Noble Privilege

From FiranMUX

Noble privilege is a much-maligned and oft-misunderstood aspect of Firan culture. In the briefest terms, it is a fictional adaptation of the myth of ius primae noctis, the supposed right of medieval noblemen to push themselves on newlywed brides and take their virginity.

On FiranMUX, "noble privilege" is a claim by Firan noblemen that they can visit the beds of commoner women whenever they like, as long as they treat them well afterwards. To understand noble privilege on the game, you have to understand three things: the real life reality, the in-game ideal, and the in-game reality.

Reality

In reality, it probably never occurred. Prima nocte is probably a myth. Medieval noblemen probably just threatened husbands with it to extort them for money.

In reality, it's a vile practice. It is rape or at least sexual coercion. It predates upon women. FiranMUX's fiction explores many adult themes -- war, murder, class inequality (and slavery), sexual inequality (and rape), and others -- but the staff does not condone any of these things outside the game. The game fiction does not represent our views of morality and ethics outside the game.

Players need to keep reality separate from the in-game fiction. If someone pages you and sexually harasses you or makes you uncomfortable, tell them to stop and use @ignore to shut them down. Also let the staff know with a @playercomplaint so we can address it and make sure it stops. A pattern of player harassment will get a player banned from the game. Noble privilege does not give anyone the right to harass people out-of-character.

Ideal vs. Real

In the fictional world of FiranMUX, there is this idealized belief that nobles are better than commoners and thus they should enjoy some privileges. The belief goes on to suggest that commoner women should be happy about it. After all, they might be blessed with a noble-blooded son or daughter and that is an honor.

Even in the fiction, the reality is different than the ideal. Commoner women are often less-than-pleased to find a nobleman chasing them around. They make excuses and try to avoid getting caught alone. Pregnancy is at least inconvenient, if not dangerous, in these times. An unwedded commoner doesn't need the stigma of a child born out of wedlock. A wedded commoner doesn't need the tension it can create at home.

In the first episode of The Tudors, King Henry has Lady Elizabeth "Bessie" Blount, one of Queen Catherine's servants, brought to his bedroom. He obviously wants to bed her. He asks her if she consents and she says yes, and off they go. Really, she couldn't refuse. Some might say it's an honor to be bedded by the King (certainly Henry would say so). Fast-forward a bit and -- lo and behold -- she gets pregnant and bears a son. Henry claims the boy as his bastard and appoints servants and what-not to Lady Blount "as appropriate her station" but she is socially destroyed.

Firan's noble privilege is similar but different in a few ways. First of all, it isn't as socially destructive as portrayed in The Tudors. The Firan people do not look down on the victims of noble privilege or treat them badly, in general. Second, for better or for worse, Firan noblemen don't take noble privilege on noblewomen: just on commoners. There is an awful double standard here, both in gender and class relations.

The in-game reality of noble privilege is complex. Different characters have different feelings about it. Noblemen tend to like the privileges it affords them, but there are enlightened individuals who spurn the practice. Noblewomen tend to like it because the commoner girls distract the lascivious idiots, but some dislike it for feminist reasons and reasons of personal jealousy. Commoner women are a mixed bunch. Certainly some have bought into the social ideal and don't mind as long as she likes the nobleman and he is kind to her. Other commoners just do their best to avoid getting stuck alone with a noble scoundrel (it's generally not that difficult). Commoner men tend to buy into the ideal if only to rationalize why they're not off dying in an honor duel with some nobleman.

On the flip side, commoner women can definitely benefit if a noble does "privilege" her. Noblemen are expected to at least give the woman gifts. Better, they should help out the woman's family, protect them from problems, and generally be a sponsor for the entire family. They might help all of the woman's children have better lives. In short, there's a lot of social pressure on the noblemen to treat the commoner women very well and protect them and their families.

Dig deep enough into Firan culture, and you might find that noble privilege serves to spread thinning noble bloodlines. It's a sort of safety net. When legitimate bloodlines die off, they can be resurrected by the bastard sons and daughters. Are the noble bloodlines better than those of the commoners? Who knows. Maybe the nobles are descendants of people with divine blood, as some claim. Maybe not. Only the Firan Deities know.

The Art of Noble Privilege, by an anonymous Firan woman

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.

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 re-establish 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 rat-catcher 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.