Bretonnian Society

[Breeze]

There are only two social classes in Bretonnia: Nobility and Peasantry.

Nobility

The noble class is ruled by the king and is composed of dukes, marquises, earls, barons, and knights. All fit male, and some female, nobles are knights and follow a code of chivalry, holding nobility, obligation, and honor in high regard. Almost all nobles refuse to use ranged weapons in the field of battle viewing it as an act of cowardice.

Peasantry

The peasants have nearly no rights and are illiterate and uneducated. They are considered property, and must surrender 9/10ths of their crops to their feudal lord. As a result most of them will remain extremely poor throughout their entire lives and only have an expected life of 40 years.

They may also not leave their home province unless allowed; as a result a certain degree of inbreeding is quite common. Many peasants are afflicted by clubfeet, extra fingers, lazy eyes, or similar defects.

Bretonnian justice is harsh and any peasant who is caught stealing or poaching is usually hanged. An even harsher punishment is dealt to a peasant who attacks a noble. He and his family will be tortured and slowly dismembered, while all his friends and acquaintances will be crippled. Such is the price of rebellion.