The Queen's Court

the Otellian dynasty - click on this link to download it and be able to actually read it

The Queen's court is composed of Elothninians of only the highest classes, and serve to inform, protect, and entertain the monarch. Although technically anyone who meets the high standards can be part of the court, it really only reflects that portion of nobles and other sundry elite individuals who live in Neerhemhind. Above all, the court is characterized by the vast amount of importance it places on virtually meaningless and confusing rules of etiquette.

Gaining Entry
There are many ways for an ambitious young Elothninian to join the court, but one should be forewarned that the criteria for any such path are stringent, esoteric, and highly convoluted. Essentially, to be part of the court, one must either be born to it or earn through a variety of career paths. Arguably, the easiest is being noble by birthright, as it requires little more than the establishment of the correct family ties. Nowadays, this can be done by proving that one comes from a family directly related to the Otellian dynasty. Those with surnames that appear in this illustrious (and awfully gnarled) family tree (pictured above) have a guaranteed 'in,' as it were.

Vassalships are a similar way of gaining access to the glittering, luxurious world of the royal court. Once a vassalship has been established (which is no easy task), members of that family are granted access to attend court. They generally do not receive the same warm welcome and broad inclusion that nobles get, but vassals are given an entrance which the common Elothninian is not.

If one is not born a noble and is not a member of a vassalship, then the road to court has many more obstacles and is much less certain. Many of the members of the court are there because they have displayed incredible talents, and are there to entertain the royals either officially (through formal performances) or informally (through social interactions where they display their talents anyway). This most clearly applies to those in the art, musicians and poets and the like, but can be extended to beauty, wit, and charisma as well. The court also houses those who fill a more educational or informative role for the Queen. She, and virtually all rulers before her, surrounds herself with brilliant intellectuals, the finest military tacticians, and the most well-informed diplomats and politicians. It should be noted that simply being the best in a given field is not enough to land a place in court - after all, Phinneas Flumpert himself is a clerk in the Imperial Army, and not advising her majesty.

If all else fails, one can play a functional role in the court. This often takes the form of bodygaurds, assistants, and ladies in waiting. These are the necessary jobs that keep the court afloat, and while they are not highly regarded by the nobles and royals, they do provide a glimpse into their world, and possibly even entry to it.

At the Court
The actual shape and atmosphere of the court changes with each ruler, and sometimes throughout a particular ruler's reign, but the functions of the court remain stable. The primary function of the court is to build and maintain political relationships in an environment that is relatively safe for the monarch to be in. Thus, the court is necessarily closed to most. However, as the number of attendees and positions inevitably grows, the court becomes an arena for others to resolve their political and social agendas as well. For the nobles and royals, who have relatively few families to choose from when getting married, and for whom other's opinions about their manners matters in material ways, the court is a sight of veiled negotiations.

The court also affirms the ruler's bidirectional relationship with local culture. The court gives a monarch the space to explore the newest and most popular forms of entertainment without the threat of assassination or attack. Simultaneously, the ruler can affect the direction popular culture takes by implicitly endorsing some things by including them at court and rejecting others. The propagandistic effects of this should not be underestimated, as entertainment is often the closest link (in terms of shared experiences) between the common folk and their ruler.

Finally, the watchful ruler can use a setting like the court to keep tabs on those closest to her. Being able to discern someone's duplicitous nature through those they choose to interact with, and what they talk about is extremely valuable, and the court offers the perfect environment to watch possible traitors in their own element.