The nobility in Skyrim are a highly respected and acclaimed class. Some come from renowned clans but most have established themselves through deed and must often struggle to maintain their power and influence. Jarls are often the head of powerful Nord clans and maintain power through Hersir, noble lords with large holdings which are elevated to the title and given legal rights to the Jarldom. Thanes are free men who have officially been accepted by and into the service of a Jarl and also reserve legal rights. A Thanes oath are for life, and therefore it is not fashionable for a Jarl to have more than a small group of active Thanes. Thanedom is a chivalric title respected and feared across Skyrim and these men are the beacons of justice and duty.
Housecarls are the warrior class of Nord culture and Hersir and Thanes are expected to employ them as sworn swords. To dedicate yourself to warfare means making war your profession and therefore patronage is extremely important. Housecarl's sacrifice their other potential skill sets to be a honed weapon and leader in battle, so they will struggle to make it their own way. A truly skilled soldier and captain will be recognized and will always have the opportunity to serve as an honored Housecarl.
How it works
The Jarldom substrate runs the legal side of all of this. Each hold has a seated Jarl, a property roster, a set of officially-issued physical keys, a bounty ledger, and the means to extend recognition — Thane, Hersir, Housecarl — to those who have earned it. Property is transferable through formal offers tied to ownership-by-lock; bounties are assigned through the guard chain and tracked per hold (see Crime, Bounty, and the Guard). The Jarl's word in their own hold has weight that the realm honors, and breaking that word is a public act that the chronicle remembers.
Commands
General — /help jarldom
/jarldom list — List hold factions./jarldom property list <hold> — List mapped properties for a hold./jarldom key list <hold> — List hold keys./jarldom bounty <hold> <target> <amount> [reason] — Hold bounty tooling where authorized.
Property — /help jarldom property
/jarldom property current <hold> [lock-level] [display name] — Register the last activated target as a property./jarldom property rename <property-id> <display name> — Rename a registered property./jarldom transfer offer <property-id> <target> [gold] — Offer ownership transfer.
Keys — /help jarldom keys
/jarldom key mint <property-id> <target> [ordinary|master] [name] — Mint a key where your rank allows it./jarldom key revoke <key-id> [reason] — Revoke a minted key./jarldom transfer accept <offer-id> — Accept a master ownership transfer.
