Royal Consort

A Royal Consort is a legally married partner to the King of Aodh. A King will often have several. They are granted the honorific ‘Your Highness’.

## Overview

A Royal Consort is the legally affirmed spouse of a King of Aodh. Due to this marriage, they are treated as members of royalty, even in the event of their spouse’s death. Consorts who survive their royal spouses often go on to be advisers or tutors of the next generation of royals. As royals, they spend a lot of time in the public eye and are generally expected to be model nobles. Royal Consorts are never to (publicly) disagree with or undermine their King - what they do or say behind closed doors is up to them. The Consorts may have their own lovers, but are not to commit to other marriages.

The Consorts are almost always political matches, generally the “spares” of powerful noble families. Love matches are extremely rare. Often the First Consort is picked when the future King is still young, a match secured by the previous King to provide alliances and show favor. From the late 15th century onward, every other Aodhian King has been sent a spouse from Talori to marry, but this Consort has never been the First Consort, and rarely have these matches resulted in any children.

Each Royal Consort has the special privilege to free a single slave of their choosing - they may do this at any after their marriage. The granted freedom has high symbolic value, and is considered good luck.

### **Duties**

Although the Consorts wield no explicit political power (unless they retain some through their birth family), they do wield considerable influence. Favored and trusted Consorts can be expected to perform any number of duties on behalf of the King - typically such tasks would fall predominately on the First Consort. The exact influence of the Consorts varies ruler by ruler, as some Kings mostly want their spouses to sit and look pretty, while others choose their partners for political aptitude. In general, the Consorts are trusted advisers, friends and confidants.

Arguably the most important duty of a Consort is to bear children for the King. The Consort will always act as the birth giver, regardless of the genders of the parties involved, as it would not do for the King to be indisposed or endangered due to pregnancy. The Consorts often take on the primary duties in rearing and overseeing the education of the children, although there are exceptions.

### **Internal Hierarchy**

The Consorts are not equal - not in influence, and not in respect. The King’s first marriage will always be to the most influential spouse, and following spouses become gradually less prestigious in stature, although all of them are still royal.

The First Consort, also known as the Prince Consort, is the King’s first and most important spouse. They are promised the Crown Heir, meaning their child will one day become King. This station of a future “Princely Parent” affords the First Consort a great amount of influence and security, now and in the future. The Prince Consort is the one who will be sent in the King’s stead to key events, or even the courts. The King’s key supporter, adviser, and friend.

The following Consorts, of which there can be many, are of varying prestige. While the Second Consort can still be quite important, and the Third is still often either a favorable match or one of love, Consorts beyond that tend to be considered relatively unimportant by other nobles. For one of the lesser Consorts to attend key events in the King’s stead can even be considered a slight towards the host. Perhaps coincidentally, the Talori bride or groom has generally been the Fourth or Fifth Consort.

## Rank Rewards

* **At 25 AP |** The public expects a Consort to be eloquent and inoffensive. You may gain your **Tier 1 Talent** early (for your first talent only).
* **At 50 AP |** What is a royal without their regalia? Receive a **Circlet** and **Collar** for free.
* **At 75 AP |**  The political game is ruthless, but you hold your own. Receive **+15 SP** to cunning or wisdom.
* **At 100 AP** | The King wishes for you to have a gift, and only the best will do. If your familiar slot is empty, receive an **Aodhian** **Mythical Familiar** for free.