Re: trimounts

[telenet!rootbeer!dmontuor@uunet.uu.net (Dave Montuori)]

WARNING! ACHTUNG! This is a heraldic discussion and some people may
not be interested. The jargon may get a bit thick. You have been warned.

Hal the Primary with Two Eckis (Henry Best) writes:

>I heard somewhere that the SCA College of Heralds rules concerning
>use of trimounts have been relaxed to reflect widespread period
>usage. Specifically, I heard that "azure, (your favorite animal)
>proper, debruising a trimount vert" is now recognized as period
>styling.

As usual, some of it has been changed in the translation.

Laurel registered something like the following about a year and
a half back: "Azure, <some sort of animal> argent atop a trimount
vert." The submitter included copious documentation for this exact
motif. That precedent is still in effect, which states: 1) The
submitter *MUST* provide examples, preferably a dozen or more,
of the motif which would otherwise violate The Rules; 2) these
examples should be from across Europe; 3) the examples should
be of similar balance and complexity to the submission; 4) the
examples supplied by the submitter apply *ONLY* to that
particular submission -- so each submitter who wishes to use
the precedent has to supply examples.

With respect to Henry's given example: "Azure, an <animal> proper
standing atop a trimount vert" -- which is a very common motif
in Hungarian armory -- is not automatically acceptable.

First, the animal must be primarily white or yellow; the only
part of the submission to which the precedent applies is the
trimount. Second, the submitter must supply a sufficient number
of examples of a green (tri)mount on a blue field.

"Azure, a black bear atop a trimount proper" would not pass.
"Azure, a polar bear atop a trimount proper" might pass if enough
examples are supplied. [Why the polar bear is on a green hill and
not a white icecap is a different problem. :-) ]

I know I haven't quoted the exact precedent; I can't get my hands
on it, maybe Herveus has a copy handy. Anyway, hope this helps.

Evan da Collaureo, Kraken Herald, Official TCG/SSSS Heraldic Stud
and Heraldry Track Coordinator for Collegium Borealis (some classes
still looking for teachers, drop me a line....)
dmontuor%telenet.UUCP@uunet.uu.net