Unto the populace of Lochac does the Lochac Kingdom Awards Committee send fair greeting.
Some time back, Viscount Aylwin Graymane assembled a committee to develop an award structure proposal for Lochac’s move toward Kingdom status. To this end a proposal was presented to Lochac for comment in Pegasus. Some comment was received and common suggestions that occurred within a majority of the correspondences received were incorporated.
Here now is the result of that process presented on behalf of the Lochac Awards Committee.
Comments on these draft awards should be forwarded to the Lochac Kingdom Committee
This structure has been prepared with five things in mind.
These awards are those titled Order of the Golden Sword, Order of the Golden Tear and Order of the Golden Lillies, which at Kingdom level are titled Order of the Silver Sword, Order of the Silver Tear, and the Order of the Roman Lillies. Additionally Grant level awards for the Arts and Sciences, Service and Heavy Combat have been included in response to the wishes of a number of respondents.
Section 1 - Awards
Section 1.1
The Crown is the font of all awards. The sole power to create Patents, Grants and Award of Arms rests with the Crown. The Crown hereby grants to the Coronet of each Kingdom the right to offer Awards of Arms to subjects of the Kingdom , and to offer a Patent of Arms and the title of Viscount or Viscountess to those who have served the Kingdom in the capacity of Sovereign or Consort for a full reign. The Crown specifically reserves the right to grant Patents and create Peerages for any other reason and title unto Themselves.
Section 1.2
It is the responsibility of the Royal Chamberlain and the Crown giving Arms or other awards to ensure that the type of Arms or award, the date given, and the full name of the recipient be published in Pegasus within four months of the date the Arms or award was given. Awards not published within this time limit must be reaffirmed by the Royalty in an official court, and published within four months of that reaffirmation. Any awards not so published will not be placed in the Order of Precedence of the Kingdom.
Section 1.3
Never, under any circumstances, shall the signatures of the Sovereign or Consort, or of any previous Sovereign or Consort, be forged on any scroll or other document.
Section 2 - Royal Peerages
Royal Peerages earned in the Kingdom of Lochac shall be accompanied by Patents of Arms. People earning such peerages shall be assumed to fulfill the basic requirements for the elevation to the Peerage.
Section 3 - Patents of Arms
All members of the Order of Chivalry, the Order of the Laurel, and the Order of the Pelican have the right to advise the Crown regarding selection of members for their Orders, and no member may be excluded from a conclave convened for that purpose.
Section 4 - Grants of Arms
Grants of Arms may be offered to the Great Officers of State or to other officers of the Crown for conscientious execution of their duties while in office. The Crown may also offer Grants of Arms to any individual whose great, unremitting, and excellent service is of equivalent value to the Kingdom.
Section 5 - Leaves of Achievement
Section 5.1
The Order of the Golden Tear may be offered to those the Crown finds deserving of honor, especially for substantial and unobtrusive service to the Kingdom.
Section 5.2
The Order of the Golden Lillies may be offered to those the Crown finds deserving of honor, especially for achievement in the arts and sciences.
Section 5.3
The Order of the Golden Sword may be offered to those the Crown finds deserving of honor, especially for achievement in the art of heavy combat.
Section 5.4
The Order of the Golden Rapier may be offered to those the Crown finds deserving of honor, especially for achievement in the art of rapier combat.
Section 5.5
The Order of the Golden Nock may be offered to those the Crown finds deserving of honor, especially for achievement in archery.
Section 5.6
Membership in these Orders will carry with it an Award of Arms, and members shall stand in precedence between holders of Grants of Arms and holders of the title Court Baron/Baroness.
Section 5.7
The Coronet, with the permission of the Crown, shall offer Leaves of Achievement to those residing within its Kingdom it finds deserving of honor. The Crown shall declare whether or not It intends to grant this permission at the commencement of each reign.
Section 6 - Other Armigerous Awards
Section 6.1
The title of Court Baron and/or Court Baroness may be offered to those the Crown wished to honor. This title carries with it an Award of Arms, and those entitled shall stand in precedence between holders of Leaves of Achievement and holders of Awards of Arms.
Section 6.2
A territorial Baron or Baroness, upon retiring from that office, may receive the title of Court Baron or Baroness at the discretion of the Crown.
Section 6.3
There shall be created a King’s Company of Archers. The members thereof shall have demonstrated high achievement and service to the Kingdom in archery. Further, they shall have demonstrated chivalry, courtesy and those aspects of courtly behaviour and accomplishment expected of any armiger of Lochac.
Section 6.3.1
The duties of the members of this Order shall be to advise the Earl Marshal and the Royal Archer on, and do research into, aspects of the art of archery including, but not limited to: safety, tactics, marshaling, training, qualification and competition.
Section 6.3.2
The selection of members of the Order will be at the pleasure of the Crown after consultation with the existing members of the Order.
Section 6.3.3
Membership in this Order shall carry a Grant of Arms.
Section 6.4
There shall be created a Queen’s Company of Fencers. The members thereof shall have demonstrated high achievement and service to the Kingdom in Rapier combat. Further, they shall have demonstrated chivalry, courtesy and those aspects of courtly behavior and accomplishment expected of any armiger of Lochac.
Section 6.4.1
The duties of the members of this Order shall be to advise the Earl marshal and the Knight Marshall Rapier on, and do research into, all aspects of the art of rapier combat.
Section 6.4.2
The selection of members of the Order will be at the pleasure of the Crown after consultation with the existing members of the Order.
Section 6.4.3
Membership in this Order shall carry a Grant of Arms.
Section 7 - Non-Armigerous Orders
In addition to the armigerous Orders, the Crown may create orders which do not in themselves convey the right to bear arms. At present, these include the Lochac Order of Grace, the Mouse Guard, the Order of the Rowan and the Order of the Shining Helm.
Section 7.1
The Lochac Order of Grace, may only be awarded once per reign, for that person the Crown regards as having displayed exceptional courtesy.
Section 7.2
The Mouse Guard is given in recognition of the contribution given to our Kingdom by children between the ages of 4 and 13 years.
Section 7.3
The Order of the Rowan is granted to those persons whose consistent courtesy has greatly enriched the Kingdom.
Section 7.4
The Order of the Shining Helm is given to those fighters, both light and heavy infantry, who consistently present a good looking and period appearance on the field.
Section 8 - Kingdom Awards
The right to establish non-armigerous orders and awards to be recognized solely within the borders of a Kingdom is hereby granted to the Coronet of each Kingdom .
Section 9 - Immigrant Arms
The Kingdom of Lochac recognizes the Arms and Orders awarded by other Kingdoms of our Society. Armigers moving to Lochac will be placed on the Lochac Order of Precedence as though they had received the equivalent Lochac awards.