The Rulership Life - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

The Rulership Life

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
olddawg
Feb 09, 2007 17:31:33 In part of the legwork for Alpha/Norwold, I need to come up with problems/adventures for life as a dominion ruler.

Obviously the big ideas (War, famine, plague) need to be covered, but can anyone think of *specific* problems that can arise if you ran a dominion. For those who actually took their campaigns in a landed direction, what did you do to the characters and their realms?

And what goes on in court?

Thanks,

OldDawg
#2
zombiegleemax
Feb 09, 2007 17:38:33 What about adjusting "Cattle in march" from PC1, page 13-14?

The dominion ruler's cows are "kidnapped" by fairies. The dominion ruler is a PC (and not a Marquesa). And now the PC has a fairy king insaide his own boundairies! Will the 2 rulers battle each other? Or sholud them ally, against invaders...
#3
culture20
Feb 09, 2007 22:33:22 Create adventuring scenarios to tempt them when they should be holding court to handle political matters: "Your liege lord, the Count of Foosnarthy is visiting for the first time, and a dragon has been terrorizing the town of Hoooop within your barony. The Sheriff of Hoooop is a capable man, but Snykersnac, your magical two-handed sword, reminds you that this might be the dragon that slew your old friend Jug the Piket."

You can also have field lists, visits to other nobles' keeps (making them do all the work), tests of loyalty for vassals, legal court (depending on how th law is structured in the domain), murder mysteries, financing and organization of adventurers to bring widespread information about multiple related things (possible adventure hooks; speaking of which: ruler hookie [where did his Majesty disappear to this time?]).

Or... you could have a two-tier system; the ruling characters are semi-retired. Part of the game session is used for state business, and new characters (possibly financed by the rulers) are set on the path to adventure, possibly gathering clues to an ultimate adventure that only the retired rulers can complete!
#4
Traianus_Decius_Aureus
Feb 10, 2007 12:57:59 A ruler will always have a flurry of courtiers and people looking to curry favor around them. These can always turn into intrigues as people will try to position themselves to gain the favor with the ruler. They may try to discredit their rivals and former companions of the ruler, or create situations to gain credit for themselves. Our old campaign had one character gain a dominion in Norworld, but the others didn't. They stayed at court and occassionally took care of official business for the ruler. The when the ruler treated them as he did when they adventured together in public, his court complained it was unbecoming he should treat them as equals, and grumblings could be heard in the halls about it. When he treated them as subjects, they complained and were bitter. The player eventually became very harried trying to keep court life, adventuring life, and friend life separate as is needed to keep everyone happy. As a side note, that ruler retired because the rulership game became too tiresome.
#5
zombiegleemax
Feb 12, 2007 8:04:32 There’s the issue of how the ruler deals with not just the nobles, but with the peasants as well. Are there different laws and punishments for nobles and peasants? Are the nobles able to ignore any laws? Do thee peasants feel they are being unfairly taxed? These could be exacerbated, notably in Norwold, by ruling classes being imposed from outside the dominion, so they are seen as foreigners. This could lead to groups of “popular” bandits (for example Robin Hood) harrying tax collectors, attacking patrols etc. Or full scale rebellion (Peasant’s Revolt of 1381).

Also, if there is a war, how is this paid for? By taxation, borrowing? Are peasants conscripted, and if so, who does the farming? What is the effect of having the youngest fittest men taken out of the gene pool?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 olddawg Feb 09, 2007 17:31:33	In part of the legwork for Alpha/Norwold, I need to come up with problems/adventures for life as a dominion ruler. Obviously the big ideas (War, famine, plague) need to be covered, but can anyone think of specific problems that can arise if you ran a dominion. For those who actually took their campaigns in a landed direction, what did you do to the characters and their realms? And what goes on in court? Thanks, OldDawg
#2 zombiegleemax Feb 09, 2007 17:38:33	What about adjusting "Cattle in march" from PC1, page 13-14? The dominion ruler's cows are "kidnapped" by fairies. The dominion ruler is a PC (and not a Marquesa). And now the PC has a fairy king insaide his own boundairies! Will the 2 rulers battle each other? Or sholud them ally, against invaders...
#3 culture20 Feb 09, 2007 22:33:22	Create adventuring scenarios to tempt them when they should be holding court to handle political matters: "Your liege lord, the Count of Foosnarthy is visiting for the first time, and a dragon has been terrorizing the town of Hoooop within your barony. The Sheriff of Hoooop is a capable man, but Snykersnac, your magical two-handed sword, reminds you that this might be the dragon that slew your old friend Jug the Piket." You can also have field lists, visits to other nobles' keeps (making them do all the work), tests of loyalty for vassals, legal court (depending on how th law is structured in the domain), murder mysteries, financing and organization of adventurers to bring widespread information about multiple related things (possible adventure hooks; speaking of which: ruler hookie [where did his Majesty disappear to this time?]). Or... you could have a two-tier system; the ruling characters are semi-retired. Part of the game session is used for state business, and new characters (possibly financed by the rulers) are set on the path to adventure, possibly gathering clues to an ultimate adventure that only the retired rulers can complete!
#4 Traianus_Decius_Aureus Feb 10, 2007 12:57:59	A ruler will always have a flurry of courtiers and people looking to curry favor around them. These can always turn into intrigues as people will try to position themselves to gain the favor with the ruler. They may try to discredit their rivals and former companions of the ruler, or create situations to gain credit for themselves. Our old campaign had one character gain a dominion in Norworld, but the others didn't. They stayed at court and occassionally took care of official business for the ruler. The when the ruler treated them as he did when they adventured together in public, his court complained it was unbecoming he should treat them as equals, and grumblings could be heard in the halls about it. When he treated them as subjects, they complained and were bitter. The player eventually became very harried trying to keep court life, adventuring life, and friend life separate as is needed to keep everyone happy. As a side note, that ruler retired because the rulership game became too tiresome.
#5 zombiegleemax Feb 12, 2007 8:04:32	There’s the issue of how the ruler deals with not just the nobles, but with the peasants as well. Are there different laws and punishments for nobles and peasants? Are the nobles able to ignore any laws? Do thee peasants feel they are being unfairly taxed? These could be exacerbated, notably in Norwold, by ruling classes being imposed from outside the dominion, so they are seen as foreigners. This could lead to groups of “popular” bandits (for example Robin Hood) harrying tax collectors, attacking patrols etc. Or full scale rebellion (Peasant’s Revolt of 1381). Also, if there is a war, how is this paid for? By taxation, borrowing? Are peasants conscripted, and if so, who does the farming? What is the effect of having the youngest fittest men taken out of the gene pool?