Heraldry, Signs & Sigils (sage study)

Heraldry, Signs & Sigils is a sage study in the field of the Church, relating to the implementation, creation, acquisition and origin of emblazoned signs and sigils upon tabards, shields, flags and so on. Signs are images that are blazoned onto armour and elsewhere according to complex rules in the formal language of heraldry.

Identifying sigils includes seals, runes, glyphs or other emblems that can be recognized in relation to their state of origin, thaumaturgical school or magic form. Because the world is huge, characters cannot easily know the symbols of every culture; thus, they must specialise.

Assigning Points

Knowledge points must be assigned by choice to one of four earthly mega-cultures: European, Islamic, Oriental or Prehistoric. Additional rolls must be assigned in their entirety to a single mega-culture. Points needn't be assigned to the same mega-culture chosen for previous rolls.

For example, a character chooses to assign their points to the Islamic mega-culture. Upon achieving a new level, the character assigns additional points gained to the European mega-culture. At the next level, the character promotes Islamic again and finally, upon gaining a fourth level, decides to dedicate their additional points to the Prehistoric mega-culture.

A character has no knowledge whatsoever of mega-cultures outside their assigned knowledge points.

Sage Abilities

The sage abilities below are those acquired by a character through the study, according to status.

Amateur Status

• Heraldic Code: permits understanding of the code and rules within heraldry.
• Recognition of Signs I: permits recognition of heraldry, signs & sigils relating to monarchs, emperors, high ranking religious leaders and heroes.
• Standard Bearer: offers greater resolve to fellow combatants during battle.

Authority Status

• Free Highway: learn the symbols and flags to carry, convincing brigands and others to leave the character well enough alone.
• Heraldic Defense: a means through which various achievements can protect the character from physical and magical attacks.
• Recognition of Signs II: permits recognition of heraldry, signs & sigils relating to nobility, large cities, guilds and the public infrastructure.

Expert Status

• Carve Sigil: enables the character to inscribe a sigil of minor magical power.
• Falsifying: provides detail for the falsification of existing heraldry or the false insertion of an individual into an existing family of status.
• Heraldic Adoption: entitles the character to propose a new heraldic symbol and its meaning, and thus gain the right to an achievement.
• Recognition of Signs III: permits recognition of heraldry, signs & sigils relating to secret societies, including thieves and assassins, as well as magical glyphs and runes.

Sage Status

• Ruler of Arms: empowers the character with the responsibility of confirming the next successor of a kingdom or state, following the demise or deposition of the former ruler; provides a guard, a knight's fee and a court position.
• Validating Heraldry: the privilege of ratifying and establishing heraldic legitimacy.

See Cleric Sage Abilities