Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, all. Against my better judgment, I'm contemplating running another game. Tentative ruleset is as follows; please leave comments.
The main idea I had going into this was "something like R2R, but with a little more structure, and less chaos as a result of bad rolls."
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Generic intro about how the world’s been laid to waste. Tech level is roughly modern, but electromagnetic interference makes high-altitude flights impossible and thus, air travel for purposes civilian and military has dropped off a cliff.
Let’s get into the meat and potatoes. This is a game that features a large degree of chance, but the only penalty for failure usually is simply not getting what you wanted. You receive a consolation prize of being closer to your goal next turn in most cases, however.
As for the aesthetic… I’m not policing signups. Be whatever you want. You are bound by the same rules as everyone else, however, and even the silliest nation still needs to remain in the good graces of other powers.
Economics and Trade
Spoiler:
The basis of economic growth is your population; each unit of Population produces 1 EP per turn. Every turn, your population grows by the number of provinces you have. Your population naturally gravitates towards your cities, so you should protect cities at all costs.
The total EP of all player-owned provinces, population, infrastructure, and cities is reflected as “World Trade,” and is distributed to all the world’s civilizations based on their “share.” Depending on your level of infrastructure, trade research, wonders, and civilization points, your share will increase.
The equation for your share of world trade is Infrastructure Level + Cities ^ 2 + Trade Research Level ^ 2 + Wonders ^ 2 + CP; this is then compared to everyone else’s share and you get a total based on your proportion. So if your share is 100 and the total is 1000, you get 10% of all world trade income.
If your Navy is destroyed, an enemy fleet can place you under blockade, which will cut your trade revenue in half.
Every player receives a one-time 100 EP invested in their trade research for having a single port. If you start landlocked, you will be safe from naval blockades, but will lose an ability to boost your trade income early; you will receive the 100 EP when you successfully annex a coastal territory.
Investments and the Role of Chance
Spoiler:
You invest a certain amount in each project, and that controls the chance of getting it that turn. In the event of failure, the initial investment (referred to as the Base Investment) remains and grows each turn. The Base Investment is recorded on the spreadsheet.
So if you have something that costs 10 EP and invest 5 EP, if you do not get it the first turn, you will for sure get it the second, because 5 EP will be added to it. In the same situation, but the item costs 100 EP, on the second turn you will have 10 EP invested and thus a 10% chance of success; in the event of failure, next turn it will be 15 EP and 15%, and so on. You can add more to the initial investment to increase the rate of compounding, however.
For units that are in multiples, you must specify how many you are investing in, and how much; you must invest in whole numbers per unit (so if an item costs 5 EP per unit, you cannot start building 3 with 10 EP, but 9 or 12 EP). If you want to increase how many of said item are being built, you must invest equally with what’s already in the pool. So if you have 5 Armies being built and they’re all currently at 2 EP per unit, all additional Armies will cost that much. It is strategic to try to build units with a minimum investment (building 50 Armies with 1 EP each versus 10 armies with 5 EP each), and add to the investment later. In the event a multiple item successfully rolls, a proportionate amount will be subtracted from the base investment (so if you have 9 EP invested in 3 armies, and 1 army successfully rolls, you will receive an Army and your investment will drop to 6 EP in 2 armies).
Now. Onto some of the actual investments.
Military Spending
Spoiler:
Armies: 5 EP. Armies defend territory and conquer/occupy other provinces. You start with 10 free Armies. Armies cannot be used the turn they are built if purchased outright, but they can be used the turn they are created if created through a roll (in practice, this just means for both they can't be used until the next turn).
Navies: 10 EP. Navies blockade enemy ports and ferry troops. Navies that are ferrying troops have limited ability to defend themselves and can carry 2 army units per ship. You receive 5 free navies at the start if you have a port; you will receive 5 for free if you annex a coastal territory after the game has started, but cannot use it on the turn they are given to you (in other words, players who sign up with a port can use their five navies, while if you start landlocked and grab a coastal province on Turn 1, you cannot use the Navy’s in Turn 1’s orders). Navies cannot be used the turn they are built.
Spies: 10 EP. Spies are planted in enemy territory and funnel information from orders PMs each turn; they may also intercept information regarding the other countries’ intelligence network. Alternatively, they can search for and try to uproot enemy spies. Espionage or counterespionage each count as one action, and you are limited in how many total spy actions you can have each turn by your espionage research level.
The success rate of spies is dependent on how many of yours there are versus the target’s (e.g. if you have 1 spy and the enemy has 10, you have a 1/11 chance of success each turn). Each country begins the game with 10 spies. Spies may be relocated between countries, but there is a chance of them being exposed each time they relocate.
In the event your spies intercept the plans of one country, they also have a chance of intercepting any plans that same country intercepted, potentially giving you knowledge of what the whole world is up to. It is plausible to develop into an Illuminati situation where you are omniscient, if you nourish your intelligence network.
Note: You do not order spies to do anything other than set up shop in their starting country, or to relocate. They run in the background for you and will pass whatever they find onto you. You will receive reports if any are caught and killed, and whether or not the enemy discovered where they were from. This keeps things simple for both of us.
Economic Spending:
Spoiler:
You can spend 5 EP to increase your Infrastructure, which will increase your income by 1 EP. You can only build as much infrastructure as you have Population (though there is a way around this, more on that later). Infrastructure has a slight concentration towards your cities, so more reason to protect them from capture or destruction.
You can spend 25 EP to found a City, which will increase your income by 10 EP. You require 10 Population for each city, and start with one. If you capture a city, it will count against your ability to build your own, but you will collect half its income until a peace treaty is signed. You can only build one city at a time.
You can build a Wonder for 100 EP * (the number of wonders in your civilization + 1). So your first wonder is 100 EP, your second is 200 EP, and so on. A wonder can be anything you want and can be placed anywhere in your lands that you want, but there cannot be a wonder in a province that already has a city or another wonder. A wonder, upon being built, increases EP by 5 per turn, but also increases your share of the world’s trade income due to tourism. You can only build one wonder at a time.
Research Spending:
Spoiler:
Research takes the form of levels, with each level costing 50 EP * the level. Having levels over rivals gives advantages. Every civilization starts with Level 2 in each category, but you can choose one category to have Level 3 in at the start. Neutral territory has the world average for research, rounded, for the purposes of calculations.
Trade. When increased, your share of global trade income increases with it. Trade specialization is for countries interested in financial flexibility.
Engineering. Each level increases how much Infrastructure you can build by 5%, rounded up; every level after 2 reduces the cost of cities by by 1 EP (up to a maximum of 5), and the cost of wonders is decreased by 5 EP per level. Every engineering level increases your population growth rate by 1 per level. Recommended for those planning on building up their economic base.
Espionage. You have one espionage action per turn for each level of espionage. Espionage is not a conscious action; you simply assign your spies to posts as often as you like and they will funnel information to you (if in another country) or root out enemy spies (if in your country). You receive a bonus over enemy spies for higher levels as well, proportionate to how much higher you are. So a Level 3 Espionage country gets a +50% bonus to its chances against Level 2 countries. Countries eager to have a finger on the pulse of world affairs benefit from specializing in Espionage.
Tactics. Whoever has the higher tactics level in combat will have bad rolls redone for a chance at a better one (but it can be worse). In the event of a tied level, the one with the higher research investment gets the reroll. In the event of a tie even then, there is no reroll. Countries seeking rapid expansion or a solid deterrent against invaders benefit from specializing in Tactics.
Army. Increases combat performance against other armies proportionate to the level over the enemy. Recommended for countries seeking a strong land presence.
Navy. Ditto, but with navies. Recommended for countries interested in controlling trade and power projection.
Mobility. A catch-all for the hardware and effectiveness of your land forces in deploying. For each level of mobility, you can move one space per turn. Recommended for those favoring rapid expansion and conclusion to warfare.
Movement and Combat
Spoiler:
Numbers are the primary determinant of victory, but technology can even the odds. The Tactics technology in particular is lethal because it allows the civilization with superior technology a shot at a better role in the event it loses; the reroll is automatic.
Casualties are determined based on how “good” the role was for that side. If A and B have a 50% chance of victory each on a roll from 1 to 100, and the roll is a 1, B is suffering a catastrophic defeat. If the roll is only 49, A just barely wins, and will likely have a Pyrrhic victory. Your odds in a roll, your “battle score,” is simply your number of units multiplied by your military level.
Generally, enemy forces are captured rather than killed, making them bargaining chips in the peace process.
Land units are shown on the map and can move a number of provinces proportional to your Mobility research; if land units board a navy, they can land anywhere in the same turn, but cannot move beyond their landing zone (they also suffer a penalty landing amphibiously).
When all enemy land units in a province are wiped out, that province becomes occupied. In the case of a neutral province, it is immediately annexed to your Empire upon the defeat of its forces.
Standard modifiers for battle score:
Being on the defense boosts a defender’s score by 10%.
A city in a province boosts the defender’s score by 25% per city.
Being attacked amphibiously boosts a defender’s score by 20%.
If one side has naval supremacy around a battle zone (that is, the other fleet has been destroyed or retreated for the turn), they can lend 20% to their side in all coastal zones.
Occupied Territory
Spoiler:
Occupied territory does not suffer a penalty to income, but each occupied Population unit requires 1 Army to garrison or you risk territory defecting back to its original owner.
Occupied territory becomes yours completely once peace is signed, provided you have no other outstanding conflicts with someone on your land border. In the event the original owner goes back to war with you, there is a chance of territory switching back to “occupied” status and requiring a new garrison, proportional to how much time has elapsed since the peace accord.
In short, while warmongering can be lucrative, do not step on too many toes, or you will never appreciate the fruits of others’ labor.
Civilization Points
Spoiler:
Civilization Points, or CP, primarily serve as a “score” that would be used to determine a theoretical winner. However, accumulating them boosts your trade income, and they are largely gained through participation. Civilization Points also have a function in your Hero units, discussed further down.
Earning CP:
Every player starts with 10, and earns 1 each turn of play.
You earn 1 CP for submitting orders.
You can earn 1 CP per turn by making a roleplay post. This is limited to one post per turn; any additional posts carry no benefits.
You can earn 1 CP per turn by making a diplomacy post. This is limited to one post per turn; any additional posts carry no benefits.
CP can be taken as a condition for peace in war. However, they will not be added to your CP total until all outstanding conflicts (regardless of whether they are overland or oversea) are resolved. In other words: if your plan is to just warmonger to victory, all other players have to do is keep someone at war with you at all times.
Building wonders grants 5 CP multiplied by the number of that wonder in your civilization; e.g. your first wonder yields 5 CP, while your tenth wonder yields 50 CP. Wonders are the primary way to rapidly ramp up CP.
Capturing a wonder in a peace accord grants a flat 5 CP per wonder. It’s impressive, but you didn’t build it.
CP is sometimes awarded for accomplishments in-game.
Hero Units
Spoiler:
This is where your ability to customize really flourishes. Every civilization begins with 3, and can eventually have a maximum of 10. Every turn, one-quarter of players will receive an additional Hero unit at random, with better odds for players who have higher CP scores.
Your hero units are those who are clearly far above average. Whether physical or mental prowess or something else entirely, they stand above the crowd. In many cases they could be seen as superhuman. Or perhaps… not human at all. As an extension of this, they can simply stay put and work relatively normal lives, or do tasks like combat and espionage.
Hero units grow with your civilization, becoming more powerful as you accumulate CP.
At the start, you customize your Hero units. Your first Hero has 100 points to spend, your second 90, your third 80, and your last two 70. Every turn, you receive points equivalent to your CP to spend across all your heroes.
Strength: Self-explanatory. For every 25 points, they are capable of taking on 1 Army all by themselves.
Durability: Resistance to damage. Determines how injury affects their health.
Intelligence: How smart your character is. They can use non-physical weapons more efficiently and have better odds doing espionage. It also controls influences whether or not they are visible on the map; a meathead type who goes and kills 5 enemy armies, for example, will be a sitting duck for retaliation.
Health: If this runs out, they die and are removed from your pool. It will gradually recover over time depending on circumstances (e.g. they will recover much faster in friendly territory than behind enemy lines).
Diligence: How many actions they can perform a turn. For every 25 points, they can do one extra.
As your characters complete actions, they will accumulate skills that affect their future rolls. I will try to assign basic skills based on the character bios you give. A basic skill all Hero units have is boosting your research levels; a Tony Stark type would boost your engineering progress each turn, while a martial artists would enhance your military research. An arms dealer would help you acquire units more cheaply, and so on.
Hero units’ stats are less important engaging with regular units, but became crucial when they engage with each other. Your Superman will be brought to his knees if the enemy figured out to bring Kryptonite. If it wasn’t obvious enough: you can send them after each other. It will obviously be much easier if you have an information network in place that lets you know where they are (in other words, do not neglect espionage, as it provides you the means to assassinate enemy Heroes and easily kill off an enemy civilization).
The key thing about Hero unit actions is that unlike most random things in the game, there are chances of failure with penalties. While your failed military investment may not bear fruit for a turn, your Lex Luthor is capable of building a Kryptonite superweapon… and receiving Kryptonite poisoning that will kill him in 5 turns if you don’t find a cure.
Final words:
With risk comes reward. Partial investments are the primary feature of this game, as they allow you to quickly build up any category. If you want to play conservatively and buy things outright like in most IOTs, that is perfectly fine as well. Tailor your playstyle to however little or much risk is preferable to you.
For those intimidated by the cost modifiers, worry not: the costs of nearly everything are recorded on the spreadsheet, and coded to adjust as things become cheaper or more expensive for you.
Very little is blackboxed, as well, so mathcraft how you will. Just know even the best mathematician is beholden to the cruel beast that is chance.
So besides light work on Capitro, which I've put on the backburner, I'm also working on another game idea inspired by a discussion I had with AA a week or so ago on the Discord.
Players are characters who, forever reason, have been exiled from the political core of the Hegemony, a powerful empire on an ocean world that seemingly stretches on forever. They've been tasked to work together to run a company in a virgin, semi-post apocalyptic dieselpunk archipelago, with a small frontier colonial island as a base of operations.
One of features I'm working on, lifted from SWN, is shipbuilding. If you (or the company) has the money, they can have the shipyard build them a ship to specification. The more a shipyard builds of a particular specific, the cheaper future ships like it will be.
Ship specification matters. A free merchant has a crew of only six people, but is dirt cheap and can be decked out to be a lightly-armed trade ship that can haul in mined and farmed resources from islands further out. This would give the ship just enough armor and weapons to buy itself time to get away from attacking pirates.
Beyond that is the patrol boat hull, the cheapest military-oriented ship, and one that will be somewhat common patrolling the waters around the island to deter pirates and interdict illicit shipping.
The scale would go up from there, but given the start it isn't likely we'll have battleships and carriers in the archipelago unless the players do something to bring the Hegemons in force.
Ships can be equipped with different types of weapons, armors, and fittings. The standard free merchant has plenty of cargo space for hauling, a teslar cannon for penetrating armor, and auto-flakcannons for dealing with lightly-armored ships and planes. The standard Port Authority patrol boats may be equipped with Edison DEWs to deal with pesky free merchants who refuse to comply with authorities.
Anyway, ships, so far as players actually build and use them, are built for a purpose, whether that be trading with petty kingdoms or toppling them.
The short answer is, make it the sort of game you actually want to run.
The longer answer is: Run with a ruleset you're comfortable with. I've seen newbie GMs bite off more than they can chew to meet what they think people expect, with the result that they get overwhelmed and the game dies anyway.
Beyond that, it depends whether you want it to play more as a rigid boardgame ('hard' stats, concrete win/loss parameters, usually an impetus toward competitive play) or a more free-form worldbuild ('soft' stats and greater GM fiat in how everything actually resolves). We've seen all sorts, and while certain players are more inclined to particular styles, as long as the game has a confident presentation you should find some takers.
My personal rule of thumb is to always leave yourself some leeway to throw a lifeline to struggling players. It depends on the game's overall design, of course, but as long as a player remains invested and hasn't done anything completely irreparable, one should always have a fighting chance. City-states shouldn't be doomed from the outset just because they're city-states, et cetera.
Also, never ever EVER let NPCs run roughshod over player agency.
Also, when you get a draft ruleset up, post it here or on Discord and people can give you more specific advice. I'd like to help you with the big picture stuff but then, well, it wouldn't really be your idea would it?
The New and Improved rule set for a second part to the Quest for Supremacy series, for those of you who weren't involved in the first one it is a game set in a primary school, or rather the imaginations of those at the primary school. Within that imaginary space anything is possible and wars are fought and won over playground disputes.
There is also an implication of the supernatural outside of the imaginary space but most children are oblivious to this at their age.
The idea is that the game will have updates every other day. Orders consist of three sentences and so should take no time at all. There are 2 turns for each day and the game takes place over 5 days leading up to the class election. With 3 days for sign ups this should probably mean the game takes 23 days at minimum, maybe more depending on scheduling.
Given this is a simple game, should take under a month of complete, has a clear goal and endpoint and orders take as little as a minute of time I'm pretty hopeful for how it will go. Major changes from the previous game are most evident in the grassing section as that was the only real issue people expressed about the previous game.
Any thought and suggestions are most welcome.
Spoiler:
Imperium OffTopicum: The Quest for Supremacy Pt. 2
Welcome friends once again to The Quest for Supremacy. Where you will fight it out across the playground for dominance of of the class 6H. In this game you take on the roll of a Year 6 (5h Grade in USA) student at a Primary school during the week leading up to the election of the Class representative. You can use guile, politics and all out playground warfare to make sure that your name gets the most slips of paper when it comes to the elections.
Good luck.
Sign ups
In this game players take on the roles of Year 6 students of the 6H class. Players who were in the previous Quest for Supremacy Game may use their character from that or are welcome to make a new one. Player who were not in the previous game can also feel free to choose an NPC from the previous game or create a totally new student!
Player characters are 10-11 year old. To sign up simply fill in the following form. For the stats you can distribute 12 points between the 4 categories, stats may not go above 10 (returning characters from the previous game may increase one stat by 2).
Be sure to also mention whether you are intending to run for the Class Representative position.
Rules
6H is a class of 32 students. When the election comes each person will get to vote and whoever has the most of those 32 votes will become the class representative. This action must be posted in the thread. Multiple people can try and work on the same student to try and convert them to their cause. If it comes to a fight the content of the persuasion as well as oration skill will be taken into account.
Each turn represents either a morning break or Lunchtime when the students get out onto the playground. Here they live out fantasy battles filled with heroism and intrigue each player can perform 3 actions.
A list will be given of actions that can be undertaken, but don't consider this list to be limiting, you can always make up your own schemes to try and swing the balance in your favour.
I operate on a degrees of success scheme for most rolls. Where each multiple of 5 over 5 that your roll is is a degree of success. Degrees of success can mean either points of bonus an item or title gives or how successful a custom action is. In a couple of actions is works in multiples of 10 rather than 5. In general it should be clear what I mean from the results posted in the updates.
Spoiler:
Recruit a Student
Based predominately on your Oration skill of the player doing the action against the devotion of the NPC being acted upon toward their chosen leader. Success means that the devotion of the NPC will be drastically reduced and potentially flip to your cause.
Spoiler:
If only 1 cause is attempting to recruit the student:
That student gains/loses 1d5*([oration]+[bonuses]) dedication in the direction of the cause that attempted to recruit it
at 10 they will vote for you in the election, at 25 they become part of your cause
If 2 causes are attempting to recruit the student
The roll is ([oration]+[bonuses]+[convincing rhetoric 0-3]) whoever wins the roll then proceeds as if only 1 person were attempting to recruit the student
Characters with 0 oration can not attempt to recruit as they are too shy or too abominable to be around.
Group speeches can be made that move 1d8 people by the value of your oration skill.
Spoiler:
Jenny is attempting to recruit Helen and so is Nathan
2+1=3
Oration+bonus from sporty
2+1=3
3vs3 rng gives value 4 Nathan wins
1d5*(2+1) rng gives 4
Dedication of Jenny changes be 12 to Nathan's cause
Build up the Arsenal
Based on a character's creativity skill this represents the student dreaming up new ways and weapons that could be used against the enemy in playground combat. This will allow your cause to field more advanced weapons giving a bonus to combat.
Each armament is created with 1 action and can arm 1 person. 1 person can only have 1 armament.
Spoiler:
To create an item a roll of 1d8*[creativity] is made. If the vale is 0-5 no item is made each additional 5 increases the value of the item by 1
Thus characters with 0 creativity always fail.
Spoiler:
Jenny attempts to create a new item
1d8*[4] rng gives 5
a roll of 20 gives a level 3 item
3 coin flip determine ATT and DEF
Item is 3+ ATT and will be named The Death Stick of Despair
Grassing
Based on a player's guile skill this is the act of grassing up one of your classmates for something they may or may not have done. This could result in them being held in at break or even sent to the headmistresses office. This will reduce the number of actions they will be able to use in future turns. Grassing may only happen in the first 24 hours of a turn. Each time a guile action occurs the target is announced and any player can then use an action to decide to intervene on behalf of the victim. If it a crime that the victim did commit then only guile scores count, if it is a crime that was fabricated then both guile and oration can be used.
Spoiler:
A roll to grass someone up is 1d3*([Guile]+[Oration]+[bonuses]) if the allegations are true and 1d3*([Guile]+[bonuses]) otherwise. On 0-5 it results in failure. If it does not fail then it is declared in the thread that the target student has been called in to the teacher and what the given reason was.
If the attack was a fabrication then the target defends themselves with a 1d3*([Guile]+[Oration]+[bonuses]) and each additional player who spends an action to support the target adds [Guile]+[Oration]+[bonuses] to the target's role and each player who spends an action to support the attacker adds [Guile]+[bonuses].
If the claim is in fact true then the target defends themselves with 1d3*([Guile]+[bonuses]) and the target's supporters add [Guile]+[bonuses] and the attacker's supporters add [Guile]+[Oration]+[bonuses].
If the attacking score is greater than the defending score then the target loses 1 action next turn. If it is double the size of the target score then the target loses 2 actions.
Characters with 0 guile are totally transparent and so can not defend themselves from grassing or grass up other people. Additionally by being this oblivious to the idea of lying all other players take a -2 to supporting them in a counter grass if the allegations are true and +2 if they are false.
Spoiler:
Owen attempts to grass up Nathan by saying that Nathan brought Pokemon cards into school. Nathan did bring Pokemon cards into school so the allegations are true.
Owen: 5+2 guile+oration
1d3*7 rng gives 2
14 is success
Teacher calls Nathan after break for having Pokemon cards
Brian and Charlotte choose to spend an action supporting Nathan
Jenny spends an action corroborating the allegations
Brian: 3 guile
Charlotte: 4 guile
Jenny: 3+2 guile+oration
Nathan: 3 guile
1d3*3+7 rng gives 1
14+5 vs 10
Nathan loses 1 turn
Playground Combat
Based on the level of your arsenal, the number of students I your faction and the adventure skill of your chosen generals. Playground combat can be used to force your enemy to concede ground and victory will greatly increase the devotion of all your students and decrease the devotion of the losing students. In the end it will likely be an epic playground war that will determine the fate of 6H.
Spoiler:
Combat rolls have an attacker and a defender each roll attacker roll is [adventure]+[ATT bonus] and defender roll is [adventure]+[DEF bonus]
If an NPC loses a fight then their dedicating will be vastly decreased, if a PC loses a fight then some NPCs may have their dedication slightly decrease. The opposite effects are true if a PC wins a fight.
Characters with 0 adventure will always run from a fight, and thus suffer the effects of losing unless they specifically direct a NPC in their cause to fight protect them as one of their action.
Invent a Title
Relying on your imagination and oration skills along with epic deeds you have performed you can invent a cool sounding title for yourself and try to get it to catch on for other people. The more people that start using the title (NPCs and PCs) the more likely it will be to further catch on with the NPCs.
Alternatively you can start calling other people names, and if you have sufficient oration or other influence that name might catch on too! This can be used in a positive or negative way.
Spoiler:
Works the same way as creating a weapon but also uses the oration stat. however when creating a negative title you must also roll against your opponents oration skill using your own.
Spoiler:
Amy wants to create a negative title for Nathan
Amy: 2
Nathan: 2
2v2 rng gives 1 Amy wins
Amy rolls 1d8*(2+5) rng gives 6
42 gives a score of 3
3- to recruitment rolls
The title is "Horrific Goblin Lover"
Of course any other adventurous, imaginative, scheming or otherwise despicable plots will of course be allowed, just send me a PM and I'll make it happen. RP has often been described as the lifeblood of IOTs and this is no exception. This game will be made fun by crazy playground shenanigans rather than dry gameplay. I will try and facilitate that in the updates. If you're looking for inspirations my main inspirations for this game have been the flavour text for the Civ3 Playground Wars mod, the South Park episode about Game of Thrones/Black Friday, webcomic Sandra and Woo, and of course my own memories of doing battle alongside my own friends during primary school.
Once sign ups close I will fill the rest of the 32 students with the NPCs or orphaned PCs from the previous game.
Information About the School
Your school is a nice community primary school tucked away in a small English city.
There are daily assemblies in the main hall and each year group is split into two classes each one designated by the first letter of the teacher's name (6H is a year 6 class taught by Mrs Hatfield).
The school has a 15 minute break in the morning where everyone gets to go out onto the Playground and a 45 minute session at lunchtime after lunch has been consumed in the hall.
The school has a uniform of white polo shirt, trousers and sweatshirt with options for dresses and skirts.
Total War
At any point a character who has a cause with 6 or more people supporting it can declare total war on another cause with 6 or more total followers. These two will battle it out and all characters must take at least 1 action per turn as a combat action. Victory or defeat will result in large dedication changes once the peace has been settled.
NPC Actions
While player get 3 actions per turn NPCs only get 2, 1 of which will always be chosen at their liberty and the other can be dictated by the PCs leading the faction. If an NPC loses an action due to total war or grassing they always retain their free action rather than the player action.
I intend it as a direct continuation in terms of story, but with the exception of a couple of characters nothing of the previous year should matter too much and the premise is exactly the same - electing the class representative - so people shouldn't have to feel like they needed to play in the previous one.
I'm starting to draft this and I'm putting it here so I can fill it out and format it. Also here's twomaps.
A thousand years ago, the island nation of Sehir sunk beneath the waves. This cataclysm, the triumph of the sea over the philosopher-kings' sorcery, has defined western civilization.
The survivors fled to Sehir's colonies in Astoria. There they founded great cities that preserved civilization and learning.
Now, the west is torn by strife and uncertainty. Its growing prosperity brings predators, for power attracts power.
This new age begins as a child-king sits on the throne of its greatest kingdom. His rule is unsteady, as philosophers reject the divine right of kings, planning to construct a new order. And a great empire, fuelled by blood and magic, rises in the east.
This is the World of Men.
That Hideous Strength is a geopolitical strategy game set in a low fantasy world. Players take control of a fictional proto-national state in the equivalent of the Late Middle Ages. Beginning in "the West", the play area will gradually expand to represent the develop of stronger international ties and trade links. Conventional nations wield power alongside great empires ruled by living gods, merchants barter with sorcerers over the exact value of life and death.
Polities have a number of stats, shown below. Some unique polities may have different statistics.
Stats
Name/Player
Cultures
Economy
Factions
Military
Heroes
Technology
Background
Cultures
Cultures represent broad blocs of language and tradition that form the component peoples of various nations. Most nations, especially larger ones, are composed of multiple cultures. Usually one culture is dominant as the majority or ruling class: the player must balance the interests of different groups in their nations to maintain stability.
Cultures are important for military recruitment: different groups provide different types of troops to the national military. Multicultural empires are able to draw on a wide variety of troops to present a balanced force, while more homogeneous nations can recruit mercenaries from neighboring cultures.
Spoiler:
Astorian - The inhabitants of surviving Sehiran colonies, Astorians are a sophisticated urban culture along the coasts of the Aral Sea. Astorian troops are primarily urban infantry and crossbowmen, while wealthier Astorians field themselves as cavalry, though they lack Acquilivian martial traditions.
Acquilivian - A proud culture "civilized" by Sehiran influence, the Acquilivians have built shining kingdoms across the west, pushing back less martial cultures as they did so. The Acquilivians have a long tradition of horsemanship and field heavy cavalry as the mainstay of their armies, backed up by lightly armored infantry.
Rossan - Fiercely independent people in the south, geography and stubbornness have allowed the Rossa to resist encroachment by more civilized nations. Rossan troops are tightly-knit clan-based infantry, fighting with pikes and bows.
Ringan - An adventurous, domineering people from the north, the Ringan have transitioned from raiders and pirates into colonists and merchants, establishing kingdoms across the north. Ringan troops are primarily maritime infantry, fighting in disciplined shieldwalls.
Veranese - An exotic eastern civilization across the mountains, the Veranese are a spiritual culture with a pedigree as old as Sehir. The heavy hitters of Veranese armies are heavy infantry armed with spears and maces, backed up by peasant levies.
Petrean - A northern culture on the backfoot, the Petreans are organizing into strong kingdoms to resist southern encroachment. Petrean troops are lightly armored horsemen and skirmishers.
Cadian - A barbarian eastern culture, Cadians are known as Wyvern-riders and savages and their main interaction with the West is as highly valued, and feared, mercenaries. Cadians are famous for their wyvern-mounted warriors, but the average Cadian fights on foot with a great shield and an axe or mace.
Trasque - An insular and defensive people, the Trasque have been pushed by a millennium of warfare into their mountain strongholds, many of which are older than recorded history. Trasque fight on foot with ancestral armor in disciplined spear formations.
Sabean - An aggressive eastern culture, the Sabeans are fire-worshipping fanatics. They rely on light skirmishing cavalry backed up with armored heavy horse.
Middes - A distant culture in the far east known only through traders selling woodworking of immense quality. Middestan mercenaries, when encountered, are singularly skilled if undisciplined swordsmen.
Pekkan - A distant eastern culture known for assertive women and meek men. Pekkan warriors, male or female, are equally skilled in bow and spear.
Assaban - A powerful culture from the far west, known through Astorian traders. The Assaban rely on lightly armored warrior monks, trained from birth in the use of swords, spears, and bows, supplemented with peasant levies.
Kern - A far western culture, hill tribesmen with a long oral tradition of heroes and vendettas. Kernsmen are famous archers, with bows as tall as a man that they train their whole lives to use.
The game begins in "the West" a group of cultures that includes the Astorians, the Acquilivians, and the Rossa. The Ringans and Petreans are gradually absorbing more and more elements of its philosophical traditions. The West is sometimes known as Astoria, for the Sehiran colonies along its coast.
Outside "the West", there is the east, known as Xion, and the Far West, known as Keria. Xion is approximately the size of the West, while Keria is far larger. Contact with Keria is tentative due to unnaturally powerful storms in the center of sea, where the island nation of Sehir once was.
Economy
Economy is divided into three types of income. Less sophisticated income can be converted to more basic forms at a 1:1 ratio, but basic income can't be upgraded to more advanced income.
Economic Points are the most basic type of income, and broadly represent agricultural and human resources. They represent the bulk of most players spending and are very stable, growing slowly and being difficult to damage.
Manufacturing Points represent skilled crafting and manufacturing, typically found in urban centers. They're used to recruit more advanced units and complete more advanced projects.
Advanced Points represent trade and culture. They're the most fickle form of income, easily disrupted by war or disaster as commercial routes change and intellectuals flee to greener pastures. They can be used to bid on technologies and recruit heroes.
Factions
Each polity is made up of a number of factions, who are organized subnational groups. Factions represent diverging interests and making one group happy usually involves making another unhappy.
Factions have the following stats: Faction Name (Strength/Confidence) Issues
Strength is the relative influence of the faction in the politics, economy, or military of your nation.
Confidence is its relative support of a faction, on a scale of 1-5, with 3 representing contentment.
Issues are reasons for the faction's support, or opposition, to your rule.
If the strength of the factions opposed to your rule (2 or less) becomes greater than that of factions supporting you (4+) it's a sign of imminent civil war.
Military, War, and Conquest
Military is defined by the way it is raised, not the type of troop. Troop types are linked to culture. When raising troops you can provide details on force composition, otherwise it will default to cultural norms.
Four types of soldiers are available at the game start, with some technologies unlocking more.
Levies are swiftly raised, cheaply maintained soldiers that form the bulk of your armies. They provide their own equipment. More martial cultures, especially in less civilized areas of the world, can expect higher quality levies. 1ep for 1000, maintenance 1ep
Retainers are professional soldiers maintained in times of peace as well as war. They provide security and protection for the nation's rulers and reinforce armies in times of conflict. Pound for pound they are not as good as levies: a premium is paid for quality. 2ep 2mp for 1000, maintenance 2ep
Mercenaries are professional soldiers that drift from nation to nation, selling their hard-won talents for gold. Mercenaries can be recruited from any nearby culture, not just those in your nation, and their loyalty is separate from that of your own troops. 1ep 1mp for 1000, maintenance 1ep 1mp
Siege Trains are groups of engineers and specialists trained in the construction and maintenance of weapons of war and fortification. They are able to erect defences, ford rivers, and demolish fortifications. 3mp 1ap to recruit, 2 mp to maintain.
Ships are ocean-going vessels able to carry troops and project power at sea. Each ship can carry roughly 100 soldiers.
Cogs are square-rigged ships in use across the known world. They are capable of traveling far distances and beyond coastal waters. 2ep 2mp for 10, maintenance 1ep 1mp
Galleys are simple yet reliable oar-driven craft, able to defend coastlines and transport troops across small lengths of water. 2ep 1 mp for 10, maintenance 1ep
Wars will be announced by the mod after orders are closed, if not already done so by the players, giving between 24-72 hours for surprised participants to adjust their spending to reflect. By default, nonessential projects and spending will be cancelled and spent on levies in response to an invasion.
War is highly destructive and costly for both the winner and loser. Income, especially more advanced forms, will drop during war due to raiding and pillaging. Players will be given cost estimates on how a portion of lost income can be recovered. Factions will see their strength and confidence fluctuate: winning will make them happy, but prolonged conflict will not.
The outcome of wars is defined by many factors: troops numbers and quality play a role, as does leadership and planning. Embedding heroes in your armies or deploying them in support of the war effort can have an outsized effect if used carefully, though this comes at the greatest possible risk to the hero themself. The disposition of supplies, terrain, availability of water influence morale and fighting quality. And above all luck, because fate is cruel and God is dead.
Quests, Technologies, and Heroes
Quests are special events in the update where players are encouraged to complete for a substantial reward. Unlike Ahigin's December World, Quests represent only a portion of actions take: they can be considered mod-given prompts to reflect aspects of the nation not readily apparent in the stats.
Technologies are a form of quest where the winner receives the technology and a substantial bonus. Technologies can be solved through a mix of hero action and spending. In some cases they will represent the development of a new technology, in others the spread of that technology into a new region of the world.
Heroes are powerful or skilled men in service to your nation. 1 AP maintains a hero, who acts as a special unit that's able to perform actions on their own. Heroes begin at rank 1 and gain ranks from experience until they die. Ranks increase effectiveness of each hero: a human hero in continuous use can expect to reach Rank 5 before dying from old age.
Captains are men of martial means, able to lead troops or expeditions into foreign lands and ensure security through arms at home.
Merchants are men of wealth and taste, skilled in the acquisition of gold and other valuable items. Their travels abroad also bring with them knowledge of foreign cultures, making them superb diplomats (and spies). At home they can serve as administrators, and in republican states as politicians.
Agents are men of subtlety: at home they are officials and magistrates, but abroad they are spies and infiltrators. They are the most flexible type of hero.
Sages are men of knowledge. They hold onto ancient lore and make new advances, both in science and in magic.
Some quests may allow the recruitment of unique types of hero, or heroes at a higher rank than 1.
Magic, Alien Races, and Philosophy
Magic is an inhuman and amoral force that humans are unable to directly manipulate without destroying their minds. Instead an intermediary is used: one of two classes of nonhuman creatures present in the world.
Elementals, also known as Jinn or Jotun are nature spirits who possess physical forms. They are (usually) aligned with one of the five elements: water, fire, air, wood, metal. Elementals are omnipresent, though the degree of their agency is highly variable.
Demons are a class of being who exist alongside the world but have no physical form. They were created at the beginning of time and are eternal, but this eternity and the stress of being an unchanging being in a constantly changing world has driven them insane. Western magicians must bind them with strict rules, often in specialy constructed items or statuary. Left to their own devices they will possess human bodies and sow chaos.
The Age of Heroes is long over and most monsters have been hunted down, but there are always rumors. There are dragons in the east. There are beastmen in the south. There are elves in the north, coming to eat your children. There are more dragons in the west. Always just beyond the edge of civilization.
"Western" philosophy is wary of magic and nonhumans. Its philosophical tradition rejects divinities and worship in favor of inward-focused contemplation, rational reasoning, and self-perfection as part of a cycle of reincarnation that ends in enlightenment.
Players, Orders, and Spending
Players, after selecting a nation, are expected to send orders using private messaging. Orders will be due a minimum of two weeks from the last update. Orders will not be processed until the deadline: the current format of CFC allows them to be freely edited. Late orders will be accepted, especially for critical nations or extenuating circumstances, but can be subjected to arbitrary penalties. No orders and no notice will be considered a withdrawal from the game. Minimalist orders are preferable to none.
Orders should be formatted into several discrete sections: Spending, Domestic, Military, and Diplomatic are the recommended examples. Other formats will be accepted as long as they are actionable. Example orders are presented below. Each turn is expected to be five years in length, though extreme circumstances may see that shortened. Some turns may be longer than five years in length: these turns will be clearly announced in advance.
Spoiler:
Stats
Angband/NPC
Cultures: Van with substantial Ringan, Petrean, and Lung minorities.
Economy: 18/1/2 (29/1/5 - 11/0/3)
Factions:
Spoiler:
High Court 4/4 - Political prominence, petty vendettas
Druids 2/5 - Indoctrination, privileges
Eastern Dreadlords 3/4 - Clashes with Sehir, threatened position
Southern Dreadlords 2/3 - Marginalization
Humans 4/1 - Oppression
Military: 4000 Retainers, 30 longships
Heroes: (Rank 6 Shade) (Rank 7 Seer) (Rank 6 Deathdealer)
Technology:
Background: In distant memory, the hideous strength of Angband arose in the north, a tower of ice that ruled a nation of demons who desired dominion over the ill-spawned race of man.
Spending
Convert 1ap to 1mp
2mp and 2 ep on 1000 retainers
1 ap recruiting a new hero
10 ep on Petrean resettlement
6 ep placating the Eastern Dreadlords
Military
Domestic
Diplomatic
Spending is arbitrary and does not go perfectly match to physical values. Rough approximations of domestic spending are given below. Note that the exact mixture of ep, mp, and ap would affect the final cost.
10 would pay for a significant regional project, either a major fortification or a military-usable bridge spanning a major river.
25% total income could accomplish a significant, though not revolutionary, government reform.
100 could accomplish a major wonder of the world, such as a line of fortifications large enough to be seen from space or a humanoid colossus straddling the entrance to a major port.
10% total income could placate an unruly faction or buy their support.
Mainland Nobility 3/3 - New Conquests, Marginalization
Merchants 2/5 - Trade, Westernization
Druids 3/2 - Anti-westernization, traditions
Military: 4000 Retainers, 30 cogs (maintenance: 9/3/0)
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Merchant)
Technology:
Background: The Kings of Bleden were successful pirates and reavers, plundering Astoria's coasts and bringing back much wealth that let them expand their power at home. They've subjugated the surrounding petty kings and claimed lands on the mainland as vassals. Now, civilization has begun to spread and there is more wealth to be gained from trade than plunder. Though, their northern cousins would say this has made them weak, Bleden is the center of the Ringan cultural sphere.
SpoilerVjalheim :
Vjalheim/Perma-NPC
Cultures: Ringan, with considerably less Western influence
Economy: 4/1/0 (7/1/1 - 3/0/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Nobility 5/3 - Political power
Druids 4/4 - Traditions, Anti-westernization
Merchants 1/1 - Marginalization, westernization
Military: 30 longships (maintenance 3/0/0)
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Captain)
Technology:
Background: The Vjals are the northernmost group of Ringa, only nominally united under a High King. They practice the old ways, they measure their wealth in iron and blood spilled. A dozen petty kings send out their own raiders towards Astoria, frustrating efforts to subjugate them or buy them off through their disunity.
SpoilerTonn :
Tonn/NPC
Cultures: Ringan ruling class assimilating into an Acquilivian majority.
Economy: 4/1/1 (11/2/2 - 7/1/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Ringan Nobility 2/4 - Political prominence, culture
Military: 3000 Retainers, 10 cogs
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 )
Technology:
Background: To ward off Ringan raids down the Minte, Araminia granted the lands at its mouth to a friendly Ringan warlord. Now a growing power in their own right, if technically vassals, the Tonnese are the door between the Ringan and Acquilivian cultures.
SpoilerKarolund :
Karolund/NPC
Cultures: Ringan with substantial Petrean presence outside the coasts
Economy: 5/0/0 (8/1/1 - 3/1/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Ringan Nobility 4/4 - Political Prominence
Petrean Tribes 4/1 - Independence, Oppression
Military: 1000 Retainers, 10 cogs
Heroes: ???
Technology:
Background: Ringan colonists are attempting to carve out a new kingdom in this harsh land, inspired by the success of their cousins. They've subjugated many of the Petrean tribes by taking advantage of their disunity and fragmentation, but it may take more than martial might to hold their new lands.
SpoilerSundlund :
Sundlund/NPC
Cultures: Ringan, with Astorian settlements in the south and an Acquilivian minority in the interior.
Economy: 4/1/1 (12/3/2 - 8/2/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Ringan Nobility - Political Prominence, New Lands
Merchants - Trade, Westernization
Acquilivian Nobility - Autonomy, Assimilation
Military: 3000 Retainers, 20 cogs
Heroes: ???
Technology:
Background: Harshest hit by Ringan raiders, Sundlund would be resettled by Ringans who told their kinsmen of this (relatively) rich and fertile land. They've carved out a considerable kingdom against their neighbors but now struggle to hold it.
SpoilerAraminia :
Araminia/NPC
Cultures: Acquilivian with a substantial Petrean minority
Economy: 8/2/1 (22/2/2 - 14/0/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Nobility 5/4 - Political prominence, privileges
Guilds 1/2 - Marginalization, lack of privileges
Petreans 2/1 - Oppression
Military: 7 thousand retainers
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Captain)
Technology:
Background: The rising power of the north, Araminia has lost lands to Ringan warlords but improved its position by conquering its smaller neighbors along the Minte. As the south slips into courtly intrigues Araminia is becoming the last bastion of traditional Acquilivian Chivalry: here the nobility still practice with the sword and lance and maintain their status through martial means.
SpoilerOmania :
Omania/NPC
Cultures: Acquilivian with a Petrean remnant
Economy: 5/3/0 (19/3/1 - 14/0/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Nobility 4/4 - Political Prominence, Privileges
Guilds 2/2 - Marginalization, Lack of Privileges
Petreans 1/1 - Oppression
Military: 7 thousand retainers
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Captain)
Technology:
Background: When Brennus the Great's empire divided, Ariovistus became the first king of Omania. Rather than involve his line in the Wars of the Eagles waging to the south, he continued to push his borders north, to dominate the Minte, and claim a kingdom as great as the united south. But his ambitions exceeded his descendants ability to maintain and they would lose many of their new territories to the marcher nobility that they established to govern it.
Military: 5 thousand retainers
Heroes: ???
Technology:
Background: Lundia carefully maintains its independence between the two greater Acquilivian kingdoms after breaking free from Omania 150 years ago.
Military: 3 thousand retainers
Heroes: ???
Technology:
Background: The chiefs of the Upper Yedr came together and, after four great contests of running, wrestling, riddling, and rock-throwing, elected a king from among themselves. As inhabitants of a harsh and uncivilized land at the edge of the world, where monsters still contest the dominion of man, the Yedreans are surrounded by threats on all sides.
SpoilerTentra :
Tentra/NPC
Cultures: Petrean with minor Veranese influences
Economy: 2/1/0 (8/1/1 - 6/0/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Southerners 3/4 - Political privileges
Northerners 2/2 - Marginalization
Shamans 2/3 - Traditions
Military: 3 thousand retainers
Heroes: ???
Technology:
Background: When Veran subjugated the tribes of the Dagonath to the south, refugees streamed north into the lands of the Lower Yedr. Along this cold shore they forgot their old clan bonds and forged new ones, and established a kingdom over the natives.
SpoilerGethalian League :
Gethalian League/NPC
Cultures: Astorian with a small Rossan influence
Economy: -4/6/6 (11/9/7 - 15/3/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Signora 4/4 - Decentralization
Quaranta 2/3 - Central authority, aggressive foreign policy
Agnello Family 2/3 - More privileges, personal wealth
Rossa Freeholders 1/2 - Marginalization
Military: 5 thousand retainers, 30 cogs, 20 galleys
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Merchant)
Technology:
Background: The wealthy Astorian cities were the only southern check on Brennus the Great, preventing him from establishing dominion over them (and by extension, the Rossa). Far from united, the Gethalians are loyal to themselves first, their city second, and the wider state almost never. Only foreign pressure has seen the current level of authority, a tentative compromise in the face of pressure from powerful rivals on all sides.
SpoilerBeluchi League :
Beluchi League/NPC
Cultures: Astorian, but with a substantial Acquilivian population outside the coasts
Economy: -4/4/5 (13/6/6 - 17/2/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Signora 3/3 - Decentralization, demilitarization
Quaranta 4/4 - Strong defence, central authority
Acquilivian Nobility 2/2 - Marginalization
Military: 7 thousand retainers, 20 cogs, 10 galleys
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Merchant)
Technology:
Background: Inspired by, and supported by, their southern kinsmen the Astorian cities of Peren made their bid for independence, first defeating the Perenese in the field and then buying recognition with badly needed gold. Unlike the Gethalians the Beluchi have been dominated by a succession of strongmen, leaders who rely on the mob and the army rather than the thalassocracy.
SpoilerPeren :
Peren/NPC
Cultures: Acquilivian, with Astorian settlements along the coast and Trasque influence in the east.
Economy: 3/5/3 (40/5/4 - 37/0/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Regent's Men 4/4 - Prominence
Queen's Men 3/2 - Marginalization
High Nobility 4/3 - Autonomy, privileges
Merchants 2/2 - Trade, lack of privileges
Military: 17 thousand retainers, 30 galleys
Heroes: ???
Technology:
Background: Brennus the Great's empire last only a generation. It was split between three of his grandchildren: to Canoda the west, Ariovistus the north, and Vellaunus the east. Peren would be forged by the so-called Wars of the Eagles, as Canoda and Vellaunus's lines battled for supremacy over the Acquilivian heartland, ending in the final unification of the region as Peren. The united kingdom would push its borders all the way to the Trakan, warding off a Cadian invasion in the process, but this unity would give way to a series of weak kings who oversaw the secession of the Beluchi League and the rise of powerful autonomous nobility. Canodus III would attempt to reverse the loss of central authority, succeeding with the assistance of his chief marshal Alvinus, but his triumphs have begun to evaporate after his death. Canodus IV is pulled between Alvinus, formally regent for the child king, and the Queen Mother, who has filled the court and royal offices with her kingsmen, and their infighting may prevent Peren from continuing its restoration.
Military: 3 thousand retainers
Heroes: ???
Technology:
Background: The Uralian princes boast to a proud tradition of dragonslayers, having driven wyverns and other more menacing beasts from the Ura during the age of heroes. This prestige and their own temporal power saw them elected over their peers to rule the Rossa heartland, under pressure from ambitious rivals on all sides.
Royal Household 2/5 - Privileges, central authority
Princely Family 3/4 - Privileges, blood ties
Freeholders 4/2 - Marginalization, autonomy
Merchants 3/4 - Trade, state support
Military: 8 thousand retainers, 30 galleys
Heroes: ???
Technology: Wyverns
Background: The Veranese Sage Ardash journeyed to the Fenn, after his exile by a villainous duke, and there among that sweltering river he took employment tutoring a petty prince's children. Through this education, or perhaps simply luck, these princes would expand to dominate the entirety of the Lower Fenn and much of the Keth Sea. The Fennian Empire is a complicated, multipolar entity as power is concentrated as much in the ruling family as in the King, his brother princes regarding him as first among equals.
Military: 3 thousand retainers, 10 galleys
Heroes: ???
Technology:
Background: Tynde was the furthest flung Astorian colony, a small outpost in a hostile uncivilized land. Never quite connected to the larger Gethalian league, it struggled to establish its own dominion over the Rossa but failed and was dominated in turn by a new princedom.
Military: 3 thousand retainers, 10 galleys
Heroes: ???
Technology:
Background: Galvan was originally a puppet creation of the Gethalians, who sponsored a would-be king to bribe or intimidate his neighbors into submission. Named for its eponymous first king, Galvan's princes have built a powerbase independent of their wealthy backers or the small landholders that dominate Rossa politics.
SpoilerVeranese Empire :
Veranese Empire/NPC
Cultures: Veranese, with substantial Petrean, Pekkan, Cadian, and Rossa minorities
Economy: 20/7/4 (62/11/6 - 42/4/2)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Imperial Court (3/5) - Political prominence, lucrative offices
Dukes (5/4) - New conquests, privileges
Military Tribunes (2/4) - Military victories, army support
Guilds (2/2) - Lack of privileges
Minorities (2/1) - Oppression
Military: 20 thousand retainers, 2 siege trains, 20 galleys
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Agent) ??? (Rank 2 Sage)
Technology: Rocketry, Wyverns
Background: The Veranese Empire, the New Empire, arose after it threw off Cadian conquerers three hundred years ago. With advanced siege weapons and disciplined armies it was able to repulse the Cadians and reclaim its old territories. But reclamation has turned to expansionism, and it's begun to subjugate its other neighbors. If it were to gain a foothold west of the Trakan Mountains, the West may follow.
SpoilerBaccan League :
Baccan League/NPC
Cultures: Astorian with Assaban influence and large Kern minorities
Economy: -1/1/2 (4/2/3 - 5/1/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Astorian Cities 4/4 - Survival, trade
Kernsmen 4/2 - Past Slights, plunder
Assaban 1/5 - Tribute, privileges
Military: 2 thousand retainers, 10 cogs
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Captain)
Technology:
Background: The Sehiran colonies along the southern Aral Sea struggled to survive and thrive against the Kernsmen tribes. First they banded together, but now they've begun to pay tribute to a foreign power that's subjugated them and the Kerns both: the Vakhtani. Nonetheless they maintain good relations with the Gethalians and serve an important link in the Aral Sea Trade.
SpoilerHigh Cadia :
High Cadia/NPC
Cultures: Cadian
Economy: 9/1/2 (11/1/3 - 2/0/1)
Factions:
Spoiler:
Haro Tribe 3/5 - Political prominence
Ideni Tribe 3/4 - Conquests, revenge against Veranese
Baldan Tribe 2/4 - Conquests, revenge against Fennians
Shamans 4/2 - Marginalization
Military:1 thousand retainers
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2)
Technology: Wyverns
Background: Five hundred years ago the Cadian tribes flowed north out of this mountain land on the back of their Wyverns, destroying Xion's existing polities. Now they've been united again.
Military:1 thousand retainers
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Sage)
Technology: Wyverns
Background: The last remnant of the Cadian kingdoms that dominated Veran, the Verl have been driven out of its rich river valleys by the renewed Veranese Empire.
Military Tribunes 3/4 - Reclamation of lost territory
Military: 2 thousand retainers
Heroes: ??? (Rank 2 Sage)
Technology:
Background: At the end of the Long Night, the Trasque emerged from their mountain holds and began reclaiming the world for men. Younger more vibrant cultures have forced them back to it. The Trasquans remember more than just the Age of Heroes: in their deepest holds they keep records and artefacts dating back to before modern civilization, such as it is.
Well these are 10 year olds so I do hope that their orders won't take too long!
More seriously though since most possible actions are predefined it each order can take a minimum of only a few words. Sure more information is fun for the GM to have and can be sued to ad flavour to the results but other than that there's no requirement for in depth orders.
The ship captain and senior customs agent talked breezily while the junior agent performed a routine check of the ship's cargo. Inbound cargo receives closer scrutiny, but outbound cargo like the spices loaded on the USS Tusk received a ritual. The junior agent would be required to report anything he found, so he didn't look very hard while his partner outside the ship caught up with an old friend. When the junior agent gives the cargo the all clear, the senior agent shakes the captain's hand and says, "Don't be a stranger!"
The USS Tusk departs. The senior agent splits some of the cash slid into his hand with the junior agent: 60/40. Call it the main perk of seniority. In a few weeks, the USS Tusk will dock with a space station. So much shipping passes through the starport that security is lax if the palm grease is sufficient. While the captain and the crew engage in extracurricular activities on the station, dockworkers will board the ship. A crate of spices bound for a New York distributor will be searched. Did those fools on Venus mess up, the inspector will wonder.
Ah. Here it is! He removes one of the vials hidden within the spices. White liquid with a faint otherworldly glow. He nods to one of his subordinates, who places a large bag of cash in the place of the vials.
The colonies will bring great prosperity to the people of Earth, but upon whom will the profits of these ventures fall? From the Venusian colonies to the citizen-miners of distant Galilean moons, humanity is engaged in a race against itself to discover who will dominate this burgeoning stellar trade.
It is the dawn of a new era for the human race. From one world to infinite worlds...
Post-cyberpunk, but pre-utopia.
Infinite Worlds is the dreaded Elon Musk Simulator I've had planned for a bit. Does the thought of owning a small farm in Nebraska excite you? Or maybe you want to dominate shipping between Earth and her moon? Infinite Worlds is a contest to control markets and strike a balance between risk and reward in a setting where failure can end with hostile takeover and success can mean becoming the de facto government of one of Earth's colonies.
33 Productive Industries to screw around and go bankrupt over: from mining basic ores to manufacturing next-generation armaments for the military
~12 Service Industry lines, ranging from retail and banking to freight shipping and mass media
Fend off competitors, rebellious shareholders, and the dreaded unions
Help settle new worlds! After all, you need workers and customers.
Compete for market share. Earth may be able to appreciate your 500 tons of iron ore a quarter, but can the hundreds of clonists on Luna absorb a thousand tons of off-brand Pepsi you and everybody else try to offload on them every year? Probably not!
(You can actual just run a small farm in Nebraska if you want)
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