Meister
Qualifications
Originally the first four New Bloods saw this as a great honor. The Highlander King himself had to invent a new title in response to the accumulation of wealth produced by a family and guild outside of the Old Blood Houses and their Knightly Orders. Their wealth was equal to that of coffers and vaults of the Old Blood Houses.
Requirements
There was little to no precedent to commoners amassing such a fortune and becoming an equal to the military might of the Old Bloods and their Knights. So the only true requirement in this regard was wealth. From there one can inherit the title similarly to how an Archduke or Archduchess inherits theirs from a forebear.
Appointment
In what was a considered an homage to the ceremony of the first Highlander King and the swearing in of his Eight Companions into the Old Blood Houses. The four New Bloods were sworn in a similar manner before the Highlander King and his eight Archdukes and Archuchesses. However the New Bloods expected to be named as Archdukes and Archduchesses themselves, not the rather empty title of Meister.
Duties
The duties of the Meisters was akin to that of the Archdukes and Archduchesses, save they had no Knightly Orders or military power of their own. Which was one of the contributing factors that lead to the production of the Warforged Army and the eventual Great Rebellion.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of a Meister, again, were akin to that of the Heads of the Old Bloods. But they had less political power, and their votes and ideas could be vetoed by the Old Bloods on a whim. A deed that was performed too often in the eyes of the New Bloods.
Benefits
Financially, they were as secure as the Old Bloods. They had servants galore, but no military power and minimal political influence compared to the Old Bloods.
Accoutrements & Equipment
Though they had a title akin to an Old Blood, the Meisters could not hold lands such as fiefs in their own name. Their influence and control stopped outside their guilds and city walls, with the central focal point being that of the Central City itself.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
There has never been a formal removal or dismissal of a Meister, and at the rate they are going there never will be.
History
Roughly 2000 years ago, the New Bloods arose from the commonfolk and became nobility themselves through the sheer accumulation of wealth. However the title of "Meister" was secondary to that of the Archdukes and Archduchesses in the court of the Highlander King. Which eventually lead to the Great Rebellion; the New Bloods, their Warforged Army, and their zealotous Templar allies toppled the monarchy and remade the Freelands in their own image.
Cultural Significance
The title of Meister these days is one to be feared and respected, as oppose to its lesser origins. The four Meisters, along with the Hierophant, ate the five most powerful men and women in the entirety of the Freelands today.
Notable Holders
There have been many holders of the title, though the commonfolk have little care about the name. They moreso fear and respect the title and what it implies.
Type
Nobility, Hereditary
Status
Yes, it is the title of one of the most powerful forces in the Freelands
Creation
The Highlander King themself.
Form of Address
His Marqess, Her Marchioness
Alternative Naming
Master, Mistress, Head of New Blood House
Equates to
As a title it may seem similar to that of the Archdukes and Archduchesses of the Old Blood Houses, in truth they were regarded beneath them. Though they stood above the Knightly Orders, they were not allowed to have any of their own. It was a empty title with little power, which was one of the reasons for the Great Rebellion.
Source of Authority
The Highlander King
Length of Term
Life
Reports directly to
Related Locations
Related Organizations
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments