The Book of Estate states that saving the Countess of Rydychan (and, by extension, returning her to her proper seat of power) merit the PK an estate. The same table on p. 18 also seems to imply that even though no king exists, Dowager Countess Elaine may grant this promotion. Who is countess Elaine? Is she Countess Ellen, wife of Earl Roderick? The only Elaine I found in the Great Pendragon Campaign was the daughter of Ygrained, who marries the King Nentres of Garloth. If she's the Elaine referenced in BoE, can someone explain me the politics that turn her into the Countess Dowager? If she's not, then who is? :)

She may be the countess whose husband is killed by the Usurpers. I called her Countess Elise in my campaign, and made her the cousin of Countess Ellen of Salisbury.

My quick guess is that is a typo, and it was supposed to be Dowager Countess Ellen of Salisbury. She most definitely is NOT Queen Elaine of Garloth!

Also, I would like to point out that the box in p. 18 ESTATE is talking about Promotion. It doesn't necessarily mean an instant estate. If you look at p. 17, there is at least two additional stage in the 'ladder' that can be utilized: "Knight to Officer" and "Additional Land Grants". While p. 17 margin note refers to p. 18 as events that might merit an estate, it must be noted, in my humble opinion, that it is also talking about THE KING, who can afford to be much more generous than a mere Countess. Giving someone a £50 estate is detaching a goodly portion of the heir's income. In the case of Rydychan, I think the previous Baron is a normal Baron, so in the neighborhood of £300 - £500 perhaps. So we are talking at minimum a tenth of the lands, and assuming that there were some vassals to begin with, most likely a sixth. That really would require, in my campaign, of single-handedly snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. In a group effort, I would be more inclined to sprinkle manors amongst the group, than give everything to a single PK.