Michael Morris
First Post
"Honor is the thread that binds the tapestry of our society. Without it, you cannot exist." - Priest Colsken.
The system of obligations, titles, honor, and duties that binds the Telzoan society together is known as feudalism. At it's heart a land for services contract, feudalism has become interlaced with philosophy and interwoven with religion such that it is very ingrained into the heart and minds of the Telzoan people. As such, it is an important key to understanding the world from which the characters in the campaign will inevitably arise - the world that will influence and shape them, and the world that the characters must be a part of.
Feudalism in Telzoa has its roots during the fall of Malchani influence in the region during the 5th century sealed reckoning. The warriors of Malchani and the scholars who remained behind continued to hold influence over local politics, and this they cemented by intermarriage with Cuolshiate and Dalzendri chieftains immigrating into the area. Over the course of 500 years this group of elite came to call themselves the nobility, and while they fought amongst each other for control of the land they managed to all but seize from the commoner.
During this time strife and petty border raiding was common, and the common man was in need for protection. For this he paid a dividend of his crops the noble who owned the land he worked. In addition, he would spend a sizable amount of time, three of every five days, working the demesne, or manor property, or this noble. Eventually such hired laborers became indistinguishable from the slaves they worked alongside, and all of these individuals took on the ubiquitous title of "serf."
In exchange for his labors, the noble was to protect his serfs from raids, or failing that he was to go and avenge his people on his raiding neighbors. This led to a long period of senseless fighting that was only beginning to peter out when Miro I came to power, and in Threndis the situation has once more degenerated to this state. In practice the nobility rarely, if ever actually protected their tenants, preferring to do raiding of their own.
While nobles rarely took their obligations to their serfs seriously, they did keep their obligations to those who ruled over them. At first these lines of power where strait-forward, but when the land went to peace between the reigns of Otal and Alskin the nobles allowed themselves to become vassals of multiple lords. This occurred primarily through intermarriage - and this more than any other factor should be laid to blame for much of the confusion immediately following Hanial's War.
Despite this, Feudalism is straightforward in theory - it like so many things only has a complicated execution. At the top of the pyramid of obligations is the king. This individual, in theory, owns all of the land within the kingdom. He is the only individual who, in theory, owes fealty to no one. In practice a king has to play the power strings of the nobility, clergy and increasingly the merchants in order to keep his house in order.
Beneath the king are the Dukes (Duchess). Each of Telzoa's twelve kingdoms is split into anywhere from three to as many as nine "duchies" - Dalsundria, as an example has four duchies - Nordenshire (Valsil), Granis (Ander), Alisford (Ambria) and Edinel (Teresa Orlanis). As a rule, the Dukes and Duchesses of a kingdom are the King's closest relatives, and usually one of the Dukes is also the Crown Prince.
At the next level are the barons, although in some areas nobles of this rank are referred to as Counts or Earls. Nevertheless baronies are the usual name for the territories administered at this level. A duchy can contain as many as twenty baronies, depending on its size and the population of the land. Valsil's barons are Count Travis Triel, Earl of Dalze; Simon Tatum, Earl of Truel; Eric Vincenz, Earl of Pottsdam; Nathaniel Montgomery, Earl of Chancel. Note many, if not most barons possess family names that match the townships they rule.
After the barons are the lords, or occasionally viscounts. Again, expect three to as many as twelve or so viscounts to swear allegiance to a count or baron. These individuals may or may not have knights at arms at their disposal, and those knights may or may not have strongholds.
Lowest on the noble pecking order are the landless nobles, or occasionally, the esquires. These individuals are usually the disinherited members of the various noble families by birth - in most areas of Telzoa primogeniture is the primary means be which inheritance is meted out, but these leads to a glut of unattached individuals of noble rank. If a player wishes to play a noble, it is recommended that he or she hold only the rank of esquire when the game begins.
Even the lowest noble holds certain rights. He cannot be tried in common court - he is accountable only to his superiors or, if he is unattached, he is responsible only to the ruling baron while he stays on that individual's property. Whether or not he is a knight or warrior by trade he is expected to follow the code of chivalry. He can expect to be afforded lodging in the home of another noble of equal or lower rank (and usually higher rank as well, although such requests must be made humbly), and he is expected to render this self-same service to others in need as well. His word is his bond, and once an oath is made it is to be fulfilled at all costs. He is to maintain his honor.
Honor is a very pervasive concept to the Telzoans. Any of noble background, and even most without such a background have a very strong sense of personal honor, and many will become extremely antagonistic at the slightest perceived slight. This is an age of short tempers - and players who love sarcasm should be keenly aware that they'll find themselves in more duels than they can hope to win if they do not hold their tongue. While demihumans are overlooked as being too stupid to know better even they can be attacked for such slights, and the rules of engagement do not apply to any demihuman - so players of such characters are advised to watch their backs.
The system of obligations, titles, honor, and duties that binds the Telzoan society together is known as feudalism. At it's heart a land for services contract, feudalism has become interlaced with philosophy and interwoven with religion such that it is very ingrained into the heart and minds of the Telzoan people. As such, it is an important key to understanding the world from which the characters in the campaign will inevitably arise - the world that will influence and shape them, and the world that the characters must be a part of.
Feudalism in Telzoa has its roots during the fall of Malchani influence in the region during the 5th century sealed reckoning. The warriors of Malchani and the scholars who remained behind continued to hold influence over local politics, and this they cemented by intermarriage with Cuolshiate and Dalzendri chieftains immigrating into the area. Over the course of 500 years this group of elite came to call themselves the nobility, and while they fought amongst each other for control of the land they managed to all but seize from the commoner.
During this time strife and petty border raiding was common, and the common man was in need for protection. For this he paid a dividend of his crops the noble who owned the land he worked. In addition, he would spend a sizable amount of time, three of every five days, working the demesne, or manor property, or this noble. Eventually such hired laborers became indistinguishable from the slaves they worked alongside, and all of these individuals took on the ubiquitous title of "serf."
In exchange for his labors, the noble was to protect his serfs from raids, or failing that he was to go and avenge his people on his raiding neighbors. This led to a long period of senseless fighting that was only beginning to peter out when Miro I came to power, and in Threndis the situation has once more degenerated to this state. In practice the nobility rarely, if ever actually protected their tenants, preferring to do raiding of their own.
While nobles rarely took their obligations to their serfs seriously, they did keep their obligations to those who ruled over them. At first these lines of power where strait-forward, but when the land went to peace between the reigns of Otal and Alskin the nobles allowed themselves to become vassals of multiple lords. This occurred primarily through intermarriage - and this more than any other factor should be laid to blame for much of the confusion immediately following Hanial's War.
Despite this, Feudalism is straightforward in theory - it like so many things only has a complicated execution. At the top of the pyramid of obligations is the king. This individual, in theory, owns all of the land within the kingdom. He is the only individual who, in theory, owes fealty to no one. In practice a king has to play the power strings of the nobility, clergy and increasingly the merchants in order to keep his house in order.
Beneath the king are the Dukes (Duchess). Each of Telzoa's twelve kingdoms is split into anywhere from three to as many as nine "duchies" - Dalsundria, as an example has four duchies - Nordenshire (Valsil), Granis (Ander), Alisford (Ambria) and Edinel (Teresa Orlanis). As a rule, the Dukes and Duchesses of a kingdom are the King's closest relatives, and usually one of the Dukes is also the Crown Prince.
At the next level are the barons, although in some areas nobles of this rank are referred to as Counts or Earls. Nevertheless baronies are the usual name for the territories administered at this level. A duchy can contain as many as twenty baronies, depending on its size and the population of the land. Valsil's barons are Count Travis Triel, Earl of Dalze; Simon Tatum, Earl of Truel; Eric Vincenz, Earl of Pottsdam; Nathaniel Montgomery, Earl of Chancel. Note many, if not most barons possess family names that match the townships they rule.
After the barons are the lords, or occasionally viscounts. Again, expect three to as many as twelve or so viscounts to swear allegiance to a count or baron. These individuals may or may not have knights at arms at their disposal, and those knights may or may not have strongholds.
Lowest on the noble pecking order are the landless nobles, or occasionally, the esquires. These individuals are usually the disinherited members of the various noble families by birth - in most areas of Telzoa primogeniture is the primary means be which inheritance is meted out, but these leads to a glut of unattached individuals of noble rank. If a player wishes to play a noble, it is recommended that he or she hold only the rank of esquire when the game begins.
Even the lowest noble holds certain rights. He cannot be tried in common court - he is accountable only to his superiors or, if he is unattached, he is responsible only to the ruling baron while he stays on that individual's property. Whether or not he is a knight or warrior by trade he is expected to follow the code of chivalry. He can expect to be afforded lodging in the home of another noble of equal or lower rank (and usually higher rank as well, although such requests must be made humbly), and he is expected to render this self-same service to others in need as well. His word is his bond, and once an oath is made it is to be fulfilled at all costs. He is to maintain his honor.
Honor is a very pervasive concept to the Telzoans. Any of noble background, and even most without such a background have a very strong sense of personal honor, and many will become extremely antagonistic at the slightest perceived slight. This is an age of short tempers - and players who love sarcasm should be keenly aware that they'll find themselves in more duels than they can hope to win if they do not hold their tongue. While demihumans are overlooked as being too stupid to know better even they can be attacked for such slights, and the rules of engagement do not apply to any demihuman - so players of such characters are advised to watch their backs.
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