ETIQUETTE

Discourse with Peers

The Proper forms of address

When speaking to royalty or a peer of the realm, all commoners and those of lowly rank should use the proper form of address. To do any less would be an insult to the person addressed and all manner of unpleasantness may ensue, from a duel of honour (between peers) to summary execution (peer to commoner).

Below is a list of honorific terms used for the various ranks one might encounter. If one knows that someone is a person of station, but is unsure of his rank, My Lord or My Lady (or Your Lordship or Your Lady-ship) is a safe dodge.

  King / Queen: Your Majesty

  Crown Prince / Crown Princess, Your Royal Highness

  Prince/Princess: Your Highness

  Duke/Duchess: Your Grace   

  Earl: My Lord

  Viscount: My Lord

  Marquis: My Lord

Count/Countess Your Excellency

Baron/Baroness: Your Excellency

Knight: Sir/Dame Knight

Squire: Squire (Name)

The Proper salute

There may come a time when one wishes to get the attention of a peer and hold a conversation with him. One should never interrupt a peer in conversation; no matter with whom he is speaking. Likewise, one should not try to catch a peer's eye. In an ideal world, one could speak to one of the peer’s attendants and ask for an audience. The attendant would carry the message to the peer in question, and soon a conversation would take place.

Unfortunately, peers on the frontier and other out of the way parts of the Kingdom have a tendency to leave their retinues at home, probably out of a desire for greater freedom. When one wishes to hold discourse with a peer, one should approach him, address him in the proper form, render the proper salute, and wait patiently until the peer either bids one to rise, or walks away. Should a peer walk away from one, it is bad form to pursue. One should simply rise and wait for a time when the peer is feeling more sociable.

Also, one may on occasion he summoned before a peer. This summons may be in the form of a polite invitation, but such courteous words should be treated with the same respect as an insistent band of men-at-arms. To refuse an invitation -or a summons - from a peer is incredibly audacious and will one a bad reputation.

King/Queen: kneel with eyes averted until told to rise

Crown Prince/Crown Princess: kneel with eyes averted until told to rise

  Prince/Princess: kneel with eyes averted until told to rise

  Duke/Duchess: Bow

  Earl: Bow

  Viscount: Bow

  Marquis: Bow  

Count/Countess: Bow

  Baron/Baroness:  Bow

Squire: Slight bow

Note: one should always remove ones head ware in the presence of a peer.

After the initial greeting:

Most peers will be content with the initial honour one does them by bowing and addressing them by their title, and the subsequent conversation will be decidedly less formal. One can usually address a peer as Milord or Milady in conversation. This can become confusing in a group of peers. So when making distinctions between the various assembled peers, one should address them either by

 Their rank (My Lord Baron) if dealing with peers of unequal rank.

 By fiefdom (My Lord of Horgreth, My Lady of Cyril).

 If one is more familiar with the peer in question, by name Duke Raul, Duchess Gwynedd).

One should not under any circumstances mimic the peer’s means of addressing each other.  One will often hear the Countess of Cymriis; for example, address the Baron of Horgreth as 'Horgreth.' This privilege is reserved for peers and is not meant to be used by commoners.

Ending the conversation:

One must resume an air of formality at the end of a conversation with a peer. Merely bidding a peer good day and turning on one's heel is rather rude, and in so doing one invites the peer's severest displeasure. When the discourse has ended, and the peer will decide when, one should render the same salute as at the beginning of the conversation, holding the salute until the peer has made his departure. At that time, one may rise and continue one's business.

Discourse with Other Commoners

Forms of Address

One might assume that with the peerage above them, commoners would welcome the chance to relax their manners among others of equal rank, this is absolutely true. It is also true; however, those commoners are by no means all of equal rank. The most exalted common people include landed gentry (commoners who have purchased or been given a parcel of land), Master Craftsmen, wealthy merchants, military officers (some of whom are also peers) and powerful spell casters. All of these people should be addressed as Master or Mistress with the exception of military officers, Spell casters or priests. Military officers should be addressed by their rank and spell casters, who should be addressed as Magus if independent or a member of a magical guild, or as a Templar if attached to a temple.

One may also encounter commoners who have been appointed to administrative positions by a local peer. These usually include the mayors of towns (addressed as Lord Mayor) and the town guard (addressed as Guardsman).

Most commoners that one will encounter will be simple free people. These are the tenant farmers, ordinary merchants, and trades- and crafts-people that one meets every day. No special deference need be shown to such people, though they should not be sneered at, either. (One should address them either as Freeman or by there rank, e.g.

Proper Salute:

When dealing with other commoners, kneeling is considered bad form. It is overly servile, and those who see one doing so will assume that one is either a serf or a slave. On occasion, when apologising for a very great injury or insult, kneeling is acceptable, but one should not kneel to another commoner except under the most unusual circumstances.

When greeting a commoner of superior standing, one should remove one’s hat. One need not bow unless one is trying to convey special respect. Commoners of equal standing usually simply incline their heads amicably, unless they are familiar, and then they may do anything from clasping hands to fully embracing. One should not offer such a familiar greeting to a person of higher station until that person first offers such a greeting to one. Wishing others good day is considered common courtesy, and it or some other well wishing should be a part of one’s greeting unless one wishes deliberately to give offence.

If one addresses a person with whom one is acquainted, a conversation can begin at once. If one addresses a person whom one has never formally met, one should remove one's hat and introduce one's self by announcing one’s name followed by, “At your service.” The other party should correctly reply with his name, also followed by, "At your service," or simply, "At yours.”

After Initial greeting:

Paradoxically, commoner's are sometimes more sensitive than peers about correct form of address. One should remember never to take a familiar tone, with a person of higher station unless invited to do so by that person. One of station should likewise remember that to act overly familiar with a person of lesser station is to invite that person to act likewise in return, and can result in later embarrassment to both parties.

Ending the Conversation:

The person of greater standing will decide when the conversation is at an end. If it becomes necessary for the party of lesser station to end a discourse, the lesser person should offer a sincere apology to the greater. It is customary to end a discourse not only by wishing the other party good day, but also by wishing health lo their family and success in their ventures.

Discourse with Children, Servants and Serfs

Such people as these may always be spoken to in familiar terms. No special respect need be shown them, but it is bad form to deliberately disrespect or ridicule them. One should also remember that a servant or a serf may he the favourite of a peer, and that peer may take personal offence at a slight to his vassal. Repercussions of indiscreet actions are seldom pleasant.