Antan society was heavily shaped by a class of nobles, known as the Peerage of Ante.
Families possessing the right of nobility played important roles in Ante, from government to landlordship to industry. The more powerful families sometimes had branches in several Antan towns and cities, but it was more common for a noble family to have a distinct set of power.
Peerage had a rigid system of ranks, but lower ranks could be bestowed on non-nobles for acts of service to the Sovereign or by buying property.
Culture
Antan nobles prided themselves on their Fey heritage, central to Ante's founding mythology. All noble families curated genealogies, with many "proving" they descended from particularly noteworthy Fey ancestors. However, like most Antans, nobles tended to have diverse heritage, although high-ranking nobles could be almost pure Fey.
Noble families usually passed on their power and property by right of inheritance. Depending on the family, this could be distributed among multiple heirs, but it was commonly passed on only to the eldest or most promising child.
Children who were not set to inherit, especially from lower-rank families, were sometimes pushed towards university educations with the hopes that they could receive employment as an assistant for a more prominent noble. Although the chances of receiving their own property as a reward weren't high, this was still considered a high prestige role.
Ranks
Ante's nobility had a strict hierarchy of ranks, determined by proximity to the monarchy.
The Sovereign
Only one single Sovereign could exist at any one time. They functioned as the leader of Ante and Ante's nobility. The rank of Sovereign was passed to a chosen successor of the previous one, provided they were blood related: in cases where the Sovereign died without naming an heir, the next closest blood relation was nominated. This ensured the rank tends to stay in one family, which during the events of Spireloft was the Amberthornes. The Sovereign, such as Aya Amberthorne, used the title of Queen or King.
Loyals
Loyals were close servants of the Sovereign, who possessed a noble rank of their own. Loyals of the Sovereign are considered to have more power and prestige than the Sovereigns own children.
Dux
The Dux (plural) were the children or close relatives of the Sovereign. Of considerable less power than the Loyals, they were nonetheless powerful in their own right and could inherit the title of King or Queen.
Baros
Important nobles distinguished by the fact that they (or their relative) had received land or property directly from the Sovereign, signifying favour. Most Baros were so by grace of the current sovereign, but some families managed to maintain their rank and standing from a previous Sovereign's grant.
Lords and Ladies
The vast majority of nobles were of this rank. The actual power of Lords/Ladies and their families could vary significantly from one example to another, as some families possessed vast tracts of land and successful businesses while others were essentially broke apart from their title. This rank of nobility could be bought by service to the Sovereign or, more commonly, by marriage into an existing family or by purchasing property.
Known Nobles
- Aya Amberthorne - the Sovereign.
- Bakutis Amberthorne - a distant Amberthorne relative.
- Jaux Auborin - a Loyal
- Archbrand Family
- Idari Archbrand
- Cadogin Family - minor Lords from Sumnar
- Klaes Cadogin
- Lyss Cadogin