The ruling family of Vandermane, its current patriarch is King Vandermane govern themselves, eschewing the oversight of nobility in favor of self-sufficiency.
While each province has a Sheriff and a relatively large militia, this is not to enforce the whims of the ruling class, but to settle disputes in day to day matters, and to protect citizens from the Undead.
Instead of micromanaging the affairs of the people of Vandermane, the King is typically seen as a diplomatic position; responsible for ensuring peace and prosperous trade between nations. Only in times of war does the King exercise full control of the kingdom, securing the borders and mobilizing troops, often fighting in the front lines himself.
Family motto: Et multi robore; "The strength of many."