LIFE IN ANUIRE

Anuirean Society | The Nobility | Noble Titles | Gaining Noble Title | Vassalage | Clerical Ranks | Excommunication

ANUIREAN SOCIETY

Anuireans (from the Book of Regency.)

The Anuireans maintain an almost romantic view of their various forms of government. Most regents hold titles passed down to them through generations of leaders, and they take great pride in the origins and histories surrounding individual titles and lines of descent.
This romanticism derives from the ancient tribes of the Andu and their migration from
Aduria to Cerilia. While the history of the Andu emigration was never documented fully, some legends combined with known facts can be taken as truth.

The Andu of old.

The original five tribes of the Andu roamed northeastern Aduria until the Shadow (Azrai)
came among them. Resisting his evil influence, they moved toward the land bridge connecting Aduria and Cerilia. Anuirean bards sing that the tribes fought Azrai fiercely and fled only when they could hold out no longer. As history portrays the Andu as a vigorous and naturally aggressive people, this assertion does not seem unlikely.
Once in Cerilia, they organized their five tribes into military-like orders, each with a primary leader and a hierarchy of lieutenants and war chiefs. Early leaders of the Andu earned their positions through accomplishment and cleverness.

As the tribes moved farther north on the continent and grew complacent in the belief that theyhad distanced themselves from the threat of Azrai, the leaders and lieutenants appointed their own successors rather than leave the election up to the general populace. They generallychose members of their families—warriors and leaders they could trust and train in their own ideologies.
By the time the Deretha, the fifth tribe of the Andu, perished in repeated confrontations with the Spiderlord (around –300 HC), the tribes had already begun settling southwestern Cerilia. No longer uprooting and moving north every few years, the Andu turned their thoughts toward permanent borders and governments. Since the elves of Cerilia hardly welcomed them as immigrants (partly thanks to Azrai’s influence and partly because of the Andu’s own warlike nature), the tribes retained their military-style chains of command. Each settlement had an overall leader or lord, and that leader appointed several subordinates, or vassals, to help govern the growing populace and defend the community from the elves and other dangers of Cerilia.

When the Battle of Deismaar erupted on the land bridge, the remaining four tribes of Andu constituted the largest resistance to Azrai. Drawing on their already-militaristic organization, the overlords summoned support from their vassals who in turn mustered the Andu people. They marched to battle under different banners but stood as one force against the Shadow.

After the War of Shadow, the survivors stopped calling themselves the Andu and became instead “Anuireans.”
Roele, the last surviving overlord of the tribes, united the remaining vassals and began building the political and military force that became the Anuirean Empire. Before his death, he conquered nearly half the known continent. The empire he founded ruled nearly the entire civilized world.

Present Day Anuire

Modern Anuire does not model itself after the now-fallen empire. Even before the death of Michael Roele, the last emperor of Anuire, the internal domains of the great empire had begun to fragment. The emperor’s vassals—counts, dukes, barons, knights, governors, and other nobles and civil authorities—had more direct power over their subjects than ever before. When the emperor died, the empire died with him. Individual realms sprang up all over Anuire, ruled by “regents,” originally appointed as guardians over territory governed by the emperor but now answerable to no man.

As a result, the various titles and orders of nobility in Anuirean lands range widely throughout the realms. A mere baron governs the sizable domain of Ghoere, while a duchess rules the small realm of Brosengae. Theocracy emerged in Medoere, while monarchy remains strong in person of Darien Avan, Prince of Avanil. And a few strange, unconventional titles exist—the Mhor of Mhoried, for example. He traces his title back to
Endira Mhoried, a female ruler who received her appointment from the second Emperor of Anuire.

This ability to trace lines of descent through centuries of history distinguishes the titles and government of Anuire from those of other regions. Anuireans remain proud of their lost empire and consider older titles more worthy of respect than any others in the land. As a result, a duke of one of the empire’s 12 duchies outranks the king of an upstart realm. Being able to trace a title back to the days of empire is more important to an Anuirean lord than the appellation itself— be it it count, prince, or king.

Typical Forms of Government: The Anuireans favor feudalism and monarchy. Regents of most realms tend to have the power normally associated with kings, though some engage councils of advisers and a few boast parliamentary structures.

Notable Forms of Government : Several theocracies exist within Anuire. The Anuireans take great pride in the worship and reverence of their gods, Haelyn especially. Although priests often eschew political power, some believe the marriage of church and state crucial to the spiritual lives of their followers. Others have been known to step in and serve when adequate rulers could not be found among the laity.

Weaknesses of Government : The Anuireans look backward instead of forward. While few commoners or nobles believe their rulers infallible, they resist the thought of revolution. The old ways built an empire for the Anuireans—one that lasted nearly a thousand years—and many feel certain that if a new emperor were to reclaim the Iron Throne, the empire could be reborn.
As a result, few governmental changes of any significance are likely to be introduced in Anuire.
Commoners and nobles remain completely divided in almost all the realms. The Anuireans consider enlightened feudalism the highest possible form of government.

THE NOBILITY

The Nobility rule, by hereditary right and military force.
The Feudal system is structured around military service, and the main duty of a lord to his vassals is to provide military protection.
Accordingly, the nobility is strongly dominated by men. Woman can hold noble rank in their own right, but this is less common, and are largely expected to marry to provide a man to actually fight; they are not expected to fight themselves. This bias against female nobles can be an important factor in the politics of Anuire.

However, while woman do not have as prominent a role under the feudal system, exceptional women still reach high ranks in the nobility and can make significant differences in the course of Anuire's political events. They can fight, they can do all the things a PC character wants to do, but the average Anuirean noblewoman will do none of these things, fight, etc.
Female characters will likely encounter some prejudice amongst their male counterparts, however most Anuirean people will deal with powerful women as their power merits, rather than on the basis of sexual prejudice.

Fiefs

The nobility of Anuire get their wealth and power from the land, and engaging in any sort of craft or manual labour draws strong disapproval from their peers. This land is normally held from a higher noble up the chain (ultimately from the Emperor, long ago) or the Dukes now.
Nobles may hold land from more than one lord and can be vassaled.

A vassal is required to provide his leige lord with a certain amount of military service, depending on the amount of land he holds, he might owe a greater or lesser amount of it. They can perform this service with themselves and their own knights and troops or they can simply agree to give their liege gold in lieu of service.

Nobles have responsibilities towards the inhabitants of their fiegs. They are supposed to protect the from attack, which includes both military defense and the enforcement of the law.

While technically it is permissible to rebel against a lord who fails in this respect, such rebellions do not succeed without help from another noble. The nobility simply have too much more military power than the peasantry.

Manors and Castles

The Nobility live in better houses than the peasantry. Many live in manors, which take the form of a large hall with private quarters in a tower at one end. The kitchens are often in a seperate block to reduce the risk of fire, as few manors are built of stone. Almost the whole of life takes place in the main hall. Meals are served there, it usually contains the only fire, and most of the inhabitants of the manor sleep there. The lord and his lady usually have a private chamber in the tower where they sleep, and may also have a private living room, called a solar. The lords daughters, if any, also sleep separately, although his sones may well sleep in the hall with everyone else.

The higher nobility live in Castles. These usually take the form of a wooden tower on top of an artificial hill, or motte. At the base of the motte is a fortified compound, called the bailey, and the walls are usually wooden too. The tower can contain the lords living quarters but often a hall is built in a bailey, and the tower is used purely for defense, as it is often quite small.

The richest of the nobles will have castles with stone fortifications and the main tower of such castles are often very impressive.

Property

Nobles have extensive resources and Anuirean culture requires themto spend them on a spectacular display.
Buildings such as the ones described above are a major expense. A castle may beyond the reach of the minor nobility but most want to build as impressive a manor house as they can manage.
Furnishing the buildinds is less of a concern because fine furniture is rarer, so wooden tables and chairs, chests for valuable property and doors and screens would be the most likely furnishings. The walls may be painted or covered in tapestries (very expensive), but the floor is almost always stewn with rushes.
Texiles: (tapestries for the walls) Fine clothing for the lord and his family, liveries for his followers... These are another major expense for the noble.

Armor and weapons are very costly, making it common for them to be passed on from one generation to the next, a minor lord might well have trouble affording a full suit of armour and a sword.

Followers are the final major expense of the noble. All lords support a household, consisting of their family and a number of servants. The size of the household is one of the major indications of the lords status, so not every followers job might not be that well defined.

Nobles were found of gold and silver plate, since this was a good way of storing excess capital in good years, so that it might be used in bad years. Gold and Silver heirlooms are rare and precious in Anuire.

The primary entertainment for noble men is killing things, perferably other people, ideally each other.
At times of war, this can get out of hand, however most of the time, lords avoid wanton slaughter.
Tournaments, formalized occasions for nobles to fight each other, are very popular among the nobility, although they can make rulers quite nervous since they are, essentially, large gatherings of excited armed men.
As a substitute for killing people, many nobles turn to hunting, particularly deer and boar. Major lords have parks or forests with areas set aside for their game animals. Peasants have certain rights within those areas but may not harm the lords game. The penalty for doing so is usually death.

Since hunting requires a large area of essentially idle land and a significant number of horses, dogs and followers, it is a very expensive business. This makes it an ideal way for nobles to show off their wealth and status. Many nobles are realistic about their chances of dying in a fair fight, and therefore will avoid tournaments, but game animals have little chance against an armed and mounted human.

Less bloodthirsty entertainments include feasts, often after a hunt to provide an oppourtunity to eat what was caught, music, storytelling... dancing. Travelling bards are often welcome in noble houses, as they provide a break from the monotony of talk to the people who have always lived there.

Male nobles also tended to entertain themselves with many women and often fathered a significant number of bastards.

Noble Women are expected to entertain themselves with needlework and other practical activities, while remaining largely secluded from the rest of the household. Needless to say, some entertain themselves with other members of the household, particularly if the lord is away from a long period of time...

Nobles and Chivalry

Nobles think of themselves as warriors and knights. The ideals of chivalry are important to many of Anuire's noble elite.

chivalry is based on four virtues: Valour, loyalty, piety and love. Valor is physical bravery in combat. Loyaty involves putting the needs of ones lord ahead of the knights own, even in the absense of direct orders. Piety requires the knight to submit to the orders of the Haelynite Faith, while Love demands that the knight have a lady to whom he dedicates his exploits. etc.

The prime proof of rank and nobility is liberality. People want to be known for their hospitality. The ideal is a substantial house, plenty of servants, a lavish table where anyone is welcome.

As further evidence of liberality, the broken meats (table leavings) are customarily given to the poor at the kitchen door. (Incidentally, this also counts as "good works".)

This has to be tempered by the need to live within one's income and avoid oppressing the tenantry to raise the cash.

Income is usually discussed as rentals, and does not take into account profits from offices, industry, land farmed by the lord himself, profits of court, bribes, douceurs, and sale of offices.

Very few noblemen have an accurate notion of their full income, gross or net. That's what you have servants for.

Is nowhere described better than by Lawrence Stone in Crisis of the Aristocracy: (I love this)
Tempers were short and weapons easy to hand. The basic characteristics of the nobility, like those of the poor, were ferocity and childishness and lack of self control.

Calling someone a liar, or otherwise impugning his honor, his courage, or his name is a challenge in itself.

Dueling is considered dimly by the royal court, so you take the fight out of the way, and sometimes out of the country (any war-zone will usually do). Usually this is single combat, unlike the group duels of France, which lead to long-standing feuds.

ANUIREAN NOBLE TITLES

In the days of the Anuirean Empire, a noble’s title reflected his rank. Princes owed fealty to the Emperor, (arch)dukes to a prince, barons to a duke, and counts to a baron. (Elf and other realms use titles like king, queen, and prince that have no ties to Imperial ranks.) Princes ruled vast domains as members of the Imperial family, while dukes ruled one of the Twelve Duchies; both principalities and duchies held up to a dozen or so provinces. Baronies of old were quite a bit smaller -- usually only three or four provinces. A count held only one province.

However, this picture has changed dramatically since the death of Michael Roele. With the Empire’s collapse, many barons and counts won independence from their overlords or conquered enough land to forge domains for themselves that rivaled the duchies. This trend explains why the Baron of Ghoere today governs more land than the only remaining true Prince, Darien Avan.
Simply, the nobility of Anuire basically identify their station by working out the individuals "rank" and "title". Though a noble may hold as many honorariums as he is entitled, they are always organized from greatest to lowest position, and it is commonly only the formal rank and title that bear any significant relevance in determining a nobles station.

A nobles’ "Title" is his current status amongst the other nobles of Anuire, and is determined based on the manner or nature of the realm which he holds regency over. Thus, the regent of the Duchy of Diemed is entitled to bear the title of Duke. This first honorarium is important in the political arena of Anuire, but bears little relevance in determining the social status which the Lord might hold.

The secondary (but arguably more important) measure of determining a nobles position is referred to as his "Rank", and this is defined by researching the leader of his families highest attained rank at the time of the Empires collapse. With the Anuirean reverence for the ancient Empire, this claim is certainly more influential in determining a nobles station among his peers than a title alone. Thus the Duchess of Tournen commands less respect than the Duke of Diemed or the Duke of Alamie and a Countess who can also claim the family rank of Duke would command greater respect and could expect deference from a Duke who has no claim to such an additional lineage. (Duchess Eluvie Cariele, Countess of Coeranys, would be a fine example of this)

A nobles rank always appears before (and may be considered to be attached to) his name, and is his personal & primary claim to nobility. Thus, while Taeghas might be an Imperial Duchy, it's ruler can claim the 'title' of Duke, but is limited to the highest personal rank which his family held at the time of the Empire's collapse. Thus, the current sobriquet of the regent of Taeghas is: "Count Harald Khorien, Duke of Taeghas".

Particular attention must be given to a nobles rank and title, for it would be a grievous insult to assume that the title of a given noble is a direct reflection of his noble status or assume the title a reflection of the nobles rank within the social order. In effect, a regent’s noble title does little more than reflect the heritage of his kingdom.

These days, a regent’s noble title does little more than reflect the heritage of his kingdom. (That’s why no one should refer to Gavin Tael, Baron of Ghoere, as "Baron Tael" or "Baron Gavin." The Baron of Ghoere is a historical title, not part of a name.) Today, others accord a ruler status not based on whether he is a count, duke, or thane, but by his influence and the strength of his lands.

In the old Empire, the Emperor held vast amounts of power, as did his Chamberlain. It was common custom for the Emperor's twelve Dukes to bring their designated heirs before the Emperor for approval before their heir could legally accept the investiture and inheritance of the Imperial Estate. This practice became known as "The Ceremony of Presentation." It was expected that the Dukes prepare their heirs in accordance with the interests and policies of the Empire in mind, so if the Emperor decided that the heir-apparent was unfit to receive the inheritance, then the petitioner was sent away, and a new heir must be found. As the Empire grew, and the Emperor and his lords become more commonly absent from court, this duty was assumed by the Imperial Chamberlain, and this practice lends further credence to the need (and obligation some might say) of the next Emperor to be ceremoniously accepted by the Chamberlain. In effect, this ceremony names the individuals family as holding the right to serve as Family Heir to the Imperial Family of Roele, and ultimately grants the now defunct Imperial Temple of Haelyn leave to Crown the accepted candidate.

Since the fall of the Empire, the tradional Dukes have continued this practice, and bring their heirs before the Chamberlain to receive his blessing, but the entire ceremony is little more than an observance of traditional duty. The Chamberlain's decision bears no legal weight, and the power of his position has been so reduced in the intervening centuries, that he can seldom risk rejecting a presented heir, and thus angering the Dukes. Even if he did, the Dukes are not obligated (beyond their own sense of tradition and morals) to obey his edict and are quite free to transfer their dominions to their heir as they wish.

Since it was only the Emperor himself who could create, appoint or strip Imperial Titles and Ranks from a noble, there have been very few new titles of nobility created in the last 500 years, and absolutely no new noble ranks. It has become generally accepted amongst the nobles of Anuire however, that the Imperial chamberlain maybe be petitioned to allow a noble to claim the ranks of either Count or Baron based on the size and quality of the land which he holds. Of the few instances where this has occurred (the appointment of Roesone for example), the titles would fail to stand with impunity under Imperial law, and could be revoked by decree if the new Emperor should so decide.

However, in the absence of an Emperor, each lord has taken the right to title their subordinates as they see fit. Instead of being forced to recommend to the Emperor and his office for their petition, they can freely grant titles which are deemed of lower status than that which they themselves currently hold. Thus, Baron Tael could appoint his own Counts and other minor nobles, but could not grant the title of Duke to another, and would be hard pressed to raise one of his vassals to even a Barons title without first naming them his direct heir.

Lastly, the only remaining method for the ascension of a noble title is through marriage.

MUTAL DUTIES OF VASSALS AND LORDS

Capitulary Concerning Freemen and Vassals,

If anyone shall wish to leave his lord (seniorem), and is able to prove against him one of these crimes, that is, in the first place, if the lord has wished to reduce him unjustly into servitude; in the second place, if he has taken counsel against his life; in the third place, if the lord has committed adultery with the wife of his vassal; in. the fourth place, if he has willfully attacked him with a drawn sword; n the fifth place, if the lord has been able to bring defense to his vassal after he has commended his hands to him, and has not done so; it is allowed to the vassal to leave him. If the lord has perpetrated anything against the vassal in these five points it is allowed the vassal to leave him.

Capitulary of Mersen (Kings Lothar, Lewis, and Charles),

We will moreover that each free man in our kingdom shall choose a lord, from us or our faithful, such a one as he wishes.
We command moreover that no man shall leave his lord without just cause, nor should any one receive him, except in such a way as was customary in the time of our predecessors.
And we wish you to know that we want to grant right to our faithful subjects and we do not wish to do anything to them against reason. Similarly we admonish you and the rest of our faithful subjects that you grant right to your men and do not act against reason toward them.
And we will that the man of each one of us in whosoever kingdom he is, shall go with his lord against the enemy, or in his other needs unless there shall have been (as may there not be) such an invasion of the kingdom as is called a landwer, so that the whole people of that kingdom shall go together to repel it.

THE TEMPLES

Clerical Ranks:

Excommunication

An Overview
Excommunication, the most severe punishment and censure, is a medicinal, spiritual penalty that deprives the guilty of all participation in the common blessings of devout society. Being a penalty, it supposes guilt; and being the most serious penalty that a temple can inflict, it naturally supposes a very grave offence.

It is a medicinal rather than a vindictive penalty, being intended, not so much to punish the culprit, as to correct him and bring him back to the path of righteousness. It causes the excommunicated to suffer the loss of the spiritual benefits shared by all the members of that society; hence, it can affect only those who by their worship are part of that society.

Excommunication is the deprivation of all rights resulting from the social status of being a follower of that faith. The excommunicated person, it is true, does not cease to be a follower since his faith can never be effaced; he can, however, be considered as an exile from that temple’s society and non-existent, for a time at least, in the sight of the temple and its clergy. Such exile can have an end (and the temple desires it), as soon as the offender has given suitable satisfaction. Meanwhile, his status before the temple is that of a stranger. He may not participate in public worship nor receive the blessings of their god. Moreover, if he be a cleric, he is forbidden to administer a sacred rite or to exercise an act of spiritual authority.

Right of a Temple to Excommunicate
The right to excommunicate is an immediate and necessary consequence of the fact that the temples of Anuire are a society. Every society has the right to exclude its unworthy or grievously culpable members, either temporarily or permanently. This right is necessary to every society so that its rules can be administered and the society itself may survive.
Members who, by their obstinate disobedience, reject the means of attaining this common end deserve to be removed from such a society. Given the diversity of Anuire’s religious society, with its pantheon of gods and faiths as well as the splintered faith of Haelyn and the other gods, excommunication by one temple alone carries with it only as much power as it holds within the society of Anuire as a whole. To be declared excommunicated by one temple of Haelyn removes the guilty party from that society, but should all the temples of Haelyn excommunicate the guilty, then the separation is far more grievous.

Abuse
It is important to understand that excommunication is a tool of faith, often the greatest weapon the clergy wields. It should to be used with sobriety and great circumspection and to seek the redemption of the errant soul, for reasons that are pure and seek the betterment of the society the clergy serves.

To wield the sword of excommunication for reasons other than the protection of the society brings great strain to the fabric of that temple’s society. Removal of a soul from their community is ever difficult for both the individual and those who are ordered to turn their backs upon their friend, family and fellow member of their faith. Only when the clergy works for the betterment of both the temple, its members and the one excommunicated can these challenges be met. When there is doubt in the wisdom of such an action, the entire society suffers a loss.

Politically the act of excommunication is even more dangerous to the temples. A person so removed from society can no longer represent their lands to those who were once of their faith, and thus great harm can be done to the workings of a realm and its people by the act of the clergy in excommunicating them. The act of excommunication should be always be done for the good of the society, with all its many facets and members considered before such an act is undertaken.

Who Can be excommunicated?
Since excommunication is the loss of the spiritual privileges of a devout society, anyone who belongs to that society may be so punished. Consequently excommunication can be inflicted only on living persons. Among living persons, those who have never been members of the temple’s society and therefore cannot be deprived of spiritual benefits to which they have never had a right cannot be excommunicated.

Just as exile presupposes a crime, excommunication presupposes a grievous external fault. Not only would it be wrong for a person to be punished without having committed a punishable act, but justice demands a proportion between the offence and the penalty; hence the most serious of spiritual chastisements, i.e. forfeiture of all the privileges common to the faithful, is inconceivable unless for a grave fault

Considered from a moral and juridical standpoint, the guilt requisite for the incurring of excommunication implies, first, the full use of reason; second sufficient moral liberty; finally, a knowledge of the law and even of the penalty. Where such knowledge is lacking, there is no contempt of ecclesiastical law, the essence of which consists in performing an action known to be forbidden, and forbidden under a certain penalty. Hence arise various extenuating reasons based on lack of guilt, which prevent the incurring of excommunication:

Apart from the rare cases in which excommunication is imposed for a fixed period and then ceases of itself, it is always removed by absolution. This reinstates the repentant to the ranks of the faithful and restores the rights of which he had been deprived.

Ecclesiastical authority has the right to posit certain conditions for the return of the culprit, and every absolution from excommunication calls for the fulfillment of certain conditions which vary in severity, according to the case.

Excommunication, it must be remembered, is a medicinal penalty intended, above all, for the correction of the culprit; therefore his first duty is to solicit pardon by showing an inclination to obey the orders given him, just as it is the duty of ecclesiastical authority to receive back the guilty as soon as he repents and declares himself disposed to give the required satisfaction.

The Big Picture
Excommunication is a two edged weapon, its purpose to bring the errant back into the fold of the temple’s society. It’s use has widespread affects on the entire society involved, from the lowliest peasant to the regent of a realm.

For example, Arch Duke Boeruine choses to behave in a fashion that challenges the faith and teachings of Haelyn, openly defying Haelyn’s laws. The Northern Imperial Temple of Haelyn, his sworn vassal but also his spiritual leader and head of his land’s primary temple, warns him repeatedly of the error of his ways and does all that can be done to bring him back to the ways of Haelyn. Finally they are forced to excommunicate the Arch Duke, removing him from their society until he reforms.

The results of this are immediate and of tremendous impact. No one who follows the teachings of the Northern Imperial Temple, from the peasants who work the fields to the nobles of the Arch Duke’s court may now have anything to do with the Arch Duke. There would be no temple ceremonies, no spiritual support to his actions. The infrastructure that holds his realm together will immediately begin to unravel, diplomatic ties to other realms who follow Haelyn will either fail or alter depending upon what level of influence the Northern Imperial Temple holds at the time. It would be quite possible that given time, open rebellion against the Arch Duke could occur, and the realm as a whole would be weakened and crippled by the act of excommunication.

For the Arch Duke himself, there would be spiritual bereavement of being removed from the grace of Haelyn, fear for his soul and his place in the afterlife. Not even his own family would be permitted to have more than the briefest contact with him, so he would be alone, stripped of all forms of support and solace.