Noble Ranks and Improving Crests

Why Rankings and Crests Matters
Rankings are used by most countries in Atalan to determine the social status of nobility as well as a gauge to a noble's power. Most, if not all, nobles currently have a crest. Vassal nobility are usually one or two ranks lower then the main crest user. Ranks are determined by both the size of the crest and the lands they hold.

Noble Rank Pyramid
The ranks increases left to right, from bottom to top. ie. Esquire -> Patrician -> Knight -> Lord -> Baron -> Viscount.

Improving Crests
The most common way to attain a crest is to be given one by another noble with a powerful crest. Every time a noble gives a crest away, part of his own crest is parted to create the new crest.

The second most common way to attain a crest is by inheritance. Usually, this is given to the younger noble when the older noble is no longer capable of leading. In the event that the older noble dies naturally, the younger noble will still inherit the crest naturally if no one else claims the crest within the hour.

The third most common way to attain a crest is by the right of conquest or by might. A noble who forces another noble to surrender is obligated by law to ask, "Your crest, or your life." If a noble surrenders their crest, it is recorded and the noble is let free or allowed to live after giving their crest to the victor. If a noble refuses to surrender their crest, the victor may kill the noble to attain the crest that way.

The last common way to attain a crest is typically used by those who are not nobility. By absorbing chaos after slaying a strong chaos beast will usually release enough absorbable chaos to form a crest. This is also the most dangerous way, as a person may not be compatible with the new influx of chaos and may die afterwards.