Primenture

Primenture is a social structure found particularly in the Natorn Archipelago, used to determine social rank and leadership. Primenture means leadership by those who are perceived to have the most social capital, and therefore usually, though not always, the most able.

It evolved in Anrel during the ancient Clan Wars of the Beryl Epoch, in a time when clans and tribal groupings became the most important social structures. Though Anrelplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAnrel Isles

Anrel [ANN-rel], or the Anrel Isles, is the most northerly island group in the Natorn Archipelago. It consists of three major islands and numerous smaller ones. The largest, colloquially if infrequently called Mainland, is divided between the kingdoms of Trésard and Narette. The island is no longer a tribal society, primenture and its concept of personal wisdom and authority is still important for anyone who seeks a leading role within the Anrel's aristocracy.

It evolved due to the need for wise and effective leadership in times of migration and strife, so that leaders needed to be those that could unite groups and work effectively, without relying on property or possessions.

Ascendancy in the primenture system requires the three traits of prim, krim. and keller: broadly meaning wisdom, moral and physical rectitude, and strength.

All members of society have a degree of respect based on their reputation as a moral person, someone who helps others, and can be trusted to do the right thing. Leaders would emerge as the result of accumulating the support and gravitas of those who put their trust in them. In ancient times some clans would even award tokens of their support, in the form of wooden medallions embossed with vegetable inks that fade with time. Those with the greatest gravitas had the brightest coloured shields. In later times these practical tokens were replaced with more subtle shows of support.

Traditionally there are several ways of acquiring prim:

• Family - coming from a wise family with a good reputation is an important start, but marrying wisely, and successfully raising useful and productive children, is essential to the community
• Learning - studying ancient texts or acquiring knowledge and wisdom from elders.
• Friendship - having a wide network of friends is the surest way of acquiring prim, and of using it
• Deeds - experience is very important, particularly a track record of wise or bold deeds, from mediating disputes to protecting homes in battle

Similarly individuals can easily lose prim by allowing themselves to make unwise actions based on ignorance, impulse, lust, irrational hatred or revenge. Unwise relationships also reduce one's standing, so that disgraced persons find themselves cut off from their family and friends, who face the very real risk of losing their position if they do not do so.

The holder of the greatest prim within a community is a primen, commonly the head of a family or clan. In later times groups such as sailors, miners and soldiers also selected their primen from amongst themselves. In towns and villages where there are may be many primen, the one amongst them with the greatest prim is elected auller. This practice still continues today, with villages, and wards within cities, headed by an auller who is responsible for local administration and representing the people to higher officials.