Ceremony/Investiture: Transfer

[irdeggman]

I'd imagine that a sidhe coronation or investiture might last for years.

Guilders are generally the most flashy, most attracted to pomp, and most gaudy. For all the reasons that one would display wealth, guilders would be at the top of the list. The style of domain that is an espionage/thief domain might well be a secret type, but a merchantile domain would be extravagant.

Guilders are also the most secretive and desirous to be behind the scenes (Kalen and how he came to power comes to mind).

It depends on the individual "style" of the regent in question.

The big pomp and circumstance involved usually is associated with landed regents. Book of Priestcraft specifically mentions sources, guilds and elves as not requiring the 2nd ed Investiture Realm Spell. It also went on to talk about source and guild holding regents as not being associated with the peopel don't expect them to publically get up and declare their loyalty to a realm.

Now this doesn't preclude big "parties" but just has the "formality" of a coronation/acknowledgement of leadership and duty removed.

Just my opinion though.

[kgauck]

Book of Priestcraft specifically mentions sources, guilds and elves as not requiring the 2nd ed Investiture Realm Spell. It also went on to talk about source and guild holding regents as not being associated with the peopel don't expect them to publically get up and declare their loyalty to a realm.

2nd edition guilders were all theives. I don't expect members of a thief organization or affiliation to stand up and wave to the folks watching back home either, but 1) there are other kinds of secret holdings too, such as the Witch Witch's law holdings, I doubt she advertises here holdings; 2) there are friendly priests of Sera and Eleole who can handle actual theif and spy domains on the QT; and 3) not all 3rd edition guilders are theives. Someone whose background is merchantile and commercial will be on the lookout for self-promotion. Who, after all, patronized all of that art attributed to the Renaissance masters? Two sources: the Church and Italian merchant houses. Of the three key locations of the Renaissance, Florence, Venice, and Rome, the first two are commercial centers, and the art represents the self-glorification of mercant houses. The same is true in other cities as well, but with fewer great masters.

Assumptions about the dominance of landed rulers, that they are the most powerful, the most flashy, the ones two whom someone is swearing their loyalty just don't make sense. On the one hand we are specifically reminded in the color material that the Brechts don't see things this way at all. Elsewhere there are local descriptions that the landed are not the real powers and that the guilds, temples, or source-holders are the real power.

Landed regents are just one of several kinds of powerful leaders, and not the default major players. We often just have more information about them because of the peculiarities of how material was put together.

[AndrewTall]

Landed regents are just one of several kinds of powerful leaders, and not the default major players. We often just have more information about them because of the peculiarities of how material was put together.

Well, I think to a large degree that was about settling expectations - the setting was sold as being about ruling medieval realms afterall. That said the rules certainly push the ruler to being the strongest regent in terms of income, ability to raise troops, etc.

That said I would expect the ceremony to relate to the type of holding. So if two source holders exchange holdings would be very apparent to another mage in the realm as the mebhaighl swirled and flowed even if almost unnoticed to the average peasant. Similarly anyone interested in religion would know about a change in temple regents, anyone in commerce aware of a change in the guilds, etc.

In general guild, temple and law holdings all involve large numbers of people, so any investiture should be big and public - although if the holding is secret or hidden this might be a big public event only apparent to certain select groups (for example any goblin slavers in Dhoesone would all know that the king had devolved power to Grakk the whip, but the folk in Dhoesone suffering kidnappings and the like would be unlikely to be aware of the change). Given that regents of these holdings gain regency from the belief of those they oversee a large ceremony is required to let all those people know about the transfer.