Life is Feudal Official Forum

[Azzerhoden]

FREEMEN
To be a freeman means you are outside the feudal contract that binds the villein and gentry social classes to each other. Freeman status can be gained for several reasons. Types of Freemen are:

• Burgess (Burgi)
• Yeoman (Praefecti)
• Royal Sheriff and Baliff
• Special Purpose Freemen

[Azzerhoden]

BURGESS
The burgesses are the accomplished traders and crafters of the shire. As a burgess you are still subject to the Duke but you do not owe your service and income to a liege lord.

You are afforded this to stimulate the trade, services, and industry you will provide. You might pay a tax on your profits and an upkeep fee for the city and its buildings - but this is being paid collectively to yourselves and other burgesses in the Boroughs.

The position of Burgess is county specific and if a player relocates to
another his position would be forfeit until such time as he can re-
establish himself.

[Azzerhoden]

BOROUGHS
Are fiefs granted not to a vassal, but to a collective bunch of citizens who form a town. The Boroughs collectively contributes to the government the same way an individual knight or fief-holder with villeins serving him does.

In medieval times, there was a law on the books that said if a villein managed to escape from his liege lord to a town and avoided capture for a year and a day, then he would cease to be bound to the liege lord and would instead be listed as a member of the town.

In Wessex, we recreate that custom with the mechanic of allowing villeins who purchase a workshop, and possess sufficient crafting skills, to be considered free of their villein status.

Obviously anyone from a pauper to the Duke may be “bound” to a town, but only a burgess that has made a monetary investment in a workshop or house will be considered to be a resident.

[Azzerhoden]

ALDERMEN
Are burgesses that are elected to the town council of a Borough. Borough town councils are small, usually only a mayor and 1-2 aldermen.
Along with the mayor, aldermen decide town policies and allocate town finances where they are needed.

In the future one alderman and one mayor from every Borough will be the "two burgesses" sent to help make policy in a national legislature, and these will also be elected by the Boroughs.

[Azzerhoden]

MAYORS
Are elected by the other burgesses in the Borough. It is considered a great honour, and one that can attract attention. It is the mayor that the Duke will deal with personally as representative of the Boroughs, and who will liaise with the Exchequer and his reeves in collecting the Boroughs' taxes.

Serving a term as a mayor, especially of a large Borough like the capital city of Wessex will often earn one a baronetcy.

[Azzerhoden]

YEOMAN
Yeomen are the officers of the ducal court that perform the administrative and other day-to-day tasks to ensure the smooth operation of the shire. The cabinet officers direct and oversee their activities.

Any full member may take the yeoman examination to qualify. Members of the gentry may serve as an officer of the court, although they are more likely to be cabinet officers. Appointments are made subject to need and dismissals can be made on account of unannounced inactivity of more than a week in which case the yeoman will return to pauper status.

There are four types of yeoman in Wessex:

• Heralds
• Pursuivants
• Clerks
• Reeves

[Azzerhoden]

HERALDS
Are responsible for the design of coat-of-arms, forum signatures, new member orientation, recruitment, assisting members on matters of ceremony and the recording of acts of valour by our soldiers.

They are directed by the Master of Heralds as head of the College of Arms. In the absence of the Master of Heralds in a county one can be designated as Herald Emcee, a role which is limited to that county.

[Azzerhoden]

PURSUIVANTS
Are heralds in training and must be sponsored by a herald. To become a full herald a member must pass the yeoman exam. It is acceptable for a pursuivant that is purely interested in art and design work to not take the exam and remain in his current position indefinitely.

[Azzerhoden]

CLERKS
Perform clerical duties such as keeping member and other lists, reviewing trial membership applications and forum title administration.

Both the Chancellor and Chamberlain direct the clerks of the Ducal
Chancery. The clerk position is mostly a forum administration role and not county specific.

[Azzerhoden]

Apologies for the lack of updates, I was out of town for work. Since I know this is highly read and anticipated, I am back and am continuing.

REEVES
Work in the Ducal Treasury and collect taxes and carry out commercial activities on behalf of the Exchequer, bailiff or high-reeve. A reeve’s position is usually county specific.

[Azzerhoden]

HIGH-REEVE
Can be appointed by a Bailiff to be responsible for the county’s treasury.

In addition the Bailiff can delegate to the high-reeve the power to mediate disputes, enact assizes against members that have transgressed the Common Law, carry out sentences and act as the principal forum moderator for that county.

The High-Reeve position is usually county specific.

[Azzerhoden]

ROYAL SHERIFFS
Are appointed by the Royal Cabinet to represent the King within a shire and mediate intra-shire disputes. They are the King’s personal officers in a shire.

They may also collect taxes on behalf of the King and settle disputes between equites, but not lords. The Duchy of Wessex happens to be a County Palatine which grants the Duke the right to appoint sheriffs himself.

[Azzerhoden]

BAILIFFS
Are appointed to administrate a county. The Bailiff will often be gentry or a cabinet officer. By default the Bailiff inherits all the administrative duties from the cabinet as it relates that particular world.

Other yeoman and gentry may be appointed to the Bailiff’s court to deal with specific tasks such as the treasury, garrison, recruitment etc. Cabinet officers retain overall accountability for such appointments and thus it is considered courtesy to request approval.

Even though a Bailiff’s primary duty is in-game leadership he is also responsible for nurturing the appreciation of Wessex lore and traditions in the minds of the members under his care and to identify and encourage suitable candidates to assume yeoman duties in the ducal court.

[Azzerhoden]

SPECIAL PURPOSE FREEMEN
The previously mentioned freemen are the most numerous; however, there are two special types of freemen that you might encounter. Both the following two positions are County specific.

[Azzerhoden]

SINECURE YEOMEN
Are the absolute masters in their field of craftsmanship and may find themselves approached by noblemen with an offer to take up a sinecure yeoman position in a noble court such as "house weapon smith", "house painter", etc.

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FRANKLINS
Might be created if there are small plots of build-able land which would not be able to support a vassal knight and a full complement of villeins and soldiers. A villein could purchase this plot but would not be considered a Burgess. The type of establishment they could run might, for example, be the typical wayside inn along a remote road or a farmstead outside a town area.

[Azzerhoden]

VILLEINS
Are the backbone of our society and will regularly be the most
numerous. Misconceptions arose in the past regarding their “lack of freedom”. A villein is free to enlist in the garrison, trade, craft or join the clergy. Your choice of play style will determine where you end up.

If you prefer a crafting profession, you can become a burgess once you purchase a building in a Borough. If you are PvP oriented you can enlist in the Wessex garrison. Those of you that wish to serve the clan in an administrative function can attain yeoman status in the ducal court.

Casual players that would just like a friendly community to take part in are welcome to remain as a villein for as long as they wish. Villeins have no responsibilities other than paying whatever minimum tax is levied by the Duke.

A villein remains a villein no matter to which county he travels.

[Azzerhoden]

SERFS
Are the beginning social level for players who join the Duchy of Wessex and are bonded to the Duke, unless the new member is a family member of an existing villein, or the new member is granted a special exception from His Grace or his appointed representatives.

The period of time a serf must remain at this social stage is typically one month. It may be extended if the player has not been active enough within the guild, or even shortened if the player’s contribution has been exceptional.

During this time they are eligible to enlist in the garrison as part of the militia with villeins who do not formally join the garrison.

[Azzerhoden]

PAUPERS
Do not possess the feudal bond of villeins nor even the holdings of freemen. Paupers are drifters outside the feudal system with no home or permanent employment.

They are most often those members that have abandoned their duties and disappeared without notice to their lord or employer. At the discretion of his former liege such a member may renew his oath of fealty to once again enter into a feudal contract.

The separation between Villeins and Paupers will vary depending on game mechanics, but every effort will be made to clearly distinguish the value of maintaining ones oath. As an example, a villein would be allowed to use the various appliances and tools within a holding, while a pauper would not. Nor would a pauper be allowed to ‘bind’ to a holding.

In essence, a villein contributes to the good of the Duchy, and receives benefits for doing so. A pauper does not.

[Azzerhoden]

CLERGY
The clergy is a holy society separate from the rest of the shire with its own structures and laws. Clergy may not pursue crafting skills or commercial trade for personal profit. They may serve as either ministers or officers of the court, but will not be allowed to accept payment unless it is a donation to the church. They may not hold any land or secular titles. However, the church may hold land in the form of temporalities given to bishops or spiritual orders. Clergy members are subject to a bishop as opposed to a secular lord such as the Duke of Wessex.

[Azzerhoden]

THE CHURCH HIERARCHY
When a member undertakes holy vows they enter an entirely new social class with its own rankings. The position you held in secular life will affect at which position you enter the clergy, although a member may give up a higher rank if they so wish.

[Azzerhoden]

FRIARS
Are villeins that have joined the church. Their form of address is Brother" or “Sister”. Friars will become part of a mendicant or military order and will be governed by its Rule.

The role of a friar will be heavily influenced by the rule of the Order that they are a member of but, in essence, a friar is to the church what a villein is to the secular society. As long as a friar follows the orders rules and does not break their holy vows they will find that they can pursue almost any avenue.

A friar may join the garrison, serve as a minister or officer of the court, pursue crafts or hobbies, spread the faith, or take up arms in a crusade. As long as they act in God’s name, a friar has great freedom.

Friars will serve the spiritual needs of the community by reminding
people of our faith and warning those who are straying from the path. Members who wish to focus on being healers will be encouraged to become friars.

[Azzerhoden]

DEACONS
Are gentry and freeman who wish to join the church; upon passing a verbal interview and paying for their schooling. A deacon is a candidate for priesthood. The form of address is "Deacon/Deaconess" and in full correspondence as "The Reverend Mister".

The deacon's role in the church is to study the lore of the Church and it is also their duty to support the priest to which they are assigned. Their responsibilities are much the same as those of a Friar.

[Jade]

Looking forward to Wave 1!

[Kranicko]

hello my friends!!!

[Azzerhoden]

Greetings Kranicko!

[Jade]

Duchy of Wessex are looking very healthy for Wave 1. Come join us if you're interested!

[Zyconnic]

To the bump-mobile!

Come join us! TS always full of helpful people even if you're new!

[Kriegsmann55]

Been a part of Wessex for years now, and it is truly home. The people make the Duchy what it is, and I certainly hope those who come to join us will love it here as much as I do.

[vukodlac]

Hey Wsx , did you are member of any alliance ?

Im vuko from SyVi , i play with Kranick from Escuadron de las Sombra in the north , we going to be happy to play with more Mortal online friend

if you can add me on steam to talk a bit

=> [Msquad] Vukodlac

See you later my friend