Unto the Heralds and Populace of Lochac, greetings.

The consistent inconsistency continues – but a reminder that these “monthly” missives are timed to when the Letters of Acceptance and Returns (LoAR) are published, and this can vary due to a variety of circumstances. There are several newsworthy items this letter.

Firstly, as I type this, the replacement for the Pursuivants Exam – now called the Pursuivants Readiness Project (PReP, PRP, or just Prep … we’re not sure of the short-hand name yet). The project is a portfolio of evidence-style assessment where we provide a number of scenarios which show the work of a herald in action, and your answers will be used to assess how well you understand where to find the information and how to use it. I look forward to releasing this soon – it’s a project that’s gone through a lot of revisions to get to this point, and there are many Macers waiting to demonstrate their skills.

Part of the project involves demonstrating an understanding of the job of group herald. The key responsibility of a group herald is to be aware of, and facilitate, heralding in the group and then report on the activity to the upline herald (which ultimately comes to me). This is a timely reminder that the next quarter’s Baronial Herald and Shire Pursuivant reports are due by February 15th. Canton and College Pursuivants should have reported to their Baronial or Shire upline last month. For those reporting in February, please ensure that you summarise the information provided to you by your canton or college counterparts. Remember, the reporting template for group heralds is available here (it has just been updated).

As we have just had a Coronation, my Deputies are also required to submit their biannual report by February 15th as well. Crux Deputies do not need to use the reporting template, but do need to explain what they’ve been doing in their role for the past six months.

For all group officers and Crux Deputies, a reminder of the importance of reporting: failure to report for two reporting periods is grounds for removal from your role (and for Baronies, not having a Herald is grounds for the Barony to go into abeyance … not something that I wish to have to do).

Next, a feature of these emails I plan to start … The following positions are vacant and accepting applications:

Cinquefoil Herald (Rowany). Applications open until January 26th.

There are others that are vacant, but I’ll leave them for after the February reporting season.

Finally, the College of Heralds website is currently undergoing a revamp. The look has already changed to a cleaner, more space conscious, format and over time I’ll be updating come content (like the Heraldic Policy), adding others (like a job description reference for group heralds and Crux deputies), and removing dead links. This is a time-consuming process when mundane work commitments also vie for the limited time available, so I ask for patience.

Meanwhile, here are the registrations from the November 2017 LoAR:

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Cluain, Canton of. Badge for Populace. (Fieldless) A bull rampant guardant sable.

Dianora Amati. Name and device. Purpure, a wolf rampant and on a chief argent a decrescent purpure between two mullets sable.

Eleanor Gardener. Name.

Kyneburh æt Ascendune. Name and device. Per fess sable and azure, two domestic cats statant guardant Or and a swan naiant argent.

Melisande De Massard. Name and device. Per saltire azure and Or, four fleurs-de-lis bases to center counterchanged.

Ollivier Le Floch. Name and device. Argent, an orle of martlets sable.

Raffe De Massard.

Robert Campbell. Name and device. Vair, on a padlock Or three keys in fess sable.

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Rocket Herald will send out individual missives to all those with acceptances and returns. Quarrel Herald will update the Lochac Roll of Arms, which can will be available here. Huzzah for these new registrations!

In service to the Crown and Kingdom of Lochac, always.

Sorle Maknicoll
Crux Australis Principal Herald.