Board Thread:Custom Lore Development/@comment-26535281-20170921004400

Within the Empire lives a sharp divide between the classes with the highest of all being the nobles of all back grounds from hereditary, economics, and self made nobles of all classes and sorts. In most (well pretty much all cases) the Nobility are both rich and powerful generally ruling over if not worlds or provinces at least trade routes or armies of servants. They live lives of grandeur and opulence with plenty of money to do with as they wish and plenty more to pay off the politicians that keep them in power and to buy off the mobs and rift raft so they don't trash the place.

Nobles live within the grandest spires of the massive cities, the finest villas upon the paradise worlds, or luxury pent houses/apartments within the ports and private ships they own or at least have partial ownership. Within these living spaces the nobility have many fine art pieces, statues, decorations, and all sorts of trinkets that have fetched their eye or are family heirlooms. Some nobles have entire show rooms and others are over flowing with such items they have museums dedicated to their families 'glory' or to serve as a semi-private gallery. Do note that most collectors hail from the nobility.

Nobles are expected to dress and act the part always wearing the latest fashion for nobility (a weird hybrid of Victorian and roman fashion) as well as dressing their slaves and retainers the same way. They are also expected to speak in the highest of tongues and know many ancient and rather dead languages to impress the crowds and to have 'enlightened' conversations with those of equal rank. They are also expected to have 'good' tastes in art, music, and entertainment with the more 'dirty' acts expected to be done to show off their 'young spirit', but not necessarily in public (although alluding to it in public is expected). They are expected to 'think the great thoughts' and to contemplate the many theories and concepts laid down by the legendary founders of old to the great thinkers of ages long past.

Nobles also have many rights and privileges not given to those of the lesser classes from the best public transport can offer, the best seats at the games and other events, and whole armies of slaves and servants to command as they see fit. Nobles also have great responsibility they are expected to help keep the Imperial Society as a whole running and by this they should both fund and host games, give out massive hand outs to the poor, and at least seem rather generous with the wealth they have acquired.

Nobles are also expected to have fancy toys from the finest chariots to the finest private ship. As well as plenty and plenty of exotic slaves for both actual work and for show, some nobles even give them out as gifts!

A large amount of pomp is expected to follow nobles as well as armies of retainers and servants the most prominent being:

- Heralds follow nobles into more formal settings and announce their great deeds, family legacies, bear the family banner, and at all times are supposed to shower their masters in praise. Minor nobles tend to have one or two, but the more 'prominent' nobles have dozens if not hundreds at their disposal.

- Vates are both singers and story tellers singing great songs of legend and telling the tales of old normally with some sort of twist that adds a hint of legitimacy or connection to the current master or his/her family in the very least. Most are younger slaves that have spent years training their vocals as well as learning the 'High Tongues'

- Ancilla or 'hand maidens' are expected to dress their masters in what ever they need anything from bathing, right clothes, acquiring new outfits, upkeep of the nobles body, and hair dressing all tasks which a army of Ancilla are expected to do. They tend to be of the more 'exotic' bunch of slaves to show off the Noble's wealth or because they catch their eye.

- Ratiocinator are the more 'administrative' side of the noble's life. They are the book keepers, accountants, and clerks of the noble expected to either run or manage his estate or his own personal affairs.

- Councubines are either slaves or other spouses a noble has gathered over their time in wealth. They are mainly show pieces (some times they are indeed actual lovers). They are dressed in the finest clothes, gifted the finest jewelry, and some of the finest living quarters their master can offer.

Thoughts on the wonderful nobility of the Empire? 