"You seem to grossly overestimate the power a ruler has over anyone."
Positions = More buttons.
More buttons, however, don't equal more power. The Prophet of Sangis Astrom, (however you spell it) has more power then most Rulers. Does the Prophet have more buttons? I never said "Rulers, do whatever you like because you can do it all yourself!" (I actually used the word 'Ruler' in a very general manner)
No, I said "Do what you want and no one, (context: speaking of the other, non-positioned nobles) will stop you." If your a Duke and want to get rid of a Ruler, there's ways to do that. None of them really involve button pushing. Rulers can get rid of Dukes. Again, not really from a "button mindset", but it can be done.
Hyperbole is (partly) what I intended in my earlier post. All good hyperbole has a basis in truth though.
Buttons don't give all power, but they do give power. You'd be surprised how much damage a few well-placed nobles could do to SA (or any other organization), if they were willing to accept the backlash, thanks to buttons.
You spoke as if rulers could just, alone, dictate whatever they will, and replace people at will. Most rulers come to power with the dukes already picked and not about to step down. And when dukeships free themselves, many of these are up to elections of some kind or another and not direct arbitrary appointment.
Ruler+council = powerful. But Ruler-council = impotent.
The ruler's main asset is that the position is a passive ally magnet.
