On Sat, 16 Aug 2003, Matthew Hunter wrote: > >We do not know whether Vlad was a citizen before his father >bought a title. I suspect that he was, simply because Teckla >are, and they also have no title. Teckla have no *title* but they are born with an Orb link, because they are members of a House in the Empire. Easterners are not. I would guess that anyone born in the Empire is, for all practical purposes (they can do business, they can be taxed) a citizen. There may be limits on that citizenship, though - I don't think Easterners are liable for conscription, from my memories of /Phoenix/ (perhaps because the conscription rules state something like "all able-bodied persons of more than 150 years of age", or something like that? :-) ). I think there's also something about Easterners not being able to join the Guard. Or in other words, Easterners may be classified as "partial citizens" or "residents", and the only way to becoming full "citizens" (with full rights and responsibilities pertaining thereto) is to join a House.