[Ansteorra] Heraldry Question

[Coblaith Muimnech]

Jasper C. wrote:
> Is it allowed in SCA Heraldry to use counter changes with 3  
> different colors? ie. The field is per pale Or/Vert while the  
> heraldric beast is gules.

That question doesn't entirely make sense.  "Counterchanged" is  
blazon (heralds' jargon) for "of the same two tinctures as the field,  
with the tinctures arranged so that no part of the field is the same  
tincture as the part of the charge group that's directly on it"--like  
the blue and white lions on the top or the birds or crescents on the  
bottom row of the page at <http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/bsb00001647/ 
images/index.html?seite=38> .  (You can see why the early heralds  
wanted a one-word way to say that.)

If what you're asking here is just whether you can put a beast of one  
tincture across a background that's divided into two (like the bird  
at the top right of <http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/bsb00001649/images/ 
index.html?seite=129> or the lion in the second row at <http:// 
mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/bsb00001647/images/index.html?seite=77>), the  
answer is definitely, "Yes."  The beast will have to have good  
contrast with at least one half of the field, but gules is a color  
and Or is a metal, so you'd have that covered.  (You can learn more  
about colors and metals at <http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/primer/ 
tinctures.html>.)

If you're asking something else, perhaps you could upload a picture  
somewhere, so we can see what you mean?  (Or e-mail it to me off- 
list, and I'll upload it for you.)


Coblaith Muimnech
<mailto:Coblaith at sbcglobal.net>
<http://coblaith.net>