Noble
The ruling elite. Not every noble has all that much influence, however. A lot of them are simply members of houses that have a long history that has at some point included real power or at least value to those in power. But a lot of houses are no longer as important as they used to be. And while House Wands in Waterdeep are certainly powerful, being the third cousin, twice-removed from the current lord hardly matters.
That said, most of those who do have influence are nobles. And even lower ranking ones might have contacts that are more influential.
Career
Qualifications
Typically one would need to be born into nobility, but not even that is certain. Several houses only consider members close enough to the head of the family nobility. Or certain races, genders or those with a certain talent (such as magic). And some are disowned for something they did or didn't do.
A lot of rulers think themselves important enough to elevate anyone they choose to noble rank. And if they have enough power behind them (such as the Lords of Waterdeep) or are of noble birth themselves, it will likely re honored. At least while the one granting the title is still around.
Career Progression
The only real way to rise to a higher rank of nobility is by marriage. It's theoretically possible to simply be granted a more prestigious title, but in practice, this is very rare. Even compared to people without a title being raised to a low one.
Type
Political
Ranks & Titles
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