The Standards for Evaluation of Names and Armory - SCA Heraldry

The Standards for Evaluation of Names and Armory:The Rules for Submissionsb. Mixing Ordinaries and Other Charges: While charge groups may have different types of charges,charge groups consist of either identical ordinaries or complex charges. Thus, a single charge group maynot mix ordinaries with non-ordinaries or mix two types of ordinaries.For example, a design like Or, in pale an acorn proper and a bar gules or Sable, in pale a fess and achevron would not be registered. However, such mixtures of charges can be found in entire designs andcan be registerable. For example, Azure, a chevron argent between three sea-horses and a chief Or isregisterable, consisting of a primary chevron and two secondary charge groups. Similarly, Gules, a fessbetween two chevrons argent is registerable; the fess is primary and the chevrons secondary.c. Unity of Posture and Orientation: The charges within a charge group should be in either identicalpostures/orientations or an arrangement that includes posture/orientation (in cross, combatant, or in pallpoints outward, for example). A charge group in which postures for different charges must be blazonedindividually will not be allowed without period examples of that combination of postures. Arrangementsof charges which cannot be blazoned will not be allowed. Some standard arrangements for period chargegroups are discussed in Appendix K.For example, a design such as Argent, two lions passant respectant and a lion statant erect affronty vertwould not be allowed. Likewise, a design such as Azure, two pheons bendwise, and a pheon inverted Orwould not be allowed. However, crescents, increscents, decrescents, and crescents pendant were usedoccasionally in the same armory, so armory which includes more than one of these is allowed.d. Allowable Differences within Charge Groups: Some differences are found in period amongst chargeswithin a charge group. Thus, we allow some differences within a charge group, as long as they remainblazonable. This includes the changes to the tincture of charges (including partitions) within a chargegroup, and a tertiary charge group that is only found on part of a group of charges. Other changes notdiscussed here are generally assumed to be allowable.E. Armorial Simplicity: Period armory was mostly simple in nature, having only a few charge groups on thefield and a few tinctures.1. Arrangement of Charge Groups: Charge groups must be arranged upon the field in a period fashion.Appendix J gives lists of those arrangements of charge groups which do not need further documentation.All arrangements of two or fewer charge groups on the field are considered compatible with period style,except for those listed as not documented in Appendix J. Only a limited number of arrangements of threeor more charge groups on the field are documented; those are listed in Appendix J. Other arrangements ofcharge groups must be documented.2. Complexity Count: We require that any submission not exceed a certain "complexity count," measured byadding the number of types of charges to the number of tinctures. Items with a complexity count of eight orless receive no penalty for complexity from this rule. Furs, such as ermine and vair, count as a singletincture rather than their component tinctures. Charges that have different names in different tinctures ororientations (roundels, crescents, gouttes) are considered one type regardless of the term used for them. Allcharges, including maintained charges, are counted, though objects worn by an animal or person do not. Alltinctures are counted except those used only for normally unblazoned artistic details like teeth, claws, andeyes. Proper is not a tincture, but a description of a group of tinctures, each of which is counted separately.For example, Vert, in fess two straight trumpets palewise Or and a chief argent has a complexity count offive, while Vert, in fess two straight trumpets palewise and a chief Or has a complexity count of four. Vair,a squirrel gules has a complexity count of three. Argent, a brown monkey proper vested gules has acomplexity count of four, because the tincture of the vest is also counted. For example, a rose proper hasStandards for Evaluation of Names and Armory – April 29, 2012 - Page 46 of 73