Difference between revisions of "Hârn Manor Household Generation"

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Household

Populating the Household

Manor Households Table

SIDEBARS

Household Support Costs

HOUSEHOLD NOBLES

SIDEBARS

HOUSEHOLD NOBLES Table

 Loyalty

HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS

SIDEBARS

HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS Table

Tenants, Labor, and Extortion

Household Slaves

HOUSEHOLD CRAFTSMEN

SIDEBARS

HOUSEHOLD CRAFTSMEN Table

Craftsmen & Savings

Bonded-Masters

HOUSEHOLD MILITARY

SIDEBARS

MILITARY RETAINERS Table

Player-Character Retainers

What's in my Woods?

THE LORD'S STABLE

The Lord's Kennels (600d)

The Lord's Falconry (800d)

SIDEBARS

THE LORD'S STABLE Table

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Manor 17

Household Generation

Household

For most fiefholders, operating a manor is simply a means to support the largest possible household to the highest possible standard of living. A noble's prestige is an intangible asset of great social, legal, and political importance. Generosity to kith and kin is an esteemed virtue—thrift is not. And there's a practical side as well to the conspicuous consumption practiced by most fiefholders—it shows the lord probably has the resources to defend his tenants and allies and it formalizes the vast gulf between the gentry and the peasantry.

The Household Budget section on the MBF calculates the cost to operate the lord's household for one year. Household costs are measured only in Kind but reflect salaries, food, shelter, clothing, and supplies.

Populating the Household

For any self-respecting noble, the core manorial household is the lord and his lady, a lady-in-waiting, and a number of offspring, one of whom is the heir. If none of the offspring are old enough (10+), then a Squire or Ostler to tend the lord's horses is also essential. The minimum servants are a chamberlain, a cook, an alewife, and a number of domestics equal to the number of nobles within the household. Hence, assuming 2 children, the minimum household contains 5 nobles (3 adults and 2 children) and 8 servants (chamberlain, cook, alewife, and 5 domestics) for a total of 13 persons. A manor of 1200 gross acres can support a household of this size with ease. Larger manors, or particularly well-managed smaller manors, can afford extra servants, craftsmen, and men-at-arms as given on the Manor Households table.

Manor Households Table

Manor Households

Acres Nobles Servants Craftsmen Military Total

1200+ 5 8 • (2) 13 1500+ 6 9 1 (2) 16 1800+ 7 10 2 (3) 19 2100+ 8 11 3 (3) 22 2400+ 9 12 4 (4) 25 2700+ 10 13 5 (4) 28 3000+ 11 14 6 (5) 31 3300+ 12 15 7 (5) 34

Nobles: Fiefholder, Spouse, Offspring (2+), and Relatives (1+).

Servants: Chamberlain, Cook, Alewife, plus one Domestic per noble.

Craftsmen: The most popular bonded craftsmen at the manorial level are: Clothier, Ostler, Priest, and Herald. Other craftsmen listed are uncommon in all but the richest of manors.

Military: Most lords rely on Yeomen to police and defend the fief, but Men-at-Arms have status and can be substituted as desired. The bracketed numbers given are yeomen and these are NOT counted in the Household total. Ivinian households favor huscarls (house-warriors) over yeomen.

SIDEBARS

Household Support Costs

Listed below are the average annual costs to support various householders. These costs include a cash salary (roughly one third), food, shelter, and clothing appropriate to social class and rank, and work materials as necessary. Costs for nobles do NOT include a steed.

Nobles Kind Fiefholder 3,000d Spouse 2,000d Offspring 1,000d Relative 1,500d Squire 1,200d Bailiff 2,000d Steward 2,000d

Stable Warhorse 1,800d Palfrey 900d

Servants Chamberlain 800d Cook 500d Baker 400d Alewife 400d Gardener 400d Nursemaid 400d Domestics 300d

Craftsmen Clothier 900d Harper 600d Herald1 1,200d Hideworker2 900d Litigant 1,100d Mason 1,500d Metalsmith2 1,100d Ostler 1,300d Physician 1,200d Priest1 800d Sage/Tutor 1,200d Scribe 800d Salter 700d Teamster 900d Timberwright2 1,200d Weaponcrafter 1,800d Woodcrafter2 1,000d

Military See Manor 21.

1 These retainers are often Nobles. If so, increase support cost to 1,500d.

2 These craftsmen are usually freemasters in the village, but may be bonded to the lord's household if absent.

Manor 18

HOUSEHOLD NOBLES

Nobles live to a far higher standard than their tenants. They must have wine and spices, better cuts of meat, finer clothing, jewelry, arms, armour, steeds, and gifts for allies and friends. There is incredible pressure on the gentry to live the ideal noble lifestyle.

Fiefholder [3,000d] Cost for food, clothing, arms, armour, and the odd luxury. If the fiefholder is a knight, the cost of a warhorse is extra.

Spouse [2,000d] Provides status and offspring (heirs). In addition to her own needs, no lady of honor can be considered properly supported unless she has the companionship of at least one lady-in-waiting, typically a young sister or cousin. Record this companion as a Relative. Most Ivinian lords have three or more wives; support the first (or favorite) wife at 2,000d and all others at 1,500d.

Offspring [1,000d] Clans desire that the fiefholder have one or more heirs. Most fiefholders have between one and six children, though some may be adults or be living elsewhere. Adult children may function as the Steward or as Men-at-Arms. The age of adulthood is considered to be 13 for all but nobles, where the tradition is 21.

Relatives [1,500d] Supporting a large extended family is sure proof of a lord's wealth and generosity. Relatives commonly supported include mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Some of these may perform tasks such as Lady-in-Waiting, Steward, Squire, Priest, and so on. If any of the holder's relatives are knights, then their support cost will increase to Medium Horse [3,200d].

Squire: See Manor 21, Household Military.

Bailiff [2,000d] A noble appointed to run a manor for an absentee lord. They are nearly always close relatives of the fiefholder, typically a son, brother, uncle, nephew, or cousin. A bailiff receives room and board in the manorhouse for himself, his family, and his horse. The bailiff entertains guests "bearing his lord's writ," and those legally entitled to hospitality, such as royal officials. He is expected to deliver to the lord an agreed share of the profits, typically 4d per acre, sometimes payable in advance. The bailiff may then keep additional profit (if any) for himself.

Steward [2,000d] A noble employed to assist the lord. A lord with several manors may employ a steward to visit and inspect each manor several times yearly to ensure the honesty of his bailiffs. The office is held by someone skilled in auditing (often a cleric), a herald, or perhaps by a vassal knight who performs the duty as his feudal service.

SIDEBARS

HOUSEHOLD NOBLES Table

HOUSEHOLD NOBLES Noble Kind Fiefholder 3,000d Spouse 2,000d Offspring 1,000d Relative 1,500d Squire 1,200d Bailiff 2,000d Steward 2,000d

 Loyalty

Each householder has a loyalty score that may be called into play if the household suffers some form of adversity. To determine Loyalty, roll 5d6+50 for each householder. For members of the family,+20. The maximum Loyalty score is 95. When circumstances warrant, roll 1d100 vs Loyalty.

CS Loyalty is unshakable. Subject will stay with the lord through anything, except perhaps torture.

MS Loyalty is good, except when a very large bribe or severe personal duress is involved.

MF Loyalty is suspect. Person may reveal secrets for almost any decent bribe or favor.

CF Disloyal. Person will abandon the lord at the first chance and might betray the lord for personal gain.

Note: Loyalty can be made to apply only to the current situation. A betrayer may be tormented by guilt, and even the most loyal of retainers will waver when faced with a red-hot poker.

Manor 19

HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS

Running the manorhouse requires servants. They perform tasks from managing the household budget to emptying chamber pots. Most lords employ at least a chamberlain, cook, alewife, gardener, and a variable number of domestic servants.

Chamberlain [800d] Responsible for purchasing all supplies and supervising all household servants. Most chamberlains can read and write and are expected to keep accurate books of account on household expenses. Chamberlains wield significant power because they effectively run the household and control access to the lord.

Cook [500d] Every manor needs at least one cook plus one assistant cook for each 10 nobles. Record the cook's ML. Bad cooks can be a source of amusing role-playing material.

Baker [400d] Assistant to the cook and specialist baker of bread, pies, cakes, and the like. Bread is a staple, even for nobles.

Alewife [400d] Assistant to the cook and specialist brewer of ales, the standard drink of the household. Each householder drinks 6–12 pints of ale per day. Larger houses employ a Cellarer [500d], also skilled at making wines, brandies, and liqueurs.

Gardener [400d] Servant in charge of the manor gardens. Garden herbs are widely used for flavoring and medicines, and flowers, fruit, and vegetables are grown to suit the lord's tastes. A gardener may also tend bees in the orchard.

Nursemaid [400d] Cares for the holder's young children. Noble children are with their parents for a limited time each day, often only during the evening meal. For the rest of the time, the nursemaid is responsible for their care.

Domestics [300d] Include chambermaids, stablehands, pantrymaids, laborers, washerwomen, etc. One Domestic is required for each Noble in the household.

SIDEBARS

HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS Table

HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS Chamberlain 800d Cook 500d Baker 400d Alewife 400d Gardener 400d Nursemaid 400d Domestics 300d

Tenants, Labor, and Extortion

There are ancient social rules that govern what is a reasonable and what is an unreasonable demand by the lord. For instance, requiring a villein to send his daughter to the manorhouse as a servant calls for recompense in the form of a salary or reduced obligations, and the villein has the right to refuse the demand. On the other hand, it is the lord who decides at what point to stop a marauding dragon, and the recalcitrant tenant may find himself in desperate need of protection from an indifferent lord.

Most lords take a proprietary, or even paternal, interest in the welfare of their tenants. Fair treatment is the norm. While it is true that the lord has ultimate control over his land and tenants, it is equally true that happy tenants are more likely to make him rich.

Household Slaves

Slaves may replace household servants where legal. Most lords treat their slaves better than free servants. Noble households in Rethem and Tharda are often entirely staffed with slaves, who rarely get along with free servants.

Manor 20

HOUSEHOLD CRAFTSMEN

Wealthy fiefholders may employ a variety of bonded craftsmen to assist with running the manor. Some reduce the costs of running the manor while others are employed for such intangible reasons as educating children, entertaining the household, and so on.

Bonded craftsmen typically eat and sleep in their workspace. Their support cost includes a modest cash salary (typically one third) to buy clothing and other personal effects.

Clothier [900d] Converts raw wool and flax into clothing. Each clothier can dress about ten nobles but requires the wool of ten sheep per noble and the flax of one acre per noble to be effective. Female household members can perform some of the tasks of a clothier, but not all. Only in the most impoverished manors would a noblewoman be found washing, fulling, dying, and spinning raw wool and flax.

Harper [600d] Provides entertainment for the lord who has everything.

Heralds [1,200d] Teach history, especially clan history, to the household. They can also conduct important negotiations or make others think the lord conducts such negotiations regularly. See also Sage/Tutor.

Litigant [1,100d] The complex web of patron-client relationships in the Thardic Republic makes a litigant a valuable asset. A litigant can interfere with the plans of your rivals and aid your own.

Mason [1,500d] Supervises the designing, building, and maintenance of the manorhouse, its fortifications, and other structures on the fief. Masons are only seen at large manors, or at keeps and castles.

Ostler [1,300d] Looks after the manor's horses, from mucking out the stables and grooming the horses to breeding, veterinary care, and training. Each Ostler can look after about ten steeds.

Physician [1,200d] Household members suffer all the maladies common to the folk of Hârn. A physician can be a lifesaver, especially in isolated manors.

Priest [800d] The lord and his family often worship a different faith than their peasants. A lord may wish to have a priest of his own faith on hand for spiritual comfort, to supervise weddings, funerals, and other sacraments, for prestige, and to deal with the odd ghost. Most bonded clerics also perform the duties of a Sage/Tutor. Some also perform the duties of a Chamberlain. See also Manor 14 for Glebe arrangements.

Sage/Tutor [1,200d] A scholar employed by the lord to educate the household. Employing one may justify skill development rolls for Lore skills. See HârnMaster, Skills 8.

Scribe [800d] Many nobles are illiterate and rely on the services of a scribe for reading and writing skills. A Litigant, Priest, or Sage can perform the same tasks, at least part-time, but they cost more money.

Teamster [900d] Most manor households support one or more teamsters to drive produce to market, fetch supplies, handle coach rides, etc.

Weaponcrafter [1,800d] Fighting orders often employ a bonded weaponcrafter. Wealthy lords can justify one if they have a large Household Guard. Otherwise, weaponcrafters are not cost-effective but employing one never hurts your prestige.

SIDEBARS

HOUSEHOLD CRAFTSMEN Table

Occupation Kind Clothier 900d Harper 600d Herald1 1,200d Hideworker2 900d Litigant 1,100d Mason 1,500d Metalsmith2 1,100d Ostler 1,300d Physician 1,200d Priest1 800d Sage/Tutor 1,200d Scribe 800d Salter2 700d Teamster 900d Timberwright2 1,200d Weaponcrafter 1,800d Woodcrafter2 1,000d

1 These retainers are often Nobles. If so, increase support cost to 1,500d.

2 These masters are usually freemasters in the village, but can be bonded if there is no freemaster. They are described on Manor 7.

Craftsmen & Savings

Although it can be argued that some craftsmen can save the household money, this is rarely the case in practice. The inventory costs associated with keeping a craftsman busy tend to exceed any savings. The effect of having a bonded Clothier is to make the household better dressed, not cheaper dressed.

Bonded-Masters

Guilds will not permit a lord to hire a craftsman if there is already a freemaster practicing the same craft in the village. Some lords will hire journeymen for a season, partly to save money on support, but also to bring new ideas to the fief.

Manor 21

HOUSEHOLD MILITARY

Some fiefholders employ full-time soldiers called men-at-arms. These can range from expensive Heavy Horse down to Light Foot. They assist the lord in defending the fief and in fulfilling his military service to a liege. In feudal kingdoms, men-at-arms are granted a license by the lord to bear chivalric weapons and wear his heraldry on a surcoat of linen or buckram. They traditionally live at the manorhouse and eat at the lord's table. Ivinian men-atarms are called huscarls. The following specialized men-at-arms may also exist:

Sergeant-at-Arms: Commander of the Household Guard. He is typically a veteran soldier equipped as Medium Foot or Light Horse. Rich lords may employ a bachelor-knight for this post, but that requires support as Medium or Heavy Horse.

Man-at-Arms: Soldier of the Household Guard, typically a veteran equipped as Light Foot.

Squire: The custom of fostering the sons of nobility to train as knights means that many fiefholders have one or more squires in their household. A squire tends the lord's horses and accompanies the fiefholder on military service or other travels. Squires are supported as Light Horse (at least) until knighted. The lord is expected to pay the considerable cost of equipping a squire as a knight at age 21.

Offspring: Sons ages 16–21 will probably be fostered elsewhere, but knighted sons, especially the heir, may reside at the manor and be supported as Medium or Heavy Horse.

Huntsman: Warrior with excellent outdoors skills who organizes hunting parties, cares for the lord's hounds and hunting weapons, and guards the lord's woods against poachers. He is, effectively, a full-time woodward with military skills and, depending on the size of the manor's woods, may have one or more subordinate Foresters to assist him. The office is typically held by a Bachelor-Knight, a Squire, or a Sergeant who would likely be classified as Light Horse. This is an excellent occupation, ripe with role-playing possibilities, for a player character with the appropriate skills.

SIDEBARS

MILITARY RETAINERS Table

Class Kind Light Foot 576d Medium Foot 936d Shortbow 936d Longbow 1,296d Light Horse 2,016d Medium Horse 3,200d Heavy Horse 4,608d

Player-Character Retainers

A party of PCs employed as men-atarms in a powerful lord's household can be an excellent roleplaying option. Although the party will not be free to do as they please, they have a secure base of operations, a powerful noble as patron, and the opportunity to get involved in a variety of interesting adventures. One such party might be a huntsman, a couple of foresters, and perhaps a household cleric or sage. Tasks might include defending villagers from the depredations of brigands or predators, exploring an old ruin found in the woods, or escorting an important person or tribute.

What's in my Woods?

There are any number of discoveries awaiting the fortunate (and not so fortunate) explorer that previous owners never found or exploited.

01–10 Ruins, recent 11–14 Ruins, old 15–16 Ruins, ancient 17–20 Cave entrance 21–26 Valuable timber 27–29 Bog iron 30–33 Peat 34–36 Potters' clay 37–39 Very rare herbs 40–42 Building-quality stone 43–44 Precious metals/gems 45 Magical spring 46–47 Slumbering beast 48 Ivashu 49 Ghost(s), malicious 50 Ghost(s), helpful 51–00 Nothing of interest

Metals and gems belong to the crown and can only be legally exploited by the Miners' Guild.

Manor 22

THE LORD'S STABLE

The support costs for nobles do NOT allow for steeds.

In feudal realms, most fiefholders are required to provide the services of a mounted knight to their liege. This requires a knight to have at least one costly Warhorse for battle and one or two Palfreys for hunting and routine travel. Keeping a palfrey for each noble householder except the very young and old is also a social necessity.

Most lords treat their steeds with great affection and spend large sums to keep a stable of the best horses available. Some stables contain stalls for a dozen mounts, plus tack rooms, feed lofts, and accommodation for an ostler and one or two stablehands. On manors with no Ostler, a squire is usually involved in tending the horses.

A slave supported on 100d per year survives on a fraction of the support given to a typical warhorse. The support costs given are for average mounts. The very best warhorses get better support.

The Lord's Kennels (600d)

Many lords maintain a kennel of hunting hounds. One or two hounds may be faithful companions for the lord on his travels. They may also fight bravely to defend the manorhouse and its occupants and are a useful alarm system. The cost given supports a kennel boy and a dozen hounds.

The Lord's Falconry (800d)

Many lords keep falcons for sport hunting. The cost given supports a falcon-trainer and two or three birds. A natural falcon is neither especially powerful nor intelligent, but a magically enhanced bird might be very interesting.

SIDEBARS

THE LORD'S STABLE Table

Steed Kind Warhorse 1,800d Palfrey 900d

Note: Support costs do NOT include the cost of buying animals.

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Notes

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