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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, which remains tender even when well-cooked. Its name comes from its remarkably 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 an interstellar society with numerous other means of identification seems redundant to some, that purpose became a minor one long before the Empire. Arms are a tradition Emperor Chang thought would serve a unifying purpose, provide continuity, and give an incentive for service beyond the expectable but not sufficient to earn a Life Nobility.

While derived from traditional heraldry and having much in common with it, Imperial heraldry has the advantage of hindsight, which has led to several improvements. The primary one is in descriptions, where English replaces Old French, making them understandable to those who are not specialists in the field. Some traditional terminology has been retained, either because it is generally understandable or because there is no reasonably concise English equivalent. Most terms, however, translated without difficulty; the slightly longer descriptions are acceptable because of the greatly increased clarity. The only exception to this is in the actual Grant of Arms itself, where the traditional blazoning is still used (though an English translation is 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 are orange, purple, brown, and "flesh tone". Taken together, colors and metals are referred to as tinctures. Anything described as "proper" is shown in its normal coloring. Only two of the numerous traditional heraldic "furs" are in Imperial use, ermine (white with black spots) and counter-ermine (black with white spots). As a rule, metal should not be placed on metal or color on color, although exceptions -- mostly in the case of charges described as "proper" --do occur.

As in traditional heraldry, the field is described first, by color and any divisions, with the color on the bearer's right or at the shield's top mentioned first. Left and right, in all cases, refer to the point of 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 any divisions. The major geometric charges (ordinaries) are mentioned first, if any appear. They generally take up approximately a third of the shield, though this proportion may vary if other charges appear, or they have other charges upon them. Note that the vertical and horizontal 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-" and usually borne paired. The quarter's only diminutive is the canton, taking up an eighth of the shield. If these charges do not extend to the shield edges, they are described as "clipped".

Minor geometric charges (subordinaries) are those which (except for the border) do not reach the edge of the shield; if used with an ordinary, the subordinary is placed on top. The names of these generally remain the same as in traditional heraldry, as most have no reasonable English equivalent. These are the inescutcheon, orle, lozenge, fusil, and border (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 the correct color named.

The same principle applies to other charges, such as animals and people. "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 like planets, computers, stylized atoms, and spacecraft -- although some of those, particularly military models, can be confused with simple circles.

Ruling nobles' arms, and those of most lower jurisdictions, do not indicate rank or anything other than perhaps the bearer's reason for being awarded them; Rangers', Life Nobles', and knights' arms, however, clearly indicate their rank. Rangers' arms, since 2243, have been ones used by previous Rangers; they are distinguished by a green canton with a platinum Ranger's star. Life Nobles' arms are bordered in the metal or color of the noble's level (platinum for dukes, gold for earls, orange for counts, red for barons) and have a black canton with the Imperial Arms. Knights' arms are distinguished by a platinum and green border, one tincture inside the other. If the field is a color, the platinum is inside; if a metal, the green.

Use of Imperial arms is restricted, for ruling nobles, to the noble, à's spouse, and à's heir. This eliminates the need for an elaborate system of cadency, though to prevent confusion, the spouse's and heir's arms are differenced. The differences are a label with two points for the spouse, a label with three points for the heir. Should the ruler retire, both à and à's spouse add a true-lover's knot (as the spouse also does if à survives the ruler) to indicate dower status.

For Life Nobles and knights, only the person originally granted the arms bears them undifferenced. À's spouse adds a label with three points; the oldest child does the same, with à's label having a star on each point, and the arms are passed down to each oldest child in this form.

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 same rank, the arms are impaled, with the original bearer's arms on the right. If one spouse dies, the other may, but need not, ask the Chief Herald for permission to continue using the marshalled arms. The original coats go to the eldest child of each sex. If the spouses are of different ranks, the impalement has the senior's arms on the right, and the eldest child assumes those arms while the next eldest assumes those of the lower-ranking parent.

HERALDRY, SANDEMAN:

Since Annexation, Subsector arms are granted by Ruling Earl Klaes, and described in English like Imperial arms. However, as is standard whenever possible with any already-established custom, the Earl follows the Shaper-established system of granting arms, in three forms, to clans rather than to individuals. The warrior caste (warriors and w'women) bears them color-on-metal, with the clan-chief (always a warrior) adding a chief of the main color. The non-warrior caste (Others) bear the 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 the proper use of Imperial coats of arms. They are also the Sovereign's representatives for most ceremonies that justify an Imperial presence but 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

HOBBLE, Sandeman:

A restraint developed by the Shapers to physically control their creations when necessary. It consists of a band around the ankle which taps into a nerve in the leg; when the person wearing it passes a certain boundary, à is subjected to instant agony, powerful enough to disable a battleprepped warrior.

HOBISON, David Ralph:

TERDN-9035-6821 (in 2569) Captain of the IBC Emperor Chang since 2536, having turned down promotion several times to maintain that command. Made a Life Count after taking part in the palace assault that ended the White Order's rebellion.

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, the anniversary of Emperor Chang's assumption of the Throne.

Overthrow Day, 7 October. Sandeman holiday celebrating their final victory over the Shapers.

HOLLY-HONEY:

A Sandeman ornamental plant that closely resembles a holly bush or tree which has been infiltrated by honeysuckle. It has very sweet-smelling flowers.

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: 21.2o
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 black tunic and trousers (preferably leather), high boots, and full-length cloak, derived from the Black Lord's. The right to wear honor-black is granted by acclamation of Sandeman warriors to one (only rarely a non-warrior, even more rarely a non-Sandeman) whose honor is considered so intrinsic and absolute that it should have visible recognition.

HONOR SCARS:

Four parallel scars running from just below the throat to about the waist, on a Traiti Cor'naya.

HORSES, SANDEMAN:

One of the two types of livestock modified by the Shapers, of the wide variety they took with them. Records lost during the Overthrow may have given their reasons for modifying the horses as they did; with those not available, the simplest explanation is that one or more were fascinated with unicorns. Although Sandeman horses retain the full tails and all the coloration of their forbears, with ermine and counter-ermine added as well, they have beards and, from approximately nine months old, a spiral bone "horn" roughly half a meter long growing from the center of their foreheads. Most clans raise them, and they are a specialty of Clan Neill.

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: Kessleman family             No. systems: 542
Subsectors: 5                          Inhabited planets: 270
    A. Argus                D. Minotaur
    B. Gorgon               E. Cerberus
    C. Cyclops

Arms: On a gold field, nine green dragon heads in a circle around a black raven.

HYPERDRIVE:

The faster-than-light drive invented by Reinhard Nannstein, allowing a speed of slightly over three light-years per hour.

HYPERFIELD:

The field generated by hyperdrive engines. To conserve energy it is normally kept close to the ship's skin, but can be expanded if necessary to take a ship or other object under tow. Holding a hyperfield at towing exten- sion for more than fifty hours, however, is dangerous and is prohibited except under war emergency conditions.

HYPERSPACE:

The spatial condition discovered by Reinhard Nannstein which allows faster-than-light travel, at a speed of slightly over three light- years per hour.

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