Looking for Medieval/fantasy group rp

Started by Kittenchan, May 02, 2009, 02:16:17 PM

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Nimmy

That makes a lot of sense, because usually with monarchies, you would expect alliances between the Neutral nation and either the "good" or "bad" nation and that kind of throws the idea of three different kingdoms to the wind. I like that idea and would actually be kind of interested in playing a "neutral" character.

Silk

I was kinda thinking more of a nation of shamanistic/pagan people who do not want either side to win because it would throw off the balance of nature, but that idea sounds better

Duchess


Merlyn

Well, that is basically just the feudal system.  Just with the knights being their own kings.  Since normally it's that the King gives land to knights to defend him, and they give and allow others to work the knights land to make him money and food. 
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Vandren

Seeing as I've set up a neutral kingdom royal "armsmaster" . . . I'm not especially a huge fan of the plutocracy idea (nor the "shamanic" balance of nature, which is really a bit of a crock anyway).

Here're some alternatives:

1) Monarchy - Look to Earth history and the 16th-17th century relationship between France, England, and Germany.  Especially from the papal perspective, France = good (Catholic), England = evil (Protestant), and Germany = neutral (more or less evenly mixed Catholic/Protestant).  The three nations had a constantly evolving set of political relationships (sure, Spain was involved too), mostly involving "neutral" Germany being allied with France against England or England against France, or playing them off against each other.

2) Principate, Grand Duchy, Duchy, etc. - Perhaps the third nation is not a kingdom as such, rather is ruled by a lesser noble title.  It may be geographically between the other two nations, perhaps territory that both the other nations have fought over for centuries before its people got fed up and declared a new nation.  Could even be a politically created buffer zone between the rival kingdoms.
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Duchess

YAY: England!!!!!!!!

"I'M THE KING OF ENGLAND!"

Night Walker

God save our gracious Queen
Long live our noble Queen
God save the Queen
Send her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save the Queen

hehe, ok enough of that.

The merchant state idea popped into my head when I was thinking about renaissance Italy. Although not exactly the same, my idea was kind of an exaggeration of the mercantile societies of renaissance Florence and Venice. I'm not entirely sure if Venice was the exact same, but in Florence, the powerful merchant families were always trying to outdo each other while at the same time trying to keep up their reputations with the public so they could get into office. If you want to see how powerful these merchant families could be, look up "Medici". The Medicis were bankers (money lenders/loan sharks) who gained so much wealth and power they basically became nobility, some even wormed their way into being Pope.

That said, if we want a more Feudalistic or Monarchic society though, what about a hybrid idea? Basically, you have a ruling house (king, queen, prince, duke, earl, count, whatever) who has official political control, but below him/her is a middle class of wealthy businessmen (traders, merchants, bankers, etc.) who have real financial power over the people, enough to fund private armies and be a huge thorn in the side of any regent. For this reason, although technically still a Monarchy, the ruler wouldn’t have unquestioned authority and so would have to act with some caution. Upsetting the people could spark a revolt that results in one member of the mercantile aristocracy taking the crown. The king would have to be neutral for survival. Siding with the “good” empire would upset “evil” empire supporters and vice-versa, so what you end up with is a neutral 3rd empire where everyone is welcome as long as they don’t cause trouble.

This third empire may even be an official meeting ground for the two rival kingdoms to come and discuss matters such as potential treaties, or to broker deals with the neutral nation itself.

I’m just thinking that it would be hard for a neutral nation to stay neutral when 1 person is in charge. Both kingdoms would try to sway the ruler’s favour, and likely one would win; however, if the king had to answer directly to the people below him, if not officially than for practical reasons, what you have is really a Monarchy in name and structure, but a sort of Republic in practise.

Duchess

u do know how to sweeten ur way up the ranks. Lol

Night Walker

lol
Well as appropriate as that song is, I would prefer the "evil" kingdom to have a more upbeat anthem. Then again, if we are England...

Kittenchan

Sorry Ya'll!!!!! I've been busy with working around my parents' house. >.>;;; Anyways.

Every and anyone is welcome at all times... I wanted to make a rather large area for many people to be doing many different things.

For myself I was thinking about maybe having some sort of mage or adviser that is close to either side that will eventually be abducted or something to the other side. Thus having her turned into a slave or something for the other side. I'm thinking first on the evil side and then take by the good side. (since the good side wanted a ton of girls scampering around)

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Silk

I'll take a good mage spot then :) mmm abduction...

Duchess

hmmm... i think its time for an occ and an character sheet and all the way on top of teh character sheet a list with the characters and in which king dome they are part of.

if u want i can make it for you

Night Walker

Well there goes my fun advisor job  :-( Unless maybe there is another advisor to be abducted?
I could be the one abducting people from the "good" nation so we have lots of slave girls running about our palace.
Kidnapping people and forcing them into slavery is sort of an "evil" thing to do isn't it?


Hmm... kidnapping people and forcing them into our service, my lord, we ARE England!

Duchess

#63
good side kidnapping??

edit and NW , she doesn't mean the queens adviser, you can still have that spot

Night Walker

That's what it sounded like to me. First one side would kidnap from the other, then vice-versa.

Quote from: Kittenchan on May 21, 2009, 04:47:52 PM
I'm thinking first on the evil side and then take by the good side. (since the good side wanted a ton of girls scampering around)

Maybe I'm misunderstanding it, but it sounds to me like the good side is gonna come steal the evil side advisor... I don't think Roland would like that very much. Also, do you really want a slave that can make you see stuff that isn't there? Think about the havoc that could cause... oh wait... that might be fun actually, lol. Not sure I like the idea of being a slave, but I do enjoy causing mass panic  >:)

Silk

Depends if you mean good as "goody goody" or catholic crusades goody goody, basically meaning "We are doing gods will, all who stand in the way of god will perish as blasphemers" the latter wouldnt be so against slavery, while the former would probally take the evil advisors to try and redeem them

Duchess

#66
thats what the neutral side is for..

Quote
For myself I was thinking about maybe having some sort of mage or adviser that is close to either side that will eventually be abducted or something to the other side. Thus having her turned into a slave or something for the other side. I'm thinking first on the evil side and then take by the good side. (since the good side wanted a ton of girls scampering around)

she was the one being abducted  not the male adviser?

what happened  to the OCC tread?


edit: we in need of a list to know what characters are playing in the game

Vandren

Quote from: Night Walker on May 21, 2009, 04:12:48 PMI’m just thinking that it would be hard for a neutral nation to stay neutral when 1 person is in charge. Both kingdoms would try to sway the ruler’s favour, and likely one would win

Not exactly a perfect example, but Henry VIII and Elizabeth I (sure, they had Parliament, but that was then a body purely for the nobility).  Elizabeth was especially adept at remaining neutral, save for that little fracas with Spain.

QuoteAlso, do you really want a slave that can make you see stuff that isn't there? Think about the havoc that could cause

There are various magical ways to inhibit or block such abilities.  In a society full of magic, there are bound to be ways for the authorities to deal with magic-wielding criminals that could be equally effective for prisoners of war.  :)
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Side note, I'm tossing around the idea of putting in a second character.  Either removing Veril's sorcerous ability and putting together a court mage OR setting up a spy (ok, so I'm re-reading David Morrell's Assumed Identity and getting ideas).
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Duchess

i sill not seeing the good kingdom kidnapping thingy...why do we need the evil kingdom than?

a neutral and a good will suffice, idk..I'm lost already

Night Walker

Ah, ok so I misunderstood the kidnapping thing. That's a relief. I liked my character a lot and I just couldn't see him as a slave.

Night Walker

#70
Quote from: Thaleia on May 21, 2009, 05:45:16 PM
i sill not seeing the good kingdom kidnapping thingy...why do we need the evil kingdom than?

a neutral and a good will suffice, idk..I'm lost already

Maybe a different form of 3 kingdom model, well, not so much different just a change in terminology. "Good" and "evil" are subjective. Perhaps one kingdom is very religious (amy includes templars, crusaders, clerics, etc.), another is a little more dark, warmongering, and ethically questionable (use monsters, promote magic for destructive purposes, not against pressgangs and slavery), and the third likes to keep to itself, stay on friendly terms with everyone, and stay the heck out of everyone else's wars (Switzerland).

Duchess

not very fantasy like.....

i'm very lost right now and that is not a good thing.

Night Walker

I don't know why having a not necessarily good "good kingdom" and not entirely evil "evil kingdom" makes it less fantastical, but I do agree that this is all getting far too confusing. An OOC thread with characters and kingdoms would help. And I'm sorry if my kingdom ideas were adding to the general confusion.

If it makes things easier, lets just say there are good evil and neutral kingdoms.

Duchess

because the GM still didn't answer all this confusion, if we at least know what she was expecting of the game. would make it easier and like you said i really don't feel like changing my character.

Vandren

Quote from: Night Walker on May 21, 2009, 05:48:59 PMPerhaps one kingdom is very religious (amy includes templars, crusaders, clerics, etc.), another is a little more dark, warmongering, and ethically questionable (use monsters, promote magic for destructive purposes, not against pressgangs and slavery), and the third likes to keep to itself, stay on friendly terms with everyone, and stay the heck out of everyone else's wars (Switzerland).

This sounds good to me.  That also allows for corruption in the "good" kingdom's ranks (i.e. the Inquisition) and the possibility of redemption in the "evil" kingdom's ranks.

As for it being "not very fantasy like" . . . George R.R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series comes to mind.  Or to a lesser extent, Jonathan Stroud's Heroes of the Valley, which is more Norse epic, but rather fantastical.  Some of Mercedes Lackey's work comes to mind too.
"Life is growth.  If we stop growing, technically and spiritually, we are as good as dead." -Morihei Ueshiba, O-Sensei