by Greg Stafford Heraldry - Bill Keyes Alternate Glory - Bill Dunn, Eric Krupa, Andy Tauber Special Thanks To - Charlie Krank, Sandy Petersen, Jeff Okamoto Editing and Production - Charlie Krank Cover Illustration - Steve Purcell Interior Illustrations - Carolyn Schultz (most), Bill Keyes (arms with subordinaries), Lisa Free (deer panel), Mike Blum (Britain Map) A Chaosium Pub/icafion CHI(^^^^^ .- r N?. Contents Annulet Contents 3 Introduction 4 Nobility French Characters Heraldry Tournaments Glory 28 Economy Arthur's Britain Taxes Castles & Defensive Works 58 War Raid Siege Invasion Battle 77 Land Record 79 Index Seaside Holding The NOBLE'S BOOK is copyright O 1986 by Greg Stafford. Published by must provide 20 knights and pay 20 L. per Chaosium Inc. All rights are reserved. Except as used in this publication year for fleet maintenance. and associated advertising, illustrations for the NOBL E 'S 300K remain 20 hydes land = 20 L (food) the property of the artist. The NOBLE'S BOOK is best used in fishing rights = 15 L (food) conjunction with the separate roleplaying game, KING ARTHUR 1 coastal town (POP 15) = 15 L (goods) PENDRAGON, published by Chaosium. coastal inspector = 5 L (goods) For a free catalog of all Chaosium games and game supplements. port taxation rights = 3d6+5 L (goods) please write to Chaosium Inc., Box 6302, Albany CA 94706-0302. Introduction The Noble's Book is an expansion of the Pendragon game system which Referring to Pendragon introduces a larger scale of control to the players of noblemen. Though Noble's Book references to Pendragon most players will be content with ordinary knights, others will want larger sometimes include mention of items called the spheres of influence. It is for these ambitious players that this book is Squires Book, the Knights Book, and the King's Book. These items are included in written. second-edition Pendragon. The Noble's Book can be used by both the gamemaster and the Everything introduced in the Noble's Book players. Gamemasters will find it useful when judging the overstructure of is perfectly compatible with both first- and the Pendragon world. Ordinary player-knights are ignorant of the facts second-edition Pendragon. First- and second- edition Pendragon rules are perfectly contained herein - comptal and regal economics are not of interest to compatible with each other. fighters - but gamemasters will find it useful to know that a count's The Squires Book is the first third of the average annual income is about 165 Librums. Players wishing greater first-edition Player's Book (character say in the direction of their Pendragon campaign andlor who wish to play generation, object of the game). The Knighf's more than heroic knights will find satisfaction in this book. Book is most of the remainder of the Player's Book. The King's Book is the Pendragon Information gleaned from the Noble's Book may tarnish your view of Campaign plus elements of the Gamemaster's heroic Arthurian chivalry. This book, unlike Pendragon, reveals many of Book. To allow the addition of the King's the cruelties and injustices prevalent among medieval nobility. This is not Book, second-edition Pendragon lacks the full-color map of Arthur's Britain. done to intentionally demean the the order of knighthood, but to illustrate Most of the changes occurring to the rules some of the abuses commonly committed by knights. Such barbarous of second-edition Pendragon are included in behavior is the norm among knights and, though such behavior results in the Noble's Book. mandatory experience checks for unpleasant personality traits, it is accepted by the peers of the realm. If player-knights wish to refrain from such normal behavior, perhaps to install 20th century social morality, then good for them. Arthur is looking for pioneering men who will extend and - uphold his social philosophy which protects the the lower classes. Many tables appear in this book. We apologize, since we dislike a dependency upon them in a game. However, all Noble's Book tables follow a pattern and can be assimilated and used with little discomfort. Players simply need to remember that a critical success provides excellent results, success is good, failure is bad, and a fumble is disaster. Solitary players will find this book especially useful. Pendragon is very adaptable to solitaire play since it provides guidelines for behavior independent of gamemaster favoritism or arbitrary whim. The Noble's Book provides background activity similar to that provided by an independent gamemaster: raids occur, lieges visit, battles can be waged. Within this background of events a household of player-knights can find motivation for adventure. We don't expect every gamemaster to use all of these rules. Many Ancient Hill Fort were included to cover eventualities which may never arise. Choose [DV: 15/15/20 Cost: 218 L] The concentric rings of earth have been strengthened with what you wish to use, and either discard or alter those sections which moats and ramparts. The fort covers the entirc you don't like. top of a hill with each successive ring higher than the one outside it. Revisions to Pendragon Rules Outermost works (AREA 4) - special terrain: hill (+5), triple ditch (4), double ditch Several sections of this book revise rules presented in Pendragon. In (3). ditch and rampart (2). wooden palisade every case, the rules given in the Noble's Book supercede those in (3), gate (-2). DV: 15 Pendragon. In particular, review these sections: Noble Ransoms, Knights, Outer works (AREA 3) - special terrain: hill Tournaments, Glory, and Battle. (+5), triple ditch (4), double ditch (3), ditch and rampart (2), wooden palisade (3), gate (-2). DV: 15 Happy Adventuring! Inner works (AREA 2) - special terrain: hill (+5), triple ditch (4). double ditch (3), ditch and rampart (2), wooden palisade (3), gate (-2), gateworks (I), 2 wooden towers (2+2). DV: 20. Nobility Antelope Rampant Nobles form a social class which does not directly work the land or make a living by production. Instead, nobles supportlower social themselves classes. on Allgoods knights and foodare nobles,collected as from are theall NoGicitysquires. But several higher social classes of nobles also exist. They are the leaders and the doers of their world. As the accompanying essay shows, there are several methods whereby a man may become noble. The first is to work directly for the sovereign, for all nobility stems from the king. Second is to inherit it from his forefathers. Third is to live an honorable life and be rewarded for it. Fourth, to earn it by profession of arms. And fifth, to receive it from the liege by letters of patent. All these methods are used in Pendragon. The gamemaster should see that deserving individuals receive noble status which befits their attitudes and achievements. Noble Ransoms As a modification to the rules given in Pendragon, ransoms are changed. They now reflect the different qualities of knights and the holdings they may possess. The ransom for a landless knight is equal to the annual Librum amount spent in his maintenance. If the knight holds land, titled or not, his ransom is equal to an average year's income. Who are Noblemen? Whether or not the knight is landed, his captor is under no obligation to return "And so, my lord, it is needful both in this his horse, armor, and weapons. A captor who does so earns an experience regard and others that you should know who check in his Generous personality trait. they are who you should hold for gentlemen, who for nobles, and who for non-nobles. The gentleman is he who from old spings from Noble Character Duties gentlemen and gentlewomen, and such men and their posterity by marriage are gentle. A noble character gains many privileges. His precedence and prestige are And with regard to nobility, which is the enhanced, he gains Glory for holding land and castles, and he controls a beginning of gentility, it is acquired, firstly, by contingent of personal knights. He may appoint new knights, arrange marriages those who hold great office under the prince, for landholding widows, and has the duty and privilege of attending his liege's and by this means they are ennobled and their court. posterity after them. And the heirs of such, A noble character also has many responsibilities. He must protect the people who come after, may, by maintaining the free condition and leading the honorable life of the who tend his land, and uphold Low Justice and High Justice too, if allowed by his nobleman, call themselves gentlemen. liege (Low and High Justice are discussed in the essay You Are The Law found Thirdly, when the servant of the prince or any in the Pendragon Knight's Book. He must maintain his castles and bridges and other has led an honorable existence, and the towns, and keep a specified number of knights (and sometimes men-at-arms and prince has made him a knight, he thus food or goods) in service for his liege's army. He must feed his liege and court ennobles him and his posterity. Fourthly, to whenever they arrive, and must sponsor yearly tournaments and feasts. follow the profession of arms in the rank of man-at- arms and to serve the pince Finally, a noble must maintain a lifestyle appropriate to his station. The yearly valorously and long at war, this to ennobles a Librum cost of this lifestyle is provided in the descriptions below. This cost man. And fifthly, when a pince wishes to reflects the required tournaments, feasts, gifts, and ceremonies which a noble is ennoble a man, he may do do and may give expected to sponsor.