19 December 2004

Report: Monthly to Kingdom

Greetings unto Ibrahim and Ileana, Sultan and Sultana of the Outlands, Master François la Flamme, Laurel King of Arms, Mistress Leah de Montgomerie,Outlands Seneschal, the Outlands College of Heralds, and to all others who come by these letters, from Lady Sorcha MacLeod, White Stag Principal Herald!

Specific issues:

• I have received my signed warrant from Laurel, but it appears to have gotten misfiled during my recent spate of receiving files and getting things out of boxes and into filing cabinets. I have requested a new copy from the Laurel files, and the first one to turn up will be copied and mailed to the Crown and Kingdom Seneschal. My humblest apologies for the delay.
  
• There have been some issues with payments to Laurel and to the Heraldic Packet Service (Squidpak), and steps are being taken to resolve those issues. Communication had improved from the Exchequer office, but it seems to have fallen off again.
  
• I await feedback on suggested updates to the pertinent sections of Kingdom Policy to the Crown and Kingdom Seneschal for review, and to the Kingdom Exchequer for review of the financial policy, sent 14 July 2004. I have re-sent this information to the Crown and Mistress Leah for perusal on 17 October 2004. Having had a back-to-back Crown and Coronation, I have assumed this minor bit of housekeeping lost among more pressing business, and have therefore re-sent on 19 November 2004 to both the new Crown and Kingdom Seneschal.
  
• Vacancies in kingdom staff: Fretty Herald (CoA commenter), Stag's Attire Herald (title currently not in use). THLady Alia Marie also brings to my attention Liber Pursuivant, which was transferred to the Outlands in January 2003, having been the herald's title for the freehold that the Shire of Nahrun Kabirun is built upon the ruins of. Shire heralds are not titled offices in our kingdom, so the title could be used as a staff position. It will be listed as a vacancy with the title currently not in use, unless and until I, or one of my successors, finds a use for it.
  
• Upcoming vacancies: Rampart Herald (01 January 2005). I have decided to perform the Rampart duties myself for a period of three to six months to allow for the completion of some new tools, to audit the office for potential resubmissions requiring payment to Laurel and determine how much of the surplus must be kept for those resubmissions, and to write a procedures manual for the office. Beginning on 2 December 2004, all submissions packets should be sent to me at the address in the Outlandish Herald and at the top of this report. THLady Alia Marie will spend December wrapping up the final letters for the year, and her work has been greatly appreciated.

Current activities:

• Updating Kingdom Policy pertaining to heralds. Goal: 15 July. Updates submitted for review 14 July, 17 October, and 19 November.
  Awaiting feedback.
  
• Informational/Educational articles for Outlandish Herald. Goal: Each month.
  Meeting goal.
  
• Informational/Educational posts to Outlands-heralds list. Goal: Each week minimum.
  Exceeding goal.
  
• Lord AEthelwulf issued a challenge on 27 September, developed between himself and Master Adam Stedefast, to the field heralds of the realm, by which they may earn points toward a prize set to be given at Known World Heralds and Scribes held July 22-24 as a joint venture between the Baronies of Unser Hafen and Caer Galen (http://kwhss.sca.org/). Heralds may earn points by performing any of a number of field heraldry tasks, including heralding rounds, working as a personal herald for a specific fighter or fighters in processional, and participating in the weekly field challenge on the Outlands-heralds yahoogroup.
  
• In addition to my normal duties, I have been assisting the Laurel team in the initial mark-up of Letters of Intent and Letters of Comment.
  
• KWHS 2005 will be hosted by the Baronies of Unser Hafen and Caer Galen. I am handling organizing the heraldry track of classes, and am currently acting as the webminister for the event, though I am hoping to find another to take on the web duties soon. The website for this event is at: http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/kwhs/KWHSWebpage.html

I have received reports from:

Kingdom Staff - 82% of 11 filled positions

Kingdom Staff are required to report quarterly, but are encouraged to report more frequently.

Fretty [CoA Commenter] fulfills reporting requirement with LoCs. This office is currently vacant.

Trefoil [CoA Commenter] fulfills reporting requirement with LoCs. Baron Timothy has taken on the job, and we have taken steps to provide him with Letters of Intent to comment on. Appointment must be confirmed by Laurel King of Arms after at least one timely Letter of Comment, and his December LoC has been sent for distribution in the December Squidpak.

Rampart [Submissions] - fulfills reporting requirement with LoIs. Notifications backlog is completely caught up; kudos to Alia Marie for catching it up before her stepping-down. Emergency deputy is Master Walter Kempe of Falconhold.

Gimlet [Protocol] No December report. Emergency backup is Baroness Anne Bigod.

Wharrow [On-line Roll of Arms] - continues working on cleaning up some of the graphics and adding new items to the Roll. Has begun making notification to various e-lists when batch updates are made from new registrations. Emergency deputy is Lady Halla inn heppna Knorsdottir.

Wimble [Precedence] - Reports updates made. Emergency deputy is THLady Seuilla de Cordoba.

Palmer (Interim) [Emergency Replacement] - does not report currently under this title.

Kingdom Scribe - Mistress Bennet and I remain in regular contact, and I am very pleased with how well we work together. Emergency deputy is Mistress Averil du Bois d'Avignon.

Plover [Field Heraldry] - Current standings in the Plover Challenge are available at: http://plover.outlandsheralds.org.

Blue Iris [Queen's Herald/Royal Court] - The new Blue Iris is Master Adam Stedefast, who posts an accounting of business for the courts of Ibrahim and Ileana to the outlands and outlands-heralds lists.

Weel [Herald Education/Publications] - Master Balthazar mentions that his beginning heraldry article published in the recent Tournaments Illuminated was actually November business, and includes it in his report. He has a new project in the works for KWHS 2005.

OCoH Webminister - THLady Alia Marie reports no major changes to the OCoH website. http://www.outlandsheralds.org/

Baronies - 100% for November

Baronies are required to report monthly.

Caerthe: Mistress Fiachra reports a few consultations and lists the status of pending submissions through the barony. She and Master Walter plan to begin hosting regular commenting/heraldry meetings in January.

al-Barran: Scorpion's report was quite detailed, listing the status of submissions, awards received by members of the barony, and miscellaneous heraldic activity. He includes the Baronial Scribe's report with his own.

Dragonsspine: Scalene sends a detailed report as usual, listing a great deal of field and court heraldry happening in addition to significant submissions activity. She includes accounting of the finances. New heralds continue to receive encouragement and opportunities to participate. Lady Halla is doing a fine job of promoting heraldry in her barony.

Citadel of the Southern Pass: Rook informs me that his report was eaten by a grue. Oops, sorry, wrong report. Sheik Omar informs me that the reporting deadline for his office as Rook was swallowed up by a deadline for Tournaments Illuminated, for which he is the editor.

Unser Hafen: The November report from Barbican has been received, and Brigit lists new submissions and financial activity, status of in-process submissions, and she comments on various miscellaneous activity.

Caer Galen: Lady Regana, Rayon du Soliel reports no new activity for November, and states her intention to step down after the first of the year due to insufficient time. Her service has been appreciated, and I offer her my best wishes in her future endeavors.

Fontaine dans Sable:Black Fountain sends a thorough report, and notes the details of submissions status, financial activity, and vocal heraldry. A number of new folk are trying their hand at heraldry in this barony, and I hope the trend not only continues, but spreads.

Shires, Cantons, Colleges - 50% of 12 filled positions for the quarter

Branch officers except for Baronial Pursuivants are required to report quarterly. Shires, Cantons, and Colleges are not required to have branch heralds. November appears to have been low-activity as far as heraldry.

Aarquelle - Kristrún Hrafnsdóttir is the new herald for Aarquelle. She provides her roster information and is seeking to contact Lord Naitan to receive the files he has been storing. She is having some difficulty posting to the Outlands-heralds yahoogroup, though she reports receiving messages from the list. Welcome to the College!

Bede's College - Vacant

Blaiddwyn - Ecgþeow sends no report for November.

Bofharrach -Uilliam Mac an Ruaidh is the new herald for Bofharrach, and indicates that he will have new submissions soon. He reports that there are no files for the canton, but looks forward to rebuilding the herald's office there. Welcome to the College!

Drygestan -Vacant

Dúthaich Beinne Áird - Baroness Christina sends no report for November.

Gleann Medonach - Lord Lance sends no report for November.

Hawk’s Hollow -Herr Conrad reports in detail on the submissions, awards, and other heraldic activity of his canton. Heraldic activity remains high in this branch, thanks to Herr Conrad's work.

Hinterland - THLord Peregrine sends no report for November.

Kahlland - Vacant

Nahrun Kabirun - Gideon sends no report for November.

Northwolde - Vacant

Plattefordham - Lord Aelfraedsends no report for November.

Rio de las Animas - Freiherr Gerhardtsends no report for November.

Saint Golias - Vacant

Scola Metallorum - Lady Tangwystlsends a brief report for November noting no new activity, and she mentions that the school is geared down for winter break.

Scorpions Hollow -THLady Margaret reports low activity for November in submissions, vocal heraldry, and display projects. She reports one award received by a member of her shire at Coronation.

Three Spires - Vacant

Tygre's Keep - Vacant

White Mountain - Vacant

Windkeep - Lord Cameron sends no report for November.

At-Large heralds

Master Hagar the Black, Herald-at-Large, Caer Galen, reports low levels of activity for himself, but indicates continued ad hoc consultation.

Don Charles Robert Blackstone, PE-at-Large, al-Barran, reports limited time of late to participate in heraldry as he would like, but he has on various occasions attended Rampart decision meetings, and continues to participate in voice heraldry as he can.

Administrivia:

Finances are in the hands of the Kingdom Exchequer. Rampart reports to the Exchequer each month on checks received for which groups, submitters, and items, and she also requests payment to Laurel for submissions likewise itemized.

On 1 January, HL Alia Marie de Blois takes on the Palmer title for the long-term. My thanks to Maistre Louis-Phillipe his service as Palmer.

In service and in duty,
Sorcha White Stag