Anniversary of Nobility

An Arms Race of Oppulence

It does not take much for the Nobles of Ilysium to throw a party. Most nights there is one celebration or another, and their revelry can be heard clear across the city. Their Anniveraries, however, make even those events seem like quaint gatherings.

— Laurenti Strabo, Professor of Society

Each year, the Noble Houses of Ilsyium plan for their anniversary, the date they were raised to Nobility. Each celebration is used to prove their superiority over the other Houses, as well as give a chance for the individual families of each House to show off to each other. Accolades and accomplishments are paraded around in halls filled to the brim with lavish garments, jewlery, and enough rare meats to feed a whole village.

Key Participants

Heads

Heirs

Newborns

The whole celebration is thrown in the Noble Head's honor, as they are the representative of the whole House. However, each family's head is expected to at the least provide a fitting gift, if not fund or host the festivities.

The ones who are being raised to lead each family must prove themselves each year, and showcase their achievements as part of the celebrations. While most families are feircely competetive, only some heirs are.

Though they are not expected to do anything, any new children are presented during the celebration, and often lavished with gifts that they cannot use until much later in their lives.

Purpose

Internally

Each Anniversary allows both for the families of each House to show off their accomplishments and gauge their rival's. While distantly related, families often vie for control over small aspects of the House, or, rarely, make the attempt to take the seat of power at the Head. These parties are not only a chance for the current Heads to let out some friendly competition, but also prove that they are more than fit to continue leading. Among the younger Nobles, it often is just another lavish party, and a chance to spend time with their more distant relatives.

Externally

Similalry to its internal purpose, these extravagant parties are a method of judging Houses' against each other. If House Ambergard throws a better Anniversary than House Putrace, it is clear to everyone present that Ambergard is the superior. This has led to an arms race of opulence, as each House attempts to out-do both their competitors and every party from the year prior.

Traditions

Avisong

As the Imperial House, their Anniversary is more of a national holiday than a celebration, as all citizens and colonists of the Empire are urged to take part in the celebrations. While it may be an incredible waste of resources, the opportunity to eat like noblity for at least one day a year does keep the common folk compliant.

Putrace

House Putrace's celebrations are the only other House's that could compete with the scale of House Avisong. They achieve this not by distributing large amounts of food and alcohol, but instead by simply allowing the colonists under their control (which is most of them) a few days off. Some take the chance to rest, but most celebrate.

Ambergard

By far the most lavish celebration belongs to Ambergard, mainly because they have near complete control of the treasury. At their last Anniversary, their Head wore a dress covered in gold scales.

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