TLANTIAN BACKLOG DATABASE
Frequently Asked Questions
Please ask questions.
Um, no-one has asked any questions yet - so I'm gonna make a couple guesses to get this page started. Some of this information will be duplicated on the "Info" pages for each category.
Why (and how) did you change the way the backlog works?
The reliability of some data decreases as it ages. The biggest change is that I'm asking recipients to reaffirm old data. I hope this will allow us to focus on creating scrolls for people who really want them. The total backlog is just over 2000 scrolls – before you all faint or panic or something, let's discuss how it got that big, what's really in there and what we can do about it.
How it got that big is fairly simple. Our generous and beloved Crowns bestow upon the populace lots of awards and the wondrous College of Scribes creates lots of scrolls. The trouble is that the Crown's "lots" is always bigger than the College's "lots". If anyone would like real numbers instead of "lots," please write me and I'll be happy to provide them.
What's really in there? It's a dusty, musty, old database that's been through many hands – so it's loaded with various inaccuracies. That's just the way it is when you're dealing with old data and folks who fall off the edge of the earth and people who forget to communicate with each other and so on. There are scrolls in there that have been done for ages. There are scribes and recipients in there who have slipped away without a trace. And there are, of course, lots of awards for recipients who really want their scrolls, and lots of scribes who really want to make scrolls that will be appreciated.
What we've decided to do about it is to enforce existing policy regarding non-armigerous awards (they will no longer be assigned by my office) and to ask recipients who received their armigerous awards more than six reigns ago (that's a rolling six reigns) to request a scroll and provide us with contact information.
What is a Commission? Can I have my scroll commissioned and how? Do I have to commission my scroll?
From Signet policy:
2.10.3.9 Private commissions are permitted and encouraged. It is important that the Clerk is notified of the commission to prevent duplicate assignments. The Office of the Signet has no responsibility or authority to ensure that the commissioned scroll meets our guidelines.2.10.3.10 A private commission is defined as a scroll production agreement between a scribe and an award recipient; this agreement may include direct compensation or exchange of services for labor and/or materials.
Any scroll can be commissioned, some must be commissioned (see For Commission Only Information page).
A commission is originated by the recipient. The recipient asks a scribe to make a scroll, if the scribe agrees they work out the details between themselves (those details *may* include compensation). If the award is in the "For Commission Only" category then I don't even need to know about it. If the award is in one of the "Eligible" categories then I need to be informed of the commission to prevent duplicate work.
My office will be happy to facilitate commissions by providing a directory of scribes who would like to take on commissions, by providing texts and guidance for scribes and by helping to collect signatures.
Commissions are an ideal solution for recipients who don't intend to register heraldry.
Quality and accuracy of commissioned scrolls is between the scribe and the recipient.
Which awards fall into the "For Commission Only" category? Why? and what does that mean?
- Queen's Order of Courtesy
- Nonpareil
- King's Award of Excellence
- Undine
- Shark's Tooth
- Silver Nautilus
- Fountain
- Herring
- Sea Urchin
- Hippocampus
- Sea Tyger
- Alcyon
- Augmentation of Arms
- Supporters
- Territorial Baronage
Most of these awards do not affect the recipient's position in the Atlantian Order of Precedence (exceptions below).
Supporters and Augmentations are here because of their special heraldic requirements. (and there is some question of their bearing upon precedence)
Territorial Baronage is here because it's a temporary status - members of our Territorial Baronage always receive a Grant of Arms upon stepping up and usually receive a Court Baronage upon stepping down - those are both Eligible for Assignment or Request (depending on age). Assigning Territorial Baronage scrolls would be a lot like assigning King & Queen or Prince & Princess scrolls.
This doesn't mean that you can't *have* a scroll for any of these, it just means that you'll have to take responsibility for arranging that scroll. Of course, Their Majesties may arrange for court scrolls for any of these awards if they desire.
I will continue to log all of these but I won't assign them or keep up with their assignment/commission/completion status. (I will mark them as complete if someone lets me know that.) The "For Commission Only" table will be for reference only - the recipient will be responsible for arranging a scroll and the recipient will be the only one who knows for sure the status of that scroll.
What is an Assignment?
An assignment is a scroll production agreement between a scribe and the Signet's office.
Who is my scroll assigned to?
My office won't give out our scribes' names - I'm sorry. I do strongly encourage scribes to contact their recipients before beginning a scroll - to ensure that the recipient is still around and hasn't already received the scroll from another source. If you would like your scribe to contact you, my office will be glad to relay that message to your scribe.
