The post you reference (in spoiler just below for those who don't play a courtier or a politician-type character, and don't have access to the Duchal Court of Baldur's Gate forum) --
Hydrocarbonated wrote:The Basics:
Most realms across Faerûn have some form of nobility, and many also have ruling royalty. All have officials who sport titles, from a simple "Master of the ..." to such mouthfuls as "His Most Exalted and Terrible, Beloved of the Gods and Venerable Before All His People, Hereditary and-may-his-line-prosper-forever ..." Many long and involved tomes at Candlekeep outline the intricacies of the various systems of titles, their ranks and precedence. Here's a brief overview.
POSITION MALE FEMALE
Commoner Goodman Goodwife or Maid
Knight, Officer Sir Lady or Lady Sir
Mayor, Warden, Lord Lady or Lady Lord
Commander, Seneschal
Baron, Count Milord Milady
Duke, Viscount, Marquis High Lord High Lady
Grand Duke, Prince Highness Highness
King, Queen, Archduke Majesty Majesty
General titles for nobility of uncertain rank include "Zor/Zora" in Mulmaster, "Syl" in Calimshan, and "Saer" (for both genders) almost everywhere else. This latter term also applies to children of nobility too young or low-ranking to have been awarded titles of their own.
In general Heartlands usage, if the head of a noble house is "Lord Grayhill," his children are all "Saer [name] Grayhill." His widowed or aged parents, or older uncles and aunts living but bypassed in precedence are "Old Lord (or Lady) Grayhill."
Various Faerûnian professions and races have popular verbal greetings and farewells, but "Well met" for both is almost universal.
Oloré ("oh-LOR-ay") serves the same purpose around the Sea of Fallen Stars, and human nobles are adopting the elven "Sweet water and light laughter until next we meet." Merchants of all races often use the terse dwarven "I go."
-- was cited from the 3.5 edition
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (page 82). It's a generalized list as part of a chapter on class and station in Faerunian society.
"Your Grace" would be the correct term for a non-royal duke of the United Kingdom, or even a king of England (prior to King Henry VIII). "Your Highness" is typically associated with the royal family (except for the King/Queen where "Your Majesty" is more appropriate), but the Grand Council is elected by vote, making it probably more of a republic than a monarchy.
Actually, in Baldur's Gate, you can technically even have commoners serving as "Dukes," (or, as evidenced by who's currently a Duke of Baldur's Gate, lowly
adventurers like Duke Belt). Indeed, the Council originally took the name "Dukes" for themselves
as a joke, to thumb their noses at the snobbish nobles elsewhere. They were just grizzled old sea captains. They kept the title when they realized it granted them legitimacy with those snobbish nobles.
Just like in real life, a fancy title
can carry weight.
True, the Dukes serve as Grand Dukes for their lifetimes, but the position's not hereditary by default (worth nothing however that there's still a Silvershield in power by the time of
Murder in Baldur's Gate, which is set in a Baldur's Gate about 125 years in the future from our Baldur's Gate, so there may be some
de facto "heir" placement, at least for the city's wealthiest family).
I suppose in the end it'd be a DM call if they want to rule in favor of one form of address or the other. But it's not codified in lore or server lore, so far as I can see; so technically both are currently correct, since nothing (besides "Grand Duke") is really "
official."
