Volume 1: «Preparation»
Chapter 5: «Power Structure (Part 2)»
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Surrounded by a green forest was a rather austere plot of land consisting of a three-story mansion, a wide oval lake, and a solid-sized training ground.
This was the residence of the Bach clan, where Aaron and his grandfather Bradomir lived, and the servants, consisting of the steward, Earl, the mistress, Ursula, and the cook, Jake.
At the edge of the training ground, after finishing a session of intense physical exertion, Aaron sat wearily. In the course of analyzing the knowledge he received from the other universe, as well as information about the future of the next twenty-five years, he came to a simple and, rather, obvious conclusion — he needs to get stronger...
Despite the differences of worlds, there are some immutable concepts... The strong always live better, and it doesn't matter whether it's because of personal power, or power based on power and wealth...
On Aarsorun, the very essence of life is not much different from that of the wilderness, and there are often violent battles between small, medium, and even great clans. Obviously, when war occurs between the great clans, their subordinates automatically join in... Often, if between, so to speak, the masters are not observed in serious offenses, then the main damage falls on them.
It's because the number of existing clans is initially limited by the rule of twelve, adopted in the first year of the existence of the Council of Great Clans. According to this rule, only twelve clans can exist at any one time.
Each great clan can have only twelve middle clans in its subordination. Middle, on the other hand, can also have a maximum of twelve smaller clans on their side. The number of vassals may be less, but by no means more than twelve.
Thus, by being recognized as a vassal of a great clan, the clan automatically becomes a middle clan, and receives the use, and partial possession, of one twelfth of the master's territory. Being subordinate to the middle clan, the small clan receives one-twelfth of the land that was granted to its master by the great clan.
More often than not, to become a vassal, you have to gain special merit and recognition from the clan you want to be on the side of. Recognition can be earned through personal strength, loyalty, exploits, and of course the benefits the middle or great clan will gain by accepting a new vassal.
This, in theory, is how the system established by the Council of Great Clans should work, but in practice it looks a little different...
Between the medium-sized clans, even those subordinate to the same lord, there are quite often conflicts and disputes over territories, resources, as well as talented people who can potentially enter the clan, twinning or becoming some kind of servants. Not everyone is useful and important enough to take the place of a vassal, the number of which is limited... Besides, for some clans, the rules are less important than personal gain.
When Aaron's grandfather, Bradomir Bach, was young, he was extremely valiant as a mercenary in various skirmishes between small and then middle clans. Therefore, he was often offered to join the clan, offering his daughters as wives, dreaming of getting the powerful demigod of lightning into his family. Especially one who would not participate in various kinds of intrigues and plots, but would simply be a faithful tool, faithfully following orders.
However, Bradomir, as a descendant of the common people, and an orphan who had achieved everything in life on his own, wanted to have his own family, so he married a simple girl with no powers of magic, only because his heart told him to do so.
Bradomir was not allowed into the clan, so the middle clan Moyser took him as a vassal for the vacated position.
The lands he received as the head of the small clan were not particularly good, they were poorly developed and populated, and he had only three large villages in subordination, with a total population of about a hundred thousand souls.
However, the head of the clan Moyzer was a humane and kind enough man, despised squabbles between his vassals, and therefore forbade redistribution of territories on his land. This rule allowed the Bach clan to exist in a fairly peaceful and measured life, not fighting every day, or engaging in behind-the-scenes warfare with conspiracies and treachery.
Bradomir, having become the head of the clan, did not gain enormous wealth overnight... Aside from a mansion in the city of Urich, the headquarters of the Moiser clan, and a small amount of money earned by looting defeated enemies, he had nothing else and existed on modest taxes compared to other clans.
The people under him lived more than comfortably... Bradomir was a lousy steward, but he didn't push hard or demand anything outrageous. Thanks to this approach, the people of the lands of the Bach clan respected him, and did not create him problems in return.
In general, everything is stable and calm, but there is one problem... The clan Moyser is a vassal of the Vis clan... A clan that will be wiped out in ten years...