A question for Janny about a bit of trivia I just noticed in Traitor's Knot:
After the first encounter with Glendien by River Hanhaffin, Arithon returns to camp to find Erlien s'Taleyn and Kyrialt s'Taleyn dressed in state. Erlien's tabard shows the device of the reunited kingdoms of Shand (gold and purple chevrons), but Kyrialt's targe shows the device from the period where only East Shand was under High King rule (crescent moon and black falcon).
Since the falcon device has not been official since Third Age 670, what is the significance of having both devices visible during this encounter?
Well, You Asked: this is a very deep and complex bit of history that extends very very far back and isn't simple on the surface; Way too nuanced to go into depth, here.
Short version:
East Shand original device was Crescent Moon on a Violet field - (under Paravian Rule)
West Shand - original device was a Black Dragon on a Gold field - under original rule of Dragons. Age of Dragons preceded First Age Year One, however, the drakes' presence on Athera continued to hold influence (and though diminished, still does). Note historic significance of the council at Corith, etc. There is more to this iceberg that does not show in the books.
West Shand was the site of a MAJOR drake conflict; and this bears upon the historical fabric of why Dragons lingered there/when and why they chose to withdraw from that place.
When fortress at Earle was built, (pre Third Age - Fellowship had a hand in protecting the elemental forces/conscious interface with those powers at large inside) Paravians took over both E. and W. Shand - device changed - Dragon on gold became Falcon/combined with Crescent on Violet field.
Shand at that time was united under Paravian rule until the Third Age began/original Compact created High Kingships under Charter Law.
Mankind held Shand proper under auspice of Charter Law; Paravians continued to rule (more properly termed: inhabit) West Shand/free wilds, no human presence there well into the Third Age. South Gate's use as a place to send technological misfits into exile played into this change in demographic.
Mankind eventually took over both territories; heir proper (High King) continued with chevron device reflecting the colors of both territories, signifying the holding of former Paravian territory during the old races' abdication. Heir Designate displayed the older Falcon device, where Third Age rule had been given over to Mankind.
The split device shown in FORMALITY acknowledges that the original bounds of human sovereignty was expanded - and the symbolic designation that this was considered a temporary state/that the original boundaries could and would revert if a Paravian presence returned with intent to reclaim it/or if Dragons chose to re-establish their influence there once again.
The married geometric chevrons being the temporary designation/subject to reversion.
Does this make sense of it for you?
Yes, thank you. As always, there's a lot to parse in there!
Brian Uri - one big understatement!