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Steward was a position of importance in a Hold. The steward worked side by side with the Lord Holder, helping him with his duties and responsibilities.
Role and Responsibilities[]
Stewards oversee many of the day to day operations of the Hold and make regular reports to the Lord Holder. Stewards are appointed by the Lord Holder and serve until they leave or the Lord Holder replaces them. Competent stewards are important to the running of a hold, as seen during Fax's reign, as incompetent Stewards resulted in the decline of the one prosperous Ruatha during the Eighth Interval.
One of the jobs of the Hold Steward was to return any items stolen from a guest by one of the local holders. Stewards also have the ability to discipline drudges or other hold workers, though this was more often done by the Headwoman. Stewards often deal with the minor holders that look to the larger holds, making note of needs and issues to bring to the Lord Holder's attention. A Lord Holder has the ability to leave a steward in charge while they attend public functions or other duties, except for those tasks specifically requiring a Lord Holder, such as dealing with lawbreakers.
Due to the hands on nature of the role, a Lord Holder's heir or other relative will sometimes serve as steward, allowing them to gain experience in running a hold while still being overseen. When a new Lord Holder needs to be chosen, bloodline members who serve as stewards can be leading choices.
History[]
Late in the First Interval, Gallian acted as steward for his father, Lord Jamson, who was elderly and often forgot orders he had given.
During the Eighth Interval, Lessa arranged for the demise of several stewards who were left in charge of Ruatha following the massacre of the Ruathan bloodline. She regretted the first one, as he had been an honest man. The following stewards became more and more incompetent until Ruatha was barely surviving. Near the end of the Interval, Meron, who served as Fax's steward of Nabol Hold, was chosen as Lord Holder following Fax's demise, as the original bloodline had largely been killed off.
In the Ninth Pass, the steward of Ruatha Hold was Brand. He worked with both Lord Warder Lytol and Lord Jaxom. Jaxom considered him a friend, and often left him in charge while dealing with AIVAS or flying Thread. Ciparis, a brother to Begamon, Lord of Nerat Hold, served as steward, and was chosen as Lord Holder following Begamon's exile.