This page contains a somewhat categorised set of device ideas. Italicised text is a mash-up of comments received on the working group list, at events and gatherings or via the Feedback form. None of it is definitive of course.
See also: name ideas and device ideas - the latter has additional resources and background information.
1. SABLE AND ARGENT
I rather like the way black and white get used as NZ colours -- it's really different from most other international flag colours. I'd lean toward Black as the ground, with charge/s in white and accents in gold.
1a. sable a bend sinister wavy and in canton a laurel wreath argent
Gets a little bit of that "long white cloud" vibe w/o the unfortunate intestinal imagery (I hope).
Gives the impression of some sort of shadow-monster, and I'm not a fan of bend sinister for a potential principality.
I see Milky Way reference in there as well as the long white cloud, at least with the shallower wavy;
1a and 4a are the same apart from the azure half;
adding a crown to this (and some of the others) would be awkward, wouldn't it?
A crown is not necessary on principality arms, but it is an option and it would be needed if you went Kingdom. But you could add a crown in the wreath or on (a slightly wider) bend here easily enough if you wanted to without losing the integrity of the design.
1a-1. sable a bend sinister wavy and in canton a laurel wreath argent
Same as 1a but wavier to give an idea of other ways the same arms could be presented.
the gentler wavy looks more period to my eye than the jaggy ones coming out of some of these paint programs;
1a-2. sable a bend sinister and in canton a laurel wreath argent
Same as 1a but with a straight line.
1b. sable a chevron rompu and in canton a laurel wreath argent
There might be a subtle nod to the rake boards of a character house, or a marae, or a church.
Interesting. I think it would look better with laurel in base--a house containing the SCA/people.
1b & 1b-1: I like the way this can be either/both a colonial style house front and a meeting house.
I like the way it can be both pakeha and Maori, much better than the very Maori design (4h).
1b-1. sable a chevron rompu and in base a laurel wreath argent
It's 1b but more balanced, with the laurel wreath in base.
1c. per pale sable and argent, a crown environed of a laurel wreath or
Strong support for this one with or without the Crown (optional for Principality, but why not go the whole hog?).
For 1c-f I would prefer more visual difference from Merides/Northshield.
I like these a lot, very visually clean
I think the low contrast gold on white makes it hard to "read"
1d. per pale sable and argent, a laurel wreath or
Conflicts with the Order of the Laurel.
1e. sable, a crown within a laurel wreath argent
Nice and simple. Surely this conflicts with something??
Without the crown it runs into conflict with the badge of the Order of the Laurel, "(Tinctureless) A laurel wreath." That'll conflict with any design that has a single wreath and no other charges. But it has the Crown, therefore...?
1f. sable, a fess and in base a laurel wreath argent
Very simple, too simple?
1g. per pale sable estencelly and argent, a laurel wreath counterchanged argent and sable
Estencelly is cool. It's from Anglo-French "spangled". It's sometimes used to represent stars and sometimes used to represent sparks, so we get the starry night sky, with all of those connotations, including navigation. We can have things like "the Stellar Throne", "the Coronet Stellata", or "the Spark of Inspiration", and make cracks about who is and is not a Bright Spark. With the per pale division we can do all the poetic stuff where you contrast two sides of something. Embroiders would kill us -- but they could use buttons, or shisha mirrors -- how sexy would *that* be -- little mirrored stars reflecting the feast-hall candle light!
1g-h - these are interesting; I would be ok with this result despite hating potential embroidery.
[several people said they like these]
1h. per pale sable estencelly or and argent, a laurel wreath counterchanged argent and sable.
1i. sable, a laurel wreath within an orle of mullets argent.
1i-1. sable, a laurel wreath within an orle of estoiles argent
2. SUN/SEA MOTIFS
Things that made NZ and even the SCA in NZ distinct - progressive, first dawn and all that.
2a. sable a chief rayonny or a crown or environed of a laurel wreath argent
Strong support, some preference for a longer rayonne; seen as representing sunrise, dawn's edge etc.
#2 - I don't like these -- all too complex.
2a-d: these feel like designs that have been used many times by other groups.
2b. per fess azure and sable, a demi-sun or, a crown or in base environed of a laurel wreath argent
e.g. "Principality of the Dawn" or "Principality of First Light", most popular of the demi-sun variations.
Putting three things either side of a dividing line runs into the "slot machine" rule. A canton's device submission was recently bounced for the same reason, the details of that might be useful: https://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2019/09/19-09lar.html#19
2b-1. 2b but with the crown moved to avoid the "slot machine" problem
2c. per fess argent and sable, a demi-sun gules,a crown or in base environed of a laurel wreath argent
2c-1. 2c but with "per fess" changed to a chief to avoid the "slot machine" problem
2d. Per fess azure and sable, a demi-sun argent, a crown or in base environed of a laurel wreath argent
2d-1. crown moved to tertiary (and colour flipped) to avoid "slot machine" problem
2d-2. crown moved but kept gold, sun colour flipped, avoiding slot machine problem
2e. sable a crown or environed of a laurel wreath argent three compass roses argent inverted on a chief azure
Note the compass roses are inverted to place south at the top, appreciated when explained/noticed.
Popular with/without crown.
The azure chief on the sable field is colour-on-colour (2e-1 inverts colours to resolve that).
One of my favorites, reads well.
2e-1. colour of chief swapped for contrast, compass roses enlarged
2f. sable, a compass rose or environed of a laurel wreath argent
Initially v popular.
Conflicts with the badge of House de Witte, "Sable, a compass rose Or". Doesn't conflict with Northshield from what I can see.
Could invert the compass per 2e for effect, but won't add a point of difference.
I like the redraw as it leaves scope for a crown in base.
Too close to Northshield; would prefer something more distinctive.
2g. or, a boat azure and in chief two laurel wreaths, on a bordure sable, nine mullets Or
Meaning: The boat is for everyone immigrating here, about the only thing we all have in common. 9 stars for Matariki. Blue boat/or background/black border: Ildhafn, Southron Gaard, and Darton. With the boat, could also just add a single laurel wreath in chief. Alternately a wreath on the sail. In base or chief would work, or charged on the hull, but charged sails have to be checked as if they were independent arms so that would run into the conflict with the Order of the Laurel's badge again.
Don't boats get used a lot in group heraldry elsewhere?; would prefer something not too close to an existing group's heraldry (eg, Ildhafn).
3. BIRDS/ANIMAL CHARGES
e.g. Or, three shags something or other - Please blazon as cormorants or we'll have shagging jokes forever. I do like the idea of a bird of some kind, New Zealand having been the original Birdland. Thinking of iconic NZ birds.... much as I love kiwis, I don't want one on the arms. It would be hard to get a moa through the College. A Haast eagle would... well, there are too many eagle, and "eagle" doesn't make me think of NZ. Owls have been done in Northeast Lochac and are firmly associated there already. I do like the shag -- they are more common all around NZ, and the double entendre will always make me smirk because I am twelve, and I like that NZ can be cheeky like that. I like the tern -- a "sea swallow", mostly cause it's pretty. Swallows migrate crazy distances and still come home (part of why sailors got them as tattoos), and so do terns. There's some resonance there for NZ being so far from everywhere, and for Kiwis themselves often traveling a lot. Herons also have a lot of symbolism, both in other cultures and in NZ -- could do some pretty designs with herons. Have the bird as a populace badge.
3a. Per fess sable and argent, an eagles leg a la quisse erased bendwise sinister sable clawed Or and in canton sinister a laurel wreath Or
This and 3e are the only ones out of this section that I think could be in the running.
I really like this, possibly my fave. Seems ready-made for a name like "Eagles Reach".
3a-1. Per fess sable and argent, an eagles leg a la quisse issuant from sinister base maintaining sable clawed Or maintaining a laurel wreath and in canton sinister a crown Or. 3a, but holding the wreath as per request
3b. per bend argent and sable, a ram counterchanged, a laurel wreath sable in chief
Suspect this was proposed by an Australian.
Complex charge. Better with white sheep and wreath on a black field.
I would draw this as a seriously butch $%&^-off ram - this one is very polite and mild.
3b-1. sable, a ram and in chief a laurel wreath argent
Alternate all white on black version of 3b based on commentary
3c. azure, two herons argent respectant within a laurel wreath Or
Would hate to have to freehand that or embroider it.
Can we make them more NZ like? (think kotoku).
Too hard to read visually (this comment may had been for the previous messier version)
3c-1. Azure, a heron statant wings displayed argent within a laurel wreath Or
alternate version with just one bird (hula hooping?)
3d. sable a laurel wreath within an orle of martlets argent
The reason heraldic martlets have no feet is that it was believed they spent their whole lives in flight and never landed. They are an allegory for "continuous effort" according to wikipedia, but I would add "far-traveling" to that. We could replace one of them with a mullet or an estoile -- pretty sure I've seen that done in a period armorial.
As the proud owner of Argent, an orle of martlets sable, I endorse this product.
Too hard to see what's going on; too busy.
3e. sable a kingfisher volant and in canton a laurel wreath argent
The kotare was given the binomial name halcyon sancta. Halcyon is from the Greek Alcyone (literally "kingfisher"), who pissed off Zeus (apparently she and her partner, like, loved each other too much or something) and got turned into a kingfisher. In some myths, she was a daughter of Aeolus, god of the winds. When the halcyon bird went to nest on the shore, either she herself, or her father as god of winds blew sweet breath over the water to calm the seas until she was done. These are the so-called "halcyon days". Alcyone was also the name of one of (possibly the leader of) the Pleiades (Matariki).
With a kingfisher connection, we've got "the Halcyon Throne", "the Fisher Prince", "Her Serene Highness". We get colour: kingfisher blue and rosy buff/gold along with black and white. Plus I just really like the notion that on one hand, we've got "soothing troubled waters", and on the other hand, we've got a stroppy little cuss who gets sh*& done by bashing it repeatedly with its *face*. [A reference to how kingfishers batter their nesting tunnels into clay]
Great - my favorite out of the lot. Visually distinct at small size from all other SCA kingdoms. I like the Halcyon Throne bit as well, and all associated suggested names/titles.
One of my two favourites.
3f. a natural-coloured kingfisher volant as a fieldless populace badge
3g. azure, a cormorant's head erased argent maintaining a laurel wreath Or
The other of my two favourites.
4. WHITE CLOUD/MAORI REFERENCE
4a. sable and azure a bend sinister wavy and in dexter chief a laurel wreath argent
Liked for its simplicity and reference to long white cloud.
Too intestinal?
4a-d: don't like these--most have an intestines/monster face thing going on with the cloud as the teeth.
4a-b: I can't un-see the intestines!
4a-1. sable and azure a bend sinister and in dexter chief laurel wreath argent
Alternate less intestinal version of 4a
4b. per bend sinister sable and azure, a bend sinister embowed invected and in chief a laurel wreath argent
Liked for its simplicity and reference to long white cloud but once referred to as intestines, that image sticks.
May be problems with documenting bend embowed to base.
I don't hate it.
4c. azure, on a pale wavy argent a laurel wreath gules
Most don't like the placement of the laurel wreath.
Colour-on-colour if the wreath is overall, but put it entirely on the pale and this is ok.
The wreath is too small, would prefer it overall, but then it would not have contrast with the field.
4c-1. azure, on a pale wavy argent three laurel wreaths gules
more balanced version of 4c with three tertiary wreaths instead of one
4c-2. azure, a pale wavy argent and overall a laurel wreath Or
Version of 4c with an overall wreath, colour swapped for contrast
4d. sable, a bend sinister invected between a mullet and a laurel wreath argent
Intestines!
Is this slot machine? Not slot machine, primary bend, secondary wreath and star.
4d-1 . sable, a bend sinister between a mullet and a laurel wreath argent
Version of 4d with a straight line
4e. sable, a triskele of fishing hooks and in base a laurel wreath argent
Appealing.
Not immediately clear they are fishhooks; or the reference to Maui. Not a commonly used SCA charge. My second favourite.
I think the objects are obviously fish hooks, and like the potential associations with both pakeha (whalers/fishers) and maori (Maui).
Isn't there a similar thing used by the SS or white supremacists?
Getting dangerously like a triskelion gammadion, which is not a charge we want to be getting very near.
I don't know what the comment about triskelion gammadion refers to? Looks more similar to the triskelion of arms or legs than that symbol.
Several people felt these would suggest white supremacy to outsiders. The feeling was that even if we know what they are and what they are "supposed" to mean, and even though they are lovely designs, they are still too suggestive, and we don't want anywhere near that.
Some people thought the fretted hooks were okay, some didn't.
4e-1. azure, a triskele of fishing hooks and in base a laurel wreath Or
The triskelion gammadion is a version of a triskelion (essentially a three-pronged swastika) that is strongly associated with some white supremacist groups (http://mistholme.com/dictionary/triskelion-triskele/ ). While these fishing hooks are not flat-topped, so they are pretty clear and likely wouldn't be returned by the College of Arms, I'd be concerned about potential misunderstanding and offence. This is made worse by the colours, if it were in jaunty blue and yellow, for example, there might be fewer issues. So it this design continues to be popular, maybe consider this alternative version.
4f. sable, three fishing hooks fretted and in base a laurel wreath argent
Cool.
I dislike the additional complexity over 4e, but think that this is a great, visually distinct piece of heraldry.
4g. sable, a triskele of fishing hooks argent, overall a laurel wreath Or
Looks like a wierd propellor.
4h. gyronny arrondi of three argent, sable and gules, in base a laurel wreath argent
Strongly yes/no; latter mostly concerned with cultural appropriation, logofication.
Need to seek permission to be comfortable, but from whom?
Strong no from many people as too appropriative.
4h-1. gyronny arrondi of three argent, sable and gules, three laurel wreaths gules, argent and argent.
Version of 4h that does not conflict with the order of the laurel.
Still has the same appropriation issues but is busier.
5. CRESCENTS/CRESCENT ISLES
5a. sable, a crescent vert fimbriated within a laurel wreath argent
The "Crescent Isles" name was given to us by Cornelius, as the Lochac King who was reigning when we entered the Kingdom. I was surprised relatively few people get the shape reference, given how just about every national logo uses it. I do like the Latin crescente for growing, a la a waxing moon.
Strong support for this and different colour variants. Strongest support for the sable and argent version, but that one has some conflict. For some, the crescent moon is associated with Caid, the former Kingdom for these lands for 20 years until 2003; for a few that was a strong positive, for others a negative.
"I personally have no connection to Caid, and I post-date NZ's relationship with Caid. I don't really want a NZ device to say "Hey! We are Caid!!!!" as much as this one would. I think we should be our own thing." It would be nice to have a minor reference to Caid somewhere, but Crescent Isles would be enough without it having to be part of our heraldry.
As someone who came to the SCA in the last decade, I don't see the crescent as a reference to Caid, but to the NZ region itself that I saw referred to as the Crescent Isles, and I always thought it was because of the shape of the islands rather than a reference to a US kingdom I'd never heard of. As an Aussie with a little less skin in the game, that extra little historical nod seems like a positive rather than overly referential to one of Caid, and I'd encourage you to consider the crescent as more than just a reference.
A note on green crescents - both green and crescents are symbols of Islam. This can be good or bad depending on who takes note. [multiple others same comment]. We should avoid combining one of these with the "Oltremare" Crusader State name reference, unless we're really looking to start some, uh, discussion.
5a-1 sable, a crescent azure fimbriated within a laurel wreath argent
5b. per pale sable and argent, a crescent vert within a laurel wreath
As above; preference for a counter-charged crescent or Or rather than green.
5b-1. per pale sable and argent, a crescent gules within a laurel wreath
5c. Sable, a caidan cross of laurel wreathes argent
Imagine the embroidery!
You can't tell me a thing we are literally calling "a Caidan cross" is not a reference to Caid. [Perhaps nobody was telling you that?]
5d. sable, a crescent bendwise Or within a laurel wreath bendwise argent, and
I rather like the off-centre laurel wreath. Bart thought of growth and nurture i.e. that crescent as a child being cradled, or possibly a parent's arms. Nice.
Crescents bendwise aren't really a period armorial motif, so that goes give me some pause as I believe group arms should set the standard for heraldry, but I have to say there's something very nice about this.
5e. per fess sable and argent, an increscent within a laurel wreath counterchanged
Not to blow my own trumpet, but this is my favourite. Simple but distinct.
5f-1 to 9 (i.e. 1, 2 and 3 are the top row). A selection of additional conflict-free crescent-based designs added Oct '23. The major drawback to these that I see is that none of the versions without the wreath are available for populace badges, but that doesn't have to be a dealbreaker depending what else people have in mind.
6. JOKES
6a. Vert, a bird Argent maintaining a lightning-bolt from its eye Or, in canton a wreath Or? If you can document laser Kiwi, I'd vote for it.
We should register laser kiwi as a second populace badge if this can be documented -- come on heralds!
6a-1. sable, a bend Or engouled of raven's heads and in sinister chief a laurel wreath argent
Ollivier's version of laser kiwi.
6b. vert, a semi of sheep argent, a laurel wreath sable
Acknowledged as tongue-in-cheek specially if Shaun the Sheep used as the semi charge. The sable wreath on the vert field is colour-on-colour. My eyes!!; I can't see a seme of sheep w/o thinking "paddock lice".
6b-1. - version with yellow wreath to avoid contrast issues
6c. azure, two herons argent combattant environed of a-laurel-wreath Or
Envisage the ladies' T-shirt....no, just no. Too hard to read/see what the charges are; boobies!
6d. azure, a shag argent using a laurel wreath Or as a hula hoop.
6e. azure, two herons argent combattant-with-a-laurel-wreath frisbee Or
Don't forget to look at name ideas too!
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