The Principality of Hell

[Aodhan Ite an Fhithich]

Tim McDaniel  wrote in a message to All:

 TM> I dunno.  I think it'd be a lot simpler and still just as
 TM> functional to have just a few Kingdom awards (other than the
 TM> SCA-wide ones): - AoA-level awards for martial arts, service, and
 TM> arts
 TM> - Grant-level, the same 3
 TM> - An award for personal service to the Crown
 TM> - maybe one or two special cases I've forgotten
 TM> and avoid all the proliferation.  

Too much.  

- An (one) AoA-level award - the Award of Arms.
- Court Barony - for exceptional retiring Territorial Barons 
  (Barony-in-Fief becomes just a cermonial office)
  and others who've just done way above and beyond 
- Lion-equivalent - for exceptional persona-play (non armigerous)
- Order of the Rose - for former rulers by right of arms
- Baronial service orders - 1/per barony - non-armigerous

The royals could recognize personal service by giving a personal momento
(something *they* made or at least used).

*Anyone* who can afford they're own armor (or get someone else to provide in
payment for combat service) could be a knight.  *Anyone* with enough skill in a
craft to teach others and get them to form a Guild could be Master of that
Guild.

County & Duchy - have you got a household willing to support you in such style
and call you Count or Duke?  Fine, you're a Count or Duke.

You've busted your butt for the kingdom, but not enough to be enobled or
further enobled to a Baron - the crown calls you up in court and praises you
profusely and maybe hands you some token of their esteem (ideally uniquely
marked for their reign).

This isn't perfect, but I think it's *much* closer to the real Middle Ages than
our merit badge system.

 TM> Actually, I'd nuke the entire SCA award and rank hierarchy to the
 TM> ground and then salt the ground, and start over from first
 TM> principles. 

Sounds like a plan to me.

Aodhan