Erlntum

I pledge myself to my lord, (name), in the presence of the Eight Divinities and their beloved servants. I pledge myself to the land, to the people I will rule and their children after them. I pledge myself to the Rigter, (name), may (his/her/their) reign be long. I pledge myself to the way of the horse, sword, bow and staff, may they serve me well. I pledge myself in a hundred thousand other ways besides. May death be my reward if I break any of these oaths which have issued, from my lips from this day henceforth.

— traditional oath of the Erlèn

The Richterland of Galeo was once a lawless place, a mirror to the barely-organized chaos of Valent to the south. The solution to this disorganization, in the characteristic Galvan fashion, was to insert order from above. The hierarchy of Erlèn developed, and the bonds that kept them away from each other throats became the concept of Erlntum.

Unwavering Allegiance

Each of the Erlèn and the lesser lords they control - and the lesser lords that those lords control in turn - swears an oath of allegiance to their superior in the hierarchy to cement the bond between them. This allegiance is the central cord that leads from the Galeorichter themself down through the ranks to the smallest lord in the farthest part of the land. This loyalty leads to the following rules and codes of conduct:

• No traitorous conduct, either to the state or to each other. In fact, the latter is often more sternly punished than the former;
• Politeness and respect which flow both ways. The minor lords are not to be treated like disposable pawns by the major lords, but the counsel and plans of the higher-ups in the social hierarchy should be treated with courtesy; and
• Mutual defence. If one's liege comes under attack, one is expected to come to their aid. If a squabble breaks out between two minor lords, their superiors should quickly rein them in.

Cultural Impact

The invention of this concept has, quite simply put, saved Galvan society and led to their current cultural renaissance. It has also spawned a nobility with purpose and enough peace to put their thoughts toward building public works and expanding trade.
Some would also put forward the notion that it also gave the nobility an excuse to become pompous, including the invention of elaborate ceremonies where the Erlntum of a newly-crowned noble was confirmed by their peers. The truth is that such ceremonies might have existed before as well, and so the creation of the Erlèn was an attempt to simplify and standardize a practice that already existed. Either way, the Erlèn have become the ruling class of Galeo, for better or for worse.

Pronunciation

ailn-toom

Related Organizations

• Richterland of Galeo

Related Ethnicities

• Galvan

Erlntum for the Non-Nobility

Or more accurately, the lack of it. While yes, the average farmer or townsman theoretically owes some form of allegiance to the nobility that rule over them, this can usually be handled by a prompt paying of any taxes, a little respect and a general understanding of laws and abiding by them. The nobility, however, don't owe them much of anything in return except for basic decency and trying to use their power and influence for good rather than evil. Many anti-feudalist groups argue rather successfully that the nobility hold all the cards in this scenario but that does not appear to be changing any time soon.

It would be simple for the nobility to become sedentary creatures, with no energy wasted in keeping up appearances of caring about their charges. This very author has encountered a handful who have attempted that selfsame act...But the precarious nature of peace in our nation has made such laxity extremely difficult to maintain. In a word, the obligations of the ruling class necessitate a rigidity and a outward-facedness that would prevent any such paresse from establishing itself.

— The Code of the Noble by Prince Erick Bliebl

All images in this article where created by me, EmperorCharlesII, unless otherwise credited.