Royal and noble ranks

The following list summarizes the nobility and its hierarchy in most of Kélas. There are of course exceptions: countries historically without an absolute ruler (Sorka, Ruoma, Darya and more), countries with a different arrangement of ruling power (Suteira, where a council ruled in the past), and others (Rasan, where there is no distinction between major and minor nobility, only hereditary and non-hereditary nobility).

Royalty

king/queen – The highest rank of a monarch in any kingdoms or empire over which they rule. Addressed as "Majesty".

prince/princess – The child of a king and queen. The heir to the throne is called the crown prince or the crown princess. Addressed as "Highness".

Major nobility

greater lord/greater lady – Usually the head of an old house with considerable power and large territories. In many cases, they are the former royalty of the lands that now make up the four kingdoms – these houses have power over other houses (including major nobility) in the corresponding region, which is why they are often distinguished as the "governor houses", where the head is the greater lord governor or greater lady governor. For example, the Sentangars have power over all of the Sentish nobility, but they have no power over major nobility outside Sentia. Greater lords and greater ladies can become a king or queen if a situation arises where the current royal family has no ruler or legitimate heir. They tend to have close ties with the royal family. Addressed as "Great Grace" or "Greater Grace".

greater lord's/greater lady's son/daughter – The child of a great lord and a great lady. The heir is called the greater lord's heir or the greater lady's heir.

Minor nobility

lord/lady – The title of the head of an ordinary noble house, usually ruling only a small area around one or more cities. They have less power and influence than major nobility in terms of involvement in the affairs of the kingdom's ruler. Addressed as "Grace".

lord's/lady's son/daughter – The child of a lord and a lady. The heir is called the lord's heir or lady's heir.

Named nobility

squire/dame – A non-hereditary title that can only be obtained by the will of a noble, most often by merit, but it also happens that newborn children of a particularly favored squire or a dame are named with this title. A squire or a dame may use a nobiliary particle of the seat of the noble who named them (e.g. squire Kirjan of Ken Sent, named by the greater lord governor Malsursk Sentangar). Named nobility do not have their own seat, usually do not own much property and live at their noble's court where they most commonly work as a commander of the guards, an adjutant or an advisor. Addressed as "sir/madam".

Addressing

The above titles are used primarily between people who have no personal, friendly or other relationship with each other; otherwise, the title "my lord/my lady" is used. For example, servants of the royal court may address the queen as "my lady", although most of the nobility are obliged to use "Majesty". Higher-ranking nobility are not obliged to address lower-ranking nobility in this way; for example, a greater lord does not have to address a lord as "Grace".

Note: Knights are specially trained soldiers on Kélas and it is not a noble title. The addressing "sir/madam" is also used outside of noble circles for persons of significant or generally higher status, especially in the military.