A Guide to Quacian Nobility
I. What are the types of Nobility?
II. How much power do Nobles have?
III. How do Nobles act?
IV. How do I start playing as a Noble?
V. What if I want to create my own Noble House?
II. How much power do Nobles have?
III. How do Nobles act?
IV. How do I start playing as a Noble?
V. What if I want to create my own Noble House?
What are the Types of Nobility?
In Quacia, there are three distinct levels of notable Nobility. Each of these levels is responsible for dealing with different duties, and each of them has a different level and methodology of attainment.
Barons and Baronesses
The first and most numerous level of Nobility are the Barons and Baronesses. Typically, they are wealthier than many of the commoners of the surrounding area, and it is these minor families which allow for a great deal of the business of the city to occur in the way that it does. While they do not receive any form of taxes, or serve as masters over any regions of Quacia-proper, their role is nevertheless vital to the city’s continued function.
Barons and Baronesses are tasked with taming the wilderness outside of Quacia. In a way, a Baron is something like an expedition leader, and a settler. Once they have left behind the walls of the city, they are granted almost full autonomy in their dealings with the outside world. A Baron will often venture into the Creep-infested wilderness with a band of followers, and establish small townships and villages.
Despite the danger inherent in adventuring through the Creep, several different minor families have been able to acquire ancient artifacts or devices of great power which have been sold for great deals of profit, thus securing their lineage. As such, it is expected that noble families will dispatch the occasional member of their family in order to attempt to secure further wealth and influence in this manner.
It is possible for a commoner to be granted status as a minor noble by the King of Quacia, though this honor is typically reserved for valiant individuals who have showcased their talents to him, and who have managed to impress him with their labors. As such, it is an unlikely, albeit possible circumstance.
The children of Barons are often referred to as Baronet/Baronetess. (Male and Female respectively)
Dukes and Duchesses
The second layer of Nobility is that of the Dukes and Duchesses of Quacia. These families number only four in total, and are regarded as major families by the general populace. They wield a great deal of significant power in stark contrast with the Barons, but are also subject to somewhat more intensive legislation and observation by the King due to their relative closeness.
The Dukes are more akin to civil administrators and managers than distant and severe ruling powers. Since the loss of the majority of Quacia’s external prospects, each of the ducal families has been granted a position within the city which is theirs to regulate and secure according to their desires.
The Dukes are responsible for any other governing forces which are present within their segments of the city, and typically skim a tax off of any revenues which are generated by their services. In turn, they are expected to pay their own taxes to their liege. Due to the fact that almost all of the Quacian people are found within the single city, and since they are granted free reign to determine taxation, the Dukes are exceptionally wealthy persons, and they use this to sway events in their favor.
Though the original ducal families were eliminated in the midst of the Heap’s Rebellion, these relative newcomers have essentially secured their place. While possible that a further ducal family could be raised, it would almost certainly spell the beginnings of a fierce and short-lived civil war between the four others families and the newcomer.
The children of Dukes are often referred to as Marquis/Marchioness (Male and Female respectively).
The Monarch of Quacia
The highest level of nobility. This individual rules over all others in both the city itself, and in any of its territories. They are the absolute authority over all legal matters, and may determine the fate of any person at any time. There are currently no regulations or restrictions to their authorized power, and as such, they are capable of despotism at the drop of a hat.
The King of Quacia is responsible for caring for the entirety of the Kingdom.
The children of the Monarch are often referred to as Prince/Princess.
How much power do Nobles have?
Barons – The power of a Baron is typically restricted to what they are able to purchase, and the services they may hire. They do not have any official or political ability to coerce or force the Heaps of Quacia to obey their orders while in the city, though many are not above acts of subterfuge, racketeering, and otherwise forcefully mandating their commands.
Once a Baron has left Quacia-proper on an expedition, they are given almost full autonomy. Their orders in the wilderness are law to any and all of their followers, and they may treat persons however they desire with impunity. The laws of a Baron will not, however, be enforced by the Dragoons. Instead, Barons will simply not be prosecuted for any heinous activities they commit in the wilds. The major exceptions to this rule are acts of blatant sedition, and cooperation with the Creep.
Dukes – Due to the extensive wealth of the Dukes, their power is limited in a different manner. They are disallowed from forming any bands of armed forces which serve as personal soldiers beyond thirty persons. This allows for each Duke to possess a sort of “House Guard” without allowing them to threaten the power of the King.
This being the case, the Dukes are not disallowed in any official capacity from hiring security forces to protect the regions under their control. A fact which has been abused in the past to smuggle further forces into the city. The Dukes have absolute authority over any Heap within their portion of the city, but must request permission in order to act within the territory of another Duke.
While the Dukes are granted access to a pair of Dragoons to serve as protectors, they are unable to order the Dragoon Garrison. They may request the protection of such forces for the sake of the territories under their control, however, but this is the extent of their power over the military forces of the city.
King – Commander of the Dragoon Garrison, the King of Quacia wields a considerable amount of power simply through force of arms. Armed and armored with the finest equipment in the land, the Dragoons are a formidable force, and unlikely to suffer any major defeat at the hands of the comparatively paltry House Guards.
The King of Quacia possesses absolute authority in all matters, and may determine punishments and boons however he pleases.
How do Nobles Act?
Nobles typically behave in a fashion that indicates their wealth, prestige, or power. It is unlikely, for example, to find a Noble who is dressed in a fashion that would make them appear in the visage of a Heap. In fact, it is somewhat odd to find Nobles involved in any manner of laborious work, as it is typically assumed that they are above and beyond such activities. Of course, this is likely to earn them the ire of the hard-working Heaps, but to a Noble, such matters are typically inconsequential.
Nobility may view Heaps as entirely lesser beings, or they may view them simply as tools to be expended and used as one pleases. While there are degrees of charitability which can be found even inside of the Noble caste, this is certainly not a type of behavior that is encouraged by most as it means exposing that you enjoy the company of the lesser caste, or at least that you feel entitled to assist them.
Noble families pass on their lineage in a system of primarily agnatic primogeniture. That is to say, the eldest son of the family is typically the person to inherit, so long as they maintain their legitimacy. There are no restrictions on women inheriting should they possess no elder brothers, however, and several have risen to power over their noble homes and found a great degree of success.
While a noble family may be dissolved at the will of the King, a Noble House cannot be dissolved in any other fashion barring complete termination of all living members. These are the only two circumstances wherein a House will be completely erased from existence.
Nobility are allowed to answer any slights against themselves by requesting a duel. Duels may only be conducted between two persons on the same titular level; Barons may only duel Barons, Dukes may only duel Dukes. In the event that a person is the last surviving member of a House, they are not permitted to duel in any fashion, and any attempts to do so will be viewed negatively by other members of the Nobility.
A note on Baronets, Marquis, and Princes (and their female equivalents): While these cadet-titles do not possess the power of their adult derivatives, they are regarded as belonging to their parent’s titular level, and as such are capable of dueling persons of their parent’s rank. For example, a Baronet may challenge a Baron to a duel, and vice-versa.
How do I start playing as a Noble?
First and foremost, a person needs to determine which House their character belongs to. At this time, this is limited at character-creation to belonging to a Baron-level family. It is perfectly reasonable to request to write the siblings or other family members of a minor House if there is one currently written. You may also decide that none of the currently written minor Houses suit your fancy, and you may submit one for approval (following the rules found in the next section.)
Once you’ve determined your House, you’ll want to select your Starter Pack. At the moment, the Noble Starter Pack is not designed in a way which fits Quacian lore, so it is highly recommended you select a different pack. If you decide to take a starter pack which grants a home, and are the first PC of a Noble House, you are permitted to use the home which accompanies the pack to serve as your family estate. If you are not the first PC in a House, you may not possess another dwelling separate from your family estate at character creation.
It is good to remember that while you may possess a degree of power depending on your rank and station, you are not immune to forms of legal prosecution. If you go around slaying innocent people like a madman, you’re liable to be killed by Dragoons. The same is true of those who decide to worship Immortals, despite the added publicity that inherently comes with being a member of the Nobility. Be smart about your power, and you’ll go a lot further than someone who flaunts it.
As a member of the Nobility, you are one of the few educated persons within the city. You are able to read and write in both Vahanic and Common, and may possess a greater degree of understanding about the outside world than many of your peers. Nevertheless, your personal interactions with things from the outside world are still going to be somewhat scarce. You’ve probably read about Lions, for example, but it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have seen one.
A Noble House may not possess any armed force beyond thirty persons while in the city. If you wish to form an expedition outside of the city, this limit is waived.
Dueling is restricted only to other persons of your Noble title, and who are not the last members of their lineage. They may choose to refuse without repercussion.
What if I want to create my own Noble House?
There is a template provided to allow for people to create their own Noble Houses in accordance with the regulations above. All prospective Houses must be submitted to the Development Submission Thread for approval before they may be used.
Once a House has been Approved, you may post their writeup within this thread, below this post for others to see. Try to keep it updated when possible.
As a lore-based addendum. Those Houses which have been around since the beginning of Quacia’s use of nobility should possess names derived or taken from the Portuguese language, as that is the one used to portray Vahanic. This is not necessary for newer Houses.
All aspects of the Template must be filled out. No exceptions.
Code: Select all
[b]Name:[/b] (The House of X)
[b]Coat of Arms:[/b] (Picture or words. Let us know what your House CoA looks like.)
[b]Title:[/b] (This should always be Barony, but you may specify whether it is an Old or New family.)
[b]Affiliations:[/b] (Do you do most of your business in Lair? The Gleam? Do you have a long-standing alliance with another family? Tell us about it here.)
[b]Notable Contributions:[/b] (What does your House primarily deal with? Are they the sort to make expeditions into the wilds often, or do they rely on foreign trade to pay the bills. Effectively, what do they affect.)
[b]Manor:[/b] (Where do they live? What is it like?)
[b]Household:[/b] (Here you may name specific members of the family, or you may choose to give vague indications in order to allow for further creativity in the event other PCs join your House. For example, you may write about your brother, Joe, or you may choose simply to state that there is a male child in the House. You may also reference important NPCs here, such as your favorite adviser, or the best warrior in your Household Guard, though these would need to be approved Personal NPCs)
[b]Credit:[/b] (Who wrote this. Show some pride in your work!)
