The Old Ye Bard
Princess
Registration Date: 2006.05.25
Posts: 3,663
Location: Post-Feminism
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Etiquette With Rulers
By Erystera Ligen
Because the rules are so complex and the stakes are so high, many
people blanche at the thought of speaking with a noble with a title.
For starters, it is important to address them correctly, for just as no
one likes to be misnamed, no one likes to be mistitled. The problem is
that in High Rock, traditions of the peerage differ slightly from
region to region. The base rules follow:
There are eight kingdoms in High Rock in the following regions:
Northpoint, Daggerfall, Shornhelm, Camlorn, Farrun, Evermore, Wayrest,
and Jehanna. If a woman is ruling one of these areas, she is called the
Queen. The husband of a Queen and the wife of a King is not necessarily
of equal rank -- they may not be Kings and Queens themselves. Their
children are Princes and Princesses. Their grandchildren are also
Princes and Princesses. If a male ruler dies, his wife takes the title
Dowager Queen, providing there is not a Dowager Queen already. Like all
rules, there are exceptions. One noted exception took place recently in
Daggerfall, when King Lysandus died. In most regions, his wife Mynisera
would not have become Dowager Queen of Daggerfall, because Lysandus'
mother, the widow Nulfaga, still lived. In Daggerfall, however, it is
permissable for there to be two persons with the same title. Thus, both
Nulfaga and Mynisera have the title Dowager Queen.
If a female ruler, who does not share rank with her husband, dies,
there is no male equivalent to the word Dowager. Widowers of Queens
usually take another title, either a lesser family title or one given
by their children. There have been a few men in the history of High
Rock who have fallen from being addressed as King to being addressed as
Mister at the death of their wife.
Other regions are ruled by Dukes and Duchesses, Marquises (or
Marquesses) and Marquises (or Marchionesses), Counts and Countesses,
Viscounts or Viscountesses, Barons or Baronesses, and Lords or Ladies.
This list is theoretically listed from highest to lowest rank, but the
ruler of a territory outranks all other nobles, regardless of title.
Dwynnen, for example, is a Barony, and the Baron or Baroness of Dwynnen
outrank any other noble in that territory, even Dukes and Counts.
In theory, (again, this may not be the case according to local custom)
the eldest son or daughter of a noble takes their parents highest
family title below their parents. Thus, the Duke of Northmoor, who is
also the Marquis of Calder, had a daughter who became the Marchioness
of Calder.
Kings and Queens are always addressed as "Your Majesty" in
conversation; Dukes and Duchesses, "Your Grace". All other rulers may
be addressed with their title and name, or Lord or Lady and their name.
A few hints may be needed to determine exactly who rules a territory.
You may rely on people on the streets to make reference to their ruler,
but that may not be enough. After all, if the gossip involved Lord
Bemmish and Viscountess Byrd, neither or both could be the ruler of the
territoy. I have found that a more predictable method is to pay some
attention to the names of taverns and shops in a region. By tradition,
many of these are called "The Duke's Fox" or "The Lady's Provisions."
This, more often than not, is the name of the ruler. If the shop's name
is "Lady Annisa's Provisions" or "Lord Boxworth's Fox," that is
probably the name of a local titled merchant, not the ruler. A store
with a unnamed ruler's title has probably been around for some time,
and does not bother to change its name with the new name of the ruler.
In speaking with any person, a ruler or not, it is best to know what
sort of a person they are first. Rulers tend to stand on ceremony, and
prefer that people addressing them speak politely and deferentially.
There are, of course, acceptions to this, particularly among younger
rulers, or rulers new to their positions. They may prefer a bolder,
slangy style. If you are unsure, or unsure of your ability to adopt the
vocubulary of either an aristocrat or a criminal, choose to speak as
plainly and directly as possible. You will seldom charm someone by
plain talk, but you will also not alienate by mangled politesse or
dated slang. Alienating a ruler, I need not tell you, can be the last
mistake one can make.
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Daggerfall book, useful for when making the Npc Rulers of various settlements in High Rock.
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Etiquette With Rulers
