Kings

[Mudpuppy]

I usually hold one "King" at the castle, but many Princes that control the various armies. Sometimes, a noble may lead an army (Black Knights, etc) but if they are of the Lion crest lineage I usually put a crowned fig at the head with a troupe of mounted knights to follow.

Supposing how far you go into the roleplay aspect, but a chieftain of a tribe may fill the "king" position depending on what kind of unit or community you are building.

[MaceyWindu]

I'd like to have one King per faction but I don't have enough crowns for that. I give my crowned Kings to my most royal factions (crusaders and Crownies). All my other factions are ruled by military tyrants.

[g2]

I have ONE king that rules the land. But there are various factions which inhabit his land. Each of these factions does have a ruler/boss/commander, but is not a king.

Occasionally there may be a faction uprising, which will try and knock the king off his throne and take control of the land, but the king's forces have so far being victorious, and the King has managed to keep his throne safe.

[KuvarBlodøks]

There's several different sorts of leaders and sub-leaders in my 'world'. My main faction has an elected king (elected by a wisened council, mostly decendents of clan founders) , with several yarls underneath him (elected by smaller versions of these councils). The noble classes are almost entirely made up of warriors, ex-warriors or adventurers. The king is the head of the army, and Kuvar often fights with his cavalry.

Their main opposing faction is ran by a Grand Premier, who is elected by a small group of merchants and other oligarchs. Premiers are the elected by an proportion that varies between the different city-states and provinces. The army is professional, and there is a strong division between state and military, politicians are often ex-military, but never serving members.

If you think that's confusing, you don't want to hear the rest.

[The Wolfpack Boss]

Another "depends on the faction" response.

While all my factions have "hero" characters who stand out amid all the background costumed extras, only a select few have a king.

Crown Knights have their King.
Lion Knights have King Leo.

And the King of the Royal Knights, I made young, and use him as the Prince of the Lion Knights - Royal Knights, Lion Knights and Crusaders are merged into one faction in my world, with the Royals being the "Prince's Guard", his own household knights, since he's in his own castle with his wife.

The Black Knights KIND of have a king ... he's a ghost. They're currently ruled by "The Black Knight" and "The Black Wizard" - his two advisors. The Black Monarch haunts the Wolfpack, because they are the ones his two top advisors hired to assassinate him, years ago.

And lastly I have a Viking king.

Of course, that doesn't stop other factions from having "king-like" leaders, even if they're not recognized as royalty by dogmatic bloodlines.

Several of them have varying warlords, gang leaders or sorcerers commanding them, who pay no heed to kings.

[princess_storm]

My world has one king (or queen, monarchs don't last long as I skip through time a lot), with the 'factions' mostly being noble families, headed by a lord or knight, who is ultimately answerable to the monarch. There are then a few factions (such as dragon-riders) who are not under the monarch's jurisdiction, and have their own leaders, chosen by a council or by brute force, depending on the tribe!