Economic Status of Family Knights (using the core rules)

[creativehum]

In the KAP core rules, the Player Knights inherit manors granted to their families two generations ago. Their upkeep is determined by how well the manor does each year, and any other gifts or loot they accumulate over the year.

The PKs might also have brothers, cousins, uncles. Their upkeep is not supported by the PK's manor. They might be bachelor knights, they might be mercenary knights, or they might even be vassal knights -- but this, I assume -- is for the GM and the Players to sort out.

My question is, is there any method in the book describing how to determine the upkeep or status of the PK's Family Knights? Or is this something the group decides on their own, year by year?

If it is decided by the group that's fine. But I wanted to know if I was missing something.

Thanks!

[Call Me Deacon Blues]

So, generally speaking, any family knight would be a household knight, unless decided otherwise. Most knights are household knights, relatively few vassals. Honestly, I'd either make the players themselves household knights, or if you're using the Book of Knights and Ladies, you can roll for it, which is my preferred method (I actually use a very slightly different system based on the one from BoKL, which I could share if anyone wanted it).

To actually answer your question about wealth, if they're a household knight, they'd basically be Ordinary all the time, maybe poor during leaner years, especially if their lord isn't like, one of the powerful barons like Count Salisbury. If they're a vassal knight, it depends on their land's worth, a single 10 libra manor would keep them at Ordinary, 30 libra in lands would make them rich, etc. Mercenary knights would probably hover around poor and ordinary, depending on if there are wars to be hired in, and how successful those wars are.  

[creativehum]

Thanks for the reply!

I wasn't clear enough about this, but for the moment my main focus is using only the core KAP rules, leaving aside all the supplements.

(I use what I call "The Le Morte Rule": If it wasn't something Malory troubled explaining in Le Morte D'Arthur, then it probably isn't something I need to worry about in playing Pendragon. The supplements open a whole can of worms and rabbit holes that I don't need to create a setting for adventurous and conflict driven RPG play in the style of Le Morte D'Arthur. For me that is the sweet spot for King Arthur Pendragon. But I completely understand other people want a lot more detail to build out the setting.)

To your answer, again, thank you. My question would be then, whose household are these Family Knights are part of? The Count? Other nobles? I can't imagine the Count is paying out almost every family member of every knight in Salisbury. But maybe?

Are they household kngihts sitting on manors he owns? Household knights that also hang out at the PK's manor until called up? (I'm sure it can be a variety of responses! But narratively I'm looking for answers for when the Players ask, "Hey, it's winter. We're sitting by the fire. Where is my uncle hanging out?")

Edited June 14, 2020 by creativehum

[Call Me Deacon Blues]

Probably are knights of the Count, maybe a few of the richer vassals as well. Keep in mind that the family ha served the county for around 4 generations, these families are precisely where he'd draw from for knights. BoKL also has a tale to roll for lord that I use sometimes also. Household knights, as the name implies, loud in the household of their lord. They definitely get some free time of course, to adventure and visit family, and since Roderick has a lot manors, he probably has men checking up on them pretty much all of the time, even when he's not there, so they would be spread out across his holdings, not just always by his side. 

[Morien]

My answer is in the earlier thread on this topic:

 

[creativehum]

Cool.

That's what I thought. Thanks!