Author Topic: Sir or Lord or ??  (Read 16146 times)

Kmap

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Sir or Lord or ??
« Topic Start: May 29, 2012, 03:15:43 PM »
Hi,
One of my characters is a Mentor, and recently when I adressed a newbie as Lord, I was informed that the title was reserved for the 'Lords of the realm' and instead I address them as 'Sir', but then I replied informing them that the title 'Sir' is supposed to be used only if the character has earned it... and unless that must be refrained from being used.
I wish to know what is generally followed and what I must have used.  :)

Anaris

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #1: May 29, 2012, 03:24:49 PM »
"Sir" or "Lady" is prefixed to the names of people who have donated. It has no in-game significance.

Acceptable modes of address vary from realm to realm. Generally, "Sir" or "Dame" is acceptable for nobles without any particular position, and nobles with a position should be addressed by their title.

Then there's also the matter of "your Majesty" for monarchs, "your Grace" for Dukes, and other such modes of address, which, again, vary widely. 
Timothy Collett

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Velax

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #2: May 29, 2012, 03:34:17 PM »
I use "Lord" for any male noble without a position. I only use "Sir" if they've donated. Occasionally someone objects to being called a Lord if they're not a region lord, so I refer to them as "Knight" instead. Not sure what I'd call a male noble without an estate if they object to being called Lord.

Anaris

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #3: May 29, 2012, 03:37:00 PM »
I use "Lord" for any male noble without a position. I only use "Sir" if they've donated. Occasionally someone objects to being called a Lord if they're not a region lord, so I refer to them as "Knight" instead. Not sure what I'd call a male noble without an estate if they object to being called Lord.

"Knight" isn't generally appropriate as a prefixed title. The prefixed title you use for a knight is "Sir". That's...just the way it really was. (Unless someone can find me some countervailing evidence...)

Like I said before, donation has no real IC significance, so I don't feel it's appropriate to make an IC distinction between people who have donated and people who haven't.
Timothy Collett

"The only thing you can't trade for your heart's desire...is your heart." "You are what you do.  Choose again, and change." "One of these days, someone's gonna plug you, and you're going to die saying, 'What did I say? What did I say?'"  ~ Miles Naismith Vorkosigan

Velax

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #4: May 29, 2012, 03:46:52 PM »
What's the point of having the title, then? It's a purely IG reward. If you don't refer to it IG, then what's the point?

Anaris

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #5: May 29, 2012, 03:52:30 PM »
What's the point of having the title, then? It's a purely IG reward. If you don't refer to it IG, then what's the point?

IG != IC.

It's something for us players to notice.

And, again: it makes absolutely no sense to not call a Knight named Kepler "Sir Kepler" just because of something that has absolutely no bearing on the game itself.
Timothy Collett

"The only thing you can't trade for your heart's desire...is your heart." "You are what you do.  Choose again, and change." "One of these days, someone's gonna plug you, and you're going to die saying, 'What did I say? What did I say?'"  ~ Miles Naismith Vorkosigan

Velax

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #6: May 29, 2012, 03:58:30 PM »
If it's not IC, then why are my IC messages signed as Sir Velax de Vere? That fact my letters are signed that way implies it's my IC title.

Meh. You do your way of doing things, I'll do mine. Worked perfectly fine for me so far.

Anaris

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #7: May 29, 2012, 03:59:24 PM »
If it's not IC, then why are my IC messages signed as Sir Velax de Vere? Meh. You do your way of doing things, I'll do mine. Worked perfectly fine for me so far.

I shall, and I shall not hinder you from doing things your way :)

I simply wished to inform you that the way you do things makes no sense ;D
Timothy Collett

"The only thing you can't trade for your heart's desire...is your heart." "You are what you do.  Choose again, and change." "One of these days, someone's gonna plug you, and you're going to die saying, 'What did I say? What did I say?'"  ~ Miles Naismith Vorkosigan

Velax

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #8: May 29, 2012, 04:00:33 PM »
Plenty of things in this game make no sense from a historical point of view, but we roll with them both IC and OOC. This is one of them, as far as I'm concerned.

Indirik

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #9: May 29, 2012, 04:34:19 PM »
The Sir and Lady titles given by the game are simply a nod of appreciation from Tom. It is a way to give some recognition to the people who have donated some of their own cash to help keep the game going. It is *not* any form of IC/IG exclusive title for donors only. This is the first time I have ever heard anyone claim that it is.
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Velax

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #10: May 29, 2012, 04:43:25 PM »
The game says some characters have the title Sir. So my characters address them as Sir. It really is that simple. You want to call every noble Sir, go right ahead. I really don't care. I just tried to explain what my line of reasoning is, not force it on everyone else. I'm really not sure where the difficulty in understanding is here.

Foundation

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #11: May 29, 2012, 04:53:41 PM »
I used to do things like Velax, until I took peer pressure to the.
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Velax

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #12: May 29, 2012, 04:55:09 PM »
I used to do things like Velax, until I took peer pressure to the.

Did you miss the word "knee"?

Anaris

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #13: May 29, 2012, 04:57:07 PM »
Did you miss the word "knee"?

Well, he took an arrow to it; obviously it's not working properly now.
Timothy Collett

"The only thing you can't trade for your heart's desire...is your heart." "You are what you do.  Choose again, and change." "One of these days, someone's gonna plug you, and you're going to die saying, 'What did I say? What did I say?'"  ~ Miles Naismith Vorkosigan

Kmap

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Re: Sir or Lord or ??
« Reply #14: May 29, 2012, 05:26:17 PM »
Aren't also Heros referred to as 'Sir'??

And the newbie has not yet pledged an Oath of Flealty (or whatever it is called these days...(under the new system...)), and doesn't yet command an estate, so he isn't exactly a knight either...  :D
Now what should I have used?  ;D
« Last Edit: May 29, 2012, 05:35:11 PM by Kmap »