HERALDIC PRACTICES: SUBMITTING NAMES/DEVICES FOR REGISTRATION

by Modar Neznanich

While no one is required to register their name and device, most people feel that it is courteous to do so. By recording the information in the official SCA Armorial and Ordinary listings, it helps to reduce the chances of confusion or offense caused by inappropriate names and armory, and will hopefully prevent others from using the same name and device as you. In some kingdoms, members are restricted from receiving awards or fighting in Crown Tourney unless they have registered a name and/or device.

The SCA has organized a registration service through which members may submit their proposed names and armory for approval, and when achieved, be officially recorded. This service structure is known as the College of Arms.

There is a small submission fee to utilize the service. (Check with your local or kingdom heralds concerning the appropriate amount for your kingdom.)

Here's how the submission process current works in the Kingdom of Calontir. This process can and does vary from kingdom to kingdom.

Local Level

A member of the populace, working with their local herald, determines a name and/or device they would like to register.

Appropriate submission forms are filled out, copied and prepared as needed. (The local herald can provide the appropriate information for the requirements on submission forms. A minimum of five sets are needed. Some groups may ask for more copies as they need/keep extra copies.)

After the forms are completed, the following is turned in to the local herald:

A) the submission forms

B) 3 copies of any needed documentation (one for the local office, one for the Kingdom Herald's Office and one for the Society/Laurel Herald's Office)

C) 2 copies of the submittor's SCA membership card [if applicable]

D) a check written out to the local group in the appropriate amount (to cover the submission fee)

NOTE: Ask the local herald for a receipt of payment. {This way if there is a need for resubmission, or records get lost, etc. then you have proof of what you have paid.}

The local group/herald's office gets to keep $1 (per element) of the submission fee to cover the cost of photocopies, postage, etc. The rest of the fee will be sent on to the Kingdom Herald's office.

The local herald will then turn your check over to the local exchequer, then have the exchequer write a group check to the Kingdom office in the appropriate amount. This amount will depend on how many submissions are being sent in at the same time, because the group can write one check to cover all the submissions they are sending in at this specific time. It could be one submission, or several. Checks from local groups to the Kingdom office are made out to: SCA, Inc - Calontir College of Heralds.

The local herald will keep the following in the local files, sending the rest on to the Kingdom office:

A) one set of your submission forms

B) one copy of any documentation

C) one copy of the submittor's SCA membership card [if applicable]

D) a record of payment

Note that some local groups like to keep an uncolored line drawing version of device submissions on file. This is useful if a scribe or other artisan needs to get a copy of a device to make a scroll or other item. Copies made from colored forms can be difficult to work with. It is also nice to have a "back-up" copy, just in case something happens to a submission. Consult your local herald to see if they like to keep a line version on file, also.

NOTICE!!! Be sure you keep a copy of the submission (and documentation) for yourself. For devices, also keep an uncolored line copy. {This way, if anything should happen to your submission, you do not have to start from scratch.}

Kingdom Level

The Kingdom office collects all the submissions received from the local groups. Their job requires them to review all submissions, check for conflicts or other problems and, where possible, add additional documentation to assist in a submission's registration. Because this is a large number of items, the office has a staff of volunteers, knowledgeable in heraldry, who help review the submissions. These staff members are known as commentors. On a regular basis (ideally once a month), the Kingdom office compiles what is known as an ILoI (Internal Letter of Intent). An ILoI is a list of all the submissions the Kingdom office has received <since its last ILoI> and intends to register if possible. It is sent out to the staff of commentors within the Kingdom. Hence, it's name, Internal Letter of Intent. The commentors have 1 month to review the submissions, find conflicts, locate additional documentation and send a report back with comments on the submissions to the Kingdom office. At the end of this month, when the Kingdom office has received info from the commentors, the submissions are reviewed. Submissions with problems are noted, and a letter explaining the problem is sent to the local office that originated the submission. The submissions that are accepted as ready to send on, are prepared into a packet known as an ELoI (External Letter of Intent) or just LoI (Letter of Intent). This packet is sent to the Society Herald's Office with a letter stating the Kingdom intends to register them if possible.

The Kingdom Office will keep the following in the Kingdom files, sending the rest on to the Society office:

A) one set of your submission forms

B) one copy of any documentation

C) one copy of the submittor's SCA membership card [if applicable]

The Kingdom Office gets to keep a portion of the submission fee to cover their cost of photocopies, postage, etc., and the rest is sent to the Society Office, when the submission is sent on. (If the device is returned, the money stays at Kingdom level, until the resubmission is sent in. It is then sent on with the resubmission. This is why you do not pay for a resubmission, IF THE RESUBMISSION IS MADE WITHIN ONE YEAR OF BEING NOTIFIED OF THE SUBMISSION RETURN.)

Society Level

The Society office (also known as the Laurel office) collects all the submissions received from the Kingdoms. These submissions will be reviewed further, checked for any missed conflicts or other problems and, where possible, additional documentation will be located to allow the submission to be registered. Because there is a tremendously large number of items, the office has a staff of volunteers, very knowledgeable in heraldry, who help review the submissions. These staff members, with the Laurel Officers, make up the College of Arms. On a monthly basis the Laurel office compiles the submissions that have been received into a commenting letter that is sent out to the staff. The staff has 3 months to review the submissions, find conflicts, locate additional documentation and send a report back with comments on the submissions to the Laurel office. This much time is needed because of the number of submissions that are reviewed. At the end of 3 months, when the Laurel office has received information from the staff, the submissions are reviewed. Submissions with problems are noted and a letter explaining the problem is sent to the kingdom office, which in turn sends a letter explaining to the local office that originated the submission. Submissions which are accepted as free of conflicts and problems are registered and recorded in the official SCA Armorial and Ordinary listings. A letter is sent notifying the Kingdom office which devices have been registered. These letters of notification both for accepted and returned devices are called LoARs (Letters of Acceptance and Return). Kingdom Offices, upon receiving these LoARs, in turn notify the local offices.

Submission Fees

NOTE: This information is date sensitive. As prices can and do change, it is futile to quote them in an article and keep it timely. Check with your local or kingdom herald to verify the amount of submission fees.

HELPFUL HINTS

Please make several copies of the blank submission forms before starting

on your submission. Never use up your last blank form.

If registering an unusual name that you have found documentation for, be sure to copy the pertinent pages of the source book and notate the title, author and publisher. This can best be accomplished by copying the title page of the source, if published.

By indicating that you will allow changes in translation or spelling of names you may save yourself the trouble of having the entire submission returned. If there is a problem with the name and Laurel doesn't have your permission, everything is sent back, even if the device is clear.

When drawing a device, draw the outlines in black ink and make your copies from this. It's much easier than drawing ten separate copies.

When coloring a device, avoid neon colors or pastel shades. The colors should be as close to true as possible.

When coloring a device, use markers that don't smear or run. Crayons and colored pencils do not usually work very well. [A good, inexpensive set of markers, called Crayola Classics is excellent to use. Make sure it is NOT the washable variety.]

Before sending a submission in to Kingdom level, have it checked for conflicts and, in the case of a name, for proper formation. This can save a lot of time and frustration.

REPEAT!!! Be sure you keep a copy of the submission (and documentation) for yourself. For devices, also keep an uncolored copy. [This way, if anything should happen to your submission, you do not have to start from scratch.]