Banners are Standards that grant mechanical benefits to the person holding it, and are frequently used by a commander or their second to bolster a Band in combat. Anyone who is part of the Band can pick it up and gain the benefits of its Enchantment, though if it has limited uses of an ability per day or event the previous wielder must inform the new wielder of how many uses are left when it trades hands.
Banners always take the form of a long pole (at least 60 inches in length) with a cloth flag or banner attached to it that measures at least 6 square feet in area (the exact shape doesn’t matter, so long as the area reaches that minimum size). The flag is usually decorated with the colors or symbols of the Band it is bound to, though this is not strictly necessary for the item to function.
If you are wielding a Banner in battle, you must wield it in at least one hand in order to gain its benefits. You cannot wield anything else with the arm/hand that is wielding the Standard. You cannot parry, block, or attack with the Banner; keep it away from anyone you are engaged in combat with, as it is probably not padded or LARP-safe and you will hurt someone if you thwack them with it, accidentally or on purpose. Do not let this happen.