THE IMPERIAL NOBILITY  - ADDENDA

Here are my thoughts on refereeing certain aspects of the Nobility system:

Imperial Warrants

Imperial Honours

'Special' Benefits

"I'm a Noble.  I can do whatever I want..."

"What's the worst that could happen?..."

Military Control (& Organization)

"Why are Dukes 'only' Soc 15?..."

Heraldry

"Gosh, my Character has Soc 24!  Is he the Emperor?..."

IMPERIAL WARRANTS:

  The Third Imperium is governed through a vast and complex bureaucracy, answerable to the Emperor through several layers of representatives - Systems to Subsectors to Sectors to Domains to the Imperium itself.  But, sometimes situations arise that can only be satisfactorily resolved by the direct intervention of the Emperor.  Given the vast extent of the Imperium (and the travel times involved) - and that the Emperor is just one very busy individual - this can be a problem.

  One solution is the use of Imperial Warrants.  Rather than the Emperor personally dealing with a situation (usually urgent), he delegates authority (via a Warrant) to someone (usually a Noble deemed suitable) to act in his stead (resolve the situation).  It is widely believed that the bearer of an Imperial Warrant has the power to supplant or overrule any authority short of the Emperor.

  Strictly speaking, this is true.  All laws and decrees pertaining to Imperial Warrants amount to the rightful bearer being second only to the Emperor, and having to be obeyed as such.  However, most Imperial Warrants have definite limits in duration, scope, and authority.

 Some examples follow:

1.   A top-level investigation into alleged Scout Service corruption in a given subsector is required.  The IW issued will provide authority for travel to and from, and activities within, that subsector.  But, authority might be provided solely for interactions with the Scouts, and none at all for the Imperial Navy or Army.

2.   There is major concern about the loyalty and/or mental competence of a key official on the frontier.  The IW may specifically overrule that individual's authority, and authorize the bearer to set up an official enquiry into the person's actions.

3.   The Imperium and another interstellar government are negotiating an important treaty.  The IW may empower a suitable representative to act for the Imperium, and possibly even sign the treaty on the Emperor's behalf.  In such cases, it is not uncommon for the IW to expire when the treaty is signed or the negotiations end (whichever comes first).   

  'Unlimited' Imperial Warrants are extremely rare.  They are issued only in the direst of emergencies to very high-ranking Nobles - the most notable and recent example being the Warrant sent to Duke Norris immediately prior to the Fifth Frontier War.

  In all cases, the bearer of an Imperial Warrant is honourbound to return or destroy the document when it expires, or upon the resolution of the problem it was issued for, or at the Emperor's request.  A full accounting of actions taken with the Warrant is usually required.  Abuses of Imperial Warrants are rare, and usually involve the document having been stolen and/or forged.  Perpetrators of such crimes are invariably hunted down and terminated with extreme prejudice by Imperial authorities.

  Imperial Warrants have enormous power but they do not provide omnipotence.  It is highly unlikely that any bearer of a Warrant could successfully order a military officer to surrender his entire command intact to the enemy; or induce a banker to hand over millions of credits in cash, and then destroy all evidence of this having happened.  Not without a lot of incredibly good reasons and an immense amount of persuasion, anyhow.  Individual citizens can still question (and even refuse to obey) any orders they might consider to be morally wrong, in error, unreasonably dangerous, or just plain stupid.

  Except where specified otherwise, and as long as it remains valid, an Imperial Warrant confers the equivalent of:

• SOC 10 for non-Nobles;

• Imperial Senatorial Appointment;

• Court Influence (2d6);

• ALL of the 'Rights' listed in Table 2 - Bear Arms, Escort (12), Free Passage, Commission, Lawful Dissent, Decree, Nobility Creation, Taxation, and Pardon;

• Rank O10 authority in all branches of the Imperial Navy, Army, Marines, Scouts, and IRIS.

  It is worth noting that lesser versions of Imperial Warrants can be issued by the Archdukes of the Imperium's various Domains.  As well as only being valid within the Domain it is issued for, a 'Domain Warrant' has comparitively limited powers, these being:

• SOC 10 for non-Nobles;

• Court Influence (1d6);

• Right To Bear Arms, Escort (10), Free Passage, Commission, and Lawful Dissent.

• Rank O8 authority in all branches of the Imperial Navy, Army, Marines, and Scouts.

 A noble who issues a Domain Warrant must also fully justify this, and its subsequent usage, to the Emperor.

IMPERIAL HONOURS:

  In the table below is a selection of Imperial Honours awarded to individuals for services to Emperor and Imperium.   As always, Referees should feel free to make whatever changes, additions, and subtractions that will suit their own campaigns.

Imperial Honours

SPECIAL BENEFITS:

  As an alternative to the usual run of Bestowments, the Referee may choose to tag one or more duplicate benefits as 'Special'.  'Special' benefits are bestowed upon individuals to indicate a distinct status in connection with that Noble.  For example, 'Special' benefits often exist for a Noble's legal spouse or designated heir.  Otherwise, they may be for a Noble's Seneschal, Butler, or Secretary.  They also occasionally exist for positions associated more with tradition than practicality, eg. Jester, Stablemaster, Concubine, Master-At-Arms, Gamekeeper, or Champion.

 Once accepted, the recipient of a Special benefit receives the appropriate title, and is required to use it when appropriate - eg. 'John Smith' becomes 'John Smith, Champion of Lord Postlethwhaite, Viscount Of Triton' in all official correspondance.

 In all cases, recipients of Special Benefits have practical and/or ceremonial obligations (to be determined by the Referee), and are at all times considered to be part of the Noble's entourage.  Some of the restrictions will be bizarre - occasionally a long-dead aristocrat's idea of entertainment, sometimes an attempt to emulate alien cultures, most often things that seemed perfectly sensible four-plus centuries ago ("I am NOT wearing THAT!" "But, it's traditional...").

  Yes, the recipient may have to wear a uniform of some sort...

  Note also that titles can be misleading.  After a few centuries, the actual job could have changed in all but name - or the name itself could have changed definition (consider how use of the word "gay" has altered in recent history).

 With this in mind, being the 'Official Concubine To Lord Such-And-Such' could involve exactly what the name implies OR be the proper designation for that Noble's fiance, personal medic, bodyguard, accountant, or whatever.  That's where the much-maligned matter of 'Protocol' comes in, with all that seemingly pointless ritual providing a "safe" means for VIPs and their entourages to interact without unduly upsetting anybody.  Referees should keep this in mind for the next time Player-Characters short-circuit a lengthy ceremony...

  What follows is a not-too-serious list of possible examples for Special Benefits.   As well as what is detailed here, all probably have specific ceremonial requirements as well.  This is not a definitive list - plenty of possibilities not covered, and  (as always) Referees should feel free to do as they see fit.

  The same restrictions as for other bestowments apply (SOC 8+, ratification roll of 7+), but for 'Special' benefits the Noble gets positive DMs for Court Influence and skills (select one of Admin, Bribery, Jack-of-Trades, OR Leader).  Special benefits can be removed by the owning Noble at any time, but he must make another ratification roll in order to do so.

"I'M A NOBLE.  I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT!...":

 Somebody always tries the above line, or at least starts thinking it.  Wrong!  The opposite is much closer to the truth - the higher the SOC, the greater the restrictions.  For instance, somebody with an abysmal SOC can question the Emperor's right to rule, and mostly be ignored.  A Noble saying the same things will quickly find himself in a world of hurt.  Think of the strife that public figures of 20th-21st Century Terra can get into with one seemingly innocent remark....

 Imagine too, if you will, the following situation.  A foreign VIP visits your country and immediately starts insulting your culture, mingling with criminal elements, "pulling rank" on governmental officials, making dubious business deals, getting involved in brawls and firefights, and so forth - without even bothering to try and be subtle or low-key about it.

 How long will that nonsense be tolerated?  Diplomatic immunity will only go so far before something gives.

 Stuff happens sometimes, and there may even be times and/or places where it is considered acceptable behaviour.  After all, not all Nobles are necessarily as pure as the driven snow - sharp business practices and shady politics are a couple of the methods used to attain SOC 11+ in the first place.  But, there are standards - specifics of public decorum and general behaviour that all Nobles are expected to follow.  It's called "Setting An Example".

 Anyone habitually flouting this better have good reasons for his actions and high-powered support in his corner.  If not, he may start "Setting An Example" anyhow.  His superiors may start choosing him for 'special' assignments - the sort of employment that has words like "decoy", or "scapegoat", or "sacrifice", or "posthumous" hidden in the fine print.

"WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN?...":

  A noble who steps out of line (but not enough to warrant being stripped of titles or outright termination), or who simply incurs the severe displeasure of his superiors, should realize that there is still plenty to worry about.  There are always jobs and situations that nobody else wants that positively demands a Noble.  Refusal is not always an option.

For example:

• Heading a project considered necessary, but tremendously unpopular whatever happens, eg. forced relocation of cute orphans from their charming home on a toxic waste site to a new home on a former weapons test range, all whilst under relentless media scrutiny.  Failure (of whatever kind) means that you are branded incompetent and held personally responsible for the entire mess.  Success (of whatever kind) means a pat on the back from your superiors (maybe), and a thoroughly blackened reputation with the general public.

• An assignment someplace insignificant, but where an Imperial Noble is considered necessary for the sake of appearances.  Maybe the previous six Nobles there all met horrible deaths, or the place is so mind-numbingly boring / inefficient / corrupt / unpleasant that the Character will be saving versus insanity within a week.  Failure means that you are branded incompetent and held personally responsible for the entire mess, or that you are dead (or merely wishing that you were).  Success means a pat on the back from your superiors (maybe), and being earmarked for similar assignments in the future.

• A directorship in a corporation in major trouble, or (unknown to the Character and the rest of the company) about to be audited with extreme prejudice.  Failure... you guessed it, plus possible jail time if the auditors turn up anything really objectionable.  Success, as above.

• Governor or ambassador on a world where a violent uprising is imminent.  The Imperium is banking on this, and is ready to intervene militarily when things go wahoonie-shaped.  Your job is to either die bravely or run away like a coward when the revolution comes, and be held personally responsible for the entire mess. 

 People get funny about royalty - they often demand perfection.  A Noble who gets really out of line (by the standards of his/her culture) may find that his own people are much harsher judges than the Emperor could ever be.  Some "eccentricities" may be tolerated, ignored, or forgiven; but History is full of aristocrats who crossed the line and paid the price.

 Revolution (and loss of privileges such as an income or breathing) is one possibility.  Assassination ("for the good of the people") is not unknown.  Yet another is the Noble's homeworld (or representatives thereof) having the Noble quietly and legally deposed on the grounds of insanity.  Which means that if said Noble cannot defeat this move, the next step may involve various well-meaning people trying to "help" him.  Think about it.  

MILITARY CONTROL (& Organization)

  Some benefits listed in the Nobility system include control of military units. This is guaranteed to have certain Players cackling with glee - skilled NPCs and high-tech firepower on call.  Who could ask for more?

  Now think about it.  Is the military unit in question just sitting around 24 hours a day, seven days a week waiting to bail local VIPs out of whatever trouble they get into?   Hmmmm.  Doesn't sound so likely when put like that, does it?

  Any semi-competent military unit has plenty on its plate.  Training.  Downtime for maintenance.  Key personnel on leave or detached for special duty or simply unavailable.  Coping with the bureaucracy (budgetary constraints, political / legal demands, etc.).  Social commitments (open days, formal / ceremonial stuff, community service, etc.).  All whilst still being expected to perform the actual military duties for which said unit was intended.  For that matter, even incompetent military units will keep busy - if just with social engagements, bureaucratic wrangling and petty corruption.

  What it all comes down to is that any military unit is not always "on call", even in war.  Players should not be frustrated at every oppurtunity, but they should be kept aware of this.  Granted, if there is something that poses a definite, major and immediate threat to the Imperium; then certainly the military should come a-running (once they know about it, naturally).  Otherwise, anybody who constantly "borrows" valuable hardware, ties up resources, and demands fullscale intervention at least once a week ... well, at the very least the military unit may become less cooperative.  Especially when this impacts on essential duties.

  In some cases, Player-Characters may decide that a smallish (?) military detachment should be placed under their direct control, either temporarily or permanently.  Now consider this from the unit commander's point of view.  He / she probably has barely enough people to fulfil all required duties at the best of times - and then some aristocrat demands that "...your best troops..." be immediately reassigned to act as a personal security detachment / honour guard for an indefinite period!  Unless the unit commander rolls remarkably well for reaction and is fully convinced that this detachment is essential, he is going to assign whatever can be spared from elsewhere.   The people eventually sent may not be exactly substandard, but certainly not the opposite either. 

  None of these problems can be solved by simply pouring money on them.  Borrowing a unit's Grav APC, writing it off, then making amends by presenting the quartermaster or CO with a cheque for the item's book value is unlikely to go down well.  After all, they still have to explain the loss to their bureaucracy - and figure out how to use the cheque.  Offering triple pay for "volunteers" may get you lots of them, but will they be the sort of volunteers you truly need?  OK, all this stuff may work for mercenaries, but this is the regular military we're talking about.  Simply throwing money around is likely to lead to worse problems later.

***

  When a Noble Character gets a benefit that involves control of pre-existing military forces, the Referee should spend time working out details.  Various Traveller products (such as 'Trillion Credit Squadron') provide useful guidance in terms of just how large said forces can be.  When creating a world's military, the Referee will have to carefully look at a variety of factors.  A world with a Hydrographics of 0 or 1 is very unlikely to have ever had a wet Navy, whereas a world with 9 or A would seem a certainty.  Sounds simple, doesn't it?

  But, consider.  The model followed within the Third Imperium categorizes the armed forces into either Space or Planetary.  Space is, naturally enough, the Navy and the Scouts.  Planetary is the Army, plus air forces and "wet" Navies.  Each category overlaps with the other - the Navy and Scouts have comparitively small but highly-skilled ground components; and the Army has a limited space capability.

  Similarly, most sizable Terran militaries of the late 20th / early 21st centuries are usually categorized into Army, Navy and Aerospace.  But there are oddities as well.  China's navy and air force exist only as lesser subdivisions of the Army.  Some air forces have a naval component (rescue) and a ground component (security).  Likewise, armies are known to have aircraft and ships - during WW2, the Japanese Army even had submarines (transport/supply, kept secret from the Navy).  The United States Marines are technically the ground force component of the US Navy, but they are a self-contained military in their own right - with the full range of ground forces, plus watercraft and aircraft (transport, ground-support, and fighters!) all under their direct control.

  This overlap can reach even to "The Final Frontier".  Many of the US's most famous astronauts were not Air Force, as one would assume, but Navy or Marine fliers.

  These examples should be considered when creating a world's military.  It is tempting to assume that a world with a high Hydrographics has a large Wet Navy as part of its defence force.  Full stop.  But maybe the Wet Navy in question is that world's defence force, perhaps with a "Marine Corps" and a "Fleet Aerospace Arm".  Or, if the world has a high Tech Level, maybe the Air Force is the dominant service with the Army and wet Navy being specialized components of it.  All these possibilities should be kept in mind.

  Odf course, a Player-Character with 'Right of Commission' can have the easiest job of all.  S/he simply sets up a military unit based solely on their own ideas.  I have little doubt that the Imperial forces include some very peculiar units that arose from this sort of beginning.

WHY ARE DUKES "ONLY" SOC 15?:

  Folks like Norris or Dulinor clearly are just a hop skip and jump below the Emperor, definitely more than SOC 15 by this system.  The simple answer to the above question is  "...Because that is how the ranks were originally arranged here, and I didn't change it...".  If this really bothers you, change it yourself - pull out Duke and Archduke, and relocate them further up the ladder.  End of problem.

  Another answer.  Aristocracies can approach Rube Goldberg  in terms of complexity and apparent contradictions.  For instance, in the MegaTraveller adventure 'Arrival Vengeance', Characters meet The Real Emperor Strephon.  At a formal reception, he chooses to be announced as a Marquis (one of his lesser titles), rather than as the Emperor.  This shifts the gathering to a more relaxed state, and allows His Imperial Majesty to interact with guests on an informal basis.  In this context, the Emperor being addressed by a lesser rank is known as a Courtesy Title, best summarized as "OK, he's the Emperor.  But if he says he isn't during this party, it would be rude to argue.  Besides which, disobeying the Emperor is BAD...".   

  So, as I see it, nobles can be referred to as Dukes even when much higher than this in rank.  It is more to do with tradition than common sense, since Dukedom is regarded as a fundamental step towards higher rank.  A Noble may be known as 'Duke Of...' even after going on to much higher levels, perhaps as a reminder that he or she always rules at the behest of the Emperor....

HERALDRY:

  Every Noble family within the Imperium has its own coat of arms - an identifying symbol worn on clothing, incorporated into jewellery, placed upon vehicles or buildings, and (for all I know) tattooed on body parts.  Given the 11,000 worlds within the Third Imperium (with Ghod knows HOW MANY Nobles for each!) and 1100-odd years of history (not counting preceding Imperiums and individual worlds!), it can be assumed that Imperial Heraldry is an extremely complex subject.

  For the game, a Noble family 's Coat Of Arms is best generated randomly.  In the process, certain principles should be kept in mind:

1. COAs are administered in a manner similar to registered trade marks - certain similarities may be tolerated but, in the final analysis, designs must be clearly distinguishable.

2. Complexity varies widely - at one extreme are COAs as utilitarian as a corporate logo (which it may even double as); at the other extreme are intricate designs that symbologically tells the family's history from its very beginnings.

3. Where a Noble line has branched off from an established family, it is likely that elements of the "old" COA may be incorporated into the "new" COA.

4. On a COA, certain symbols, colours, shapes, patterns, and/or combinations thereof may be either required (to indicate status) or disallowed (same reason, or because they are "reserved" for specific cases - or even because some cultures consider them offensive!).

5. A Noble from an established family (ie. somebody with SOC 10+ before doing anything else!) may be granted his own separate COA as a reward for distinguished service.

6. COAs can change as a result of gaining or losing Imperial favour.  Nobles performing distinguished service for the Imperium may earn the right to alter part of their COA - place a laurel wreath in the design, maybe, or change a colour to gold.  Nobles fallen into major disgrace (but not necessarily enough to warrant imprisonment or losing their title) may be required to put a generally recognized "mark of shame" on their COA  

7. Heraldry symbology tends to be very indirect, and prone to puns and hidden meaning (for insight, read Terry Pratchett's 'Men At Arms').  For example, a Noble family that traces its beginnings to the heroic defense of a world during the 2nd Frontier War is not going to map out the decisive battle on its COA.  There may be a weapon (eg. cutlass for Marines, combat rifle for Army, stylized spaceship for Navy), something relating to the world in question (a representation of a local lifeform, or that world's flag or other symbol), and perhaps a motto (or 'Famous Last Words') relating to that battle.  

"...GOSH, MY CHARACTER HAS SOC 24!

 IS HE THE EMPEROR?...":

  Simple question.  Simple answer - unless the Referee has lost his / her mind, NO WAY.   What Social 24 means is that the Character has gained a place  in the Imperial Line Of Succession via inheritance, marriage, honours, adoption, or combinations thereof (definite campaign possibilities!).  Note that the list of Imperial Heirs is very long.  Congratulations may be in order only if the Emperor and all the other heirs ahead of you in the line of succession are eliminated (via death or ineligibility).  Even then, the Moot has to decide whether or not your Character has "The Imperial Stuff".

[ REFEREES: If Players are obviously drooling at this stage, take time to read to them the LONG list of so-called 'Emperors Of The Flag', circa 604-622.  Consider - 18 Emperors in 18 years.  One major success (Arbellatra), ten killed in battle, and seven assassinated.  Think about this A LOT, folks.] 

  In any case, Heirs to the Iridium Throne are under constant public scrutiny and will probably have to forego all standard adventurer-type activities.  Players needn't despair, because there is still plenty to keep them gainfully employed...

  ... Such as diplomatic functions, official inspections, parties, goodwill tours, plaque unveilings, ceremonies, message deliveries, and so forth.

  ... Plus being an object of intense interest to every malcontent, terrorist, media-vulture, groupie, crank, spy, lesser noble, politician, lone nut, ideas person, gossip, money-grubber, and/or generic social climber within at least 20 parsecs.

  ... To say nothing of rivalry from fellow Heirs, some of whom will undoubtedly be trying to move further up the ladder.  Law, custom, and the threat of Imperial displeasure would prevent things from getting out of hand (assassinations, open slander, and treasonous acts should be very rare, though not totally unknown).  But some degree of oneupmanship, bitchiness, scandal-mongering, minor sabotage, and back-biting would seem probable.

 In general, however, Imperial Heirs are as committed to the Imperium's wellbeing as you can possibly get.  As is often the case, the problems arise with people who get funny ideas about how this is defined.

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