Impoverished

A knight with an income of less than £3 per year is Impoverished. His is a miserable lot. He appears ragged, most likely lean and sickly, and his armor pitted and rusty. He has no squire and often lacks a horse of any kind. As a result, an Impoverished knight counts only as a sergeant in battle (see “Ransom and Blood Price”), even though he may be far more skilled or valorous. Legally, impoverishment means trouble. An Impoverished household knight is not required to remain loyal to his lord since, under the feudal oath, his lord promised him sustenance. He may leave or may be sent away on a quest by the hapless lord. On the other hand, if a vassal knight neglects his land to the point of impoverishment, the lord has the right to cancel their agreement and take the land back: The vassal has clearly failed to maintain the land and uphold his end of the feudal bargain. Glory: No Glory is gained during the Winter Phase for suffering the life of an Impoverished knight.