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inky-duchess · 2 days ago

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Fantasy Guide to the Death of Monarchs

(no, unfortunately this is not a how to guide. Special Branch can now unhitch from outside my house)

To quote The Lion King... The Circle of Life. Monarchs are born, they live, they die. But what exactly happens when a monarch dies?

Dying

The monarch is on their deathbed. Their family, their friends, their advisers (their bit on the side sometimes) are lingering in the room or in the corridor. But of course, death isn't always expected. Usually, if the death is sudden, such as during a military campaign or an assassination, there is a scramble to preserve the news of the death for a time in order to make the necessary arrangements.

Causes of Death

"... Let us sit upon the ground. And tell sad stories of the death of kings; How some have been deposed; some slain in war, Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed; Some poison'd by their wives: some sleeping kill'd; All murder'd," - William Shakespeare, Richard II.

Monarchs die like everybody else. They can die from anything. Disease (Alexander the Great), death at war (Richard I), assassination (Philip III of Macedonia), old age (Elizabeth II), starvation (Richard II), misuse of a hot poker (Edward II), murder at the hands of family (Edward V), childbirth (Jadwiga of Poland), accident (William of Orange... Pussy) , poison (Emperor Claudius) or on the toilet (George II). The death of a monarch is something at will be contested sometimes. If the body is not seen, there may be a belief that they live on. If the monarch dies suddenly, there may be rumours of foul play. No matter how a monarch dies, it will lead to uneasiness.

After Death

The steps after the monarch dies, usually include securing the next heir, proclaiming them to the people, and then working toward a clean succession. This time is delicate, it can be the breeding ground of coups and treacheries. Any claim other than the designated heir must be silenced by the proclaimation of the next sovereign as soon as possible. Child monarchs are extremely at risk during this period as the adults around them will seek to take custody of them. They who hold the monarch hold the power. It is imperative that the heir be notified at once so the stability of the kingdom can be assured.

The X is dead, Long Live the Next Guy

Once they breathe their last, all attention will turn to the next monarch or the scramble to find one. Be it by succession by blood or an election, the designated successor will immediately (even in the absence of a coronation) become the next monarch. Likely they will have been near their predecessor, either at their bedside or at least in shouting distance. But if they are away, they will quickly return to claim their throne. Without delay. Elizabeth II was actually on royal tour when she recieved news her father had died, leading to a hasty scramble back home.

When things don't go according to plan

The monarch passes away. There are tears. Sometimes. There are sometimes coups as I mentioned. Young would be monarchs could be kidnapped, eg. Edward V. Another heir claims the throne instead of the designated heir, eg Lady Jane Grey and King Stephen. Monarchs who die on battlefields can have their bodies stolen (James IV of Scotland) or thrown into a ditch with their crown snatched (Richard III). The death of a monarch is a delicate time and dangerous for all royal family members. In some instances, it would lead to murder. If a son of a previous Ottoman Sultan wished to be the next Sultan, they would order the mass murder of their brothers upon their father's death - usually death by strangulation.

Funeral

The funeral of the monarch is something that is usually planned from day one. There would be some sort of plan in place for the funeral, the when, the where and the how. The monarch might know these plans but the upper rank of courtier and aides would know. Funerals would follow a certain pattern, likely adapting from previous funerals. They would be a public, a lavish ceremony that would see to the closure of businesses, entertainment venues, the arrival of foreign dignitaries and a long procession of the body surrounded by military forces, watched over by the grieving public. If they actually liked the monarch. Some deaths of Kings were met without any sadness such as George IV. There might also be lavish games thrown in the monarch's honour.

Mourning

Mourning is the period of time that the country, the court and royal family grieves publicly. It can last a week or so, like today. Or up to a year. In China, sometimes mourning lasted 3 years or more. Mourning period often came with strict rules about what one could do or dress in. In Edwardian times, there were stages in mourning. Full mourning could last up to a year, with women wearing black with very little ornament and widows covering their hair with bonnets of veils. Second mourning (6-9 months), women's clothes could be adorned with trimming and finally half mourning is the 3-6 month period where colour started to be reintroduced, restricted at first to greys and mauves. There would be no balls, no parties, no sporting during the deepest part of mourning.

#Fantasy Guide to death of a monarch #Death of Monarchs #writing #writeblr #writing resources #writing reference #writing advice #writer #spilled words #writer's problems #writer's life #Writing guide #Writer research #Writer resources #Royal funeral #Royalty #Royal #Royalty and nobility

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answermetatertot · 1 day ago

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YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! *claps like a 5 year old* FINALLY SOME ASKS THAT PERTAIN TO MY LITTLE TATER TOT

(so sorry if this was an ask that was meant for your own ocs... i'll delete this if you message me, i couldnt completely tell but its too good to pass up)

Asks for a Royal WIP or a Royal AU.

What rank is your OC? Tater tot is the grand empress of the sol-star empire (multi-planet empire, mind you. they are aliens but not in the warhammer way)

How are they addressed? Close friends & family still refer to her as 'your highness' because she was a princess for a long, long time. it's like a nickname at this point to call her princess and she doesn't mind. However, people outside of her usually address her as 'your excellency' or 'your majesty'

Do they always expect to be addressed formally at all times? Are they comfortable with it? Tater tot doesn't think about it too much, but with people who are close with her, she doesn't like to be addressed in any kind of formal way. it makes her feel distant and it might hurt her feelings to be addressed by her rank rather than a nickname or name.

Where do they stand in the succession? How do they feel about this? Ok so- quick lore- in the sol-star empire, the line of succession does not play a huge role. The parents choose what child is the heir. Tater tot is the baby, but she was given the same level of responsibility as her older siblings daniel & lana (I'll introduce them later)

What sort of succession system is it? Agnatic? Primogeniture? Gender-biased? The succession line is basically 'it depends on how closely related you are to the one in power'. Children will be prefered over siblings, but if there are no children, siblings.

What sort of monarchy does your OC belong to? Do they like this style? Semi-constitutional. There are special laws in place that make sure that the ruler doesn't commit any human(? alien rights?) rights violations.

What's your OC's opinion on Monarchy? Do they believe in it? Are they for or against? Reasons why? Tater tot is mostly for the monarchy, but she does ensure that the people have a say in what happens to them. She believes that her position is God-given, and that her duty is to serve her people, not completely dominant them. She believes she's serving a higher purpose.

How did the dynasty come to be? The dynasty came to be when the first of her kind were driven out of their native home on earth. they went into hiding underground, and since they were isolated, beaten down, hunted and hated for so long, their philosphy that was basically ingrained in them and there culture was to 'rise from the ashes'. They were pretty smart, and always curious. They believed everyone served a purpose, and every child that was born was eventually taught with the best knowledge they had and sent out into the world to help advance them as a people. Eventually, tater tot's ancestor (which they call 'the father of the sol-star empire') was the one who established order among them. He made it to where everything was organized & everything had a system. He was the smartest of the bunch, and so he was elected to lead the people. Everyone thought that he was blessed, and therefore his children would be blessed to. In order to keep this gift of knowledge alive, people in tater tot's family would only marry the best of the best, and only they (with the people's input, but they had the final stay) would make the final choice. They grew from a community, to a tribe, to a principality, to a kingdom, to eventually escaping earth altogether to concquer the stars.

What is the dynasty known for? Are they bloody like the Tudors? Are they fabulously wealthy like the Romanovs? Are they... A loving family like the Hapsburgs? *opening twangs of Sweet Home Alabama* I think tater tot's family is best known for contributing so much to science & advancement.

Is the dynasty old? Or new? How does this effect how they operate? The dynasty is at least ~20,000 years old. It does affect the way it runs, but under the numerous eras it has undergone with its different leaders, it's been modernized when needed to better fit the needs of the people.

Are they traditionalists or modernise? They're pretty traditional when it comes to values & culture.

What do the people think of the royal family? Are they headed toward Monseiur Guillotine? Or treasured? Hmmmm.... I think it depends on which planet you're on. For the planets that the they established first (no one was there), they have a pretty positive reputation. On planets they've negotiated with ('hey i'll give you protection if you become apart of our empire (more on that later. yes there are other space empires and it gets pretty dark)), they have an okay reputation. for them it depends on who's ruling rather than the empire itself. of course, they are respected and they are cordial with them. With other empires they're not aligned with, they're neutral. With empires that they've fought with, they actually just want to exterminate them and their people. like all of them. they hate them so much. (more on this later too)

Is there a famous ancestor they look up to? One they would rather not speak about? Other than the guy I mentioned earlier who started this all, Tater Tot's grandfather 'Agusto' is almost made into a legend. He united the empire's planets through government, took more planets and hastened the advancement of the people in general.

Are there any pretenders to the Crown? If so, who are they and why do they believe they have a right to the throne? N/A, haven't thought about this.

What are some monuments built by the dynasty? N/A, too hard to explain

What are some duties your OC is expected to perform? Military service? The bestowing of honours? Attending the monarch at large events? Tater tot is expected to lead the military in a war setting as a king would. she also is (and has done) military service for a minimum of 3-5 years.

Does your OC dislike living in the public eye? Or do they believe it's part of the job? Tater tot does kind of dislike it, but she's used to it so she also feels like it's apart of the job. she hates having to be perfect all the time.

Where does your OC live? The ancestoral/family palace is somewhere in the 'wild'... think nice looking pastures with mountains in the distance. think versailles.

How many palaces, castles and homes does your OC call home? Only about 2. 1. the palace I mentioned earlier. 2. she grew up in a chataeu-esque palace with her late nanny. whenever she can, she loves spending time there to get away from it all.

Has your OC ever been on a tour of their country? What's their favourite region? She has! I guess in this instance her favorite planet has been fleur-de-lis, a kingdom of one of her close friends. she wishes she could live there so badly. nice weather, nice food, (and fashion she admires). the people have a special kind of sass that she loves too.

How does your OC view politics? Are they a reformer or do they prefer to hide from change? It depends. Tater tot wants to preserve her culture as much as possible, but if she sees that the tradition is harming people, she'll advocate for change.

Your OC has a day engagement. What do they wear? Probably either her normal uniform or something formal but trendy (or what her people consider trendy.). Always pink!

Your OC has a state occasion. What do they wear? She's probably going to wear something that is formal, pretty (maybe kind of diva-ish) that compliments her body WITHOUT pissing off her parents. she likes to show off but isn't quite brave enough.

Does your OC enjoy ceremonial ornaments such as orders, tiaras, uniforms and crowns? If not, why? If so, why? She does! she finds them beautiful and it makes her proud of her family history.

Do they enjoy large public occasions? Do they enjoy the pomp and ceremony? Not really... she doesn't like having to talk to so many people for so long. she isn't a person that physically smiles a lot so having to do it a lot (even when she doesn't feel like it) makes her tired & her face hurt. She doesn't really enjoy talking to many celebs or politicians, or anyone in power really because they know they're just kissing her behind anyway.

Somebody has neglected to bow/curtsy in an effort to insult. What does your OC do in response? Tater tot would probably overlook it and carry on. However, if it was blatant she wouldn't hesitate to call that person out in a more subtle-classy way.

They encounter somebody who doesn't recognise them but they are friendly. Does your OC a) immediately inform them b) leave them off and just have a nice chat c) other option. B! she would savor this moment to feel like a regular person from her busy daily life.

Are they known for their fashion taste? Absolutely! whatever new thing she does (especially if she gets backlash off of it), other women of her kind will re-create it or be inspired off of it.

Does your OC do any charity work? What are some charities they support? She does! she mainly focuses on charities that serve the children, the poor, the abused, and the disabled. Basically, she's focusing on the wellfare of her people.

How does the press characterize your OC? Are they a darling or a devil? The press characterizes her as a snow-queen with a stubborn streak. Pretty but cold & calculated. she's actually a pretty warm person, but she's been taught to be poised and elegant all her life so she's afraid to break that perception.

Your OC has been the target of some bad press. What to they do to straighten out the story? She would probably give a formal speech addressing what happened, presenting as many facts as possible in order to clear her name. She's a ball of anxiety when stuff like this happens, so she would probably wait a little while (a couple of weeks) to calm down and say something.

Has your OC ever escaped the palace for an adventure? No, she's a 'goody-two-shoes'

What are some famous pieces of jewellery owned by the royal family? A tiara that has been passed down from her grandmother (who was married to the Agusto), all the way down to her.

How does jewellery work in the family? Who can wear what pieces? Who decides this? The jewelry that was made for a specific person that was in a rank can only be given to those of the same rank as the original person. So the tiara was made for tater tot's grandmother when she had just became the empress the same time as her grandfather, so tater tot only got to wear it when she herself became an empress.

Do they have servants? Is your OC liked by the servants? If not, why? Like any other royal person, she has servants. She makes sure to have manners; saying please and thank-you and trying not to make a bigger mess for her maids to clean up. She as a reputation for being understanding and kind, and pretty much amused by any mistake they make. it's never a big deal to her but something that makes her happy because it allows her to feel 'human', and make the other people around her feel real as well.

Are they close to anybody who isn't royal? A servant? A companion? Yes of course! her ladies-in-waiting, wardrobe manager, her chef, she's even friends with people who she sponsors (the arts)

Does your OC ever hate being born royal? Not really. She's proud of her job despite its set-backs.

Are there any restrictions on them because they are royal? Can they marry as they like? Live how they want? Is there anything they are utterly barred from doing? There are no legal restrictions but there are strong social concequences if she fails to follow traditional values in her family. She's expected to marry someone her rank (or even slightly lower if all they want is children and don't care about land or whatever). If not that, someone who is extremely wealthy would be the second best thing.

What are some expectations your OC must live up to? Can they fulfil them? If not, why not? Tater tot is expected to further advance the empire. What the people want more than ever is to expand into new territory and establish their glory & riches further. Tater tot is capable of following them, it's in her blood. But does she want to? It doesn't matter. It's what the people want.

What are some ridiculous rules they must follow? Tater tot's routine is made a spectacle among her family members 💀 I mean like she has to 'wake up' in front of them, eat breakfast, and be dressed in front of them in the morning. If she has children, she has to give birth in front of them. New marriage? well they're going to see her off to the marriage bed. But thankfully not the act itself. It pisses her off so bad but she can't even change the routine because it was one of those special laws established by her grandfather to 'prove' where royal family members were so that no one can accuse them of anything. (She thinks it was a pride thing and that he was crazy... and she's somewhat correct)

How rigid is royal life? Very. Her day is almost always booked with something to do. Her only leisure time is on sundays after church, holidays or when she's straight up sick.

What privileges are they entitled to? Tater tot is has an immense amount of control over her family politically. She approves of marriages, she 'decides' whether or not a child is legitimate, she can approve of them going places, she controls their allowances, and she gets the final say on all matters.

How does being royal effect how they act? Are they predisposed to snobbery? Or do they believe themselves above others? Tater tot is predisposed to believing that because she's the ruler, her opinion trumps everyone in her corner. She's painfully aware of this and is trying to work on it.

Have they ever had a scandal? If so, details. Probably marrying a human LOL ('human'... all my ocs are sea creatures but Tobias is from earth so I'll jsut call him 'human' even though he isn't.) Because of what I mentioned earlier (marriage), marrying Tobias, a FARMER that had nothing to brag about irritated other nobles & royal people, and even her own subjects. But the people quickly warmed up to him because he has a personality that they gravitated to as a whole. Her family said that she was 'tainting their bloodline by marrying the lowest she could possibly find in the whole galaxy', and they said that she'd placed a curse on them by doing this. This is one of the few times she fought back with them and basically told them to go _ themselves. She fell in love with him when she had crash-landed on his planet and went missing for a couple of years as a teenager lol. He showed her a whole other way of life and she fell in love with him for who he was, and how he treated her with genuine love and warmth. So, when she eventually made it back home, she continued her secret affair with him until she had eloped with him. She didn't want a huge wedding, she just wanted him and a couple of close friends and family they both had. He moved to where she was under the guise of being an assistant on a human-alien exchange program that was for the purpose of building a better relationship with the humans. The news ended up getting out at first as tater tot having an affair with her assistant, but the full truth came out that they'd been in a relationship (and married) for a while now.

What is your OC known for? Their hardwork? Their duty? Their wild social life? Tater tot is best known for her hard work & dedication to her people. (and sometimes her wild popculture moments) (include the above mentioned scandal)

If your OC ever had to choose between what's best for the Crown or themselves, what would they choose? She would choose her people always.

If they are ever offered the chance of power, would they oust the monarch? N/A because for some reason I cant understand this question

If the monarch was in danger of running the country into the ground, would your OC rebel against them? YES. 1000% she would. This goes back to her family values & her belief that she is born to serve.

There's a revolution and everyone wants the royals dead. What does your OC do? A) Join the Revolution B) RUN C) Stay and keeping living the high life (god that mob is getting close) D) Betray their family and give them to the mob to save themselves. B. She would probably just leave. She's tired, and drained and at that point would only want to be with her husband. She would probably just follow him back to his home and live out the rest of her days with him.

Your OC has been invited to a large party on the eve of a very bad disaster which has killed and wounded many. Do they attend the party? Or head to the site to help or at very least show they care? Tater tot would be embarrassed that she was even invited in the first place. She would harshly reject the invite and tend to the people who were affected by the disaster.

Asks for a Royal WIP or a Royal AU.

What rank is your OC?

How are they addressed?

Do they always expect to be addressed formally at all times? Are they comfortable with it?

Where do they stand in the succession? How do they feel about this?

What sort of succession system is it? Agnatic? Primogeniture? Gender-biased?

What sort of monarchy does your OC belong to? Do they like this style?

What's your OC's opinion on Monarchy? Do they believe in it? Are they for or against? Reasons why?

How did the dynasty come to be?

What is the dynasty known for? Are they bloody like the Tudors? Are they fabulously wealthy like the Romanovs? Are they... A loving family like the Hapsburgs? *opening twangs of Sweet Home Alabama*

Is the dynasty old? Or new? How does this effect how they operate?

Are they traditionalists or modernise?

What do the people think of the royal family? Are they headed toward Monseiur Guillotine? Or treasured?

Is there a famous ancestor they look up to? One they would rather not speak about?

Are there any pretenders to the Crown? If so, who are they and why do they believe they have a right to the throne?

What are some monuments built by the dynasty?

What are some duties your OC is expected to perform? Military service? The bestowing of honours? Attending the monarch at large events?

Does your OC dislike living in the public eye? Or do they believe it's part of the job?

Where does your OC live?

How many palaces, castles and homes does your OC call home?

Has your OC ever been on a tour of their country? What's their favourite region?

How does your OC view politics? Are they a reformer or do they prefer to hide from change?

Your OC has a day engagement. What do they wear?

Your OC has a state occasion. What do they wear?

Does your OC enjoy ceremonial ornaments such as orders, tiaras, uniforms and crowns? If not, why? If so, why?

Do they enjoy large public occasions? Do they enjoy the pomp and ceremony?

Somebody has neglected to bow/curtsy in an effort to insult. What does your OC do in response?

They encounter somebody who doesn't recognise them but they are friendly. Does your OC a) immediately inform them b) leave them off and just have a nice chat c) other option.

Are they known for their fashion taste?

Does your OC do any charity work? What are some charities they support?

How does the press characterize your OC? Are they a darling or a devil?

Your OC has been the target of some bad press. What to they do to straighten out the story?

Has your OC ever escaped the palace for an adventure?

What are some famous pieces of jewellery owned by the royal family?

How does jewellery work in the family? Who can wear what pieces? Who decides this?

Do they have servants? Is your OC liked by the servants? If not, why?

Are they close to anybody who isn't royal? A servant? A companion?

Does your OC ever hate being born royal?

Are there any restrictions on them because they are royal? Can they marry as they like? Live how they want? Is there anything they are utterly barred from doing?

What are some expectations your OC must live up to? Can they fulfil them? If not, why not?

What are some ridiculous rules they must follow?

How rigid is royal life?

What privileges are they entitled to?

How does being royal effect how they act? Are they predisposed to snobbery? Or do they believe themselves above others?

Have they ever had a scandal? If so, details.

What is your OC known for? Their hardwork? Their duty? Their wild social life?

If your OC ever had to choose between what's best for the Crown or themselves, what would they choose?

If they are ever offered the chance of power, would they oust the monarch?

If the monarch was in danger of running the country into the ground, would your OC rebel against them?

Your OC has been invited to a large party on the eve of a very bad disaster which has killed and wounded many. Do they attend the party? Or head to the site to help or at very least show they care?

I will accept asks for Misha, Olezka, Katya, Sergei.

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