Blood of Dragons

The 'A Song of Ice and Fire' MUSH

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The Court in Sunspear

This article expands on the structure of the court in Sunspear, listing the various available offices (though it should be noted that not all offices can be obtained by PCs). Some of the offices listed are established in the canon, many others have been added for the purpose of the game. Each office is associated with a rank of Greater, Major, Minor or Lesser, and this rank determines the effect on Influence that holding the office has on a character.

The Prince

The Prince's Household

  • Seneschal - The seneschal's role involves managing the household for the Prince, overseeing a wide number of aspects and drawing from the Prince's personal household funds to see it take place. He oversees the servants, he helps arrange the Prince's daily schedule of audiences and meetings, he helps arrange the logistical aspects when the Prince chooses to travel outside of Sunspear. The seneschal is a closely-trusted aide who alleviates many of the day-to-day tasks the Prince would otherwise have to see to. This a Major Office.
    • Under-seneschal - One of several assistants to the Prince's seneschal, their duties divided among the three main keeps of Sunspear. Because of this, they work closely with the keepers of each keep. This is a Minor Office.
  • Master of Horse - The master of horse maintains the Prince's stables and studs. This includes all the horses that the Princes's household needs, from the horses used to cart goods to the hunters and destriers of knights, squires, and so on. In a military campaign, the master of horse may have a significant role in overseeing the process of cataloging and valuing all horses knights and soldiers in the Prince's army bring with them, to properly record how much the king must pay in case of loss. This is a Minor Office.
  • Master-at-arms - The master-at-arms oversees training of the castle's pages and squires, and makes sure that the Prince's household knights are maintaining their readiness. A secondary role of the master-at-arms is managing and overseeing the king's armory in the Red Keep. This is a Minor Office.
  • Royal Huntsman - The royal huntsman oversees and arranges hunts for the Prince. This includes hiring huntsmen, and interacting with the king's falconers and kennelkeepers. They receieve funds to carry out these tasks, as well as a limited license to hunt for their own pleasure in the Prince's domains, or to sell these licenses to others who wish to hunt there. This is a Lesser Office.
  • Captain of the Guard - The captain of the palace guards, generally a knight of high standing and generally wide experience. This is a Minor Office.
    • Palace Guard - Knights accepted into the Prince's household and part of his retinue. This is a Lesser Office.

Other Royal Households

  • Chatelaine - Acting as a sort of seneschal for the princesses, the various chatelaines arrange their households and help to manage their funds and their daily activities. This is a Minor Office.
    • Ladies-in-waiting - Ladies in the service of the princesses, they act as body servants and companions. It is a coveted position for young ladies, especially those unbetrothed or unwed, as it provides them the opportunity to experience court life to the fullest, and to show themselves to best advantage. Ladies-in-waiting have the ear of a princess, and are privy to the inner workings of the court. Many great ladies at court had their beginnings as ladies-in-waiting. This is a Court Position.
  • Seneschal - Acting as a sort of steward for the royal princes, the household seneschals arrange their households and help to manage their funds and their daily activities. This is a Minor Office.
    • Companions - Gentlemen in the service of the princes, they act as both body servants and companions. It is a coveted position for young knights and lords, especially those unbetrothed or unwed, as it provides them the opportunity to experience court life to the fullest, to show themselves to best advantage, and to develop a connection with a prince. Companions have the prince's ear, and are privy to the inner workings of the court. Many of the chief courtiers had their beginnings as a royal companion. This is a Court Position.

The Prince's Advisors

  • Keeper of the Sandship - The prince's chief military advisor. In the past, holders of this office have commanded armies on the Prince's behalf. They help to oversee the defenses of Sunspear and the shadow city, and the general readiness of key castles throughout Dorne. This is a Greater Office.
    • Castellan of Planky Town - Charged with the defense of Planky Town, the castellan maintains such defense measures as are regarded prudent by the Prince of Dorne. They control a garrison of guards and a pair of small war galleys in furtherance of this task. This is a Minor Office.
  • Keeper of the Spear Tower - The Keeper of the Spear Tower arranges much of the logistical matter concerning both the palace and the shadow city. In particular, the Keeper works in close association with the Lord Shariff to make sure that the shariffs are properly maintained and able to carry out their duties. This is a Greater Office.
  • Keeper of the Tower of the Sun - The Keeper of the Tower of the Sun holds a position traditionally associated with the arrangement of feasts, games, and frolics. The role goes deeper than this, however, at least notionally; they are in charge of hospitality for guests at the Prince's court. This extends, in particular, to foreign emissaries, in essence making them Dorne's official emissary in turn. This is a Greater Office.
  • Lord Admiral - Head of the Prince's war fleet, such as it is. This is a Major Office.
  • Lord Treasurer - The Prince's treasurer, the lord treasurer has a great role in the raising of and disbursement of the Martell funds in Dorne. They oversee a bureaucratic apparatus, ranging from direct assistants to harbormasters, wine and olive factors, customs sergeants, tax farmers and tax collectors, and more. This is a Greater Office.
    • Harbormaster of Planky Town - Chief of Dorne's busiest port, they oversee customs sergeants and others. They have a role in seeing who gets what berths, who has access to the shipyards, and help to arrange transport of freight from ships to the dock warehouses. This is a Minor Office.
    • Lord Bailiff - Chief of the baillifs, he oversees the collection of customs and duties at Dorne's ports. This is a Minor Office.
      • Bailiff - Officers in charge of assessing the value of cargos to be transferred through the port of the Planky Town, and determining what customs duties are required. This is a Lesser Office.
    • Tax Assessors - Individuals tasked with assessing royal taxes and seeing to their collection. Licenses to carry out this task are often sold, with those purchasing the license allowed to keep what they collect, in which case they are called tax farmers and are not direct subordinates of anyone. This is a Lesser Office.
    • Factors - The various factors under the Lord Treasurer range in levels of importance. However, the chief factors help to sell various goods produced by the royal lands -- wool from the king's flocks, wine from the king's few vineyards, and so on. They also purchase such goods for the king's household, particularly spices, which is almost entirely imported. This is a Minor Office.
    • Officers of the Mint - The officer oversees the minting of money, and arrange the shipment and protection of specie. This is a Minor Office.
  • Lord Justiciar - The lord justiciar oversees the law of the realm, committing any changes to the records and maintaining the codices. They also carry the task of overseeing the specific legal apparatus of Sunspear and the shadow city, reducing the work the Prince himself must carry out in hearing petitions. This is a Greater Office.
    • Justiciar - A judge tasked with trying cases in the shadow city on the Prince's behalf. This is a Minor Office.
    • Chief Gaoler - Directly supervising the gaols, they hire undergaloers and keep track of the prisoners. This is a Lesser Office.

Other Offices

  • Lord Shariff - Head of the city watch, the commander maintains a force of 2,000 men to police the city and maintain the peace. This is a Major Office.
    • Officer of the Threefold Gate - One of the three senior officers in command of the Threefold Gate of the city, they oversee policing in the quarters of the city adjoining their gate. This is a Minor Office.
      • Shariff - One of a few score officers. This is a Lesser Office.
  • Warden of the Broken Arm - An officer of the Prince in charge of the defenses of the Broken Arm, and the readiness of its inhabitants to raise their banners if the Prince calls for them. One chief task that belongs to them is dealing with piracy and smuggling on the coast, due to the proximity of the Stepstones. This is a Major Office.
    • Deputy Warden of the Broken Arm - Immediate subordinates of the warden, they often travel through the Broken Arm at his behest. This is a Minor Office.
  • Warden of the Prince's Pass - A lord paid out of the royal treasury to maintain the defenses of the Prince's Pass, and ready and able to raise forces to oppose any enemies seeking to attack Dorne via the pass. This is a Major Office. This office is traditionally held by the Fowlers.
  • Warden of the Stone Way - A lord paid out of the royal treasury to maintain the defenses of the Stone Way (which includes the Boneway), and ready and able to raise forces to oppose any enemies seeking to attack Dorne via the pass. This is a Major Office. This office is traditionally held by the Yronwoods.