Created because D and D as written doesn't know how to deal with a 'working' Noble Class.
Consult with your DM as to which tier you can have above the first, your DM may choose to upgrade you to tier 7 or strip your tier down to 1.
Each Tier assumes the previous Tier in privilege's and titles, if you have Tier 7 as a Duke you may choose to slum it by getting announced or letter heading at a lower tier.
Tier 1 -Award of Arms
1.You have been recognized by a Kingdom or Empire as having performed some great service or are continuing to provide some great service, this brings the ability to create a unique coat of arms to be worn on your person, displayed at the top of letter heads and so on.
2. In your home court you will be announced at formal gatherings as Master or Mistress.
3. It provides a wage of 100 gold a month.
4. You are entitled to the privilege of Ransom which you will be billed for by the Crown if you ever use it.
Tier 2 - Grant of Arms
You have an official role within the Kingdom that requires people treat you with respect in that capacity, you need a place to be well and fed, to have the ability to be presentable and receive medical treatment.
1. Gain a Town House in a City with a staff of two paid and up kept at base by the Crown or Ruling Body.
2. At Court your Title will be Worshipful Master on arrival.
3. Gain a Wage of 300gp a month.
Tier 3 - Augment of Arms
You are now an international player, you might be tasked by the Crown to become a special Envoy, a diplomatic mission or posting to another country.
1. In addition to your own Coat of Arms the top right hand corner bares the Kingdom Arms or a recognizable reference to it by anyone who has the heraldry skill in your home Country.
2. In Court you will be Announced as 'Squire to their Majesties', there after as Squire.
3. You will receive a small country estate with an attached village or natural resource that you will become accountable for and can be developed. It will produce roughly 1000GP a month which you will be taxed on and expect to upkeep it with.
4. Your personal wage will be 600GP a month.
Tier 4 - Right of Arms
This tier is often given instead of Augment of Arms to those with Military prowess, however in a court recognition of precedence Right of Arms is advanced over Augment of Arms.
The recipient of the Right of Arms becomes a Knight of the Kingdom.
In a room full of Knights, the Knights of the Realm are superior to 'Knights Errant' and 'Knights Militant'
1. You are announced as 'Knight of the Realm Sir X or Dame X'
2. On letterHeads your coat of Arms will gain a Helm facing left at the top and a 'Mantle' Fancy fabric cascading all around.
3. You may not be asked to give up your weapons anywhere in the Kingdom unless it's the ruling bodies presence.
4. You may take a personal Squire, they will have their own character sheet.
5. In addition to the previous advantages of Grant of Arms, you will now be able to select one horse from the Kings Lower Stables, this will be an animal of superior stats.
6. You may develop a 'Livery', a set of colors and patterns for your servants to be known by.
7. Your armor and weapons of choice will be attended to free of repair charges at the Crown armory.
8. If your country declares war, you must present yourself and 5 other persons outfitted for war at your own expense to the Lord Marshal or pay a war tax of 20,000 GP.
9. Your Personal Wage is 800gp a month.
10. You may put together a temporary court to administer the King's Law with or without a Jury as you deem fit but you must submit a full report after the fact.
Knight Errant
1. Knight Errant is a special provision, it acknowledges that from time to time a person needs to lawfully carry far more arms and armor than a standard citizen should be allowed to carry without causing alarm, that a person might need to be allowed to gather a posse to go put down local strife and have a lords permission to do so.
2. Knight Errant can also be a provisional title that allows the would be Knight Militant to test their mettle before the Crown decides to grant them a full 'Knight of the Kingdom' which comes with arms and a mount at the Crowns expense in addition to the other privileges.
3. The Knight Errant is allowed what they can afford personally and they may not take a Squire of their own.
4. A knight Errant may not close their visor or have an enclosed visor, all must be able to see their true face at all times by tradition and display the Crowns arms on their person prominently when enacting law or violence.
5. A Knight errant can arrest someone but cannot hold them for more than 12 hours while attempting to deliver them to the nearest ruling body.
Knight Militant
Knight Militant is a reward to those who prove themselves on the field of battle in the Kingdom's name.
Knight Militant is often awarded to a Knight Errant who performed well but not well enough to make Knight of the Realm.
1. They are allowed to take a Squire, they are outfitted at the Crowns cost.
2. They are sworn to obey and enforce the laws of the land.
3. They may not own land or put in livery any others than their Consort, Squire and Children.
4. They must respond to the Crown's call to war.
5. They must attend all Crown Tournaments within their knowledge as a competitor until the Crown gives them leave by age or injury or assigned tasks.
6. A Knight Militant can expect a wage of 50GP a month and may return to the Crown for a full refit of arms and armor once a year.
7. A Knight Militant may only enact violence or law while arrayed in their heraldic arms.
8. A Knight Militant can arrest and hold a person for up to a week with food and water awaiting Trial by a lawfully recognized body.
9. You may demand Trial by Combat to preserve your family's honor.
Tier 5 - Supported Arms
Baron is now your official title, you are less likely to be adventuring and more likely to be building the King's Peace. Sent to regions recently conquered or to stabilize regions suffering for lack of administration.
This title can be inherited and your children need permission from the King or Queen to marry.
Announced as 'Their Excellency Baron or Baroness X'
1. Your Coat of Arms will now get the addition of the royal mascots added on either side of your Arms Shield
2. Any Country you visit where you let your title be known will get you invited to social gatherings.
3. Your Personal Wage is 2000 GP a Month
4. Your estate now produces 2500Gp a month and you are expected to provide 10 men at arms equipped or pay a tax of 30,000GP to your sovereign should you fail to do so in a declared state of war.
5. You now have the right to Fortify your home with crenelations, arrow slits, add a moat and hire men at arms such as you can afford.
6. You are expected to advise the Chancellor of matters pertaining to the King's lands via report.
7. You will attend the Court in person no less than four social occasions per year unless your Barony has a sea or ocean between you and the Court.
8. You have the ability to create bylaws on your own lands provided it doesn't disturb the King's Law.
9. You may create one Knight Errant at a time, once/if they have been Elevated, you may create another.
Tier 6 - Elevated Arms
You are now a Count or Countess.
This category put's you and your family into the great game of Court intrigue, offers of marriage can come from the highest tiers, Dukes, Prince's and Kings.
Your lands are now large enough that you likely have a large town or small city within its administrative region.
It is possible that you have one of more of the previous Tiers living within the borders of your administration.
Your letterhead gains the crown's own mascots on either side of your own arms with a chain of office around their necks.
1. Announced as 'Their Grace the Count or Countess X'
2. You have the ability to tax your own lands with up to 5% on top of any King's Tax.
3. Your Estate produces at least 30,000 GP a month, you are allowed to maintain a full company of Archers and a full company of Arms Men.
4. You are no longer Waged, instead you are personally exempt from Taxes, though not from War tax should you fail to provide a full company of Liveried Archers and Liveried Men at Arms to the Lord Marshal.
5. You may gain an unscheduled meeting with the Crown.
6. You get a seat on any official law making Council of the Kingdom.
7. You may create a Knight Militant and cannot make another unless they are elevated to Knight of the Realm or above by the Crown.
Tier 7 - Arms Royal
You have somehow been awarded a Dutchy, there is no higher rank that can be gained short of being born into the currently reigning royal family and you are definitely at least a cousin to the current ruling family or if you are not related, whatever you did must have been so great the King or Queen has significantly risked their own downfall by giving what amounts to half their kingdom to you.
The Mascots on your Arms now sport coronets of their own.
1. You come and go from the Crown's presence as you please.
2. You are exempt from all bi laws in any of your home countries territories.
3. Your person is exempt from all tax.
4. The King's Peace Laws to your person are more of a suggestion than a law.
5. You can take command of one entire division of the military in your home country in times of war or unrest.
6. Your estate likely includes at least one County within it's borders.
7. You can elevate anyone you choose as high as Tier 4 and it is considered Ratified, just fill out the paperwork.
8. You can recommend with expectation a person to Tier 5
9. You may only be arrested by the Crown's personal guard with a warrant from the Crown on their person, anyone else who lay a hand on you without your leave you may kill.
10. You may raise and fund a personal military up to half the official size of the Crown's.
11. You may have two votes on any Crown's Council.
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