Adrian Empire RULES FOR HERALDIC REGISTRATION User Manual

The Adrian Empire, Inc.

HERALDRY MANUAL:

RULES FOR REGISTRATON

and

ADMINISTRATION

As adopted October 1999
amended November 2001

© 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]

Page 2 of 23 Heraldry Manual
as adopted November 2001

T

ABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface............................................................................................................................................................... 5

I. The Rule of Tincture...................................................................................................................................... 5

A. Simple Ordinaries ........................................................................................................................... 5

B. Field Divisions................................................................................................................................5

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

D. Furs ................................................................................................................................................. 6

E. Augmentations ................................................................................................................................ 6

F. Small Details...................................................................................................................................6

G. Metal on Metal................................................................................................................................6

H. Documenting Violations ................................................................................................................. 6

I. Acceptable Tinctures ............................................................................................................................ 6

J. Restrictions ........................................................................................................................................... 6

II. Struck............................................................................................................................................................7

III. Armorial Style .............................................................................................................................................7

A. Presentation..................................................................................................................................... 7

B. Modern Design................................................................................................................................ 7

C. Animals, Plants, Trademarks, Etc...................................................................................................7

D. Offense, Presumption...................................................................................................................... 7

E. Complexity......................................................................................................................................7

F. Layering, Counterchanging............................................................................................................. 7

G. Fimbriation, Voiding ...................................................................................................................... 7

H. QUESTionable Elements................................................................................................................7

IV. Fieldless Armory.........................................................................................................................................8

V. Tinctureless Armory.....................................................................................................................................8

VI. Marshalled Armory..................................................................................................................................... 8

VII. Restricted Charges.....................................................................................................................................8

A. The Fleur-de-Lis ............................................................................................................................. 8

B. The Crown ...................................................................................................................................... 9

C. The Tudor Rose .............................................................................................................................. 9

D. Registering Restricted Charges....................................................................................................... 9

VIII. Defined Charges ..................................................................................................................................... 10

IX. Offensive and Presumptuous Armory.......................................................................................................10

A. Offensive Armory ......................................................................................................................... 10

1. Vulgarisms ........................................................................................................................... 10

2. Offensive Use of Religion ...................................................................................................10

3. Stereotypes........................................................................................................................... 10

4. Offensive Political Themes.................................................................................................. 10

B. Presumption .................................................................................................................................. 11

1. Restricted titles and charges................................................................................................. 11

2. Supernatural powers.............................................................................................................11

3. Pretense................................................................................................................................ 11

4. Other presumption ............................................................................................................... 11

X. Armory Outside the Empire....................................................................................................................... 11

Heraldry Manual Page 3 of 24
as adopted November 2001

A. Persona.......................................................................................................................................... 11

B. Other Medieval Re-Creation Societies ......................................................................................... 11

C. Outside of Adria............................................................................................................................ 11

XI. Conflicting Armory...................................................................................................................................12

A. Addition of Primary Charges........................................................................................................ 12

B. Difference of Primary Charges .....................................................................................................12

C. Significant Armorial Differences.................................................................................................. 12

1. Field Difference ................................................................................................................... 12

2. Addition of Charges on the Field......................................................................................... 12

3. Addition of Charges Overall................................................................................................ 12

4. Tincture Changes .................................................................................................................12

5. Type Changes....................................................................................................................... 13

6. Number Changes.................................................................................................................. 13

7. Arrangement Changes.......................................................................................................... 13

8. Posture Changes................................................................................................................... 13

9. Addition of Charges on Charges.......................................................................................... 13

10. Changes to Charges on Charges...........................................................................................13

D. Visual Test .................................................................................................................................... 14

1. Overwhelming Visual Resemblence.................................................................................... 14

2. Overall Effect....................................................................................................................... 14

3. Armory, Not Visual Description.......................................................................................... 14

XII. Structure of the College of Arms............................................................................................................. 14

A. Members ....................................................................................................................................... 14

B. Local Colleges .............................................................................................................................. 14

C. Heralds .......................................................................................................................................... 14

XIII. Duties of the Imperial Sovereign of Arms and Other Heralds ............................................................... 15

A. The Imperial Sovereign of Arms ..................................................................................................15

B. Deputies to the Imperial Sovereign of Arms ................................................................................ 15

C. Sovereigns of Arms serving Geographic Chartered Subdivisions................................................ 15

D. Heralds serving Estate Holders..................................................................................................... 16

XIV. Registration Process............................................................................................................................... 16

A. In Process vs. Official................................................................................................................... 16

B. Presentation................................................................................................................................... 16

C. Local level..................................................................................................................................... 16

D. Imperial Level ............................................................................................................................... 17

XV. Court and Other Ceremonies................................................................................................................... 18

A. Voice of the Crown....................................................................................................................... 18

B. Herald............................................................................................................................................ 18

C. Transcripts ....................................................................................................................................18

D. Court Reports................................................................................................................................ 19

XVI. Heraldic Authority ................................................................................................................................. 19

A. Ultimate Authority........................................................................................................................ 19

B. Right to Remove From Display .................................................................................................... 19

C. Local Sovereigns of Arms............................................................................................................. 19

D. Imperial College of Arms ............................................................................................................. 19

E. Appeals ......................................................................................................................................... 19

Page 4 of 25 Heraldry Manual
as adopted November 2001

XVII. Registration Limits ...............................................................................................................................20

A. Individual and Estates................................................................................................................... 20

B. Geographic Chartered Subdivisions ............................................................................................. 20

XVIII. The Grandfather Clause....................................................................................................................... 20

XIX. Documentation....................................................................................................................................... 20

A. Unnecessary Documentation......................................................................................................... 20

B. Questionable Elements or Style .................................................................................................... 20

C. List of Sources ..............................................................................................................................20

D. Local Libraries .............................................................................................................................. 20

E. Documentable Elements ............................................................................................................... 20

XX. Registration Forms.................................................................................................................................. 21

A. Forms Used ................................................................................................................................... 21

B. Shapes ........................................................................................................................................... 21

C. Complete Forms............................................................................................................................ 21

D. Colors............................................................................................................................................ 21

Glossary .......................................................................................................................................................... 22

Appendix A: Consolidation of Manuals ......................................................................................................... 26

Heraldry Manual Page 5 of 25
as adopted November 2001

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

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

I. T

HE 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.

, and the Rules for Heraldic Registration). See Appendix A for more information.

A. SIMPLE ORDINARIES

The so-called simple orindaries (pale, fess, bend, bend sinister, cross, saltire, chevron, chevron inverted, pall,
and pall inverted) 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.

Page 6 of 25 Heraldry Manual
as adopted November 2001

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.

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:

• 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.

Heraldry Manual Page 7 of 25
as adopted November 2001

II. S

TRUCK

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

III. A

RMORIAL 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).

2. Armory with a complexity count of nine (9) 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 identifiability.
Excessive layering, counterchanging, or use of complex lines of division detracts from the overall
identifiability 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 ordinaries that have
straight, non-complex lines.

H. QUESTIONABLE ELEMENTS

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

Page 8 of 25 Heraldry Manual
as adopted November 2001

IV. F

V. T

IELDLESS 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:

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.

INCTURELESS 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

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

VI. M

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.

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

ARSHALLED ARMORY

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".

VII. R

A. THE FLEUR-DE-LIS

ESTRICTED CHARGES

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.