About a month ago, Saint Tigerlily mentioned a book she was reading. Well, actually several books; it's a series of books with the general name of A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin. They're in the fantasy genre, although they seem more like just vaguely historical fiction books with fantasy elements that draw heavily on the medieval lifestyle and warfare. So, you know, castles and lords and ladies and knights . . . that sort of thing.
ANYWAY.
Always on the lookout for good books, I started reading them, as did A., and we've both been enjoying them (thanks, STL!). It's actually very rare for us to read the same books. I must admit to being disturbed by some of the books, since they are about war, and we all know that war ain't pretty. But the POINT I'm getting to here (yes! I have a point!) is that one of the features of the book involves the banner image and motto of each noble house. The image for each house used on the banners and shields of the lords is referred to as a sigil. I don't know if that's a real word or made up, but whatever. So, for example, the sigil could be a lion, or a snake, or a heart of fire. Or whatever. And the motto might be something like, "Honor above all."
One of the houses in the book--a very northerly, somewhat grim house--has for their motto, "Winter is coming." It occurred to me that if Blackrock were to have a motto, that would be it. We spend all summer in preparation for winter: growing our food in the garden and pasture, cutting and stacking wood, and soaking up the sun in preparation for the gloom ahead. The specter of winter is ever-present at a place like Blackrock, so "Winter is coming" seems only too apt for our house motto. Also, I have given some thought to a good sigil for House Blackrock, and I think a slavering, bloody collie would be appropriate.
I can just see the banner now.
I know you're now contemplating what your own motto and sigil might be. So what have you come up with? And why?
9 comments:
Well, my sigil would involve a cat, because good lord, cats have taken over my house. Not sure about the motto, though.
This vaguely reminds me of the Harry Potter houses with their animal emblems and mottoes of loyalty or wit or whatever.
Wow, I hate when I have to really think to comment....let's see...
sigil... a german shepherd on it's back getting a belly rub....and the motto..... 'the loonies have taken over the asylum'
I also thought Harry Potter when I read the post.
word verification 'quiplabi'
a quick witted black or golden doggie
Don't you think that the sigil for Blackrock should be a tomato? Mary in MN
"I can't wait to get out of this apartment and own a farm."
Yeah, that sounds about right.
My sigil would be a book with glasses and my motto would be Learning never stops til your dead.
My own personal motto and sigil would have to be "Never a dull moment" accompanied by a school bell. As for the home, something with bunnies. Definitely rabbits, domestic and wild. "Everything's hoppin' around here!"
Since we have a lazy..I meant wonderful kitchen pig the sigil would be a boar. Big and fat possibly eating an apple.
Motto...Feed Me or there shall be ruins!
Those books must really be violent with your sigil a bloody collie. Wonder what Mia would think about that one. Guess we'd have to have a "Seemingly Endless Summer" (it's 103 today) motto with an over sized sun and scorched earth sigil. However, if you posted this question in November, the answer would be very different.
So I looked up sigil and found that rather than being a heraldic symbol, a sigil is magical/mystical -- more in way of wizardry than of knights and damsels.
The bloody collie is a pretty good call for our sigil -- and "winter is coming" does strike the right ominous note.
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