Wanted to run an idea past the forum before trying to implement it.

Background:
I'm starting a campaign that will center out of the county of Dorset rather than Salisbury. Dorset is a traditionalist county; Roman Christian, the earl uses the title of "praetor" and refers to knights as "equites", etc. Plus a greater familiarity and ease with towns. So perhaps a bit more political than your usual Cymri.

Succession Rules:
Salic Succession: Senior surviving male inherits everything. You cannot trace succession through the female line at any time.
(Frankish I think.)

Semi-Salic Succession: Senior surviving male inherits. If no surviving males than a female line can be used to get a male heir.
(I think this is the KAP default since there are heiresses with lands.)

Roman Succession: I think this roughly falls Semi-Salic. But an item I did note was that marriage outside patrician lines could affect inheritance.

Also, Roman Christian vs British Christian leanings are a potential factor, but I don't think I will need to tap this.

--- OK, on to the planned situation in Dorset ---

485 - Praetor C is the current ruler of Dorset. Middle-aged, but married to a younger wife. No surviving legitimate children, but has illegitimate sons about, including a few grown ones in the lower nobility. A lively gentleman who likes hunting and entertainment.

Praetor C has two surviving younger siblings. His sister married the Lord of Rennes in Brittany and her son is the current lord there. His younger brother is a banneret in the county, but has fallen in and out of favor. He will leave for a few years in 486, and be recalled in 489. A more dour and military man than his older brother.

Praetor C will fall ill and die in 491. After some agitation by one of the illegitimate sons to inherit the majority of the bannerets will support the younger brother inheriting and the county will now have Praetor L.

Praetor L has two daughters from his first marriage. They are currently married off to bannerets in other cities in Logres. Their mother was a commoner though, which will be brought up. Praetor L has remarried since then, but currently has no surviving children from that marriage.

495 rolls around and the apple cart gets upset at battle and events around St Albans.

Praetor L dies.

Most of the bannerets of the county are killed as well. This opens things up for the PKs to be influential like in the Salisbury situation.

Winter Court brings things to a head - who should inherit the title of Praetor. Some candidates immediately offer themselves:

The Lord or Rennes claims the title - closest male descendent; nephew of the previous two Praetors. But he is a foreigner to Dorset.
The eldest illegitimate son of Praetor C claims the title. (He's an experienced military noble - thus part of his claim is expediency.)
The eldest daughter of Praetor L - but she has recently been widowed due to St Albans killing her husband. She does have the support of an influential banneret who survived St Albans.


So there are three potential factions for the PKs to potentially follow.

And, in early 496, a complication ensues when the wife of Praetor L belatedly gives birth to a baby son. (Which the other factions will denounce as not being legitimate of course.)

So, a fourth faction crops up as well.

Nothing is set beyond that point. If the PKs have interest in playing the situation I can see any of the factions potentially winning out. If the PKs don't play Earl-maker I will have events take a certain course and the situation will shake out on its own, and just about everyone will get the title for a period of time. ;D

(And all this is loosely based on a historical succession.)

Sounds like a political nightmare to me. good job. :)

As with all things political law is made by the winner. So I guess it will depend on the support of the various bannerets (the new ones). The players could be vassals of one or more of them or they could be a banneret themselves.
It will be a playground of raids, political and real assasinations. Since they are Roman I guess there will be some backstabbing.

Biggest question is probably if your players are willing to play such a political heavy game. If they are up to it, it could make for some memorabel roleplay.

Also would be interesting to see how they end up when Arthur makes its appearance.

Sounds like a political nightmare to me. good job. :)

As with all things political law is made by the winner. So I guess it will depend on the support of the various bannerets (the new ones). The players could be vassals of one or more of them or they could be a banneret themselves.
It will be a playground of raids, political and real assasinations. Since they are Roman I guess there will be some backstabbing.

Biggest question is probably if your players are willing to play such a political heavy game. If they are up to it, it could make for some memorabel roleplay.

Also would be interesting to see how they end up when Arthur makes its appearance.


It's designed for flexibility. The PKs will be vassal knights by that point, and probably experienced ones in their late 20s or early 30s if they survived St Albans. So they are in a good position to potentially choose sides and use the situation to gain influence, offices, and potentially more lands. If they choose to not be involved things will proceed without them and even that will have some effects down the line.

And an early decision will be whether to dig into personal fortunes to help repair/build fortifications around Dorchester and elsewhere in the county. (Much like the decision in Salisbury to improve the defenses of Sarum Castle and the town itself.) And since King Idres and the Army of Cornwall is going to come calling in 500 this will make a difference.

How Arthur views this would be an interesting question. Though I think the default would be that he would not interfere given the county's current leadership accepting him as King of Logres and High King. Though a challenge to this coming before him at a later point can easily be worked into the campaign, and probably will.

[Update]

Well, the County of Dorset background for the campaign is developing.

The political turmoil as described earlier is recorded and will run in background with events affected by the PKs depending on their interests. Gossip and appointment announcements at court for the most part. Plus at least some interaction with new NPCs as they come into prominence.

I have a much better idea of how big the "pie" is that the praetor controls in terms of appointments of stewards, castellans, etc. And of the noble families that he needs to take into account when these appointments are being made. And during my planned political crises it will be a council making these decisions.

And St. Alban's and Badon Hill are both pretty much ideal events for shaking up the status quo if you want to do it.