My last question concerned what countries are independent, and suggesting that some are significantly less independent than portrayed. I now go the opposite direction and suggest that most countries are more independent than though. How? Allods.
Note: The following descriptions are, obviously, simplifications. Details would take several more long paragraphs, and the technicalities fill multiple volumes of law books. This overview should be sufficient for game play. If you want more information, you have the key words to begin researching it.
What is an allod? From a certain point of view, an allod is the opposite of a fief. A fief is land held from another, whether by noble or knightly oath of fealty, down to serfs in the fields. Even freeholds are typically held on this basis, which is the source of things like property taxes and eminent domain. This method of ownership is known as “fee simple”.
Allods are held by natural right. While the owner of an allod may have some agreement with a superior that resembles what people think of with feudalism, and the owner must have some sort of connection with a more general tribal authority, the land is owned entirely, and can only legally be alienated by the will and action of the owner. It cannot be taken for other, unsecured, debt. It is inherited even if the owner is convicted of a crime. It is his alone. This is known as “allodial title”.
Kings are the most recognized and understood possessors of allodial title, owning their entire country with everyone else holding the land in fee simple. This is how most people imagine feudalism. However, lesser nobles can hold land by allodial title. The rulers of these lands could mint coins and had complete jurisdiction within their lands, even as they were parts of greater countries. Indeed, having allodial title was often a requirement to be part of the tribal assembly, and later meant important rights in the countries that developed, even as the allodial title became fee simple.
How does this relate to Greyhawk? From the beginning, PCs who reached name level were able and expected to build strongholds. Fighters in particular were expected to clear the wilderness, build a castle, and rule the land. No mention is made of them swearing fealty to anyone or receiving the land as a fief. They were supposed to go into the wilderness and expand civilization. Which sounds exactly like an allod. In fact, in history the land cleared from a forest was often considered to be an allod.
How would this affect the countries? Well, we know that the countries do not control everything within their (unmarked) borders. We also know there are various keeps and villages and the like spread throughout those areas. People have long asked how this could be, with various musings (including my own) on population densities. If we were to expect that most lands are held by allodial title rather than as fiefs, this very neatly explains this, as well as how the various countries expanded and contracted. It explains how the Herzogs of North and South Province can be so powerful and independent. It explains why the Duchies of Tenh and Urnst could expect to separate from Nyrond as Nyrond abandoned the Great Kingdom. It explains how Furyondy fractured.
In addition to having fighters of name level expected to clear out "unclaimed" lands, could notions of allodial title stem from the Great Migrations? The migrating peoples, deciding they have arrived at a decent location then proclaim that "this land is now mine" and not beholden to any another. Even if they proclaimed allegiance - personally, and not related to title in land - to a king or higher authority.
A key to remember is that there must be some social order to recognize land titles but not too much where it insists on monopolizing them. Specifics can then be filled in as needed.
I have used Allods for years in my games. However, it has always been my convention that the Allods were most often used for Demi-Human lands surrounded by Human Lands. So I have an Allod in the Lortmils that is surrounded by the Gran March. It is a completely independent, with all its own rights and customs.
However, it is dependent on the March for its external relations, at least with other human kingdoms. This doesn't really show up in game very often, though I am currently running a political game where we may find uses for it.
Generally, I don't allow a player to have Alloidal rights unless they really go outside the bounds of kingdoms in the Flaness.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Canonfire! is a production of the Thursday Group in assocation with GREYtalk and Canonfire! Enterprises
