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I have a question regarding the Graydon family crest described in Knights of the Inner Sea. Of the families on the front cover it was the only one that did not merit an illustration, so I'm wondering about it.
It is described as a howling wolf sillouheted by the sun. Does this refer to a wolf's head erazed or a full wolf? Is the sun on the horizon with the wolf in front of it or is it like the wolf is in the center of the sun? Are the rays of the sun pointy or wavy? How many rays are there? What position is the wolf in? Affronte? Couchant? Passant? Rampant? What are the tinctures and metals? I assume the sun would be or, but what would the wolf be, then? Sable? And what about the rest of the heraldry? Would the background be Purpure, like Ustalav's crest (which technically breaks heraldric rules, as it has sable on purpure, and you can't put a tincture on a tincture)? Sable if the wolf is centered in the sun? Something completely different like gules or azure?
I want someone to draw a picture of this heraldry, so I want to give them as detailed a description of the arms as possible.
Ah, testing our memory of heraldry terminology, I see. ;) Challenge accepted!
The Graydon family crest was left unillustrated so that GMs could devise their own icon for it if they saw fit. In addition, leaving it empty now allows us to come up with a cool crest for it in a later book if we want. All that said, here's how I would imagine the Graydon family crest.
Heraldic Syntax: Sable, four gyrons Or and argent, a wolf sejant Purpure.
English: The field is black. The upper half of the shield consists of four rays of sunlight alternating gold and white. In the center of the shield is a purple wolf sitting on its haunches.
Simple, but it gets the point across. If I could figure out how to phrase a half-circle for the sun, I'd likely implement that as well.
Heraldic Syntax: Sable, four gyrons Or and argent, a wolf sejant Purpure.
English: The field is black. The upper half of the shield consists of four rays of sunlight alternating gold and white. In the center of the shield is a purple wolf sitting on its haunches.
Blazoning is indeed complex. My take on that would have been "per fess or and sable; in chief two gyrons argent; a wolf sejant purpure", or with the sun disc:
"per fess or and sable; in chief two gyrons argent; issuing from fess a demi-roundel or; a wolf sejant purpure."
But IANAH (I am not a herald) despite years spent in SCA.
Heraldic Syntax: Sable, four gyrons Or and argent, a wolf sejant Purpure.
English: The field is black. The upper half of the shield consists of four rays of sunlight alternating gold and white. In the center of the shield is a purple wolf sitting on its haunches.
Blazoning is indeed complex. My take on that would have been "per fess or and sable; in chief two gyrons argent; a wolf sejant purpure", or with the sun disc:
"per fess or and sable; in chief two gyrons argent; issuing from fess a demi-roundel or; a wolf sejant purpure."
But IANAH (I am not a herald) despite years spent in SCA.
I totally had "per fess Or and sable" in my initial draft of my post but then wasn't sure. Glad to know my first instincts were right!
I totally had "per fess Or and sable" in my initial draft of my post but then wasn't sure. Glad to know my first instincts were right!
That's assuming I'm right; like I said, not a herald. And of course the Archpaladin was correct about the rule of tincture: no colour on colour or metal on metal, especially without fimbriation, is very strongly discouraged; but perhaps the heraldic conventions are more relaxed on Golarion. Or if there's a mythical breed of wolf with purple fur, that would trump the rule of tincture: a grapewolf sejant proper.
It was fun to take a stab at it, anyway, sort of like using vocabulary from a language you took mumblety-mumble years ago in high school. :)
On the subject of the grapewolf, that reminds me of one of my threads of logic after having watched the Dungeons and Dragons movie and trying to figure out why an eleven ranger would wear hot pink leather armor. I decided it was because there had been a hot pink heraldic deer menacing the merry greenwood ho and the ranger had killed it and had it made into leather armor which she left its natural color.
1)I have NO expectation that historic Nor SCAdian heraldry would apply to Galorion nor any other fantasy world.
2)SCA heraldry is MOSTLY historical, and is it's own beast. (Though I think the rules for making your own beasts are currently not favored)
3) I would attempt the blazon as such: Sable, Upon a Demisun Or & argent, a wolf segent purpur. this would solve the tincture issue. I'm not actually certain you can designate a demisun and Or& argent either. And there may be a better descriptor for the wolf than segent. I don't have my books handy.
4) a search for "SCA Heraldry" will yield many helpful links for those that would like to understand what the blazon is going on here, as well as a good approximation of historical heraldry rules.
-=Zotikos=-
Rostered Herald
Certifed Dork
What would a GrapeWolf taste like?
What would they eat?
What would the stats be on a Dire GrapWolf?
Are GrapeWolves available as Familiars? Companion Animals?
What would a GrapeWolf taste like?
All unusual meats taste like chicken. It's some kind of rule. Grapewolf flesh tastes like chicken marsala. (Google the recipe if you aren't familiar with it.)
I would attempt the blazon as such: Sable, Upon a Demisun Or & argent, a wolf segent purpur. this would solve the tincture issue.
That changes the layout, from being divided per fess to having the sable field surrounding the demisun, and the wolf completely outlined by the demisun (not touching the sable field.) Avoids color-on-color and is probably closer to AP Zousha's original description. I was basing my take on Patrick Renie's English transcription.
I'm no more sure than you are about the bimetal demisun. But again, we don't know what Golarian's rules of heraldry may be.
1)I have NO expectation that historic Nor SCAdian heraldry would apply to Galorion nor any other fantasy world.
2)SCA heraldry is MOSTLY historical, and is it's own beast. (Though I think the rules for making your own beasts are currently not favored)
And SCA heraldry is based on a specific subset of European heraldry to narrow down the blazoning styles (which were/are all over the place!). The heralds in our area specifically followed the Lion College of Arms blazoning, but that was (cough! cough!) years ago.
3) I would attempt the blazon as such: Sable, Upon a Demisun Or & argent, a wolf segent purpur. this would solve the tincture issue. I'm not actually certain you can designate a demisun and Or& argent either. And there may be a better descriptor for the wolf than segent. I don't have my books handy.
If you're looking for straight lines, I think Demisun is correct (though some people might call it a Compass Rose if you're not careful with your line lengths).
If you're looking for wavy lines, you might want a Sun in Splendor or a demi-sun in splendor (or is it that the combo of straight and wavy lines with the face?--damn memory!).
If you're looking for no lines, I'd call it a Rondel.
If you're looking for the wolf in the center of the sun, I'd go with a Wolf En Soleil.
If you want a horizon line with the demisun in two colors, you might divide the field per fess with the upper part gules and or, with the demisun reversed. Then you can put the wolf on the sun without breaking contrast rules.
4) a search for "SCA Heraldry" will yield many helpful links for those that would like to understand what the blazon is going on here, as well as a good approximation of historical heraldry rules.
-=Zotikos=-
Rostered Herald
Certifed Dork
Yes, but that way also lies madness. :-)
Gwen
AKA Gwyneth ferch Morien, Former herald of Elfsea
(Where can I get a dork certification?)
Gwen
AKA Gwyneth ferch Morien, Former herald of Elfsea
(Where can I get a dork certification?)
What ho, fellow Ansteorran?
Damon Griffin
AKA Damon ap Siarl
Former* hospitaller of Bjornsborg