Becoming Nobility

[Rockwolf66]

How would one go about becoming a Noble or an Aristocrat in Palladium fantasy?

You have Timero, The Eastern Territories, The Wolfen, The Land of the South Winds, The Western Empire, and Bizantium.

How could an adventurer find themselves up the social totem pole so to speak?

[Damian Magecraft]

Boon from the crown...

[kiralon]

Buying Patents of Nobility is Certainly a way of doing it, boon from the crown for service to the kingdom.
Get your own island and make yourself king, but generally once a peasant always a peasant, and If you get special dispensation you will still likely get the cold shoulder from other nobles because their great great great great etc grandparents were nobles as well, so they are better then you.

[smashed]

It will really vary from region to region, for the Western Empire and Timiro I would say you need a boon from the crown. In Bizantium it seems to just take money and the ability to maintain that money from year to year. In the eastern territories I would say it runs the gambit, from boons, purchasing it, marrying into it (which depending on how your GM runs society might be equivalent to purchasing it), seizing it by force, to simply convincing everyone you are nobility.

[pblackcrow]

Let's see, there's the acquiring of enough land. Being adopted into a house, and proforming a task to get you a recognized spot. Example: Lord Roberto Alexanderos Marquez (elf) of the House of Marquez. Was both a foundling and a castaway and has earned his position as the third recognized; though adopted; son of Duke Drysist Archimedes Florence Marquez (human) who is the 7th cousin to the Lady Catherinia – betroth of the Dauphin, 4th cousin to Duke Drisdon, and Roman, Lady De'Magest, blah, blah, blah, and 3rd cousins to the King of the Southern Lands – the brother of the Queen. He has no plans of taking his brothers towns away. And is happy quite with his position as Baron of an primarily elven port that is not owned by but is key his fathers vast tracks of lands. (The previous lord was killed by a demon. The heir wanted out of the madness, so he sold it to me. The town has an abundant amount of major problems. Vampire, pirates, summoners, werewolves, necromancers, etc.) Anyway, before I get too far off track here...There is also the whole approach of money to pay for a title. Being a wealthy merchant. Service to a cause can also earn you a minor title. Uh, then there is the title of patroon which anyone with 100+ people working for them on their land could potentially have. There's are also the build a caste/fort on unclaimed land and then a town, and fill it with refugees. There are lots of ways to do it.

[zyanitevp]

There is always the knight ladder in as well, described in the 2nd edition main book.

[pblackcrow]

There is always the knight ladder in as well, described in the 2nd edition main book.

True, knight-errant all the way up to baron or possibly even up to an Earl. Although Henry the 8th did make his wife's father and I THINK her brother Duke.

It is all a bit sketchy at best.

I know he created Charles Brandon the 1st Duke of Suffolk.

[Hotrod]

"Noble", in its original meaning, indicates that the person (or that person's family) owns land, an important class distinction that's often forgotten or disregarded in today's culture. In a medieval setting like PF, owning productive land is a source of income, stability, and status.

Many systems of nobility, particularly in well-established lands like Timiro and the Western Empire, are put together to support multi-generational dynasties. Those in charge want their heirs to be in charge, too. These pressures will exist at every level of feudal power. There will be legal, economic, and cultural barriers against new nobility and overly-rapid rise in status. Overcoming these pressures is an uncommon and difficult achievement.

There are several ways in which a character could plausibly become noble.

1. Money. If a character amasses enough of a fortune, he (or she) could simply buy productive land and titles. This is also a reasonable way to climb the social ladder, though established, "old money" families will tend to view "new money" families with disdain. Additionally, many may not respect a character who "buys his way up", though with enough money, their respect for wealth will overcome this prejudice (in public, anyway). This is one of the safer ways to advance. As others have mentioned, this is the only way to become a noble house in Byzantium.

2. Services to nobility/country. This is also a legitimate way to both become noble and to move up the ladder. This is most-common in times of war and strife, when a higher noble's vassals may be dying or dishonoring themselves, and he needs someone else to manage things locally. This is one of the more-respected ways to advance your station. On the downside, these kinds of services usually involve some extreme risk.

3. Rebellion. By taking down a noble and winning the support of his vassals or peasantry, you may be able to take his place. This is a risky approach at every level. If you're simply doing this to become a noble, the other nobles may not recognize your legitimacy (the peasants might not, either). If you're doing this at a higher level, it may lead to a wider civil war and could break up the land you seek to rule. The best situation for this approach is a new or isolated community, like a colony or small city-state, where there isn't much of an established noble class. This tends to be a bloody, messy way to become a noble/advance, and it usually doesn't work (or leads to more rebellion down the road).

4. Conquest. Alternately, if you can raise an army, you could simply invade and establish your army as the new elite, a la William the Conqueror. This is also a bloody, messy, and risky way to become a noble/advance.

5. Carving out your own fiefdom from the wilderness is also an option. This requires followers and resources, a suitable land for settlement, and time. If this is a colony of a country, you're not likely to win much respect among the nobles back home, who will see you as a rough, unrefined, "new money" noble. Depending on your people and the area you're colonizing, this approach may be risky or dull.

[pblackcrow]

5. Carving out your own fiefdom from the wilderness is also an option. This requires followers and resources, a suitable land for settlement, and time. If this is a colony of a country, you're not likely to win much respect among the nobles back home, who will see you as a rough, unrefined, "new money" noble. Depending on your people and the area you're colonizing, this approach may be risky or dull.

Or epicly fun also more challenging. Depending on your perspective and the GM's willingness.

[Hotrod]

Yes, that's what I meant by risky. #5 sounds like the most fun to me, too.

[Zamion138]

As everyone else has stated above but also if you go on a crusade and prove your metal before the assembly of other lords. Through marriages, marriage is the dark age equivalent of a buisness and political merger. If a duke offers their kids hand in marriage, take it.
A love less marrige is kinda normal back in the day.

[Hotrod]

Ooh, yes, that's an excellent point. Marriage is a solid way to advance your standing, though as I understand, it was generally more of something used as a bargaining chip to "seal the deal" than something to push a deal in the first place. The safety of that method of advancement would depend largely on the woman in question.

Adoption was also a common method in some societies. Ancient Rome comes to mind.

It could also help if your character was raised as a ward of a noble.

[Ravenwing]

You all are forgetting the easiest way for becoming a noble. Have some waterborn tart throw a sword at you! Look at Arthur! He's king of the Britons.

[Hotrod]

Nah, he pulled Excalibur out of a rock.

Oh, there's another method I forgot, too. The "King Ralph" or "Lonestar" method, where you discover that you're of noble blood later in life, after starting as a commoner. In real life, this is a less-likely method, though some bastard-born children have come into power by being legitimized.

[kiralon]

The other way that it has happened for me is when some characters where helping out all the nobles were slaughtered and the town and villages attacked, the characters took over the defense of the town and after a couple of months the townsfolk were coming to them with all their problems and the pc's became the lords of the town by basically default, no one else wanted the job because assassins kept coming to kill them, and then the undead army turned up and the Syvan Leader demanded the town leaders head as tribute, or he would raze the town.

[Ravenwing]

Nah, he pulled Excalibur out of a rock.

Oh, there's another method I forgot, too. The "King Ralph" or "Lonestar" method, where you discover that you're of noble blood later in life, after starting as a commoner. In real life, this is a less-likely method, though some bastard-born children have come into power by being legitimized.

The correct answer sir is that " Waterborn tarts throwing scimitars about is no basis for government!" for your transgression you must watch this, and enjoy, lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAaWvVFERVA

[Hotrod]

For shame! I haven't watched Monty Python in ages.

EDIT: Your quote is inaccurate. "Listen. Strange women lyin' in ponds, distributin' swords is no basis for a form of government!"

Do I get restorative geek points for penalizing your geek points?

[Ravenwing]

For shame! I haven't watched Monty Python in ages.

EDIT: Your quote is inaccurate. "Listen. Strange women lyin' in ponds, distributin' swords is no basis for a form of government!"

Do I get restorative geek points for penalizing your geek points?

Absolutely! +10 for you!

[pblackcrow]

Get appointed as Viceroy of the WE's GNW Colonies simply by showing up there with supplies, 25 craftsmen, 35 Rifts England Druids (they've replaced the standard druid class in our PF games), 15 earth warlocks, 15 rangers, 2 stone masters, 1 summoner, 2 diabolists, and a lot of food, cattle, seeds, and bee hives. Heck they will even over look the fact that your an easterner wizard from Llorn and completely and utterly wiping out the demon worshiping, cannibal, colony. But some may draw the line at making friends with the fae folk and then using them as your personal spy ring/messengers/saboteurs, but hey who really cares?

[mirithol]

Sleep with the princess. Watch Game of Thrones.

[Axelmania]

A love less marrige is kinda normal back in the day.

Maybe for newlyweds but a lot of "love the one you're with" probably happened too. Even in present day a lot of settling happens.

[RavenStarver]

Where is this "Knight Ladder" that people speak of?

[Marcethus]

Easiest way to become a noble. Play the OCC in the main book