Samantha's School of K-nighthood/Chapter 2: Class/Politics
What's Your job?
As a noble, it is your right to be whatever class you want to serve the realm in your own way. Nobody has the right to tell you what class you can or can't be. However, before switching class, you may want to consult with your liege or the realm council/hierarchy before switching to a different class. If the realm isn't really buying or selling food and the like, there may be no need for a trader. If a realm has too many bearo...buuuro...darn it...hold on...ahh..here we go...bureaucrats...it can actually hurt the realm rather than help it.
K-night: Soldiers for the realm. Our job is to lead our unit in battle. Knights can do anything fro the realm: Civil work, police work, combat duty...you name it, you'll find us there. You can also do paid work if you don't currently have a unit, as a quick way to earn yourself some cash. (OOC: Knights can be wounded in battle but cannot be killed in it.)
Cavalier: These guys are knights that have been to and seen the elephant...whatever that means...I'm not really sure. To be a cavalier, you have to have earned enough honor and prestige in service to your realm (OOC: requirement of 20 prestige and 50 honor). The good news is, you get to command more men in battle. Bigger units mean more action on the field of battle, so that usually means more honor. Bad news...well...sorta bad news...you can't do civil work or paid work. Your status is too good for something like that. (OOC: Like knights, you can be wounded in battle, but not killed while on the field.)
Hero: These guys are the ones who really revel in the glory and joy of battle. As a hero, you can personally lead your men at the front lines, adding your sword arm to the CS of your unit. You can also help keep the morale of your unit up when you are far away from home. You can also tell your tales of glory to the local peasantry and help raise their morale as well. However, you wouldn't be called upon to do civil work or police work, though you can still do paid work if necessary. Also, as a result of your fame and renown...you can sometimes recruit soldiers from the peasantry of the regions that are part of your realm. They're not as well trained as normal soldiers, but you get em for free and they usually come with their own gear.
However, once you're a hero, there is no going back...at all...you're a hero until your dead and then you're just a dead hero. And while most men will normally get wounded on a field of battle, you can die...and that kind of sucks. (OOC: Hero is the only class that can actually die on the field of battle.)
Mentor: As a hard fought and experienced unit leader, a mentor's job is to guide the younger and newer k-nights of the realm. It is your (my) job to offer advice and to give information to his (her) students. Oft times this means you will not be serving as a full time soldier, but not always, as shown by the fact that I'm fighting on the front lines as I write this...so don't mind the blood...I took a mace to the face earlier today. Also, you could teach and train the children of high ranking nobles, or you may end up traveling through your realm, gathering information for the rulers. You may even be able to write a book one day about your experiences.
Bureaucrat: These guys...and girls...are the ones who keep everything running smoothly while the rest of us are off trying to get fame and glory on the field of battle. Call 'em what you will...bean counters...quill pushers...it doesn't really matter...they're the guts of any realm. They know all the little tricks to keep up production, can institute rules and programs to maintain morale and inspire, or simply reinforce, the loyalty of the peasantry.
On the other hand, most bureaucrats don't have to maintain large units, since they only need a small unit of bodyguards. Their units are also always set for Police Work, as they are designed to maintain the civil authority rather than fighting as front line combat units. As a result, if a bureaucrat's unit has to fight, it can suffer a greater morale loss, equipment damage and heavier casualties. Also, as a Buro, you can't attend tournaments.
As a side note...this class is the only one that you can actually be prevented from becoming, or be told you have to leave. If a realm has too many Buros, it actually makes it harder for the realm to function and can harm the realms stats. This is THE exception to the whole Rights Of Nobility Rules.
Infiltrator: These are the guys who sneak and skulk through the shadows. Rather than commanding a unit on the field of battle, they...well...infiltrate the ranks of the enemy, assassinating nobles and soldiers, robbing them of their tax gold, damaging the fortifications and production of the region...these guys are essential to any war effort. Many nobles consider what infiltrators do to be dishonorable, but not me...this is what I want to do when I am done being a mentor.
Another cool thing is that as an infiltrator, not only can you attack the people of your enemy realms...but you can attack those that belong to realms that you are allied with. Heck...you can even attack the nobles of your own realm. But...and I cannot say this emphatically enough...doing this can have SERIOUS repercussions. If an infiltrator is caught doing what they do...expect to be banned at the very least unless you've really managed to piss people off...then you should expect to be deported or possibly even executed.
There is little fame or glory in this lifestyle. Heck...you don't want people to know it was you doing this. If people see you doing your job...then you're not doing your job well. Also, becoming an infiltrator requires a huge amount of gold because you have to spend day after day after day...after day...after day...(and on and on and on) at the academy training your swordsmanship skills and your stealth skills.
If you switch realms/continents, the Infiltrator class might not be open to you right away. After all, the realm/continent you are moving to might not trust you enough.
Trader: These are the guys that keep us fed when we can't grow enough food on our own. Traders are usually more oriented towards earning gold that glory in battle. In addition to moving essential goods and services, traders can also make money off luxury items. You can hone your trading skills at the academy and as a trader you can command more caravans than a regular soldier can. And listening to the chatter that occurs in marketplaces and warehouses can provide the merchant with handy dandy tidbits of information. On the down side, you can't attend tournaments, just like buros can't.
Units commanded by a trader are always there for the money (OOC: Set to Mercenary) and since you are more concerned with earning gold, you can't really train them very well.
Priests: I don't really know a whole heck of a lot about these guys. So...as a result...I got my hands on some information from the local libraries and have added it here for you to reference.
Good luck with the Men and Women of the Book...or Scroll...or Goat...or whatever they worship. Buncha weirdos.
Politics, Governments & Laws
There are a whole lotta governments out there and a whole lotta politics that go along with them. I don't understand em all, but here they are.
Since I am a part of the great nation of Ash Sea Islands...that's the one I'm gonna talk about. We are a Monarchy. As such, we have the following rulers and leaders:
The Big 4
- King: Doc's Revenge
- Arch Priest: Beirchart, Count of Barnlure
- High Marshal: Harlequin, Duchess of Aja
- Royal Treasurer: Sir Moses, Duke of Wor'ight
The next step down in our government are the Dukes. These are very trusted members of our nation that have shown great courage and responsibility and so have been put in charge of entire groups of regions. As a member of ASI, I am also a member of the Duchy of Wor'ight, so my duke is Sir Moses...(he rocks!).
- Duchess of Aja: Harlequin, High Marshal of ASI
- Duke of Ser'quea: Talius Sargeras
- Duke of Ash'rily: nautilus
- Duke of Wor'ight: Sir Moses, Royal Treasurer of ASI
Next down the governmental ladder are the Region Lords...and ladies. These are people who have been entrusted with the care of not only their unit of soldiers, but the entire regions safety and security. As a k-night, you should find yourself a trustworthy liege to swear your allegiance to. I am the first and most faithful k-night of Keiichi, Marchioness of Worav. Here is a list of the region lords...and ladies...for your viewing fun!
- Aja:Stronghold: Harlequin: High Marshal of ASI
- Tichi:Badlands: Rattle, Marshal of the Army of Aja
- Inxi:Mountains: Rodrigo
- Ser'Quea:City: Talius Sargeras
- Barnlure:Rural: Beirchart, Arch Priest of ASI
- Rogeshore:Rural: Gilgin
- Lerss:Rural: Archibald
- Hegado:Rural: Currently without a lord (or lady)
- Mapo:Badlands:And Home of the Best Ale Ever!!!!!!: Atreides
- Jauchu:Badlands: Gekko Atrox
- Ash'rily:City: Doc's Revenge
- Veshin:Rural: Mandragoras, Marshal of the High Serpant Guard
- Yacon:rural: Richard the Courageous
- Woright:City: Sir Moses, Royal Treasurer of ASI
- Worav:Townsland: Keiichi (The bestest liege ever!!!!!!!!!!!) (Oh...and Kaya too...now leave my boots alone!)
In addition to this, ASI has several armies that defend it from enemies within and without. Here are the armies and their Marshals.
- Guardians of Magna Serpaensism: Arkantos
- Bear's Paw: Johnathan
- Serpent's Fist: Korvian
- High Serpant Guard: Mandragoras, Count of Veshin
- Royal Ashlantean Guard: Pyrtolin
- Army of Aja: Rattle, Baron of Tichi
It is the Marshal of the army that issues the daily orders that tell we grunts what we're to do and how we're to do it when it comes to combat. Be sure to pay attention and follow orders.
Oaths and Other Stuff
View Current Oath Status: This shows you where your official allegiances lie. It shows the hierarchy in order of region, duchy and realm. It also shows you your share of the regions taxes (both in actual amount of gold and percentage) as well as your standing with your region lord.
Change Allegiance: If you want to change your allegiance from one lord to another, this is where you can find out who is available to swear your allegience to. It also allows you to ask for a percentage of the income from the region.
Review Oath Offers: This is where you can find out any open offers you may currently have. This also tells you what region you are aligned with and where your allegiances lie.
Disagree or Protest: This is something you can do if the ruler of the realm you are part of has done something that you feel is way way waaaaaaaay out of line. This lodges and official and public protest, and allows you to state what the reasoning behind the protest was. This doesn't mean that this is the only way to protest. I've sent letters complaining to people in positions of authority without lodging an 'official' protest. This can cause a loss of honor or prestige to whomever you are protesting, so I would suggest only using this as a last resort if somebody goes way over the line.
Region lords have certain options under politics that general knights don't have. They are as follows:
Referendum: Allows you to set up or start a public vote, often times used to resolve questions before the entire populace or the ruling body. This is usually used to appoint new region lords, vote on wars, etc., etc.
Your Knights: This is where you can view the current oath statuses of your knights, how much of the region income they get, give them good or bad marks respectively and generally overview the soldiers responsible to your region.
Offer Oaths: You can make offers to unaligned nobles here, offering them a set percentage of the region's income in exchange for their services.