The Crown Retainers of Mithambe

"By my authority, I hereby, in front of the assembled Court of Mithambe, ascend and appoint you as my Talon. You are now the Grandmaster of the Talons, and it is through you with which I will wield them. Do you accept this burden?"
— Jacob Mitfield addressing Rachel Belfour, Adoration's Ascension

The Crown Retainers of Mithambe are the four persons that exclusively serve the Monarch of Mithambe and their family. These persons are entrusted to fulfill the Monarch's will, and are empowered to do so by any means. Although the Monarch is not restricted to four retainers, the traditional four will always be acknowledged as the Monarch's official agents, with others serving the Monarch based on a personal commission.

The Positions

Primary Positions

These are the four official positions of the Crown Retainers:

Title	Insignia	Purpose
The Champion of the Monarch		The Champion of the Monarch is the first and foremost of the retainers, and acts as the leader of them when they are assembled in court or in battle. The closest friend of the Monarch, they command the Monarch's trust, and may issue orders on their behalf as the situation dictates - effectively making them the third most powerful person in all of the Kingdom of Mithambe, after the Consort. They are the face of the Retainers, and are effectively the arbitrator of loyalty within the Retainer's Circle and within the Royal Court.
The Talon Grandmaster		The Talon Grandmaster is the first and leader among the Talons of the Royal Court. They effectively act as one of the final lines of defense and as the indisputable commander of the shadowy organization that are the hidden enforcers of the Monarch's will, and thus are privy to all of the Court's secrets. They are the executioner of the Royal Court, and their loyalty is considered absolute.
The Crown Magus		The Crown Magus is the personal archmagus of the Monarch. They are entrusted with all ethereal manners pertaining to the Throne, including forming wards and barriers to protect the Royal Family, and are also charged with the most powerful means of sealing and unsealing ethereal records on behalf of the Crown. Notably, the Crown Magus will never hold the office as the Director of the Arcana Society simultaneously.
The Royal Physician		The Royal Physician is the medical professional who is in charge of the Monarch's health and well-being, as well as taking care of the Royal Family. They will also be the head of the Royal Physician's Office, and oversee the medical care of the Royal Court.

Secondary/Auxiliary Positions

Depending on the needs of the Crown and the needs of the Kingdom, a Monarch may choose to appoint additional persons to their retinue. This is an uncommon practice, and frowned upon after the infamous reign of King Edward, which was regarded as a disastrous reign due to the excessive number of retainers who abused their authority. Nevertheless, additional retainers may be appointed by the incumbent Monarch - either to handle specific offices (i.e.: the Church) or to head specific task forces or force projections in an area requiring special attention (the Forest of Dasev, the Eastern Vinesian Ocean, international operations or clandestine international exercises).

The most common secondary positions that are filled tend to be the following:

Title	Insignia	Purpose
The First Steward
The Duke of the Court		The Duke/Duchess of the Court is the highest ranking lord that may preside over the Royal Court of Mithambe. They are considered the most powerful member of the nobility while instated in such a position, though their authority stems from that granted by the Monarch, and can be revoked upon a moment's notice if the situation deems it.
The Crown Messenger		The Crown Messenger is the retainer entrusted to run messages and missives from the Crown to their specific destination - particularly when time or sensitivity are of the essence. They are thus granted the authority to access any door or window throughout Mithambe, and are often the most independent of the retainers, expected to be able to operate separately from the Royal Court for extended periods of time.

History

The 5th Court

King Edward Mitfield is credited with maintaining the most retainers during his reign as the 5th Monarch, at nearly 20 persons. Historical analysts suspect that the large number of people permitted direct access to him is one of the contributing factors to the decay of Mithambe during his time, as it offered a wider margin for subversive elements to influence the Monarch, without justification for the purpose of their commissioning. The resulting instability within the 5th Court would be addressed by his son and the 6th Monarch, Rupert.

The 5th Court's retainers were purged during the reign of King Rupert. Out of the 20 persons confirmed to be a member of King Edward's circle of retainers, only 6 were deemed innocent of treason, and allowed to walk free. The rest were executed by the newly formed Talons.

The 6th Court

The 6th Court is known for maintaining a spartan level of retainers, presumably to counter the risk of subversion by hostile elements at the highest echelons of power. The 6th Court would also see the instatement of the Talon Grandmaster, which replaced the Chaplain as one of the primary retainers.

The 8th Court

The 8th Court's retainers were all killed during the events of the Falkner Square Massacre.

The 9th Court

The 9th Court would see King Jacob reinstate the office of the Chaplain - one that was previously assumed to have been permanently struck off the record after the 6th Court and the Mithambian Civil War. In addition, King Jacob also raised a few personal knights on royal commissions - they do not possess formal titles aside from Crown Knights, but are still counted as part of the 9th Court's Retinue, based on justified commission.

The Primary Retainers of the 9th Court