5.51 Introduction

Available positions in the Bureaucracy are gained by promotion or by purchase. Positions for which a character is promoted on a successful roll are commissions; the character holds the position until promoted or purchases a new position at which time the characters loses all privileges and responsibilities associated with the position.

A position purchased by a character, however, is owned outright by the character like other property. If the character is promoted or purchases another position, the character may keep the position, continuing to gain the salary as long as the character devotes the time necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the office. If a character cannot meet the time requirements of the position, the character may sell the office for its amount of purchase on a roll of 7+ (+1 if the character is also a Banker or Investor) or the character may lease the office on a roll of 8 or better; a leased office remains the property of the character, but the character need not devote the time required by the office and receives no pay during the time the office is leased. A character may terminate a lease at the beginning of any year.

For purposes of venality, a Minor Official’s position is a purchaseable office on a roll of 7+. The value of a Minor Official’s position is 200 £.

For example, Antoine Le Verrier is a Bureaucrat for three years. At the end of three years he is automatically promoted to Minor Official. The roll for position indicates that he is offered a job as an Officer; he rolls again, rolling an eight, meaning the position is venal and may be purchased. He buys the position of Officer.

The following year he rolls a nine for opening, indicating a position is available as an Official of the Realm. He rolls an eleven for promotion, indicating that he’s received a commission, this time as a court secretary. Antoine has the option of keeping the office of Officer as well as accepting the commission as a court secretary; this would indicate an annual time commitment of twelve months each year, but Antoine is also a manager for the Black Cross which requires an additional commitment of of two months each year. Unable to meet all three commitments, Antoine first elects to lease the officer position; unfortunately he rolls a four and cannot lease the office this year. A roll to sell the office comes up ten, so Antoine sells the position of Officer, leaving him with his commission as court secretary and 200 £ cash.

At the gamemaster’s discretion, a purchased position may be required to be sold back to the crown for its face value.

The position of Intendant is always a commission; it may never be purchased.