User:Roberthogan/Heraldry

Warning: The following user page is fanon. It is an expansion to a biography of a person in the Star Wars and Emperor's Hammer universe, and should not be mistaken for canon Added by Robert Hogan on 31 December 2022

Atravian Heraldic Tradition

Heraldic Achievement

Achievements, also known as Arms, are a heraldic representation of an individual, their family, and their status within society. Designed by individuals or by the College of Arms, there are numerous rules governing their creation, use, and transference to children. They are traditionally constructed from velvet or a similar material, with the Charge embroidered using bullion thread.

Charge

The Charge is the focal point of the achievement and serves as the symbolic representation of an individual and their family. Designed by heralds at the Royal Atravian College of Arms, charges are unique to each individual and can be passed down to their children. They usually incorporate symbolism significant to the family or individual and are intended to be able to stand both on their own and in an achievement. Charges are usually created in gold (Or) in achievements, but can created in silver (Argent) as well, should an individual so desire. Laws regarding the inheritance of Charges are described in detail below.

Field

The Field is a square background, sometimes made up of a pattern of colors, on which the Charge is placed. Commonly, the Field is a solid color for an individual being granted their own, unique Charge, while it contains a number of variations, divisions, or ordinaries for their children and descendants. However, this is not by any means a rule nor necessarily a followed convention, with individuals often utilizing their Fields to symbolize their family or personal histories, values, or identity. The following variations, divisions, and ordinaries are those currently recognized by the College of Arms.

Variations

• Barry: The Field is patterned with an even number of horizontal stripes. The number of stripes is specified in the blazon.
• Paly: The Field is patterned with an even number of vertical stripes. The number of stripes is specified in the blazon.
• Bendy: The Field is patterned with an even number of diagonal stripes leading from top left to bottom right. The number of stripes is specified in the blazon.
• Bendy sinister: The Field is patterned bendy, but the diagonal stripes lead from the top right to the bottom left. The number of stripes is specified in the blazon.
• Chequy: The Field is patterned with six horizontal and six vertical stripes, resulting in a checkered pattern.
• Gyronny: The Field is divided both quarterly and per saltire, forming eight triangular pieces emanating from the center of the Field.

Divisions

• Per fess: The Field is halved horizontally.
• Per pale: The Field is halved vertically.
• Per bend: The Field is divided vertically from top left to lower right.
• Per bend sinister: The Field is divided vertically from top right to lower left.
• Per saltire: The Field is divided diagonally in both directions.
• Quarterly: The Field is divided into four quarters.
• Per chevron: The Field is divided in two parts in the manner of a chevron.
• Per pall: The Field is divided in three parts in the manner of a "Y".

Ordinaries

• Pale: The Field is patterned with a vertical stripe right down the middle, usually with a thickness between 1/3 and 1/5 the Field.
• Fess: The Field is patterned with a horizontal stripe right down the middle, usually with a thickness between 1/3 and 1/5 the Field.
• Cross: The Field is patterned with a pale and a fess of equal widths conjoined.
• Bend: The Field is patterned with a diagonal band from the top right to bottom left.
• Bend sinister: The Field is patterned with a diagonal band from the top left to bottom right.
• Chevron: The Field is patterned with two diagonal bands meeting in the center in the form of an inverted "V".
• Saltire: The Field is patterned with a bend and a bend sinister both of equal widths conjoined to form a diagonal cross.
• Bordure: The Field is patterned with a thick border.
• Pile: The Field is patterned with a downward pointing triangle, issuing from the top of the Field.
• Pall: The Field is patterned with a Y-shape.

Frame and Fringe

Frames and Fringes are elements placed outside the Field, serving as a border and mounting for the Field. Frames and Fringes are always created in gold (Or), with the background for the Frames usually being related to the main color of the Field. The exact design of the Frame is determined by an individual's rank within the Atravian Royal Family or Peerage. The blazons for these ranks are described in more detail below:

• The Sovereign: Frame of four full braids Or on a background Or with Fringe Or.
• The Crown Prince: Frame of three full braids Or with Fringe Or.
• Prince/Princess of of the Royal House: Frame of one full braid and two partial braids Or with Fringe Or.
• Dukes/Dutchesses: Frame of one full braid and two bordures of stars Or with Fringe Or.
• Viscounts/Viscountesses: Frame of two full braids Or with Fringe Or.
• Barons/Baronesses: Frame of one full braid Or with Fringe Or.
• Knights/Dames: Fringe Or.

Tinctures

One of the most distinctive qualities of heraldry is the use of a limited palette of colors and patterns, usually referred to as tinctures. These are divided into three categories, known as metals, colors, and furs.

The metals are or and argent, representing gold and silver, respectively, although in practice they are usually depicted as yellow and white where metals are not available or impractical. Five colors are recognized: gules (red), sable (black), azure (blue), vert (green), and purpure (purple). Finally, the only recognized fur is ermine, representing the fur of the stoat, a type of weasel, in its white winter coat.

In depicting these tinctures, considerable latitude is given to the heraldic artist since there is no fixed shade or hue to any of them. One of the most important conventions of heraldry is the so-called "rule of tincture". To provide for contrast and visibility, metals should never be placed on metals, and colors should never be placed on colors. Additionally, argent should never be placed on Ermine.

Regulation

The Royal Atravian College of Arms, led by the Principal Herald of Atravis, is the lawful authority on all matters concerning heraldry, granting arms and charges to individuals in the name of the Sovereign, recording arms and charges, and settling disputes regarding heraldry. While the College of Arms has the legal right to regulate and enforce all aspects of heraldry, it focusses its efforts on charges, requiring all Charges be registered with the College to be used. Individuals have greater latitude in the design and use of Arms, not usually requiring the consent of the College of Arms so long as it can be described with a blazon and is unique.

The use of heraldry associated with The Sovereign and The Crown Prince in a capacity not officially sanctioned by His Majesty's government is illegal, and is the only criminal offense associated with heraldry. All other disputes, often between individuals or families, are civil matters, are usually handled by the College of Arms via arbitration, with formal trials convened in Court of Arms rarely taking place.

Rights and Inheritance

For Charges, the individual the Charge is granted to is considered to possess it in their own right. Arms, meanwhile, are exclusively personal and thus not inherited. All permanent titled members of the Royal House are always be considered to possess their Charge in their own right.

By default, individuals with Charges in their own right may only pass their charge down to their male children. These male children then are considered to possess them in their own right. Female children may use the charge on their arms, but cannot pass the Charge down to their own children. If an individual has no male children, they may pass their Charge down to their female children, with these female children then considered to possess them in their own right.

In certain circumstances, the grant for a charge may include a special remainder (usually at the individual's request) so the arms may pass to both their male and female children. However, these remainders usually only last one generation (i.e. a female grandchild does not possess the charge in her own right). If both parents are bearers of Charges in their on right, then it is the child's choice to either choose one of the two or petition for a grant of a new Charge incorporating elements of both.

With respect to Frames and Fringes, there are a number of special circumstances that exist for children of Dukes/Dutchesses and Viscounts/Viscountesses. The eldest son of a Duke/Dutchess uses the Frame and Fringe of a Viscount/Viscountess, while any younger children use the Frame and Fringe of a Baron/Baroness. Similarly, the eldest son of a Viscount/Viscountess uses the Frame and Fringe of a Baron/Baroness, but none of their other children will use a Frame or Fringe. If the Peer does not have any male children, the eldest daughter uses the same Frame and Fringe that the eldest son would normally use.

It is the responsibility of the bearer to ensure that no two Arms are the same. This is usually achieved through the manipulation of the field, adding or changing divisions, ordinaries, or variations to create a new set of Arms. It is also common for the heir or a Peer to use the same Arms as their parent, with the only difference being the Frame and Fringe.

Royal Arms

There are a number of different arms used within the Atravian Royal Family. The arms of The Sovereign are commonly referred to as the Atravian Arms or Royal Arms and is blazoned as follows:

Three triangles connected to and within a circlet with twenty-four sunrays emanating Or on a Field Gules with a Frame of four full braids Or on a background Or with Fringe Or.

Similarly, the Crown Prince has a specific blazon of arms, as follows:

Three triangles connected to and within a circlet Or on a Field Gules with a Frame of three full braids Or with Fringe Or.