[MR] Patent leather, was "Triton speaks"

[Lisa and Ken Theriot]

Rhiannon wrote:

[So does this mean that for those people who have already received
Peerages and the like and just recently received Court Baronys and like,
these new awards not only don't "count", they shouldn't have happened?]

Not at all.  It's important to separate an award from its
"armigerousness".  There's no reason a Laurel, especially from another
kingdom, cannot receive a Pearl for teaching the arts in Atlantia; it
just doesn't change their status as a patent holder.  Jaelle's example
of military rank is good; I also use the example of home ownership.
When you buy the house, it's yours in name only, because the bank owns
most of it.  If you don't make the payments, you'll lose it.  There
comes a day when you make the last payment and now it really is yours;
that's your patent.  That's why you can't have multiple patents, because
you can't own more than 100% of your house.  Likewise it's pointless for
someone who already owns 100% of their house to be told,
"Congratulations, you now own 50% of your house!" (i.e., a grant).

Court baronies are a definite exception, because they confer a different
(cooler and way more period than Master/Mistress) title and certain
rights, like wearing a coronet.  In fact, in less enlightened kingdoms
where there are heavy sumptuary laws, things get fairly ridiculous.
When I lived in Atenveldt, I could not, as a peer of the realm, wear
metal on my head, not even a circlet to hold my veil on.  On the other
hand, someone who was a personal friend of the Crown and received a
court barony, though they held no award higher than the AoA level, could
wear a coronet.  Go figure.