I would choose the peasant. Not only do I owe my life to him, but he was a respected member of his community and can temper the opinions of all my other advisers with that of the common folk, on who's produce my nation depends. It will give hope to the other peasants that their station in life is not set, and through good deeds and good works they may rise above and have better for their children.

Really?
Peasants

But it would really piss off the nobels! A commoner getting promoted above them?! Think of the upset that would cause.

You rely on your nobels for raising troops as well as for gold and other resources. Annoying them too much might be risky. Good PR with the commoners isn't so important.

Down with nobility. A peasant second raising troops and resources through loyalty and common cause trumps big wigs throwing around ill gotten money. Class division breeds schism and as a king you can not encourage nobles to exploit resources wastefully or attempt polical control over your soldiers/commanders with gold (this also leaves those you depend on prone to being bought out by undesirable parties with more money). The peasant represents the people with all their struggles and is less likely to turn on you than even nobility would be, encouraging that in your state may be essential to victory. You are the true king with a peasant second, not a noble on a mountain of gold. If there is to be internal strife it must be such that will lead towards eventual prolonged stability, any nobles objecting to their masters decision is to be snuffed out for the good of the nation. The peasant represents an idealogy and if that ideology spreads it will breed a loyal and hard fighting military / work force but the noble represents base greed and lust for power that undermines your throne. You can kill any of the other choices, they are just people... the peasant, however humble, is more than just a person (a loyal and dependable person at that) but the peasant is a movement.

Besides, if the peasant became your second in command he would in a way become nobility through merit not some divine right or through birth. Having a merit based system will encourage growth and better performance.

Modern times show that nobility is ultimately dispensable (even celebrity status is often fleeting) but that common man and his communal interests have a lasting impact.

I see exactly where you're coming from. I'm hoping the offset is my promotion of the loyal noble, displaying that I'm willing to be generous to that class, as well. Making that noble my second-in-command, though, might lead to jealousy amongst the rest of the nobility as no doubt said noble has their own friends and enemies and I don't need the added headache of worrying about that factionalism. In this case, they're all sore for a while but should eventually get over it.

Workers and kings of the world, unite!

Can I change my answer and pick the Ninja? And don't say you didn't see him there. You never see the ninja until it's too late.

You got it. I'd like to see how a mage, noble, spy, ranger, etc holds up against the medieval "blue collar" majority represented by the peasant fostered through loyality. Too bad this isn't a video game to put things to a test or I'd wipe those jokers off the floor with my peasant second in command. Nice, +1 for that response.

I would choose the noble. If you want to stay in power, you need to keep the people with wealth happy or control them in some way so they do not invest their wealth in overthrowing you. After you, the Tzar, the nobles would have the most power. In order to control them, I would implement a system modeled after the Tokugawa shogunate. The families of the nobles would have to live in the capital while the nobles would have to live in their hometown in alternating years. If a noble steps out of line, I have easy access to his family. Also, the constant moving back and forth with their servants, entourage, etc. is costly and will slowly drain their wealth. Soon, I will not only be the most powerful person of the land, but the wealthiest. Muhahahah!

In 13th century Europe?

The game has dragons. I don't think a visitor from Japan is a stretch. :D

I choose the Spy. As Niccolo Machiavelli said, “It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”

This too, will be my approach: Use the spy to develop a network of informants and moles, with another branch acting as a secret police. Knowledge is power, and if I fail at winning their love, fear will help me keep it.

Thanks +1
:D

Yes, peasants.

I love Mel Brooks but yours was funnier, and more political, and smarter.