The Hierarchy is established for two reasons: One, as House members, we respect each other enough to disregard the usual kindred social status to be family and civil. The titles confers respect and are not meant to be abused, the titles thus is to re-enforced the concept of respect and by itself does not carry any weight or power within. Two, the titles are used to identify each other. This is a little simular to the Ventrue lineage system and makes it a little harder for infiltrators to come in.

The individual titles are received at embrace and cannot be changed, except in certain situations. If there are no members of a given generation to represent the title, one member of the immediate lower rank may be chosen by his or her peers to assume that position. If there are no peers, then the ascension is automatic. �cuyer d'Armatage are the only exception to this rule, they may never ascend to a higher rank due to vacancy. The only way for them to take a higher position is if they are embraced into the cour d'Armatage, in which case they would start with the title appropriate to their generation.

Consequently, a title may be stripped as punishment by the Dauphin or Dauphine d'Armatage, the head of House Armatage. This demotion of position is the only punishment that exists within House Armatage. The stripping of status and title may be as minor as temporary lowering of one rank for minor offenses (overtly disrespectful above and beyond the freedom of expression), to the demoted to the position of Chevalier for "d�ch�ance" (major offenses, physically assaulting a fellow member of House Armatage, et cetera), to stripping of title and exiled from House Armatage for "d�rogeance" (treason, actively plotting against Clan Toreador, et cetera). There may be as many members of a certain title (Except in the case of the Dauphin or Dauphine), or as few as one.

There is no title higher than that of the Dauphin or Dauphine d'Armatage. As members of House Armatage recognizes no Prince/Princesse du Sang, Roi or Reine, nor L'Empereur d'Armatage. The only one fit (and recognized) to take the title of L'Imp�ratrice d'Armatage is the Toreador Clan Founder herself.

There are no such thing as promotion for services within the House. Everything we do is out of respect for the family and love for the House. If one's actions are for rewards and not out of passion, than the performance is tainted and not genuine.

To repeat: In private, the title itself carries no weight. A Vicomte d'Armatage would treat the Dauphine equally as the �cuyer, both with respect.

The common address is only used by member of the House in situations outside of the family (i.e. a Cabaret, the Toreador Virtural Salon, et cetera.) In a private family gathering, members may refer to each other as intimately as by their mortal first name, or as cordially by their titles. This has its root as an intimidation factor and psychological mind game against outsiders. Members of our allied Ventrue house, House Heisenloch, are always addressed as Lord or Lady of Heisenloch, in all circumstances.

Les Ambassadeurs

Occasionally, a member of House Armatage may wish to persue long term personal intrests. Be they forging political alliances outside the Rose, investing time and finance in an extended art patronage, a moment of peace to reflect and rediscover their own connection with Humanity, or to sleep off the weight of the ages. Whatever personal path they wish to take, they are given the blessing of the family as they trade their House Title for the prestigious position of L'Ambassadeur d'Armatage. When they wish to return, it is a great joyous occasion as they reclaim their former House Title.

Vidam�

Non-Armatagecois Toreador adopted into House Armatage have the title Vidame/Vidamesse d'Armatage regardless of their generation and can never recieve another House Title. However, the childer embraced by the Vidame/Vidamesse d'Armatage do recieve the title of Chevalier d'Armatage upon embrace and may be ascend to higher titles, as per the usual method. This is one of the major house secrets never to be reveled to outsiders.

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