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Many worlds, notably those set in medieval times, feature various social classes. They serve to show the audience what life is like for each one of them. One such class gets plenty of attention and is a goldmine in terms of storytelling potential. That class is known as the fantasy nobility.
People are drawn to fantasy nobles in that they have lavish lifestyles. They eat exotic fruits, wear fancy clothes, and speak in a sophisticated tone. However, despite all that, they are people just like them, people who have both virtues and vices and they use both to either their advantage or to their detriment.
The fantasy nobility is the second-highest social class, just below that of the royals. The nobles live in extravagant estates, either in the city or out in the countryside. Just like the monarch and his family members, these powerful lords and ladies wield great power and command respect from all classes beneath them.
Nobles in fantasy are not simply content to exist. Rather, they have dreams and aspirations they endeavor to reach. What their dreams are depends on their personality. Ambitious nobles desire to gain more power to strengthen their family’s position in society whereas shrewd ones use their business acumen to grow the family fortunes.
In regard to the world, the purpose of the fantasy nobility is to be leaders of the realm. Second only to the royal family in power and influence, the nobles use both to their advantage to enrich their position and to help the king manage the kingdom since they are duly charged with overseeing the people who reside within their personal sphere of influence.
This is the second article in the fantasy social classes series. For more, you can take a gander at our blog page where we have tons of articles that you can peruse at your leisure!
Nobles are a mainstay in fantasy, especially for worlds set in medieval times. Their opulent lifestyles offer people a glimpse into what it’s like to be in the upper echelons of society. And they are not to be crossed, for they are quick to use their power to make an example out of those who dare oppose them.
The fantasy nobility resides in grand palaces. These castles are commonly found out in the countryside where they take up vast amounts of lands though they have estates in town that they use every now and then. The palaces they call home serve as a physical symbol of the power they possess.
Nobles regularly host and attend parties or other extravagant gatherings. Whether hosted by a fellow member of the nobility or the king, these parties are where they hobnob with each other, exchange tales of what’s going on within the realm, and make power moves that increase their position or diminish that of their rivals.
Besides owning castles, nobles are found in many upper positions of the government. The most powerful sit on the king’s royal council, serving as advisers and running a specific part of the government. Others manage the estate they call home, some run their own business, and others handle all matters in the lands they oversee. Here, their principal function is to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Since they have busy lives, the fantasy nobility depends on their servants to do things like cleaning the castle or tending to their children’s needs. The servants are usually from the lower classes who they have sway over. Having their servants do these everyday things ensures that they can focus on the things that matter to them, things like making deals that benefit their family, and so on.
The nobility is a multifaceted class full of strong personalities. They do not exist just to serve the plot; they have goals they strive to reach and said goals can affect both the world and the story in interesting ways. How they go about them depends on who they are at heart.
A common goal the fantasy nobility has is to remain in the position they are in at the moment. The possibility of being supplanted by a rival family is ever present, motivating them to make moves designed to safeguard their position. They make deals to increase their power or to weaken their foes.
The most ambitious nobles have their eyes on a higher prize: becoming the ruling family. While they work overtime to maintain their loyalty to the king, they make covert moves like trying to marry off their children to the royal family, notably the one who will sit on the throne one day. Playing the long game will eventually lead to their family being in power and they didn’t need to mount a coup in order to make it happen.
Even though they have plenty of money, many nobles desire to make even more money than they have at the moment. They make deals that will generate enormous amounts of revenue for the family. Having more money makes it more difficult for their enemies to defeat them since they can use the funds to field larger armies or make moves to weaken them.
Many nobles prioritize the family lineage. They want to keep the family name intact, meaning the males of the family have no choice but to marry someone and produce a heir that will carry on the family name. Also, they will only marry those within the same class. Those that marry outside the class are considered a traitor and are ostracized from the family; they’re not even given one cent.
Everything you see in a fictional world serves a purpose and that also applies to the nobility. Nobles play a significant role in shaping the world in several ways, many of which you see in the foreground and some in the background. Thus, when constructing a world that takes place in medieval times, the nobility is an absolute must-have!
One way the fantasy nobility fits in the world is to act as leaders of the realm. Though they don’t wield as much power as the royal family, many lords and ladies have a substantial amount of power and they use it in several ways, depending on their personality. They make decisions both for the family they’re in and the people who they hold sway over.
Nobles rule specific areas of the kingdom on the monarch’s behalf. They handle all local matters and focus on making improvements in several areas like infrastructure with the aims of generating more revenue which increases their domain’s sphere of influence in the realm. Other matters like law enforcement are part of their responsibilities.
Many nobles are concerned about making their family more powerful than they are at the moment. They maneuver themselves into better positions by making deals that benefit them or weaken that of their enemies. Their competition has ripple effects across the country in that it can pit people against people or lead to a minor war breaking out.
Whenever a major event occurs in the capital like a coronation or the royal ball, all nobles are duly expected to make an appearance. At these events, the fantasy nobility pay their respects to the royal family and catch up with their fellow nobles to see what’s going on in the other parts of the realm. Some new alliances are formed and some old ones are broken.
A medieval-stylized imaginary world just wouldn’t feel right without the nobility. This particular social class shows your audience what life is like for those near the top of the social hierarchy. While many other people struggle to make ends meet, nobles care more about cementing their power and their constant jockeying for position makes for riveting storytelling.
The fantasy nobility, as the second-highest class, resides in places that epitomize their position in society. Grand palaces and sprawling castles out in the countryside serve as physical symbols of their power. They also serve in the government, holding all of its top positions and making decisions that affect many people’s lives.
Many nobles are not merely content with the status quo. Instead, they have goals they aspire to achieve. Some work feverishly to garner more power for the family whereas others are more interested in generating even more money. What goals they set for are largely dictated by who they are at heart.
In terms of their place in the world, the fantasy nobility is integral to shaping the world the story takes place in. They have their own personal domains that they rule on the king’s behalf. They also uphold the laws of the realm and work to maximize their power while minimizing that of their foes.
When creating a world that takes place in medieval times, you cannot have one without having the fantasy nobility. They add a splash of compelling drama, giving you a plethora of storytelling opportunities, and people love to see their opulent lifestyles.
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