Guess this is pointing out the obvious, since its not hard to miss, but there is a manual on the website explaining the roles in detail, along with lots of good info. Its nicely broke up into sections.
http://mightandfealty.com/en/manual/knightJust reading through it myself to see how the game functions. Always been interested in the battlemaster thread whenever it pops up, but never made the move to join up as the idea always seemed great but always put off by a few things.
The way the game seems to force player interaction etc, it all makes perfect sense and I get it. You need subject and vassals to run a big empire, and loyalty, cooperation etc. thats the whole point of the game, its trying to be a simulator not a 4x conquest type game. But its from the start - seems a bit much to smack down on you if you have never played - Who wants to bend the knee and swear fealty to a complete stranger on day one? Its a bit intimidating for one, and on the other hand seems a big step. Historically an oath of fealty is no small deal surely, you make that pledge to a Lord and the only way out is death, release(rare?) or breaking it and being a traitor/civil war etc? Clearly it cant be that strict since I read people coming and going to join other realms in the forums it seems. So how is that even an oath of fealty anyway? The manual also says you can be member of more than one realm? huh. How can I pledge allegiance to the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France. That is total conflict of interest, how can you be a vassal to two realms.
Reading here, it also seems the established players have set up some kind of de facto ownership of independent towns. It the town is independent and neutral, then they dont have the power or people to keep hold of it. But if someone else grabs it without their permission, they will fight to take it back, because its theirs even though it wasnt?
Questions: How can you pick which Lords butt to kiss first without knowing which bath regular first? How did they set up the monopoly of Lordship? Who did they pledge to when the game started, chicken and the egg? Why when the game has independent towns doesnt it just put you in charge of one, and then naturally I can see which of my neighbors to pledge to because I NEED them for support. Why cant I just be a hobo-noble in one of the independent towns and curse all those fancy evil city realm folk for looking down on my humble House Hog of barely above farmers stuck in shitsville province? WHY is the game throwing me directly into servitude from day one like some filthy newborn serf. And how can I get over this feeling?