A noble is a member of the ruling class of multiple different mortal societies in the Known World. Almost all the realms of the world possess a privileged class of nobles. In general, this position is inherited, but most nobles must prove themselves in war.
Chaos[]
The Human tribes that worship the Gods of Chaos, like their southern counterparts, have a nobility that stands apart from the common tribesmen. In Norsca, Jarls act as direct subordinates to the kings that govern the various tribes. Many kings and jarls are Champions of Chaos in their own right. Others are Marauder Chieftains, who command smaller warbands and seek to prove themselves to the Dark Gods. These Chieftains go by a variety of titles depending on the tribes they come from, such as the Zars of the Kurgan, the Kahns of the Hung and the Khagans of the Tong.
Dwarfs[]
The Dwarf kingdoms are ruled by a nobility that traces itself back to the Ancestor Gods themselves. In fact, their bloodline makes the Noble clans among the most long-lived of Dwarfs and some of the most determined in temperament. At its lowest are the thanes, who are the rulers over clans, even common ones. A thane can become a Dwarf Lord by proving himself in combat and studying their ancient enemies, as well as proving the purity of their blood. Under the right circumstances, a Dwarf Lord may even be raised up to become a king of a Dwarf Hold. These kings are under the nominal rule of the high king of Karaz-a-Karak, but have a great deal of autonomy otherwise.
Chaos Dwarfs[]
The Chaos Dwarfs are ruled by the Sorceror-prophets, spell casters who double as the priests of Hashut. Below them are the Daemonsmiths, summoners that are still practicing their people's dark arts, and Chaos Dwarf Lords, who are in charge of the more mundane tasks that come with ruling. The current leader of the entire Chaos Dwarf race, and High Priest of Hashut, is the oldest of the Sorceror-prophets, Astragoth Ironhand. However, Astragoth's time may soon come to an end, as his body is slowly being turned to stone by the very powers that saw his rise in the first place.
Humans[]
Bretonnia[]
Bretonnia is organised into a highly stratified feudal system, in which possession of land is vassalised from the highest-ranking noble to lesser nobility. The nobility of Bretonnia is tied to the Cult of the Lady.
At the head of the Bretonnian social pyramid sits the Royarch, who usually comes from the ranks of the Dukes, who lead the duchies that comprise Bretonnia. Below them are the Barons, who hold land from the Royarch, but are not Dukes themselves. Below them are the Lords, knights who strive to follow the tenets of chivalry to one day either earn a sip from the fabled Grail to become Grail Knights. At their services are the Castellans, who maintain fortifications and castles all around their fief in the absence of their feudal superior. Paladins are those nobles who have distinguished themselves through battle, and many bear warrior-titles such as Marshal or Warden. Marquis' hold fiefs that are subject to frequent attack and thus have the authority to command their own troops.
Other noble titles are the Marshal of Bretonnia, who protects the disputed borders of the kingdom. Justicars are empowered by the nobility to enact the laws of the land. Earls are those of the lowest nobility recognised by the Royarch. Titles without clear specification are those of the Viscount and Palatine.
Some ranks, while similarly named to others, appear to hold more power and prestige. These include the Castellan of Bastonne and Castellan of Quenelles, powerful Lords who are responsible for the overall defence of their Dukedom. Other titles appear to be purely ceremonial, such as that of the Grand-Duc de Savoie, who is in fact an influential Baron.
Kislev[]
The people of Kislev draw on the nobility traditions of the ancient Ungols as well as of the Gospodars. Kislev is ruled by a Tzar, who has the authority to appoint new nobles. The middle-ranked nobility that effectively holds most of the power are the Boyars. Below them are Atamans, who are chosen according to the traditions of the people they rule. The lowest rank is that of the Druzhina.
The Empire[]
The provinces of the Empire are ruled by numerous nobles. The highest of these are the Noble Lords, who go by a variety of local titles and are second only to the Elector Counts and the emperor himself.
The system by which the nobility of the Empire maintains control obliges its members to adhere to a certain code of behaviour. These obligations are relatively few, but they do impose a certain standard that is not set down in any statute. Rather, the notion of ānoblesse obligeā (as the Bretonnians say) requires that a noble comports with the standards of his station, as judged by his peers, his people, and his gods. Over the centuries, countless nobles have fallen foul of the high standards expected of them. Some have caused the people they rule to rise up against them while others have brought the ire of their own lords down upon them.[2a]
Exile is a fate normally reserved for disgraced nobles whose crimes are too serious and visible to be allowed to go unpunished. Exiled nobles often take with them a core of retainers just as guilty as themselves, and are ejected from the lands, never to return. Depending on the severity of the crime, a noble may be banished from his city, from his province, or from the Empire itself. Invariably, he assumes a new identity and turns to the life of a recluse, a robber baron in the Border Princes, or occasionally as a mercenary captain selling his services across the Old World, especially in Tilea. Many exiled nobles harbour dreams of returning to their homelands to reap an act of terrible revenge upon those who exposed and banished them, and some even manage to raise huge armies to reclaim their position.[2b]
The single most important duty that a noble owes his liege lord is military service. In times of war, a noble is expected to muster and equip his tenants, form them into regiments, and field them as required by the needs of his superiors. In general, the noble himself is expected to lead his men and many are well-schooled in the military arts. The defence of the provinces and of the Empire as a whole is not left entirely to these locally raised forces, however, and each province maintains its own standing army of professional soldiers. Many nobles serve in their provinceās army, earning a name for themselves and discharging their duty to their lord. Even after such men return to their estates, they will answer should war call again, taking up arms and armour kept ready for just such a need.[2a]
Many of the richer noble houses find it simpler to employ mercenaries to discharge their obligations of military service. Such lords prefer to see their own tenants labouring in their fields and to employ experienced soldiers to maintain order and to fight when called upon to do so. These mercenaries are often veterans of the state army, but just as many are from farther afield, perhaps from Tilea, the homeland of many mercenary regiments, or the ever-shifting petty princedoms of the Border Princes.[2a]
Borderlands[]
The Borderlands are ruled by a landscape of self-declared nobility that is usually simply referred to as Border Princes.
Tilea[]
The city-states of Tilea are split between being ruled by traditional aristocratic princes, merchant princes, and lower-ranking nobility, like the Navigator families of Tobaro.[3a] Some city-states have a more oligarchic, republican society, like Remas and Verezzo.[4a]
Araby[]
In Araby, each city is a principality ruled over by a Sultan or Caliph, and the Sultan of Alhaka is the acknowledged overlord of all the other cities of Araby. In consequence he is also known as the Great Sultan - the ruler of all Araby. Each Sultan, as well as the Great Sultan, has an advisor called a Grand Vizier who often takes command of the troops in the Sultan's stead. Tributary tribes are ruled by Emirs, while the various nomad tribes that wander the desert are ruled by Sheiks.[1a]
Grand Cathay[]
Grand Cathay is ruled by the Celestial Dragon Emperor and the Moon Empress, two mighty Cathayan Dragons born before the Old Ones ever appeared in the Known World. However the Dragon Emperor and Moon Empress spend most of their time in the Celestial City that floats high above the Cathayan capital city of Wei-Jin, contemplating the future of Cathay.
The day-to-day rule of the Celestial Empire is carried out by the Cathayan Dragons who are the children of the Dragon Emperor and the Moon Empress, and is divided between the Northern Provinces, ruled by Miao Ying, the Storm Dragon; the Western Provinces, governed by Zhao Ming, the Iron Dragon; the Eastern Provinces, ruled by Yin-Yin, the Sea Dragon; the Southern Provinces, ruled by Li Dao, the Fire Dragon and finally the Central Provinces, ruled by Yuan Bo, the Jade Dragon. The Dragon-blooded Shugengan often act as the lower-tier Human nobility of the empire.
Nippon[]
Nippon is ostensibly ruled by a semi-divine Emperor, also referred to as the Divine Sun. However, power is held by Samurai Lords, who constantly wage war with each other or set out in war junks to invade Grand Cathay.
Ind[]
The Kingdoms of Ind are ruled by many kings called "rajas."[5a]
Undead[]
Other humans mirrored the traditions of the Nehekharans, giving rise to modern Wight Kings, the nobility of ancient human tribes in the Old World who were buried in large barrows.
Nehekharan[]
In the ancient realm of Nehekhara, the nobility were known as the Priest Kings. The Priest Kings ruled in a close relation with Mortuary Cult and were deemed to have been the ones with the greatest chances to the glory of the afterlife, since they were the only ones with the capital to adequately prepare for it. Below them were ranks of lesser nobility, including their own sons. When Nehekhara was destroyed, the nobility rose again as undead Tomb Kings, who still haunt Nehekhara.
Vampires[]
Among vampires, the title Count holds a special significance. The Von Carstein bloodline were the legitimate Counts of Sylvania when it was a part of the Empire, and see themselves as legitimate contenders to the Imperial Throne. Many nobles believe deeply in the concept of the peerage to its literal extreme. Nobility, in other words, is in the blood. The upper classes are placed above the lower because only they have the qualities necessary to rule, and these qualities can only be passed through the blood. The von Carsteins extend this belief in that they alone are born to rule and all others are meant to serve their designs. The title of Count of Sylvania was given to whichever Vampire Lord ruled Sylvania at that time.
Elves[]
Dark Elves[]
The highborn of Naggaroth are a fractious and cruel lot. Weakness of any kind is not tolerated, and the children of nobles are sent on slave raids to prove their mettle. Those who fail usually find themselves living short lives afterwards, those that prove themselves are granted the title Master. Afterwards, a few will eventually achieve the title Dreadlord, marking them as lords among nobles. The highest positions are that of the Drachau, who rules one of the six black cities in Malekith's name, and the Vaulkhar, the general who leads the armies of that city into war. Dark Elves that possess these titles are regarded as the personal property of the Witch King, and no harm may be done to one of them on the threat of a blood feud with the Witch King himself.
To achieve such lofty heights invites treachery, murder and violence. To alleviate the understandable paranoia engendered by the Dark Elves' treacherous society, a rigid code of etiquette has evolved. The lowborn classes may not approach within three sword lengths of a noble without being summoned. A retainer may stand as close as two sword lengths whilst a trusted retainer, such as a bodyguard, may stand just outside a single sword's length. The closest, most intimate space is reserved for lovers, playthings and mortal foes (the latter being far more trustworthy within reach than not).
In the end, however, the standing of a highborn depends on Malekith's goodwill. The Witch King rules his people with an iron fist and has raised and doomed entire noble houses in the past.
High Elves[]
High Elf nobility consist of bloodlines dating back for thousands of years. All High Elf nobles are trained in the arts of war and diplomacy, and while most are loyal to the Phoenix King, most also enjoy the game of intrigues against one another.
Nobles in the possession of an heirloom fashioned upon the Anvil of Vaul have the right to be called Princes. These nobles are known to be particular ferocious fighters, for if their artefact were to be taken from them, they would lose their regal status.
Wood Elves[]
Each of the twelve realms of Athel Loren is ruled by a lord or lady of impeccable standing. Answerable to each of these are countless sons and daughters of noble houses ever seeking to improve their own situation. Though Wood Elves commonly inherit rank according to the station of their birth, it is not unknown for a particularly valorous individual to be elevated to higher authority.
Lizardmen[]
Although the Lizardmen do not have actual nobles, the Slann mage-priests are considered the highest authority in the Temple Cities. However, the Slann spend most of their time meditating, so they do not partake in the day-to-day operations of the city. That duty falls to the Skink Priests, the personal attendants of the Slann. The defense of the Temple-cities is overseen by the Saurus Warriors.
Sources[]
- 1: Warmaster: Armies
- 1a: pp. 48-49
- 2:Warhammer Fantasy RPG 3rd Edition - Lure of Power (RPG)
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: The Imperial Zoo (RPG)
- 3a: pp. 86-87
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Up in Arms (RPG)
- 4a: pp. 51-52
- 5: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Rought Nights & Hard Days (RPG)
- 5a: pg. 67