Adrian Empire HERALD User Manual

rian Empire,

Inc

.

HERALDRY MANUAL:

RULES FOR REGISTRATON

And

ADMINISTRATION

As adopted October 1999
amended November 2001,
amended September 2005.

© 2002 The Adrian Empire Inc., all rights reserved.

Anyone is welcome to point out any error or omission that they may find.

Imperial Sovereign of Arms [e-mail]

Empress [e-mail]
Emperor [e-mail]

Adrian Emp ire, Inc.
The A

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface..................................................................................................................…..5

I. The Rule of Tincture...............................................................................…............6

A. Simple Ordinaries ........................................….........................…....… 6

B. Field Divisions........……........................….............................................. 6

C. Vert Mounts............................................................................................. 6

D. Furs …...................................................................................................... 7

E. Augmentations ......................................................................................... 7

F. Small Details............................................................................................ 7

G. Metal on Metal...............……................................................................. 7

H. Documenting Violations ......................................................................... 7

I. Acceptable Tinctures ............................................................................... 7

J. Restrictions ......................................…..................................................... 8

II. Struck.................................................................................................................... 8

III. Armorial Style......................................................................…........................... 8

A. Presentation........................................................................................... 8

B. Modern Design.........….......................................................................... 8

C. Animals, Plants, Trademarks, Etc............................................................ 8

D. Offense, Presumption.............................................................................. 8

E. Complexity.…......................................................................................…. 8

F. Layering, Counterchanging....................................................................... 9

G. Fimbriation, Voiding ............................................................................... 9

H. Questionable Elements........................................................................…. 9

I. Oriental Charges......................................................................................... 9

J. Achievements ........................................................................................... 9

IV. Fieldless Armory................................................................................................. 9

V. Tinctureless Armory............................................................................................ 10

VI. Marshalled Armory.............................................................................................. 10

A. Restrictions on Marshalling...................................................................... 10

VII. Restricted Charges.............................................................................................. 11

1.

A. The Fleur-de-Lis ..........................................................……................... 11

B. The Crown ......................................................................................….... 12

C. The Tudor Rose ........................................…...........................................12

D. Suns..................................................................……………………… 13

E. Registering Restricted Charges.....................................…….................. 13

VIII. Defined Charges ............................................................................................... 13

IX. Offensive and Presumptuous Armory................................................................. 14

A. Offensive Armory ...................................................…............................ 14

1. Vulgarisms .................................…............................................. 14

2. Offensive Use of Religion .......................................................... 14

3. Stereotypes…….......…….......................................................... 14

4. Offensive Political Themes....................…................................ 14

B. Presumption ............................................................................................. 14

1. Restricted titles and charges......................................................... 14

2. Supernatural powers...................................................................... 15

3. Pretense........................….............................................................. 15

4. Other presumption ........................................…............................ 15

X. Armory Outside the Empire.................................................................................. 15

A. Persona...................................................................................................... 15

B. Other Medieval Re-Creation Societies ...........................................…..... 15

C. Outside of Adria........................................................................................ 16

XI. Conflicting Armory..........................…............................................................... 16

A. Addition of Primary Charges .......................…....................................... 16

B. Difference of Primary Charges ................................................................ 16

C. Significant Armorial Differences............................................................. 16

1. Field Difference ...............................…......................................... 16

2. Addition of Charges on the Field...............…................................ 17

3. Addition of Charges Overall..........................…............................ 17

4. Tincture Changes .......................................................................... 17

5. Type Changes................................................................................ 17

6. Number Changes........................................................................... 17

7. Arrangement Changes.................................................................... 17

8. Posture Changes............................................................................. 17

9. Addition of Charges on Charges................................................... 17

10. Changes to Charges on Charges...............................…............... 18

2.

D. Visual Test ............................................................................................... 18

1. Overwhelming Visual Resemblance.............................................. 18

2. Overall Effect................................................................................ 18

3. Armory, Not Visual Description.................................................... 18

XII. Structure of the College of Arms....................................................................... 18

A. Members .............................................................................…..................18

B. Local Colleges ................................…..................................................... 19

C. Heralds..........................................…........................................................ 19

D. Sovereign Status ....................................................................................... 19

XIII. Duties of the Imperial Sovereign of Arms and Other Heralds ........................ 19

A. The Imperial Sovereign of Arms ......................…................................... 19

B. Deputies to the Imperial Sovereign of Arms ........................................... 20

C. Sovereigns of Arms serving Geographic Chartered Subdivisions......….. 20

D. Heralds serving Estate Holders................................................................ 21

E. Rank System............................................................................................. 21

XIV. Registration Process......................................................................................... 22

A. In Process vs. Official ............................................................................. 22

B. Presentation..........…................................................................................ 22

C. Local level................................................................................................ 22

D. Imperial Level ......................................................................................... 23

E. Non-Registered Arms............................................................................... 24

F. Heraldry Registered to Deceased Persons................................................ 25

G. Ownership of Estate Armory................…............................................... 25

XV. Court and Other Ceremonies............................................................................. 26

A. Voice of the Crown.................................................................................. 26

B. Herald...............................….................................................................... 26

C. Transcripts ............................................................................................... 26

D. Court Reports........................................................................................... 26

XVI. Heraldic Authority ........................................................................................... 26

A. Ultimate Authority................................................................................... 26

B. Right to Remove From Display ............................................................... 26

C. Local Sovereigns of Arms.................…................................................... 27

D. Imperial College of Arms .................................…................................... 27

E. Appeals .................................................................................................... 27

XVII. Registration Limits ........................................................................................ 27

3.

A. Individual and Estates ............................................................................. 27

B. Geographic Chartered Subdivisions ...................................................... 27

XVIII. The Grandfather Clause................................................................................. 28

XIX. Documentation................................................................................................. 28

A. Unnecessary Documentation...............…................................................. 28

B. Questionable Elements or Style ..................................…........................ 28

C. List of Sources ........................................................................................ 28

D. Local Libraries ........................................................................................ 28

E. Documentable Elements .......................................................................... 28

XX. Registration Forms............................................................................................ 29

A. Forms Used ......................................…................................................... 29

B. Shapes .......................................…........................................................... 29

C. Complete Forms................................…................................................... 29

D. Colors..............................……................................................................. 29

Glossary ………….................................................................................................... 30

Appendix A: Consolidation of Manuals ........................…....................................... 33

Appendix B: Sample Letters ..............................................….................................. 33

A. Right to Use a Restricted Charge ....................................................…... 33

1. Sample 1 ......................................…............................................ 33

2. Sample 2 ....................................................................................... 33

C. Permission to Conflict ............................................................................. 33

D. Monthly Report ........................................................…............................ 34

1. Sample with activity ...............….................................................. 34

2. Sample With No Activity ..............................................…........... 34

E. Heraldic Wills..............................................…......................................... 34

1. Sample 1 ......................................…............................................. 34

2. Sample 2 ....................................................................................... 34

3. Sample 3 (in the absence of a heraldic Will).........…................... 34

Appendix C: “Insta-Boing” Checklist............................…....................................... 34

4.

P

REFACE

These Rules for Heraldic Registrations for the Adrian Imperial College of Arms, October 1999
shall supercede all previous Manuals, Rules and Handbooks, including, but are not limited to:
The Manual for the College of Arms for the Empire of Adria, 1999
The Rules for Heraldic Registrations as used by the College of Arms of the Empire of Adria,
1999
The Herald's Handbook compiled by Del'Shaley nan Tolman, undated
The Manual for the Ministry of Heraldry, 1997
The College of Arms of the Adrian Empire, 1998
The French College of Heraldry of the Adrian Empire, 1997
The College of Heraldry of the Adrian Empire, revised 1993
The College of Heraldry of the Adrian Empire, 1992
All other previous manuals, guidelines, and precedents
These Rules are a consolidation of the previous Manuals and documents into one comprehensive
document (primarily the Manual for the College of Arms, and the Rules for Heraldic
Registration). See Appendix A for more information.

For the purposes of these rules, the term "herald" shall refer to any person acting in a heraldic
manner, regardless of rank.

5.

I. THE RULE OF TINCTURE

The Rule of Tincture is defined as follows: Color may not be placed on Color, nor Metal
on Metal. This rule is generally inviolable, with certain explicit exceptions as outlined
below.

A. SIMPLE ORDINARIES

The so-called simple ordinaries (pale, fess, bend, bend sinister, cross, saltire,
chevron, chevron inverted, pall, and pall inverted), as well as chiefs, may be used
in the following manner so long as they contain no complex lines:

1. Gules ordinary on a sable or azure field

2. Sable or azure ordinary on a gules field

3. Ordinaries used in this fashion may be charged, except where such charging
would violate the Rule of Tincture.

4. Ordinaries used in this fashion may not be cotised in tinctures, which violate the

Rule of Tincture.

B. FIELD DIVISIONS

Field divisions are considered as tincture next to tincture and as such are not considered
subject to this rule. However, this category is subject to the following restrictions:

1. Field divisions of up to four parts (per pale, quarterly, per saltire, etc.) may consist of

two colors or two metals. There are two exceptions to this:

a. The lines of division must be plain line; no complex lines will be allowed.

Divisions with complex lines must be comprised of one color and one metal.

b. Per pall and per pall inverted field divisions must contain either two (2) colors

and one (1) metal, or two (2) metals and one (1) color.

2. Field divisions of more than four (4) parts (gyronny, checky, bendy, paly, etc.) must

be comprised of one (1) color and one (1) metal.

C. VERT MOUNTS

Vert mounts (bases enarched) may be placed on plain azure fields. The converse is not
permitted. The line must be plain and not complex.

6.

D. FURS

Furs are defined as being of two (2) tinctures, one (1) metal and one (1) color. The
tincture sable, since it is a solid color, is not a fur.

1. For the purposes of this rule, ermine and its variants are to be considered
tinctured the same as their background tincture. Erminois is considered
equivalent to or, counter-ermine (also known as ermines) is considered sable, et
cetera. Therefore, an or charge may not be placed on ermine or erminois, and so
forth, except under the conditions specified in this rule.

2. Ermine variants are created by strewing a field with ermine spots. This ermining
is restricted to the Rule of Tincture: Metals may only be ermined with colors, and
colors may only be ermined with metals. Purpure ermined or is acceptable.
Azure ermined gules is not.

3. For the purposes of conflict, ermine and its variants are to be considered one (1)
clear difference (CD) from their background tincture. Ermine is one (1) CD from
argent, gules ermined or is one (1) CD from gules, and so forth.

4. For the purposes of this rule, vair and its variants are considered neutral and may
be combined with any other tincture, except the tinctures that make up the vair or
vair variant. Therefore, a charge vairy argent and gules may not be placed on
argent or gules, and so forth.

5. There are no restrictions on the use of furs of any tincture combination, except
where noted above.

E. AUGMENTATIONS

Augmentations granted by any Crown are exempt from this rule.

F. SMALL DETAILS

Small details of a charge, such as eyes, tongue, or claws on a beast, are exempt from this
rule.

G. METAL ON METAL

Metal on metal is reserved specifically to the Imperial Crown and its agents.

H. DOCUMENTING VIOLATIONS

Any violations to the Rule of Tincture other than those explicitly permitted in these rules
must be adequately documented as described in Rule XIX.

I. ACCEPTABLE TINCTURES

The only acceptable tinctures are as follows:

7.

• Metals: Argent, Or

• Colors: Sable, Gules, Azure, Vert, Purpure

J. RESTRICTIONS

There are no restrictions on any tincture or combination of tinctures, except that the Rule
of Tincture may not be violated except under the conditions listed above.

II. S

TRUCK

This rule was eliminated during the consolidation of manuals. To preserve consistency in
the numbering of rules, it has not been struck from this manual.

III. ARMORIAL STYLE

A. PRESENTATION

All armory must be presented in a period heraldic style. Excessive naturalism or
excessive use of "proper" coloration will not be registered. Also, excessively modern
style ("pictorial" or "landscape" heraldry) will not be registered.

B. MODERN DESIGN

Overly modern design or allusion to modern insignia, trademarks, or other designs will
not be registered.

C. ANIMALS, PLANTS, TRADEMARKS, ETC.

Charges of animals, plants, or artifacts that were not known in Europe during the Adrian
period (1066 - 1603) will not be permitted.

D. OFFENSE, PRESUMPTION

Armory may not violate the standards on offense or presumption in these rules.

E. COMPLEXITY

All armory must be simple in design. Excessively complex armory will not be registered.

1. Complexity is determined by counting the number of types of charges in a
device and adding the number of tinctures. Gules, a lion or has a complexity
count of three (3), while Per pall gules, azure, and or, a griffin sable between in
fess a trefoil vert and a rose purpure has a complexity count of nine (9).

8.

2. Armory with a complexity count of eight (8) or above will not be
registered without a thorough review by the Imperial Sovereign of Arms.
Armory with a complexity count above six (6) is strongly discouraged.

F. LAYERING, COUNTERCHANGING

All elements in a given piece of armory must be arranged so as to preserve their
individual identifiably. Excessive layering, counterchanging, or use of complex lines of
division detracts from the overall identifiably of the elements in the device and will not
be registered.

G. FIMBRIATION, VOIDING

Fimbriation and voiding will only be permitted with simple geometric charges
and non-peripheral ordinaries that have straight, non-complex lines.

H. QUESTIONABLE ELEMENTS

Any questionable element or style should be adequately documented as described in Rule

XIX.

I. ORIENTAL CHARGES

Oriental-style charges, including Mon, dragons, armor, and such, being out of our scope,
are disallowed.

J. ACHIEVEMENTS

Showing your membership in an Order is where the Achievement comes in. That's the
frou-frou stuff “AROUND” the shield.

• If you receive an award that has a badge of its own, you may not augment your
own device to show that you’re the recipient of that award.

• If you receive an award that does not have its own badge, you may not augment
your own arms in the style of the award received.

• If you hold a favor of a person (Royal, Noble, or Gentle) or group (Church,
Estate: Royal, Major, Minor, or Ship), you may not augment my arms with the
favor from that.

IV. FIELDLESS ARMORY

Fieldless armory is that which has a transparent background, allowing the charges to be
placed on any type of background when displayed. Fieldless armory is subject to the
following restrictions:

9.

A. Only badges may be registered as fieldless.
B. Fieldless armory must form itself a unified whole; all elements in the design

must be conjoined.

V. TINCTURELESS ARMORY

Tinctureless armory has no tincture. It is generally meant for such things as wax seals and
engravings. Tinctureless armory is subject to the following limitations:

A. Only badges may be registered as tinctureless.

B. Tinctureless armory is restricted to Royal and Imperial Crowns, and the

ministries that serve them (the offices may register them, but not the individuals).

C. Tinctureless armory is subject to the same standards as fieldless armory, as given

above.

VI. MARSHALLED ARMORY

Marshalling is the practice of combining two (2) or more devices on one (1) shield or
banner. It is generally used to show a relationship of marriage, or to combine the arms of
an individual with the offices they hold.

A. Because each element must be independently registered, registration of the

marshalled arms is unnecessary and will not be permitted.

B. Marshalling is officially considered to be an encouraged practice for individuals

in relationships, whether married or otherwise.

C. Inescutcheons of pretense are considered to be a form of marshalling and as such

are restricted.

1. For this restriction to apply, the inescutcheon must be in the shape of an

escutcheon.

2. No other geometric or non-geometric charges that are themselves

charged shall be considered to be "in pretense".

A. RESTRICTIONS ON MARSHALLING

Research has shown that Marshalling appeared in more than just the familiar forms of Per
Pale and Quarterly. This includes the hitherto-unrestricted Per Fess and Per Saltire
divisions. These divisions have been abused in Adrian armory to allow designers to
combine disparate elements on one shield against the spirit of the Marshalling
proscription. In keeping with our overall push to encourage Period design, the following
is now disallowed:

10.

Any design wherein the field is divided Per Pale, Per Fess, Per Bend, Per Bend Sinister,
Quarterly, Per Saltire, Per Pall, and Per Pall Inverted wherein the charges on either side
of the line of division are of different types.

The following are now DISALLOWED under this Ruling:

• Per bend argent and vert, an oak leaf and an acorn slipped and leaved, all
counterchanged.

• Per fess argent and azure, in pale a kettle and a decrescent counterchanged.

• Per pale gules and argent, a wyvern and a rose counterchanged.

• Per pall sable, argent, and vert, an acorn argent, a lion gules, and a Maltese
cross argent.

• Per saltire argent and vert, in pale two estoiles and in fess two trees eradicated,

all counterchanged.

The following are all ALLOWED under this Ruling:

• Per bend argent and vert, two oak leaves counterchanged gules and or.

• Per fess sable and azure, in pale two kettles argent.

• Per pale gules and argent, two wyverns combattant and in chief a rose, all

counterchanged.

• Per pall argent, sable, and vert, on a pall between in chief a Maltese cross gules
and in base two Maltese crosses argent, three acorns argent.

(Yucky, but allowed.)

• Per saltire argent and vert, in cross four estoiles counterchanged.

Please encourage your clients to simplify their arms to create a coherent whole, rather
than trying to have too many different charges on one design.

VII. RESTRICTED CHARGES

A. THE FLEUR-DE-LIS

1. The gold fleur-de-lis is restricted to the Imperial Crown.

a. Persons granted the title of Prince or Princess are considered members

of the Imperial Family and may therefore augment their arms with this
charge, and wear it upon their clothing.

b. Persons granted the title of Count Royal or Countess Royal are

considered members of their local Royal Family and may therefore
augment their arms with this charge, and wear it upon their clothing.

c. Sovereigns of Arms, Heralds, and Pursuivants directly serving the

Imperial Crown may wear a gold fleur-de-lis upon the left breast while
they remain in the service of the Imperial Crown.

d. The Imperial Crown may choose to bestow this charge as an

augmentation however they see fit.

11.