Lineage
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Noble Bloodlines
Each person who is born of a d'Angeline can boast some small spark of the angels blood within their veins. It is the gift of the companions. There are those however who can trace their line back to the specific companions, who after years of careful breeding through marrying of near cousins and with others of the same bloodline, maintain a stronger connection and trace of the angelic qualities. This manifests itself in physical, emotional and sometimes intellectual traits. This are deemed the Marks of the Scions.
The marks of the scions vary from family to family. Some are readily apparent such as the violet eyes of the L'Envers family, the silver hair of Camael's line, or the blue black tresses and cold blue eye combination of Kushiel's line, or the long lives of those of Elua's line. The Somervilles, long since blended with the Trevalions, give off the scent of apple when their emotions are roused and is an example of an emotional mark assosciated with Anael's line. Along with the comforting and calming hands that those of Eisheth's line seem to possess, or the insufferable pride that those of Azza's line produce which are also emotional indicators of the lineage of the scions. The intellectual marks can be counted few and far between. Shahrizai's have the ability to discern the fault or flaw of a person with careful study. Those of Shemhazai's line are known to have quick minds and blessed with good memory.
Pedigree
In a land where the nobility boasts the blood of the Angels running through their veins, it is expected that lineage and bloodline remain extremely important. At times this value can clash with the other most prominent value of D'Angelines 'Love as Thou Wilt'. And so the people of Terre d'Ange strike a delicate balance between politics, love, and faith when they look to building their families through marriage and children.
Marriage
Though marriages based predominantly on love are honored and celebrated like the fairy tales they are, romance is still not the only reason for marriage in Terre D'Ange. Just as in the societies in lands that surround, marriages can be entered into as a form of political contract, either arranged by the respective families, or in some cases by the spouses themselves. The reasons for this can be varied. Allied families may wish to see their children wed to make alliances stronger. A family with title and little wealth might choose a match with a wealthy and less titled family in order to see both assets combined. In some cases, marriages are somewhat akin to breeding horses, and lines of powerful families may choose matches that keep their bloodlines strong. The Shahrizai's are known to be the bearers of the purest blood thanks to their notoriety of obsessively marrying as close as they can to preserve said purity.
When marriages of love do take place among the nobility, it is often because stars aligned and romance and practicality were possible in one place. There are those who have rebelled against the idea of marrying for politics and chosen spouses that their families (or in some cases their entire country) do not approve of. For the most part however, noble D'Angelines are willing to do their part in following tradition, even while they are seeking love.
Among D'Angelines not descended from nobility, there is a good deal more freedom in considering one's marriage prospects. While there are times when merchant families might unite to produce more wealth, most often those without pedigree are able to choose matches for themselves. This can be based on a great love, or something as simple as companionship and family. All D'Angelines take marriage rather seriously, as the foundation by which their families are built and the future of their people assured.
Consorts
Whereas marriage exists in Terre D'Ange to serve a variety of purposes, and not always linked to deep matches of love, the status of 'consort' comes with a whole other denotation entirely. A consort is a partner that is officially recognized by court and country, most often a long-lasting love match. Legally there is only one real difference between a consort and a lover or mistress, and that is the legitimizing of children born to the pair. But there are those who officially declare a consort who have no interest in children, and instead want to honor a partner outside the bonds of marriage. The reasons for naming a consort rather than marrying can be numerous. Perhaps one of the parties has already entered into a marriage contract with someone else, or finds the idea of marriage itself distasteful or unappealing. And while consorts are typically named from long term relationships, they are not legally bound for the rest of life, and so allow the parties to end the relationship should they so choose without the social or financial penalties that might come with a dissolution of marriage.
Inheritance
The following are ways to inherit a title, or be born into a title in Terre D'Ange:
- To be a child born into wedlock in a noble family.
- To be a child born into a union of noble and consort, where the noble acknowledges that they are the parent.
- To be the adopted child of a noble and have lands left to you upon their death.
The following situations usually do -not- lead to the inheritance of land or title:
- To be born outside of wedlock between parents with no legal relationship (marriage or consort)
- To be born outside of wedlock where one parent acknowledges the relationship/paternity and the other denies it.
- To be born outside of wedlock and never acknowledged.
