Nobility in Defiance Bay and the Aedyr Empire

[FlintlockJazz]

And now time for something completely different...

 

Thinking of trying to put together what we know of the nobility in Defiance Bay and Aedyr Empire.  We know that they are mostly the same, with Thayns and Erls existing in both in pretty much the same role.  Aedyr is ruled by a Ferscönyng, hereditary king, while DB is ruled by an elected Duc.  A gref is an Aedyran Governor.  Any idea on the size of domain a Thayn typically rules?  How many Thayns does an Erl typical have in his/her Erldom?  Are there the equivalent to knights in the game or is that what Thayns are supposed to be?  In which case are there landless Thayns as well? 

 

Unless this information is in the game (in which case I apologise for wasting time) I naturally don't expect definite answers, more what people estimate to be the case based on what we know and lots of fun theorycrafting. :D

[Parasol_Syndicate]

According to this:

http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Free_Palatinate_of_Dyrwood

there are 7 Erls throughout the Dyrwood. 

 

Raedric is probably a pretty typical Thayn in terms of territory and forces, if not personality. 

At a guess, some of those champions of Berath at his call are knights, presumably without lands of their own. 

Edited November 17, 2015 by Parasol_Syndicate

[FlintlockJazz]

According to this:

http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Free_Palatinate_of_Dyrwood

there are 7 Erls throughout the Dyrwood. 

 

Raedric is probably a pretty typical Thayn in terms of territory and forces, if not personality. 

At a guess, some of those champions of Berath at his call are knights, presumably without lands of their own. 

Interesting, I knew Raedric didn't have an Erl he answered to, so there is currently seven erldoms with an extra two erldoms worth of thayns lying around unclaimed... *plots to take over those Thayns*  I find it interesting that they use professional soldiers rather than the usual method of 'military service in return for land' they used for knights, that implies that they don't actually have knights at all then.

[Parasol_Syndicate]

I don't think it's accidental that you spend the majority of the game in regions without strong authority. That way your adversaries have to strike directly, and not through sympathetic lords and magistrates.  That might be a very short game! 

 

I think theres a good chance some of Raedric's heavies are knights, they're just in a knightly order of Berath, and probably live closer to templars. 

He is the rightful lord, and does have a senior priest on the premises. 

[Infinitron]

What's interesting about Raedric is that he has one hell of a huge force at his disposal...which makes you wonder what an Erl might have. It also makes the Duc in Defiance Bay seem rather underprotected in comparison.

 

The game does offer the excuse that most of the Crucible Knights are outside the city. Unless you side with the Doemenels you don't even get to ever meet a Crucible Knight ranked higher than Commander even though there a whole bunch of ranks above that according to their lore book.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Infinitron

[Parasol_Syndicate]

Yeah, I'm reconsidering what I said before. Raedric is clearly operating like North Korea; maintaining a massive armed force, and bleeding the countryside dry to do it.

There simply is not enough room in the keep for that many bodies.

 

A conventional Thayn would have 1/2 to 1/3 the men, and probably the high priest would live with the erl. 

I suspect that a good erl would still grant their thayns knights, though. 

[JerekKruger]

Something worth noting about Raedric: according to the Wiki he is Thayn of Yenwood, and also according to the Wiki one of the two defunct erldoms is the Erldom of Yenwood. It makes me think that Raedric may have taken advantage of the power vacuum created by having no erl above him to make himself the de facto Erl of Yenwood. As such his power might not be representative of a typical thayn. Just a thought.

[Infinitron]

Relevant:

 

 

 

• Red: Erldom of Helsgate, Manhem
• Yellow: Erldom of Baelreach, Ethgowr
• Cyan: Erldom of The Grasp. The arms are those of the Gathbin family, erls of Yenwood which has been subsumed into The Grasp. I don't recall seeing any arms or a family name of the current erl.
• Green: Erldom of Coldwater, Ungadr
• White: Erldom of Northwaech, Rafendr
• Magenta: Erldom of Tenferths, Josh hasn't told us about the ruling family.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Infinitron

[Parasol_Syndicate]

Based on the map above, the erl of the Grasp is likely to reside in New Heomar, or the fortress nearby. 

 

Wonder how he feels about the whole Raedric situation? 

[anameforobsidian]

I thought Caed Nua was traditionally the home of an Erl?

[FlintlockJazz]

Interesting, I kinda figured Raedric had no Erl over him, hence why he was able to get away with the stuff he was doing.  If the Erl of the Grasp had laid claim to the area then it makes you wonder what he was doing while the game's events take place, you'd think he would have some interest in what was going on.  Maybe his claim basically a second Erldom meant that he was stretching himself too much and didn't have as much control as he should?

[Infinitron]

 

The location of Ashfall is unclear, possibly because it was invented for Durance's storyline after those original maps were drawn.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Infinitron

[Sannom]

Interesting, I knew Raedric didn't have an Erl he answered to, so there is currently seven erldoms with an extra two erldoms worth of thayns lying around unclaimed... *plots to take over those Thayns*  I find it interesting that they use professional soldiers rather than the usual method of 'military service in return for land' they used for knights, that implies that they don't actually have knights at all then.

 

I think I read that in the Collector's Book, but Raedric technically has an Erl he answers to... but since that Erldom consists of one Erldom which absorbed another, the current Erl has very little authority on the lands of the disappeared Erldom, which included Gilded Vale.

[FlintlockJazz]

 

 

The location of Ashfall is unclear, possibly because it was invented for Durance's storyline after those original maps were drawn.

Yeah, I've been trying to work out where Ashfall is supposed to be.  Be interested to see more up to date maps of the erldoms and a look at the power structure of the nobility.

[Parasol_Syndicate]

Considering Ashfall incorporates the Cloven Wheel abbey, I'd place it right above Twin Elms.  

[Infinitron]

Yeah, but that seems like too small an area, and all forest. Plus isn't it supposed to be all burned out due to the War of Black Trees? We need a new map.

[JerekKruger]

I certainly wouldn't oppose a new map :D

 

Is Ashfall where the big temple of Magran that Durance mentions is? That sounded like it would be an interest location to visit in a future PoE game.

[Infinitron]

Actually, maybe "Kindle Vale" became Ashfall? The ground does look a bit a bare there.