PATRONAGE IN THE REALMS

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Patronage In The Realms

Patronage is an accepted part of society in the Realms, and because entities or organizations need to have spare wealth in order to be patrons, in many places being a patron is a status symbol; nobles are patrons if interested in such things, and wealthy status-seekers (or even wannabe-nobles) noisily become patrons so as to enrich their lives and gain a loftier social standing.

In some places and times, this even becomes institutionalized (for instance, the Crown of Cormyr expects nobles to have “house heralds,” meaning heralds who are paid members of the noble households, in earlier days, these heralds were often supplied by the Royal Court—and hence, mistrusted by the nobles as spies for the Crown; these days, a rare few still come from the Royal Court).

In other places and times, the wealthy compete to outspend each other to commission creations that are splashier and gaudier, and larger or more abundant, than their rivals commission. The results can be visually spectacular (in the eyes of some, tasteless), and so, become landmarks or at least immediately recognizable to any visitor.

In most places across the Heartlands of Faerûn and along the Sword Coast, the local nobility or self-styled nobility (city lords, even if it’s a self-bestowed title and they’re former pirates, adventurers, or lowly millers or dockers) will patronize artists, weavers, and sculptors whose work they like to make portraits (usually large and flattering, and of the patron, sometimes depicted embracing a partner they yearn to have in life, but cannot have in reality; hidden away in secret back chambers all over Cormyr are old paintings of this or that noble embracing a nude Princess Alusair as they both smile out at the viewer, as if at ease in intimacy), tapestries, and sculptures (busts and staircase finials being the usual initial projects, followed by bronze statues for local market and mansion-gates display). Less popular but still numerous patronages are supporting local cooks, bakers, vintners, and brewers, though if possible, the wealthy patron usually tries to hire the skilled artisan into staff positions. This is followed in popularity by minstrels who can compose.

Jesters are usually royal court positions; relatively few nobles or wealthy folk formally...

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