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Making an Empire

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Jun 05, 2004 12:44:17 Has anyone used "Empire" produced by AEG (I think, I don't have it in front of me) in Dark Sun or any other setting.

It is heavily biased toward Medieval Europe like settings, so do you have any ideas to share about adapting the rules.

Or any other ideas that people would like to share about starting a small kingdom on Athas and the subtle aspects about it.

Thanks
#2
zombiegleemax
Jun 05, 2004 13:08:28
Originally posted by tlaloc
Or any other ideas that people would like to share about starting a small kingdom on Athas and the subtle aspects about it.

Thanks

Doing so would attract a lot of attention unless you're gaining control of an established tribe, merchant house, etc.; best have the might to defend your new kingdom from those who would like nothing better than to take it and it's bounty for their own.

As for taking over an established tribe, house, whatever, loyalty to the old will be an issue; the old members will probably not like the characters waltzing in one day and saying "We're in charge here now." Not unless they can buy them with money, which is not a reliable loyalty. If the characters were elected, inherited, or what-not into the tribe or whatever, that would be a different matter, although there might still be resentment in some quarters.

A good way to do this (particuarly in Athas), would be the characters begin working for a merchant house as caravan guards. Naturally, as they go up in levels the master/mistress of the house takes an interest in these out-standing guards, and perhaps promotes them to, say, personal guards. After a while, the characters begin to go on odd jobs for their boss, gaining more and more of their respect as the jobs are performed flawlessly (ahem). And maybe the head of this house has no heirs to pass it on to, so guess who he/she picks to inherit it?

Just a few ideas...
#3
zombiegleemax
Jun 05, 2004 14:53:39 I should have gone into more detail earlier. I'll try to explain more so that people have more to work with.

My players want/are going to build a small merchant house/slave tribe. They have a "stronghold", it's that "Fortress of the Ancients" that came in the flipbook adventure in the first boxed set. They plan on slowly rebuilding it and creating a trade network between Tyr and Urik.

I like the rules from "Empire" and plan on using a slightly adapted version for this. It is especially good since you can start with very little and build your way up simply by adding modifiers (the beauty of d20)

That's about it
#4
zombiegleemax
Jun 05, 2004 15:14:57
Originally posted by tlaloc
Or any other ideas that people would like to share about starting a small kingdom on Athas and the subtle aspects about it.

Hm I don't have that AEG book but anyway Ablamar's ideas sound nice! Try to go in this direction. One of my PCs (a kreen) is trying to create his small own base (which he in the long run hopes to make into a city-state).

At the moment he tries getting mor followers, establishes buildings (for the human residents not the kreen), and tries to deal with merchant houses to get caravan's going to and fro (which made for a nice adventure as said merchant hous first wanted a bit help for that ...) ;)

In the meantime another PC (a bard) is trying to establish his very own merchant house ...

BTW under the 2e rules that same Thri-kreen Fighter had loads of followers and that Bard (who took Trader Levels as a dual-class) loads of Trader Agents.
In 3.5 now both PCs took the Leadership feat to simulate those, but in both cases under the old rules they had more and/or more powerful followers. Any idea how to help them?
Anyone know perhaps of a PrC out there? Or some feat for that?
#5
zombiegleemax
Jun 05, 2004 17:34:31 Just remeber it can collaspe as any moment. Disaster follows the merchant wherever he goes.
#6
heretic_apostate
Jun 05, 2004 19:59:53
Originally posted by tlaloc
They plan on slowly rebuilding it and creating a trade network between Tyr and Urik.

Tell them, "Good luck."

Tyr is under the purview of the Vordon merchant house, a merchant house almost bankrupted by Kalak during his scheme to become a full-fledged dragon. Now that Kalak is gone, the Vordon are looking for any and all opportunities to regain their former strength, and will not brook competition.

Urik is under the purview of the Stel merchant house, a highly-militaristic house that is all but the tool of Hamanu. The house views every trading dispute and challenge as a possible military campaign.

Could be worse, though. You could be going against the Tsalaxa of Draj. They are just predatory...
#7
korvar
Jun 05, 2004 23:35:33 It has to be said, that there are lots of minor trading houses, that survive by taking the crumbs the larger houses let fall. There's plenty of opportunity; they'll probably not attract the attention of Vordon or Stel until they get a fair size...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Jun 05, 2004 12:44:17	Has anyone used "Empire" produced by AEG (I think, I don't have it in front of me) in Dark Sun or any other setting. It is heavily biased toward Medieval Europe like settings, so do you have any ideas to share about adapting the rules. Or any other ideas that people would like to share about starting a small kingdom on Athas and the subtle aspects about it. Thanks
#2 zombiegleemax Jun 05, 2004 13:08:28	Originally posted by tlaloc Or any other ideas that people would like to share about starting a small kingdom on Athas and the subtle aspects about it. Thanks Doing so would attract a lot of attention unless you're gaining control of an established tribe, merchant house, etc.; best have the might to defend your new kingdom from those who would like nothing better than to take it and it's bounty for their own. As for taking over an established tribe, house, whatever, loyalty to the old will be an issue; the old members will probably not like the characters waltzing in one day and saying "We're in charge here now." Not unless they can buy them with money, which is not a reliable loyalty. If the characters were elected, inherited, or what-not into the tribe or whatever, that would be a different matter, although there might still be resentment in some quarters. A good way to do this (particuarly in Athas), would be the characters begin working for a merchant house as caravan guards. Naturally, as they go up in levels the master/mistress of the house takes an interest in these out-standing guards, and perhaps promotes them to, say, personal guards. After a while, the characters begin to go on odd jobs for their boss, gaining more and more of their respect as the jobs are performed flawlessly (ahem). And maybe the head of this house has no heirs to pass it on to, so guess who he/she picks to inherit it? Just a few ideas...
#3 zombiegleemax Jun 05, 2004 14:53:39	I should have gone into more detail earlier. I'll try to explain more so that people have more to work with. My players want/are going to build a small merchant house/slave tribe. They have a "stronghold", it's that "Fortress of the Ancients" that came in the flipbook adventure in the first boxed set. They plan on slowly rebuilding it and creating a trade network between Tyr and Urik. I like the rules from "Empire" and plan on using a slightly adapted version for this. It is especially good since you can start with very little and build your way up simply by adding modifiers (the beauty of d20) That's about it
#4 zombiegleemax Jun 05, 2004 15:14:57	Originally posted by tlaloc Or any other ideas that people would like to share about starting a small kingdom on Athas and the subtle aspects about it. Hm I don't have that AEG book but anyway Ablamar's ideas sound nice! Try to go in this direction. One of my PCs (a kreen) is trying to create his small own base (which he in the long run hopes to make into a city-state). At the moment he tries getting mor followers, establishes buildings (for the human residents not the kreen), and tries to deal with merchant houses to get caravan's going to and fro (which made for a nice adventure as said merchant hous first wanted a bit help for that ...) ;) In the meantime another PC (a bard) is trying to establish his very own merchant house ... BTW under the 2e rules that same Thri-kreen Fighter had loads of followers and that Bard (who took Trader Levels as a dual-class) loads of Trader Agents. In 3.5 now both PCs took the Leadership feat to simulate those, but in both cases under the old rules they had more and/or more powerful followers. Any idea how to help them? Anyone know perhaps of a PrC out there? Or some feat for that?
#5 zombiegleemax Jun 05, 2004 17:34:31	Just remeber it can collaspe as any moment. Disaster follows the merchant wherever he goes.
#6 heretic_apostate Jun 05, 2004 19:59:53	Originally posted by tlaloc They plan on slowly rebuilding it and creating a trade network between Tyr and Urik. Tell them, "Good luck." Tyr is under the purview of the Vordon merchant house, a merchant house almost bankrupted by Kalak during his scheme to become a full-fledged dragon. Now that Kalak is gone, the Vordon are looking for any and all opportunities to regain their former strength, and will not brook competition. Urik is under the purview of the Stel merchant house, a highly-militaristic house that is all but the tool of Hamanu. The house views every trading dispute and challenge as a possible military campaign. Could be worse, though. You could be going against the Tsalaxa of Draj. They are just predatory...
#7 korvar Jun 05, 2004 23:35:33	It has to be said, that there are lots of minor trading houses, that survive by taking the crumbs the larger houses let fall. There's plenty of opportunity; they'll probably not attract the attention of Vordon or Stel until they get a fair size...