Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="GladiusNP" data-source="post: 814282" data-attributes="member: 10574">I'd say we need at least names for all of the nobility.  Here’s a little model I’d propose for how stuff gets done in Mor’s End.  Feel free to change, delete, modify, criticise deride and so forth.  It’s long.  I used Fusangite’s history for a rough outline.When Mor was serving as the seneschal of Erekh, son of Erekh, he established an agreement with the herdsmen who had built steddings around the early city.  These original settlers were the first landed gentry, and so became the earliest form of nobility.  Records of the time indicate that Erekh was paid an annual tax of one sheep in thirty, and the Harrowdale Stedding contributed over forty sheep in consecutive years.  The Argali Herders were also to provide their boys at the age of sixteen years – to be trained in battle (this lead to the Muster).  These brigades had a brief and meritorious history, including the third Lord of Harrowdale (Lord Armand I) who killed an orc chieftain in single combat, tracked a goblin war-party into the swamp, and rescued three Mor End’s villagers from an orc encampment – all before his twentieth birthday.  Around year 100, the Argali herders were sufficiently wealthy to force an act based on the idea of scutage to provide them a way out of service.  Though they also managed to pass a mandate granting titles to all landholders over a certain size of estate, both of these were later amended to reduce the influence the country gentry had over Mor’s End.  During the first sacking of the city, the folly of allowing the nobles to avoid military service was revealed, as only Lord Antell came to the city’s aid, bringing his household guard, his herdsmen, and a small contingent of northerners.  Though they fought bravely, they apparently defended the Citadel until the gates were broken, and Antell was killed, leaving no heirs.  The most notable acts passed during the rebuilding period include allowing the purchase of noble titles (originally a way to replace dead nobles and give the city much needed funds) an elimination of the land title act (see above) and the skeleton of the administrative structure used in the council today.  The office of Tribune was also created, mainly as a response to the merchants who took advantage of the fact that they could now buy titles.  Ironically, these new nobles eventually repealed the very act that had given them that same status – basically to prevent any more nobility from joining.  Most of the halfling, dwarven, and gnome houses joined at this time, namely houses Imar, Silar, Drekan, and Nitstar.  The last houses were those of the elves, who joined only about year 200.  The political manoeuvring necessary to achieve this was engineered by Cor Mahael, who incidentally holds a title over the island of his tower – the only noble to have an estate within the city.  House Palmora joined at this time, and provided most of the support for the lesser elven houses.  The general rules governing the nobility is that of the Muster – they provide themselves or a replacement as part of the Muster.  This is actually beneficial when the nobles hire experienced mercenaries – it makes the Muster much more experienced than most militia.  A list of the size of estates (N.B. not all nobles have lands in Enheim, notably Houses Palmora and Silar) is also maintained by the Tribune, who also maintains the roll of nobility.  Estates of a certain population must also contribute troops to Mor’s End (these troops aren’t particularly large) and there is a land tax per acre, generally something that is roughly worked out.  The nobility gain concessions with regard to standing armies (private citizens cannot maintain one), trade rights (nobles may tax waterways in their estates, though this has lead to a great deal of friction between the Merchant’s Council and certain nobles), and a seat in the House of Lords.  Most of the guilds have at least one representative house in the House of Lords – the Silker’s Circle is particularly influential, with several houses.The House of Lords consists of the twenty leaders of the noble houses.  Each winter, they elect their representatives to the city council.  There is a rough code of practice, and annual meetings, which never really achieve all that much, except provide a forum for the airing of all the petty grievances of the city aristocracy.   The nobles have six seats on the city council.  The council meets twice a month, and must have a quorum of seven voting members to enact legislation.  None of the Counsellors have veto power, though the Castellan does have the power to force a re-vote.  Lady Kelvin does have the power to veto any law – though does not have the power to introduce new legislation on her own – she must do it through the Castellan, and it must pass through the council.  A two-thirds majority usually rules, save when the Duke of the city is given the power of Martial Law.  In this time, there are no meetings, the Duke may take and order any actions necessary, and is only enacted in times of emergency.  This must be voted on by only one third of the council – if one third agrees, then the Duke may declare the city closed, and under martial law (yes I do realise the potential for abuse).   The other seats are given to…1.    The Castellan.  Council Head.2.    Merchant’s Council representative.  Note that the Merchant’s Council may also have affiliated nobles in other Council positions.3.    The foreigner.  Though titles from other lands are recognised in Mor’s End, this council member holds no land in Mor’s End.  (Interesting story here.  Who is this person?  How did they get on the council?)4.    The Mage Guild.  Part of the original charter of the Mage Guild was to have a full member on the city council.  Was fulfilled by Cor Mahael (who also held office through his title for a brief time).  Now fulfilled by ??????5.    The Legion General, Sebastiano Palmora.The Watersilkers are fairly strong right now due to Sebastiano’s chair and the chair they maintain through their influence in the House of Lords.  Each of the council members has their own agenda, and often swaps votes with others to get legislation through.  Example…Lord Bentley Harrowdale – Scion of one of the oldest noble families in Mor’s End.  Harrowdale currently holds a seat on the city council, and has for six years.  He represents the country gentry and also has ties through marriage to the Glazer’s Guild.  He pushes for more power to the Landholders, a break of the Merchant’s Council’s monopoly over trade, especially for pottery, and an increased crackdown on the Squats.  He considers the military an unnecessary drain, and has considerable contempt for both the elite guard and their Commander, Gorkil.  Other agendas include….1.    The Glittering Brotherhood and the Merchant’s Council are allies – the Glittering Brotherhood really doesn’t need to ship in bulk, so the tariffs charged by the Merchant’s Council on transport really don’t affect them.  It’s in their best interest to keep the Silkers and the Glazers down.  They sometimes vote with the Mages Guild, since they provide the Mages Guild with all sorts of components.2.    The Silkers are forced to vote with the Glazer’s to keep the Merchant’s down.  They don’t like it much at all.  Palmora is under pressure to vote with his house, and more than once this has caused quite a bit of tension.  The Silkers also would eventually like to knock the Glazer’s down several notches, but for now must work with them.3.    All of the guilds work to make themselves more exclusive.  Lady Kelvin puts a stop to most of the more blatant abuses, but laws recently passed include…An extension of three to five for the number of years an apprentice must work under a guild member to join a guild (mainly to discourage foreign artisans from joining.)(Can’t think of any more right now).    Other agendas abound, more to be added when we get the final work-up for the members of the council.  This is a work in progress, of a possible model.  I think it keeps the Guilds strong, the Nobles strong, keeps the Mages weak, and the military weak.  The Council needing a two-thirds majority may make it a bit too weak…  What do you all think?</blockquote>

Verification