From: cynthia@ncd.com (Cynthia Virtue)
Message-Id: <9401181010.ZM22269@bryant.ncd.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 1994 10:10:15 -0800
To: carolingia@bloom-beacon.mit.edu
Subject: Reflections of principality issues

Carolingia status mentis est, they say, and I think it is true: although I
have been gone from Carolingia for nearly two years, and am just now
reactivating in the SCA out here in the Mists, I still think of myself
somewhat as a Carolingian in exile.  Thus my following comments on the
principality brouhaha:

One of the good reasons for a principality, and [ultimately] a new kingdom
is the greater ability for the new lesser royalty to recognize talent and
dedication of the populace.  I think this is an issue that is very
important.  However, one of the flip sides of a new vector of royalty, is
that you get more royals.  And ex-royals.

This past weekend I attended West Kingdom Twelfth Night.  It was nifty.
 However, I noticed that there were a disproportionate number of people
with pointy metal hats.  No doubt this is because the West has the
Principality of the Mists, the Principality of Cynagua, the Principality of
Lochac, and the Principality of Oertha all under its mantle.  That makes
FIVE crown or coronet seats to fill, plus consorts, multiplied by the three
times a year that they hold such tourneys out here.  I'm sure you can do
the multiplication: that means thirty new pointy hats per year.  When
royals are a dime a dozen, how does that change the dynamics of our game?

In my opinion, the West is caught halfway through the principality process.
 It has a bunch of principalities, but none of the current group have gone
kingdom.  Thus, it is like a large family with a passel of grown children,
none of whom have left to start their own homes.

It may well be that the West views the situation differently, but I would
not want to see this happen to the East Kingdom.  If the current people of
the East decide they want another principality, I strongly advise that they
not think of it as just a principality question, but think of it as one
step on the way to a new kingdom.

Cynthia du Pre Argent


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Cynthia Virtue					cynthia@ncd.com
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