[MR] Length of term for Atlantian royalty

[Dave Montuori]

Scripsit Mathias:
>> I'd always assumed the royal terms-of-service were somewhat 
>> standardized.

Respondit Donal:
> In a sense, they are.  There are two basic patterns.
> The "Western Rite" has three reigns a year, and the Crown Tourneys tend 
> to be held fairly late in the reigns, so that there is a relatively 
> short time between the Crown Tourney and the Coronation.

At this time, only the West Kingdom has four-month reigns. Their Crown 
Tourneys are held at roughly the midpoint of each reign, so each royal 
couple spends about two months (half a reign) as Heirs, then four months 
as the Crown. Westrealm coronations are 12th Night, Beltane (Kingdom 
Birthday), and Purgatorio which is usually in late August or early Sept. 
Westrealm Crown Tourneys are in March, late June/early July, and somewhere 
near Halloween.

Caid and An Tir (the other Western Rite kingdoms) are using six-month 
reigns, with Crown Tourneys halfway through the reigns, so the incoming 
royalty serve as Heirs for 3 months.

Caid coronations are May and November; their Crown Tourneys were 
relatively recently moved to February and August. An Tir does their 
Coronations at 12th Night and in July, with Crown Tourneys in April and 
early October.

> The "Eastern Rite" has two reigns a year, and the Crown Tourneys tend to 
> be held fairly early in the reigns, so that the time spent as Crown 
> Prince or Princess is almost as long as the time spent as King or 
> Queen.

Certainly true in the East, Atlantia, and AEthelmearc. Not sure about 
anywhere else.

There used to be some kingdoms where Crown Tourney is held only a month or 
so before Coronation. Is this still the case?

> In addition to giving the successful candidates a sort of 
> apprenticeship, the tenure as Crown Prince/Princess is a "force 
> multiplier," allowing Royal presence at as many as four events on any 
> given day.

I fully agree on both counts.

Evan