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King, Hierarch, Nuarch -- Titles and Rank in the Triempery Series

Writer's picture: L.L. StephensL.L. Stephens

Updated: Jan 31


While making additions and deletions to the Appendix for The Walled City, I noticed there were no listings for titles used in the series. I’ve thought titles are explained in the text and used consistently so readers can follow without needing definitions—but it might be helpful to have some anyway. Rather than putting them in the already rather long Appendix, I am putting them here.

 

Different kinds of titles are used in the Triempery universe. There are royal titles, noble titles, Kheldish titles, and what I call specialist titles. I won’t talk about administrative titles here because those are basically job labels (Haliast, Ambassador, Speaker). But the hierarchies of the other title classes have some fun bits.

 

Royal titles.

 

King. Essera’s ruler has the title of King. The title has its origins in the First Creation, where ‘king’ was used by various Staubaun rulers while they were in Exile. The Aryati used the term Hegemon, which was rejected by all after the Return. A King is equal in rank to a Hierarch or Nuarch and is addressed as Your Majesty.

 

Other kings exist outside the Triempery. Ardaen, Lahgael, and Merced all have kings also. These kings are accorded Head of State rank in the Triempery and outrank nobles but not Triemperal royals.

 

Hierarch. Sordan’s ruler is known as Hierarch. This designation was chosen by the Returned for Derlon Sordaneon, whose extraordinary device affinity and powers led to him being called ‘Hierarchos’ or ‘Powerful One.’ This honorific was passed down to each descendent who followed him in being Sordan’s ruler. A Hierarch is equal in rank to a King or Nuarch and is addressed as Your Grace.

 

Nuarch. Mormantalorus’s ruler is known as Nuarch. The title references ‘Leader of Ships’ because the Rill did not yet reach Mormantalorus and to travel by sea was the best way to reach the volcano-situated city to the south. A Nuarch is equal in rank to a Hierarch or King and is addressed as Your Grace.

 

Prince / Princess. All Highborn males are ranked ‘prince’. Ruling princes of domains get the uppercase Prince, as in Prince of Stauberg or Prince of Teremar. Daughters of Highborn princes merit the title ‘princess’ and uppercase ‘Princess” if they either rule a domain or wed a Highborn Prince. Dorilian starts the series as a lowercase ‘prince’ but an uppercase Heir. A Prince / Princess is lower in rank than a King, Hierarch, or Nuarch but higher in rank than any but other uppercase Princes or Princesses. The proper form of address for all persons of this rank is Your Royal Highness.

 

Lowercase princes (i.e. all Highborn) or princesses (Highborn daughters) are lower in rank than any person who is upper case—all rulers—and Heirs, but equal in rank to each other. They are higher in rank than non-royal persons.


All Highborn princes (but not princesses) are addressed as Thrice Royal.

 

Heir. The next in succession to a Prince or ruler is an uppercase Heir. Being male or female makes no difference. Anyone in line to succeed a lesser royal or noble (or indeed anyone worth noting who is inheriting) is a lowercase heir and not particularly special.

 

 

Noble titles. Note that royals are always Highborn or Highborn-sired daughters. Now note that nobles never are. What nobles are is well-connected, of ancient lineage, and perhaps distantly related to the Highborn.

 

Bas / Basarchessa. The highest noble designation. A Bas or Basarchessa is always uppercase and rules a domain. Many (though not all) are grandsons or granddaughters of Princes but are not themselves Highborn. If they were, they would be Princes or Princesses. A Bas holds a seat in the Archhalia and also their own empire or kingdom’s ruling council. A Bas or Basarchessa is addressed as Most Noble.

 

Archon / Archessa. An Archon or Archessa may not be related to the Highborn at all. Many had ancestors who rose to power through being useful to rulers. As the empires of the Triempery expanded, new nobles were need to oversee things. Most Archons come from ancient families and oversee many estates and towns. Archons and Archessas sit on domain administrative councils. An Archon ranks below a Bas but above Enlads or Lords. An Archon or Archessa is addressed as Noble One.

 

Enlad / Enladris. An Enlad or Enladris holds at least one estate and sometimes more. The title and lands are generally inherited but might be bestowed by a ruler. Enlads often sit on local councils. An Enlad or Enladris ranks above Lords or Ladies, but below other noble titles as above. An Enlad is addressed as Lord and an Enladris as Lady.

 

Lord / Lady. A child of a Bas, Archon, or Enlad is titled a Lord or Lady. A Lord or Lady may also be an Heir. Though they enjoy recognition of rank and may even own estates, Lords and Ladies do not wield much authority. They are the lowest rank of nobility—unless they are also Heirs of higher-ranking nobles. For example, the Heir to Serrain would outrank an Enlad, even though he would also be addressed as Lord. Lords outrank every commoner except Denizens or Epoptes.

 

 

Commoner titles.

 

Denizen. A Lord of the Seven Houses, a powerful merchant who heads one of the cartel branches. Many Lords of the Seven Houses are, in fact, Lords in noble rank. A Denizen, however, is not a noble title. Chyralane Rannuleonis, for example, is noble because her father was a Highborn Prince (which makes her a princess and royal) but she wed into the House of Phaer and became its Denizen. A Denizen of the Seven Houses is the only common title that outranks a noble title. But a Denizen does not outrank rulers. Archons and Enlads, however, will bow to them.

 

Elector. While not a noble title, because Trongor does not have an aristocratic class structure, the Triempery treats the Trongorian Elector as a Head of State and therefore noble. An Elector can expect any rank below a ruler to bow to them.

 

 

Kheldish titles. Khelds have a social structure that is completely separate from the Returned societies that predominate in the Triempery and other parts of the Second Creation.

 

Old Mothers. The highest ranking social position is be an affirmed Old Mother, a woman dedicated to the Mother Goddess. These women wield both social and political power, but the status is individual and not inherited. Old Mothers tend to be local or regional and see to the public welfare by collecting tithes or securing supplies. Old Mothers outrank all men including clan chieftains, and less distinguished women such a faetha, but are equal to the Groddi Wiccena and Thegnard.

 

Thegnard. Elected by the clan chieftains, the Thegnard is the political face of Kheld men and their political voice in the broader world. The Thegnard can appoint ambassadors or spokepeople. The Thegnard conducts meetings and the annual Witan. The Thegnard is usually a member of the Thegn clan, which has a long tradition of warrior males and social responsibility. The Thegnard outranks all other men, even the Groddi Wiccena, but the latter holds greater religious power and is a functional equal.

 

Clan Chieftains. Each Kheld clan is led by one or several chiefs depending on how extensive their territory is. Clan chieftains wield authority over the men of their region and towns, seeing to the peace and organizing defenses if needed. Clan chiefs outrank men who are not clan chiefs, but deference is seldom enforced.

 

Groddi Wiccena. Leader of the Faeduadan, or male acolytes of the god Lud. He conducts sacred ceremonies, including the blessing of warriors or secret rituals to ensure good crops. Powerful for prophecies. He outranks most men but no women.

 

Faetha / Faedu. Lesser acolytes/devotees of the Mother and Lud. Faetha (female) are trained various skills and granted respect for these skills. Faetha outrank other women outside of Old Mothers and also all men. Faedu are respected and have rank over men who are not dedicated to Lud—however they have do not outrank women, who fall under the Mother. Faedu are lower rank to the Thegnard and Groddi Wiccena, and most of all lower than the Old Mothers.

 

 

Specialist Titles.

 

Psilant. The Head Epopte, leader of the Brotherhood of Epoptes, at the head of those who order the Rill Entity. A very important person on rank with a Bas. His ‘domain’ is Rill operations.

 

Epopte. One specially trained in one or more ways to speak to and order the Rill Entity. Possibly charged with communication or scheduling. Epoptes may also be trained in mage arts such as the creation of waterglobes or arcane crystals. All Epoptes wear on their foreheads a glowing eagle mark. As highly skilled and rare individuals, Epoptes are treated with great respect. They rank as nobles but are not titled or addressed as such.

 

Arch-Epopte / Archmage. Even more respected than your run-of-the-mill Epopte is the higher level Epopte, called an Arch-Epopte or Archmage. Only five of this level are so honored at any time—six, including the Psilant. These mage-trained men are one step below the Psilant and granted the highest respect and privilege. They rank as nobles.

 

Sage. Sages are trained at Permephedon and, to a lesser extent, at Sordan in fields of study such as medicine, philosophy, mathematics, and sciences. Scholars of similar rank were trained at Mormantalorus but knowledge of their training disappeared following that City’s succession. Sages who have completed their training gain the title Arch- and wear marks of their disciplines upon their foreheads. A sage is of equivalent rank to a noble.

 

 

Marenthro.

 

Marenthro is a special case. He is unique and the Highborn have long suspected he might be a god—or at least close to one. His evident powers and longevity point to him being immortal. For that reason he is often called Eminence or Unchanging. He doesn’t possess a formal rank—nor does he need one.

 

 


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