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Message: <blockquote data-quote="haakon1" data-source="post: 5974758" data-attributes="member: 25619">AssumptionsMy assumptions about the nobles are:Primogeniture:  <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primogeniture" target="_blank">Primogeniture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</a>Primogeniture has many variations.  The simple version I'd choose goes like this:1) Ruler's eldest son.2) Failing existence of a son, the line reverts to the oldest brother of the ruler.3) If the ruler has no sons and no brothers, it goes the ruler's oldest daughter.4) If the ruler has no sons, no brothers, and no daughters, it goes to his eldest sister.5) If the ruler has no siblings and offspring, the holding reverts to the crown.  Traditionally, it should be given to a cousin, but it could be given to any retainer the crown see fit.6) Bastards can inherit if the ruler and the crown agree.  (William the Conqueror has a bastard, after all).Marriage doesn't have to be to a noble.  That's common, to create political alliances and because marriage of equals is preferred.  However, as in modern England, there's no rule against marrying a commoner.  And marrying RICH commoners for their money/a financial alliance is not uncommon (like 19th century Brits who were title rich, money poor marrying the daughters of "robber baron" industrialists).The rules of inheritance of course favor males, but not completely, so female rulers are not the norm, but neither are they unheard of.Also, the rules of inheritance make it fairly easy for a title to be recaptured by the crown, which is good for the crown because it allows the crown to reward adventurers, military leaders, and maybe even financial backers.Demi-human nobles are rare -- the nobility are primarily human -- but a few half-elves and even halflings might be nobles.  The problem with elvish and dwarvish nobles would be they just live too long.Knights are generally of three types.  Knighthoods like a British modern knighthood are for heroism in service to the crown.  Knighthoods are also for retainers and younger sons of nobles.  And there's the order of Knighthood, the Knights of the Watch.Nobles are generally Aristocrats (in 3e terms) and heirs are encouraged to be Fighters.  Some are Paladins or Rangers.  A few follow the path of the Cleric, Wizard, or even Sorcerer.  Other classes are rare.2nd sons of noble families often take up roles in the military (as Fighters or related classes), in the church (as Clerics), or as adventurers of any class.The military of Bissel (sorry, need to get specific to my campaign to explain it) is of four types:1)  The Border Companies are professional troops.  4 companies of 1000 each (regiments in modern terms) are a standing army, maintaining frontier and road garrisons.  4 more are reservists, often veterans and troops in training.   They are the main strength of Bissel.  Many are recruited from Bissel, but they also attract men of the surrounding lands, looking for excitement, training, and steady pay.  Part of their cost is supported by the neighboring Kingdoms of Furyondy-Veluna and Keoland, both of which are allied with Bissel and interested in maintaining the border defense (against a different "civilization") in a highly strategic mountain pass.  The Border Companies are well equipped and well-led.2)  The Knights of the Watch.  The Knight watch over Bissel and two neighboring countries, defending against invaders on the same border the Border Companies watch, and watching for Giants and other monsters from the mountains.  Their ruler of Bissel happens to their current commander.  Their HQ is a town in southern Bissel (away from the border, and in the direction of the other two countries being defended from mountain monsters).  In additional to knights, their forces include local trained bands from the territories they own, and professional garrisons for their towers and castles.3)  Feudal hosts.  Knights (Aristocrat 1/Fighter 2, that sort of thing) and their retainers.  These tend to be small forces, of varying levels of equipment and professionalism.  They can be called up for national service for only 40 days, though in wartime, they often agree to serve longer.  Feudal troops are typically attached to the Border Company under command of a Captain-General.  Considered not of great ability or reliability, they are often given static defense tasks, while the Border Company and the Knights of the Watch are active field forces seeking to give battle to the enemy.  Some feudal knights insist on taking the field.  A few provide specialized troops, like sappers and siege experts.In addition, nobles usually have militias at home, which are often very poorly organized and equipped (e.g., Commoner 1 with two spears, with a few experts with Light Crossbows) -- they are meant only for local defense when attacked.4)  Town Guards.  Each significant settlement has a small force of professional Town Guards, usually about 1% of the population.  These men man defenses, inspect people entering the gates, and lead fire fighting and thief taking as needed.  They usually consider themselves overworked and undermanned, and they're probably right.  In war time, a noble who owns a town will often attach some of the Town Guards to the feudal host.As long as I'm talking police powers, the crown also has Sheriffs.  This one man per territory.  He's meant to enforce the king's peace, and can call upon feudal, militia, and Town Guard forces to help him, in posses.  Sheriffs are often Rangers or other adventuring types, and are rarely of noble blood.</blockquote>

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