Vassal Clans Revisited

An archival image of Hrasiyah Wi‘ (2549–3624 Aslan), former warlord of the Koihes clan, a vassal of the multiworld Boldway (Syhkikh) clan. The Koihes capital is on the agricultural world of Ahwyeu (Hlakhoi 1822, A8486B8-C). They have two vassal clans that owe them fealty in turn, the Iryoa and the Fiyliei. (Image courtesy of the Koihes Clan Information Service, 1105.)

In “Holdings and the Multiworld Clan” we created a weighed distribution of Multiworld Aslan clans, resulting in many more Multiworld clans with smaller Holdings scores and far fewer clans with larger Holdings scores. One knock-on effect was this change roughly doubled our estimated number of Multiworld clans in the Aslan Hierate from 75 to over 150.

Most Multiworld clans have additional worlds that are administered by Vassal clans—such worlds are held in fief on behalf of the Multiworld clans through subinfeudation. There are about a thousand such worlds in the Aslan Hierate; they can be identified by either Aslan Government Type M or the Allegiance Code AsVc.

We have previously estimated that the average Multiworld clan commands 2.5 direct Vassal clans that administer an average of 2 worlds each; these vassals command 2 indirect Vassal clans of their own that administer and average of 1.67 worlds each. This suggests that 76 Multiworld clans command 190 direct Vassal clans, that in turn command another 380 indirect Vassal clans.

The typical Multiworld clan thus has 7.5 Vassal clans, including both direct and indirect vassals. These basic assumptions are largely reflected in Clans of the Aslan. However, by doubling the number of Multiworld clans in the Hierate we then need to adjust one or more assumptions around Vassal clans. I think the easiest way to go is to reduce the number of vassals each clan controls, resulting in the following revised assumptions:

• The average Multiworld clan has 8.326 worlds under its direct control
• The average Multiworld clan has 3.75 Vassal clans
• The average Vassal clan administers 1.78 worlds
• The average Multiworld clan has 6.675 worlds administered by Vassal clans
• Vassal clans therefore administer a number of worlds equal to roughly 80% of the worlds directly controlled by their overlord clan.

These assumptions are illustrated in the following table, which breaks out Multiworld clans by their Holdings scores:

Multiworld Clans and Their Vassals

	Clan Holdings
	6	7	8	9	A	Total
Number of Clans	26	87	30	9	4	156
Worlds Controlled	66	479	346	212	190	1,293
Average Worlds per Clan	2.5	5.5	11.5	23.6	47.5	—
Vassal Worlds	53	383	277	170	152	1,035
Number of Vassals	30	215	156	96	85	582
Average Vassals per Clan	1.2	2.5	5.2	10.7	21.3	—

With these revised assumptions, the following table can be used to determine the number of Vassal clans owing allegiance to a Multiworld clan, based on the Holdings score of that Multiworld clan.

Number of Vassals

2D	Holdings
	6	7	8	9	A
2	D3-2	D3-2	D3-1	2D+1	2D+4
3	D3-2	D3-2	D3	2D+1	2D+6
4	D3-2	D3-1	D3+1	2D+1	2D+8
5	D3-1	D3	D3+2	2D+2	2D+11
6	D3-1	D3	2D-2	2D+3	3D+9
7	D3-1	D3+1	2D-2	2D+4	3D+11
8	D3-1	D3+1	2D-1	2D+4	3D+13
9	D3	D3+1	2D	2D+5	4D+11
10	D3	D3+2	2D	2D+6	4D+13
11	D3+1	D3+2	2D+1	2D+7	4D+15
12	D3+1	D3+2	2D+1	2D+8	4D+17

Roll to determine the total number of Vassal clans; divide by 3 and round up to determine number of direct vassals. The remainder will be indirect vassals that owe fealty to one or more of the direct vassals.

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