Count
A count (female: countess) is the sovereign lord of a county within the Kingdom of Akerlan and occupies the middle tier of the landed nobility, ranking below Margrave's and above Baron's. Each county is a chartered territorial unit centred on a fortified city that also houses the principal castle and administrative seat. By royal charter the holder retains sweeping judicial authority, oversees local taxation, maintains infrastructure, and commands the county’s military contingent. Counts owe fealty to the Duke of their duchy and, through the duke, to the Crown, yet they enjoy broad autonomy in day-to-day governance. Their power is symbolised by the mural-crowned coronet, the comital banner flown over city walls, and a hereditary right to convene the County Assize.
Duties
Civil Administration: Collect royal head-tax and ducal hearth-tax, retaining an 8 % collector’s fee. Oversee roads, bridges, grain stores, public wells, and the King’s Mile of royal highway that passes through the county. Issue and enforce charters for markets, guilds, and fairs.
Judicial Authority: Convene the County Assize four times annually to judge capital crimes and land disputes. Confirm village elders and mayors; revoke offices for misconduct. Proclaim outlawry (subject to ducal review).
Military Service: Maintain a standing garrison of 60 soldiers in the castle and a 40-strong city watch. Provide 150 men-at-arms, 40 knights, and the urban militia (600–900 foot) on ducal or royal summons. Supply two siege engines for each ducal campaign.
Fiscal & Logistical: Remit one-fifth of tolls and fines to the Duke, one-tenth to the royal exchequer. Keep municipal granaries stocked with one season’s grain for contingencies.
Ceremonial: Attend the spring Ducal Diet and any Royal Levy Court. Host the duke for up to seven nights annually, providing lodging, security, and ceremonial guard.
Judicial Authority: Convene the County Assize four times annually to judge capital crimes and land disputes. Confirm village elders and mayors; revoke offices for misconduct. Proclaim outlawry (subject to ducal review).
Military Service: Maintain a standing garrison of 60 soldiers in the castle and a 40-strong city watch. Provide 150 men-at-arms, 40 knights, and the urban militia (600–900 foot) on ducal or royal summons. Supply two siege engines for each ducal campaign.
Fiscal & Logistical: Remit one-fifth of tolls and fines to the Duke, one-tenth to the royal exchequer. Keep municipal granaries stocked with one season’s grain for contingencies.
Ceremonial: Attend the spring Ducal Diet and any Royal Levy Court. Host the duke for up to seven nights annually, providing lodging, security, and ceremonial guard.
Benefits
Seignior Revenues: 100 % of rents on the comital demesne; 60 % of court fines and half of bridge and market tolls.
Mint Share: Right to strike pewter bracteate tokens for local trade, redeemable in silver twice yearly.
Legal Status: Answerable only to the ducal high court or, for treason, the royal bench.
Wardship & Marriage: Custody of orphaned barons and profitable arrangement of their marriages, subject to ducal veto.
Hunting Rights: Exclusive license to hunt red deer and boar in county forests; poaching carries capital penalties.
Heraldic Augmentation Entitled to a mural crown above the family arms and to supporters in full heraldic achievement.
Mint Share: Right to strike pewter bracteate tokens for local trade, redeemable in silver twice yearly.
Legal Status: Answerable only to the ducal high court or, for treason, the royal bench.
Wardship & Marriage: Custody of orphaned barons and profitable arrangement of their marriages, subject to ducal veto.
Hunting Rights: Exclusive license to hunt red deer and boar in county forests; poaching carries capital penalties.
Heraldic Augmentation Entitled to a mural crown above the family arms and to supporters in full heraldic achievement.
Accoutrements & Equipment
Regalia & Insignia: Comital Coronet – Silver circlet adorned with nine visible pearls between low crenellations symbolising fortified city walls. Mantle of Office – Wine-red velvet lined with vair, clasped by a steel brooch in the shape of a twin-towered gate. Great Seal – Round seal (8 cm) showing city walls above stylised waves on the obverse, crossed sword and sceptre on the reverse.
Military Ensemble: Half-Plate Armour – Bright steel etched with a mural motif; surcoat in county colours. Sword of Office – Hand-and-a-half blade with a crossguard shaped as battlements, carried at assize openings and in the field. Comital Banner – Rectangular flag bearing county arms, flanked by white wall motifs and edged in ducal colours to signify vassalage.
Household & Staff: Castle Guard – Twenty-four household men-at-arms in liveries of the county’s primary tincture with white wall trim. City Herald – Officer responsible for proclamations, guild oaths, and civic tournaments; wears a tabard of county arms. Steward & Exchequer Clerk – Senior officials managing demesne revenues, toll ledgers, and token redemption at the mint. The count or countess stands as the linchpin between local governance and ducal oversight, balancing civil stewardship with military readiness while embodying the legal and cultural identity of the county.
Military Ensemble: Half-Plate Armour – Bright steel etched with a mural motif; surcoat in county colours. Sword of Office – Hand-and-a-half blade with a crossguard shaped as battlements, carried at assize openings and in the field. Comital Banner – Rectangular flag bearing county arms, flanked by white wall motifs and edged in ducal colours to signify vassalage.
Household & Staff: Castle Guard – Twenty-four household men-at-arms in liveries of the county’s primary tincture with white wall trim. City Herald – Officer responsible for proclamations, guild oaths, and civic tournaments; wears a tabard of county arms. Steward & Exchequer Clerk – Senior officials managing demesne revenues, toll ledgers, and token redemption at the mint. The count or countess stands as the linchpin between local governance and ducal oversight, balancing civil stewardship with military readiness while embodying the legal and cultural identity of the county.
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