This description of the submissions process in the East Kingdom was originally written by Avelina Keyes, and is reproduced here by permission. It has been reformatted for these pages.
Recently, there have been a lot of questions as to what happens when you try to register arms in the East. Well, it's not that complicated.
First thing you have to do is find out who your local pursuivant is. They should either a) have books that you can look in OR b) know where to find those books. Then you sit down and try to decide what you like for a name. Your local pursuivant should have the guidelines as to what is acceptable and what is not. If your local pursuivant has the resources, they should try to check and see if there is a conflict with your name and device. Conflict checking at this point saves a lot of time down the road. If they don't have the resources, a couple of calls to people in the CoA should produce results.
The next step in the process is to fill out the forms. As of this writing (7/10/98), the current fee in the East Kingdom is $9 (US) per element submitted. An element is name, device, and any badges you may want to submit. The check should be made out to the 'SCA Inc - East Kingdom College of Heralds'. Either you or your local heraldic officer makes up a package to send to Eastern Crown Herald. This package consists of some combination of the following:
Name submissions must have 4 (four) copies of the submission form sent to Eastern Crown. It might be a good idea to keep a copy in either your files or your local pursuivants files with a date on it as to when it was submitted. That way you have it in writing when you submitted it.
Device/badge submissions need a few more copies. (Hereafter, where you see the word 'device', the same applies for badges as well.)
The color copies don't have to be $2 color copies from Kinko's. Probably the easiest way to do this is to get a blank copy of the submission form. Make a couple of copies so that you have extras. Draw your device. Do you like it? Good. No? That's what the extra blanks are for ;-). When you have drawn it so you like it, go to your local copy shop. Make 6 copies of it full sized (you want to keep one for your records, don't you? I keep the original.) THEN, (keeping the original in the machine) make a 65% reduction of the original. Take the output of that job, and, make a 65% reduction of that. You should have a B&W copy of your device that is about 2 inches tall. Make another copy of that because you need to submit 2 2inch devices (I'll explain why later.)
When you get home, it's time to color your submissions. There is a joke in the College of Arms that the Crayola markers is *the* standard for heraldic tinctures. So, if you say gules (red) and azure (blue) to someone active in the EKCoA, they are going to think Crayola red and blue. These markers are actually *the* best for coloring submissions. They have great colors and they keep their colors. Other brands don't have the same permanence. Colored pencils have faint colors and they can smudge. After everything is colored in, give you 3 colored, 3 B&W, and 2 reductions to your pursuivant along with a check or money order. They will check to make sure that everything is in order, and all of the appropriate boxes are checked off. Then, they send it to Eastern Crown.
Eastern Crown receives your submission and places it in the file of submissions he has received which are waiting to be sent out for comment. Two things determine when the next letter goes out. One is a schedule. Sometimes, Eastern Crown will have a schedule that says a letter will go out every 6 weeks (It helps to tell the College that Eastern Crown is still alive, things are just slow). Sometimes there will be a flood of submissions and he will put out a letter early so that there will be 2 smaller letters, instead of one massive one. There are times when massive letters just can't be helped. Now, I suppose you were wondering what the 2 reductions were for. When Eastern Crown complies his letter, he uses the reduction to cut and paste a picture of the arms you are trying to submit into his letter. A typical ILoI has the submitters info left justified with a picture of the arms to the right. The letters are complied and mailed to all of the heralds on the commenting list. The commenting heralds have a few weeks to think about and research the submissions on the letter. Eastern Crown collects all of the comments and puts them in a file for that particular letter. He will consider all of the comments and make decisions on the submissions. Some commenting heralds will find conflicts (mostly in devices), others will find problems in the style or grammar of a name (a female submitter submits a male name). Or they could think that a particular submission is really cool! It actually does happen. Positive comments are really nice.
You will receive a letter from Eastern Crown stating the problem with your submission. It could be a conflict or part of your name doesn't make sense. How would you like to fix it? If your submission is returned, you have one year to resubmit free of charge. At this point, you should be working with your local herald to see what you can do to make it pass.
Congratulations! You are on your way! The process that happened at Kingdom level with Eastern Crown is now repeated at an InterKingdom level.
After you pass Kingdom, Eastern Crown pulls out the copies that he needs for his files, and sends the rest of the packet to Blue Tyger Herald. Blue Tyger then compiles an XLoI which is sent to the External commenting Heralds from all of the Kingdoms. This is a different group of Heralds from the first one. Not all of the East Kingdom Commenters are on this list. Only a couple are. The commenting heralds look at all of the heraldry from all of the Kingdoms and send their comments back to Laurel Sovereign of Arms. Laurel compiles all the comments and then makes decisions based on their knowledge and the comments they received.
Congratulations! Your arms are now registered with the College of Arms as being yours and your alone. Now, go out and make a really spiff banner to display them on!
If there is a problem Laurel will tell either Blue Tyger or Eastern Crown. They will send you a letter stating the problem with your submission. Sit down with your local herald to try to fix whatever is wrong. Sometimes suggestions on how to get your submission passed will be included in the letter.
So, that's the submissions process in the East. Questions, comments or corrections may be sent to Avelina Keyes, care of Tanczos Istvan, Eastern Crown Herald (Eastern . Crown @ eastkingdom . org ).
Back to the Eastern Crown Herald page
This is an unofficial/unrecognized Web Page for the Eastern Crown Herald of the East Kingdom of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. The maintainer of this page is Lewis Tanzos (Eastern.Crown @ eastkingdom . org). It is not a corporate publication of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., and does not delineate SCA policies. In cases of conflict with printed versions of material presented on this page or its links, the dispute will be decided in favor of the printed version.
The material contained in this page is subject to change without notice. For the latest policies and procedures, please contact your local heraldic officer, your local Seneschal or the Brigantia Herald of the East.
Page last updated on 26-May-2000