Following is a list of the order of precedence each rank has over another among humans in Cislunar (see also Politics for a discussion of governmental precedence issues). Other races may have other considerations that determine rank among themselves (the most well-known being the blood/age matrix of the aseku), but when dealing with humans they will also be expected to abide by this format. This list takes a standard form that is not always applicable, but it does provide the outline that heralds will work from in disputed or confusing cases.In Cislunar's past, most ranks were held by men as a result of the patriarchalist custom of the human government. Recent changes have rendered many of the positions ungendered, although titles reflect the city's patriarchal past. In the event a professional title is held by a woman, it is usually altered to reflect her gender, as she prefers (eg., Lord High Chancellor to Lady High Chancellor). In the event an aristocratic title is held by a woman, she usually keeps the male usage (eg., the Knight Elizabeth Cardamon)
Head of one's family branch: Archon or Exalt/Title/Family Branch's Numerical Rank/NAME
Wealthy non-nobility: Optimate/Occupational Title/Occupational Rank/NAME
Non-wealthy non-nobility: Occupational Title/Occupational Rank/NAME
In the case of spouses and children, the following Family Place suffixes are used: -Uxor for a wife, -Maritus for a husband, -Filius for a son, and -Filia for a daughter. Numerical Ranks are: Primus, Secundus, Terce, Quartus, Quintus, Sextus, etc. Any member of a Cislunarite noble house who has lived in the city proper for over a year is considered one of the Blood Resident and may seek representation in, or cast votes for bills before, the Lord's Court.
The honorifics "Exalt," or "Lord" or "Lady," are always considered acceptable defaults if one isn't certain what rank someone else possesses. Similarly, "Magister"or "Magistra" is always safe for an artisan or other skilled worker, "Magus" for a mage, and "Sieur" or "Madame" for a person on the street.
See Notes on marriage, inheritance and familial control for a discussion of homo- and heterosexual marriages and inheritance issues.
| MALE | FEMALE & SPOUSE | NONGENDERED |
| King | Queen | Archon |
| Queen dowager | ||
| King's eldest son | Spouse of king's eldest son | |
| King's younger sons | King's daughters | |
| Spouses of king's younger sons | ||
| King's grandsons | King's granddaughters | |
| Spouses of the king's grandsons | ||
| King's brothers | King's sisters | |
| Spouses of king's brothers | ||
| King's uncles | King's aunts | Regent |
| Spouses of king's uncles | ||
| King's nephews | King's nieces | Ambassadors |
| Spouses of king's nephews | ||
| Lord High Chancellor | ||
| Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | ||
| Prime Minister | ||
| Lord High Treasurer | ||
| Lord President of the Privy Council | ||
| Lord Great Chamberlain/The Lord Magus | ||
| The Lord Warden | ||
| Lord High Admiral | ||
| Lord Steward of the Household | ||
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | ||
| Dukes | Spouses of dukes of the blood royal | Archmages |
| Duchesses | ||
| Spouses of duke's eldest son, blood royal | ||
| Marquesses | Marchionesses | |
| Duke's eldest son | Spouses of duke's eldest son | |
| Duke's daughters | ||
| Earls | Countesses | |
| Marquesses' eldest son | Spouses of the duke's youngest sons, blood royal | |
| Marquesses' daughters | ||
| Duke's younger sons | Spouses of the dukes' youngest sons | |
| Viscounts | Viscountesses | |
| Earls' eldest son | Spouses of an earl's eldest son | |
| Earls' daughters | ||
| Marquesses' younger sons | Spouses of marquesses' youngest sons | |
| Barons | Baronesses | |
| Viscounts' eldest son | Spouses of viscounts' eldest son | |
| Viscounts' daughters | ||
| Treasurer of the Household | ||
| Master of the Horse | ||
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | ||
| Secretaries of State | ||
| Viscounts' younger sons | Spouses of viscounts' younger sons | |
| Earls' younger sons | Spouses of earls' younger sons | |
| Barons' eldest son | Spouses of barons' eldest son | |
| Barons' daughters | ||
| Maids of honour to the Queen | ||
| Chevaliers of the Order of the Snow Owl/Spouses of Chevaliers of the Order of the Snow Owl | ||
| Privy Councillors (Lords Court) | ||
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | ||
| Lord Chief Justice | ||
| Master of the Rolls | ||
| Lords Justices of the Appeal | ||
| Chevaliers of the Order of the Black Wand/Spouses of Chevaliers of the Order of the Black Wand | ||
| Viscounts' younger sons | Spouses of viscounts' younger sons | |
| Barons' younger sons | Spouses of barons' younger sons | |
| Sons of lords of appeal | ||
| Baronets | Baronets' wives | |
| Chevaliers of Lament's Guard/Spouses of Chevaliers of Lament's Guard | ||
| Eldest sons of younger sons of peers | Spouses of eldest sons of younger sons of peers | |
| Baronets' eldest son | Spouses of baronets' eldest son | |
| Chevaliers' eldest son | Spouses of knights' eldest son | |
| Chevaliers' daughters | ||
| Baronets' younger sons | Spouses of baronets' younger sons | |
| Chevaliers' younger sons | Spouses of Chevaliers' younger sons | |
| Esquires | Spouses of esquires | |
| Gentlemen | Gentlewomen |
Marriages may be hetero- or homosexual in Cislunar, and are officiated by a care as civil contracts between two individuals and, usually, their families. Religious marriages are optional. Civil marriages may be broken by mutual consent or if another successfully sues one's spouse before a care; they are also considered voided at death or after a disappearance of over three years.It has been traditionally considered respectable for a man to marry down in rank ("bringing his spouse up") or for a woman to marry up in rank ("a good match"). Men who marry up in rank are often considered suspect, especially if marrying a widow(er) or wealthy p(m)atriarch. Women who marry down in rank are often disinherited by their families, unless it is an obvious love-match or there are other circumstances make the marriage politically acceptable. Distant cousins (past second cousin) may be married to keep wealth and land in a noble house - closer relatives may also marry, but it's considered a scandal.Generally, firstborn sons (or daughters, if the family follows a genderless primogeniture rule of inheritance) are required by their family to marry a member of the opposite sex and bear children, to ensure the family's bloodline - or be disinherited. In some cases younger children have been forced by their families to give up homosexual marriages or at least arrange to have children in order to ensure the family's lineage. Homosexual noble couples who choose to adopt are often forbidden to allow their adopted children to inherit any part of the family title or wealth. Homosexual noble couples who choose to seek a surrogate father or mother may or may not be allowed to claim the child as part of the family bloodline, depending on the situation.Usually, the firstborn male inherits in a family; however, some families divide inheritances equally or allow the firstborn to inherit regardless of sex. Inheritance rules are usually drawn up in a marriage contract or when a family is expecting to have or adopt a child. In the usual case, the firstborn son inherits and younger sons work for the family business or set off on their own. Daughters are either left a dowry by their parents or given a dowry by the firstborn son and married off, at which point their spouses are expected to support them. Daughters also have the option of taking their dowry and investing it in a business or living off it while seeking employment in or out of the family business.The head of a household has three options for keeping his or her relatives in line:lettre de cachet: This document can be ordered by any noble who is the head of a house or by the king, and allows the imprisonment of an individual for up to a week without need of trial. It is often used to keep noble families in order. There is a general dislike for this institution among non-nobility, however, and most nobles use it sparingly on anyone other than family.
rite exhere: Disinheritance; the individual will not inherit wealth or property from the noble house. Not as uncommon a fate as you might expect.
rite abdicare: Disownership; the individual is stripped of title and family name (unless the title is unrelated to the family, i.e. directly granted by the archon), disinherited, denied, and thrown out of the family - a great disgrace.