The Earl

Prompt 13: Somewhere in your world describe a profession associated with leaders in your world.
  The Earl
An Earl is a middling rank of nobility in Thar’kor, they are land owners of notable wealth and often of distinguished military skill. This is owing to their tax collections on the lands they own and lands they rule on behalf of a king and the many years of study in the military and martial skills and tactics to provide aid to the king and defence for the people in times of war. The rank of Earl identifies that the leader owns a sizable estate, a keep (usually with a town), and has been given governing control over a large area of the kingdom, referred to as a territory, which they rule in the Kings stead, imparting most of the powers of the king to the Earl in that territory. Smaller kingdoms will have 5-10 Earls and larger kingdoms can have as many as 30.
Due to the wealth, military force and power vested in the position of the earl by the kings of Thar’kor, their lower rank disguises the great power and autonomy they wield over their lands. An earl can act as a tyrant, a benevolent leader, a scholarly judge, or an eccentric socialite. Their power remains unchecked so long as the kingdom receives its taxes and troops when demanded. There are only a very few caveats to this, the complaints of high officials with duties in the region, such as high priests, leading members of the merchant's guilds, Members of the Cabal of mages and other officials can make their way up to the King or Queen’s ear, enough mutterings of unjust actions may result in direct intervention by the royal house, or disputes with other earls that open into elongated and disruptive conflicts will be put down by the King or Queen’s forces.
Most of the Earls in Thar’kor are good and diligent leaders in their own right, if they may differ in their style of leadership and governance. However, power natural attracts those who would abuse it and corrupt those who place their desires and ambitions above their duties. Throughout the continent, some bad apples rule with cruel and unjust means and are treacherous and power hungry. These Earls are rarely uncovered by the Kings and Queens of the realm as they are deceptive and manipulative by their nature. However, there is on occasion a band of adventurers who come through and bring the hand of justice to these Earls.

Type

Government