News:News:Art Of Noble Privilege

From FiranMUX

The Art of Noble Privilege

The following was written on a scroll for the Great Library in Anarinuell. It represents the ideal view of noble privilege /within the fiction of the game/, as written by an uppity noblewoman who wants to put commoner girls in their place.

Art of Noble Privilege -- by an anonymous Firan noblewoman

The art of noble privilege is a balanced one, designed for the benefit of all people and classes of the Firan Realms. Although its rules are traditionally unwritten, they have been generally understood for generations. Today, that understanding has been weakened by unpleasant new influences, and it is important to reestablish it. It is to this purpose that this scroll is created.

To begin with, we state the obvious: noble blood is superior to common blood. It is on this well-known fact that our arguments are based. Nobles of longstanding tradition have earned their place through history and accomplishment, dignified pride and honor. Neo-nobles elevated to their position from the ranks of the common class earned their nobility through social, economic, and military successes, proving the superiority of their blood.

A woman's duty is to remain chaste for her husband, and always has been so. No man wants a wanton for a wife, and no man wants to think his wife's child could be that of the ratcatcher who lurks in the forum at night or one of the bath attendants. So he asks chastity of her. Some men see a contradiction in this expectation coupled with the need for obedience to a Lord who demands noble privilege of a woman. This contradiction does not exist. A woman's modesty should prevent her from ever inviting a Lord, for a woman who invites the attention of a man other than her husband is little other than a whore. However, her obedience to her Lord's demands should never be construed as her fault, and any man who finds that his wife has been claimed by a Lord should consider himself honored. Should no child result, then nothing has changed; should a child result, the husband has the right now to claim a child of noble blood as his own. This child will clearly be worthier than the man's own, and will do honor to that husband's name and bloodline.

The woman should be flattered as well. Not only do her children benefit, but when a Lord has so many to choose from, to be selected is a privilege. It proves that she is something better than the common woman, that the Lord perceives something in her that is special. She also earns in that the right to better serve the nobility, who spend so much of their time working to serve the common people socially, economically, and politically. The classes of the Firan Realms have a symbiotic relationship; the lower classes support and serve the nobility, but the lives of the nobility are devoted to the good of all Firans; their positions in temples, ministries, and social committees allow life to continue as we are accustomed to see it. They are bred for these positions and raised to fill them; were they not performing them, there would be chaos.

This symbiosis exists also in the balance of noble privilege. A woman has the responsibility to accede to a nobleman's wishes, but he has certain responsibilities to her, as well, and it is important that he take them seriously.

The first is to take complete responsibility for the incident. Do not attempt to shame her with her actions outside of the normal bedroom banter. What happens between a nobleman and a common woman is always the nobleman's choice, and you should not make her feel otherwise. Avoid trying to seduce such a woman, or trying to gain consent from her than that which is already assumed, because by making her feel she has a choice in the matter, you put the responsibility back upon her and turn her into a harlot. Whether or not she enjoys the experience is a gauche question best left to the privacy of the Lord and the Mes. In short, noble privilege should be claimed, not asked for.

Avoid making promises to such a woman that you cannot keep, and it should go without saying that professions of love in such circumstances are usually insincere and potentially destructive to the social fabric. Even if you do actually love the Mes in question, it is almost assured that it would be a violation of your rank and duties to marry her, so keep such irresponsible statements to yourself.

It is a noble's responsibility to keep the woman from harm. Avoid causing her permanent physical harm and should she become pregnant while unmarried due to your actions, it is your responsibility to see her quickly wed to a man of her own station in life.

Avoid treating the woman as you might do a whore, unless she has done something to merit the treatment. To pay a woman upon whom you have exerted noble privilege is inappropriate. Buy her a gift, instead. Make it something personal.

Avoid using noble privilege as a punishment. To do so supports the belief that it is a bad thing.

Never exercise noble privilege on a child not yet of age to be married. It is a religious abomination and you will be condemned to Drik's torments.

Avoid exercising noble privilege on a woman betrothed to a nobleman unless you welcome a duel. Breaking her maidenhead would be a grave insult to the nobleman in question, and to his family and his clan.

Although some may avoid it, no woman should ever outright refuse noble privilege. Should she do so, it is an insult to all nobility. She is insulting the nobleman's bloodlines, his right to lead, and his social position. Should she refuse, she is undermining the entire system off of which our society is based. The moment she attempts to resist a nobleman, all of his responsibilities to her are null and void. It is his responsibility to see the act through to its conclusion at that point, to reassert the power of the nobility. Whatever roughness is necessary to see that done is merited.

See also News:Noble Privilege, News:Firan Sexuality, News:Noblemen's Sexuality, News:Men's Sexuality, News:Women's Sexuality