Governors Guide: Managing Your Fiefs

Owning a town or castle is the dream of every Bannerman, but holding onto it requires management. This is where Governors come in. A good governor can turn a rebellious, starving town into a prosperous powerhouse. A bad one (or none at all) can lead to rebellion.

A skilled governor is worth their weight in gold.

Why Do You Need a Governor?

While you are away fighting wars, someone needs to manage the daily affairs of your settlement.

• Loyalty: The most critical stat. If Loyalty drops below 25, the town stops building. If it drops further, it rebels.

• Security: Keeps bandits away and boosts prosperity.

• Construction Speed: Builds walls and improvements faster.

• Tax: Increases your income.

Without a governor, loyalty drift can destroy your fief.

The Golden Rule: Culture Matching

The absolute most important factor in choosing a governor is Culture.

• Same Culture: +1 Loyalty/Day (Perk dependent usually, but neutral baseline).

• Different Culture: -3 Loyalty/Day.

If you conquer an Aserai town but put a Vlandian governor in charge, the people will hate them. The -3 Loyalty penalty is brutal and almost impossible to overcome with perks alone early on. Always match the governor's culture to the settlement.

Best Skills for Governors

When recruiting a companion or choosing a spouse for governance, look for these skills:

1. Steward (The Money Maker)

Stewardship is the primary governing skill.

• Perks: Increase tax income, reduce garrison wages, and boost food production.

• Key Perk: Logistician and Price of Loyalty.

2. Engineering (The Builder)

• Perks: Drastically increase construction speed of projects like Fairgrounds and Walls.

• Key Perk: Carpentry and Stonecutters.

3. Medicine (The Healer)

• Perks: Increase prosperity growth by keeping the population healthy and increasing birth rates.

• Key Perk: Physician of the People (+1 Loyalty/Day!).

4. Charm & Leadership

• Charm: Parade (Level 225) gives +5 Loyalty/Day when the governor is present. This is the ultimate anti-rebellion perk.

• Leadership: Heroic Leader gives Loyalty bonuses.

Best Governor Companions

Scout the taverns for these wanderers.

Look for Wanderers with these titles:

• The Spicevendor (Aserai): High Trade and Steward.

• The Engineer (Empire/Various): High Engineering.

• The Swift (Khuzait): Often has good Steward/Trade.

• The Falcon (Aserai): Good Tactics/Leadership.

Family as Governors

Don't forget your brother, sister, or spouse. Noble family members often have much higher starting stats than any companion you can hire. If you marry a high-tier noble from the local culture, they make the perfect governor for your conquests in that region.

For more details on managing settlements, see our Town Management guide.