Excellent article which will help provide a lot of details to really make a Cormyrean campaign really come to life.
I do have a question regarding the titles though. The article mentions that children get a courtesy title 1 step lower than that of their parents, which they keep once the heir to the proper title assumes it. What about the lowest rank of Baronets? Do their children ALL become baronets/Baronetesses or at that point do they become commoners?
The text seems to suggest that such children are baronets with the phrase "most members of a given noble family are ranked as baronets, with other titles distributed among the various branches of the house". This would suggest that the ground state of nobility seems to be being a baronet. Or at least that is their rank as far as the crown is concerned. With such a politically active country I would imagine that intra-house rank may well be able to differentiate crown-baronets based on their age, standing and duties within that house.
wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/dra/c...
Excellent article which will help provide a lot of details to really make a Cormyrean campaign really come to life.
I do have a question regarding the titles though. The article mentions that children get a courtesy title 1 step lower than that of their parents, which they keep once the heir to the proper title assumes it. What about the lowest rank of Baronets? Do their children ALL become baronets/Baronetesses or at that point do they become commoners?
The children of baronets, while their parents live, are all treated as knights. When a baronet dies and passes his title on, the direct heir is automatically a baronet, and the children can variably become knights or baronets of the realm, depending on their personal status. Even after the original noble's death, his children retain some level of nobility (they are "lords" rather than "sirs," and are never commoners).
In practice, this doesn't usually happen; baronets are often extraordinary nobles ("life peers," in the U.K.), and many of their children either marry into other families or distinguish themselves by other means before the parent dies, in order that the Crown will recognize them as baronets or some higher rank.
Another great article, Brian, thank you!
Thanks!
The text seems to suggest that such children are baronets with the phrase "most members of a given noble family are ranked as baronets, with other titles distributed among the various branches of the house". This would suggest that the ground state of nobility seems to be being a baronet. Or at least that is their rank as far as the crown is concerned. With such a politically active country I would imagine that intra-house rank may well be able to differentiate crown-baronets based on their age, standing and duties within that house.
This is just about right. It's a very complex system, with very few people outside the Court or the High Heralds knowing the exact relative rank of nobles in a given house--to say nothing of relative rank throughout the kingdom. Generally speaking, if a noble is a baron or higher, his descendants will be treated by the Crown as (at least) a baronet until they prove themselves of higher worth or traitors to the kingdom.
Does this help? Or am I confusing the issue?
Are you planning to release a list of the titles held by the "head of family" for the houses that were detailed in Backdrop: Suzail? I'm assuming that those are the major power-players in the court.
Are you planning to release a list of the titles held by the "head of family" for the houses that were detailed in Backdrop: Suzail? I'm assuming that those are the major power-players in the court.
Not at present, no. It's not that determining the ranks for 15 noble patriarchs (4 of whom are confirmed dukes, per the already-published Crowns and Mantles) is all that difficult, but because I have no intention on naming characters properly belonging to Ed, assigning ranks that might conflict with something in his upcoming Elminster Enraged, or declaring a noble head of family when he's just been/is about to be killed off*.
*I'm not referencing anyone in particular. Only to say that undeveloped characters, particularly noble heads of family, are expendable.
Around then the players in my game had started performing acts of valor for the crown of Cormyr that earned them recognition and titles. I'd given them the title "Lord Adventurer" but I'm sure some sort of Extraordinary Title befitting/describing their deed(s) would have been better.
Regardless I'm VERY happy to see this article in print!
Question: is that Alusair on page 1 of the article? Or a noble wearing a crown of rank?
Boy do I wish I'd had access to something like this article six or seven years ago when my Realms campaign really kicked into high gear.
Around then the players in my game had started performing acts of valor for the crown of Cormyr that earned them recognition and titles. I'd given them the title "Lord Adventurer" but I'm sure some sort of Extraordinary Title befitting/describing their deed(s) would have been better.
Regardless I'm VERY happy to see this article in print!
Question: is that Alusair on page 1 of the article?
Believe me, I'd have loved to have given it to you! Alas...
Extraordinary titles are, in themselves, nothing special. A "baron extraordinary" (for example) is simply a baron that won't pass his title to his children. He's a noble, but not a hereditary one.
If one of your PCs gains a noble title, he could be Lord So-and-so, Baron of the Starwater and Defender of Jester's Green. It really just comes down to attaching the right level of nobility to the correct location in the kingdom and any special titles or associations you might want to add.
To answer your question: No. It's not.
To answer your question: No. It's not.
Thank you for the swift response, Brian.
I see that you answered before I did my edit to the question. Thus, could that be a noble wearing a crown of rank?
Also, when I was writing my War Wizard A Day NPC list a couple years ago, I noted there was (for my campaign) a Warden of the Northern Marches. I like that you mention the position, even though it stands as yet uncreated by King Foril.
To answer your question: No. It's not.
Thank you for the swift response, Brian.
I see that you answered before I did my edit to the question. Thus, could that be a noble wearing a crown of rank?
Also, when I was writing my War Wizard A Day NPC list a couple years ago, I noted there was (for my campaign) a Warden of the Northern Marches. I like that you mention the position, even though it stands as yet uncreated by King Foril.
That is, in fact, a crown of rank. The lady knight depicted is being invested as a baroness of the realm. For the record: the crown is polished steel, not silver.
As for the Warden of the Northern Marches, it's not a 'new' title, exactly. Azoun IV flirted with the idea of adding it to Dauneth Marliir's responsibilities during the Cormyr Saga (I believe it was in Beyond the High Road, trying to make him a more attractive match for Crown Princess Tanalasta), and it has existed in the past. In fact, there has also been a Warden of the Western Reaches (there's no Warden of the South; that's the duty of the High Marshal). It's just that these titles are unfilled during the 'present day' courts of the various editions.
Great job Brian. You sir are truly Realm touched
Just merci. Thanks a ton !
I hope wehn Elminster Enraged comes out we get more samples from it of individuals with various of the kinds of titles one can have in Cormyr. If it happens to be light on those, I hope WotC will ask Brian to write a follow up to his article with some specific examples (even if it's just elaborating on characters mentioned in the latest Elminster novels).