Part two of a two-part article on SCA field heraldry.
This covers more advanced topics... or the finer points.

	SCA Field Heraldry and Its Finer Points, Part 2
	Updated: Sep 1, 2007

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26 Feb 05: Added "articles online by other people"
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Part 2: The Finer Points

Now, for those who desire to learn how better to supervise the field heraldry at a tourney, we shall go beyond the basics.

[Not ready yet? Here's Part 1.]

 

Before the tourney

Know the local fighters

It's helpful to know who the fighters are, the shields they use, and what they wear on the field. This way you can point them out at the tourney to your field heralds.

Those “unpronounceable” names

It's helpful to know some pronunciation guidelines of foreign languages common in the SCA: Especially, say, Welsh, Norse, and Polish!

Packing list suggestions

Here are some ideas for things to take (and avoid).

Food and drink

• Soft bread, meat, fruit, and plenty of water.
• Avoid cheese and other dairy products because they may coat the back of your throat.
  Some tart or sweet drinks may also coat your throat too much.
• Avoid scratchy foods like nuts, cookies, and crackers because they may irritate your throat.

• If your throat is rough, you could try drinking something hot, followed by something cold, both with lemon.

Protective items

Throat drops (I really like Ricola®), lip balm, sunscreen, bug repellent.

Clothing and accessories

Comfortable clothes you can work in, herald's tabards/sashes/baldrics, pouch and/or shoulder bag for storing the protective items and writing gear.

Cold/wet weather gear

Wear multiple layers. A large cloak may block the view of the spectators.

Writing gear

Pens, pencils, erasers, markers, index cards, clipboard, posterboard.

Furniture, etc.

Chair, stool, table, tent/pavilion, stuff for paperweights, blanket/groundcloth, drinking vessels (especially those you can hang off your belt), blazonry guide sheet.

For all of the above, take extra when you can. Someone else just might forget to bring something…

 

At the tourney

Multiple rings/fields

So, have you been to a tourney where the field heralds are announcing over each other? Imagine you're working a tourney with four, six, or eight rings! The bout in your ring just finished – maybe. There's another field herald making arming calls and now the fighters are talking with the marshals so you're not sure if the bout is over. Then they decide and some other field herald is making arming calls. How can this be helped?

If you have more than two rings/fields, I offer you these two suggestions:

• Skip the victory declarations (the marshals should indicate the victor)
• The next field herald to begin their arming calls shall be the one in the closest ring in a clockwise direction from the field herald who is finishing their arming calls. Simple, eh? (Wish I'd thought of these years ago.)

The largest tourneys I've seen thus far have had four rings. I don't yet know if the "clockwise" idea would work for more than that. Perhaps it would have to be split.

For years, the West Kingdom has used a system of flag etiquette to coordinate "air time" between the field heralds. See the links below.

Cards and blazons

Here's an example of a card:

• Line 1 has the PHONETIC spelling of how they wish to be called on the field.
  BLOCK CAPITALS are recommended here.
• Line 2 is the proper spelling of how they wish to be called on the field.
• Line 3 is used for visual cues for being able to locate the fighter.

Ideally, the field heralds should at least be present when the cards are filled out. Whoever does the writing (you, a listkeeper, a field herald, etc.) should write BIG and CLEAR so that it is easy to read the information. Fighters, in general, should not be required to fill out their own cards. Let the heralds provide this service…

What to ask each fighter to fill out a card for them:

"Have you passed inspection?" – If not, send them over to get their armor and authorization inspected.

"Please tell me how you wish to be called on the field." – Write down the phonetic spelling, as appropriate. It won't be required for every name.

"How do you spell that?" – Write down the actual spelling; being careful with unusual characters, especially in Norse and Middle English, accents in French, and so on.

If it is planned that blazons are going to be announced for the first round, also ask:

"Do you know the blazon for the device on your shield?"

The blazon is the "heraldic description" for the artwork on the shield. The emblazon is the artwork itself. Some fighters will know the blazon for their shield, some won't. With good fortune, book heralds will be on hand to render assistance.

When blazons are NOT called in the first round

Generally, this means blazons won't be called until the finals, if at all. If the tourney format doesn't allow shields – no blazons to record.

Otherwise, when a fighter asks, "Don't you want my shield blazon?" and you know that blazons could indeed be announced later, you can reply cheerfully:

"We'll get that when you make it to the semi-finals."

Kudos to Aodhán for this, who says, "It is positive without being biased, and more difficult to goof up and offend."

Calling blazons in the final round

Here's one example:

"My lords and ladies, this bout is between [indicate them] G, bearing (blazon)

… and [indicate them] H, bearing (blazon)!"

If the tourney is running very late, it might be acceptable to skip the blazons.

If the tourney is ahead of schedule (it could happen…), and it's no trouble, you could have the blazons called starting in the semi-final round. It's only two bouts and it's a way to honor the two fighters who do not make it to the final round.

When a fighter isn't using a shield

They aren't bearing any heraldic device. No big deal. Just skip over the "bearing" part.

Names and titles

[Note: An Tir custom is quite different.]

Some fighters have no titles. They should be announced as "milord N " or "milady N" (where N is their Society name) unless they say that they prefer otherwise.

Some fighters have more than one title. They should be announced with their highest title, unless they say that they prefer otherwise. Imagine a triple peer (MSCA,OL,OP) who is also a Court Baron. They could use their honorifics all in a row: "Master Master Master Baron N" ... silly, isn't it?

I've heard of one knight who is a royal peer who prefers to be announced with "Sir". (Win one tourney – and that fighter can become a royal peer. Win many tourneys – and there's no guarantee that fighter will ever be a Knight of the Society.) Also, I know a duke in Meridies who prefers the honorific "Iarl" because it better fits his persona.

Opening the tourney

Having a formal announcement to open the tourney isn't done everywhere. I like to hear at least a brief opening and closing, don't you? Before the tourney starts, the Lead FH makes sure that the key people are ready and in place: the people on the thrones wearing the Hats, the marshals, the listkeepers (a.k.a. masters and mistresses of the list), the field heralds, and runners. The herald doing the announcement should go to a spot where the Hats and the majority of the populace can hear them and announce something like:

"My lords and ladies — by command of Their Royal Majesties of Meridies and Their Excellencies of the South Downs — let the Red Tower Tournament begin!"

Announce all bouts for the round

Something I'd like to see done more often is having ALL of the pairings read out at the beginning of each round. This lets everyone know what's coming well in advance. Heralds in some kingdoms are already taught to do this. If there are multiple rings/field for the tourney, it's helpful (though not necessary) for the listkeeper to have the upcoming bouts arranged by ring.

"(In Ring 1), in the first bout of this round, A will face B!"

"In the second bout, C will face D!" . . .

"And in the last bout of this round (in Ring 1) . . . "
 

Using non-traditional arming calls

As Lead FH, if you would dare to experiment with calls that are different from what the fighters are used to hearing, make sure your field heralds, the marshals, and the fighters are well-informed on this matter before the tourney.

Gesturing

Motioning to the fighters as described in Part 1 is faster, and can be easier, than saying "on my sinister" and "on my dexter". You could instead use a staff or baton, but make sure you can still handle the index cards, if any. There are other graceful ways to hold one's hand during the introduction, but pointing at a fighter is not among them.

Salute the Crown…

Ah, but what if neither Sovereign nor Consort is on site, what then? The Crown's presence is their official representative on site. This could be the Royal Heirs, the local ruling Baron/Baroness, or the seneschal of the hosting group. Salutes to the Crown should be done in their direction. If none of the above applies, pick a direction and stick to it.

Lost limbs, acts of courtesy

During a bout, Fighter A disables the limb (arm or leg) of Fighter B. Depending on your local tradition, there's no need (or desire) to announce this in an actual tourney.

Fighter A might voluntarily give up the use of his corresponding limb (usually) to even the odds. When this happens, some call it an "act of chivalry" or (my current favorite) an "act of courtesy". I've also heard "point of honor" but that sounds too much like scorekeeping. Depending on your local tradition, this gesture may or may not be announced.

When Fighter A does voluntarily give up the use of his leg, he may tap leg with weapon – or even give it a solid blow – before going to his knees. The bout could be over before you have a chance to announce anything!

Fighter A could instead drop to his knees without tapping or striking his leg in order to close in on Fighter B. Obviously, there is no "act of courtesy". A field herald who announces it as such encourages Fighter A to think something like, "Crud. Now I have to stay down here because Loudmouth just took away my leg".

With an ARM, it's easier to tell. Fighter A discards their shield or a secondary weapon and uses just one weapon with their remaining hand.

When it's traditional to announce an "act", here's one way to do it. Before the combat resumes, say something like one of these:

"In an act of courtesy, (A) relinquishes the use of his arm!"

"Act of courtesy: (A)!"

For "(A)", use the fighter's title and first name.

Royal participation

Be it well-known to all who read these words that it is treason to strike the King! However, a king has been known to want to fight in a tourney (typically in a bye fight). His Majesty may choose to take on an alternate persona for fun! If they do, remember to use the name of the alternate persona.

Why tourneys fall behind schedule

(More kudos to Mistress Adelaide for this section.)

These can be fixed on site:

• Fighters cannot hear the arming calls
• The field heralds need runners
• The field has only one way in, so some fighters have to walk farther

These, maybe not:

• Problems or lack of experience at the list table
• Fighters are slow getting to the field
• Other scheduled activities happen between rounds (I haven't seen this in Meridies)

How you can speed up a tourney

Taran of Windy Hill wrote a terrific article on field heraldry that inspired me to try the following.

Before the tourney

If the tourney starts pretty late and you'd like to recover some time, after the marshal has their say in the pre-tourney address to the assembled fighters, a herald could then address them with something like,

"In the interest of saving time, my lords (and ladies), please rise [pause] and let us all now salute the Crown of Meridies … salute the populace here assembled … and salute the one who inspires your chivalry…

Now that we have shown proper respect to these worthies, the only salute that will be called for in the tourney before the final round, will be to your worthy opponent. I thank you for your attention, the tourney will begin shortly."

I've done it before – and it worked just fine.

During the tourney

The tourney is past the first round and, for whatever reason, it's now running significantly behind schedule (it could happen). With the Hat's permission, you could instruct your field heralds to use a shorter litany for each bout as described below. Wait until the end of the round and announce something like:

"With permission of [the Hat], good gentles, the salutes for each bout will now be changed because the hour grows late. As you know, the fighters have already done honor in this tourney to the Crown, to you, the populace, and those who inspire their chivalry. So, the only salute that will be called for until the final round is to their opponent. The tourney now continues…"

Then, the field herald would use a much shorter litany for the bout.

"Lords and ladies, K (motion to them) meets L (motion to them)!"

"Salute your opponent; heed the marshals."

Announcements during the tourney

For a non-emergency, ask to wait until there's a break in the action, like between rounds. If you're asked to have something announced right after the tourney, people will pay MORE attention to that announcement if it's made right before the semi-final or final round.

Close the tourney

After the final round, which could involve one to three bouts, the victor is formally announced:

"My – lords – and – ladies! ... Victorious in today's Red Tower Tourney: ________ !"

Let the focus remain on that fighter who carried the day, you've got other work to do…
 

After the tourney

Graciously thank everyone who helped you or worked with you during the tourney (and at any other time) – your field heralds, the runners, the listkeepers, their assistants, the waterbearers, people who helped make your job easier. If you don't know them, ask for their name and what group they are from. Write down, before you leave the field, who all helped you and how. Make their contributions known at the next business meeting. If you're a reporting herald, be sure to include the appropriate information in your next report.

Maybe someone didn't help you directly, but they were good to work with, like the marshals – no need to leave them out, you could say, "It was good to work with you at the tourney today!"
 

Demos are different

At a demo, the fighters and you, the field herald, are performing for a non-SCA audience.

Blazons

Tourney or not, announce blazons until the current audience has seen both fighters at least twice. It adds flair and may encourage questions later from the spectators.

Salutes

Change the salutes to fit the situation. Saluting the "populace here assembled" is good and helps include them in the action! Saluting the Crown of your SCA kingdom might not make sense if you're at a Renaissance Faire with its own King and Queen (or some equivalent).

Saluting the nice person (team, organization, etc.) who sponsored and/or organized the demo is a worthy consideration. Doing this for every bout might be excessive, but on specific occasions, it could work – such as the first bout of the timeslot, or when one of the nice people first comes onto the scene.

Lost limbs, acts of courtesy

Instruct the fighters beforehand that they should pause when someone takes a limb. Announcing the loss (and subsequent act of courtesy, if any) helps the audience understand what's going on when a fighter does something unusual – like drop to their knees or hold one hand behind their back.
 

Closing

I hope this article helps you toward a better understanding of field heraldry in the SCA, both the basics and the finer points (at least as I see them). I've made many mistakes both doing and teaching field heraldry. However, I've also had some days when the field heraldry I did was, well, practically flawless. I greatly appreciate everyone who has given me help, praise, and constructive criticism.
 

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