Rules of Heraldry
Septempontian heraldry is slightly complicated by the fact that almost everything in it (especially colors) has at least two, and sometimes three or even four, names: the everyday English word (green), the mainstream heraldic term (vert), the everyday Triparic word (grün), and the poetic Triparic word (æliäd).
This is not a heraldic primer. It contains mostly those points in which Septempontian heraldry differs from macronational heraldry. For a good introduction to European heraldic tradition, see this page maintained by the Society for Creative Anachronism.
Field Shapes
The default shape is the traditional "heater" shield, but armigers may choose to display their arms on lozenges or roundels if they prefer. This preference is not registered per se, but the armiger's normal usage should be recorded in the list of currently registered devices for reference.
Tinctures and Furs
Colors and Metals
| Poetic Triparic | Everyday Triparic | Heraldic English | Everyday English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metals | |||
| argäd | — | argent | silver |
| orra | gull | Or | gold |
| Colors | |||
| carnäd | rod | gules | red |
| dunnäd | oransch, brun | tenné | brown, tan, orange |
| æliäd | grün | vert | green |
| niava | azur | azure | blue |
| purpäd | porfyr | purpure | purple |
| duväd | nara | sable | black |
Furs
| Poetic Triparic | Heraldic English | Everyday English |
|---|---|---|
| Considered Metals | ||
| – | Ermine | argent with sable tails |
| – | Erminois | Or with sable tails |
| Considered Colors | ||
| – | Counter-Ermine | sable with argent tails |
| – | Pean | sable with Or tails |
| Considered Either Type | ||
| – | Vair | Tiled bell-like shapes of argent and azure |
Furs and the Tincture Rule
Septempontian heraldry differs from macronational heraldry in that ermine-like furs are not considered to be neutral; their placement is determined by the tincture of their field. Therefore, an ermine charge cannot be placed on an Or field, nor may a pean charge be placed on a sable field.
Vair may be used on either, as it is made of equal parts argent and azure.
In addition, any color may be combined with any metal to form a fur; this is blazoned in the form "tincture1 ermined tincture2", such as "purpure ermined Or" for a purpure field with Or tails, or as "vairy tincture1 and tincture2" such as "vairy purpure and Or". In such cases, ermined tinctures are metal or color based on their field; vairy tinctures are either, but in both cases the two tinctures must be one of each type. So:
- "sable ermined gules" is not permitted at all
- "azure ermined Or" is permitted and considered a color
- "Or ermined azure" is permitted and considered a metal
- "vairy purpure and vert" is not permitted at all
- "vairy purpure and Or" is permitted and considered either a color or a metal
Stains
There are no stains in Septempontian heraldry.
Special Charges
There are a number of charges with special definitions in Septempontian heraldry.
- The Star of Bethlehem is a mullet of four greater and four lesser points.
- A mountain laurel is a rose argent, barbed and seeded purpure.
- A rose proper is gules, barbed vert and seeded Or. If only the main color of the rose is specified, it may be assumed that the barbs and seeds are of their proper tinctures.
- A Fred or heraldic Fred is a cross whose arms are broad fleur-de-lis-like shapes, as in the arms of Buenos Aires. It is known in common or macronational heraldry as a Cross of Calatrava, but in Septempontian heraldry is always properly blazoned a Fred.
- Upon the waves means that the named charge (e.g. a ship) is depicted on a base wavy argent and azure in such a way as to suggest that the base is a body of water on which the named charge floats or in which the named charge's supports rest. The top "bar" of the base should be colored to contrast with the field.
The following charges are restricted, and may not be used without special permission from the Sovereign of Arms and the Crown.
- Keystones
- Bridges of seven arches
- Crescents argent
- Dragons passant gules
- Crosses patée Or
- Tudor roses (A 'double rose', one atop the other, one gules and one argent)
Prospective armigers should also beware of charges which have significant non-Septempontian connotations, e.g. the fylfot or swastika.
Marks of Cadency
Until they reach their majority and register arms of their own, children bear a quartering of their parents' arms; the parents decide which of their arms is to be placed in dexter chief, which must be the same for all of their children. The tincture of the marks is likewise left to be determined, though the parents are strongly encouraged to follow the rules of tincture. The marks may be placed in either in chief or in dexter chief. If the child has only one armigerous parent, the other parent may be represented by a blank argent or sable field in sinister chief. If neither parent is armigerous, the child bears no arms until he or she comes of age (though children whose parents bear only titular arms may bear them with the appropriate marks of cadency).
The marks of cadency are as follows:
- Label
- Crescent
- Trefoil
- Cross crosslet
- Mullet of five points
- Estoile voided
- Annulet
Further marks of cadency will be determined if they are needed. Children with more than two legal parents should consult with the College to determine an appropriate achievement.
Once a child comes of age, he or she must register arms of his or her own if wishing to bear arms. Children are encouraged to register arms incorporating elements of their parents' arms if they wish to show the relationship.
Families and Marshalling
Families may register arms, which may be displayed by any family member. (The definition of "family member" is outside the scope of this document.) Anyone entitled to family arms may display as many shields as he feels he belongs to families, though there is a practical and aesthetic limit. As family arms are displayed undifferenced, it is often preferable to display one's personal arms as well, or to display one's personal arms with a family crest or motto.
Members of married couples may display their arms impaled, i.e. on two halves of the same shield. The arms of the partner displaying the shield are in the dexter in this case.
Noble Arms
In general, simple peerages do not hold their own arms; the peer is entitled to register personal arms, which are for all intents also those of their peerage. Titles or offices, especially those with named successors, may have registered arms, and the successor may bear them with a label.
Anyone who may bear a title's arms may display those arms as a canton upon their personal arms, or may display their personal arms as a canton on the title's arms. (Persons entitled to familial arms may do the same, but a person entitled to three devices--personal, familial, and titular--must choose at most two of them to display at any given time.)
Points of Difference
While the Sovereign of Arms does not wish to be overly restrictive in what citizens may register, there must be a clear distinction between the arms of any two entities; further, two achievements of arms must not imply a relationship that does not exist. For example, "Gules, a mountain laurel" is unlikely to be mistaken for "Azure, a mountain laurel". However, such similarity of design suggests that the bearer of the second device is somehow related to the first. Therefore, while it might be appropriate for the first person's spouse or child, it would not be registerable by someone unrelated to the first person. This rule may be stretched with permission from both the Sovereign and the person to whom the first device belongs, but as it is subjective at best decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. In any event, the College of Arms works "first come, first served".
It is also advisable to avoid famous non-Septempontian designs. One may wish to avoid "Gules, three lions passant guardant Or", for example, unless one's last name is Windsor.
In general, two points of difference will be considered sufficient. The College will make every effort to provide a public list of currently registered devices in order to make it simpler for designers to avoid conflicts.
Registering Arms
In summary, once you pick it, you're stuck with it. There are a number of problems that arise when someone changes their registered arms, e.g. What happens to old references that use the original arms? What if someone wanted something that conflicted with the old arms but doesn't with the new, and now wants to change theirs? What about quartering of children's arms; does that use the old or the new? To minimize these problems, changes of arms will be permitted only in extremely exceptional cases.
Therefore, people designing new arms should think very carefully about what they want. It's generally a bad idea to design one's arms to reflect a current enthusiasm or new interest, for example.
Citizens wishing to bear arms are encouraged to contact their local herald (Either the Liberty or Sideling Herald) or the Negley Sovereign of Arms for design consultation. Keep in mind that the College is not in the business of poking into citizens' affairs; if you use without registering a device that does not conflict with any registered device, we aren't going to stop you. It will not, however, be protected from conflict, nor will it be inheiritable nor eligible to be part of a child's quartering.
A more detailed discussion of the registration process can be found (here.) (dead link)
Foreigners
In general, only citizens of Septempontia and Septempontian groups or entities may register arms with the College of Heralds. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis for prospective citizens, and the Emperor may wish to grant arms to non-citizens as a mark of gratitude for extraordinary service to Septempontia.
Æsthetic Issues
The Sovereign of Arms will naturally endeavor to be as permissive as possible in approving devices. However, the armiger should make every attempt to avoid the "pizza with everything" effect, and the Sovereign reserves the right to refuse devices that contain any of the following:
- 7 or more tinctures, ordinaries, and types of charges in any combination (a metal field with one mullet of each color; a colored field with a chief and five different charges, each in the same metal)
- More than one type of complex line (a chief dancetty and a base wavy)
- More than two types of animal (a lion, an eagle and a deer; three different human figures)
- A single charge that takes 10 or more words to describe ("A lion rampant to sinister guardant Or, langued and armed gules, maintaining a sword proper")
- Counterchanged charges on complex fields (an annulet on a chequey field)
- Complex charges fimbriated (most animals)
- Complex field divisions using complex lines (barry dancetty)
Any of the above using a fur or other complex tincture (mulletty) is all but guaranteed to be refused.
Also, while the College is not limited to the "documentably medieval" constraints of organizations such as the Society for Creative Anachronism, the current Sovereign maintains a cordial dislike for the excessively pictoral heraldry of Victorian tradition, and may have to be bribed with yarn, chocolate, and/or fabric to pass devices incorporating such. Modern charges (e.g. an atom or computer) are less objectionable, but should still be used in as pleasing a manner as possible.