Heraldry

The various noble Houses of Trost use distinctive heraldry to identify their armies on the battlefield and as a sign of status for individuals.

Heraldic designs may consist of a simple pattern of colours, but also usually feature real or mythological animals or objects. Specific sets of formal rules govern what form a heraldic design may take.

Only members of noble families, or their bannermen, have the legal right to formally display their own heraldry.

The heraldry of each noble House is also accompanied by a specific House motto. These typically take the form of boasts or battle-cries, such as House Winborne's words "We Rise from Our Ashes", or House Valerys' words "From Sailing to Treasure".

Personal and younger son's sigils
Younger sons of noble Houses often prefer to use their own distinctive personal sigils, which are often a slight variation of the official sigil of their House. Sometimes even the oldest son and heir, or even the current lord, may have his own personal sigil - this is simply a matter of preference.

For example, while the official heraldry of House Winborne is a phoenix upon a sun on a dark background, Tyron Winborne uses a variant of this for his personal heraldry, which consists of a dragon head upon a sun on a dark field.

Bastards
Acknowledged bastard children of a noble family are still not legally permitted to officially carry the heraldry of their noble parent's House. They may unofficially carry a flag displaying the heraldry on the battlefield or use weapons and equipment that display its heraldic symbol - but only as much as any common footsoldier in their noble parent's army may also carry such equipment. If an acknowledged noble-born bastard began openly wearing capes and armor displaying the heraldry of his noble parent's House, and using banners displaying the heraldry at formal social functions, he would face legal troubles and punishment.

Noble-born bastards are in a legal state between fullborn nobles and simple commoners, however, and unlike the common smallfolk, acknowledged bastards are allowed to use their own heraldry - just not the heraldry of their noble parent's House. A custom very common in Trost is for bastards to use the heraldry of their noble-born parent's House but with the colors inverted (which is known as "breaking" the design scheme) or adding a sinister band of red. An example of this are the Waterbirds, a bastard branch of the Winbornes. Their sigil is a yellow phoenix on a blue sun with a sinister band going across it in red.

Other Exceptions
The Ortinbras Scouting Watch has no heraldic symbol, to emphasize its sworn duty to be removed from petty politics of one lordly House or another, but to defend the lands of men as a whole. Thus, the Ortinbras Scouting Watch uses solid black on its banner and shields, which symbolises the erasure of any allegiance to noble Houses. Even the "uniform" of the Ortinbras Scouting Watch is to wear solid black clothing; members from wealthier families often buy all-black clothing before leaving for the Wall, while poor conscripts have their clothing simply dyed black when they reach the Wall. Thus when new recruits join the Ortinbras Scouting Watch, they are often said to "take the black", to take up the black uniform.

Members of the elite Thronesguard are noted for their two-coloured cloaks and white enameled armor. The Thronesguard officially has no symbol, and display only a red and orange banner for their heraldry, the opposite of how a knight with no allegiance will use solid black heraldry. Indeed, only members of the Thronesguard legally have the right to carry shields and banners emblazoned with red and orange heraldry.

Somewhat like the Scouting Watch, they formally renounce their familial and political allegiances when they join the order. Unlike the Watch, the banners of the Thronesguard are technically not considered to be a rejection or absence of heraldry, the way black is.