MunaZaldrizoti

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The Charlottean Court Reform

Issued & Confirmed by the Office of the Duchess of Adria

ANNO

DOMINI

13th of the Snow’s Maiden, 1848

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PREAMBLE AND PROCLAMATION

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For decades now, the Augustine Palace and it’s court have gone through various changes. These differences have varied from monarchs, to governing figures, right down to the very structure upon which the entire system is built. We have had Governors and Majordomos, Committee leaders and Princess Imperials. However, the lack of an Empress or diligent Crown Princess in over a century has led to what some might view as a power vacuum, allowing lesser roles to take precedence over that which, historically, has always stood above the others by right of natural inheritance.

It is my desire to put an end to any questions, regarding who is in charge of Oren’s imperial court. From now until the end of time, the Empress shall rule the palace as it has been since time immemorial. In her absence, the wife of the sovereign’s heir shall lead until her husband’s own accession to the imperial throne . In the absence of either such individual, the Princess Imperial shall assume the mantle until either ascending role is filled.

With this proclamation, I also do hereby instate ‘The Augustine Council’, which shall be composed of individuals who have shown me that their desire to see our imperial court thrive far exceeds all of my own expectations for them. These select few are entrusted with the day-to-day governance of the imperial residence and court when the Empress or Crown Princess is unavailable, as well as working alongside her and in tandem with the council’s other members. In this document, I do away with all excess roles that have either stood unfilled or unsuccessful in meeting their intended goal or function. The guidance of a few shall bear fruit for the many, as is the intention behind this final structural reformation.

- HIH, the Duchess of Adria

THE AUGUSTINE COUNCIL

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The Empress

At the head of the imperial court sits the Empress-consort of the Holy Orenian Empire, designated to preside over the palace and govern it’s day-to-day business. Her will is carried out by the other councilors, with all decisions or ideas needing approval from her to proceed. The Empress is also tasked with calling yearly or bi-yearly meetings of the Augustine Council, to speak on projects, progress, and other court-related matters.

The Governor of the Palace

The Governor of the Palace is the right-hand of the Empress-consort, serving as second-in-command of the palace court in the absence of the imperial figure. Their duties will include such things as arranging dinners and gatherings with visiting diplomats and foreign nobility, heading imperial court sessions on behalf of the sovereign, and seeking out projects to be conducted by the palace in any given area. It is also within their realm of work to encourage and aid in the work of those others upon the palace council as asked and requested. This role is, aside from the Empress herself, the most crucial cog in the imperial courtly machine.

The Chamberlain of the Palace

The Chamberlain of the Palace is third-in-command of the imperial palace, standing only behind the Empress and Governor in terms of authority. Delegated to this role are the duties of household management. This includes keeping a ledger on rooms and their occupants, inviting and interviewing new courtiers, assisting in court functions and activities, and ensuring general repairs and rearrangements are maintained as per the wishes of the Council.

The Imperial Secretary

The Imperial Secretary is the personal assistant to the entirety of the Imperial Household, though more specifically, the sovereign and their immediate family. From being sent to speak on their behalf to arranging meetings to providing private counsel, the Imperial Secretary is the closest confidante of the imperial family.

The Master of Ceremonies

The Master of Ceremonies is the paramount revelry planner at court, presiding over all events and activities either within the palace itself or on it’s surrounding estate. Their jurisdiction is over scheduling a bevy of entertainments for the court and greater populous of Oren to enjoy, with the aid of the rest of the Council and additional courtiers as needed. The Master of Ceremonies is also charged with seeking out opportunities in broader-Providence and the Holy Orenian Empire for participation in planning events outside of the palace, through which the imperial family & household might get involved and aid their citizens in planning and promotion of their own projects and functions.

The Master of the Archives

The Master of the Archives is both the keeper of all imperial tomes and relics, but also the premier court advisor on the supernatural and arcane. Their role, on the surface, is to maintain the imperial collection for courtiers and imperial residents in pursuit of higher knowledge, as well as special exhibits showcasing items owned by historical figures of the Holy Orenian Empire. The Master of the Archives shall also provide the Empress, and the sovereign if requested, with advice and information on any and all magic-related subjects, to the best of their ability. This is so that the leadership of the palace might remain informed upon the goings-on of that which they don’t experience every day and that which is foreign to them.

Captain of the Fourth Brigade

The Captain of the Fourth brigade serves as the de facto Chief of Security within the Palace, and is appointed at the discretion of the General of the Imperial State Army. He is responsible for assuring the safety of the courtiers and the imperial family, as well as organizing security for those highest ranking Orenians during events. In cases wherein the safety of the courtiers, Orenian officials, and members of the Imperial family are immediately threatened, the Captain of the Fourth may assume executive authority over the court, in order to assure their ongoing safety and protection.

[!] Official Appointments to the Augustine Council are made at the discretion of the Empress or Duchess of Adria. Dismissal from any of these positions is also immediate, at either the desire of the Empress or Governor following poor performance.

 HIH, the Duchess of Adria & Countess of Renzfeld, Charlotte Augusta

The Duchess of Adria sat within her office, reading over the retirement announcement with a stern, unmoving face. The events that had led to this early dismissal were unfortunate, but she could not say she felt remorseful. The Princess knew things of the Lady Mary that she had dared not share otherwise...perhaps this was the safest option, for the palace and the future of the court.

Contemplating over the publication for some time, the imperial called for one of her maids.

"Yes, please fetch me more ink and parchment along with my sealing wax. I've put off my summons to Lady Claude and her daughter Sophie for far too long. My granddaughters are in need of companions!" She'd speak firmly, keen on asserting this newfound authority in any way she could.

"Hear, hear!" The Duchess of Adria would agree with the public missive, toasting with Anna Mariya in her palatial office. She had grown tired of mindless brigands testing her patience, but tried not to spoil the rest of the evening by allowing it to consume her thoughts. "Your granddaughter is lucky to have you, my friend. Were it not for your quick thinking, Haense and Oren might have known mutual loss."

The Duchess of Adria, Charlotte Augusta, prepared for her eldest child's nuptials with great pride and glee. At long last, one of her two daughters would step into the next chapter of her life. And of course, she would also gain a son-in-law. That made her smile.

The Duchess of Adria looked upon the missive with great confidence, taking pride in her choice for Mistress of Ceremonies. She knew such festivities would aid in ringing in the autumnal season!

The Duchess of Adria, amidst a whirlwind of court-related meeting and business, found the time to hear the news of the former Inspect-General's passing. The imperial ordered a dozen bouquets of Kaedreni roses to be delivered to the Darkwood family, so they might be laid at his grave in honor of his service to their Empire and it's justice system.

The Duchess of Adria would read her daughter's public plea from within her apartment, gaze cast sidelong out the window. She could see citizens milling about upon the various avenues, from her place of comfort and safety. How soon, she thought, could this danger end their blissful ignorance if they did not address this issue head on? The Princess dared not leave any room for them to find out.

Charlotte knew, atleast, that she could not return to the woman she had been. A promise had been made to her child, to set aside fear for bravery. And so the Duchess would steel herself to their reality, for her family and her people.

I'm really glad to have seen such an interest taken in reviving the Ascended, in some form, in these past few months. As someone who spent upwards of 2+ years with Aeriel's lore and representing her through roleplay as an Ascended, this was a treat to be greeted with on a Sunday morning.

I agree that dark magic and dark CAs have really taken over the server post-Flamboyant's purge of deific magics, so I'd been really keen to see this progress and grow.

Best of luck to you! +1

4 hours ago, sarahbarah said:

Prinzenas Petra Emma, regent of House Mondblume frowns at the missive,  wondering what the hell her kids had gotten into while she was away from the Keep of Richtenburg.

From afar, the Duchess of Adria could only imagine what the Princess-Regent was going through. She too had her fair share of supernatural encounters thanks to her eldest daughter's interest in the subject. The middle-aged princess was certain she could attribute some, if not all, of her greying hairs to such odd occurrences.

The Duchess of Adria beamed with pride at her daughter's latest project within her domain of Woldzmir, adding it to her list of things to see and pay visit to upon her formal visit.

The Duchess of Adria made sure to send her sister-in-law a fine vintage in celebration of her historic appointment. She hoped she might learn a thing or two from the Duchess of Crestfall, in preparation for  her own future.

reserved

The Duchess of Adria watches the arrival with solemnity, standing at one end of the wharf as the huddle of imperial grandchildren were aided off the galley upon which they had sailed. She had not had the pleasure of knowing Philip Amadeus well, but Charlotte knew these children would need proper guidance and care. She prayed the Duke and herself could provide such, to be the parental figures they deserved now that their beloved father was gone.

---

At the other end of the wharf, a small toddler with raven-colored tresses departed the ship that had taken weeks to arrive. She held tight to the hand of her elder sister, Catherine, as her wide pupils came to gaze upon the looming city above. The petite frame of Princess Julia Amadea felt dwarfed by everything around her...and yet, she felt a child's giddy excitement as she wondered what lie ahead of her and her siblings.

1 hour ago, Toffee said:

Icy winds whipped through the pine trees, bringing with them the taste of winter. Josephine Aleksandra drew her travelling cloak tight around her shoulders as she trekked the forest paths just north of Dobrov, but the wool wasn't thick enough to ward off the chill. The shivers set in two days later. She huddled in her room in the Augustine, imbibing tinctures and tonics brought by her sister from far away lands, finding comfort in the soothing voice of her mother. Blessedly cool hands pushed the damp hair from her brow and slowly, slowly, she began to recover. It took months for her illness—an ugly remnant of her childhood—to finally lower its gruesome head.

 

When she was well enough to rise from bed, Josephine went to the window, laying her hand on the glass, her soft breaths fogging up the view of endless rolling hills and meadows. This recurring sickness was a cage, but to be kept behind the gilded bars of the Augustine was not so bad. It could be much, much worse. Memories dredged themselves from deep in the back of her mind; stone rooms with a chill that went bone deep despite the lush carpets and tapestries, physicians who could do nothing but watch her cough her lungs out before offering a spoonful of honey for her aching throat. She turned away from the window as the bedroom door clicked and her mother entered, bearing a dress of brilliant white embroidered with the most stunning, delicate flowers.

 

The Season was upon them. Josephine built up her strength, re-learning how to walk in heels by promenading in circles around her bedroom, nodding to invisible courtiers while she fought to keep the strain from the edges of her smile. She hoped, by the time of her debut, the colour had returned to her cheeks.

 

@MunaZaldrizoti @UnBaed

For her almost-two decades of fretting over Josephine's health, the Duchess of Adria felt as if she was witnessing a new woman bloom in the halls of the Augustine. Charlotte gazed upon her youngest child with admiration, proud of the young lady she had grown into...and the shining star she was still yet to become. Her only worry, and hope, was that her child enjoyed every moment of it.

Cya out in the real world Miss Belle! Enjoy everything life has to offer!! 🥰

From her apartment within the Augustine, the Duchess of Adria was relayed the news by yet another courtier who was prone to gossip. In a sudden bout of frustration, she bid everyone present to vacate her room.

Mayhaps, in her middling age, she had become more emotional in regards to the subject of children. Her eldest had been stolen almost at birth, her youngest brought into the world a sickly infant. Now, she was being delivered step-grandchildren who had no parental figures at all. Her personal qualms with the young King seemed to diminish, atleast when she thought of his young wife. Last she had seen the pair, they had been so exuding of youthful energy, the same she had at their age, when the world was untouched and void of personal grief.

That evening, she said a prayer for the royal couple, readying herself to deliver her personal condolences in the coming saint's days.

The Duchess of Adria, amidst attending to the pair of infant-princesses that now found a home in the Augustine nursery, found time to read a notated account of the Archchancellor's speech. She sent off a maid to get word to her husband, desiring to have a gift delivered to the DeNurem for his diligent service and skill in statesmanship.

The Duchess of Adria seemed contented with the outcome of the negotiations. However, she seemed more keen on where the Secretary of Foreign Affairs had acquired such a lovely peacock-feather quill. She suspected it brought good fortune to the many treaties they had signed in the last two saint's weeks.

ST. GODWIN’S HARVEST REVEL

Issued by the Court of Oren & the Augustine Palace

12th of Harren’s Folley, 1839

[!] A scene of the Orenian countryside in early-autumn. Commissioned by the Duchess of Adria, Charlotte Augusta, and painted by Court Painter Swanhilda de Owynsburg, 1839.

The season of St. Godwin, Patron Saint of the Deceased, is one dedicated to remembrance and reflection, the celebration of lives lived and memories made. As the summer air gives way to an autumnal chill, we invite all Orenians of all backgrounds and creeds to gather within the warmed walls of the Augustine to celebrate both the seasonal harvest and our dearly departed, dedicating this jubilation to continued prosperity going into the fall and winter seasons of our saint’s year.

Itinerary

The Harvest Revel’s Commencement

The Duchess of Adria, alongside those of her household and members of the court, will welcome the guests with a speech, speaking on the story of Saint Godwin and the importance of honoring those who paved the way for our blessed empire to thrive.

The Great Pumpkin Smashing

Ordered by the Emperor himself, the largest pumpkin found in the countryside will be hollowed out and filled with a grand prize for our guests. Forming a queue, those in attendance will be allowed to take a whack at the pumpkin’s surface, hoping to breach its outer shell and claim the reward inside!

Madame Giry’s Fortunes

Madame Giry, hired by the Augustine Palace, will deliver fortunes to any guests who seek to know what the fall and winter saint’s months hold for them in future. Whether they prove to be true or not, that is up to the recipient to decide! 

(The Augustine Palace and the Imperial Household are not responsible for any false-prophecies or fortunes given by Madame Giry.)

The Beacon of  Remembrance

To conclude the evening, a great brazier will be brought to the center of the ballroom, where guests will be invited to write the names of past loved ones and friends to then toss into the flames, symbolic of providing them warmth as they make their passage into the Seven Skies. A  prayer to honor our ancestors and forebears will follow, lead by a member of the Church of Canon.

The theme for the revel are autumnal colors. Warm tones of red, orange, brown, and yellow to aid in ringing in this new season. Fur is also encouraged, if not to give our guests an extra bit of armor against the cold night air. A buffet will also be afforded to all in attendance throughout the evening.

All citizens of the Holy Orenian Empire are welcomed into the halls of the Augustine Palace for this seasonal jubilation.

Signed, 

Her Imperial Highness, Princess Charlotte of Aldersberg

The Duchess of Adria and Countess of Renzfeld

Her Excellency, Lady Mary Casimira of Carrington

The Lady Governor of the Augustine

The Right Honorable, Lady Anna d’Arkent

Majordomo of the Augustine

On 7/2/2021 at 3:15 PM, z3m0s said:

    OOC

    ((MC Name: MunaZaldrizoti ))

    ((Discord: MunaZaldrizoti#6175))

    ((Timezone: Eastern Standard Time ))

     

    IN-CHARACTER

What is your name?:

Aurelia Helaine Pruvia-Provins, elsewise Aurelia of Rafal

    Why seek membership to the Mages Guild?:

I have begun my journey down the path of magehood and sorcery, but there is still much I do not understand and know. Upon discovering the existance of this ancient Order, I see the potential it has to teach me in the arts of a mage, and likewise allowing me to meet others with a greater understanding of the various magical vocations that exist in our world.

    What arts, if any, do you currently practice?:

At present, I have maintained a voidal connection for almost a saint's week of time. I am currently studying the voidal art of Conjuration.

    What position do you desire to attain upon acceptance?

Practicus

    When should you be contacted for an interview?

Anytime that is convenient for the leaders of the Order is suitable for me. I currently reside in Du Loc, near to the lands of Urguan.

 

[!] A stamp is placed at the bottom of the parchment, bearing the personal arms of it's sender.

The Duchess of Adria prepared her traveling attire for the tour, hoping their search across the empire resulted in uncovering a hidden gem among the women of Oren.

From her apartments, Charlotte Augusta seemed to await the entrance of a commissioned artist, who swiftly knelt before her and bid her a good afternoon. A few minutes passed, with pleasantries exchanged, before he offered forth his completed work.

Borne within a gold-painted frame was a miniature portrait, bearing the likeness of two young ladies, standing side by side. Moliana and Josephine, her only children. She beamed, now satisfied that even in their adventures, she might always be able to look upon their faces in her hours alone. The Princess had the idea for a special pocket sewn into her bodices for this very reason...so that she could always keep this memento close to her heart.