This guide is intended to provide an overview of the requirements for a successful heraldic submission and help you avoid the most common pitfalls. We encourage you to talk to your local herald or other warranted heralds at Heralds Point at Trimaris’ kingdom events for help and guidance to ensure a successful and speedy submission process. Fortunately, thanks to the advances in modern technology, the entire submission process has become more efficient. The process – which is a 100 percent volunteer-provided service – takes approximately seven months. Be sure to include all properly completed and required forms and copies.
Click [HERE] for submissions forms.
Here are a few crucial checkpoints for you to pay attention to so that your submission is off to the best possible start:
Name Submissions:
- One copy of a properly filled out name form. Find the Name Submission Form Here!
- Documentation for each element of the name (first, last, locative, etc.) , with properly cited sources and copies/quotations.
- It is NOT required that a submitter fill in the boxes on the forms for restricting changes, specifying a desired gender and/or requesting authenticity. Leaving all these boxes blank significantly increases the likelihood of registration.
- The box that indicates what type of name is involved should also be filled in to avoid delay in processing.
Armorial Submissions:
- Armory: Two copies (one black and white line drawing and one colored using Crayola Classic markers in primary colors) of a properly filled-out armory form.
- For armory, which uses a restricted charge (e.g. a coronet, etc.), you must include documentation that shows the submitter’s right to use that charge (copy of the Order of Precedence, for example).
Other Items:
- Branch, Order, Household, and Award names require additional paperwork to be included (group support letter).
Your Submission Packet & Payment
Forms must include the required contact information. Please make sure to fill out the header completely and correctly and legibly! Nothing delays your submission more than not being able to contact you.
- Proper payment of $10 per registered item.
- Payment of $10/item is due at submission time.
- No further payment is required for resubmissions made within one year of the notification that a previous submission is pending or has been returned.
- Payment may be provided by check or money order or cash in person. We discourage you from sending cash through the mail!
- Forms and payment should be sent to the Lymphad Herald. You may submit your forms and payment to Lymphad directly or to your local herald, so they may do that for you.
- Your final submission packet must include copies of the following items:
Name: One copy for each name submission and supporting documentation
Armorial: One black and white line drawing for each armorial submission and one colored emblazon for each armorial submission
Anything that requires a legal signature (Permission to Conflict, Heraldic Will, Signature Page of Support for Branch Name or Armory, etc.)
- Use only the Trimarian forms found [here – link to forms]. Do not change the size of the forms. Make sure all information is legible, accurate and complete. All forms MUST have a society name, legal name, email address, and postal address information to be processed.
Note: Keep a copy for your own files!
The Submission Process
Once a submission is received,
- The Lymphad Herald publishes the submission as an Internal (Kingdom) Letter of Intent (KLoI).
- The submission is reviewed and commented on on our OSCAR site. (http://oscar.sca.org/)
- During the time specified in the letter by Lymphad – usually one to two months – Heralds across the kingdom comment on all submissions and check them for conflicts.
- At the end of the commenting period, Lymphad evaluates the commentary, and, based on that, decides to send it up to the society level or back to the submitter for more work.
- If the submission moves to the society level, it is put on an External Letter of Intent (LoI).
- The LoI is commented on by heralds across the entire known world for one to two months.
- After that, unless a submission is pulled, it moves up automatically to be evaluated by the College of Heralds. This process takes up to three months due to the sheer volume of submissions from all SCA kingdoms.
- Another month is dedicated to the creation of a final decision letter as well as another month for the proofreading of said letter.
- After that, all the submissions are published in an official Letters of Acceptances and Returns (LoAR).
- You can find the official LoAR website with archive here http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/
- Seacat Herald will notify you officially regarding the status of your heraldic submission.\
- If the submission was approved, this is wonderful news, but don’t fret if it was returned for further work. Trimaris’ Trireme Herald is an invaluable resource for reworking a heraldic submission to prepare it for resubmission, and resubmissions are free of charge when submitted within a year of the return.
- If you desire to change an accepted submission because you have changed your mind and/or persona, it is treated like a new submission and charged the normal submission fee.
Click [HERE] for submissions forms.