Nordain Nobility

To its neighbors, the kingdom of Nordain seems utterly chaotic. Unlike other monarchies, power does not reside exclusively with the **royalty and nobility**. Rather, it arises from the support of the freeholders.

## The Allsmeet

The Allsmeet is a council of the Nordish noble class which has been held annually for almost three thousand years, only occasionally interrupted by war or foreign occupation. It brought together all the fractured Drahanim tribes and after the unification of the kingdom, it functions as the official legislative body for Nordain, and can override the king or queen on any matter of law. However its members tend not to exercise this privilege if the king is particularly popular or powerful. During the Allsmeet the current monarch is expected to mingle with and curry favor from their vassals. An important milestone in the history of the Allsmeet, and of Nordain itself, was that of the 42nd year of the Fifth Age. After mysteriously gaining the support of the Institute of Magic, Lontan Kaulden marched on and seized Erencliffe, thus forcing an Allsmeet at which the nobles unanimously submitted to his kingship. This marked the birth of modern-day Nordain and began the Kaulden dynasty which has ruled Nordain ever since, with the exception of the Maudesian Occupation.

## Order of Succession

Nordish inheritance of noble titles is determined by a combination of elective and hereditary order of succession. Any legitimate offspring of the reigning noble is able to succeed the title as heir regardless of gender or birth order. In the absence of the reigning noble and should the heir apparent be too young to assume their duties, the spouse of the reigning noble can assume the role of regent until the heir apparent comes of age. Alternatively, should the heir apparent be orphaned and/or cannot assume their duties, the heir apparent can appoint a regent to rule in their stead. The Nordish monarch can also appoint a Chancellor of Nordain which acts as a regent and chief advisor for the royal monarch but appear to be below the monarch's spouse if the monarch is married.

Should the reigning noble lack lineal descendants to be an heir or the heir abdicates, the title would go to any of the noble's elected siblings or collateral descendants until the bloodline is spent.

Should no descendant of the noble family survive, the spouse of the penultimate reigning noble can make a claim of inheritance through marriage. An in-law can also make the same claim. In the event that no legitimate descendants are available, bastards from the penultimate noble's lineage can make a claim of inheritance and some say they have a stronger claim than in-laws or widows/widowers who aren't related to the noble by blood.

By Nordish custom, vacant lands become the property of whomever claims them through skill of arms; a tournament is usually held with the victor taking the vacant title as their prize.

Alternatively, the Nordish monarch can appoint new families to rule vacant titles but some of the conservative nobles would view these new nobility as interlopers despite the legitimacy of their elevation.

## Fuedalism

### Royalty

The King is the most powerful noble in the kingdom. Although Dersoden was originally the official "jarldom of the King", it has since been changed to a separate noble's barony, as the king's domain is all of Nodrain. However, even the monarch's power must derive from support throughout the land. The sight of a King asking for, and working to win the support of, "lesser" nobles is a source of constant wonder to foreign ambassadors.

### Jarldoms

In antiquity, **Jarls** arose from among the Thanes, having grown powerful enough to move lesser Thanes to swear fealty to them. There used to be many more jarldoms before the rise of Lontan, but he downsized them during his war for the throne. In modern Nordain there are only two\* jarldoms; Dhunne in the north and Seaworth in the south. Jarls are still owed fealty by vassals of both Thane and Baron ranks, whom they may call upon in the event of war or disaster. However they are also responsible for lending aid to them when needed. In modern times a king or a queen has the right to name a jarl.

These are the current two jarldoms:

* Dhunne
* Seaworth

### Baronies

The Jarls at some point established baronies, giving the title of **Baron** to those assigned to command strategic fortresses that the Jarls could not oversee directly. Barons are more prestigious than Thanes, but they usually have no Thanes sworn to them.

These are the current six baronies:

* Coltherstone
* Dersoden
* Erencliffe
* Ardenhall – located east of Lake Lontan
* North Reach
* South Hill – northeast of Seaworth
* Starnhold

### Thaneholds

Each freehold chooses the **Thane** or Baron to whom it pays allegiance. Typically, this choice is made based on proximity of the freehold to the lord's castle (as it's rarely worthwhile to pay for the upkeep of soldiers who will arrive at one's lands too late to defend them). For the most part, each generation of freeholders casts its lot with the same Thane as the previous generation did, but things can and do change. No formal oaths are sworn, and it is not unheard of, especially in the prickly central Thaneholds, for Thanes to court freeholders away from their neighbors—a practice tending to ignite feuds that can last for ages.

These are the known thaneholds:

* Carelon – Under the domain of the Barony of Erencliffe
* City of Coltherstone
* Croftdale
* Dragonmount
* Dragon's Peak
* Portsmouth
* Rainesmore
* Narrow Sea – on the southern shore of Nordain
* Northern Thanehold – on the western shore of Lake Lontan
* Storm Coast
* South Hill
* White River
* Winter's Breath

### Knights

**Knights** are minor nobles sworn into the service of a lord. In wartime, knights serve as officers and elite warriors in a lord's army and are sometimes sent on quests. Fully-pledged members of a chivalric order, such as the Templar Order, are given knighthood, but they are not a part of the nobility.

### Freeholds

Most of the property in Nordain is owned by the **Freeholders**. Although not strictly speaking Nobles they provide the primary source of income for most thanes and barons. A Freeholder is essentially a commoner who owns their own land. Although many Freeholders swear loyalty to a thane or baron this is more of a business arrangement, trading goods for protection. It is not unheard of for a Freeholder to leave the service of one thane in favor of another. Many feuds amongst the thaneholds are the result of the Freeholders shifting allegiances.

## Notable Families

* Kaulden family - the royal family of Nordain
* Argander family - holds the Barony of Erencliffe and the Thanehold of Rainesmore
* Dhunne family - the family established by Ornand Dhunne, holds the jarldom of Dhunne