Raatora
Requirements
There are two methods of acquiring the title of Raatora. The oldest and most common method is that the initial ancestor must perform a noble or glorious deed in witness of the king. The king may see, hear, or smell it, but the act must be witnessed directly. Within a full day of that act, the king must confer the title. However, certain questions arose. What if everyone else saw it, but the king was momentarily distracted? What if the king believed the act to be done but failed to witness it?
From these circumstances, the second manner arose. At first, the witness requirements were expanded to members of the royal family, or honorary members of the royal administration. As more and more caveats piled up, the reputation the title commanded diminished greatly. Under the Rengtko Reforms, all nobles who couldn't trace their nobility to a bestowal directly from the king would have the privilege of nobility revoked. Instead, the witnesses of the noble or glorious act could petition the king within a day of the act, at which point the king would pass judgment on the validity of the act and could declare the actor in question a Raatora.
This second manner has been abused from time to time. Weak-willed or unpopular kings could be strong-armed into granting certain people nobility. If one claimed to be a man of the people, the title granted to him by the king might suck the popularity out of his capabilities. Conversely, a group of compatriots might imply that they would stir up trouble if their friend was not given the title of Raatora. Sometimes the conference of Raatora could overshadow accusations of corruption or incompetence. The king's seal of approval would remove all doubt, supposedly. In truth, by tying the newly-proclaimed Raatora to the king, all suspicion of the Raatora would be inextricably tied to criticism of the king. None criticized the king for readily apparent reasons, so the conference of the title of Raatora could be a lifesaver in dark times.
From these circumstances, the second manner arose. At first, the witness requirements were expanded to members of the royal family, or honorary members of the royal administration. As more and more caveats piled up, the reputation the title commanded diminished greatly. Under the Rengtko Reforms, all nobles who couldn't trace their nobility to a bestowal directly from the king would have the privilege of nobility revoked. Instead, the witnesses of the noble or glorious act could petition the king within a day of the act, at which point the king would pass judgment on the validity of the act and could declare the actor in question a Raatora.
This second manner has been abused from time to time. Weak-willed or unpopular kings could be strong-armed into granting certain people nobility. If one claimed to be a man of the people, the title granted to him by the king might suck the popularity out of his capabilities. Conversely, a group of compatriots might imply that they would stir up trouble if their friend was not given the title of Raatora. Sometimes the conference of Raatora could overshadow accusations of corruption or incompetence. The king's seal of approval would remove all doubt, supposedly. In truth, by tying the newly-proclaimed Raatora to the king, all suspicion of the Raatora would be inextricably tied to criticism of the king. None criticized the king for readily apparent reasons, so the conference of the title of Raatora could be a lifesaver in dark times.
Appointment
There is no defined method for appointing new Raatoras, just as there is no technical limit for the number of Raatoras. However, over the course of centuries certain traditions have emerged. It is common for the Raatora-to-be to dine with the king, though not for more than a half-hour due to the time constraints imposed on the appointment of Raatoras. The king usually gives a small token of his gratitude, like a piece of the royal cloak or a item from the royal silverware. Generally, these tokens should be unique from each other, as they will be heirlooms for the families of whomever accepts them.
The word of the king suffices to make an individual and each of the individual's descendants a Raatora, but a brief ceremony is possible. The appointee lies prostrate on the ground as the king (or one of the king's servants) places a great weight on the appointee's back. The great weight has over the course of time varied from a bag of bricks to the footfall of a Kauaru of the royal family, but the object is usually a shield carrying valuable items of gold and steel. The appointee rises to a kneeling position, lifting the burden along the way, at which point the king puts his hands on the appointee's shoulders. Then the words, "By my authority, in my name, you are a Raatora of my order" confirms the conferral of the title.
The word of the king suffices to make an individual and each of the individual's descendants a Raatora, but a brief ceremony is possible. The appointee lies prostrate on the ground as the king (or one of the king's servants) places a great weight on the appointee's back. The great weight has over the course of time varied from a bag of bricks to the footfall of a Kauaru of the royal family, but the object is usually a shield carrying valuable items of gold and steel. The appointee rises to a kneeling position, lifting the burden along the way, at which point the king puts his hands on the appointee's shoulders. Then the words, "By my authority, in my name, you are a Raatora of my order" confirms the conferral of the title.
Duties
It is expected that every individual directly given the title of Raatora by the king would uphold Wlitowa's image, and that of the royal family, when amongst the people or engaging in diplomacy abroad. Generally speaking, a Raatora could do anything, so long as that thing didn't make it back to the ears of the king. Since the king could hear far and wide through his well-dispersed network of servants, though, most Raatora would fervently defend the crown when pressured in diplomatic incidents, and promote the crown even when the situation didn't call for it.
Benefits
The king had access to everything in Wlitowa: all knowledge that could be accumulated across Wouraiya; use to and trespassing rights in all faculties, public or private; and an entire plethora of goods from Wlitowa's trade partners. In the hands of any commoner, these resources would be wasted, even dangerous. Only those who the king trusted and those who the king employed were worthy of such responsibilities.
As a result, a Raatora had access to a wide facility of libraries, even to the point of viewing confidential government information. They had the clearance of most Royal Administrators, having derived their authority from the same apathetic source. Thankfully, Raatoras have rarely used this for actions against the state. It is much more expedient to use any information acquired to blackmail or otherwise conspire against rival households and families.
As a result, a Raatora had access to a wide facility of libraries, even to the point of viewing confidential government information. They had the clearance of most Royal Administrators, having derived their authority from the same apathetic source. Thankfully, Raatoras have rarely used this for actions against the state. It is much more expedient to use any information acquired to blackmail or otherwise conspire against rival households and families.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
The title of Raatora is sacred, since it was granted by the king and sealed with an act of nobility or glory. As a result, it cannot be stripped from the bearer like a mere possession. The Raatora will take his title to his grave, but thankfully that could be arranged. A Raatora who dishonors the king forfeits his life. The royalty could come to collect immediately or at any point in the future, at least until natural death grips the Raatora.
A handful of times, a more creative approach was used. Those granted the title of Raatora who could not uphold their status could be considered dead "in spirit." All their possessions would be taken away from them, including the clothes on their very backs. They could no longer use their birth names, or whatever names they had when the title was bestowed. With a changed name, starting from square one, they would be set off into the wilderness for a new life.
One might argue that this would be a rather effective way to eliminate the wealthiest nobles of Wlitowa and accumulate riches beyond imagination. One forgets, though, that all property within Wlitowa was jointly owned by the king to begin with. Still, this is one of the reasons why nobles lie closer to the commoners than to the royalty in societal structure.
A handful of times, a more creative approach was used. Those granted the title of Raatora who could not uphold their status could be considered dead "in spirit." All their possessions would be taken away from them, including the clothes on their very backs. They could no longer use their birth names, or whatever names they had when the title was bestowed. With a changed name, starting from square one, they would be set off into the wilderness for a new life.
One might argue that this would be a rather effective way to eliminate the wealthiest nobles of Wlitowa and accumulate riches beyond imagination. One forgets, though, that all property within Wlitowa was jointly owned by the king to begin with. Still, this is one of the reasons why nobles lie closer to the commoners than to the royalty in societal structure.
History
Wlitowa was a small fishing village and so had no prestigious families outside the ruling Ewira household. The first king of Wlitowa rightly understood that he could not rule a continent alone. If he didn't appoint leaders to rule in his name, then others would try to rule outside his name. Still, because Wlitowa was new, he had time to appoint the right first leader.
One day, a rockslide trapped an entire region of Wlitowa, cutting them off from trade. The original ancestor of the Kagerai household employed the Kauaru and humans under his employ to remove the rocks and clear the path, saving the city from potential starvation in isolation. The king had found his noble, if only because the saved people were so openly in favor of Lord Kagerai that they threatened to revolt under his name. Kagerai had no such ambitions, his only true love being the bottle. The king left his house immediately upon hearing that the passage was almost cleared. He watched the final rock be removed by Lord Kagerai himself, at which point he provided Lord Kagerai with his finest bottle of wine. The king declared Kagerai a Raatora, the first noble of his reign. Lord Kagerai knelt before the king, affirming his submission to the king in front of all those underneath him. Few would ever be such a threat to the king's rule again.
One day, a rockslide trapped an entire region of Wlitowa, cutting them off from trade. The original ancestor of the Kagerai household employed the Kauaru and humans under his employ to remove the rocks and clear the path, saving the city from potential starvation in isolation. The king had found his noble, if only because the saved people were so openly in favor of Lord Kagerai that they threatened to revolt under his name. Kagerai had no such ambitions, his only true love being the bottle. The king left his house immediately upon hearing that the passage was almost cleared. He watched the final rock be removed by Lord Kagerai himself, at which point he provided Lord Kagerai with his finest bottle of wine. The king declared Kagerai a Raatora, the first noble of his reign. Lord Kagerai knelt before the king, affirming his submission to the king in front of all those underneath him. Few would ever be such a threat to the king's rule again.
Cultural Significance
It's commonly said that the Raatora is closer to the beggar than to the king. While this statement certainly attests to the loftiness of the status of the royalty, the Raatora is distinguishable from the commoner. The Raatora often gets the seat of honor in parties and gatherings, and the work of a Raatora is often given more preference and prestige from the title alone.
Notable Holders
Members of the Kagerai household are perhaps the most famous holders of the Raatora title, for none of the best reasons and almost all of the worst. Their ancestor was one of the very first to receive the title. While he was awarded for his valor, he was already a notorious drunkard. His line has been in perpetual decline ever since. While the speed of the Kagerai downfall has often varied in magnitude, the citizens of Wlitowa always seem to underestimate the Kagerai's ancestral wealth and overestimate the depths to which the Kagerai can sink. The lineage is plagued with scandal and misfortune, usually self-inflicted but also caused by external forces. For all this folly, they still maintain an air of superiority and a taste for the luxurious. They look down on everyone while everyone looks down on them.
By comparison, the Yetilyag household is a shining beacon of virtue and health, despite their eccentric philosophies. They have sponsored many if not most of Wlitowa's best ventures, and so they are directly responsible for their successes. For their patronage, they receive great acclaim from the general populace. Simultaneously, however, they have sponsored as many projects that were destined to fail, simply because they sponsor everything. They believe that every venture deserves focus, and only the fullest focus will do. Their successful ventures keep them afloat, but their finances are a perpetual struggle.
The Katirir household is among the newest to obtain the Raatora title. Because they have little reputation to spend, they resort to hard work and safe ventures for their personal wellbeing. Patrons of the household directly manage their olive oil presses (among other ventures), where most houses would shy away from such dirty work. In fact, the word "Katirir" is borrowed from the family's detractors; "kah" means "foul" and "tirir" means "smelling." Still, the family generally takes it as a compliment, as they believe that hard work is the wellspring of true success. Even so, they enjoy the luxury of philosophy, and they delight in wisdom when it is shared with them.
By comparison, the Yetilyag household is a shining beacon of virtue and health, despite their eccentric philosophies. They have sponsored many if not most of Wlitowa's best ventures, and so they are directly responsible for their successes. For their patronage, they receive great acclaim from the general populace. Simultaneously, however, they have sponsored as many projects that were destined to fail, simply because they sponsor everything. They believe that every venture deserves focus, and only the fullest focus will do. Their successful ventures keep them afloat, but their finances are a perpetual struggle.
The Katirir household is among the newest to obtain the Raatora title. Because they have little reputation to spend, they resort to hard work and safe ventures for their personal wellbeing. Patrons of the household directly manage their olive oil presses (among other ventures), where most houses would shy away from such dirty work. In fact, the word "Katirir" is borrowed from the family's detractors; "kah" means "foul" and "tirir" means "smelling." Still, the family generally takes it as a compliment, as they believe that hard work is the wellspring of true success. Even so, they enjoy the luxury of philosophy, and they delight in wisdom when it is shared with them.
Type
Nobility, Hereditary
Current Holders
Related Locations
Related Organizations
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