SCA award system revisions

[Aodhan Ite an Fhithich]

"Mark Harris"  wrote in a message to All:

 "H> Why is the Order of the Rose here? Or at least why isn't it for
 "H> "exceptional retiring rulers by right of arms"? 

Well, I did say this proposal wasn't perfect...

 "H> Why should the
 "H> royalty automatically become members of this order when the
 "H> Court Barony is only given for exceptional service? 

There is a distinction between Barons-in-Fief and Rulers-by-Right-of-Arms -
*anyone* can become the former if they:

- Live in a Barony
- Are sufficiently popular with the Crown
- Are sufficiently popular with the Barony's populace

I *can* become Baron of Loch Soilleir (although two attempts so far have not
been successful, I can at least make the attempt); I *cannot* become King of
Ansteorra (since I don't fight and neither does my wife).

I *think* this distinction is important enough to SCA folk to merit
recognition, even though former kings in the middle ages tended to be in either
exile or the grave. 

 "H> I feel many barons/ess have put in more service although spread
 "H> over  years instead of six months than some crowns. The crown
 "H> already gets  a lot of this acknowledgement and word fame we are
 "H> talking about. 

Barons-in-Fief are really just extra-fancy officers.  They do have some
ceremonial perks and responsibilities the other officers don't have, but that's
the nature of the office.  Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's hard - same
as any other office.  However, I think being crown is an order of magnitude
more work than being baron - that's why we let them serve only 6 months but
expect barons to put in at least a couple of years.  A regular officer who
served a minimal term with adequate performance probably doesn't deserve a
promotion (yet) - it's a function of time-in-grade and quality of work.

My Order of the Rose was, I guess, somewhat of a sop since I was taking away
County and Duchy.  Maybe we could make all former Barons-in-Fief and former
Rulers-by-Right-of-Arms Court Barons.

This *was* a straw-man proposal.  Feel free to kick it around and see where the
stuffing falls out.

Aodhan