¶ The Marquis
 The Marquis |
Access: Everywhere Difficulty: Very Hard Supervisors: The Whims Of Fate & Rasurian Nobility Duties: Lord over Sunmarch. Manage your Courtiers, Dignitaries, and fellow Nobility. Keep the march safe - or die trying. Guides: N/A Quotes: Secrets of the throat. Make announcement. ATTENTION K-MART SHOPPERS- Minimum PQ: 10 Round Contribution: 4 |
You are the reigning Marquis of Sunmarch, assigned by duty, luck or some other path thanks to the rest of the Nobility in Rasura's court - and, in kind, you now reign over the march in their stead. It is your sworn duty as Marquis to ensure the stability, prosperity, and productivity of the March - as well as carry out the directives of your own Superiors from the Rasurian Heartland.
¶ Feudal 101: Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Be Hearty
The Marquis has lavish accommodation within the Keep, complete with a copy of the Solastra Lunata, the Master Key, and, upon your very own head - the Crown of Sunmarch. Both key and crown are significant signifiers of your rightful rule over Sunmarch in the eyes of it's people, your reign ordained by the Chapel Of Lights - So it's for the best if you don't lose either, whether that means keeping both on your person, stashing the key - or some other more inventive solution. Just remember to never take off your crown - or some servant with lofty ambitions might take the throne and command it unto themselves…
You also start with the Master's Rod, a scepter with the power to shock your enemies within the keep.
¶ Maybe Worry A Little, Though, Actually
As Marquis, you have a lot to take care of. The keep's own politics are a winding web of your fellow players' whims, you've a constant, roundstart objective to ensure that yours is the one to wear the crown of Sunmarch - and, most important of all - the keep's vault is directly the object of boon for any thief, bandit, or fool to try and grasp. And why wouldn't they? The vast majority of the round's wealth will be hoarded in the form of sunmarks, items, and whatever else abominable gets thrown in there with half a mark's worth of value. It is in your best interest to keep the vault safe; as even the loss of a single item is potentially someone, somewhere, not getting paid - and an unpaid serf is a violent one. Especially if that ‘serf’ is your own Court Mage, or the Jester, or any other manner of otherwise upstanding person of import, especially so for your Steward's sake.
All this is to say, you should probably be wary of anything suspect in the keep's bound - and at least keep someone posted to be your ear, if you intend to leave for much longer than moment.
¶ Secrets Of The Throat!
A noble is nothing without a throne, and you are no different. The Throne of Sunmarch, enigmatic beast it is, has utility befit for Nobles even higher in station than yourself built directly within. All one need do is sit upon it and call outwards for the “Secrets of the Throat”. This will alert the throne to speak of your options aloud - options which include…
- Make Decree: Make a royal decree out into the air, and let your word be heard by the masses. The SCOM Units will periodically repeat this decree on a loop.
- Make Announcement: Make an announcement of lower stake, with no reciprocal effects.
- Set Taxes: Set the taxation percentage, 1%-99%. Uprisings may ensue if this figure is adjusted carelessly. The current roundstart tax rate of 11% is generally regarded as reasonable and is seldom altered. Any increase should be subject to careful scrutiny.
- Declare Outlaw: Declare someone an outlaw in the lands of Sunmarch. Your Knight Captains can also request an outlaw to be declared.
- Summon Crown: Summons the crown to the throne room - if it cannot be returned, the throat will report the crown's current location.
- Summon Key: Much the same as they above, but for the Master Key.
- Make Law: Adds a law to the existing laws of the land.
- Remove Law: Remove a specific law.
- Purge Laws: Remove all laws of the land, ready to be written anew.
- Purge Decrees: Purge all of your prior decrees from SCOM rotation.
¶ Munny Munny Munny Munny-
As Marquis, you possess full control over the economy of Sunmarch. However, absolute authority must not be conflated with immunity. Should the treasury fall into insolvency, unrest or outright revolt may follow. The Steward is formally responsible for maintaining economic stability and, along with their appointed Clerk(s), holds direct access to both the Vault and the Nerve Master. While it is the Steward's job to run your economy, financial responsibilities can be delegated at your will.
¶ SALARIES: PAYING YOUR KEEP
Your courtiers and garrisoned forces expect regular compensation. Courtiers attend to internal governance, while the Garrison is the reason your head is not on a spike and your vault is not robbed. Although there is no standard, people do still have their opinions on what is too little. Salaries should therefore correspond to social and military rank—for instance, a Man-at-Arms should receive more than a Squire, and a Knight more than a Man-at-Arms.
You CAN pay equal salary across roles, but such parity may be regarded as disrespectful; paying a noble Knight the same wage as a common Squire is often seen as insulting. Alternatively, you may choose to withhold payment entirely. In that case, may the Nine save your soul.
¶ THE NERVE MASTER
Located in the Stewardry, the Nerve Master is your best friend. It enables you, your Steward, and their Clerk(s) to execute payments, impose fines, purchase foreign goods, establish bounty values for deposited items, and more.
Sunmarch functions on a credit-based financial model. That is to say, individuals do not physically possess their funds; rather, the treasury owes it to them. Consequently, a subject may hold a balance of 10,000 marks while the treasury only bears 5,000 marks—placing the province in debt. So no, giving yourself 9,999,999 marks doesn't mean you're rich, you're just being stupid. Moreover, it does not look good when the Meister tells a customer that Sunmarch cannot afford their withdrawal. The treasury is the primary display of your wealth. Why would someone serve a broke Marquis?
¶ THE VAULT
The Vault is Sunmarch’s primary economic engine, generating at least 90% of its income. At roundstart, the Vault typically contains seven assorted gemstones, one or two golden statuettes, and a modest quantity of coin. Notably, coin does not accrue interest, and should be reserved for emergency use or deposited directly into the treasury.
Interest is generated every 5 to 8 minutes (interval randomly generated every cycle). A portion of the value of every item inside the vault is added to an interest pool, the total is taxed at 15%, and then transferred to the treasury. You already spawn with a lot of valuable items that can be used for this. Judgement, your sword, possesses significant value (over 300 marks) and can contribute substantially to roundstart interest.
Recommended strategies include:
- Depositing high-value items such as Judgement, silver and gold goblets, your spare crownstones, and your diamond into the Vault early.
- Commissioning a blacksmith to craft jeweled rings from your gems and diamonds—these items yield considerably higher interest returns. They can easily add more than 200 marks to your total interest.
- Purchasing valuables from adventurers to expand the hoard and stimulate mutual economic benefit.
If managed wisely, a well-stocked Vault ensures steady income for the duration of your tenure
¶ TAXATION
The default roundstart tax rate is 11%, applied to all non-noble individuals when they interact with the Meister. Taxes contribute almost nothing to overall revenue and any adjustments—either upward or downward—are unlikely to impact your financial position significantly. As always, the Vault remains your primary fiscal instrument.
¶ “I AM THE LAW”
As Marquise, you are the final arbiter of all legal and civil matters within Sunmarch, subordinate only to the divine mandates of the Nine and the will of your Superiors. Within your borders, no appeal supersedes your word.
¶ “BY DECREE OF THE MARQUISE”
Through the use of the Secrets of the Throat, you possess the authority to enact law by personal decree. However, this power must be exercised with prudence. A law demanding citizens pay you 500 marks every time they see you, or a law declaring yourself above the Nine’s will—are unlikely to be respected and may provoke unrest. A law is only as effective as your ability to enforce it. Always weigh the practical implications and public perception before issuing any decree. When in doubt, don't decree it.
¶ ORDER IN THE COURT
You serve as the chief magistrate of Sunmarch, unless you delegate this role to a subordinate, such as your Marshal. In your capacity as judge, you will be called upon to lay your judgement upon any criminal the Garrison brings forth.
While you possess the legal authority to pardon, punish, or execute, the exercise of such powers must be tempered by sound judgment. Excessive penalties for minor infractions—such as executing a subject for poor etiquette or imposing ruinous fines—can damage your reputation and erode public confidence. You can even add creativity to your ruling, giving unconventional punishments never done before. Ultimately, if your people consider the punishment befitting of the crime, you have done your duty well. The last thing you want is the people losing trust in the government and orchestrating their own lynchings.
Your instruments of justice include the gallows, guillotine, pillory, dungeon, and the Garrison. These tools are at your command, but so too is the judgment of your people. A punishment that satisfies public conscience is a triumph of rulership. Use your authority not only to command fear, but to cultivate respect.
¶ The Coalition
The safety of the Sunmarch—and its reconstruction from ruin—is guaranteed by the Coalition: a body composed of dozens of noble lords, each destined to serve as Marquis when their time comes. Every Marquis who dons the crown must remember that they are judged not only by the restless populace but also by a council of peers within the Coalition. The fate of Rasura rests squarely upon this governing body and the delicate alliances it sustains. Even a reigning Marquis must, at times, defer to their fellow delegates and to emissaries from foreign realms.
The Coalition signifies that each Marquis operates as part of a broader political body. Its membership is extensive and ever-changing, offering ample opportunity to explore political intrigue and your Marquis’s role within it. Whether your Marquis hails from a distant land or a nearby province, their focus during their reign should remain firmly on the affairs of the Sunmarch and Rasura.
¶ Tips
- The gods tend to notice the Marquis' acts more actively than the rest of Sunmarch - for better or worse.
- The Marquis' great power to arrange meetings, events, feasts and wars makes them a powerful seat of roleplay. Play the Marquis and be creative, the Sunmarch thrives on your roleplay ingenuity.
- Don't alter the tax rate unless it is an emergency decision or you are lowering it.
- Commission blacksmiths to make you valuables like jeweled rings, and purchase valuables from adventurers and place it all in the vault.
- Put your sword, Judgement, in the vault. You will rarely ever need it.