Herald
Heraldic Organization
The first level of SCA heraldic organization is the kingdom level; each kingdom has a College of Heralds. Many SCA groups have a designated heraldic officer. In baronies, principalities, and kingdoms, this officer is usually the designated voice of the ruling nobility. In principalities and kingdoms, the officer is called the Principal Herald, and usually has some administrative responsibilities, including the appointment of deputies to oversee the processing of name and device submissions and maintenance of the order of precedence. (These functions are not always separate from those of the kingdom in principalities.) In baronies and smaller groups, the heraldic officer is usually the default person to make announcements and to assist group members who wish to submit names and devices. However, any herald can assist with these tasks.
The process of providing heraldic credentials varies from kingdom to kingdom. Some kingdoms have a system of training and testing heralds for advancement or to issue warrants; others simply issue warrants to persons who provide proof of membership and demonstrate an interest in heraldry.
The second level of SCA heraldic organization is the Society level. The SCA College of Arms administers heraldry throughout the SCA. Its head is the Laurel Sovereign of Arms; the Laurel Queen of Arms is currently Countess Elisabeth de Rossignol. Warranted heralds are usually automatically members of their kingdom's College of Heralds; however, membership in the College of Arms is limited to the Laurel Sovereign of Arms, their designated deputies and staff, and those who provide commentary on name and device submissions. Some kingdoms designate a specific herald to provide commentary on submissions.
Presently, there is a deputy for name registration (Pelican Queen of Arms Margaret Makafee) and armorial registration (Wreath Queen of Arms Gwenllian ferch Maredudd). The Morsulus Herald maintains the Society Ordinary and Armorial, a record of all names and devices registered in the Society.
