The Shire Herald is charged with overseeing book and voice heraldry in the shire. Book heraldry refers to the SCA’s vehicle for registering a medieval persona name and device (i.e. coat of arms). No two registered names may be the same, and the SCA employs rules of conflict for registration of devices that is similar to that used in the high middle ages for tracking royal families.
Voice heraldry refers to the practice of announcing, or “heralding” various activities in the SCA, such as announcing people’s names as they process into a court, or announcing the name and records of combatants during a tournament. A voice herald is also used to read aloud the items of business and call populace members during royal and baronial courts.
The Shire Herald is also charged with keeping the shire’s order of precedence, which is the list of awards given out in the shire.