From: mandor
Date: 2002-06-16 23:38:36
Do we need to instruct players with a system of noble titles and ranks?
I recently made some research for a roleplaying game sessions, and ended up creating a pretty decent list of virtually all english-language titles of nobility used since the antique times. These include such ranks like emperors, kings, different princes, dukes, marquises, counts, barons, lords etc etc.
Should we instruct the players with any kind of title system - or just let them invent one of their own. Not instructing them with anything might lead to leaders calling themselves what ever they think sounds cool like "His Highness the ZHaZard of ArgaBepPol" ;-) Also not many players are actually aware of different titles of nobility, especially not about heir order of rank (like a count being a higher than a lord, etc)..
Anyways.. giving them any ideas for titles might also lead to a system ressembling the western middle ages too much. We'd have land lords all over the places and evil barons lurking in every alley.
Tell me what do you think - any instructions - or let them create total chaos for them selves?
.M
From: darshan
Date: 2002-06-16 23:55:08
In-Reply-To: 1657
I can't imagine a sensible mechanical title system.
If we just sit by and watch what the players come up with, there are two alternatives:
a) the players spontaneously create some kind of a title hierarchy.
b) the players won't care at all about making up a title system.
If a), great, we don't need to preoccupy ourselves with it at all. I think this is highly unlikely.
If b), we can ask why they don't care. The answer is IMO simple: there already is another hierarchy of power.
A theorem:
The player base will always, 100% guaranteed, organize into a hierarchy of power, be it a conscious or unconscious organization. A god-given title system will always lose in importance to a spontaneous social hierarchy.
From: yorkaturr
Date: 2002-06-16 23:57:03
In-Reply-To: 1657
This is very much up to the culture and race.
Many races and cultures are inspired by real-life cultures, and I think the applicable real-life cultures in question could be used as references of some sort, though I would advise against using non-english titles of nobility, because english is something of a common standard, and usage of non-english titles would be an unnecessary in-game reminder of real life, and it would hinder the immersive feel of the game.
In my not so humble opinion, I say that we should pre-define the nobility titles for each race and culture in Majik, and that these titles would be hard-coded into the game as well. That is, until some player becomes a supreme dictator and gets to come up with a title for himself.
From: mandor
Date: 2002-06-18 20:57:17
In-Reply-To: 1657
Here are the noble ranks:
Noble ranks & their formal styles of address
Traditional/historical/current day English-language noble ranks and their formal styles of address in descending order of rank :
Format: Rank/title, salutation, in coversation
Styling of name
Emperor, Your Dignified Majesty, “Your Majesty” first then “Sire/Ma’am”
His Imperial Majesty FIRSTNAME Emperor of EMPIRENAME
King, Your Majesty/Sire, “Your Majesty” first then “Sire/Ma’am”
His Majesty FIRSTNAME LASTNAME King of KINDOMNAME
Prince of royal blood, Your Royal Highness, “Your Royal Highness” first then “Sir/Ma’am”
His Royal Highness the Prince of the KINDOMNAME
Sovereign Prince, Your Serene Highness, “Your Serene Highness” first then “Sir/Ma’am”
His Serene Highness the Prince of the PRINCIPALITYNAME
Prince (with highness), Your Highness, “Your Highness” first then “Sir/Ma’am”
His Highness the Prince FIRSTNAME LASTNAME of PRINCIPALITYNAME
Prince, Prince/Madame, “Prince” first then “Sir/Madam”
Prince FIRSTNAME LASTNAME
Royal Duke, Your Royal Highness, “Your Royal Highness” first then “Sir/Ma’am”
His Royal Highness the Duke of DUKEDOMNAME
Sovereign Grand Duke, Your Serene Grace, “Your Serene Grace” first then “Sir/Ma’am”
His Serene Grace the Grand Duke of DUKEDOMNAME
Duke, Your Grace, “Your Grace” first then “Sir/Ma’am”
His Grace the Duke of DUKEDOMNAME
Marquis, Your Grace (or Your Excellency, varies by culture), “Your Grace (or Excellency) first then “Sir/Madam”
His Grace the Marquis of MARQUISATENAME, or
His Excellency Marquis FIRSTNAME LASTNAME, or
The Right Honourable Marquis FIRSTNAME LASTNAME of MARQUISATENAME
Count, Your Excellency, “Your Excellency” first then “Sir/Madam”
His Excellency Count FIRSTNAME LASTNAME, or
The Right Honourable Count FIRSTNAME LASTNAME of COUNTYNAME
Viscount, Your Excellency, “Your Excellency” first then “Sir/Madam”
His Excellency Viscount FIRSTNAME LASTNAME, or
The Right Honourable Viscount FIRSTNAME LASTNAME of VISCOUNTYNAME
Baron, Your Excellency, “Your Excellency” first then “Sir/Madam”
His Excellency the Baron FIRSTNAME, or
The Right Honourable Baron FIRSTNAME
Lord, Your Lordship / My Lord, “My Lord” first then “Sir/Madam”/”My Lord”
Lord FIRSTNAME, or
The Right Honourable Lord FIRSTNAME LASTNAME
Knight, Sir, “Sir/Madam”
Sir FIRSTNAME LASTNAME
From: raeky
Date: 2002-07-26 02:37:58
In-Reply-To: 1657
orders of rank should be invented or at least in the online documentation for each of the races. Elves wouldn't have a Baron or a Duke i would assume, neither would an Orc.
From: raeky
Date: 2002-07-26 02:40:20
In-Reply-To: 1658
Possibly through texts and documentation we could introduce an loose hierachy of titles. The titles would be different depending on race right?
From: raeky
Date: 2002-07-26 02:41:30
In-Reply-To: 1659
this is prolly the best option. imho.
