Athel Nora
23-11-2003, 16:27
The Imperium of Athel Nora is comprised of a multitude of industrial fiefdoms, each owned by the families that make up the nobility. For the most part, Athel Nora'n nobility are not parasitic as a class - They take their duties as leaders and guardians of the common good seriously. From birth, they are raised to rule, and this is their function in life. The majority of officers and higher-ranking administrators and managers are drawn from the nobility.
The nobles of Athel Nora are bound by a code of honor that, while largely unwritten, is nonetheless quite powerful. They are raised to believe that duty to the empire is more important that life, that ones word is his bond, and that the worst thing that anyone can do is to bring dishonor to his or her family name.
Honor is the watchword of the Imperial nobility. It governs their lives down to the smallest detail. Nobles must always pay their debts, must allow no one to insult them with impunity, and must behave with the greatest of respect to their equals and superiors. The slightest breach of this code can cause a noble to be ostracized by his or her peers.
Of course, aside from all the obligations of honor, there are still many perks to being a noble, the first of which is that most nobles are fabulously wealthy, and live extravagant lifestyles. They live in palaces in the cities and fortified estates in the territories. They wear ornately-decorated uniforms, and the latest fashions in clothing. They eat the finest foods from the finest china - and far more often eat at home and with many guests, served by personal chefs, rather than eating at restaurants. They go on grand hunting expeditions in specially-maintained parks, and attend balls in each others' palaces.
However, this lifestyle is not without price. At any time, they may be asked to lay down their lives for the good of the Empire, and - by and large - they will not hesitate to do so. In war and in business, they are leaders, and they lead from the front. Duty is not to be shirked. Responsibilities must be faced with honor and with dignity.
Athel Nora is dominated by several Noble Houses. Each one of these houses consists of a core family that the House is named after, but also hundreds of kin related by marriage or blood. Usually, these families each have their own palaces and estates. Each Noble House has its own area of influence, and can perform many favors for those who are members of the extended clan, but the sword cuts both ways - Members of the nobility are also called upon to perform missions for their families from time to time.
The nobles of Athel Nora are bound by a code of honor that, while largely unwritten, is nonetheless quite powerful. They are raised to believe that duty to the empire is more important that life, that ones word is his bond, and that the worst thing that anyone can do is to bring dishonor to his or her family name.
Honor is the watchword of the Imperial nobility. It governs their lives down to the smallest detail. Nobles must always pay their debts, must allow no one to insult them with impunity, and must behave with the greatest of respect to their equals and superiors. The slightest breach of this code can cause a noble to be ostracized by his or her peers.
Of course, aside from all the obligations of honor, there are still many perks to being a noble, the first of which is that most nobles are fabulously wealthy, and live extravagant lifestyles. They live in palaces in the cities and fortified estates in the territories. They wear ornately-decorated uniforms, and the latest fashions in clothing. They eat the finest foods from the finest china - and far more often eat at home and with many guests, served by personal chefs, rather than eating at restaurants. They go on grand hunting expeditions in specially-maintained parks, and attend balls in each others' palaces.
However, this lifestyle is not without price. At any time, they may be asked to lay down their lives for the good of the Empire, and - by and large - they will not hesitate to do so. In war and in business, they are leaders, and they lead from the front. Duty is not to be shirked. Responsibilities must be faced with honor and with dignity.
Athel Nora is dominated by several Noble Houses. Each one of these houses consists of a core family that the House is named after, but also hundreds of kin related by marriage or blood. Usually, these families each have their own palaces and estates. Each Noble House has its own area of influence, and can perform many favors for those who are members of the extended clan, but the sword cuts both ways - Members of the nobility are also called upon to perform missions for their families from time to time.