Coats of Arms

To provide additional links to the real world, WALTRUDE features the heraldry of western Europe in its logos and flags. Modern coats of arms encapsulate rich histories, cultural backgrounds, and affiliations, and their use in WALTRUDE allows players of the game to quickly understand the loyalties and motivations of the various factions. The visual language of blazons not only enhances immersion by reinforcing the political and social landscapes of the game, but it also aids players in connecting emotionally and cognitively with the symbols.

Photo by Jean-Pol Grandmot at Wikimedia Commons.

The coat of arms of our heroine, Waltrude, is based on the actual coat of arms of Saint Waltrude and the ancient county of Hainaut that inherited it. It is a bright yellow shield with black angled lines. The blazon of the real world counterpart reads as follows:

Or, three chevrons Sable.

Hannonia, the solar system, and Montes, the planet, use the coats of arms of the province of Hainaut and the city of Mons, respectively. The blazon of Hainaut reads:

Quarterly, I and IV Or, a lion rampant Sable, armed and langued Gules; II and III Or, a lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure.

While the blazon for the city of Mons reads:

Gules, a city Argent set on a terrace isolated Vert, with four turrets, a guidon Or issuant from the two inner turrets, an imperial globe surmounted by a cross Or issuant from the two outer turrets; the city open to the field, a guard dog rampant Argent under a portcullis; the gate surmounted by an escutcheon: Quarterly, I and IV Or, a lion Sable armed and langued Gules; II and III Or, a lion Gules armed and langued Azure, which is of Hainaut.

Updating these coats of arms to a futuristic setting while still following the rules of heraldry, such as the rule of tincture, proved to be a challenge. In heraldry, the tincture rule is crucial for categorizing colors and patterns in coats of arms. The rule states that a metal cannot be placed on another metal and a color cannot be placed on another color, ensuring clarity and legibility in designs. This contrast is vital for identification, particularly in battle.

At the entrance to Castrilocus, a giant glowing emblem of the planet Montes welcomes you. Just like with the coat of arms of Mons, it is a red shield featuring a white gate and a diamond at the top with a four lion logo representing Hannonia.