The responsibilities of the Baron and Baroness are wide and varied. Most of them are covered in other questions. But the umbrella statement has to do with
fealty. The Baron is in fealty with the King, and the Baron is in fealty with the Barony. This structualizes most of the responsibilities.<p>
The concept of Fealty is very important to me. It drives how most of things operate in the SCA. Featly is not just blind service of a retainer to a lord. It goes both ways. In
the same way service is due, when asked, from the retainer to the lord, support is due from the lord to the retainer.<p>
You can deconstruct the example of the "naked newbie" above along these lines. In return for service, I take on the responsibility for clothing the retainer and integrating
them into the rest of the Barony.<p>
It is such contract of fealty that bind the Baron and Baroness to the people. (And to the King as well.) I cannot expect them to fight on my behalf unless I am willing to take
the field with them. I cannot expect them to help me when I need it unless I am willing to help them when they need it. As a retainer swearing fealty to a lord I usually have
one particular phrase in my oath "To serve as I am served". Living by my own rules I would feel it my responsibiliy, as Baron, to serve the people to the greatest extent
possible to fulfill my half of the fealty oath, and inspire their service in return.
