Michael Morris
First Post
"You call me fair, beautiful and super-praise my body. Never forget my wit, or my power " -- Queen Tiliansia.
Women are denied many basic rights throughout most of Telzoa, especially once they consent to be married. Single women are the charges of their fathers or uncles, but in the absence of each of these they can hold and inherit property, run a business, sign her name or affix her seal to legal documents or even sue at court. Most women in this position are widows, as fathers and uncles usually try to get their unwed daughters and nieces married as soon as they can afford the dowry and find an appropriate suitor. Neither men nor women have any legal right to choose their spouses – this is decided by their parents.
Women do not traditionally gain political office unless no men are present to inherit. Even then it is unclear how far into other family branches one can go in search of a male heir before a female heir is accepted. This is a particular point of contention in Dalsundria, where Princess Nelaria Ellery Tuval is the direct heir to Elgrel's throne, yet her uncles each conspire to take this from her or at least act as her regent whether she wants this to occur or not.
There are exceptions to this rule of course, but as mentioned previously most of those exceptions are widows. The most famous case of this manner is Teresa Orlanis, Duchess of Dibili and the matriarch of House Orlanis. Baroness Jalsi and Baroness Mintrube of Ultan are two more examples of powerful women in Telzoa on the local political scene. On a national scale one of the most famous figures is Queen Tiliansia of Hone Rae. A highly intelligent and endlessly crafty individual, this half elf has kept her country out of many wars through virtue of her unwed status and the manipulation of powerful suitors, including Prince Parsifal of Poc Sian.
Married women do enjoy some power. She is the primary heir to all his estates until she bears a male heir. Further, she can legally divorce him, but by strange quirk of Telzoan law, he cannot divorce her. In the role of wife many women have mastered the art of husband manipulation in order to continue to enjoy some freedom and independence.
Within careers women usually advance as their merits allow. This is particularly true in those priesthoods that admit women, and it should be noted that there are several priestly sororities - Cuane's priestesses most famous among them. Women tend to take to the art of magic more readily than men and there are, as a result, more female wizards than men. Among the ranks of warriors and knights are women seen least often. Women are not generally as strong as men, and this, combined with the chauvinistic nature of most military orders has limited their numbers in this profession. The parity between male and female rogues is about even - as this is a field where personal skill and aptitude alone are the keys to both success and survival.
Women are denied many basic rights throughout most of Telzoa, especially once they consent to be married. Single women are the charges of their fathers or uncles, but in the absence of each of these they can hold and inherit property, run a business, sign her name or affix her seal to legal documents or even sue at court. Most women in this position are widows, as fathers and uncles usually try to get their unwed daughters and nieces married as soon as they can afford the dowry and find an appropriate suitor. Neither men nor women have any legal right to choose their spouses – this is decided by their parents.
Women do not traditionally gain political office unless no men are present to inherit. Even then it is unclear how far into other family branches one can go in search of a male heir before a female heir is accepted. This is a particular point of contention in Dalsundria, where Princess Nelaria Ellery Tuval is the direct heir to Elgrel's throne, yet her uncles each conspire to take this from her or at least act as her regent whether she wants this to occur or not.
There are exceptions to this rule of course, but as mentioned previously most of those exceptions are widows. The most famous case of this manner is Teresa Orlanis, Duchess of Dibili and the matriarch of House Orlanis. Baroness Jalsi and Baroness Mintrube of Ultan are two more examples of powerful women in Telzoa on the local political scene. On a national scale one of the most famous figures is Queen Tiliansia of Hone Rae. A highly intelligent and endlessly crafty individual, this half elf has kept her country out of many wars through virtue of her unwed status and the manipulation of powerful suitors, including Prince Parsifal of Poc Sian.
Married women do enjoy some power. She is the primary heir to all his estates until she bears a male heir. Further, she can legally divorce him, but by strange quirk of Telzoan law, he cannot divorce her. In the role of wife many women have mastered the art of husband manipulation in order to continue to enjoy some freedom and independence.
Within careers women usually advance as their merits allow. This is particularly true in those priesthoods that admit women, and it should be noted that there are several priestly sororities - Cuane's priestesses most famous among them. Women tend to take to the art of magic more readily than men and there are, as a result, more female wizards than men. Among the ranks of warriors and knights are women seen least often. Women are not generally as strong as men, and this, combined with the chauvinistic nature of most military orders has limited their numbers in this profession. The parity between male and female rogues is about even - as this is a field where personal skill and aptitude alone are the keys to both success and survival.
