The Noble Houses archetypes

Part of a series about the Noble Houses.

See also:

Player characters (PCs) in the Noble Houses may be minor nobles in their own right or untitled members of a larger household.

When you are creating a noble character or group, you should think about the following questions:

Are you part of a noble family, or a non-noble retainer?
If the former, are you a titled knight? Are you an heir?
If the latter, what is your duty in the household?
Who is your liege lord?
Where are your estates and what are they like? Are they near Fiveways, or further afield?
What are the traditions of your house?

Knight

A member of the lowest rank of landed nobility, usually with a modest estate and a few tenant families to protect. They make up the muscle of the noble class (whether metaphorically or literally) and are often on the front lines of defence against the monsters of the Breaking.

Knights who come to adventurers’ meetings are likely to be the holders of local estates. However, they might also be from other parts of the country - perhaps they have come in search of honour and glory, at the behest of their lieges, seeking a worthy marriage, or because their estates have been devastated or abandoned in the face of monster attack.

Characters cannot start play with a noble rank higher than Knight. They can advance in rank by IC action.

Heir

The heir to an estate as the eldest child (or grandchild) of a titled noble. They are expected to uphold the family name and further its interests, but also have a little more freedom of action.

Characters cannot start play as the heir to a noble rank higher than Knight without specific approval from the refs.

Retainer

A trusted servant or supporter of a noble house, sometimes a junior member of the family. They fulfil a wide variety of roles for their principals - as bodyguards, administrators, envoys, spies, and more.

Noble retainers who come to adventurers’ meetings could be present for a variety of reasons, but they will almost always be acting in the interests of their titled principals. Often they are required to handle matters that would be considered unimportant or dishonourable for an actual noble to deal with.

Master of Rites

A noble or a senior retainer who specialises in supplication to the spirits, especially the ancestors. They are usually experienced and powerful evokers and may have a knowledge of other forms of magic.

Household

The best way to create a group of noble characters is to establish a household. The titled head of the household may be a (player character) knight, or an NPC baron or count.

Households tend to be named after the family name of their principal. For example, Duke Ryence’s household is simply called House Ryence.

Each household is bound by blood and loyalty and has its own estates and traditions, and usually has a unifying heraldry. You can use these to give your household a distinctive feel and goals in play.

Characters cannot start play as members of a ducal household, and if they wish to start play as members of a count’s household they should ask for permission from the Refs. They can advance in position by IC action.