Hierarchy

This page details a new hierarchy system that is currently under development. That is also why the page is locked for editing.

Note that large parts of this scheme are not yet implemented, are purely theoretical, and might change at any moment. This is my sketchpad, don't take it for anything else. -- Tom

Hierarchy Defined

BattleMaster attempts to simulate a simplified feudal system. Feudalism, as defined by Wikipedia is

a general set of reciprocal legal and military obligations among the warrior nobility of Europe during the Middle Ages, revolving around the three key concepts of lords, vassals, and fiefs.

In BattleMaster, the hierarchy is what binds a realm together. Sharing a common home is nice and cuddly, but the mutual agreements of the nobles is what it all means.

Oaths

The basic unit of the hierarchy is an oath. That is, a mutual agreement between two parties about their obligations towards one another. In more practical terms, a typical oath between a Lord (i.e. a local region lord) and a Knight might be:

I, Lord of Someregion will grant you, Knight Valiant, 20 gold a week in return for your service.

Oaths run on all levels of the hierarchy. The same way a Lord binds Knights to himself through oaths, he himself is bound to his duke or ruler:

I, Duke of Someduchy grant you, Lord Nobody, the region of Someregion as a fief in return for your service and that of 5 knights.

It is the mutual obligations part that makes oaths interesting. Notice that the duke has granted our example lord his region on the condition that he retain 5 (or more) knights at all times. In order to attract those knights, the lord will have to offer them something that makes them want to give him their service. That'll be a part of the taxes he collects from his region. So part of what he gets from the oath with his duke will be spent to fulfill his obligations. How much profit he, personally, makes from the oath will - in part - depend on his management skills.

Oath Details

There are many possible terms for oaths, and they an be combined. A duke may (and often will) ask for a tax share or a fixed amount of gold in return for the region. Here's an example for a complicated oath:

Duke A grants Lord B:

• the region X
• 50 gold a week

in return for:

• 25% of the tax income
• 1000 CS soldiers
• 7 knights

Making and Breaking

Oaths can be proposed by a party with something to offer. A duke can offer a region from his duchy to a lord, a lord can offer gold to a knight, etc.

Oaths must be accepted by both parties. Likewise, an oath can only be dissolved if both parties agree. Once bound...

Note that oaths always consist of a full set of terms. They can be made or broken only all-or-none.

Oath Fulfillment

Every day, fulfillment of all obligations is checked. If any obligations are not met - no matter how small the margin - this is noted as a "bad mark".

Whichever side of an oath has less "bad marks" can dissolve the oath without the agreement of the other side. So if our example lord only pays 49 gold one week, instead of the promised 50, his vassal can dissolve the oath.

"Holes"

A hole in the feudal hierarchy appears whenever a link in a chain vanishes - in other words, when a lord, who was granted land from a king or duke, and in turn has retained knights, is killed, disappears, etc..

Since oaths are personal, such an event means that all oaths in the chain are broken. The knights lose their lord, and the king or duke loses his vassal. Regions granted revert to their owner. See [#Hierarchy] below.

That is why all nobles can name a successor, who will step into their position with all rights and duties should something happen to them. Such a succession does, however, resets all "bad marks" and adds one for the successor, so all vassals immediately have the option to dissolve the oath if the successor does not suit them.

Hierarchy

Mostly through the region grants, the oaths establish a hierarchy:

The Souvereign

Is the owner of all lands. He gives land grants to nobles. In a monarchy, this is the king. In a republic or democracy, this is an abstract entity and land grants are given by vote.

Dukes

Are nobles who received their land grant from the souvereign himself. Usually, they will own more than one region, and give sub-grants to lesser nobles.

Count

A count is the owner of several regions, but one who was not appointed by the souvereign himself, and is subject to a duke or another count.

Baron

A noble who owns only a single region.

Knight

A noble without a land grant, in service to a landed noble.

(lesser) Noble

An unaligned noble who neither owns land nor is bound to another noble.

Region Ownership

Region grants are more complicated than the others. This is because they work on two levels: Who is in charge of the region right now, and who owns the rights to it?