Shadowbound
Incorrugible
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- Mar 4, 2007
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Thousands of years before feeble Jedi corrupted their name, there was a Sith Empire. The True Sith Empire, one founded on strength and blood sacrifice, by the True Sith, a species that understood the power of the Dark Side of the Force. Before the Republic it ruled dozens of worlds across the Stygian Caldera, united in fear of the ruling Sith Lords. This is their Golden Age.
In Golden Age, players take on the role of a Sith Lord in the ancient Sith Empire of the Star Wars (Legacy) Universe. The game begins soon after the death of Marka Ragnos, the ruler of the Sith Empire, and focuses on the struggle to succeed him as Dark Lord of the Sith. Fight across a dozen worlds, in space, with armies and the power of the force to claim a place in the legends of the Sith.
Golden Age is a character-driven game, which means the player explicitly controls a single Character (a Sith Lord), as in the popular incest simulator Crusader Kings. This character commands Legions, directs Fleets, and governs Planets, but whenever they are not personally present they delegate through other characters. These characters are part of your Pyramid, a feudal structure of Sith Lords personally loyal to you that forms your power base. Players can be part of another player’s Pyramid, but any empty slots will be filled with NPCs. Pyramids are identified by their head, so a player serving under Marka Ragnos would be Pyramid: Marka Ragnos.
Characters
Spoiler :
Character Stats
Name:
Pyramid:
Level:
Traits:
Name:
Pyramid:
Level:
Traits:
Each character has three simple stats. Name is self-evident, and is a unique personal identifier used to distinguish this character from others. Level is a representation of that character’s experience and competency, and improves their effectiveness and survivability. Level increases as they survive battles and achieve victories. Traits are unique features that distinguish them from another character of the same level. A character can select a new trait at every level, and can receive traits during the update to reflect actions taken therein. As a character gains level, they become overall more powerful and their traits become stronger. They can select the same trait multiple times.
Every character begins at level 0, and can gain levels either during character creation or from the update. In the update, they will gain levels chiefly from combat, leading armies or fleets into battle. They will also gain levels from stories, as they develop their powers over the dark side. Level progression will slow as a character becomes more powerful: a level 0 character will immediately level up, while a Level 5 character will require multiple updates.
- Duelist (character is less likely to be injured in single combat, more likely to win)
- Tactician (character is more effective leading troops)
- Battle Meditation (character can boost the effectiveness of all troops and allied characters on the same world, but cannot command troops or easily defend themselves while doing so)
- Alchemist (character is skilled at a Sith blend of Dark Side powers and technology, which among other things means they can recruit special auxiliaries and heal crippling wounds)
- Admiral (character is more effective leading fleets)
- Guerrilla (character is more effective leading troops when outnumbered or in extreme terrain)
- Infiltrator (character can avoid personal detection in battle more easily, making them harder to intercept)
- Charismatic (character improves the morale and loyalty of allied troops on the same world)
- Mentor (character increases the rate of levelling up for all allied lower level characters on the same world)
- Diplomat (Improved relationship with NPC Sith and Aliens)
- Pilot (skilled at flying ships)
- Administrator (25% bonus to income when governing a planet)
- Lucky (character is less likely to be injured, killed)
Legions
Spoiler :
Legion Stats
Name:
Pyramid:
Leader:
Composition:
Strength:
Experience:
Name:
Pyramid:
Leader:
Composition:
Strength:
Experience:
Legions are the armies of the Sith Empire, representing a standing force of troops that can be replenished and reinforced. Their Leader is the character currently in command of them, which will be a level 0 NPC if not otherwise specified. Their Composition is the make-up of the Legion itself, composed of Regulars, Officers, Auxiliaries, and Traits. Their Strength is the number of troops in the Legion, out of a base strength of 5,000. It can be reduced below this number, but it cannot be raised above it. Experience is an indicator of how effective it is as a fighting formation from, well, experience, and is on a scale of 0-20 (beginning at 0). Experience decreases over time and as a result of new recruits being added to reinforce a legion.
Legions cost $20 to recruit ($15 for conscripts). Strength is replenished at a cost of $1 for 500 troops (or 1000 droids). Legions require $5 a turn in upkeep.
Composition
Regulars:
Officers:
Auxiliaries:
Regulars are the rank-and-file of the legion, selected from one of four options. Conscripts, Warriors, Droids, and Mercenaries.
- Conscripts are alien or lesser Sith troops pressed into service from the local world the Legion is recruited on. They’re of questionable enthusiasm, but are most effective on similar worlds and gain a bonus Trait reflecting that.
- Warriors are members of the Sith Warrior Caste, raised from birth to serve the Sith Lords. They’re ferocious shock troopers and loyal to death, but take higher casualties.
- Droids are mechanical beings equipped with rudimentary artificial intelligence. They’re cheap and expendable, but dependent on their officers and not good at adapting quickly to changing circumstances.
- Mercenaries are recruited from an errant soldier class, Sith and non-Sith, that drifts from Sith Lord to Sith Lord, seeking the best opportunities to profit. They’re cunning and resourceful fighters, but value their own hides above anything else.
Officers are the commanding troops of the legion, selected from one of three options. Sith, Veterans and Warriors.
- Sith are minor Sith apprentices in service to the Pyramid, hoping to gain advancement on the battlefield and the recognition of their superiors. They excel at inflicting damage to the enemy, but aren’t concerned about their own losses.
- Veterans are old soldiers with decades of experience across the Empire. They’re quick-thinking and ruthless, but they didn’t survive this long by being willing to take risks.
- Warriors are members of the Sith warrior caste. They are fanatically loyal and will push their soldiers on to the point of exhaustion.
Traits are special formations and equipment attached to the main Legion, which provide additional capabilities.
- Assault Pods (less casualties landing on a planet)
- Sith Assassins (targets officers and leaders!)
- Techno-beasts (requires alchemy) (corrupted terror weapons that smash through enemy lines)
- Cyborgs (requires alchemy) (less likely to retreat or waver)
- Medical droids (reduces casualties)
- Honor Guards (protects leaders and characters)
- Pureblood (fights better against aliens)
- Technicians (more effective against droids)
- Marines (more effective in naval battles)
Fleets
Spoiler :
Ship Stats
Name:
Leader:
Class:
Modules:
Integrity:
Name:
Leader:
Class:
Modules:
Integrity:
Ships are space-faring warships capable of travelling from one world to another. They are defined by their leader, their class and their modules. Their integrity is a value of how much damage it has taken. Damage is repaired automatically when near a ship with a repair module or around a friendly world. Combat effectiveness decreases as integrity decreases. Multiple modules of the same type can be built in a ship.
There are three types of ships:
- Destroyers are large warships with lots of room for modules. They have 10 modules, cost $20, and can only be built on planets with shipyards. They require $4 a turn in upkeep.
- Frigates are smaller warships. They have 5 modules and cost $10. They require $2 a turn in upkeep.
- Parasite squadrons are groups of one or two man craft. They have 2 modules and cost $4. They require $1 a turn in upkeep.
There are several types of modules:
- Hyperdrives allow travel between different planets.
- Armor makes the ship more capable of sustaining damage.
- Repair modules allows a ship to repair a portion of damage it or other ships have taken.
- Torpedoes are short-range weapons designed to engage capital ships.
- Turbolasers are long-range, heavy laser cannons that cannot be equipped on Parasites.
- Laser Cannons are short-range weapons designed to engage smaller craft.
- Engines are additional engines that make a ship more maneuverable, allowing it to dictate the terms of combat and the distance of engagement.
- Hangars allow a parasite squadron to be carried internally, and repairs that squadron after battles.
- Boarding modules are a very short-range weapon that allows a ship to transport an onboard Legion into an enemy ship.
- Command modules improve the effectiveness of an onboard leader in coordinating a battle.
Legions do not require dedicated transport ships: they are assumed to either possess or be capable of requisitioning their own transports. However, they are hideously vulnerable if attacked in space without escorts. They can also be carried within warships.
Planets
Spoiler :
Planet Stats
Name:
Pyramid:
Value:
Terrain:
Traits:
Name:
Pyramid:
Value:
Terrain:
Traits:
Planets are worlds of the Sith Empire. They are ruled by the representatives of a given Pyramid. Their value is how much income they contribute to their Pyramid every turn. Their terrain is one of several terrain types that is dominant across the planet, and gives bonuses or penalties to troops on that planet. Their traits are unique features.
Every planet's value is set at the start. A world’s value can be reduced through conflict and instability, in which case some can be reclaimed through reconstruction. Economic growth requires a long period of peace and stability, which generally won’t happen within the confines of the game.
Terrain types
- Arctic
- Desert
- Forest/Jungle
- Mountainous
- Ocean
- Plains
- Volcanic
Traits:
- War-torn (Legions recruited here begin with 5 experience)
- Shipyards (Allows construction of destroyers)
- Extreme Terrain (Terrain penalties doubled)
- Force Nexus (Characters here gain levels faster)
The Empire
The Sith Empire is a collection of worlds ruled in a feudal structure through a single Dark Lord. At the beginning of the game there is no Dark Lord, and his recent death has the Sith fighting over his successor. The core of the empire was settled by the Ancient Sith under the semi-Legendary King Adas, and on his death it fragmented until the arrival of force-sensitive exiles from outside the Empire, who seized power over the Sith.
Sith society is structured by caste. At the top are the Sith Lords, who are force-sensitive and are a mix of pure Sith and human exiles. Below them is the Priest Caste, who serve as administrators. Then the Warrior Caste, who fight in armies. Then the Engineer Caste, who build and maintain technology. Last, the Slave Caste, who are low-ranking Sith and Aliens.
Travel within the Empire is accomplished through hyperspace lanes, along which nearly all ships must move.
The two most important worlds are the capital, Ziost, and the ancient homeworld of the Sith, Korriban, which contains the Valley of the Dark Lords. Control of these worlds will provide long-term benefits. They are not available to the players at the start of the game.
Aliens
“Aliens” technically refers to non-Sith, but in this context it refers to political structures outside the Sith Empire, ruled by non-Sith. These worlds are unplayable, but can be conquered. They are usually richer than Sith Worlds, but less militarized.
Conquest of alien worlds will be more involved than taking a world from another Sith Lord, and there will usually be significant pacification necessary. Alien worlds are strange and there may be hidden benefits or technology outside the normal Sith paradigm.
Players
How do you join? Express interest, whip up a quick Sith Lord. A set number of creation points are given to players to begin with to allow the creation of your starting character and some beginning forces. The best applications will be given the role of members of the Dark Council, the ruling body of the Sith, and additional creation points.
Starting characters begin at Level 1 with $100, Councilors begin with $200.
- Planet (worth $10/$20/$30): $20/$40/$60
- Legion: As Cost
- Fleets: As Cost
- Experience: $1 for 1 point
- Traits (for planets and legions): $5
- Extra Level ($10 for level 2, $10 for level 3, $20 for level 4, $30 for level 5, increasing according to the Fibonacci sequence)
Any unused points can be banked.
Death
On death, or when joining the game after it has begun, a player can either take over an existing NPC Sith Lord or receive a modified number of points to craft a new Lord from scratch. The number of points they receive will be determined by the mod, on the basis of the state of the game at the time.
Victory
When one player is unopposed Dark Lord of the Sith, and begins the construction of his own tomb on Korriban in the Valley of the Dark Lords.