Contents
Chapter One: Introduction
Noble Characters for Many Styles of Saga
Chapter Two: Politics
The Gratitude System
The Projection of Power
Retinue
Family
Designing a Family
Inheritance
Marriage and Dowries
Military
Clerical and Menial
Criminals
Offices
Admiral
Butler
Chancellor
Chamberlain
Constable
Counselor
Justiciar
Marshal
Sheriff / Bailie / Sénéchal
Steward
Treasurer
Offices Found Only Near England
Coroner
Forest Warden
Vassals
Why Bother With Vassals?
Vassalage Allows Nobles to Express a Common Interest
Vassalage Allows for Huge Transactions
Vassalage is a Form of Truce
Vassalage Limits Genocidal Warfare
Money
Warriors
Scutage
Advice
Wardship of Heirs
Wardship of Widows
Affinity
Secular Allies
Church Allies
Affinity Leadership
Control Through Emotional Bonds
Agents
Design of Agents
Acquiring Agents
Using Agents
Maintaining Agents
Reputation
Noble Reputation
Prudhomme
Improving Noble Reputation
The Advantages of Reputation
Reputation is Utterly Vital
Public Power for Women
Dressing as a Man
Holding Land
Absence
Inheritance
Political Success
Conquest
Widow’s Portion and Stewardship
Nuns
Chapter Three: A Comparison of Titles
The French (and English) System
Squire (Armiger, Écuyer)
Knight (Miles, Chevalier)
Bacheler Knight
Knight Banneret
Baron (Baro, Baron)
Earl or Count (Comes, Comte)
Viscount (Vice-comes, Viscomte)
Count Palatine and Marcher Lord
Duke (Dux, Duc)
King (Rex, Roi)
The German System
Herr (Generosus, Lord)
Freiherr
Ritter (Miles, Knight)
Ministeriales (Ministers)
Graf (Comes, Count/Earl)
Markgraf (Marchio, Margrave)
Herzog (Dux, Duke)
König (Rex, King)
Römischer Kaiser (Romanorum Imperator, Roman Emperor)
Iberian Systems
Infanzone
Caballero
Caballero Villano
Caballero Hidalgo (or Fidalgo)
Ricohombre
The Italian Model
Byzantine Models
Chapter Four: Interference
Methods of Interference
Alternatives to Conspiracy
Making Riches
Magic Items
Involvement
Self-Defense
Defense of Sodales
Defense of the Art
How Much Do Nobles Know?
Why Don’t Magi Break Mythic European Feudalism?
Ignore It
The Code Works as Intended
Lucky Coincidence
A Conspiracy of Realms
God Has A Plan
Mythic Europe is Made for Sin
Faeries Inadvertently Defend the Status Quo
Magi Helped Design Feudalism
Chapter Five: Leisure
Pets
Outdoor Pursuits
Board Games
Gambling
Good Drink, Song, and Dance
The Feast
Preparing the Feast
The Noble Diet
Seating the Guests, and Good Manners
Time to Eat
The Host
The Hunt
Varieties of Hunting Hounds
Hounds and Aging
Hunting with Hounds
The Quest
The Assembly
The Relay
The Finding
The Chase
The Kill
The Unmaking and Curee
Bow and Stable Hunting
Hunting Stories
The Prey
Horses
The Types of Horses
The Care of Horses
Horses and Aging
Hawking
Birds and Aging
Running an Establishment
The Kennels
The Mews
The Stables
Living Conditions and Specialists
Romance
The Pursuit of Love
The Rules of Love
Patronage
The Tournament
Staging a Tournament
Patronage
Costs
Team Sponsors
The Tournament Site
Lodgings
Tournament as Fair
Rules of Melee
Ransom
Companies of Men
Tournament Combat
The Commencailles
Jousting
Fencing
The Grand Charge
High Ambition
Gaining and Losing Reputation
Company Reputations
Patronage
Tournaments as Income
Awards
Money in Ars Magica: A Recap
Chapter Six: Manorial Fiefs
Subinfuedation
The Manor: The Model Fief
Alternatives to the Manor With Demesne
Greater Fiefs
Capital Messuage
Hall
Animal Sheds
Barns
Curtilage
Fishponds
Granary
Kitchen
Stackyard
Farmland
Arable
Meadow
Pasture
The Lord’s Portion: The Demesne
Market Fair
Mills
Baking
Commons
Waste
Fisheries and Marshes
Woods
Parks and Lodges
Warrens
Mineral Rights
Legal Rights and the Manor Court
Entering the Manor
Heriot, Mortuary, and Laity Objects
Tallage
The Manor Court
Procedure of the Court
Juries
Disputes
Disputes Based on Weights and Measures
Fines
Seizure
Sex Taxes: Merchet, Leywrite, Childwrite, and Fines for Celibacy
Fines for Being Fined
Church
Churchyard
Glebe
Church and Priest’s House
Improvement
Assarting
Conquest
Land Management
Marriage
Purchase
Fief-like Holdings
Allods
Alms and Charities
Alms Land
Charities
Towns With Royal Charters
Discuss Poverty in Your Saga
Chapter Seven: The Peasantry
Classes of Peasant
The Unemployed and Day Workers
Famuli and Other Retained Servants
Serf or Villein
Offices for Villeins
Half-free
Free Peasants
Officers
Standard of Living
Housing
Food and Drink
Improvement in Living Standards
Paying Tithes Inadequately
Paying the Lord Less Than You Owe
Paying the Lord Only What You Owe
Not Resting on Holy Days
Perjury on Behalf of Lords
Stealing from Neighbors
Changing Priests Without Permission, or Deducting Tithe for his Flaws
Sexual Abstinence
Working in Old Age
Moving Manor
Not Working Hard
Being Hard on Pilgrims and the Poor
The Gaining of Freedom
Manumission by Lay Lords
Manumission by the Church
Manumission by Membership of a Town’s Guild
Manumission by Force of Crusading Sentiment
The Agricultural Year
Two- or Three-Field Rotation
August and September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
Chapter Eight: Massed Combat
Medieval Armies
Raising an Army
Vassals
Allies
Affinity
Mercenary Budget
Heroic Endeavors
Territorial Advantage
Using Magic to Seize Advantage
Weight of Numbers
Battlefield Events
Maneuver
Size
Enemy
Wounds and Attrition
Example Battlefield Events
Skirmish
Hold the Line
Rescue
Loose
On All Sides
Ransom
Feint
Seize the Colors
A “Heroic” Maneuver
Alone Against the Many
The Aftermath of Battle
Siegecraft
Castles
Every Castle Sends a Message
Free Choices
Minor Castles
Shell Keep
Tower Keep
Curtain Walls and Mural Towers
Keep Alternatives for Castles with Curtain Walls
Barbican and Moat
Describing Castles
Garrison
Defenses
Supplies
Life Under Siege
Stockade
Siege Engines
Laying Siege
Troop Deployment
Undermining
Artillery
Escalade
Counterattack
Scale the Ladders
Open the Gates
Take the Marshal
Aftermath
Chapter Nine: Optional Combat Rules
The Combat Round
When to Use Combat Rounds
Initiative
When to Roll Initiative
Actions in Combat
Not Everything is an Action
Examples of Actions
Reactions
Extended Actions
Option: Fast Actions
Delaying Actions
Option: Interrupting Actions
Option: Fast Casting as Interruption
Tactical Movement
Moving in Combat
Movement and Groups
Obstacles, Barriers, and Movement
Engaging and Disengaging
Engaging in Combat
Effects of Being Engaged
Engagement and Defenders
Option: No Engagement for Missile Combat
Option: No Missiles While Engaged in Melee
Option: Defenders as Interceptors
Disengaging
Attempting to Disengage
Automatic Disengagement
Option: Reckless Disengagement
Attacking and Defending
Attacking
Charging on Foot
Option: Interrupting a Charge
Option: Ready Missiles
Option: Constriction Attacks
Defending
Defense when Unarmed
Helpless Characters
Option: Diceless Defense
Option: No Defense for Missile Weapons
Option: Evasion
Option: Lasting Consequences of Serious Damage
Option: Mitigating Deadly Wounds
Mounted Combat
Untrained Mounts
Mounted Movement
Charging on Horseback
Option: Shock of the Charge
Shooting Missiles from Horseback
Actions Taken by Horses
Attacking Horses
Wounding Horses
Controlling a Panicked Horse
Option: Defensive Bonus for Moving Horses
Mounting and Dismounting
Leaping from the Saddle
Option: Vaulting Into the Saddle
Falling from Horseback
Being Pinned Under a Horse
Battlefield Situations
General Situational Modifiers
Specific Situations
Cover
Concealment, Darkness, and Invisibility
Higher Ground
Fighting Indoors and in Narrow Spaces
Option: Non-Lethal Combat
Non-Lethal Damage: Bruises
Recovering from Bruises
Weapons and Bruises
Special Effects
Advanced Group Combat
Accelerated Group Training
The Leader’s Actions
Morale and Discipline
Discipline
Example Discipline Ease Factors
Morale
Example Morale Ease Factors
Disordered Groups
Routed Groups
Rallying a Group
Groups With No Leader
Supplement: Arms & Armor