Noble Houses and intrigue.

[Manshin]

Id love to see the Feudalism angle brought to bare in Cormyr.

It would be an alternative narrative to create intrigue and conflict among players.

Instead of a good vs. evil narrative played out, it could be House against House.

A list of say a dozen major Cormyrian Banner Lords and their houses. These could be the rulers of the respective cities spread around Cormyr.

What is known about each Lord on the forums. Their House Sigil, etc.

Lords could all have their own agendas, plotting and scheming against one another for the favor of the Crown. Some good, some bad, but all with shades of grey.

These banner lords could recruite oathsworn and magisters from among the player base and then pit us against one another as their schemes play out, or when open war breaks out between houses.

What would be needed are a few differant areas to represent "seigable" strongholds ((I can build em)) and a host of NPC Lords, their champions and other important NPCs. These fortresses would probably be seperate from the actual towns the Lords rule over.

DMs could keep a thread detailing the personality of each and run events based around them to make them seem like living breathing parts of the world.

Basically, id just love to see more development of the Lord/peasant narrative and get to know the power players in Cormyr. At times it seems like there isn't a ton of "internal" plots happening. All the action comes from outside. Undead armies, orc hordes, etc.

Huge undertaking I know, but I think a lot of people are into this sort of thing. Once you've read Game of Thrones, its hard to go back to vanilla fantasy.

[The Tallest Dwarf]

Feb 19, 2013 17:06:41 GMT -5 Manshin said:

Id love to see the Feudalism angle brought to bare in Cormyr.

It would be an alternative narrative to create intrigue and conflict among players.

Instead of a good vs. evil narrative played out, it could be House against House.

A list of say a dozen major Cormyrian Banner Lords and their houses. These could be the rulers of the respective cities spread around Cormyr.

What is known about each Lord on the forums. Their House Sigil, etc.

Lords could all have their own agendas, plotting and scheming against one another for the favor of the Crown. Some good, some bad, but all with shades of grey.

These banner lords could recruite oathsworn and magisters from among the player base and then pit us against one another as their schemes play out, or when open war breaks out between houses.

What would be needed are a few differant areas to represent "seigable" strongholds ((I can build em)) and a host of NPC Lords, their champions and other important NPCs. These fortresses would probably be seperate from the actual towns the Lords rule over.

DMs could keep a thread detailing the personality of each and run events based around them to make them seem like living breathing parts of the world.

Basically, id just love to see more development of the Lord/peasant narrative and get to know the power players in Cormyr.

Huge undertaking I know, but I think a lot of people are into this sort of thing. Once you've read Game of Thrones, its hard to go back to vanilla fantasy.

+1 but let's please call the series by its proper name of A Song of Ice and Fire. GoT is the tv show Which I love as well but there are enough differences that fans of the show who've never read the books will be at a disadvantage.


I can think of a number of other excellent series that play upon similar themes, from the Ash books by Mary Gentle to the Warhammer Fantasy universe (the Empire is constantly at war with itself as much as outside threats) and of course stuff by Joe Abercrombie.

I believe there is a list of the major Cormyrean nobility, their histories, and their heraldry online, perhaps the Candlekeep forums would be a good resource.

I could easily see a plot involving Arabel once again trying to secede from the Crown, or else one of the unnamed settlements dotting the Cormyean landscape. Even something like Sembian, Thayan, etc nobles seeking to make a move and seize holdings whilst attention is elsewhere. Why, they could foment rebellion in one city thus diverting attention of the army and adventurer's who would aid them and then swoop on their true objective, fortify with aid from other adventurers, etc...

[Grozer]

OK while I love the idea I don't think it completely fits with Cormyr to be honest. I can totally see Lords of Cormyr quietly and discreetly marching to their own agenda and potentially some major rifts with the Crown, even some Lords to be closet evils who would rather see the kingdom thrown into chaos. I can also support the idea of Sembians, Thayans or some other morally corrupt group creating an establishment inside Cormyrian borders (maybe they start innocently as a trading town, gather support from adventuring groups and it grows into a town with defensible walls etc), but to go to the extreme of Lords openly warring against one another? Not sure I can see it. I am a big fan of GoT as well as A Song of Fire and Ice, but I dont think that fits in this setting. The PDK and WWs of Cormyr are mighty powerful force and any Lord that chose an extreme action would likely be put down. Besides we tried this already with the former Independent Redmist and half the server complained about it.

[breadandcircuses]

Feb 20, 2013 12:44:07 GMT -5 Grozer said:

OK while I love the idea I don't think it completely fits with Cormyr to be honest. I can totally see Lords of Cormyr quietly and discreetly marching to their own agenda and potentially some major rifts with the Crown, even some Lords to be closet evils who would rather see the kingdom thrown into chaos. I can also support the idea of Sembians, Thayans or some other morally corrupt group creating an establishment inside Cormyrian borders (maybe they start innocently as a trading town, gather support from adventuring groups and it grows into a town with defensible walls etc), but to go to the extreme of Lords openly warring against one another? Not sure I can see it. I am a big fan of GoT as well as A Song of Fire and Ice, but I dont think that fits in this setting. The PDK and WWs of Cormyr are mighty powerful force and any Lord that chose an extreme action would likely be put down. Besides we tried this already with the former Independent Redmist and half the server complained about it.

www.amazon.com/Cormyr-Forgotten-Realms-Saga-Book/dp/078690710X

This was my first forgotten realms book; years later I can comfortably say it's Forgotten Realms: Of Ice and Fire

For example, all the nobles are having 'relations' with everyone, forever. Seriously. It's ridiculus. To put it in context, there's this big gala ball where all the coming of age nobles show up and present themselves to the court.

In one of them, every single one had red hair and green eyes like Azoun IV. These were the sons of noble women, with noble husbands; yeah, rebellion and resentment are probably a thing.

In fact, there are so many bastard children running around Cormyr that they have a specific word for them, 'turnshield', which is the polite term for it. And there's rules in 3.5 splatbooks for Cormyr about being an offspring of Azoun.

And it's got this whole thing about plotting and such, and the various noble houses vying for power beneath the crown, and Alusair is much like her father (her lovers of both sexes are vast throughout her life).

Nobles in Cormyr aren't as powerful as the nobles in Song of Ice and Fire/Games of Throne. There are no serfs in Cormyr, to start with, so they have far less control over people then classical medieval lords.

[TrueBlueOriginal]

Feb 20, 2013 14:11:30 GMT -5 breadandcircuses said:

And it's got this whole thing about plotting and such, and the various noble houses vying for power beneath the crown, and Alusair is much like her father (her lovers of both sexes are vast throughout her life).

Is it bad that my main reason for ever reading books about Cormyr would be to read about Alusair's sex life?

[breadandcircuses]

I'm pretty sure that's in there too. The book starts with the history of cormyr, all the way back to the founding, and one of the first major plot points is the first king cheating on his wife or sleeping with another woman right after the death of his first wife or something.

It is france and all that.

[whitelancer]

Feb 20, 2013 15:45:24 GMT -5 breadandcircuses said:

I'm pretty sure that's in there too. The book starts with the history of cormyr, all the way back to the founding, and one of the first major plot points is the first king cheating on his wife or sleeping with another woman right after the death of his first wife or something.

It is france and all that.

This is not quite true.

The incident you may be referring to is Ondeth Obarskyr, who refused to be a human king dancing to an elven tune, engaging in a relationship with Minda Bleth, sister of Mondar Bleth, some years after Ondeth's wife, Suzara (for whom Suzail is named), left him to return to Impiltur. Minda brings with her news that Suzara had had their marriage annulled and had gotten remarried to a wealthy merchant.

Is it true that the Obarksyr's are portrayed as lusty? Yes. Queen Filfaeril, now the Dowager Queen at this point in the timeline, knew very well how many women with whom she shared Azoun IV. Alusair was, and is, little different.

As a sidenote, very few of Alusair's sexual exploits are illuminated. It is hinted that she desired an alleged son of Azoun (Brace Skatterhawk), as well as an incident in Elminster's Daughter where she engages a noble in a sparring match followed by a lovemaking session. Though "everyone knows" what Alusair is like.

Apologies for any derailment.

[Manshin]

So let me get this straight....

1) The King is a total whore, has shot out dozens if not hundreds of bastards

2) the kingdom is currently in the hands of a slutty regent who has to stich a yield sign on her pants in order to handle the traffic.

3) The throne is currently being held by a child.

4) Nearly every noble house in Cormyr has (or can find) a little bastard king who has just as good a claim to the throne as the next bastard so long as the current "heir" should have an "accident."

... and this is NOT the setup for a perfect nest of scheming noble houses working against one another to suplant their own verson of Azoun on the throne? If something were to happen to lil' Azoun... there'd be a nation wide civil war in like 5 minutes.

I know that it doesn't fit with "predestined" history of the source.. but to put it lightly... screw the source??? What is the point of an RP server if the history is already written?

I would love to play a character who is an oathsworn member of an ambitious noble house with a bastard son who is "technically" eligable for the throne. It would be a fantastic RP hook to create opposing factions of players all working toward protecting/usurping the throne!

Imagine the potential with the throne left wide open and dozens of possible heirs in competition for it. The War Wizards might go on a manhunt to purge the "bastards" in order to protect their own choosen claim. Perhaps it wouldn't even match up to who Alisair chooses? PCs may find themselves protecting their own Noble Houses sion whom they believe to be King Arthur in the flesh against the rest.

As to the might of the War Wizards decending on any neir-do-well houses... what "are" the war wizards? An elite club of wizards made up of 3rd sons and daughters who belong to said houses. Whose to say that something like this wouldn't tear their organization into a bunch of opposing factions and cripple their ability to lay down the law on any of the stronger houses?

Grozer... I must respectfully disagree with you here. The potential is amazing. Also, Ranan is a total pussy... its been scientifically prooven and if you don't agree you are a science denier.

[Munroe]

There is a lot of noble in-fighting in Cormyr. However, the Steel Regent, like her father, King Azoun IV, has vigor in more than just her nethers. She's been pretty good about reigning in some of the in-fighting, and a few noble houses were banished, I think?

Of course the main thing in her favor is that she's followed in her father's heroic footsteps and the people of Cormyr love her.

Here's a sidebar from Grand History of the Realms (page 152). It's written in-character, at least in part, so enemies of the Crown might just see it as propaganda.

1371: A Salute to the Steel Regent Lusty, handsome, and gallant, King Azoun of Cormyr was beloved by his people. AS his reign stretched on for decade after decade, it began to seem as if he would never die--nor even grow old beyond mere whitening of his hair. At least, however, the "Devil Dragon" appeared and sought to destroy the realm. Much blood was shed in battle after battle, until at least the strife ended on a dark and bloody field when dragon rent dragon, and Azoun slew the fell wyrm, only to die of his own wounds. His surviving daughter, Alusair, was proclaimed regent, and the grieving and frightened folk of Cormyr waited to see whether this so-called Steel Regent would be a wanton or headstrong disaster, tyrant, or a wise and just ruler. The following is an excerpt from a chapbook called The Dream of the Dragon, penned by the young bard Elender Stormfall of Suzail and published late in 1374 DR. We who were born under the Dragon firmly believe that for all its fault and disputes, Cormyr is the greatest realm in all Faerun. We are proud to dwell in this green and blessed land of valiant Purple Dragons, and we would have no other. Yet most of us alive now have known only one king--Azoun IV, the Dragon. The Watching Gods willing, we would have no other. So when he fell fighting for us in the time of Cormyr's darkest need, the very beating heart was wrenched from us. We were lost--left standing afraid and bewildered in our own land. Cormyr was all around us, and had been delivered from its foes--yet Cormyr was gone. The days after that last dark battle were mere passing shadows. What mattered our lives now, when our world had been town from us? Folk wept, or drank, or stood staring out over the land, wondering what new horror each dawn would bring. Nobles cried aloud their grievances and sought to raise pretenders or councils, or to "rule for" the infant Azoun V themselves. Had the high priests of all Suzail's temples not joined together to publicly declare the babe a true Obarskyr, the dark rumor that he was an impostor thrust forward by the desperate surviving Obarskyr women would have gathered thunder. Cormyrean would have been set against Cormyrean, and we would have been doubly lost. But who was left to take the throne and restore order until the youngest Azoun came of age? The Dowager Queen Filfaeril was widely seen as sharp-tongued and icy-hearted. She was respected for her regal refinement and breeding, but not much loved. Tanalasta, the Crown Princess, had long been seen as quiet, educated, and (if mated to the right loyal consort who could ride to war) "fit" for the Dragon Throne. But she had been untimely torn from this life, leaving only her younger, "unfit" sister Alusair. The Princess Alusair was a wild-spirited echo of her father, all lust and fury. She rode the realm fighting outlaws and monsters, her sword out of its scabbard almost as often as the young noblemen she rode with were out of their breeches with her. Cormyreans wondered aloud if she was fit to speak for the Dragon Throne. Some still wonder, but they do so in whispers now, behind closed doors, for dark reasons of their own. The folk of Cormyr, in their fields and shop doorways and woodcutting glades, wonder no longer. Alusair, known as the Steel Regent, is everything her father was and more. The wizard Vangerdahast, who stood behind the throne like a dark shadow for as long as we can all remember, has gone. The outlander lass Caladnei who replaced him rules Alusair not at all--the two are light laughing sisters. The Steel Regent collects friends--many friends--who stand behind her with strength. Cormyr died with the Dragon, but a brighter, renewed Cormyr has been given back to us now. Alusair has won the hearts of her people. She rides the realm tirelessly, the way her father did when he was young, mantled in her bright spirit. When she strides into an inn or tavern, her presence is like a cleansing breeze. The light of hope and joy kindles in the eyes of those who see her, and they dare to embrace her--through they would not have been allowed to get within a dozen paces of her father. Her returned embrace is strong and wholly meant, and they know it. It will be years before the boy Azoun takes up the throne--years in which foes of Cormyr may yet seek to slay him. But were they to succeed, I think the realm would turn to Alusair and proclaim her our rightful queen. Indeed, the people would likely stand with her in all matters, out of love for her and because of the trust and hope we have already placed in her. It would be darkest treason to wish the boy king ill--to wish that he might never ascend, and that Alusair might rule us forevermore. So I wish instead that he has the heart and character of his aunt Alusair, and that he learns well from her, thereby becoming as worthy of the Dragon Throne as she now is. The gods grant that if we all dream the same dreams--and do so oft enough and hard enough--they just may come true. -- EG

[Grozer]

Feb 20, 2013 17:00:52 GMT -5 Manshin said:

Grozer... I must respectfully disagree with you here. The potential is amazing. Also, Ranan is a total pussy... its been scientifically proven and if you don't agree you are a science denier.

LMAO... I actually love the idea and the fun it could bring. Lets not forget the revolution in Redmist (now known as Valkur's Roar), the Western Reaches Accord, the redrawn boundaries which set Isinhold (now called Greatgaunt) outside the border of Cormyr. Hell go back to a couple of server wide plots that happened a while back which behind the scenes involved certain Cormyrian nobles working against the Crown. To some extent these plots developed along a similar theme as you have suggested... and personally I thought it was fanatastic! Moreover, I personally feel source is created as our starting point and not to control the direction of plots or RP. But there was some dissatisfaction from the community about these plots, because they were so anti-source. In fact those plots involving nobles were dropped because there was a lack of widespread interest and some were even complaining. Bottom line, FRC as a server prefers to follow source more closely which is fine, but it also means the type of major overarching plot you are suggesting likely wont work. (Note this is not a complaint, dig or insult merely a statement of perspective.)

[FORSETIS]

Feb 20, 2013 17:00:52 GMT -5 Manshin said:

So let me get this straight....

1) The King is a total whore, has shot out dozens if not hundreds of bastards

2) the kingdom is currently in the hands of a slutty regent who has to stich a yield sign on her pants in order to handle the traffic.

3) The throne is currently being held by a child.

4) Nearly every noble house in Cormyr has (or can find) a little bastard king who has just as good a claim to the throne as the next bastard so long as the current "heir" should have an "accident."

... and this is NOT the setup for a perfect nest of scheming noble houses working against one another to suplant their own verson of Azoun on the throne? If something were to happen to lil' Azoun... there'd be a nation wide civil war in like 5 minutes.

I know that it doesn't fit with "predestined" history of the source.. but to put it lightly... screw the source??? What is the point of an RP server if the history is already written?

I would love to play a character who is an oathsworn member of an ambitious noble house with a bastard son who is "technically" eligable for the throne. It would be a fantastic RP hook to create opposing factions of players all working toward protecting/usurping the throne!

Imagine the potential with the throne left wide open and dozens of possible heirs in competition for it. The War Wizards might go on a manhunt to purge the "bastards" in order to protect their own choosen claim. Perhaps it wouldn't even match up to who Alisair chooses? PCs may find themselves protecting their own Noble Houses sion whom they believe to be King Arthur in the flesh against the rest.

As to the might of the War Wizards decending on any neir-do-well houses... what "are" the war wizards? An elite club of wizards made up of 3rd sons and daughters who belong to said houses. Whose to say that something like this wouldn't tear their organization into a bunch of opposing factions and cripple their ability to lay down the law on any of the stronger houses?

Grozer... I must respectfully disagree with you here. The potential is amazing. Also,
Ranan is a total pussy... its been scientifically prooven and if you don't agree you are a science denier.

+1 i think this would be awesome. I imagine it being kinda like house Montague and house Capulet.... Dont hate.

[Deleted]

None of you schmucks could ever lawfully sit the dragon throne anyways. There's a matter of some ancient treaty/magic which makes anyone who has been magically 'raised' from the dead unable to sit the throne. Supposedly fell magic would shatter the throne and induce dragons and such to attack and destroy Cormyr in accordance with ancient agreements with the elves.

[breadandcircuses]

I think the point was more along the lines of filling in some of the gaps in the lords lore and letting us participate in plots and stuff Not necessarily to claim the throne. But helping one lord vs. another or one city vs. another sort of stuff.

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2013 20:38:49 GMT -5 breadandcircuses said:

I think the point was more along the lines of filling in some of the gaps in the lords lore and letting us participate in plots and stuff Not necessarily to claim the throne. But helping one lord vs. another or one city vs. another sort of stuff.

I was just joking. What I said is true though, once you have been raised from the dead you aren't allowed to sit the dragon throne, even if you took it by conquest.

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2013 17:00:52 GMT -5 Manshin said:

but to put it lightly... screw the source??? What is the point of an RP server if the history is already written?

That's what I've been thinking for years.

[Manshin]

*bovine manure*! I want the throne for my PC! Or better yet, that fat elf greenhouse used to play? Anyone remember that guy? He was an utterly serious fat elf with no sense of humor who fought with a tower shield and a knife, and who loved chocolate cake. Whoever that guy was, I want him to sit the Dragon Throne.

[abby]

He was bald too, now quit trolling your own thread you dumb noob!

[Lady Frost]

If you managed to get a plot like this going you're sleeping with someone... And I'll be very impressed.

I wish you success!

[perspicacity]

I really like the possibilities of the idea, but scope and scale, logistically, is going to immediately be problematic. Maybe limiting it to a single House-to-House conflict with predictably fickle allies could allow for sub-plots to develop within the same 'frame', so to speak. As far as diverging from canon goes, well, even a failed coup effort that the Nobles later speak of dismissively in the drawing room could provide some sexy, juicy RP. After all, taking such a thing to the point that the Crown feels moved to step in would be a remarkable achievement, even if it were, in the end, crushed mercilessly.

Also, focusing on a single primary House vs. House conflict, might allow only one 'siege-able stronghold' to be used. A 'contested holding' with sieges (in a capture the flag type manner) representing part of the power balance. Just freethinking, now, heh, but I would suggest starting with a very limited scope since its such an ambitious idea.

[breadandcircuses]

Actually, since Cormyr doesn't have serfdom and doesn't allow lords to lead the Purple Dragon unless they earn it..

The Purple Dragons took massive losses during the Goblin War, a mere 7 years ago. There hasn't been time for a new generation of young men to grow old enough to take up the mantle, so while the surviving purple dragons would be a very veteran force, they are greatly below capacity. The war wizards are in much the same position.

House-militias, on the other hand, are probably not nearly as reduced depending on whether a lord chose whether or not to march north; there's no conscription in Cormyr for the Purple Dragons, only the house militias. So while they'd still probably lose, It might not be the total resounding crushing the Purple Dragons.

This is all conjecture taken from the wiki as well as this article, which is set just before the goblin war.: www.candlekeep.com/library/articles/cormyrforcesa.htm

[whitelancer]

Feb 21, 2013 13:26:33 GMT -5 breadandcircuses said:

House-militias, on the other hand, are probably not nearly as reduced depending on whether a lord chose whether or not to march north;

During the Goblin War they were not given a choice. Crown Princess Tanalasta ordered all nobles with retainers capable of fighting to muster at least half of them at the Horngate and reinforce the King's position.

[Manshin]

Typically, the 2nd or 3rd son of a noble house joins the miitary (as an officer) or the clergy. So the Purple Dragons and War Wizards are led by members of the peerage who, if push came to shove, may splinter and take loyalists back to their own fiefdoms to protect their houses. If nothing else, these sorts of things in a multi-house conflict could paralzye these militaries as the internal beuracracy is crippled by people in positions of power trying to slow down actions taken against their own houses while pushing for it on their foes.

The Dark Age of Britain server is build around this sort of narritive of banner lords under the king all infighting and scheming. Really its not as big an undertaking to DM as one might think. Infact, it makes for extremely fertile soil for thinking up plots and gives DMs an easy starting point, guidelines, and cast of developed NPCs to think up plots around.

There would be a cast of prominent characters thread for both players and DMs. The player forum would be what is generally known about each. The DM forum would be guidlines on running the NPC, such as personality, motivations and current plots. Also who is allies and enemies with who.

Each house would have a forum thread where a list of oathsworn and other memebers are listed, as well as RP threads for plots, etc.. just like guilds.

To this end, you need three or four prominent NPCs from each town, including the Lord and important people such as a champion & magister. Once in a while, you have royal get-to-gethers were prominent NPCs gather for feasts, holidays and tourneys just to maintain their presence and make them seem like living parts of the world.

Behind the scenes, a story lead writes up an over-reaching plot such as: House A wants to replace House B as the main trade hub for Sembian trade by hiring secret mercenaries to raid caravans in secret along House B's roadways. House A tries to frame House C (their enemy) for the raids, and then incentivises the trading costers to pass through their town instead of House B's where its safe to travel by sending out (PC) diplomats to negotiate with Merchant Lords from the relivant neighboring cities. PCs are hired for these dirty dealings. Meanwhile, other PC oathsworn are assigned by House B to safeguard his roads, and House C to find out who the heck is trying to frame them for caravan raids.

The result is players from each faction working against one another and trying to unravel the mystery. It draws in all sorts of RP and alliances/rivalries among players, as well as giving players an oppertunity for social advancment in their circles and a feeling of actually "changing" the world around them.

Its vital to have several houses open so that players can choose which Lords they wish to oathswear too. In service to said lords, a PC may be knighted after exemplary service, become a magister or other important person, and gain the influence and respect that comes along with the title.

Its important I think to have your PCs be able to achieve some kind of "official" station in society. It gives you a sense of accomplishment outside of gaining levels. Its also nice when NPCs treat your character with a little respect instead of always addressing you as if you were a suspicous peasant, no matter who you are or what you've done IC. On the Dark Age of Britian server, this is accomplished by gaining high legacy points. When a PC with a high LP score speaks with NPCs they are treated as if they are "somebody." Esspecially if they have rank. On FRC, you could attain "rank" tokens for the same purpose. Perhaps certain events could offer these tokens as rewards.

The big downside with a server like FRC is the level range. On the Dark Age of Britian server, you only get to level 8 and then get only feats after that, so the gulf in power between PCs is small. A single level 25+ PC working for Lord A could wipe out Lord B's entire castle, all his nooby PC oathsworn and turn his castle into mush. But then... thats the trouble with vanilla D&D. There are too many bloody levels which make an insurmountable gulf that seperates players from one another. On Legacy, even the best warrior on the server in full field harness can be killed in a well planned ambush by a small band of lower level PCs. On FRC, a high level can kill a near infinite amount of low level PCs.

[breadandcircuses]

The only thing about that is that nobles are not guranteed leadership positions in the purple dragons.

"The commissioned officers are those who personally lead the men in the field. They are responsible for getting their men to where they are supposed to be and implementing the designs and strategies of the general officers. Purple Dragon officers can be either commoners or nobles, but regardless of social class all start out as swordcaptains. Purple Dragon commissioned officers must meet all the same standards for physical fitness and combat skill as the enlisted men and in addition must also be literate and display some amount of intelligence or wit.

Normally, commissions are bestowed as needed directly by the King and occur either as a result of actions of leadership that catch his personal attention or, more commonly, at the sponsorship of a higher-ranking officer. It is long standing tradition that commissions are only granted as the military hierarchy needs them and are not granted as mere favors to noble families, the reason being to preserve the professional nature of the force. When vacancies are not open, then young nobles desiring military service have to settle for leading the house troops or attempting to hire into a mercenary group. "

The crown personally handpicks all the officers of the Purple Dragons, which kind of makes sense; it helps to prevent exactly what you're talking about form occurring to easily.

HOWEVER! It's not like we're sticking to the lore since a bunch of the RCMH are now FOREIGNERS who are not veterans of the Purple Dragons, so there's always a chink in the armor of whatchcallit.

Metaphor!

[Fluffy the Mad]

Feb 21, 2013 16:44:26 GMT -5 breadandcircuses said:

HOWEVER! It's not like we're sticking to the lore since a bunch of the RCMH are now FOREIGNERS who are not veterans of the Purple Dragons, so there's always a chink in the armor of whatchcallit.

Metaphor!

The RCMH is an entirely separate branch of the military and has no command in day-to-day operations unless specifically ordered by a mainline officer. That being said, they do hold ranks that are higher within their field of expertise.

[breadandcircuses]

That's true, but traditionally the RCMH are chosen from veteran Purple Dragons and foreigners being allowed in is supposedly super rare; but again we've deviated from the lore on that.

Section 1.2.5.1. is about the RCMH.

It's easy enough to say that due to the whomping the Purple Dragons took in the last war that they've had to dip into unwanted elements for recruits though.