Assorted Lessons in SCA Heraldry

Complexity>

Answers to the Quiz

[Answers Below]

1. Azure, on a saltire argent between four escutcheons Or, goutty de sang, five golpes (roundels purpure). - Too complex; there are five tinctures (azure, argent, Or, gules, purpure) and four charge types (saltire, escutcheon, goutes, roundels). By the rule of thumb, this has a count of nine, which is generally excessive. The design is very well balanced, but there is still just too much going on.

2. Sable, an escallop Or and on a chief argent, three billets sable, fretty Or. - Too complex; there are too many layers on the chief; the billets are charged/treated with the fretty. The billets are too small to be properly charged with the fretty.

3. (Fieldless) A galley in trian aspect Or. (Trian aspect is a three-quarter view) - not OK; trian aspect is specifically disallowed for most charges, and the galley is not one of the exceptions.

4. Gules, a pale Or between three anvils in pale argent and a spear Or. - Not OK; the design is unbalanced. The three anvils carry so much more visual weight than the spear as to make the shield want to fall over. Very bad style.

5. Paly Or and sable, a bend counterchanged. - OK; this is almost excessive counterchanging; by the way, this is one of the quarters on the Maryland state flag.

6. Checky sable and argent, a saltire counterchanged. - Too complex; this resembles op art with the pattern of counterchanging. The saltire is very difficult to identify here.

7. (Fieldless) An elephant argent, on its back a blanket barry wavy vert and argent charged with a lion's paw escallop Or. - Debatable; this is an actual submission; strictly, this is four layers and should be returned. However, the blanket and its charges are a badge of the group submitting this badge. Arguably, this is an elephant displaying a group badge, and should be registered because it is a good usage.