User:Askiva/sandbox

Alright. Slowly fleshing out. Still needs to be alphabetized, broken down into chunks, and correctly formatted, and spell checked. This is just a portion of the heraldry overview. The inclusion of a heraldry overview was given approval by Clementius, but still want approval on this portion specifically due to its attempt to remain objective.

Heraldic Overview

Heraldry is the time honoured practice of fashioning a unique visual identifier for an individual or an organisation. This identifier is known as the heraldric arms. Over the ages a complex language has developed around the practice of heraldry to describe the colours, styles and shapes associated with the artistry of the heraldric arms.

Those who design heraldric arms are known as Heralds. Heralds are commissioned, and such a commission may be purchased from the Herald's Commission office in Delos. The Achaean Heraldry Association is a loose trade group that sets pricing guidance for the creation and emblazoning of heraldric arms, though membership in this association is not required to be an Herald.

Heraldic Tinctures

Tincture refers to the colour, metal or fur for either the field or charges of the heraldric arms. There are fourteen different tinctures:

• Argent: a metallic silver
• Azure: the colour blue
• Carnation: the colour pink (or pale red)
• Ermines: a fur of white spots on black
• Ermine: a fur of black spots on white
• Erminois: a fur of black spots on gold
• Gules: the colour red
• Or: a metallic gold
• Purpure: the colour purple
• Sable: the colour black
• Sanguine: the colour brown
• Tenne: the colour orange
• Vair: a fur of squirrel with alternating blue and white
• Vert: the colour green

Heraldic Divisions

The division of the refers to the pattern on the field. Often the division will split the field into distinct partitions, each with its own tincture and charges. There are nineteen distinct forms of division:

• Barry: divided into horizontal bars (of 4, 6, 8 or 10)
• Bendy: divided into diagonal bars from dexter chief (of 4, 6, 8 or 10)
• Bendy sinister: divided into diagonal bars from sinister chief
• Checquy: a checkerboard pattern
• Gyronny: divided into triangles touching in the center (of 8 or 12)
• Lozengy: a diamond pattern
• Paly: divided into vertical bars (of 4, 6, 8 or 10)
• Per bend: divided in two by a diagonal line
• Per chevron: divided in two by a chevron shape pointed up
• Per fess: divided in two by a horizontal line
• Per fess and paly: the paly division, divided per fess, counterchanged
• Per pale: divided in two by a vertical line
• Per pale and barry: the barry division, divided by pale, counterchanged
• Per pall: divided in three, in a shape similar to the letter Y
• Per saltire: divided in four by two crossing diagonal lines
• Quarterly: divided into four by a vertical and horizontal line
• Tierced per fess: divided into three horizontal bars
• Tierced per pale: divided into three vertical bars
• Undivided: an undivided field

Heraldic Charges

bendlet

A bendlet is related to the ordinary bend, and usually used to distinguish similiar coats of arms belonging to the same family. It is usually half the size of a bend but can be narrower, and crosses the shield from upper right corner to lower left side.

pallet

A pallet is related to the ordinary pale, it is a verticle line set up across the coat of arms, about one-fourth of the width of a pale.

anchor

The anchor is both an emblem of hope, as well as being a reference towards ships and mortals upon the oceans.

annulet

A ring on an escutcheon. It can stand for nobility/rank and or a sign of its bearer's favor with nobility/rank.

arrow

An arrow can often symbolize archers. Members of Houses that originated from Serpent Guilds often use the arrow in their arms.

axe

A weapon used to cut wood, also similiar to battle axes. Can often symbolize the axe-hand skill of Monks, or the throwing-axe of the Sentinels.

bezant

A gold coin. Often representative of wealth, and or prosperity. Used in the arms of the Order of Prospero.

billet

A square used to represent a piece of paper or parchment in the form of a letter. Used to denote both scholars, and individuals known for literary correspondence.

book

A book, used to represent both scholars, the learned, and those who pursue any path of knowledge. Also signifies libraries and archives.

bow

A weapon used in archery to shoot arrows. Members of Houses that originated from Serpent Guilds often use the bow in their arms.

cartouche

An oval-shaped shield often used to display the arms of women as an alternative to the lozenge. Also used by clergy (priests and apostates or ranked members of non-militaristic Orders to avoid the military associations of an escutcheon.

castle

A fortress, or other defensive structure. Can be used to allude to the Baelgrim Fortress, the Iron Citadel, the Fortress of the Shamans, or any of the other numerous fortresses, baronies, and castles that dot the Sapience. (Adryn's Keep, Ruins of Morindar, Annwyn, Gnoll Fortress in Manara, Castle Enverren, Barony of Petra, Castle in Bopalopia, Dun Castle, the Vertani Fortress).

cinquefoil

A stemless, five-pointed rose.

dirk

A short dagger used primarily by those of the Serpent class, it can be used symbolically to denote an assassin, or just someone who has the Serpent Class.

escallop

A scallop shell, often used to denote that the bearer had made a pilgrimage of some sort. Also, in being a shell, holds reference to the seas or oceans.

estoile

A star with six wavy points. Used in the arms of Kastalia, Prospero, and numerous citizens of Shallam, it appeals to the representatives of Good and Wealth.

feather

A part of the plumage of various fowl, often used symbolically to represent those of the Atavian race.

flame

Self-explanatory. Could be used to refer to the Flame of Yggdrasil, the black flame of Thoth, the purple flame of Keresis, and the flame sigils of the magi.

flute

A musical instrument of the woodwind family used primarily by bards. Can be used in reference to music and the House of Ty Beirdd.

fountain

A structure of flowing water. Can refer to the fountain in Cyrene, the memorial fountain in Thera, the Fountain of grace in Shala'jen, and the black granite fountain of Bitterfork.

fusil

A narrow diamond-shape.

garb

A sheaf of corn. Can be symbolic of the agricultural villages of Nimick, Adryn's Keep, and Petra, all known for growing corn.

gauntlet

An often armored glove known for protecting from the fingers to the forearms. Used in the arms of Aegis, it can be used to denote fighters and or warriors of many types.

glove

A glove.

golpe

A purple circle.

gong

A metal percussion instrument.

guze

A brownish-red circle. Often said to represent an eyeball.

harp

A stringed instrument. Used in the arms of the House of Ty Beirrd, harps can often be representative of those of the bardic class.

hurt

A blue circle.

lozenge

A diamond shape. Often associated with women.

lute

A plucked string instrument.

lymphad

A small galley with 12 to 18 oars.

lyre

A stringed instrument.

mace

A long shaft, metal or wooden, with various types of heads. Often the prefered weapon of those of the class of Priests.

mandolin

A small stringed instrument.

mascle

A voided lozenge or diamond shaped outline.

mullet

A five pointed star. Used in the arms of Ourania, can be seen to represent a starry sky.

necklace

A piece of jewellery, can also refer to the Necklace of Purity or Comprehension.

orange

A citrus fruit.

ouroboros

A snake eating its own tail. Used by Ourania in her arms to symbolise a neverending cycle, as well as a device used by Magi to create enchantments.

pellet

A black circle.

plate

A silver circle.

quarterstaff

A weapon used primarily by those of the Druid and Sylvan classes, and thus often symbolic of the guardianship of nature.

quatrefoil

A stemless, four-petaled rose.

quill

One of the large feathers of the tail-wing of a bird, often used as a writing instrument. Often symbolic of scholars writers, and designers.

ring

Could symbolise the profession of jewellers, a ranked individual, as well as the ring some falcon's bear.

rose

A flower.

rustre

A circular hole in a diamond shape.

saltorel

A small diagonal cross-shape.

scimitar

A sword with a curved blade. Can refer to the scimitar of Yen-Sorte, the older flaming scimitar of Aegis, the scimitars wielded by the El'Jaziran guards, of the scimitar the Warleader Lockwood wielded in the Battle of Shallam.

scroll

When crystalized, the symbol of Lorielan. Also the symbol of The Achaean Heraldry Association. Can be used in reference to scholars and those who pursue knowledge.

spear

A pole weapon with a sharpened head. Can refer to the Spear of Arn.

staff

A pole, can be used as a weapon. Can refer to the Staff of Nicator, the Staff of the Lorewardens, and those of the Magi class.

sun rayonny

A blazing sun, one of the symbols of Mithraea.

sword

A bladed weapon. One of the symbols of Miramar. Can refer to the sword of numerous historical figures.

torteau

A red circle.

tower

A tall edifice. Several towers exist on Sapience, the Ember Tower of the Imps, the crystalline tower in Actar Valley, the Sky Tower of Arcadia, the Tower of the Blue Abyss, Maklak's tower of ice, the now destroyed Tower of Luminai in Shallam, Tower of the Moon and Stars in Hashan, and the Living Spire.

tree eradicated

A tree torn up by the roots.

tree

A tree. Can be symbolic of many things depending upon its species.

trefoil slipped

A three petaled rose torn from the plant.

vial

A container used to hold elixirs, venoms, and other substances. Often used in relation to the concoctionists of the realm.

adder

asp

basilisk:

bass:

bears:

blackbird:

boars:

carp:

catfish:

cheetahs:

chubsucker:

cobra coiled:

condor:

crappie:

crow:

daemons:

darter:

dolphin:

dove:

dracoliches:

dragon:

eagle:

eel:

elephants:

falcon:

foxes:

gophers:

gorillas:

griffins:

harpy:

hippocampus:

hummingbird:

hyenas:

icewyrms:

kirins:

lions:

moon crescent:

nightingale:

owl:

perch

phoenix

pike

rams

rats

salamanders

salmon

shad

shark

sloths

squirrels

stags

sturgeon

swan

tigers

trout

viper coiled

walleye

whale

wildcats

wolves

wolverines

wyvern

fleur-de-lis

apple

chimerae

gargoyles

octopus

raven

crown

flagon

lotus

trident

warhammer

totem

anvil

forge

bat

crystal

pearl

orchid

sphinxes

drakes

coneys

apes

monkeys

lionesses

camels

bulls

sheep

reindeers

cats

horses

mammoths

zebras

mares

butterfly

rooster

hen

pegasi

hippogriffs

rapier

battleaxe

escarbuncle

monolith

chaplet

horseshoe

man

woman

dryad

siren

satyr

dwarf

rajamala

troll

tsol'aa

grook

xoran

horkval

mhun

cherub

angel

atavian

firefly

gecko

eye

eye

sapphire

runeblade

Zarathustran eagle

double-headed eagle displayed

dragon rampant

swan

bee

spider

candle

thunderbolt

panther

hawk

tengu

hawk

lamassu

sparrow

stormcloud pierced by a runeblade

carp

catfish

crappie

darter

dolphin

eel

hippocampus

mooneye

perch

pike

salmon

shad

shark

sturgeon

trout

walleye

whale

octopus

python coiled

willow tree

chestnut tree

hazel tree

oak tree

cedar tree

pine tree

aspen tree

birch tree

maple tree

poplar tree

sycamore tree

baalzadeens

scales of justice

temple

cobra-edged septagram

open palm with fingers splayed

moon decrescent

lily

three annulets interfretted

spade

hand

whirlwind

lemmings

tree in blossom

ants

mooses

penguins

deathknights

unicorn

vampires

dolls

puppets

dragonfly

kraken

mermaid

merman

triton

bowl

cauldron

cane

crook

dagger

knife

leaf

pillar

rod

sceptre

wand

morning glory