It's going to take me a day or so to create a proper update here. I've been immersing myself into finishing a draft for a novel and otherwise seeking non-freelance-employment. I'm setting aside tomorrow in large part to write so that's probably when i will get it done.
The last bit of business- let's explore the bureaucracy that the nation currently utilizes to function. How does it work? Who reports to who? Now, of course, there is the nobility. But alongside them should be a legion of clerical staff, and they probably report to some central authority in the palace, who reports to the King. I recommend that we look at this bureaucracy, and come up with a holistic plan to improve it along with any advisers that we have.
Pleased to have a question. I'm going to rule Raynor already knows this, being as well educated as he is.
Analysse is in large part a traditional feudal state, with a King at it's head. The King has various vassals across all ranks including dukes, counts, barons, knights and even lowborn mayors, most of which have their own vassals in turn. All of these vassals are expected to enforce the kings law, provide taxes and come to war should their liege call for it. There are seven provinces(all of which have two de jure duchies, though some duchys do not have dukes and instead have counts and barons which answer directly to the king), six of which have grand stewards whose sole duty is to be a removed party who can report on current events within each of the provinces. A seventh grand steward exists, and this steward's duty is to manage the day to day affairs of the seventh province, the crownland.
The crownland is the territory passed from King to King, and by law he has absolute authority over the whole of it. In truth however the duty of managing this province falls to the grand steward and respective vassal stewards. Vassal stewards act in large part as a noble vassal might, albeit with less authority or privilege. The great majority of taxes exacted by these stewards technically go to the royal treasury only to be cycled back for the stewards to spend as they see fit. The oversight of peers and superiors prevents corruption among these stewards, and in large part the funds are allocated quite efficiently back into the province. The lowest rank of these stewards are the Squire-Stewards. Knights of the Crown technically have titles and lands of their own, but have really no authority over these lands. Instead the Squire Stewards manage the lands of their knights, and pay a sort of double tax, one to the king and another to the knights who they supply with arms and armor.
The king also has a number of other officials who help advise him and attend to his affairs. Count Revar is the royal master of coin and manages the crown's finances, Knight Commander Gerald sees over military preparedness of the nation, each of the three orders of magic has a mage which advises the king on magical affairs. Each of these advisors and stewards have their own host of scribes, historians, scholars and experts who in turn advise them.
Across the entirety of the country Cities are a complicated political factor. Ancient laws which originate from when Analysse was a single city state are still in place, and give cities a sort of autonomy and authority of their own. Towns tend to be controlled either by knights or lowborn mayors who pledge loyalty to a higher lord, however, when a town is arbitrarily judged large enough to be deemed a "city" a council of lords is both elected and appointed. These lords tend to be the most influential people who live within the city, including nobles, merchants, lowborn elders and even simply particularly popular individuals. These lords are collectively a single vassal to a higher authority, and underneath them have a variety of minor officials with authority over their own small part of the city, with authority to raise a militia gaurd in relation to the population of their part of the city.
Whoa, very weird that you decided to post just then Jaass