Rodenia: Government & Military Ranks

Government Ranks

Emperor/Empress: Rodenia does not have a "royal family" like the neighboring kingdom of Artalia. The Emperor is the leader and ruler of Rodenia. The Emperor is always selected from the military via their peers and a noble council. Newly crowned Emperors are almost always of the rank of general, but there have been instances where soldiers of the grand marshal rank were chosen. Emperors rule until they pass away or, in extremely rare cases, are overthrown.

Highlord/Highlady: The highest position one of noble birth can rise to. Highlords are regional governors who are in charge of large swaths of land that may encompass up to a third of a kingdom. They answer only to the Emperor. Highlords reside within castles located in central areas of the regions they administrate.

Duke/Duchess: Minor regional rulers, and one small step up from baron. Dukes may direct several barons and often oversee the lands surrounding 1-2 towns and all nearby hamlets, villages, and outposts. Their word is law in their small districts. Dukes usually reside in small castles or large guarded estates outside of towns.

Baron/Baroness: Noble lord who has demonstrated that they hold enough influence over an area and have been granted control over towns. They typically live in guarded estates within the towns that they govern.

Lord/Lady: Title given to the head of a noble family and or noble estate.

Military Ranks

General: 1-2 generals at any given time. They are in charge of all military operations. Only the Emperor may overrule their decisions. Generals are often based out of the capital, but routinely venture throughout the kingdom to "check in" on local operations.

Grand Marshal: Grand marshals are in charge of large regions of the kingdom and typically convene with their region's marshals to hold strategy meetings and formulate plans to increase military effectiveness in the region. They report quarterly to the kingdom's generals.

Marshal: A step above captains, marshals may still do many captain duties (recruitment, training, etc.), but they are also in charge of managing the military's local intelligence and reconnaissance in addition to all local strategic and tactical planning that is required when their regions are at war.

Captain: Captains, while capable soldiers, usually take a back seat when it comes to field duty and instead focus on administrating local military affairs. They oversee the recruitment and training of military officers in their local areas. A captain may still take to the field when a particularly dangerous mission warrants it.

Commander: Lieutenants that go above and beyond will reach the rank of commander. They are in charge of entire squads comprised of lieutenants, sergeants, and recruits. 

Lieutenant: Sergeants with ample experience who demonstrate qualities that higher ranked officials (typically captain) take note of are promoted to lieutenant. Lieutenants are basic field leaders, often in charge of small teams when on deployment. Sergeants that make it to the rank of lieutenant are being groomed for future advancement as military leaders, as lieutenant is the first rank that requires some degree of leadership capabilities.

Sergeant: Recruits who do not die in the line of duty and demonstrate some form degree of usefulness are promoted to sergeant. There is virtually no difference between a recruit and a sergeant other than the name. Suitable recruits are promoted to sergeant to increase their morale and make them feel more special by having a different title other than recruit.

Recruit: The lowest rank of an enlisted military officer. Recruits make up the bulk of the military and are largely considered completely expendable.