by Ann Wilson
H
HATHOR, Subsector 9-B: No. systems: 102 Sector: Ursa with 3 inhabited planets: 2 Ruled by: with 2 inhabited planets: 10 with 1 inhabited planet: 23
HEIMDALL, Subsector 1-C: No. systems: 70 Sector: Orion with 3 inhabited planets: 3 Ruled by: with 2 inhabited planets: 10 with 1 inhabited planet: 19
HELIOS, Subsector 1-G: No. systems: 142 Sector: Orion with 3 inhabited planets: 6 Ruled by: with 2 inhabited planets: 9 with 1 inhabited planet: 30
HELLBEAST: A Mjolnirri herbivore domesticated for its meat, whichremains tender even when well-cooked. Its name comes from itsremarkably ugly appearance, not its placid disposition.
HELLESPONT System: Sector: 17, Indus No. planets: 10 Subsector: C, Poseidon Habitable: 1 Ruled by: Keene family
HERALDRY, IMPERIAL: Although the idea of coats of arms in aninterstellar society with numerous other means of identification seemsredundant to some, that purpose became a minor one long before theEmpire. Arms are a tradition Emperor Chang thought would serve aunifying purpose, provide continuity, and give an incentive for servicebeyond the expectable but not sufficient to earn a Life Nobility.
While derived from traditional heraldry and having much in common withit, Imperial heraldry has the advantage of hindsight, which has led toseveral improvements. The primary one is in descriptions, whereEnglish replaces Old French, making them understandable to those whoare not specialists in the field. Some traditional terminology hasbeen retained, either because it is generally understandable or becausethere is no reasonably concise English equivalent. Most terms,however, translated without difficulty; the slightly longerdescriptions are acceptable because of the greatly increased clarity.The only exception to this is in the actual Grant of Arms itself, wherethe traditional blazoning is still used (though an English translationis provided on a separate sheet).
The heraldic colors remain predominantly the bright primary ones:silver (now platinum) or white, and gold or yellow, called metals;black, blue, green, and red, called colors. Less-used colors areorange, purple, brown, and "flesh tone". Taken together, colors andmetals are referred to as tinctures. Anything described as "proper" isshown in its normal coloring. Only two of the numerous traditionalheraldic "furs" are in Imperial use, ermine (white with black spots)and counter-ermine (black with white spots). As a rule, metal shouldnot be placed on metal or color on color, although exceptions--mostlyin the case of charges described as "proper"--do occur.
As in traditional heraldry, the field is described first, by color andany divisions, with the color on the bearer's right or at the shield'stop mentioned first. Left and right, in all cases, refer to the pointof view of the person supposedly carrying the shield.
Traditional description English description
Party per pale Divided vertically Party per fess Divided horizontally Party per bend Divided by right diagonal Party per bend sinister Divided by left diagonal Party per saltire Divided by both diagonals Party per chevron Divided by a chevron Quarterly Quarterly Checky Checked Tierced per fess Three-part horizontally Tierced per pale Three-part vertically Gyronny Divided by gyron Gurgy (and variants) Spiraled
Charges may be (and usually are) placed on the field, and cover anydivisions. The major geometric charges (ordinaries) are mentionedfirst, if any appear. They generally take up approximately a third ofthe shield, though this proportion may vary if other charges appear, orthey have other charges upon them. Note that the vertical andhorizontal bars should not be confused with the three-part fields.
Traditional description English description
Chief Chief Fess Horizontal bar Pale Vertical bar Bend Right-diagonal bar Bend sinister Left-diagonal bar Chevron Chevron Chevron reversed Reversed chevron Cross Cross Saltire Double diagonal Pile Wedge Quarter Quarter Pall Y-fork Flanches Flanches
Diminutives (except for the quarter) are one-half normal width,prefixed "demi-", or one-quarter normal width, prefixed "quadri-" andusually borne paired. The quarter's only diminutive is the canton,taking up an eighth of the shield. If these charges do not extend tothe shield edges, they are described as "clipped".
Minor geometric charges (subordinaries) are those which (except for theborder) do not reach the edge of the shield; if used with an ordinary,the subordinary is placed on top. The names of these generally remainthe same as in traditional heraldry, as most have no reasonable Englishequivalent. These are the inescutcheon, orle, lozenge, fusil, andborder (formerly bordure). Two new ones are the hex and pentagon,while the circle (once called a roundel, bezant, plate, torteau, hurt,etc., depending on its color) is simply called a circle with thecorrect color named.
The same principle applies to other charges, such as animals andpeople. "Affronte" becomes "looking outward", "regardant" becomes"looking backward", and "rampant", which is easily understandable,remains the same. Charges are not restricted to the medieval ones,though many of those are used. Modern charges include things likeplanets, computers, stylized atoms, and spacecraft--although some ofthose, particularly military models, can be confused with simplecircles.
Ruling nobles' arms, and those of most lower jurisdictions, do notindicate rank or anything other than perhaps the bearer's reason forbeing awarded them; Rangers', Life Nobles', and knights' arms, however,clearly indicate their rank. Rangers' arms, since 2243, have been onesused by previous Rangers; they are distinguished by a green canton witha platinum Ranger's star. Life Nobles' arms are bordered in the metalor color of the noble's level (platinum for dukes, gold for earls,orange for counts, red for barons) and have a black canton with theImperial Arms. Knights' arms are distinguished by a platinum and greenborder, one tincture inside the other. If the field is a color, theplatinum is inside; if a metal, the green.
Use of Imperial arms is restricted, for ruling nobles, to the noble,@'s spouse, and @'s heir. This eliminates the need for an elaboratesystem of cadency, though to prevent confusion, the spouse's and heir'sarms are differenced. The differences are a label with two points forthe spouse, a label with three points for the heir. Should the rulerretire, both @ and @'s spouse add a true-lover's knot (as the spousealso does if @ survives the ruler) to indicate dower status.
For Life Nobles and knights, only the person originally granted thearms bears them undifferenced. A's spouse adds a label with threepoints; the oldest child does the same, with @'s label having a star oneach point, and the arms are passed down to each oldest child in thisform.
Marshalling (combining two or more coats of arms to create a new one)exists, but is limited to marriage between two people entitled to arms,and only for the length of that marriage. If both spouses are the samerank, the arms are impaled, with the original bearer's arms on theright. If one spouse dies, the other may, but need not, ask the ChiefHerald for permission to continue using the marshalled arms. Theoriginal coats go to the eldest child of each sex. If the spouses areof different ranks, the impalement has the senior's arms on the right,and the eldest child assumes those arms while the next eldest assumesthose of the lower-ranking parent.
HERALDRY, SANDEMAN: Since Annexation, Subsector arms are granted byRuling Earl Klaes, and described in English like Imperial arms.However, as is standard when
ever possible with any already-establishedcustom, the Earl follows the Shaper-established system of grantingarms, in three forms, to clans rather than to individuals. The warriorcaste bears them color-on-metal, with the clan-chief (always a warrior)adding a chief of the main color. The non-warrior caste (Others) bearthe arms metal-on-color. To take the Clan Leras arms as an example:
Warriors: On a gold field, a chevron between three stars, all red. (Stars, unless described further, are the standard five-pointed version Old French refers to as mullets, but without the center holes those sometimes have.)
Clan-chief: On a gold field, a chevron between three stars and a chief, all red.
Others: On a red field, a chevron between three stars, all gold.
HERALDS, IMPERIAL: The ones responsible for issuing and insuring theproper use of Imperial coats of arms. They are also the Sovereign'srepresentatives for most ceremonies that justify an Imperial presencebut do not absolutely require royalty or nobility.
HERBERT'S WORLD: Sector: 18, Aries Year: Subsector: G, Tyr Day: System: Aegis Gravity: Settled/established: 2150 CE Axial tilt: By: Mostly retired military Oxygen: Satellites: % Water: Ident code prefix: HRB Continents: Ruled by: General: Headquarters for 18th Imperial Fleet, 18th Marine Group. Has been described as the Empire's only planet-wide military base. Also the only producer of cloud-silk.
HIBER-SLEEP: The safest and deepest form of suspended animation.
HIGH WAR SPEECH: See Languages, Sandeman
HOBISON, David Ralph: TERDN-9035-6821 (in 2569) Captain of the IBCEmperor Chang since 2536, having turned down promotion several times tomaintain that command. Made a Life Count after taking part in thepalace assault that ended the White Order's rebellion. [A Matter ofHonor]
HOFUD, Subsector 19-D: No. systems: 195 Sector: Leo with 3 inhabited planets: 2 Ruled by: with 2 inhabited planets: 12 with 1 inhabited planet: 20
HOLIDAYS: Empire Day, 22 January. The only Empire-wide holiday, theanniversary of Emperor Chang's assumption of the Throne.
Overthrow Day, 7 October. Sandeman holiday celebrating their finalvictory over the Shapers.
HOMESUN, Subsector 21-A: No. systems: 136 Sector: Traiti with 3 inhabited planets: 2 Ruled by: with 2 inhabited planets: 11 with 1 inhabited planet: 19
HOMEWORLD: Sector: 21, Traiti Year: 474.5 days Subsector: A, Homesun Day: 23 hr 31 min System: Homesun Gravity: 1097 cm/sec2 Settled/established: Ca. 35,000 BCE Axial tilt: 21.2 deg. By: Traiti, transported by Others Oxygen: 25% Satellites: Two, names not established % Water: 73 Ident code prefix: HWD Continents: 6 Ruled by: Supreme and First Speaker, co-Dukes after 2568 General: Lifeforms generally larger than Terran. Location of Godhome, the psionic computer constructed by the Others, until it became part of Ranger Esteban Tarlac in 2568, while making him the last Lord of the Circle.
HONOR-BLACK: Sandeman garb, usually ceremonial, consisting of blacktunic and trousers (preferably leather), high boots, and full-lengthcloak, derived from the Black Lord's. The right to wear honor-black isgranted by acclamation of Sandeman warriors to one (only rarely anon-warrior, even more rarely a non-Sandeman) whose honor is consideredso intrinsic and absolute that it should have visible recognition.
HONOR SCARS: Four parallel scars running from just below the throat toabout the waist, on a Traiti Cor'naya.
HORSES, SANDEMAN: One of the two types of livestock modified by theShapers, of the wide variety they took with them. Records lost duringthe Overthrow may have given their reasons for modifying the horses asthey did; with those not available, the simplest explanation is thatone or more were fascinated with unicorns. Although Sandeman horsesretain the full tails and all the coloration of their forbears, theyhave beards and, from approximately three months old, a spiral bone"horn" roughly half a meter long growing from the center of theirforeheads. Most clans raise them, and they are a specialty of ClanNeill.
HUNDINGSBANA, Subsector 19-A: No. systems: 150 Sector: Leo with 3 inhabited planets: 4 Ruled by: with 2 inhabited planets: 9 with 1 inhabited planet: 22
HYDRA, Sector 2: Ruled by: No. systems: 542 Subsectors: 5 Inhabited planets: 270 A. Argus D. Minotaur B. Gorgon E. Cerberus C. Cyclops
HYPERDRIVE: The faster-than-light drive invented by ReinhardNannstein, allowing a speed of slightly over three light-years per hour.
HYPERFIELD: The field generated by hyperdrive engines. To conserveenergy it is normally kept close to the ship's skin, but can beexpanded if necessary to take a ship or other object under tow.Holding a hyperfield at towing extension for more than fifty hours,however, is dangerous and is prohibited except under war emergencyconditions.
HYPERSPACE: The spatial condition discovered by Reinhard Nannsteinwhich allows faster-than-light travel, at a speed of slightly overthree light-years per hour.