A Greek of Thrones {Interest Check}

[Primarch]

"Man is by nature a political animal." - Aristotle

I had an idea I thought was interesting, a Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones-esque game but taking it from the Medieval setting it and putting it into something inspired by Ancient Greece. The Seven Kingdoms may become a collection of City-States currently under one King, ideally a King that has been for one reason or another quite weak the last few years allowing the other major leaders to start flexing their political and military muscles for a greater share of the power. Another option would be each City-State has its own King, but they are all united in a 'League of Corinth' type group and the head of the league is a 'defacto' ruler.

"It is possible to provide security against other ills, but as far as death is concerned, we men live in a city without walls." - Epicurus

I think if the game was to go ahead the number of factions/dynasties/houses might be smaller than the 'Seven' Kingdoms. Simply as I believe we probably won't have enough players to portray a sufficient cast of characters to fill out 7 factions (nevermind people not strictly affiliated with any given central group). But perhaps five City-States might be possible, certainly if we aim to actually get one character from each group represented in the game before allowing non-affiliated characters.

"Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber." - Plato

Presence of magic is certainly optional, it could be non-existent, could be limited to oracles but rumours and legends exist or we could simply make it as fantasy as we like. Personally I prefer magic on the limited side but I'm flexible. Perhaps the League of Greeks (or whatever name is decided) united to fend off all the monsters that plagued their lands (which now live behind some....I dunno giant wall? ), or maybe it was to resist invasion by barbarians or worst...Romans.   

That all being said, if there is anyone out there that is interested in building this setting and game with me, please post here and we can try put something together.

*****

Alright, so I'm converting the 'Houses of Westeros' into 'Dynasties of the City-States.' Each Dynasty is the Royal Family of a City-State, but as it stands each of these royal families currently bend the knee to the 'King of all Greeks.'

Dynasty 1 - King of all the Greeks: Adopted by mia h
This Dynasty will have been ruling the Greeks as a united people since the City-States united to ward off external threats. By the opening of the game they will have become vulnerable, perhaps the last King has died and either has no heir or an heir to young to control the throne, leaving a beloved but politically weak Queen to rule. Perhaps the recently crowned King is ill-prepared for filling his fathers shoes, or perhaps the King is still alive but age has reduced his capacity, or failing health has left him bedridden. Either way the player(s) that take on this group will start weak and need to gather allies to solidify their position, one way or another.

Dynasty 2: Adopted by Primarch

Dynasty 3: Adopted by Wargtass

Dynasty 4: Open for adoption

Dynasty 5: Open for adoption

I'm looking for people to adopt a Dynasty and start defining it, each Dynasty can have a King, Queen and varying numbers of Princes and Princesses (played by separate players, hopefully) and can generate their own City-State. I'm going to allow quite a bit of flexibility (although the current 'leading' faction has that note attached for plot purposes). 

While this game will eventually be open for characters that are not a part of any of these Dynasties, at the beginning I'm just looking for the key players. One character from each Dynasty to plot, plan and conspire for the throne over thrones or keeping the current Dynasty in power in exchange for wealth/power/sexual favours. People are entirely free to take up more than one character (although not 2 Kings or the like) so don't worry that playing a City-State ruler will mean you can't play super talented Blacksmith or a brooding Hoplite.

So we'll build the plot around what's generated. Anyone care to start off a Dynasty? I'll throw up character sheets once I know there's a few that will commit. 

Dynasty Application Sheet

Code Select Expand

[b]Dynasty Name:[/b]
[b]Traditional Title(s):[/b]
[b]Current Patriarch/Matriarch:[/b] <Can be left incomplete until character is generated, 'Non-incumbent' is also applicable>
[b]Major City/Polis:[/b]
[b]City Assets:[/b]
[b]Surrounding landscape:[/b]

[b]Dynasty Strengths:[/b]
<Strengths should cover both virtues trained to the individuals born of the Dynasty, but also political, economic or military strengths that can be called upon by the Polis they rule>

[b]Dynasty Weaknesses:[/b]
<Should cover flaws often typical of individuals born of the Dynasty, but also political, economic or military weaknesses suffered by the Polis they rule>

[b]Recent History:[/b]

[b]Anything else:[/b]
Any other information or details you would like in place

[Kimera]

Sounds like an interesting game

You could always have like more city states, but only 2-3 are cast by players and the others are simple NPC states

[Primarch]

Possibly, but I'm not overtly interested in taking on a lot of NPC-ing myself, especially in a game where the interaction between the big players is key. After building the setting I'd be rather keen on getting to enjoy RPing in the setting too. Though if there were a co-GM or two it would certainly make something like that more likely.

[mia h]

Sounds interesting, but are you thinking it more epic battles ranging all over the different kingdoms or more a court intrigue based idea where everyone is pretty much in the captial ?

[Primarch]

I certainly want to start with the court intrigue side of things, likely play with the 'threat' of military action more so than army conflict being the go-to means of resolving conflict.

I don't want to rule out the eventuality of open war however. Once people start to actually make their powerplays and someone puts their bottom on the throne after obtaining it one way or another, the people that stand to lose out under the new regime just might get the armies ready for some fighting to get the throne the old fashioned way. Even then I would hope there is political intrigue and underhanded subterfuge. You never know who's your ally until its time to spill blood! 

[Wargtass]

Bookmarked for interest.

[Primarch]

Edited information to get the ball rolling into the OP.

[Wargtass]

An idea slapped me in the face just now. A frontier kingdom like the Epirotes, Bosporans or hellenized Odrysians, considered as backwater and a political underdogs, but their barbaric allies and mercenaries to the northern reaches gives them a fierce and formidable fighting force that has stopped them from being usurped by the other kingdoms. That same strength may well be their key to power now, if they choose their allies carefully.

[Primarch]

An idea slapped me in the face just now. A frontier kingdom like the Epirotes, Bosporans or hellenized Odrysians, considered as backwater and a political underdogs, but their barbaric allies and mercenaries to the northern reaches gives them a fierce and formidable fighting force that has stopped them from being usurped by the other kingdoms. That same strength may well be their key to power now, if they choose their allies carefully.

With so much of Greek armies revolving around self-equipped civilians, a good supply of mercenaries would likely be an asset indeed.

[mia h]

*sits on the throne and squirms around a bit*
Definately needs more cushions.

But I'd like to claim the head of Dynasty 1, that way all of Greece can be employed making more cushions. 

[1SAZ]

*reads through the concept a second time*

Yep, I'm in. Covers a lot of my interest basis in one go.

[Primarch]

Excellent!

2 Dynasties are currently claimed and 3 free. I recommend people either decide to adopt one or get in contact with someone adopting one to work out a position in the family/character.

[1SAZ]

Just want to make sure I understand the core concept of the houses, each is a city-state in the Greek sense, but handled more like the houses in ASoIaF? A quick thought to bring out a lot of the feel of ASoIaF while being more fitting of Greek tales would be to have each of the five poleis feel like a major polis of Greece (with governments fitting such). You could also have the Dothraki be more like the Egyptians (since that's one of the key sources for the Dothraki). While it might be seen as difficult to have court intrigue in an Athenian style Democracy, it's actually easier than it sounds, especially when you have powerful elected officials who want to keep their power, under the threat of their own people. As for keeping the "Dothraki" involved, even a young king needs allies, and it would be easier for the young king to ally with a people not native to them than those who would rather take the power for themselves.

Those are just some thoughts I had recently. Let me know what you think.

[Tamhansen]

I always thought the Dothraki were based on the timurid mongols. An almost complete copy of them even.

As for this game, it sounds very interesting,

Something like Epirus could be a very interesting project.

[Primarch]

To answer your question Warg, a 'Realm' in ASoIaF is being converted into a City-State and a 'House' into the Dynasty that rules over that City-State. Each one feeling like a major Polis is exactly what I had in mind. Our characters would be representing the biggest movers and shakers. I do think however Athenian Democracy and the forms of direct democracy practiced in Ancient Greece probably isn't super ideal for this game, while we could just say the Dynasties are so popular in the City-State they represent they could sufficiently influence the city to negotiate for instance military support, I think we would make life a lot easier for ourselves by running with each Dynasty being the Monarchy of their City-State. 

Wargtass has adopted another Dynasty via PM, which leaves 2 available.

On the matter of the Dothraki, Martin has stated they are an "amalgam of a number of steppe and plains cultures. Mongols and Huns, certainly, but also Alans, Sioux, Cheyenne, and various other Amerindian tribes... seasoned with a dash of pure fantasy. Resemblance to Arabs or Turks is coincidental, extent that the Turks were also originally horsemen of the steppes."

Regardless this game is about internal power struggles so any external threat will likely be important in this game more so as a part of the history of this setting, with either a faction inspired by Rome taking the position of Essos or possibly something akin to Egypt, Persia or even the Mongols for the Dothraki.

Last point I'd like to make is related to what Katataban just said and something Wargtass mentioned in his PM. This game is inspired by Ancient Greece but is absolutely is not Ancient Greece itself. If you want to take inspiration for your Dynasty/City-State from a particular group from Ancient Greece such as Epirus you go for it. But you can also feel free to look at several different factions or none of them specifically. My Dynasty/City-State will certainly have a splash of Sparta.

[Kimera]

How much 'fantasy' is allowed? In game of thrones, there are mythological creatures (dragons) and undead. Will this game feature such things, like greek myths.

[Wargtass]

I was thinking at least that Bellerophon would be the mythical originator of the Frontier Dynasty and the Chimera the heraldic animal, but then again all that supposedly went down i Lycia in the Anatollians rather than in the Balkans, so in case Kimera has some plans for it I'll take on something else. 

I think it would be a nice idea to have some mythical elements, though personally I'd like to keep it in a minimum.

[Kimera]

Fear the mighty chimera ^^

Edit: I have no plans yet and not sure if i want to play the ruler of a dynasty.

[Primarch]

I think it would be a nice idea to have some mythical elements, though personally I'd like to keep it in a minimum.

Magic is something I'm kind of letting the group decide, we'll base it on what the group decides. I too am interested in 'mythical elements, but kept to a minimum.'

What do the rest of you think? 

[mia h]

What would

'mythical elements, but kept to a minimum.' 

look like? I guess everyone might have different ideas of what the minimum is.

[mia h]

I have no plans yet and not sure if i want to play the ruler of a dynasty.

I'm sure we could find a suitable position role for you to fill occupy.

[Kimera]

Well kept to a minimum could be that somewhere, there might be one hydra lurking around. Or somewhere there is a temple holding one of the gorgons etc...

[Primarch]

I'd consider 'minimum' to be lots of rumours and legends, or Oracles that certainly seem to be sending messages from the Gods. We could have something akin to Valyrian steel blades, but nothing direct or obvious in terms of magic.

[1SAZ]

That certainly cleared up a lot of my questions. I have a few ideas running through my head on my polis that could certainly work well in this. I'm planning on a culture more akin to Athens, though with a clear hierarchy. In other words, expect a strong artistic and scholastic draw with a strong volunteer based army (I plan to go into more detail about that in the future).

[mia h]

I'd consider 'minimum' to be lots of rumours and legends, or Oracles that certainly seem to be sending messages from the Gods. We could have something akin to Valyrian steel blades, but nothing direct or obvious in terms of magic.

So no actual magic and a bunch of seers making vauge predictions about the future  Seems about right