Interregnum · IV
Roles
From charcoal burner to abbot. What people do in and around Kuttenberg.
“Each step up is a ceremony in the world, never a pop-up.”
Behind: A brewer at his kettle. Mendel Housebook, 1437. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Open to anyone, mostly
138 roles, and no list to pick from
Every role is open to anyone unless it says Office (given in character by whoever holds that power) or Founders (needs the founders’ approval). The phase is when the server fully supports a role; many can be played earlier, with less help from the game.
Nobody picks a role from a list. You become a miner by working a mine, and a reeve when someone with the power to appoint you hands you a sealed letter.
138 roles
Land and animals
13 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmer | Grows grain, vegetables, flax and hops; pays rent to the lord | Fields, seed, tools | 2 | Open |
| Woodcutter | Cuts logs and firewood in logging areas | Axe, the holder's leave | 2 | Open |
| Charcoal burner | Turns wood into charcoal in forest kilns | Wood, a kiln site | 2 | Open |
| Hunter | Hunts game with the lord's leave | Bow, hunting rights | 2 | Open |
| Herdsman | Keeps sheep, cattle and pigs for wool, milk and meat | Pasture, animals | 4 | Open |
| Beekeeper | Keeps hives for honey and wax | Hives | 4 | Open |
| Fisher, pond-keeper | Nets fish in the lord's ponds and rivers | Nets, the lord's leave | 3 | Open |
| Vintner, hop grower | Grows grapes and hops | Vineyard, hop garden | 4 | Open |
| Horse breeder | Breeds, trains and sells horses | Stables, mares | 4 | Open |
| Dog breeder, houndmaster | Breeds and trains hunting and guard dogs | Kennels | 4 | Open |
| Prospector | Finds new ore veins and stakes mine claims | Tools, the mining court | 3 | Open |
| Forester, gamekeeper | Guards the lord's forest; catches poachers | — | 3 | Office |
| Locator | Founds a new hamlet on a lord's wild land, recruits settlers, becomes its hereditary reeve | A lord's charter | 5 | Office |
Mining and metal
9 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miner | Cuts silver and iron ore underground | Pick, a working claim or crown wages | 2 | Open |
| Smelter | Turns ore into silver and iron | Furnace, charcoal | 2 | Open |
| Assayer | Tests silver purity at the mint; detects clipped or false coin | The mint | 3 | Office |
| Minter | Strikes groschen at the mint | The mint | 2 | Office |
| Blacksmith | Weapons, tools, nails, horseshoes; base-game smithing | Forge, iron, charcoal | 2 | Open |
| Farrier | Shoes horses | Forge, horseshoes | 4 | Open |
| Armourer | Mail and plate | Forge, iron, leather | 3 | Open |
| Locksmith | Locks with matching keys; copies keys | Forge, bench | 2 | Open |
| Goldsmith, silversmith | Jewellery, cups, signet rings for seals | Silver, gold, a workshop | 4 | Open |
Wood, stone and building
10 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenter | Planks, beams, building frames | Logs, saws | 2 | Open |
| Joiner | Furniture: beds, tables, chests, shelves | Planks, nails | 2 | Open |
| Cooper | Barrels for beer, wine and storage | Wood, iron hoops | 3 | Open |
| Cartwright, wheelwright | Builds and repairs carts and wheels | Wood, iron | 4 | Open |
| Bowyer, fletcher | Bows, crossbows, arrows, bolts | Wood, feathers, iron | 3 | Open |
| Quarryman | Cuts stone | Quarry, tools | 2 | Open |
| Mason | Builds walls, hearths and chimneys | Stone, lime | 2 | Open |
| Lime burner | Burns limestone for mortar | Kiln, fuel | 3 | Open |
| Thatcher, roofer | Roofs buildings | Straw or tiles | 3 | Open |
| Painter | Wall painting, shop signs, heraldry on shields and banners | Pigments | 4 | Open |
Cloth, leather and dress
7 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spinner, weaver | Yarn and cloth from flax and wool | Wheel, loom | 3 | Open |
| Dyer | Colours cloth; costly colours mark status | Dyes, vats | 4 | Open |
| Tailor | Clothing to order | Cloth | 3 | Open |
| Tanner | Leather from hides, over days | Hides, bark, pits | 3 | Open |
| Cobbler | Shoes and boots | Leather | 3 | Open |
| Saddler | Saddles and harness | Leather | 4 | Open |
| Furrier | Fur linings and hats | Pelts | 4 | Open |
Food and drink
7 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miller | Grinds grain; collects mill fees for the owner | Mill | 2 | Open, or Office for the lord's mill |
| Baker | Bread | Flour, firewood, oven | 2 | Open |
| Butcher | Meat and hides from carcasses and livestock | Shop, knives | 3 | Open |
| Brewer | Beer, over days | Grain, hops, brewhouse | 3 | Open |
| Cook | Meals at inns, castles and the monastery | Kitchen | 3 | Open |
| Innkeeper | Food, drink, rooms, dice, gossip | An inn | 2 | Open |
| Distiller | Spirits and medicinal schnapps from the herbalist's craft | Still | 4 | Open |
Trade and money
10 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedlar | Sells small goods from village to village | A pack | 2 | Open |
| Stallholder | Sells at the market from a rented stall | Stall rent | 2 | Open |
| Merchant | Buys in bulk, moves goods between towns | Coin, carts, guards | 2 | Open |
| Money-keeper | Holds others' coin and writes receipts | Trust, a strongroom | 3 | Open |
| Moneylender | Lends at interest against pledges | Coin; the Church disapproves | 3 | Open |
| Money changer | Exchanges foreign coin brought by outside traders | Scales, coin | 3 | Open |
| Pawnbroker | Lends against goods held as pledges | Storage | 3 | Open |
| Broker | Arranges deals for a cut | Contacts | 3 | Open |
| Market weigher | Keeps the official scales; false weights are a crime | — | 3 | Office |
| Toll-keeper | Collects tolls at gates and bridges | — | 5 | Office |
Transport and messages
6 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter | Hauls other people's goods for pay | Horse, cart | 4 | Open |
| Stable-keeper | Feeds and guards horses and carts for a fee | Stables | 3 | Open |
| Courier | Carries letters and small parcels | A horse helps | 3 | Open |
| Ferryman | Carries people and goods across rivers | Boat | 4 | Open |
| Caravan guard | Escorts carts on dangerous roads | Arms | 3 | Open |
| Guide | Leads travellers safely through the wilds | Knowledge of the land | 3 | Open |
Care, learning and the law's helpers
11 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barber-surgeon | Treats wounds, sets bones, pulls teeth, shaves | Shop, bandages | 3 | Open |
| Physician | Treats illness and serious wounds; charges dearly | Learning | 3 | Open |
| Herbalist, apothecary | Potions and salves; base-game alchemy | Herbs, bench | 2 | Open |
| Bathhouse keeper, attendants | Runs a bathhouse: washing, shaving, gossip | Bathhouse | 3 | Open |
| Scribe | Writes letters and documents for the illiterate | Ink, parchment | 3 | Open |
| Notary | Drafts and witnesses contracts | Literacy, reputation | 3 | Open |
| Advocate | Speaks for a party in court | Knowledge of the law | 3 | Open |
| Schoolmaster, tutor | Teaches reading, writing and reckoning | Literacy | 3 | Open |
| Chronicler | Writes the realm's history; the herald reads from it | Literacy | 4 | Open |
| Herald | Proclaims, keeps the arms registry, announces tournaments | — | 3 | Office |
| Town crier | Reads the news in the square at set bells | — | 2 | Office |
Law and order
10 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Night watchman | Walks the streets at night, calls the hours, raises alarms | — | 3 | Office |
| Guard | Patrols, answers the hue and cry, arrests | Arms | 3 | Office |
| Sergeant, guard captain | Leads guards, sets the roster | Arms | 3 | Office |
| Gaoler | Keeps the gaol and its prisoners | Keys | 3 | Office |
| Investigator | Works cases from the ledgers and witnesses | — | 3 | Office or hired |
| Bounty hunter | Brings outlaws to court for the bounty | Arms | 3 | Open |
| Judge | Sits in a court and gives verdicts | — | 3 | Office |
| Executioner | Carries out corporal and capital sentences; well paid, shunned | — | 3 | Office |
| Tax collector | Collects rents and dues in person | — | 3 | Office |
| Informant, spy | Sells information to lords, guards or gangs | Ears | 3 | Open |
War
7 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Man-at-arms | Fights for a lord or company | Arms, armour | 3 | Open |
| Archer, crossbowman | Ranged soldier | Bow or crossbow | 3 | Open |
| Scout | Watches roads and enemy movements | A horse helps | 3 | Open |
| Mercenary captain | Leads a company under contract | A company | 3 | Open |
| Squire | Serves a knight; trains for knighthood | A knight | 3 | Office |
| Knight | Sworn to a lord; leads armed men | Horse, armour | 3 | Office |
| Siege engineer | Builds and works siege equipment | Materials | 5 | Open |
The Church
13 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novice | Trial member of the monastery | — | 4 | Through the abbot |
| Monk | Prays, copies books, keeps the infirmary | Vows | 4 | Through the abbot |
| Lay brother | Works the monastery's farms, brewery and workshops | — | 4 | Through the prior |
| Prior | Runs the monastery day to day | — | 4 | Office |
| Abbot | Head of Sedletz; church court | — | 4 | Founders |
| Parish priest | Serves a town or village church | Ordination | 4 | Office |
| Sexton, bell-ringer | Keeps the church, rings the hours | — | 4 | Office |
| Infirmarian | Runs the infirmary where the beaten wake | Herbs, bandages | 4 | Office |
| Almoner | Hands out alms to the poor | Alms | 4 | Office |
| Copyist | Copies books and documents in the scriptorium | Literacy | 4 | Monk or lay |
| Preacher | Preaches in streets and churches; reform preaching is in the air in 1403 Bohemia | A voice | 4 | Open, with risks |
| Pilgrim | Travels to holy places; carries news | — | 2 | Open |
| Pardoner, relic seller | Sells indulgences and relics, some of them fake | Relics | 4 | Open |
Nobility and household
14 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Urburer | Governs the crownlands, mines and mint | — | 1 | Founder |
| Master of the Mint | Runs the mint | — | 2 | Office |
| Lord | Holds a fief | Renown | 5 | Founders |
| Lady, heir | Family of a lord; manages, negotiates, marries | — | 5 | Family |
| Steward | Keeps the lord's accounts and household | Literacy | 5 | Office |
| Chamberlain | Guards the lord's chamber, treasury keys and visitors | — | 5 | Office |
| Marshal | Runs the stables and the lord's armed men | — | 5 | Office |
| Burgrave, castellan | Runs a castle for its lord | — | 5 | Office |
| Bailiff | The lord's officer over several villages | — | 2 | Office |
| Reeve | Head of one village | — | 2 | Office |
| Alderman | Sits with the reeve on the village court | — | 2 | Chosen by the village |
| Burgomaster, councillor | Runs Kuttenberg's market and town court | Burgher | 3 | Office |
| Page, lady-in-waiting | Serves in a noble household; learns manners | — | 5 | Office |
| Master of the hunt | Runs the lord's hunts | — | 5 | Office |
Entertainment and social life
8 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minstrel | Sings and plays in inns, at feasts and weddings | Instrument | 3 | Open |
| Storyteller | Tells tales at inns and firesides | A voice | 2 | Open |
| Juggler, acrobat | Street performance at markets and fairs | — | 4 | Open |
| Dice master | Runs dice games at inns; base-game dice | Dice | 2 | Open |
| Fencing master | Teaches and judges in a brotherhood | Rank | 4 | Brotherhood |
| Prize-fighter, wrestler | Fights in public bouts for purses | — | 4 | Open |
| Player in mystery plays | Performs religious plays at church feasts | — | 4 | Open |
| Matchmaker | Arranges marriages between families for a fee | Contacts | 4 | Open |
Crime
13 roles| Role | What they do | Needs | Phase | Who can take it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutpurse | Picks pockets; base-game pickpocketing | Quick hands | 2 | Open |
| Burglar | Breaks into houses and chests; base-game lockpicking | Picks | 2 | Open |
| Highwayman, bandit | Robs travellers and carts | Arms | 2 | Open |
| Poacher | Hunts the lord's game without leave | Bow | 2 | Open |
| Smuggler | Moves goods around tolls and guild rules | A cart, back roads | 5 | Open |
| Fence | Buys stolen goods and resells them | Contacts, a hideaway | 3 | Open |
| Forger | Forges documents and seals | Literacy, skill | 3 | Open |
| Coin clipper, counterfeiter | Shaves silver off coins or makes false ones; the assayer hunts them | Tools, silver | 3 | Open |
| Horse thief | Steals and rebrands horses | — | 4 | Open |
| Con artist | Fake relics, false deeds, rigged dice | A silver tongue | 3 | Open |
| Kidnapper | Takes captives for ransom | A hideout | 3 | Open |
| Gang leader | Runs a gang, splits the spoils, keeps the hideout | A gang | 3 | Open |
| Hired blade | Takes coin to beat, rob or kill; murder is a capital crime | Arms | 3 | Open |