The Many Jobs of the Herald

Book Heraldry:

Book heralds are the individuates who use their skills to help research historically appropriate names , devices and badges for others who wish to register them in the SCA college of heralds. Book heraldry is arguably the most research intensive of the traditional heraldic jobs. While not glamorous, or even very pretty most of the time, book heralds are the administrative backbone of the SCA college of Heralds.

Populace Meeting heraldry:

While this is generally  grouped under "court heraldry", and rightfully so, the truth of the mater is that all groups, whether they be baronies or not, have populace meetings. Consequently, their heralds, or a duly appointed deputy is generally expected to act as a facilitator, or parliamentarian to help the seneschal or officers conduct the meeting and help maintain general order.

Court Heraldry:

Baronial heralds are likely the most well versed in this field, though the need to cry noble or even royal courts can come upon any herald in any group under certain circumstances. Court heralds not only understand the basic principals of  court business, but also must be familiar with royal protocol, precedence and ceremony. These men are the masters of ceremony and the conductors who make a court run smoothly.

Site heraldry:

Any event will likely require some measure of general announcement, whether it be a wake-up call in the morning, a call for armor inspection before a tournament, or the half hour warning before feast, the flow of information from an event autocrat to the event attendees is an evener present need for any  event. Whether it is just a few, select announcements, or a regular, hour by hour system of cries, site heralds are typically a selected breed of hard working people who tackle this task. 

Listfield Heraldry:

The SCA was founded with the idea of marshal combat as part of our culture. No mater how we consider the issue of combat, or what our personal thoughts on the subject are, the fact of the mater is that armored combat is arguably the most common activity in the society, with Rapier not unreasonably far behind. It is the task of the list field herald to help uphold this longstanding tradition and culture. Like their brethren, the site heralds, Listfield heralds typically work in less than accommodating weather. But like their more formal brothers, the court heralds, Listfield heralds are traditionally held to a high level when working to preserve the medieval aumbiance of the event and the tournyment.  

 Personal Heraldry:

In the middle ages, the herald was employed by an individual. And when he spoke, it was speaking for that individual. The fact that that person might be a duke, a court or even a king was irrelevant, he was still employed by a singular person. Personal Heraldry in the SCA upholds that tradition by allowing a person, any person, to retain the services of  an individual to act as a private employee who's job is to proclaim that which the employer wishes. 

The most common forms of Personal heraldry in the SCA are found at tournaments where the combatants are required to be presented before the presiding nobles before the fights commence. In this application, each combatant will find a herald, and have that herald announce them as they choose. 

 Other, less traditional, but no less historically accurate examples are merchants seeking to announce their wares, or any other tradesmen, retailer or craftsmen who wants to make use of the most period form of advertisement we have record of.

Their is no warrent or test to be a personal herald, the only requiremnt if that you can do what your employer asks, and very few personal heralds practice only in this field. The fact of the mater is that most of the kingdom's best court heralds also make themselves available to friends and coligues for personal heraldry at the appropiate events. Thought this is by no means a requirement.