Fortressian Vexillology

Fortressian Vexillology refers to the flags of the Principality, and to the rules which govern their design, display, and care.

General Construction

All flags of Fortressian government organizations must have a 1:2 ratio, with the exception of the flags of offices, which must instead have a 1:1 ratio. These rules apply to all flags across the Principality, while there may be additional rules for certain sorts of flags representing different categories of organization or thing. For example, colonial flags must have three squares of pink, white, and black equaling 1/6 the total area and located at the hoist in addition to whatever other design is present. These rules do not apply to non-governmental flags such as the personal flag of the Princess or those of the Libertine Party, although the latter complies with them voluntarily.

State and Government Flags

Flag of the Principality of the Pillow Fortress

The Flag of the Principality of the Pillow Fortress consists of a canton of three horizontal stripes of one each; pink (#FFAEC9), representing change, difference, diversity, and energy, white (#FFFFFF), representing purity of purpose, and black (#000000), representing solidarity with all oppressed and downtrodden peoples yearning for the freedom found within the Principality. The field is cyan (#3399FF), representing both the sky and the ocean, two seemingly endless expanses which symbolize endless possibility. The lack of any charge or badge within the field is symbolic of the Pillow Fortress lacking any territory, and thus lacking anything concrete with which to derive further symbolism from.

Flag of the Principality of the Pillow Fortress, also called the "State Flag".

Territorial Flags

Flag of the Pillowans Abroad Province

The Flag of the Pillowans Abroad Province consists of a cyan (#3399FF) field, representing the field on the flag of the Pillow Fortress, surrounded by a white (#FFFFFF) border, which symbolizes separation and distance. Together these components symbolize the residents of the province being physically apart from the rest of the Principality.

Flag of the Pillowans Abroad Province

Flag of Marie Byrd Colony

The Flag of Marie Byrd Colony consists of the tricolor colonial stripe along the hoist, and a bicolor of dark blue (#0000CC) representing the waters of the Antarctic Ocean, and white (#FFFFF) representing the Antarctic continent, divided upward diagonally. Should the colony ever be integrated into the Principality as a province, the colonial stripe will be removed and the rest of the design reproportioned to fit a 1:2 ratio.

Flag of Marie Byrd Colony

Flag of Olympus Mons Colony

The Flag of the Olympus Mons Colony consists of the tricolor colonial stripe along the hoist, and depiction of the surface of the planet Mars and the Olympus Mons volcano as seen on the horizon. The ground is gold (#FFCC33) and the sky is dark red (#CC0000). Should the colony ever be integrated into the Principality as a province, the colonial stripe will be removed and the rest of the design reproportioned to fit a 1:2 ratio.

Flag of the Olympus Mons Colony

Provisional Flags the FSSGR - TTE Colonies

The Principality's colonies organized under the FSSGR - TTE, aside from Olympus Mons Colony, all have provisional flags designed over the course of a few hours in order that their articles on the Pillow Fortress Wiki conform to those of the other territorial entries. Some effort was made at including a bit of symbolism, but as none of these are intended to be permanent, whether or not that modest meaning is maintained in future designs remains an unanswered question.

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  Flag of the Proxima Sol Economic Zone. It depicts a highly stylized rendition of the planet Mercury and the Sun.

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  Flag of the Morning Star Colony. The stripes depict a cross section of the planet Venus from atmosphere to surface.

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  Flag of the Clair de Lune Colony. The gray circle depicts the moon while the white crescent implies artificial lights as seen from space.

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  Flag of the L1 Archipelago. The number of stars denote which of the five Lagrangian Archipelagos it is.

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  Flag of the L2 Archipelago

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  Flag of the L3 Archipelago

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  Flag of the L4 Archipelago

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  Flag of the L5 Archipelago

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  Flag of the Helium Shores Colony. It depicts a highly stylized rendition of the planet Jupiter with its great red spot.

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  Flag of the Hades Colony. It depicts the surface of the Jovian moon Io.

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  Flag of the New Byrd Land Colony. It's the flag of the Marie Byrd Colony but with a star on it to denote both outer space and newness.

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  Flag of the Cherubim's Glory Colony. It depicts the mythological cherubim emanating glory.

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  Flag of the Alter-Pacifica Colony. The gold and blue are taken from a false color image of the moon Titan's hydrocarbon lakes.

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  Flag of the Sideways Colony. The pun is obvious.

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  Flag of the Alter-Atlantica Colony. Blue and cyan are the traditional colors of the planet Neptune, while the expanding triangle implies expansion out into trans-Neptunian space.

Flags of the Directory

Flag of the Directory

The flag of the Directory consists of a horizontal red, blue, and green tricolor, with each stripe ending in a triangle to represent the incomplete nature of legislature. The alternating black and white portions on the end symbolize the challenges the three advisory council will face.

Flag of the Directory

Flag of the Council of Labor

The flag of the Council of Labor consists of twenty-five white (#FFFFFF) stars in a 5x5 grid, representing the twenty-five guilds of the Council (excluding Her Majesty's Royal Guild) centered on a red (#CC0003) field, red being the traditional color of labor.

Flag of the Council of Labor

Flag of the Council of State

The flag of the Council of State consists of one hundred twenty white (#FFFFFF) stars in six rows of twenty, representing the total seats on the council, on a blue (#0000CC) field, blue being a color associated with general knowledge.

Flag of the Council of State

Flag of the Council of Territory

The flag of the Council of Territory consists of three white (#FFFFFF) stars, representing the total seats on the council, on a green (#009900) field, green being a color associated with land and thus traditional understandings of territory. When more provinces receive seats on the council the number of stars will increase to match.

Flag of the Council of Territory

Flags of the Xeer

Flag of the Xeer

The flag of the Xeer consists of a black (#000000) scales of justice against a half and half crimson (#C60C30) and white (#FFFFFF) field. The space within the scales above the plates are inverted.

Flag of the Xeer

Flags of the Pillow Fortress Armed Forces

Flag of the Pillow Fortress, Platinum Band Use

Owing to the Platinum Band's position as the chief defenders of the Principality, it is entitled to use a special variant of the State Flag. The design of the flag remains the same but with the addition of a platinum fringe, representing the Band and its role protecting the Pillow Fortress.

Flag of the Pillow Fortress as used by the Platinum Band. The fringe is strictly symbolic, and carries no legal meaning.

Flag of the Platinum Band

The Flag of the Platinum Band consists of a platinum stripe (#CCCCCC) diagonally upward across a black (#000000) field. The stripe is quite literally a platinum (arm)band, and its upward orientation represents success, power, and victory, while the field represents the unknown challenges which the Band must confront in order to defend the Principality.

Flag of the Platinum Band

Flags of the Orders of the Platinum Band

Each of the seven Orders of the Platinum Band has its own flag, and all share a single design style, thus symbolizing harmony and cooperation between the Orders. A platinum (#CCCCCC) stripe one third the height of the flag is in the middle of a field consisting of the Order's official color, while one or more letters serving as abbreviation for the name of the Order is super imposed over the stripe near the fly in the color of the field, connecting the top and bottom thirds of the flag.

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  Flag of the Order of the Air Force

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  Flag of the Order of the Army

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  Flag of the Order of the Cyber Force

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  Flag of the Order of the Militia

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  Flag of the Order of the Navy

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  Flag of the Order of the Selecty

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  Flag of the Order of the Spacy

Flags of Client States and Client Non-State Entities

Flags of the Republic of the Serene Gate

The Republic of the Serene Gate typically favors a heavy use of gold (#FFCC33), white (#FFFFFF), and black (#000000) in its flags, symbolizing wealth and prosperity, peace and sincerity, and will and devotion, respectively.

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  Flag of the Republic of the Serene Gate. The white star of sovereignty casts its golden rays down, opening the world to trade and commerce.

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  Flag of Mare Munificent. Gold and green are both colors highly associated with wealth and money.

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  Flag of the Pillow Fortress-Serene Gate Permanent Friendship Association. It combines the flags of both states in a dignified and inoffensive manner.

Provisional Flag of the Dominion of Corvus

Client non-state entities must have some kind of flag in order to represent themselves in official Fortressian ceremonies and government activities. As the Dominion of Corvus consists entirely of non-human animals that have historically shown no interest in vexillography, it was necessary for the Principality to design one for it. Like the flags of the FSSGR - TTE, this is a provisional flag, which is to be improved in the future if and when human-corvid communication has progressed to the point where their design opinions and preferred symbolism can be obtained.

Flag of the Dominion of Corvus.

Flags of the Princess

Personal Flag

The personal flag of the reigning Princess is a horizontal tricolor of pink (#FFAEC9), white (#FFFFFF), and black (#000000) in a 1:2 ratio. It lacks all symbolism other than being a visual shorthand for the Princess, and the choice of colors and design were arbitrary beyond what she found visually appealing at the time of its creation. This flag predates the flag of the Pillow Fortress, with the latter being derived from it.

Personal flag of the First Princess

See also

Symbols of the Libertine Party