Rank Rondel

"Your rondel. Display it." The Talon questioned Adrienne, even as Rachel waited on the other side. As much as Rachel could overrule her Talons, it would set a bad example and create a potential of laxity in the security of the castle which could threaten her king and queen - something she will not allow to come to pass, so long as she serves. Thus, even for her own sister, the rules will not be bent, even as Adrienne presented her rondel, and the Talon allowed her safe passage.

Rank Rondels are decorative pieces of armor that are usually worn by active serving members of the Mithambian Armed Forces, all mages and thaumaturges registered with the Mithambian Arcana Society, and all standing members of the Mithambian Royal Court.

History

Rondels were first used in 1628, to readily identify forces friendly to the Louthian Free Territories against Louthian Imperial forces, who were readily identifed by their pauldron symbols. Rondels were easier to conceal and were often worn on the belt line, such that a tunic or cloak can conceal it and the identity of its wearer from Imperial spies and inquisitiorial forces.
At the conclusion of the Louthian War and the establishment of the Kingdom of Mithambe, rondels remained a symbol of rank and office - a form of commemoration of those who wore it and stood against the Louthian Empire.

Types of Rank Rondels

The Mithambian Armed Forces utilizes heater-style shields as their rondels. MAF rank rondels are worn on the right shoulder - either attached to the cuirass, or on a lanyard when not in armor. Dress and mess uniforms will have embroidered rondels sewn as arm flashes on the right arm sleeve of a tunic or dress coat.

Overall Command

"That gold trim may make such men feel dignified and wise, but I can tell you that precious few have properly seen war. Have properly seen, felt, been responsible for death and destruction."

— Marshal (Ret.) Benjamin Cross

MAF Command rondels will feature a gold trim around the border of the heater shield, and will also feature the crest of the MAF on the bottom point of the shield. The background will be dependent on the (non-commissioned) officer's previous service prior to Command ascension.

Enlisted Command Rondels

Position Title	Wing Warrant Officer --or-- Cohort Sergeant	Group Warrant Officer --or-- Theatre Sergeant	Front Warrant Officer* --or-- Front Sergeant*	First Warrant Officer of the Branch --or-- First Sergeant of the Orders

^{* - Only used when the Kingdom of Mithambe is officially at war}

Commissioned Command Rondels

Position Title	Wing/Cohort Commander	Group/Theatre Commander	Front Commander*	Marshal	Grand Marshal

^{* - Only used when the Kingdom of Mithambe is officially at war}

Mithambian Aeroservices Branch

MASB rondels will utilize white and black, with a tyrian pale in the center. Commissioned officer rondels will also feature a gold bar within which their rank is embossed.
MASB personnel will wear a flash above their rondels, which indicate the Battlegroup and Wing they are attached to.

Enlisted Rank Rondels

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Recruit Aviator	Aviator	Leading Aviator	First Aviator

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Aviator Sergeant	Aviator Warrant Officer	Aviator Master Warrant Officer	Aviator First Warrant Officer

Table 2: Rondels for MASB Enlisted/Non-Commissioned Ranks

Commissioned Rank Rondels

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	(Aviator) Officer Prospect	(Aviator) Second Lieutenant	(Aviator) Lieutenant

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	(Aviator) Second Commander	(Aviator) Commander	(Aviator) Captain --or-- (Aviator) Master**

^{** - specialist rank appointed to Captains in command of aerofortress vehicles}
Table 3: Rondels for MASB Commissioned Ranks

Mithambian Knightly Orders

MKO rondels utilize green and black, with a tyrian pale in the center. Commissioned officer rondels will also feature a gold bar within which their rank is embossed.
MKO personnel will wear a second rondel on their left shoulder - this rondel depicts the Order and unit from which the member hails from.

Enlisted Knight Rank Rondels

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Knight Prospect	Knight Apprentice	Knight	Knight Veteran	Knight Sergeant

Commissioned Knight Rank Rondels

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Knight Ensign	Knight Lieutenant	Knight Commander	Knight Master	Knight Grandmaster

Mithambian Naval Department

The Mithambian Naval Department will follow a similar order to the MASB, but their rondels will feature black and light blue.

The Arcana Society

The Arcana Society of Mithambe utilizes an oval-style rondel that dictates the School that a practitioner belongs to, and their recognized proficiency.

School

The School that a practitioner belongs to will be indicated in the wider portion of the rondel.

School Insignia
School Title	Alchemy	Ethereal Engineering	Living Processes	Soul Studies	Space & Time

Proficiency Ranking

Proficiency is indicated in the chevron of the rondel.

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Apprentice II	Apprentice I	Ordinary

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Adept III	Adept II	Adept I	Master

Tactical Magi

Tactical magi will wear a gonfalon-style rank rondel on their belts, along the left hip. This frees up the shoulder area working space for gesture-sensitive invocations. Tactical magi rondels may also incorporate additional protections for the user, including automatic wards and barriers to protect the user from opportunistic attacks.
Tactical magi will wear a second rondel beside the first, which indicates their ethereal ranking.

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Reserve Magi	Line Magi	Syndicate Commander	Echelon Commander

The Royal Court

With the exception of the Royal Family, all members of the Mithambian Royal Court must wear a rondel to identify themselves while within Castle Manhesto. Proof of their identity may be demanded at any time by a menial shift lead, a Royal Knight, a Talon, or a Crown Agent.

Menials and Clerical Workers

All menial servants and clerical workers that wait on the lords and ladies of the Royal Court are readily identifiable with the symbol of their position on their rondel. They will wear their rondel on their belts, on the right side of their body.

Menial and Clerical Professional Assignments

Position Insignia
Position Title	Castle Maid	Castle Steward	Royal Knight***	Court Scribe

Position Insignia
Position Title	Chef	Gardener	Court Courier	Castle Custodian

^{*** - as a Knight, they follow standard MKO ranking protocol}

Menial and Clerical Professional Ranking

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Apprentice	Ordinary	Able	Lead

Nobles of the Court

The Nobles of the Royal Court of Mithambe will wear their nobility rank rondels on their left lapel, unless it is indicated for them to wear it in a more appropriate position (which is the case for those who hold additional positions of authority in Mithambe, including directors, Knights, and military commanders).
A Noble's rank rondel will feature the markings of their rank on a round shield, and their rank is properly depicted on a mount at the bottom of the shield. The rest of the shield is reserved for that noble's heraldry.

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Baron Baroness	Earl/Count Countess	Marquess Marchioness	Duke Duchess

The Crown Retainers

Rondels for the Retainers of the Crown are not to denote rank but rather title and position. Retainers that operate within Mithambian offices and field units must be readily identifiable when they present their rondel to command any Mithambian subject, as it is a symbol of their authority, and is specifically infused with ethereal markers designed by the Crown Archmagus of the numbered Court to prove authenticity.

Primary Retainer Rondels

Rondel Insignia
Retainer Title	Champion of the Monarch	Talon Grandmaster	Crown Archmagus	Crown Physician

Auxiliary Retainer Rondels

Retainer Insignia
Retainer Title	Crown Steward	Crown Chaplain	Majordomo of Castle Manhesto	Talon Feather

Position Insignia
Position Title	Sergeant-at-Arms	Crown Secretary	Head Maid of Castle Manhesto	Crown Herald

The Talons

"You lie through your teeth. You are not one of us. The fake rondel in your hand proves it and condemns you."

— Xavier Seaward, interrogating a "Talon" found trespassing in the castle courtyards

Talon rank rondels are a featureless black round shield unless revealed with a spoken incantation by another Talon, a Retainer, or a member of the Royal Family. The Talon's rondel will feature the crest of the organization and the rank of the Talon below it.

Rank Insignia
Rank Title	Talon	First Talon	Talon Master	Talon Grandmaster