D&D General A King with A Common Born wife has A 20 month old common born niece that he's very fond of, when the niece is orphaned could he adopt her?

[Zardnaar]

The king can do whatever the heck he wants.

There might be political consequences, people chuffed about what she might or might not inherit, people who want their own children adopted, etc.

But it's his party, he can adopt who he wants, adopt who he wants, you would adopt too if kingship happened to you.

That's a more modern take. Kings could not do what they wanted. Some were even kinda weak where they essentially ruled by powerful Dukes consenting to it.

 

[Bill Zebub]

D&D no, Pathfinder yes.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Virtually unheard of irl. Hell last time a bastard took the throne in England was 1066.

Or so Henry VII would have you believe.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The king makes the rules. It's good to be the king.

No really. If you make rules the nobles don't like you end up with a red hot poker where the sun don't shine.

 

[Zardnaar]

No really. If you make rules the nobles don't like you end up with a red hot poker where the sun don't shine.

This. I think people have a Hollywood idea of being a king. Even "I am the state" Louis the Sun King was restrained by others.

He'll even good monarchs got criticized if they screwed up succession eg Basil II.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

WISDOM of the king in making rules doesn't prevent the king from making the rules.

 

[Reef]

I’m assuming any king who has a bunch of polymorphed good dragons as bodyguards can pretty much do whatever he pleases.

Or is this a different kingdom we’re talking about?

 

[Vaalingrade]

No really. If you make rules the nobles don't like you end up with a red hot poker where the sun don't shine.

That's why you order them all killed first!

Then institute a nobility based on who is the best at pro-wrestling with you as the writer.

 

[JMISBEST]

I’m assuming any king who has a bunch of polymorphed good dragons as bodyguards can pretty much do whatever he pleases.

Or is this a different kingdom we’re talking about?

Of course its a different kingdom, for starters 1's from a campaign that in my opinion was ruined before it started and this is merely a interesting what-if idea I thought of?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

That's why you order them all killed first!

Then institute a nobility based on who is the best at pro-wrestling with you as the writer.

Then your pro-wrestlers bump you off. It's not humanly possible to rule single handed. It's too big a job. Which means you need to delegate. Whether that's a nobility, or a bureaucracy, or dragons, or a bunch of pro-wrestlers, they will look for a way to dispose of a autocrat who makes decisions they don't like. Which means constant vigilance to avoid the assassin's poker.