Roll+of+Honour

=Roll of Honour=

The Roll of Honour is a fairly new, but already-cherished Brelish tradition. The first Roll was read by King Boranex, King Boranel's father, in 957 YK. The Roll consists of individual Brelish citizens who, through merit, heroism, singular achievement or longtime service to the Kingdom, are named Officers of the Brelish Crown (OBC) -- the lowest rank of the Brelish Nobility. Any non-noble Brelander -- from common soldiers and craftsmen to sculptors, retired bureaucrats and winners of the Race of Eight Winds -- can be named to the Roll of Honour; this form of social mobility reinforces the Kingdom's claim to being more egalitarian than other remnants of old Galifar.

The Roll is pronounced three times per year (on the first day of Eyre, Barrakas and Vult -- the 4th, 8th and 12 months) by the King of Breland (or the Regent if there is no King, as happened in 961 YK). Names may be submitted by any member of the Royal Family; the titular heads of Breland's noble families; the First Speaker of Parliament (the largely-ceremonial position that presides over meetings of the Chamber of Commons); or any member of Parliament's Chamber of Nobles. The King's Citadel is responsible for vetting those names to confirm the validity of the recommendation, and various ministries dedicate resources to checking family connections, criminal backgrounds and other details. On average, between 70 and 100 names are pronounced at each reading; this number was higher during peak periods of the Last War, when acts of heroism were numerous and officers were sorely needed to replace those fallen in battle.

Benefits and Responsibilities
An Officer of the Brelish Crown gains the title "Sir" or "Dam" and may use the acronym "OBC" in correspondence and formal announcements. They are also entitled to attend (but not vote in) sessions of the Chamber of Nobles. OBCs with a military background are granted a reserve commission in the Brelish Army (usually as a Leftenant) if they don't already have one. Unlike members of the Peerage (the 27 permanent noble families), an OBC's title does not pass on to his or her heirs. OBCs are not barred from election to the Chamber of Commons.

Informally, an OBC is expected to remain loyal to the Crown and true to Breland and its people. It is this expectation that causes most members of the Dragonmarked Houses to decline selection to the Roll, because of the potential for divided loyalties -- a notable exception occurring just after the disastrous Battle of Marguul Pass in 970 YK, when six members of House Medani quit to join the King's Citadel and were named OBCs. Many noble households in Breland and prominent local families (as in Sharn or Fith'Hagen) make a point of hiring OBCs to positions of authority such as Castellan, Headmaster, Major Domo, Sheriff and Tax Collector; or in the case of artists or craftsmen, subsidizing their work.