Etiquette With RulersErystera LigenèÒ) .žå š÷ùýEtiquette WithýRulersùýö Because the rules are so complex and the stakes are so high,many people blanche at the thought of speaking with a noblewith a title. For starters, it is important to address themcorrectly, for just as no one likes to be misnamed, no onelikes to be mistitled. The problem is that in High Rock,traditions of the peerage differ slightly from region toregion. The base rules follow: There are eight kingdoms in High Rock in the followingregions: Northpoint, Daggerfall, Shornhelm, Camlorn,Farrun, Evermore, Wayrest, and Jehanna. If a woman isruling one of these areas, she is called the Queen. The husbandof a Queen and the wife of a King is not necessarily of equalrank -- they may not be Kings and Queens themselves. Theirchildren are Princes and Princesses. Their grandchildren arealso Princes and Princesses. If a male ruler dies, his wifetakes the title Dowager Queen, providing there is not aDowager Queen already. Like all rules, there areexceptions. One noted exception took place recently inDaggerfall, when King Lysandus died. In most regions, hiswife Mynisera would not have become Dowager Queen oföDaggerfall, because Lysandus' mother, the widow Nulfaga,still lived. In Daggerfall, however, it is permissable forthere to be two persons with the same title. Thus, bothNulfaga 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 alesser family title or one given by their children. Therehave been a few men in the history of High Rock who have fallenfrom being addressed as King to being addressed as Mister atthe death of their wife. Other regions are ruled by Dukes and Duchesses, Marquises(or Marquesses) and Marquises (or Marchionesses), Counts andCountesses, Viscounts or Viscountesses, Barons orBaronesses, and Lords or Ladies. This list istheoretically listed from highest to lowest rank, but theruler of a territory outranks all other nobles, regardlessof title. Dwynnen, for example, is a Barony, and the Baronor Baroness of Dwynnen outrank any other noble in thatterritory, even Dukes and Counts.ö In theory, (again, this may not be the case according tolocal custom) the eldest son or daughter of a noble takestheir parents highest family title below their parents.Thus, the Duke of Northmoor, who is also the Marquis ofCalder, 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". Allother rulers may be addressed with their title and name, orLord or Lady and their name. A few hints may be needed to determine exactly who rules aterritory. You may rely on people on the streets to makereference to their ruler, but that may not be enough. Afterall, if the gossip involved Lord Bemmish and ViscountessByrd, neither or both could be the ruler of the territoy. Ihave found that a more predictable method is to pay someattention to the names of taverns and shops in a region. Bytradition, many of these are called "The Duke's Fox" or "TheLady's Provisions." This, more often than not, is the nameof the ruler. If the shop's name is "Lady Annisa'sProvisions" or "Lord Boxworth's Fox," that is probably thename of a local titled merchant, not the ruler. A store withöa unnamed ruler's title has probably been around for sometime, and does not bother to change its name with the new nameof the ruler. In speaking with any person, a ruler or not, it is best toknow what sort of a person they are first. Rulers tend tostand on ceremony, and prefer that people addressing themspeak politely and deferentially. There are, of course,acceptions to this, particularly among younger rulers, orrulers new to their positions. They may prefer a bolder,slangy style. If you are unsure, or unsure of your abilityto adopt the vocubulary of either an aristocrat or acriminal, choose to speak as plainly and directly aspossible. You will seldom charm someone by plain talk, butyou will also not alienate by mangled politesse or datedslang. Alienating a ruler, I need not tell you, can be thelast mistake one can make.ö ö