👑 House Roles -

The Territorial Governor -

Governors, in Jarlsland, stand just one step beneath the Tribune in power. That step is a long one though and these House leaders are regularly reminded of such, being traditionally only allowed to enter the Central Province with a token guard and only under the will of the Tribune themself. Times of war have seen these strictures relaxed somewhat but the spectral reminder of a Governor’s distance from the crown is built into every mechanism of the state. These restrictions known as the ‘Jarls Law’ feature heavily in the break away Union doctrine as examples of freedoms which the Outer Territories are being denied.

It is a different story at home, however, where the Governor’s word is law and for the longest time, beyond the Tribune’s taxation, that law has been absolute. Each House leader enforces that absolutism with greater or lesser zeal but in a culture of strict social hierarchies, an iron hand that squeezes, often finds that the blood to follow is it’s own.

Soft power tends to yield hardier stock and all Governors have the power to choose which crops to water. A Governor’s chief role in a game of Babayaga is to manage the balance of favour, resources and influence which they imbue to their House, so as not to cause too much offence but also grow and maintain their own power base. Unique of the Player roles, the Governor does not have the responsibility for a particular section of their lands and economy but receive the resources from all through taxation. With these resources they can balance the focus of their land’s output, trade, and all the while try to keep their people from starvation. If this is too heavy a burden for such a busy mind, the Governor can favour one of their team members by delegating such decisions. Keeping an eye on how one empowers their subordinates is key to the Governor role and long term success.

At the start of a round, a member of the Control Team will bring the House table the produce of their land’s production from the previous round. Keeping domestic production healthy in a time of war is difficult but necessary to survival, even if a Player’s House is focused on a war footing. The Governor is empowered to levy any taxes of their own team’s lands as required, usually attempting to meet quotas set by taxation in their alliance. Governors can request any surplus, of any region that is held by their House. A loyal family member would surely acquiesce and a capable leader would approach such requests with a light touch.

Control will only hand the resources to the Governor, or his nominated, Keeper of the Purse, and may hold these resources if they wish. Other Players on the team will know how much they have produced and what they are due, so holding resources without willing taxation could prove problematic to the Governor Player and should not be done without good reason. Players can choose to at any time, support another House with the product of their lands and so will expect respect returned for their supplication to taxation.

The Governor is the only role assigned to teams, at the beginning of the game in the Player Briefs. The title can be abdicated, transferred, or seized during play but not before. The starting Governor Player must begin the game in that role and any subsequent transfer of power, no matter how swift, is to be recorded as an in universe secession in the game’s lore. Changing role does not change the Player’s bloodline. For the purposes of the game, that Player would be viewed as the former Governor of their House for the purposes of narrative.

The other key roles in a noble's House will be bestowed by the Governor Player as titles. The Governor may also revoke such responsibilies at any time.

Keeper of the Purse -

Within each House the Governor may empower one other Player with the ‘Keeper of the Purse’ role who acts as treasurer and quartermaster for their House. This is the only sanctioned Player who may make treaties with other Houses for the movement of Trade Goods outside of their regions. Players should remember that their own surplus is separate to taxation and must negotiate with the Keeper for adequate return on their investments. The movement of any resources by Players that are not part of an official trade agreement, as arranged by the Keeper, is considered smuggling and punishment for such underhanded dealing is at the sole discretion of the House’s Governor. The Keeper of the Purse is also empowered to manage the Governor’s own lands, when they are too busy to do so.

Marshal -

In times of war, a House’s Governor can appoint a Marshal, to assist in the prosecution of their interests across Jarlsland. This Marshal may command the Governor’s Banners into battle, in their absence and has the ability to form strategic plans within their own alliance or with neutral/friendly third parties. The Martial is not empowered, by default, to enter or exit alliances on behalf of their House but may do so if they choose. (Or feel they can get away with it.)

The Spider -

Each house maintains its own web of listening ears and concealed devices of guile. The House’s Spider maintains these networks and hears whispers on the wind. If a House’s Governor appoints one of their team members to the position of House Spider then inform Control and they will be given additional instructions at that time.

Other Player Roles and Responsibilities -

In addition to the titles above Players may find themselves in a few different roles, with different responsibilities;

Leader of an Alliance -

There are two Players who will start the game as the respective heads of the major alliances. These are the Tribune themself and the Governor of Tanann, head of the Rebel Union. These Players will also play the effective Governor role for their House and team. Throughout the game, alliances may shift and others come to the head of new or existing alliances. Apart from the loyalty and power that such a position commands and implies there are several additional responsibilities that an alliance leader must carry out. Beyond their own house, the leader of an alliance must place their other loyal banners in order of who they wish to favour most. Perhaps Houses will expect a certain amount of demagoguery or nepotism from the incumbent leader but this decision must be weighed carefully and the level to which these other Players are trusted must be taken into account. The arrangement of Table Banners can be done either on the leader’s own team table or in the Map Room for their alliance. There is no mechanical difference to this choice, just an optical one that is perhaps dependent on whether the leader believes that the alliance’s loyalty is better placed in the cause or in their leadership personally. Claiming the former to no objection could be a powerful move.

Leaders should keep in mind that there are mechanical effects from this hierarchy as it gives priority in resolution to gambits made by those banners placed higher and determines who gains the spoils in conflict. Allied Houses do not have to be placed together in priority and the distribution must be linear.

Master of Taxation -

Much as the Keeper of the Purse may handle the trade and taxation affairs of a noble House, the Leader of an Alliance may appoint the Master of Taxation role to any member of their alliance. Should any taxation be levied on the members of the alliance, the Master of Taxation may coordinate is payment or enquire to its absence on behalf of the alliance as a whole.