Post by The Jenn on Mar 8, 2008 2:21:57 GMT -5
So I've been in a few very constructive conversations that made me realize how little I've actually bothered to talk about Court structure and whatnot. Here's my attempt to help a little bit with that.
A general warning to all players with characters aspiring to raise their ranks, both new and veteran: You don't want to deal with this drama and political playing field? Don't be in the Courts. There are plenty of worthwhile things that characters with rank can do outside of politics. Just like people with ambition. There are lots of avenues to pursue. Of course, if this interests you, jump in. The Courts are fun as crap if you're into this sort of stuff.
PLEASE ask more questions. If this sparks one, just throw it up in a reply. Please. <3
Okie. Let's see if I can share my interpretation. Which... I think is close to Nat's.
I think. I hope.
The difference between awarding a rank and awarding a title...
The rank... unless the applicant swaggers in there and fling physical or verbal poo at the people interviewing them, they're going to get the rank one way or another. But it doesn't have to be from the people giving a quest. Like, let's say... ah! Here's a really good example. Anoushka. Hates. Lowlanders. Hates them all. She would never, ever, ever give a Lowlander a rank. She would downright refuse them for a Quest. If one came into her office asking for one, she would have them removed immediately. That person would then talk to Nat (talk... whine... depends on whether or not they understood how it worked) and would out-of-Court have their rank raised in some other manner.
But in general, giving a rank is more lenient than giving a title. Anoushka might give the rank of Jack to someone she thought would be fine with the rank, but wouldn't necessarily give them the title, even if they really wanted it. Granted, she'd have to have a reason to refuse it, if they rubbed her fur the wrong way or disrespected her or something, but she could refuse them if such a reason existed. They could then maybe approach the Queen above her and try to get him to give them the title, which he could, since he's the Queen and she is his King, subject to his commands.
Now, in terms of titling... different ranks would have different reactions, and a lot of it does indeed depend on the monarchs in question and how desperate their situation was. Like, a Queen with only one King and like one Jack would be desperate for help and utterly drowning in work, so they'd be a lot more in-character desperate for help. This may sway their judgment a lot, depending.
The thing about it all is that it's so subjective. The circumstances are always different for every noble and every applicant.
If you don't like how someone is running a Court, depose them. That is the advice I give. If the character isn't strong enough to do that, you're subject to their rule unless things are out of hand. Be creative. There are more ways than direct challenges to get rid of rulers. Of course, there are more people than just the rulers themselves who might want to keep them in power. Ah, politics.
Do people have any right to attack others in the Court? Like, say, the Queen of Hearts or something? Even if they're not challenging for a 'the' Queen spot, like if they aren't a Queen?
They can if they want to, but there would be severe consequences for it. And the person being attacked would be totally within his rights to kill them for it. As in, that character dying... so long as they could best them in a fight. Of course, it doesn't have to be a one-on-one because it's not an official Queen match. That's an advantage of having Kings and a Court that supports you, to help defend you against these incidents. Only official matches for titles have to be one-on-one by law.
But if your character is challenged, attacked, taken down... that is a danger of being in power. By taking on a 'the Queen' spot, or honestly any title if it's valued enough or controversial enough, you're putting your character up as a sort of target. Because with those spots, you're open to challengers for the throne. Assassination attempts. Dissatisfied dissidents. All sorts of stuff. Just like important people in real life, you have a lot more people noticing you.
In terms of respect... where Serafino would walk into a room and people would listen... is that from his character or his TITLE?
Both, a lot of the time. Fino could be very unpredictable and wielded a lot of power. Additionally, he was raised in the Court, had questionable morals, was known as Abelinda's son, and deposed Zulaya in a brutal and bloody display. But at the same time, having Bernard there helped him immensely. Also, Fino had been the Queen for years before the official start of the board, so he'd had "street cred" built up. Initially, after he first took the Queenship... he was eighteen. That was absolutely ridiculous to a lot of the other Courts. He had to work damn hard to earn respect from anyone outside of the Hearts. You guys just didn't get to see that buildup.
If other characters currently in power want to command that same kind of unquestioned - or questioned behind the scenes - respect and admiration... they can always start getting forceful about it. If it's in their character to do so. Otherwise, you'll have to be a creative roleplayer and find other ways to get it.
A general warning to all players with characters aspiring to raise their ranks, both new and veteran: You don't want to deal with this drama and political playing field? Don't be in the Courts. There are plenty of worthwhile things that characters with rank can do outside of politics. Just like people with ambition. There are lots of avenues to pursue. Of course, if this interests you, jump in. The Courts are fun as crap if you're into this sort of stuff.
PLEASE ask more questions. If this sparks one, just throw it up in a reply. Please. <3
Okie. Let's see if I can share my interpretation. Which... I think is close to Nat's.
I think. I hope.The difference between awarding a rank and awarding a title...
The rank... unless the applicant swaggers in there and fling physical or verbal poo at the people interviewing them, they're going to get the rank one way or another. But it doesn't have to be from the people giving a quest. Like, let's say... ah! Here's a really good example. Anoushka. Hates. Lowlanders. Hates them all. She would never, ever, ever give a Lowlander a rank. She would downright refuse them for a Quest. If one came into her office asking for one, she would have them removed immediately. That person would then talk to Nat (talk... whine... depends on whether or not they understood how it worked) and would out-of-Court have their rank raised in some other manner.
But in general, giving a rank is more lenient than giving a title. Anoushka might give the rank of Jack to someone she thought would be fine with the rank, but wouldn't necessarily give them the title, even if they really wanted it. Granted, she'd have to have a reason to refuse it, if they rubbed her fur the wrong way or disrespected her or something, but she could refuse them if such a reason existed. They could then maybe approach the Queen above her and try to get him to give them the title, which he could, since he's the Queen and she is his King, subject to his commands.
Now, in terms of titling... different ranks would have different reactions, and a lot of it does indeed depend on the monarchs in question and how desperate their situation was. Like, a Queen with only one King and like one Jack would be desperate for help and utterly drowning in work, so they'd be a lot more in-character desperate for help. This may sway their judgment a lot, depending.
The thing about it all is that it's so subjective. The circumstances are always different for every noble and every applicant.
If you don't like how someone is running a Court, depose them. That is the advice I give. If the character isn't strong enough to do that, you're subject to their rule unless things are out of hand. Be creative. There are more ways than direct challenges to get rid of rulers. Of course, there are more people than just the rulers themselves who might want to keep them in power. Ah, politics.
Do people have any right to attack others in the Court? Like, say, the Queen of Hearts or something? Even if they're not challenging for a 'the' Queen spot, like if they aren't a Queen?
They can if they want to, but there would be severe consequences for it. And the person being attacked would be totally within his rights to kill them for it. As in, that character dying... so long as they could best them in a fight. Of course, it doesn't have to be a one-on-one because it's not an official Queen match. That's an advantage of having Kings and a Court that supports you, to help defend you against these incidents. Only official matches for titles have to be one-on-one by law.
But if your character is challenged, attacked, taken down... that is a danger of being in power. By taking on a 'the Queen' spot, or honestly any title if it's valued enough or controversial enough, you're putting your character up as a sort of target. Because with those spots, you're open to challengers for the throne. Assassination attempts. Dissatisfied dissidents. All sorts of stuff. Just like important people in real life, you have a lot more people noticing you.
In terms of respect... where Serafino would walk into a room and people would listen... is that from his character or his TITLE?
Both, a lot of the time. Fino could be very unpredictable and wielded a lot of power. Additionally, he was raised in the Court, had questionable morals, was known as Abelinda's son, and deposed Zulaya in a brutal and bloody display. But at the same time, having Bernard there helped him immensely. Also, Fino had been the Queen for years before the official start of the board, so he'd had "street cred" built up. Initially, after he first took the Queenship... he was eighteen. That was absolutely ridiculous to a lot of the other Courts. He had to work damn hard to earn respect from anyone outside of the Hearts. You guys just didn't get to see that buildup.
If other characters currently in power want to command that same kind of unquestioned - or questioned behind the scenes - respect and admiration... they can always start getting forceful about it. If it's in their character to do so. Otherwise, you'll have to be a creative roleplayer and find other ways to get it.
