Law

All rules and law descend from the King, and his representatives provide justice. While the country is in such disarray, the two claimants to the throne rule their respective areas as though they are King. Laws may be changeable based on their whims.

Within the castle, the King may attend to such matters himself, or they may be addressed by either the Crown Prince or the Chancellor. Disputes of honour, theft, false statement and other concerns may be brought to his representatives. The King has final say as to whether something is legal, and he may chose to dismiss charges and concerns or even pardon should the situation warrant it.

• For the safety of the royal family and the castle's noble inhabitants, violence and brawling is not permitted within the castle walls. Punishment for attacks is relative to the severity of the attack and the rank of the victim. It often involves confinement, fines and physical retribution. In severe cases, the agressor may be executed.
  
  
• Those who have been provoked by assaults on their honour, their family, or in other significant fashion may petition the King or his representatives for a duel or restitution. Dueling without permission will be viewed as brawling and treated as above.
  
  
• Acts and speech against the King are treasonous and will be met with proper force. Treason is defined by the King.

Outside the castle, in villages and towns, magistrates act as the King's representative. (Further law will be added as needed for the rules are different outside the castle. Generally less stringent.)

Politics & Military

Typically, the King is the head of the political and military structure within Nharati. Beneath the King, the Ealdormen rule each county, and they are sworn liegemen of the King. Within each county, there are several Thegns (lesser land holding nobles) sworn to the Ealdormen, and the Thegns may have lesser Thegns sworn to them. Within the capital county, Thegns are sworn directly to the ruling family, and in other counties, a Thegn may be sworn to the throne rather than his Ealdorman.

Civil war has disturbed the natural order of politics and military within Nharati. The current King holds only the capital county and is steadily losing grip on it due to declining military strength. Most Ealdormen are sworn not to the King, but to one of the claimants to the throne. Only Karmenys to the south has remained neutral, oathbound to none of the leaders, not even the King.

Ealdormen always outrank Thegns; but within each class, the size of their holding, military might, and financial worth determine their relative status.

Because only the eldest son stands to inherit his father's holding (whether it be Ealdormen or Thegn), younger sons typically inhabit supportive roles, such as knights, administrators, courtiers, advisors, etc. Many of these will seek a place in the King's court, and the most fortunate will work their way on to the King's council, while others will stay in their home county or travel to others.

Knights compose the power of the fighting force within Nharati, and these can include any high-ranking trained warrior (not just the knight in shining armor). They swear allegiance to either the Valenti house directly or to any of the other noble houses.

In addition, Serfs and some ceorls (freefolk) work the land and in the households of the noble classes, and these compose the fyrd in wartime. Ealdormen and Thegns may call up the fyrd on their respective lands either of their own volition, or at the behest of their liegelord.

Gender roles

Men hold all the power. They hold land and titles, can serve in a military role (and advance through this), and occupy all administrative and legal positions in Nharati. For all practical purposes, they own their wives and daughters. Women are reliant to their male relatives for position and provision. The principle role of women is to marry and produce children.

Within the upper classes, some women may learn certain skills which can lead to positions in other households (such as music, medicine, child-care, and other womenly skills, but nothing administrative or military), but they still remain the dependent of their closest male relative. Within the lower classes, both men and women must learn skills to support themselves, and these vary more widely, but women are still beholden to male relatives.

Xenophobia

The Nharati people are highly fearful and intolerant of those they view as different which, for the purposes of the story, manifests itself in regard to two groups: foreigners and Others. With the civil war over the past years, even the counties have become more insular, those from other parts of Nharati regarded with distrust.

Others encompasses a broad spectrum of folk:

• nonhuman
  
• magic users
  
• Those with congenital blindness, deafness, visible birth defects.

Others, unless of significant rank, are typically killed outright, and such actions are encouraged by the throne. Past history with such individuals has lead to the current intolerance which is rooted deeply in both royals and peasants.

Even those native of Nharati that have traveled too much or have been absent for a long time may be regarded with suspicion. Travel outside of Nharati is a fearful thing. Foreigners cannot hold land or titles, nor rise high in the military due to this distrust. Within diplomatic circles, foreign ambassadors/envoys are tolerated for diplomacy's sake, but always viewed with suspicion.

Rank & Custom

When greeting individuals of higher rank, men should bow and women should curtsey. The depth of both is determined by the relative rank of the other. The King should get a full bow or deep curtsey, and it should be held until bidden to rise.

When offered the hand of a royal, it is proper to bow one's head over it but not to touch one's lips to the knuckles. Such contact is too forward. If the royal wears a ring, it is permissible to kiss it.

Proper forms of address when speaking to an individual of rank:

• King & Queen: Your Majesty or Your Grace
  
• Princes & Princesses: Your Highness
  
• Ealdormen: Your Grace
  
• Thegns: M'lord
  
• Women of noble birth: M'lady

Clothing & Hair

Women
Clothing for women of rank is typically complex and colourful with a layer of underclothes, an underskirt, and from there either a trailing gown or a bodice then an over dress. Often surcoats were worn as well. Embroidery is common, and the fineness of the fabric and cut usually increases with rank.

Jewels and flowers are often used as accents for both hair and clothing. Women's hair is typically long and worn up in ornate fashions involving braids, twists, and curls. Both clothing and hair for high ranking women requires the assistance of servants because of the complexity.

Men
Men typically wear doublets or tunics (or a combination of both) with laced trousers or hose, although military garb has more variance.

Their appearance is much less ornate than that of the women, but their hair is generally worn at shoulder length or longer, and it is often worn in a single braid.