Noble Council at a Glance
Legacy of Ruin Court Reference
Important Points
Only Lords and Ladies Hold Seats
Only a recognized Lord or Lady may formally hold a seat on the Noble Council.
Bannerlords Represent Seats
A Bannerlord or Bannerlady may represent a seated Lord or Lady when they are absent, but they do not own the seat.
Each Seat Has One Vote
Each council seat has one vote. A Bannerlord or Bannerlady may vote only if their Lord or Lady has granted that authority.
The Red Judge Breaks Ties
The Red Judge breaks ties among the other four council seats.
Anyone May Petition Court
Any person may bring a petition to the proper council seat.
Disputes Use the Seven Remedies
Counsel, Apology, Service, Reparations, Censure, Duel, and Judgment.
Seats Can Be Challenged
A house may challenge another house’s seat through formal court action, not rumor, insult, or private violence.
No Seat Rules Alone
Matters affecting multiple areas should involve the proper seats together.
Highlord
The Highlord is the final authority of the town and court.
- Makes final rulings on major town matters.
- Appoints or removes council seat holders.
- Sets the overall direction of the town.
- Approves major laws, alliances, punishments, and declarations.
- Represents the town in matters involving outside powers.
- May overrule the council when necessary.
- Is responsible for the safety, stability, and future of the town.
Lord Regent / Lady Regent
The Lord Regent or Lady Regent is the right hand of the Highlord.
- Speaks for the Highlord when the Highlord is absent.
- Helps organize and guide council meetings.
- Makes sure council decisions are carried out.
- Delivers official messages, orders, and rulings from the Highlord.
- Keeps the council focused on the good of the town.
- Acts as witness for oaths, appointments, and formal court decisions.
- May settle procedural disputes during court.
- Reports council issues directly to the Highlord.
Noble Rank Breakdown
Highlord
Highest noble authority of the town.
Lord Regent / Lady Regent
Right hand of the Highlord.
Lord / Lady
Full nobles. May hold council seats.
Bannerlord / Bannerlady
Appointed representatives of a Lord or Lady.
Ser / Madam
Lower nobles or newly recognized nobles.
Commoner
Citizens and residents without noble rank.
Greater Noble Order
- King
- Prince / Princess
- Duke / Duchess
- Highlord
- Lord Regent / Lady Regent
- Lord / Lady
- Bannerlord / Bannerlady
- Ser / Madam
- Commoner
The Five Council Seats
Seat I: Scale
Title: Red Judge- Hears grievances brought before the court.
- Helps resolve conflicts as peacefully as possible.
- Clarifies laws, customs, agreements, and oaths.
- Oversees trials or formal hearings when needed.
- Breaks ties among the other four council seats.
- Ensures rulings are fair and serve the town as a whole.
Seat II: Coin
Title: Coinward- Manages town funds and ledgers.
- Oversees taxes, fees, and lawful collections.
- Handles trade agreements and merchant concerns.
- Tracks town supplies and shared resources.
- Works to keep markets fair and stable.
- Helps fund the watch, public works, guild needs, and community projects.
- Advises the council on costs, shortages, and financial risks.
Seat III: Shield
Title: Iron Marshal- Commands or organizes the town watch and guard company.
- Oversees patrols and public safety.
- Coordinates defense during emergencies.
- Maintains order during court, festivals, markets, and public gatherings.
- Makes sure guards act with discipline and restraint.
- Reports threats to the council and Highlord.
- Works with other seats to protect roads, homes, temples, guilds, and farms.
Seat IV: Quill
Title: Veilwarden- Oversees guild charters and guild disputes.
- Coordinates churches, temples, healers, scholars, scribes, artisans, and magical groups.
- Reviews concerns involving rituals, relics, dangerous knowledge, or magical practice.
- Advises the council on faith, craft, lore, healing, records, and magic.
- Keeps records of approved guilds, teachers, rites, and special permissions.
Seat V: Land
Title: Hearth Keeper- Brings the concerns of common citizens to the council.
- Hears grievances from farmers, workers, travelers, families, tavern keepers, and residents.
- Oversees food concerns, public comfort, housing needs, and land use issues.
- Watches for hardship, unrest, hunger, or unfair treatment.
- Helps organize community aid, local celebrations, and public support.
- Makes sure council decisions consider ordinary people.
Council Voting
- Each council seat holds one vote.
- A Lord or Lady who personally holds a seat may vote for that seat.
- A Bannerlord or Bannerlady may vote only if granted that authority by their Lord or Lady.
- The Red Judge breaks ties among the other four council seats.
- The Highlord may approve, reject, or overrule a council decision when necessary.
Bannerlords and Bannerladies
Basic Rule
- Only a Lord or Lady may formally hold a council seat.
- A Bannerlord or Bannerlady represents a seated Lord or Lady when absent.
- A Bannerlord or Bannerlady does not own the seat.
- They serve beneath the authority of the Lord or Lady who appointed them.
May Do
- Represent their Lord or Lady in court.
- Speak on matters related to their assigned seat.
- Hear petitions, concerns, and grievances.
- Help organize the duties of their seat.
- Bring issues to the council for discussion.
- Carry messages or instructions from their Lord or Lady.
- Advise the council from the position of their seat.
- Assist in resolving minor matters within the scope of their office.
May Not Do
- Remove or replace the seated Lord or Lady.
- Permanently change the authority of the seat.
- Act against the known will of the noble they represent.
- Claim ownership of the seat.
- Grant noble rank on their own.
- Command another council seat.
- Keep authority after being removed from service.
Voting and Duels
- A Bannerlord or Bannerlady may vote only if their Lord or Lady has granted them that authority.
- If the seated Lord or Lady is absent and a duel is requested against the honor of that seat, the Bannerlord or Bannerlady is expected to defend that banner’s honor unless the court rules otherwise.
Simple Court Rule
The Lord or Lady holds the seat.
The Bannerlord or Bannerlady carries the banner.
Both serve the town.
The Seven Remedies of Court
Counsel
A private conversation or guided meeting.
Apology
A formal acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Service
The offending party performs a useful task for the wronged party, court, or town.
Reparations
The offending party repays what was lost, damaged, stolen, or harmed.
Censure
A formal mark of disapproval from court.
Duel
A formal court-approved contest with clear terms and witnesses.
Judgment
A final ruling with serious consequence.
Court Tenets
- The court first seeks understanding.
- If understanding fails, it seeks apology.
- If apology is not enough, it asks service.
- If loss was suffered, it demands reparations.
- If conduct must be marked, it gives censure.
- If honor cannot rest, it permits duel.
- If all else fails, it passes judgment.
Petitions
How Petitions Work
- Any person may bring a petition before the court.
- A petition may be a request, complaint, concern, accusation, or plea for aid.
- A petition does not guarantee the answer wanted, but it does guarantee the matter may be heard.
Where to Bring a Petition
- Scale / Red Judge: Law, judgment, insult, oath, or dispute.
- Coin / Coinward: Trade, tax, coin, debt, market, or supplies.
- Shield / Iron Marshal: Safety, guards, threats, patrols, or public order.
- Quill / Veilwarden: Guilds, churches, magic, craft, learning, records, or ritual.
- Land / Hearth Keeper: Land, food, homes, hardship, labor, or common grievance.
Seat Boundaries
No Seat Rules Alone
- Taxes that affect common folk should involve the Coinward and Hearth Keeper.
- Guard actions in the market should involve the Iron Marshal and Coinward.
- Temple or guild disputes affecting safety may involve the Veilwarden and Iron Marshal.
- Land use affecting trade, food, or housing may involve the Hearth Keeper, Coinward, and other affected seats.
Challenge and Removal
When Someone May Be Challenged
A council member, Bannerlord, or Bannerlady may be challenged if they:
- Neglect their duties.
- Abuse their authority.
- Dishonor their office.
- Refuse to serve the town.
- Act against the good of the people.
A challenge should be brought before the Red Judge, Lord Regent / Lady Regent, or Highlord.
Possible Results
- Warning.
- Formal censure.
- Required apology.
- Required service or reparations.
- Temporary loss of authority.
- Removal from representation.
- Removal from a council seat.
- Loss of noble standing in severe cases.
Claiming Another House’s Seat
Hostile Seat Claim
- A noble house may challenge another house’s council seat through formal court action.
- A seat may not be taken by simple insult, private violence, rumor, or declaration alone.
- A hostile claim must be made openly before court.
- The claim must name the seat, the reason for the challenge, and the outcome being demanded.
- No council seat changes hands until witnessed and confirmed by proper court authority.
Three Paths to Challenge a Seat
- Vote of No Confidence: The current holder has failed, abused, or neglected the seat.
- Trial of Merit: The challenging house can better serve the duties of the seat.
- Duel of Claim: A witnessed and approved contest with clear stakes.
Support Needed
To challenge a council seat, a house must have at least one of the following:
- Support from another noble house.
- Support from one council seat.
- A petition signed or witnessed by common folk, guilds, guards, merchants, or clergy.
- Evidence of serious wrongdoing.
- Approval from the Lord Regent / Lady Regent or Highlord.
Seat-Specific Challenge Reasons
Scale / Red Judge: Unfair rulings, ignored grievances, favoritism, twisting law, failing to resolve disputes, or abusing judgment.
Coin / Coinward: Corrupt taxes, missing funds, unfair trade deals, starving the town of supplies, favoring merchants or houses, misusing public resources, or failing to prepare for shortages.
Shield / Iron Marshal: Unsafe roads, disorder among guards, abuse by the watch, failure to answer threats, using soldiers for personal power, or failing to protect public spaces.
Quill / Veilwarden: Guild unrest, church conflict, dangerous magic ignored, suppression of useful knowledge, favoritism, poor records, or unchecked forbidden rites.
Land / Hearth Keeper: Ignoring common folk, food shortages, poor land decisions, unanswered grievances, failure to aid hardship, allowing unrest to grow, or favoring nobles over the people.