This is from another Pbem, and I've gotten permission to use it here as well. I'll leave it to the people (and ultimately to the DM's) to decide if they wan't it or not (it needs tweaking to be used in RoE, as there are some differences here, Ser instead of Sir and Archduke beeing used by Diemed and Osoer, but here at least is some of the stuff I was talking about:
Title:
Emperor of Anuire
Empress of Anuire
Form of Address:
His/ Her Imperial Majesty
Your Imperial Majesty
Notes:
Position is currently empty. The regents of Anuire have fought for this title for the last 551 years.
Title:
King
Queen
Form of Address:
His/ Her Royal Majesty
Your Royal Majesty
Notes:
This rank is considered sovereign. By claiming it, Aerenwe has effectively removed itself from the Empire.
Title:
Prince
Princess
Form of Address:
His/ Her Highness
Your Highness
(In the case of an Emperor’s children)
His /Her Imperial Highness
Your Imperial Highness
Notes:
The title of Prince/Princess was originally given to the children of the Emperor. After the end of the direct Roele line, some have claimed this to also mean a ruler with direct blood relations to the Roeles. The Avans have been the only family audacious enough to claim the title.
Title:
Archduke
Archduchess
Form of Address:
His/ Her Imperial Grace
Your Imperial Grace
Notes:
This title was granted to the most powerful of the dukes and was considered equal to the rank of Prince.
Title:
Duke
Duchess
Form of Address:
His/ Her Grace
Your Grace
Notes:
The Dukes are the principle lords of the realm, and the title is the highest attainable rank of modern Anuire. Only an Emperor can create or remove a Duke.
The Ducal realms come from the original Twelve Duchies. The Twelve Great Houses were the core of the Empire and were the Emperor's primary vassals.
No other regent may legally claim this title. As to whether a ruler may claim the title if he or she is not related to the original family is a debated subject. More conservative nobles have held that only those who descend from the original house may claim the title of duke, while others claim that the title may be claimed simply by virtue of ruling one of the original duchies. For example, though Taeghas is of the original Twelve Duchies, its ruler only claims the title of Count. The same situation has arisen in Cariele.
In Coeranys, the Cariele family, driven out of Cariele, continues to hold the title of Duke, despite the fact that Coeranys has never been a Duchy.
Ghieste and Bhalaene were once among the Twelve Duchies, but their houses have since died out and the realms have merged into the Barony of Ghoere, because Anuires nobility will not accept the Baron of Ghoere as any rank higher. Elinie was once a duchy, but once it came under the rulership of a Khinasi paladin, he chose to take the title of Patriarch, in order to avoid offending Anuirean sensibilities.
In Brosengae, the title of Duke passed from the Brosen family to the Mierelen family through peaceful marriage and the death of the last Brosen heir.
Aerenwe was one of the original duchies, but has since claimed itself a kingdom.
The regents of Tuornen claim the title of Duke on the basis of their descent from House Alam and Dalton Alam's claim on the throne of Alamie.
Title:
Baron
Baroness
Form of Address:
His/ Her Lord/ Lady Baron
My Lord Baron
His/ Her Excellency
Your Excellency
Notes:
The Baronies were traditionally vassals of duchies and sometimes the Emperor himself and were established on the periphery of the Empire. In some of the larger duchies, regents have appointed vassal barons to oversee groups of 3-4 provinces.
This is the primary rank of vassals to a Duke, and the highest Imperial Rank which the Imperial Chamberlain is permitted to bestow.
Dhoesone is a barony, and in the old days, was a direct vassal of the Emperor.
When Roesone broke away from the Duchy of Diemed, they claimed the title of Baron.
Title:
Count
Countess
Form of Address:
His/ Her Excellency
Your Excellency
Notes:
Thoughout Anuire, the title of Count is used by individual province holders. As such, Count is one of the most powerful ranks in Anuirean feudalism.
The title of Count was also awarded to free cities within Diemed's sphere of influence: Endier and Ilien. These counties have since broken away and are now the only two Free Cities within Anuire.
The title of Count is the lowest rank that may control a province under Imperial Law.
Other Lesser Titles:
Title:
Baronet
Governor
Form of Address:
His Lordship/ Her Ladyship
Notes:
Baronets may hold a few manors and estates and a small retainer of knights. The title of Governor is given to those who are tasked with the administration of a colony. Mieres and Suiriene are examples of Anuirean colonies. Typically colonies owed their alliegance directly to the Emperor, though Mieres has since fallen under the protection of Avanil.
Title:
Knight
Form of Address:
His/ Her Honor
Sir
Notes:
Normally only an honorary title.
Commoners elevated to knighthood are normally given a small manor or estate.
Special/ Unique Titles:
The rank of Thane of Talinie is roughly equivalent to that of a baron.
The Mhor is an ancient title predating Deismaar used by the Mhoried dynasty in addition to their position as Dukes of Mhoried.
The Rank of the Patriarch of Elinie is considered to be equal to that of a Duke, however he can correctly be referred to as an Eminence
