Nobles of Amnora

The princely houses of Amnora live lavish lives in the City on the Water of Tel Amnora. They all vie to further their political agendas and business interests through webs of ever-shifting alliances. They are driven by a desire for the power that comes with being elected High Prince of Amnora. Votes for High Prince are sold for promises of political concessions or high offices, coerced with veiled threats, or simply bought with cartloads of gold.

All houses have deep connections to all others, be it through debt, marriage, or a previous alliance. As is elven custom, marriage does not change what house one belongs to, and parents can choose which house each of their children belong to, although it is not unheard of for this to be agreed upon in a prenuptial contract.

Despite their posturing against each other, Amnoran politics usually stops at the water's edge. The nobles know that their internal differences are less important than external threats. Involving outside forces in internal conflicts would be a severe breach of the unspoken rules.

Amnoran titles are inherited by absolute primogeniture. Each house has many branches, but the title of Prince or Princess is only held by the most senior member (not necessarily the oldest). How far away from the title you were born determines much of your social standing. It would not be out of character for an amnoran noble to introduce themselves with their full name and what position they are in line for the title of Prince, eg "I am Aela Adhonin, eleventh in line, at your service."

Arwen Araeril

High Elf Sorcerer, -81-153

Founder of Amnora. She was a powerful sorceress and a general in the armies of Lucius Corillon, and was granted governorship of the province of Amnora as a reward for her conquest of it. She spent a decade surveying the land before settling in what would become Tel Amnora. Each of the princely houses can trace their lineage straight to her. The Amnoran form of government was established by her, and has continued to this day.

Etiquette

Amnoran society relies on a complicated system of etiquette, with many unspoken rules. Breaking one of the many rules without making amends may lead to lost social standing and missed opportunities. If a minor rule is broken, an apology is usually enough. For more serious trespasses, a lavish gift or a public display may be called for.

Amnoran etiquette demands courtesy in all situations, regardless of the true feelings in the situation. A meeting between sworn enemies may appear very friendly to outsiders, but honeyed words might be laced with backhanded compliments. The skill of insulting ones enemy while staying courteous is very useful in Amnora.

Rumors and reputation

There are always new rumors to be gossiped about in Amnora, most of them insidious - who is sleeping with whom, who lost a fortune gambling, who became too drunk at the Silver Harp. Much of a noble's day can be spent paying visits to other houses and discussing the latest news.

Despite the ever-churning rumor mill, most nobles are not very private. Instead, those who try to conceal their private lives are assumed to have something bigger to hide. Amnoran society is based on reputation and clout, and the only way to not lose the game is to be better at it than your opponents.

Disputes

Violence between nobles is not accepted, and serious incidents may lead to exilement by the High Prince. Violence against the common folk is technically a crime, but is most often dealt with under the table. A commoner striking a noble is a capital crime.

If two nobles have a major disagreement or perceive they have been slighted, their final resort is a judicial duel. Each duel must be ratified by the High Prince, and are ostensibly to the death, but for lesser infractions the loser will likely yield once blood has been shed, ending the matter. The duels take place in the High Prince's Palace grounds. The participants can choose to send a champion in their stead, usually a captain of their retinue or a hired adventurer.

Society of feasts

Amnoran society revolves around social gatherings. All houses aim to host the most extravagant parties they can muster, all in an effort to impress and gain favor with the other houses. There is usually at least one major feast every month, and there are always smaller gatherings among friends. The recurring feasts are also interspersed with weddings and funeral, both of which are big and expensive affairs in Amnoran high society.

It is common for all members of a house to make a grand entrance together, announced by a herald from their retinue. During major feasts, large crowds usually gather outside to observe the arrivals. The order of these arrivals is almost always agreed-upon beforehand.

• Symbols of station: Crowns? Rings? "The Seven X of Amnora"

Dancing

Dancing holds a particular position at an Amnoran feast. Most feasts have a dance after dinner, with some even opting for a light stand-up meal to fit more dancing. Most prefer slower, measured, dances with precise steps. Some younger elves have started to hire halfling bands to play reels and jigs, much to their parents chagrin.

As always in Amnora, there are numerous rules of etiquette around the dancing - for example, it is always the person of perceived lower social standing who should ask for the dance. Each dance is always finished with three bows, first to the musicians, then to the dancing partner, and finally to the audience.

Since asking someone to dance marks you as lower in social standing, it is sometimes used as an euphemism for surrender - "If we lose this, I will have to ask Lord Sirath to dance." If you have been asked to dance by someone and wish to show that you consider them your equal, you can reciprocate the request to dance during the same event.

Duties

While the members of the noble families absolutely do not have to work as hard as the people in the mills, mines, and factories, their lives are not pure idle leisure either. For the princes and princesses, much of their days are taken up by attending courtly proceedings. Lower ranking members may be entrusted with running some of the family's business. On top of this, there are always feasts to plan and attend.

A noble's house might have specific expectations of them, such as the wizardly studies that House Silroth expect most of their members to undertake.

There is a general expectation that all nobles are able to fight. Different houses follow this in different ways - House Fenalar expect their members to be able to command on the battlefield, and train accordingly. House Adhonin, on the other hand, believe it is not so much about the fight itself as it is about achieving the family's objectives, through diplomacy, trade, or other means.

Family and marriage

Young elven nobles are also expected to marry for their family's benefit. Sometimes, these marriages are often arranged as part of a political deal, perhaps long before the children are even born. Still, most marriages are made for love, with the many feasts providing ample opportunity to meet a partner.

Marriage to commoners is rare and somewhat scandalous, but it happens. Unlike their wood elf cousins, the Amnoran nobles only rarely practice agarcil, and it is quite scandalous when it happens. The whole Amnoran nobility are at least distantly related, and marriage between cousins is widely accepted.

Houses

Playing as Amnoran nobility

The politics of Amnora are rife with opportunity for adventure, and could be very interesting to explore from the inside.

The family trees presented here are not complete, and a new branch could be added in most places. If you have an idea for a character, talk to the DM.