Title: Etiquette With Rulers
Author: Erystera Ligen
IsNaughty: False
Price: 738
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Content:


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[/center]Etiquette With

[/center]Rulers



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    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.













 
