A badge is a device, patch, or similar accoutrement which is presented or displayed to annote some feat of service, a special accomplishment, or as a simple means of identification. In some non-secret organizations, badges are often used to denote qualifications received through training.Similarly, organizations use them to show group membership and rank. Here are a few examples:
- The Brothers of the Lantern uses an eight-pointed-star-shaped badge marking its Brothers.
- The Bureau of Forgotten Knowledge awards badges of various shapes and sizes to its scholars and administrators.
- In particular, the badge of the BORK's President is a stylized outline of a deathbug; the symbolism of this has not been made public.
- Paramount Queens have dodecagram badges in colors representing the region of Ghyll from which they have been chosen.
- Members of Parliament wear a small, discreet five-pointed star on the left shoulder.
- The Pickers of Ignanefta wear the badge of the Furious Apple.
Whatever the purpose, however, badges are always installed into the badge-holder in the same way. A specialist called a badger carves an appropriately shaped opening, slightly too small, in the exoskeleton of the badge wearer. The badge is then fitted tightly into the opening, and glued, burnished, and finally enameled in the appropriate color.
When for whatever reason a badge must be revoked by the badge-awarding organization, it is simply painted over with indelible dye rather than physically removed. The inadequacy of this method means that groups are well-advised not to award badges indiscriminately. Former officeholders do not usually have their badges revoked; it is done only as a measure of disgrace.
--John Cowan 00:12, 27 May 2005 (EDT)