Sovereignty & Subfactions
Many of a Faction’s Actions are delegated to Subfactions, which are Subordinate Factions. Each Subfaction is led by its own Leader, who is a Retainer of their Liege (the Leader of the master Subfaction). Factions with no master are Sovereign.
A Faction can be Subordinate to at most one Faction, and is also considered Subordinate to any Faction above their Liege if their Liege is not Sovereign (a Faction that is not Subordinate to any other Faction is Sovereign).
Example
An Earl whose direct Liege is a Count is also a Subordinate Subfaction to the Count’s Liege, the King of England. The Earl cannot have a second Liege — for who can serve two masters without loving one & despising the other?