I'm a tad unsure about the starting skill for Stewards and I'm not sure how to interpret the rules in the BotM. As my players are just about to go through their first year as landholders this is quite important. The BotM states that (page 9) "newly appointed stewards have a skill of 5 (for a wife) or 2 for anyone else". Later on the same page it says that all manor personnel have a starting skill of 1d6+6. So which is it? A stewardship skill of 2 seems incredibly low.

I'm a tad unsure about the starting skill for Stewards and I'm not sure how to interpret the rules in the BotM. As my players are just about to go through their first year as landholders this is quite important. The BotM states that (page 9) "newly appointed stewards have a skill of 5 (for a wife) or 2 for anyone else". Later on the same page it says that all manor personnel have a starting skill of 1d6+6. So which is it? A stewardship skill of 2 seems incredibly low.


Stewardship = 2 for all starting Cymric men.
When you get a manor, normally you just go and get the nearest relative, or other person, he's got no training--he is the relative available for the job. That's how things are done.
As an NPC, he gets no credit for anything, and so starts at the level guaranteed for all (Cymric) knights = 2.

Tough, eh?
Though no one complains about this same thing when confronted by 20 newly-made bandits with spear skill = 10, eh? :-)

All right, you don't want just some guy, but someone who knows what he is doing?
You go out and hire him, and there is a cost for this, but you do get someone with skill = 1d6+6.
A professional.
Page 10, BoM.

--G

All right, you don't want just some guy, but someone who knows what he is doing?
You go out and hire him, and there is a cost for this, but you do get someone with skill = 1d6+6.
A professional.
Page 10, BoM.

--G


This made me wonder.

Page 10 lists "persons of reputation and skill" with skills above 16 getting paid an extra 1 libra per year. Can you just go out and find one of these people and hire a steward (or other retinue member) with a skill of 16 (or would it be 15 +1d6)? Do you have to wait for a regular steward to become that savy at his job? Are skilled professionals hard to find?

It seems like a steward with a skill of 16 or above would pay for his additional upkeep quite easily AND leave plenty left over.

RK

All right, you don't want just some guy, but someone who knows what he is doing?
You go out and hire him, and there is a cost for this, but you do get someone with skill = 1d6+6.
A professional.
Page 10, BoM.

This made me wonder.

Page 10 lists "persons of reputation and skill" with skills above 16 getting paid an extra 1 libra per year.

Can you just go out and find one of these people


Oh yea, easy. Spent that £1 and ask around, and I am suuuuure you can find an expert in no time flat. ::)
OK, less attitude now: not really. Details below.



and hire a steward (or other retinue member) with a skill of 16


Yes you can. You will first have to find such an expert--a proven one! How does everyone know he is proven? Because he has done it for years. In the employ of someone, who has treated this person as part of his household ever since... why! ...ever since he was a nobody yet to prove himself.
Then convince him to leave his current lord. (He could be disgruntled of course). Unless it's a close relative of the employer, of course.
Oh yea, you will probably also have to deal with the former employer's enmity forever after.



(or would it be 15 +1d6)?


Well, I'm an evil GM so I would probably say it is 3d6+6.



Do you have to wait for a regular steward to become that savvy at his job?


Yes. And then as soon as he is efficient, your knight will get married and his wife will demand to take over. It IS her job, after all.
;D



Are skilled professionals hard to find?


Same as above.
Frauds, charlatans and convincing newbies, however, are easy to find. (1d+6)



It seems like a steward with a skill of 16 or above would pay for his additional upkeep quite easily AND leave plenty left over.


Yep, and lots and lots of perks from the household he is part of.

--Greg

Thanks for the help, however something is not quite clear still :)

Greg, you say that if I don't want to get stuck with a Steward of skill level 2 then I need to go out and hire someone, as explained on page 10 BotM. However, we now have 3 possible starting levels for Stewards; 2 (as stated on p9 BotM), 1d6+6 (also stated on p9 BotM under "Starting Skills and Skill progression), and 2d6+5 (as stated on p10 BotM under "Your retinue"). The last of the three is for a hired professional, ok I get that, but what about the 1d6+6 Steward, how do I get him?