Yes, it would be fine for royalty to get together with someone regardless of gender and an heir wouldn’t have to be gestated by the parent to inherit etc - parents could adopt or have a surrogate. That’s the case in Westerlin too. I’m not sure if there’s polyamorous marriages - but there could be unofficial “favourites” on the side and people wouldn’t really care unless it was truly outrageous, there was a scandal or some such. And although social class is still a factor in royals’ marriages, Zaledo is a bit more socially mobile than Westerlin - hence the PC having a chance at romancing Rosario rather than being totally locked out of it.
How much power do royals hold in Westerlin and Zaledo? I remember seeing Rosario for the first time and being surprised that a disgraced aristocrat could romance the heir to a throne!
So, someone from the Westerlin royal family would never have gone for a disgraced if very handsome, impoverished socialite like the mc, but prince Rosario can.
My second mc will totally sweep princy of his feet.
I think in Zaledo it’s somewhat figurehead like, but with a lot of social/institutional clout. So Rosario is in a position that’s a bit like Prince William or Harry in the UK? In Westerlin the Prime Minister is more of a thing. I do mention a queen a couple of times, but I don’t think there’s as much power in that area. (This is very not set in stone, though, so the and may change if I do something else in the same setting!)
If Rosario or at least the royal family there have managed to wrest some actual, political power away from the PM and democratic government they may also resemble Thailand more than the UK actually.
Although Gallatin is super posh, it’s not quite posh enough for Auguste since they’re a titled aristocrat. You’d only get a titled person going to Gallatin if they were impoverished, being punished or some such. Auguste’s other parent … is something that’s never established in text and I’m reserving the right to decide details if/when I make something in the same setting
By being awesome (by which I mean: rich, well-connected, or a rich well-connected academic/celebrity) in some way, or having been a really distinguished teacher. In the game under some circumstances, someone else can become Headteacher who aren’t necessarily under those criteria, but that’s very unusual.
We’re now at the end of beta testing, and the game (all 392,000 words of it) is in copyedit! I’m over the moon at all the feedback from playtesters, and it’s a much stronger game for it. I tried to email everyone back saying thanks, but in case I didn’t manage to get everyone - I hugely appreciate all of it, and thank you.
The finishing line [did you know that “finishing line” is a Britishism, and US English is “finish line”? I didn’t!] is in sight!
In the meantime everyone please do FEAST YOUR EYES on this wonderful cover art by Paola Tuazon!!! And also look at the other covers in the album cos they’re fantastic!
