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Heraldry of Palatine
In Palatine heraldry is used to honor and identify members of the region through the display of a heraldic achievement. This page is intended as an introduction to heraldic design for those who may be unfamiliar and as a record of the arms granted to members of Palatine.Who is eligible for a coat of arms in Palatine?
In Palatine any of the gentry or nobility are eligible to bear heraldry, though only the heraldry of the nobility, that is, barons or above, are registered. Additionally you should feel free, and are encouraged to, design arms for other characters in your realm. Players are encouraged to use an application such as 
Drawshield to experiment with designed. Importantly the achievement, the part around the shield, varies quite a bit depending on that character's rank.
Designing the Shield
The shield(or, in heraldic terms, the escutcheon) is the centerpiece of a coat of arms, and the primary part displayed by the bearer. It is important therefore that a shield’s design be striking and meaningful, so as to be immediately recognizable to the viewer. To achieve this keep the following rules in mind:
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Be Distinct: The primary purpose of heraldry is to enable the owner of the coat of arms to be easily recognized, whether by friends or foes. To achieve this, your shield should have a design that is unique and stands out from others.
Keep It Simple: A cluttered coat of arms is visually overwhelming and diminishes its impact, making it less memorable. Aim for a clean and straightforward design that conveys your message effectively.
Use Strong Symbolism: Each element of your coat of arms should have a meaningful representation. Consider using symbols or images that hold personal significance to the original bearer, be it their profession, achievements, values, or history that is important to the person.
Note: When I say meaningful I mean meaningful to the character or the story. There is no symbolic canon in heraldry. That said, common symbolism, like a lion for courage, is an excellent shorthand.
Mind the Rule of Tincture: The Rule of Tincture is a set of guidelines in heraldry that helps maintain the clarity and distinction of the coat of arms. It states that metals (gold, silver) should not be placed on metals, nor colors (red, blue, green) on colors. To maintain contrast, metals should be placed on colors and vice versa.
Choosing colors
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The first choice to make is the colors, or in heraldic language "tinctures" used in your design. Tinctures are divided into two categories, colors and metals. As a rule metal(or and argent) should not be placed upon metal, nor color upon color. This promotes contrasting design and avoids clashing designs. It is usually best to stick to a limited pallet of just or three tinctures.
There are six commonly used tinctures in heraldry. From most to least common they are;
Gules, or red
Or, or yellow, representing the metal gold
Argent, or white representing the metal silver
Sable, or black
Azure, or blue
Vert, or green
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There are additional tinctures that are used more rarely.
Purepure, a purple associated with Emperors, due to it's resemblance to Tyrian purple. It's use is restricted to an augmentation for those who have served as Emperor.
Tenné, an orangey brown.
Murrey, A mulberry stain.
Sanguine, A deep blood red.
Cendrée, an ash grey. Common in German and somewhat in French heraldry, but not elsewhere.
On Ordinaries
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here.Cross - An obvious symbol if Christian faith the cross is one of the most common heraldic symbols. As an ordinary it extends to the edges of the shield.
Chief - A band covering the upper third of the shield. It is sometimes used as a mark of political orientation, to a house, faction, or sovereign by displaying charges upon it.
Fess - A horizontal band covering the middle third of the shield.
Pale - A vertical band covering the middle third of the shield.
Bend - A diagonal band across the middle of the shield. The bend starts from the top left to the bottom right, but this can be reversed as a mark of distinction, to indicate the bearer is not a legitimate child of the one originally bore the arms.
Chevron - A band across the sheild shaped like an inverted V. The cheveron is sometimes said to be drawn from the image of a pitched roof, or of horseshoe prints.
Saltire - A diagonal cross, the saltire is sometimes called the St Anthony's cross, as tradition states that he was crucified on one. May of the places that us the cross are associated with the saint.
Base - A band covering the lower portion of the shield.
Less commonly used, but still not at all rare.
Pile - A triangle issuing from the top of the shield extending to, or almost to, the base.
Pall - A Y shape across the entire shield, also called a shakefork, esp when couped, or stopped at the border of the shield.
Label - A band across the shield with tabs hanging down from it. The label represents a strap with pendants hanging from it. The label is commonly used as a mark of cadency
Canton - A canton is a small square in the top left of the shield. It often holds a charge as a mark of distinction.
Border - A band around the outside of the shield. The border is often used for cadency especially in French traditions.
Ford - A special variation of the base. a ford is a base wavy barry wavy azure and argent.
Flaunche - An arc emerging from the side of the sheild, almost always appearing in pairs, resembling a surcoat.
Gore - A curved triangular gouge into the side of the shield.
Divisions
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As the name suggests divisions divide the field. You can see on the left most divisions are derived from ordinaries in both their form and their name. Many divisions made by dividing the field repeatedly, sometime creating complex patterns that blur the line between divisions and variations. The most common divisions are:
per Cross - A division based on the cross ordinary, dividing the shield into quarters
per Fess - dividing the shield in half horizontally
per Pale - dividing the shield in half vertically
per Bend - dividing the shield in half diagonally(you can reverse the diagonal by using per bend sinister)
per Chevron - A division based on the cross ordinary, Per Chevron - A division based on the chevron ordinary, creating an inverted V shape on the shield.
Per Saltire - Dividing the shield into four triangular sections by a diagonal cross, with one triangle in each quadrant.
Per Pall - Dividing the shield into three sections with a Y shape, with one section at the top and two sections at the sides.
Gyronny - Dividing the shield into equal segments radiating from the center, typically in a pattern of four, six, or eight segments.
Barry - Dividing the shield horizontally into an even number of equal stripes of alternating colors.
Paly - Dividing the shield vertically into an even number of equal stripes of alternating colors.
Chevrony - Dividing the shield with a pattern of multiple chevrons, typically in a V shape.
Fusily - Dividing the shield diagonally with a pattern of lozenges or diamond shapes.
Chape - Dividing the shield with a triangular shape, typically at the base.
Pily - Dividing the shield with a pattern of pointed shapes, typically resembling piles or stakes.
Chausse - Dividing the shield with a curved or concave shape, typically at the base.
Barry Bendy - Dividing the shield horizontally into an even number of equal stripes, with each stripe having a diagonal pattern resembling a series of small diagonal bars.
Furs, Treatments, and Variations of the Field
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Ermine - A pattern of black spots on a white field, resembling the fur of the stoat.
Vair - A pattern of interlocking blue and white bell-shaped figures, resembling a pattern of fur, typically representing the fur of a squirrel.
Potent - a pattern of T-shaped figures, resembling the crutch-like shape of a potence, typically alternating in color.
Tapisse - a pattern of horizontal stripes of alternating colors, typically gold and another color, resembling the fabric of a tapestry.
Lozengy - a pattern of diamond shapes, typically alternating in color, resembling a pattern of lozenges.
Chequy - a pattern of squares of alternating colors, typically arranged in a checkerboard pattern
Masculy - a pattern of small lozenges or diamond shapes, typically arranged in a diagonal pattern, resembling a pattern of mesh or netting,.
Masoned - a pattern of small square or rectangular stones, typically resembling a pattern of masonry or brickwork..
Honeycombed - a pattern of hexagons or honeycomb shapes, resembling the cells of a beehive..
Pappellon - a pattern of small roundels or circular shapes, typically arranged in a pattern resembling the petals of a flower.
Fretty - a pattern of interwoven bands or ribbons, typically in a diagonal pattern, resembling a lattice or trellis.
Mullety - a pattern of small stars, typically five-pointed, arranged in a regular pattern.
Crusilly - a pattern of small crosses, typically in a regular pattern, resembling a pattern of crusader's crosses.
Estencely - a pattern of small circles or roundels, typically arranged in a random or scattered pattern, resembling a pattern of sparks or stars.
Scaly - a pattern of overlapping scales, typically resembling the scales of a fish or reptile.
Semy - a pattern of small charges scattered across the field, typically in a random or dense pattern.
Charges
Charges are depictions of object or animals that can be placed anywhere on the shield and are used in heraldry to create unique and meaningful coat of arms designs.
There are a great diversity of charges to choose from, from abstract geometric shapes, celestial bodies, animals, plants, tools, buildings or people. Nearly anything that existed in the medieval world may be found represented as a charge.
Crosses - Crosses are one of the most common charges in heraldry and represent Christian f aith, sacrifice, and devotion. They can come in various forms, such as the Latin cross, Greek cross, or Maltese cross, and can be simple or highly ornate.
Geometric Charges - Geometric charges are abstract shapes used in heraldry, such as lozenges, fusils, billets, or annulets.
Celestial Bodies - Celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon, and stars, are often used as charges in heraldry. They can symbolize divine guidance, illumination, or celestial influence.
Animals - Animals are popular charges in heraldry, and can represent various attributes or virtues. For example, lions can symbolize bravery and regality, eagles ferocity and power, and fish can symbolize abundance or fertility. The attitude or position of the animal, such as rampant (standing on one leg), passant (walking), or couchant (lying down), can also convey different meanings.
Plants - Plants, such as trees, flowers, and leaves, can be used as charges in heraldry to symbolize growth, fertility, or vitality. They can be depicted in various styles and arrangements to create unique and meaningful designs.
Objects - Objects, such as weapons, tools, or buildings, can be used as charges in heraldry to represent professions, achievements, or attributes. For example, swords can symbolize valor, keys can represent authority, and castles can represent strength or fortification.
People - Depictions of people, such as knights, saints, or historical figures, can also be used as charges in heraldry. They can represent virtues, accomplishments, or lineage.
When choosing charges for a coat of arms, it's important to consider their symbolism and how they will fit into the overall design. Charges can be combined in various ways to create a unique and meaningful coat of arms that tells a story and represents the individual or organization it represents. The size, color, and placement of charges should also be carefully considered to create a visually appealing and balanced design in accordance with the principles of heraldry.
The Achievement
The achievement is the collection of elements around the shield that a character is entitled to bear., and may consist of a helm, crown, supporters and other elements. What elements may be included depend on a character's rank. Additionally arms for clergy, as well as charter towns and cities have their own achievements which are detailed later. The achievements for player ranks are thus:
Gentry - Helm, torse, mantling and motto
Knight - Helm, torse, mantling, motto and crest
Baron - Peer's helm, baron's coronet, mantling, motto, crest, supporters, and compartment.
Count - Peer's helm, count's coronet, mantling, motto, crest, supporters, and compartment.
Duke - Royal helm, ducal coronet, mantling, motto, crest, supporters, and compartment.
King - Royal helm, royal crown, mantling, motto, crest, supporters, and compartment.
Palatine Roll of Arms
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