuivant Deputy.

Proposed device

Azure, a Japanese Iris blossom within an annulet Argent

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Research [ name and otherwise ]

http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/miscellany/miscellany.html

http://fibers.destinyslobster.com/

http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/

http://www.wodefordhall.com/index.htm

We found the feminine given name <Ayame> used during two different Japanese periods. During the Nara period (710-794), the first kanji in the name is <aya> 'China (Han Dynasty)'; <aya> was originally a name for the Yangtze river, and its meaning was extended to include all of the main part of China. [1] The name was also used during the Kamakura period (1192-1333), where the kanji are <aya>, either 'writing' or 'color harmony', and <me> 'woman'. [2] We are not sure when during the Kamakura period <Ayame> was used, but we believe it's a plausible choice for your period. It would have been pronounced roughly \ah-yah-meh\.

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Just recently, she has been thinking of an inner voice called Kale, who begs her to wear different clothing, and think of different things!