GT: Nobles

[rancke]

Originally posted by daryen:
"retcon" = retroactive continuity

It means that 'canon' has been 'officially' changed after the fact.

It also means that the change is retroactive. That is to say, not only does the Imperium have viscounts in 1120, it also had them in 1105, despite the fact that the all-inclusive list of Imperial noble titles in Library Data (N-Z) didn't include viscounts. In fact, if we were for some reason to quote an essay about nobles dated 1105, we would have to 'retrofit' a mention of viscounts. And we should pretend that the mention had always been there.


Hans

 

[Jeffr0]

Actually, when Library Data (N-Z) was being compiled, a computer savvy Imperial was passed over in being selected as a new viscount. As a practical joke, he developed a virus to remove all of the references to viscounts from the Library files. Proofreaders caught the error several times, but they did not realize a virus was causing the pattern of deletions. The final release contained the errors in spite of their efforts.

 

[daryen]

TheDS,

Actually, I wasn't specifically thinking of you, but someone else. Regardless, there are more than one. And the comment was meant as a playful jab, not a shot across the bow. I'm glad you took it that way.

Hans,

Thanks for the clarification. I had tried to imply that, but it needed to be explicitly stated. The first time I saw the word used was in relations to comics and their ever-changing millieus.

Jeffr0,

That works as well as anything else.

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by Jeffr0:
Actually, when Library Data (N-Z) was being compiled, a computer savvy Imperial was passed over in being selected as a new viscount. As a practical joke, he developed a virus to remove all of the references to viscounts from the Library files. Proofreaders caught the error several times, but they did not realize a virus was causing the pattern of deletions. The final release contained the errors in spite of their efforts.

Those of you who have subscriptions to JTAS Online should check the background material in this article: http://jtas.sjgames.com/login/article.cgi?118 .

It explains so much...


Hans

 

[Horatius]

Maybe I missed a post somewhere, but under the orders of Knighthood section, nowhere does it list the entry requirements for the various orders of knighthood. What does it take to be a member of the Order of Sol? or the order of the Arrow for that matter? How much abuse do I have to put people through and how many times do they have to pull it out of the fire before they could be seen as worthy enough to be admitted?

In a certian modern (21st century) medieval recreation group, there are orders of knighthood with an appointing process and a system by which a person is appointed to these orders and various stations. Some of these postings are highly political and some appointments have been highly contrivercial. Should I apply the same kind of criteria to PCs becomming knights and such or what?

Any suggestions?

 

[RainOfSteel]

It's pretty much left up to the individual GM.


All IMTU . . .

I have it so that most orders are medium-tough to get into, but there is still great disparity in difficulty.

In addition, there are some orders which can only be entered under very specific conditions. Like, the Order of of the Conqueror, a Knighthood (and IM military decoration, too) granted to the commander of a successful world-level invasion/conquest. (Not granted often 1110 Era.) If you aren't an IM commander who led a successful invasion, you can forget ever entering this order. It is also an example of a Knighthood that is awarded automatical on receipt of a military honor.

I've debated over whether the SEH should come with some order of Knighthood, but so far have decided against it for the moment (this goes along with a personal dislike of the 3-award system, MCUF, MCG, SEH, I alway thought there should be more to it than that).

The primary requirement for entry into most Knighthoods is sponsorship. Someone who is already a Knight of the Order or a high-ranking noble, like a subsector or sector Duke (or someone who is capable of influencing them), may think that a particular sophont is worthy of joining a particular order of Knights. They arrange to contact the leadership of that order, and provide an official Petition of Sponsorship. The leadership of the order reviews the petition, and decides whether or not to accept. There can be all sorts of tests to be passed and requirements to be met. The process might well be lengthy, and could involve lots of "Travelling"! The Emperor can create Knights in any order at will (usually abiding by the requirements of the order). Archdukes may create knights in the order of their domain at will.

The primary trigger to sponsorship is getting noticed by someone who is capable of providing (one way or another) a Petition of Sponsorship, or by the Emperor or an Archduke. The first, although quite difficult, is much easier than the last.

One can be awesomely heroic, win multiple SEH's on the field of battle, but if those "on high" don't deign to notice, there is no elevation as Knight. (With a few exceptions, like receipt of the Order of the Conquerer military honor, but that level is always handled by the Emperor's Office, anyway, so it can be considered as being noticed by those "on high".)

Some orders have no official organization charter (like the order of the Rose & Silk, an Imperium-wide non-military order of artisans, writers, poets, etc.), and therefore no specific leadership. Petitions of Sponsorship must go through the Office of the Emperor, where the review of the Petition is handled by a staff of nobles delegated to the purpose, with final authorization under the signature of the Emperor should the individual be accepted.

 

[jatay3]

?King? Oh, one of those archaic titles they used on Old Terra. (I believe some of the member worlds have ?kings? too, by the way). Did you know they also had so-called ?emperors? back then? I kid you not. There was one guy named Napoli or something like that who ruled over no more than half a continent and he still called himself ?emperor?. Gave me a good giggle when first I heard about that."


-- An Imperial baron
Apparently the baron has misconceptions of the nobility and noble titles.Not really. He is just a product of his time. A time 3000 years removed from your time where the meaning of 'baron' (or at least 'Imperial baron') has changed from what it meant 3000 years earlier.

quote:This baron can misunderstand the comparison between his own power and the comparatively similar power of nobles in the past as much as he wishes to, but by doing so, he belittles his own title; especially given that his title and the very nature of his *nobility* (the supposed *core* of his being) is derived from the lives and times of those he is belittling.The nature of his nobility flows from the Emperor of the Imperium. It has as little to do with the nature of Old Earth nobles as the nobility of a European duke has anything to do with the power and majesty of the Roman Republic.

-----------------------------------------
What the noble does not understand is that what makes the real difference is not distance but time and technology.
For instance an English baron in 1300's can ride a horse around his domain in a day, just as an Imperial Baron can do with a spaceship. The titles are expressions of the ability to controll a given space with the technology available. Our Imperial Noble could also conquered "Napolis" Europe in a few weeks but that doesn't make him a greater warrior than "Napoli".