Gregor Relak's Collected Essays and Lectures on Leadership and Governance/The Professions

Main Professions

Soldier

When the masses are called upon to fight, these are their commanders. Not above lowly tasks of policing, or even physical labor a soldier and his men are honorable in their own right. They fight to defend their lands, and form the backbone of any army. One should be wary of those who are soldiers and are risen to lofty heights of power, for unless they have been tempered by battle and hardened by age they can do quite foolish things. Inexperience is the mark of a soldier, though a true veteran can be found from time to time. More often than not it is a good example of a lack of motivation, and drive.

Courtier

A properly functioning realm contains many men who consider it their goal in life to 'optimize' everything. They have been called, paper-pusher, administrator, governor, regent, and even devil. Yet, they are vitally important. The skill involved is at best insane, and yet through a mere waving of hands people are more loyal, production increases, and morale improves. The most disastrous of tax policies, the most vile tortures inflicted by the enemy can all be erased from memory by this class of men. They might not appear valiant, or powerful, and yet all the clinking coins of the world can be traced back to these dedicated fellows. Often under-appreciated they are the ones who truly exemplify duty, and honor. Be wary however when they congregate, the amount of forms you will end up filling out wastes more time than they're worth.

Priest

Give them your gold, along with your soul. They'll claim to own both anyways, and the peasants will believe them. The priests are dangerous, if you are devout pray to your gods and support your church. Leveraging the special bond that a priest shares with the people they are capable of influencing the minds of the simpletons. Morale in a region may be boosted or harmed, loyalty developed or shattered. None should ever consider them benign, but they do have their uses. If you feel the calling of the cloth, it would be advantageous to align oneself with a powerful lord or group of lords who will support you for priests earn no income from taxes having forsworn the mundane life for their calling.

Sub-Professions

Cavalier

A man having proved himself as a capable leader, earning the esteem of his cohort finds himself with the unique opportunity of leading the life of the Cavalier. One might say that they take life in with a certain panache, and they would be correct. Earning more than a few scars these sort are the elite of the battle field. Their men train harder, are better disciplined, and fight with the gumption of the gods. Their leadership skills are well renowned, and this allows their unit size to grow due to their better organizational skills. They are never found without banners in battle, and healers often attend to their men. A true Cavalier tends to his men better than any. For the Knight this is often the best path to choose.

Hero

The warmonger, the wrath-bringer, permanent man at arms. The path of a hero leads to either legendary greatness, or legendary death. Heroes in times of war are a necessary evil, they are those who fight ferociously, and with the vigor of many men. If a Cavalier is a leader of men, the heroes are the leaders of armies. Though, the armies they lead are meant for one thing, and one thing only, all out war. In times of peace a Hero is a burden, he can do nothing but train his men for the next battle, and clamor for more war. It is good to have such firebrands, but the torrents of flame which they attempt to muster can be disastrous. There are those heroes who are thoughtful, and calculating, but more often than not that is because they were for a long time a servant of the realm, before they became a servant of their fame. My recommendation is to fill them with drink to keep them happy, ply them with beds warmed by many women, and call upon their services when absolutely necessary. Their life should be rewarding enough in this way that they can be managed, and controlled by the more civilized.

Mentor

The wise and learned fellow. Mentors are those who would train the young noblemen. Charged most basically with teaching the most inane of things, a true mentor guides his students always. A man of true greatness often finds himself taken by the idea of mentoring some young wit, perhaps because he realizes that his immortality rests in the future generations. Mentors to properly do their job should have a wide breadth of experience to draw upon. It is not merely enough that they were once a common soldier and decide to pen a book. No, to be truly successful they must be the ones sought out by the mightiest Ruler, and the most ambitious men. To do this, they should have been all these things. What can anyone hope to learn from someone who has never themselves ruled the world, or conquered the largest of foes. I say this not because I myself have done these things, but because should I ever deign to listen to a so called 'mentor' younger even than my own sons give a speech on the importance of duty I cannot help but laugh in his face! Seek out always those who are the mentors, glean what knowledge you can from them. Vast stores of knowledge await you in their dusty tomes hidden away in the libraries of the world. There you shall ultimately find your path to greatness, there you will reach the loftiest of heights.

Trader

I hesitate to say that the traders serve anyone, but their role is vitally important, though rarely. In times of war the trader smuggles food, disrupts and starves the enemy, and can be found trading his way to wealth beyond imagining. Unglamorous, and often times stagnant. Traders have never quite found a home in the world beyond a few wealthy factors. They must be quick, and mean-spirited to destroy their competition. Having friends in high places has never proved to be a bad thing, nor has greasing a few hands. The most successful of all traders are those with contracts from Bankers. They are often the most dangerous however, given that the golds they accumulate allow them to raise horrific armies should they ever choose to be a simple soldier again. When the former Kings begin to plot, watch these men most closely. It may be that they have been promised a better deal, and betrayal is simply another cost to many.

Infiltrator

Smoke filled pubs, dark alleys, rough trips through the backwoods of the world. Many find this sort of life distasteful, and those who life it more so. A man of the shadows is not one to cross. If they are sponsored by their realm, their skills are likely to be amazingly well trained, and their instincts razor-sharp. They can often be bought and sold like promissory notes, though their loyalty is at times in question. Trusted by but a few, these dark and insidious sort have their own agenda no matter what they might say otherwise. When a child goes missing, or a cog suddenly breaks it isn't the witch of the forest so much as these dastardly men and women who are to blame. I would generally recommend to any who believe themselves safe, to remember the old phrase, it takes a crook to know one. If this is fully understood, then perhaps your estimation is correct.

Diplomat

A diplomat weaves with words treaties that bind and divide realms. Their power stems from the authority granted by a ruler who may elevate them to ambassador. Given special dispensation to travel to foreign lands, they are entertained at court and are among the most prestigious of men. Often found writing several letters at their bureaus their extensive contacts throughout the world have been cultivated through life-long friendships, rivalries, and affairs. Belonging to several guilds and secret societies these most trusted men have at their fingertips nearly all the secrets of the shadows. When two ambassadors work in concert they can act as if the ruler. As such it is often woe to a ruler who allows more than a small handful in their realm, especially if they are better connected or friendly with one another. Better to have them play for power against one another, than see them collude in some scheme.

Mythical Professions

Legend

Where the Hero is brash, and reckless; the Legend is calculating, and devious. Having survived for many years, winning countless battles which should have killed him, the Legend is fearsome. His foes quake at his coming, his men thunder as they charge daringly into battle. If this is what enchants you most, I would warn you that nearly all who attempt to become legends die long before their immortality is ever achieved. But if you are headstrong, and valiant, lucky, and above all intelligent enough; I will gladly help you on your way. Speak to me later, after I have taken dinner, there is much more for you to learn than what I show you here.

SpellCaster

Avoid if at all possible.

God-hood

Beware the ides of March.