[tirrigh-heralds] I'll give this a try as well

[Teceangl]

> So I suspect that your proposed badge would be considered the same as "Vert,
> three plates".
>
> Maybe Teceangl or someone can find additional information on this.

So here I am sitting back figuring that Red Flame's got it handled,
and she invokes my name directly.  Sheesh, no rest for the weary. :)

First thing to figure out is whether a pale can be used for fieldless
armory.  The way to do that?  Look.

Tomas - this is the URL to use for conflict checking, always.  No
matter what you're looking for, start here:
http://oanda.sca.org/ordinary/index.html
You'll not miss so much in future. (I expect you might not have looked
for Plate using the Index, been sent to Roundel - Whole, then read
through Roundel - Whole - 3 or more - Argent, which is why you
overlooked the possible conflicts to 'Vert, three plates'.  S'okay,
this is how we learn.)

So for this, I get to look at Pale.  First thing under plain line
uncharged pales is '(Fieldless) A saltire couped Or overall a pale
couped argent', registered in 2004. Click on the name to see if that's
the original date or was it a reblazon of an earlier registration
(important, as pre-1990 blazons, sometimes even stuff blazoned up
until '95 or so, might use terms we wouldn't use today).  No reblazon,
this was registered in 2004, so we can probably trust the blazon.
Ergo, a pale couped may be used in a fieldless badge.

But it's not charged.  We need to see if a pale couped and charged has
been registered.  Onward to the appropriate category! (I'm punchy,
please forgive the levity.)  Start at the top of the charged plain
line pales and keep looking until we find one, or don't.

Argent, azure, fur, gules, multicolor, Or, purpure, sable, vert...  We
now have Crux Australis Principal Herald's seal memorized, but haven't
found a charged fieldless pale.  We can try complex lines next, and
score!  '(Fieldless) On a pale couped raguly gules, a griffin's head
erased Or collared sable.'  However, sometimes complex lines change
the rules (you may not charge a plain roundel as fieldless armory, you
may charge a roundel engrailed as fieldless armory, for instance).

So from here we look at the LoAR to see if Laurel said anything.
Everything can be found at heraldry.sca.org and LoARs are linkedd down
the left hand column.

January 2003...  Meh, nothing.  A note to the artist.  And no other
charged fieldless pales.
Two options - go through Laurel precedents (next link down from LoARs)
or extrapolate using a similar ordinary - the fess.  I honestly
suggest doing both.  Billets and pales couped being similar in shape
while fesses aren't, it merits a precedents check.

>From the top down, and considering alternate filing locations.  Pale,
also look for Ordinary, perhaps even Charge - Ordinary or somesuch.
Earlier compilations can be tough to find things in.  Sometimes I do
resort to searching on terms ("a pale" and "pale couped" so as to not
hit every per pale field listed), but only after looking through the
Contents and Index.  Some compilations have nothing; Da'ud's first
term is one of those. But I also looked under Couped and found this:

"There is no difference between [an ordinary] and [the same ordinary]
couped on fieldless armory." (LoAR 6/90 Symposium p.3).

Worth noting.

I emerge from compiled precedents sick of the category 'ordinary' and
with nothing we can use.  Time to look at fesses.  Straight to
charged, since we know they can be couped on fieldless armory.
'(Fieldless) On a bar couped vert a lion's paw escallop Or.'
Lyondemere, Barony of - September of 2001.  To the LoAR we go...
Not a word about it.  Just that the escallop type is grandfathered to them.

But it was allowed.  But it's a fess.

Back to Alicia's opinion that you might have a problem with the
comparison of a charged pale couped to a billet.  I will agree that
her consideration has much merit, since when you step away from period
style you need to work on the visual realities of the armory.

I did, however find this design:

Ansgar Otkelsson - February of 1992 (via Atlantia): (Fieldless) A pale
wavy within and conjoined to an annulet azure.

Do that with your pale and it's no longer a shape of heraldic display.
 Just a thought.

- Teceangl
-- 
KWHSS website: http://kwhss.sca.org