An Imperial noble lord
Noble lords are the members of the Human nobility with actual power and responsibility for governance, unlike the many dilettantes who fill the courts of the Old World. Some inherit their positions, whereas others forcefully claw their way into them.[1a]
All of them tend to be strong-willed, adroit public speakers, and skilled fighters. They must be adept at resolving local disputes, negotiating court politics, and leading troops in the field. Some of the most powerful noble lords in the Empire are the Elector Counts who choose from among their number who will be the next Emperor of Man.[1a]
Nobility and the Law[]
Common knowledge in the Old World has it that to be noble is to be above the law. The truth of this depends on where and who the noble is. An important Norscan jarl might be able to behave in a violently sociopathic manner with no thought for the consequences, but a Reiklander lord could not carve a rampage through the streets of Altdorf with impunity. Also, to be a known noble in one of the Tilean republics can be something of an imposition.[2a][Note 1]
Watchmen in the Empire are careful about arresting anyone of noble birth. They might take note of nobles committing crimes, but do nothing more than report it to influential authorities such as the Cult of Verena, the goddess of justice, or another noble. The drunk and disorderly behaviour of a noble rake is unlikely to be censured, even when indulging in dangerous pranks.[2a]
Once informed of a noble's bad behaviour, his peers will tend to make an example of them, as the aristocracy realise that demonstrations of even-handedness are well-received among the great unwashed masses of commoners. However this example usually extends to withdrawal of privileges, stopping far short of the public executions used to deal with common criminals.[2a]
A city or town watch will intervene if they find a noble committing a clearly shocking or treasonous crime, but they will take care to treat the noble with utmost respect throughout the process. It is common to find nobles serving lengthy prison sentences in surroundings that most men would consider palatial, and enjoying perks their own gaolers would find luxurious. In the meantime those who informed on or captured the noble may find that they have a hard time remaining employed, and could even become the targets of harassment organised by the noble's cronies.[2a]
Affiliations[]
The affiliations of any noble lords of worth encompasses all levels of society in the Old World. They command the military, hobnob with the priesthoods of the various cults of the Old World Pantheon, listen to the concerns of guild masters, employ (or outright own) the peasantry, and sponsor artists and businesses.[2a]
In times of unrest they broker deals to keep the peace with crime lords and watch captains alike. They meet with the ambassadors of foreign nations, and even the other races of the Old World. Members of any given profession may find themselves patronised by a noble lord, from rat catchers to coachmen, bailiffs to assassins.[2a]
Noble Lords in Other Cultures[]
Some non-Human cultures maintain a leadership caste equivalent to that of the noble lords who rule the nations of Men in the Old World.
Wood Elves[]
The Wood Elves have Glade Lords, who serve as the nobility of Athel Loren and govern their regions of that magical forest.
High Elves[]
High Elf Nobles and Dragon Princes are the noble men and women of Ulthuan's High Elves, who lead their people by maintaining the highest of moral and martial standards.
Dark Elves[]
The Dark Elves maintain a noble class known as the Dreadlords who deploy their savage cruelty both against their High Elf foes of Ulthuan and in their interminable, internecine conflicts for power and status with each other under the rule of the Witch King Malekith.
Notes[]
- Note 1: Warhammer lore makes clear that Tilea does not possess a feudal system or ruling hereditary nobility like that of Bretonnia, Kislev, the Empire of Man, or Estalia. Its city-states are often ruled by wealthy men and women collectively called "merchant princes," typically members of wealthy mercantile families who made their fortunes in the far more "middle-class" endeavour of trade, money-lending and commerce, or by mercenary generals who have seized power by force. This makes the use of titles by ruling merchant princes of the Tilean cities such as "Duke" or "Count" more about aping the styles of the nobility and claiming the ruling legitimacy of the actual hereditary aristocracy than indicating they belong to a similar feudal political structure.