| Monarch | |
|---|---|
| vanderlin_monarch.png (soon) | Difficulty: Hard Direct superior: None/The Gods Duties: You are the Monarch themselve, ruler of Vanderlin ensure that the Kingdom prospers as if it does, you prosper. Allowed species : Humen, Elf, Half-Elf Minimum PQ requirement : 4 Useful guides: Guide to combat, Guide to the throat, Guide to Speech |
"Elevated upon your throne through a web of intrigue and political upheaval, you are the absolute authority of these lands and at the center of every plot within it. Every man, woman and child is envious of your position and would replace you in less than a heartbeat: Show them the error in their ways."
It is important to note that while you are almost free to do anything in character as the King, you are still bound to certain OOC rules.
¶ The Liege of Vanderlin itself
That's you, the top man of Vanderlin. You're going to wake up from that bed and realize the weight of being a monarch quickly as you are the equivalent of a kingdom wide babysitter.
The most important thing you will have to do and must is to manoever every crisis whenever the source of it and maintain the peace.
¶ Where does emanate my power (De-jure wise) ?
In every society, it isn't really possible to have a legitimacy that manifest itself ex-nihilo, which is why the theory would want that you were crowned by the Church of the Ten who worship the divine pantheon. In doing so, they have made you the apointee of the Ten within the Kingdom and this only justify the presence of that heavy crown you have on your head.
That's the theory, now in pratice what put you in power is your blood, your Jus Sangis (Right of Blood) that come from your parents whom got it from their own parents and so forth. Your lineage was made to be ruling and ruling you will.
¶ The Royal Familly
Fortunately for you, you aren't alone in spite of the adversity of the world, you have your own familly that you can trust with your life (until they poison your wine as they realize with horror that you are a despot).
¶ The Consort
The consort is your half, your love or just someone that you were forced to marry nevertheless it still happens to be your spouse whom you can and surely will confide into. They generally sit next to you on the small throne within the throne room where they will sometime ask you request, advise you or even replace you if needs be.
They are the other parent of your children and due to your more pressing issues will be most of the time the one educating, spending time with the heirs. It is strongly advised that you at least listen to them as they are the one you share a bed with and a unhappy consort has the means to ensure you won't wake up to live the next dae.
It does not mean doing what they say, but just at least listening to what they have to tell you.
It is important to note that until a successor is named, they are the one that will probably inherit the kingdom should you pass away early.
¶ The Heirs
The heirs, whenever they are heirs by blood or by royal decree are considered to be your children, they will be your legacy in due time but for now, they are most often a bunch of oaf who idle in the keep torturing mentally whoever cross their path.
They aren't sociopaths at least that is what you tell yourself but alas you don't choose the cards you're given which means that you'll have to survey them and educate them into a more decent mental state. They will often ask things of you, you are free to do as you want with them, however don't let them build up a grudge or you might regret it.
Unless you directly name them the successor at the Church, they are considered to be second in line in the succesion line after the consort.
¶ The Hand
The Hand is usually your sibling but there is certain case where they are a third child. This doesn't remove their importance they are apart of your dynasty and unlike all of those who share your familly name or blood they are actually competent at doing something.
Within the succesion line, they are at the bottom of it, if either heirs or the consort are inept, then they are in.
¶ The Royal Council
"A Wise King knows what he knows and don't knows. [...] A wise young king listens to his counselors and heeds their advice until he come to age. And the wisest King continue to listen to them long afterwards." - Tywin Lannister to Tommen in Games of Throne
This quote sums it well, while the royal familly may provide you with requests and advises, unless they are the hand they probably know nothing to the art of ruling. Those who do and ensure that your Kingdom prosper are none other than your council who rule in your stead in their respective craft.
Ensuring their interest often match your is the best way to have a Kingdom that will succeed in whatever way you're steering it into, which is why you should summon them early on to set objectives.
¶ The Hand
As previously mentionned the Hand is the sibling of the Monarch, this alone give them great power. They are the most competent and most important confident the liege could have. A good and loyal Hand alongside their agents will make sure the King's will is enforced.
They are akin to the Keep's rogue, constantly spying and seeking informations with their agents while assasinating whoever the King ask them to.
¶ The Captain
The Captain themselve are the epitome of the King's might. Unlike the Hand they do not act in the shadow as they are the leader of the Garrison and at large the royal army.
They are the one who will stand between you and any violent threat, who will enforce your laws and generally step up in any situation requiring violence, their opinion is highly esteemed when it come to the matters of law enforcement.
¶ The Steward
The Banker itself, they are the one in theory meant to keep your coffers full, except most of the time they are too busy getting their keys robbed, resulting in the treasury being emptied. One of their feature too is that they can within their roleplay hire folks, so send people to them instead.
It doesn't remove their functions tho, they are the one paying your folks which ensure said folks to be happy, their opinion should be highy valued aswell as they the one handling your wealth.
¶ The Court Mage
Something arcane is brewing into town ? You need some magic potions or some wizardry done, they are the person you'll seek.
¶ The Royal Affairs
Onto the topic of your duties as a monarch, you will have quite a lot to fullfil and most often you find yourself to be entangled into one, you must avoid this at all cost and be sure that every aspect of ruling are taken into account.
¶ Maintaining the peace
Everything is related to that duty, as the Crown's peace is what make everyone able to do something and enjoy the stability.
A kingdom in turmoil due to internal strife is one that will be ungovernable, threats may arise and you will not be able to answer them if everyone is at each other's throat. Lucky for you, your voice is word of law and none shall oppose you (publicly) unless they wish to inflict upon themselves your wrath.
Before you ask, no you aren't meant to micromanage everything, you materially can't and if you try to do it, it often lead to nothing being done. Which is why you must delegate certain tasks to others.
¶ Edicting Laws
When the round start, the Kingdom's laws are based upon the Tome of Justice, you can modify them through the Throat (the throne) in several ways : Purge them (which means no law until you make some), make laws, remove laws and decree (which are laws).
This is a vital part of the round as every laws, every words put in these laws will impact how a round will play. You are expected to make sensible laws that fit the RP settings, no roundstart genocide, enslavement, etc... but if you wish to have a stable land and a decent round then here's some tips :
A Rule of Law must abide to three criteria to be fair, reasonably applicable and non-oppresive :
- An abstract feature
Since it concerns everyone and is not aimed at anyone in particular, the Law should be general and impersonal, aswell as abstract.
Exemple : "Every subject of the Crown shall obey the Crown."
- A mandatory feature
It's in the title, a law should be mandatory otherwise what's the point behind it unless you wish to do exception then you should mention it.
Exemple : "Every subject of the Crown shall and must abide to the Crown's orders unless the Crown has been usurped."
- A coercive feature
In order for everyone to obey the law, it must have consequences if it is crossed otherwise none will take it seriously.
Exemple : "Every subject of the Crown shall and must abide to the Crown's orders unless the Crown has been usurped, failure to complies to orders from the Crown shall be punished through a session in the pillories."
Did you knew that every crime shouldn't be punished by death ? Alternative sentences exist like the pillories, forced labour and the dungeons.
¶ Delegate
This is the most important thing to read as a Monarch, as said multiple time, you are only but one person and you can't micromanage everything, if you want to have time for gimmicks, for familly RP or other things, that's the part you should read and follow.
That's it the laws are set and you sit upon your throne room pondering what is the next step. Strong advice, convocate your council, the Town Elder and familly to the throne room immediately so that they can get to work immediately otherwise you'll be flooded with useless requests upon useless requests.
Now, let's take our council that we've mentionned above :
- The Hand
All Nobles should in theory seek audience with the Hand before the Liege, they are the one who should be filtering the highborns' requests and whims. Exceptions should be made when the nobles are emissaries from grand powers or nation you have personnal interest in.
I'm sorry but John Minornoble, lord of a shack in ruins can't go straight to the Monarch just to say them Hi.
- The Captain
You shall give them general orders and points to focus on but when it come to micromanaging the garrison, it is their role let them deal with it. Same goes for the punishements, they should be the one to order them and the dungeoneer to actually take care of the sentence.
You should micromanage the Garrison only if the Captain is rogue, incompetent or nowhere to be seen.
- The Steward and Town Elder
Those are the one in contact of the smallfolks, the Steward should be directed to keep the treasury afloat and ensure everyone is paid whileEVERY ISSUES OF THE SMALLFOLK SHOULD BE REDIRECTED TO THE TOWN ELDER
In case it wasn't clear, the smallfolks should go to the TOWN ELDER first and not YOU.
- Your familly
Despite all of this, you might end up doing court duties, but you may still avoid it by giving the responsabilities
to your familly, the consort will be more than happy and perhaps proud to oblige. The Heirs just like your consort will most often find themselves happy in that as they get a taste of ruling, be sure to have someone to supervize them tho.
It can make up for some great Keep RP to have the familly work and giving them stuff to do keep them under your elbow so that you always know where they are.
¶ Make court
That's what you're here for, at least this is what most monarch like to spend their time on. The reality is, you shouldn't spend all of your time making court but here you are, doing it.
You have opened the gate of the Keep to everyone, bypassed everyone who you have appointed to solve the issues to do it yourself and everyone lies before you, the lads who need to ask you for nothing and everything.
You shall sit on your throne. You shall do and judge on what shall be done as you see fit but beware that if you act rashly on certain topics, unforseen consequences might happens.
Here's some tips to help you judge the situation :
- Is the issue serious ?
If it isn't, throw that miscreant out of your keep or leave your familly to deal with it. However if it is indeed serious then listen carefully as you might learn something interesting. - Did they attempted to see someone to solve that issue beforehand such as one member of your concil ?
If they didn't redirect them to said persons, if the role isn't in the round or they are corrupt/rogue, then keep on going.
Skip the above checks if the ones seeking audiance are your council/Priest/Inquisitor.
- Is the issue revolving around a conflict ?
If there is some conflicting parties, depending on what you seek, align yourself that might further your RP interest (A just monarch shall help the just partie while a self-centered monarch shall help the one that fit their personnal interest). - The Context
Isn't much to be said aside title.
A Monarch is more than just someone who wait on their throne all day listening to the peasants request, you have other folks who can do that for you, and for every matters, see the point above.
¶ Ensure the prosperity of the Kingdom
Your legacy depends on what you do during your life, one goal that many rulers aspire to is to see their domain prosper, here's some tips to do so.
¶ Grooming a heir
One of the first thing you should clarify is the succesion laws, who will inherit you ? In theory it would be the Heirs but in pratice the lack of laws by the monarchs on that result into the consort taking up the mantle. It could be good, it could be bad, the issue is that your consort while it is your better half they aren't your blood and they could still remarry afterall. We want to avoid our kingdom to pass to another house don't we ?
In order to do so, go to the Church and seek the Reverand, within the Church, ask them to designate [YOUR FAVORITE CHILD] as the the heir and booya.
¶ Keep the treasury afloat
A healthy economy means a healthy Kingdom. Whenever you face an issue, you almost alway can solve it with mammons which is why you need to ensure the treasury is afloat.
Coordinate your spending with the Steward, seek out the merchant and ensure both do their job so you don't find yourself with an empty coffers.
¶ Avoid famine
"If they have no bread, let them eat cake" - Queen Marie Antoinette
Well, she said that and guess what ? The Cake was the current social order, don't let that happens. Ensure a tight cooperation between the keep and the town through the town elder to get them soilson and co to work, if there is really no one to do the job, buy food through the merchant.