Chief Chief
Fess Horizontal bar
Pale Vertical bar
Bend Right-diagonal bar
Bend sinister Left-diagonal bar
Chevron Chevron
Chevron reversed Reversed chevron
Cross Cross
Saltire Double diagonal
Pile Wedge
Quarter Quarter
Pall Y-fork
Flanches Flanches
Diminutives (except for the quarter) are one-half normal width,
prefixed "demi-", or one-quarter normal width, prefixed "quadri-" and
usually borne paired. The quarter's only diminutive is the canton,
taking up an eighth of the shield. If these charges do not extend to
the shield edges, they are described as "clipped".
Minor geometric charges (subordinaries) are those which (except for the
border) do not reach the edge of the shield; if used with an ordinary,
the subordinary is placed on top. The names of these generally remain
the same as in traditional heraldry, as most have no reasonable English
equivalent. These are the inescutcheon, orle, lozenge, fusil, and
border (formerly bordure). Two new ones are the hex and pentagon,
while the circle (once called a roundel, bezant, plate, torteau, hurt,
etc., depending on its color) is simply called a circle with the
correct color named.
The same principle applies to other charges, such as animals and
people. "Affronte" becomes "looking outward", "regardant" becomes
"looking backward", and "rampant", which is easily understandable,
remains the same. Charges are not restricted to the medieval ones,
though many of those are used. Modern charges include things like
planets, computers, stylized atoms, and spacecraft--although some of
those, particularly military models, can be confused with simple
circles.
Ruling nobles' arms, and those of most lower jurisdictions, do not
indicate rank or anything other than perhaps the bearer's reason for
being awarded them; Rangers', Life Nobles', and knights' arms, however,
clearly indicate their rank. Rangers' arms, since 2243, have been ones
used by previous Rangers; they are distinguished by a green canton with
a platinum Ranger's star. Life Nobles' arms are bordered in the metal
or color of the noble's level (platinum for dukes, gold for earls,
orange for counts, red for barons) and have a black canton with the
Imperial Arms. Knights' arms are distinguished by a platinum and green
border, one tincture inside the other. If the field is a color, the
platinum is inside; if a metal, the green.
Use of Imperial arms is restricted, for ruling nobles, to the noble,
@'s spouse, and @'s heir. This eliminates the need for an elaborate
system of cadency, though to prevent confusion, the spouse's and heir's
arms are differenced. The differences are a label with two points for
the spouse, a label with three points for the heir. Should the ruler
retire, both @ and @'s spouse add a true-lover's knot (as the spouse
also does if @ survives the ruler) to indicate dower status.
For Life Nobles and knights, only the person originally granted the
arms bears them undifferenced. A's spouse adds a label with three
points; the oldest child does the same, with @'s label having a star on
each point, and the arms are passed down to each oldest child in this
form.
Marshalling (combining two or more coats of arms to create a new one)
exists, but is limited to marriage between two people entitled to arms,
and only for the length of that marriage. If both spouses are the same
rank, the arms are impaled, with the original bearer's arms on the
right. If one spouse dies, the other may, but need not, ask the Chief
Herald for permission to continue using the marshalled arms. The
original coats go to the eldest child of each sex. If the spouses are
of different ranks, the impalement has the senior's arms on the right,
and the eldest child assumes those arms while the next eldest assumes
those of the lower-ranking parent.
HERALDRY, SANDEMAN: Since Annexation, Subsector arms are granted by
Ruling Earl Klaes, and described in English like Imperial arms.
However, as is standard whenever possible with any already-established
custom, the Earl follows the Shaper-established system of granting
arms, in three forms, to clans rather than to individuals. The warrior
caste bears them color-on-metal, with the clan-chief (always a warrior)
adding a chief of the main color. The non-warrior caste (Others) bear
the arms metal-on-color. To take the Clan Leras arms as an example:
Warriors: On a gold field, a chevron between three stars, all red.
(Stars, unless described further, are the standard five-pointed version
Old French refers to as mullets, but without the center holes those
sometimes have.)
Clan-chief: On a gold field, a chevron between three stars and a chief,
all red.
Others: On a red field, a chevron between three stars, all gold.
HERALDS, IMPERIAL: The ones responsible for issuing and insuring the
proper use of Imperial coats of arms. They are also the Sovereign's
representatives for most ceremonies that justify an Imperial presence
but do not absolutely require royalty or nobility.
HERBERT'S WORLD:
Sector: 18, Aries Year:
Subsector: G, Tyr Day:
System: Aegis Gravity:
Settled/established: 2150 CE Axial tilt:
By: Mostly retired military Oxygen:
Satellites: % Water:
Ident code prefix: HRB Continents:
Ruled by:
General: Headquarters for 18th Imperial Fleet, 18th Marine Group. Has
been described as the Empire's only planet-wide military base. Also
the only producer of cloud-silk.
HIBER-SLEEP: The safest and deepest form of suspended animation.