Post by Eloell on Jul 18, 2022 14:00:22 GMT -5
SOCIETY & CULTURE IN LORENDALE
VALUES
Citizens of Lorendale value propriety above all else. Propriety rests largely in meeting the noble-established standards of what is decent and correct, namely: respecting ranks above you, speaking and acting out of proper manners, dressing well and having wealth, and the like. Commoners as a whole fall short of this mark and are therefore to be disregarded. Intrinsic in the Lorendale society is hypocrisy, for most of those who meet the standards of propriety fall desperately short behind closed doors. But in Lorendale it's all about appearances. Lorendale's citizens embrace a sense of carpe diem, clinging fast to this life and exploring all that it has to offer and all that one might become in it, as there is no way of telling what will become in the afterlife. Families toil to leave legacies, and to enjoy the opportunity afforded by this existence while they can. MATURITY
The age of maturity in Lorendale is 16. When nobles hit this benchmark year they are celebrated with a "coming out" party (for both men and women). Citizens still do not marry until the age of 18, giving them two years to present themselves after joining the world as an adult. The most common marrying age is 20. If an individual is not married by 30 then they are thought to be an inept, undesirable individual and likely will not find anyone willing to marry them. GENDER ROLES
Men and women are equal in the Kingdom of Lorendale, which means either sex can hold any title. A woman can court a man, a woman can be a knight, a woman can be queen; that being said, there is still a general hail to physicality that tends to result in more males being knights due to greater strength, the more sex-driven men courting women, women being home with the children they bore and are nursing, and so on.Concerning homosexuality, it is regarded as a strange and mysterious practice that is, in this age, only done secretly for fear of public scrutiny and rejection.
OCCUPATION
If your character is young and a higher ranking noble then it is very likely that their occupation will simply be "student," as dukes, marquis, and counts often study well into their twenties. This "studying" consists of various kinds of disciplines geared both towards their interests, propriety, and the family business. It is, of course, assumed that he/she also spends time socializing with peers in the form of parties, garden walks, and trips to the country. Other occupations exist within the Military or the Royal Guard. Noblefolk do not typically have laborious professions.CITIZEN STATUS
Lorendale citizens are separated by rank. They are listed below starting in order of general importance and wealth.Royalty - Ruling monarch and immediate family
Duke/Duchess - Extended members of the royal family
Marquis/Marchioness - High ranking nobles, leaders of the military
Count/Countess - Owners and governors of the king's land for the profit of the kingdom
Baron/Baroness - Lesser nobles
Baronet/Baronetess - Commoners who have been given a place of honor within society
Knight - Commoner who was trained and dubbed by ruling monarch; least of all nobles
Commoner - Lowest rank in society
STANDARDS OF LIVING
One’s status is directly tied to their standard of living. Royalty, want for nothing. The palace is staffed by over a hundred servants who do everything from maintaining the palace garden and kitchen to brushing the queen’s hair. Their carriages, garments, and possessions are equally as lavish, as the royals’ standard of living is representative of the kingdom’s prosperity.The standard of living becomes more modest as you descend through the ranks. Dukes and Duchesses own their own estates, which are staffed by between 30 and 40 servants. They often have their own gardens and land that extends beyond the main house. Dukes and Duchesses don’t have occupations. They live off their generational wealth and spend their days attending parties at court or pursuing matters of personal interest.
Marquis/Marchionesses still enjoy a high standard of living, but they have to work for it. Their family’s wealth is dependent on the value their troops add to Lorendale’s security. Their day-to-day consists of managing their troops, overseeing training, and managing their household (which is often adjacent to their training grounds and troop barracks). While they still want for nothing, their material possessions and homes do not have the same glitziness as those of Dukes and Royals.
Counts/Countesses also have their own estates, though they do not have the same extensive grounds a Duke or Duchess might have. Their homes are staffed by ten servants or less, and while nice, are not grand enough to host large balls or similar events. Counts/Countesses work for a living: their day-to-day consists of managing commoners who farm the land and those who run the businesses on it (including collecting taxes).
Barons are often merchants or large-scale business owners. Though they still have their own manors, they are not on an estate and are often in town. They have between two and four servants, none of whom live on the property. They live comfortable lives but must budget for “extras” like expensive gowns, new horses, carriages, etc. They do not have stables of their own and have their personal horses board at town stables for a fee.
Baronets’ lives and households look similar to that of Barons, though financially they are less well-off. They are essentially elevated commoners; ones with more financial and material resources, and therefore worthy of more respect. They own their own homes and can afford an education for their children, but do not have expendable income for fancy material possessions. Their occupations vary, and can be anything from business owners, to charity workers, to schoolmasters.
Knights are attached to either the palace (as a guard) or a Marshal’s army. They are dependent on them for income, and their standard of living is reflective of the Marshal’s generosity in compensation. They have their own homes and, though they can provide for their families, do not have the same lace and trimmings other nobles can afford.
Commoners have the lowest rank and the least wealth. They live “paycheck to paycheck,” struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table. It is very, very rare for a commoner to own their own business. Instead, they work for nobles as servants, laborers, farmers, etc.
LIFE EXPECTANCY
Citizens of Lorendale typically die from battle, disease, childbirth, etc. but those who pass due to old age typically do so at about 55-65 years old. This death age is the reason they are expected to marry young, that they might have ample time to reproduce and enjoy the fruit of their youthful labor. Commoners tend to have lower life expectancies, as access to medical care—however rudimentary—is much more restricted.FUNERALS
When a person dies, their family holds a vigil over the deceased for up to three days. Longer vigils are reserved for those of higher status, as they can pay to lay the body in the Loren crypt, deep below the ground, which keeps the body cold. During this time, family and friends sit with the body, which is never left unattended.After the vigil is complete, the family gathers at dawn to bury the body either at their estate or in the Loren graveyard (for nobles). A proper burial and gravestone can only be afforded by Lorendale’s most affluent, so commoners are typically buried in unmarked graves (or mass graves in times of sickness or after battles).
TECHNOLOGY
Lorendale's technology keeps to mostly medieval things; the use of the chamber pots, horses and carriages as primary transportation, clocks, glasses, and such. They do have gunpowder but only use it in the context of canons (no guns yet).LAND
Lorendale is a landlocked kingdom within a lush valley with a large forest and various bodies of water. See map.RELATIVE ERA
Medieval with strong Victorian and modern influences. The structures and technology are medieval, the social standard of propriety is Victorian-inspired, and the attire is a trendy mix of all three with heavy modern touches (like the dresses women wear, for example).Contributor: Rigby