Gallel's Heir

Appendix B: Titles and Names

Galia and the surrounding countries separate castes in three sections:

Kel refers to a male ruler, while San refers to a female. Most of the time, the Kel or San (when capitalized) is the leader of a council of kels and sans. The head of a council would be referred to by their given name, as in Kel Tutang of Galia, or San Tamil of Turbia. If an individual is graced with the title of kel, but does not sit at the head of the council, then he or she would be referred to by their shen name, as in kel Sinclair. However, if an individual is the child of the head of the council, he or she is referred to by the given name, as in san Lianna. In this latter case, the san or kel is not capitalized until the individual actually inherits the robe of authority.

The middle of society contains the dels and jens; dels for males, and jens for females. These are individuals graced with authority over some stewardship, as a mayor of a small village or the leader of an auspicious group, as in jen Albey, Mistress of Servants. The personal servants of the royal sans or kels also possess this level of title to set them apart. These titles may also be granted to individuals as a reward for some important endeavor. These titles bring respect, but not necessarily more money or land, as any individual has authority to possess land.

Most people are dens (for males) or shens (for females). These are the villagers, the ordinary people who work the land and make the society function day to day. Sometimes a den or shen is appointed as a mayor, and would then be referred to as "del" or "jen."

Galia is both a patrilineal and matrinomial society: Authority, as in kel/san, del/jen/ or den/shen, comes through the father. If your father is a kel, you possess that title and authority, even if your mother is a shen, and even if your parents were neither married nor bonded.

No matter the authority of your father, you will be referred to with your mother's shen name, the family name passed down from generation to generation through your mother's line. Some shen names are considered auspicious; for instance, the name Mangoran traces back more than a thousand years, as does Rheinkennohmen.

The Al name helps to clarify paternity in a polyandrous society. If paternity is ever in question, and if available, an expert water mage can test the child's wari and sense paternity. Otherwise, the child belongs to the man to whom the woman is supposed to produce an heir (as in a first wife expected to produce an heir for her husband as part of a marriage contract).

Let's take a name for an example: Lianna san Mangoran Altutang of Gallel.

Lianna is her given name.
San (not capitalized in the middle of the name) is her title or caste.
Mangoran is her shen name, passed down her mother's line for generations.
Altutang refers to the fact that Tutang (unfortunately) is her father.
Of Gallel refers to the place of her actual birth