The Solitary Throne
It is a time of swords and steel, shattered shields and wolves. The Havanian Empire is no more, pulled down by a thousand foes while her people bickered and butchered eachother in ceaseless internal strife. From the ashes of Eagun have two kingdoms emerged, Sovator and Thrun, alike in splendor and dignity, but shadows of the grandeur that came before. For two hundred years they have quarreled, like their mother before them, even as they are beset on all sides from raiders out of the frozen North and the cunning silver-tongued followers of the Light from the South. New monarchs now sit on both the Ivory Throne and the Seat of Swords, fresh risen to the flower of their might, but in the shadows their sworn vassals seek after still their own ambitions. You are an inhabitant of this time, seeking your own survival, perhaps even glory as the night grows darker. Cold winds howl from the north, and in the streets and bazaars prophets rave of doom long foretold, come to complete the destruction of the scions of Havan's get. Do you have what it takes to stand against the coming of the night? Will your House flourish where others have faltered, or is your end an unmarked grave or a gibbet?
Stand fast, noble Liege, but always remember - when one sits the Throne, one sits altogether alone.
The Solitary Throne is a mix of turn-based strategy and roleplay. Welcome!
I'm currently looking for two Kings, and up to twenty Lieges. The map will be finalized once applications are closed in a week's time.
You will write as a noble lord (or lady) of one of the great Houses of Eagun, divided between the Kingdom of Sovator and the Kingdom of Thrun, the White and the Black. As a noble, you owe fealty to a king who rules over all of your respective kingdom - but of course you must look after your own affairs first and foremost. Loyalty, legitimacy, the love of the people, such things are far from assured in this world before the Gods. By your choices your people and your House may flourish, or be broken and forgotten.
Roll of Lieges
| Kingdom of Sovator House Durran, Marcher Lord | King Torin Durran, Duelist | Legitimacy V, Authority II, Intellect I, Fervor I, 3 Martial Prowess House Aegir, Merchant House | Bjorn Aegir, Explorer | Legitimacy III, Authority I, Intellect I, Fervor 0, -Martial Prowess House Befeld, Greensward | Margrave Julian II Befeld, Architect | Legitimacy II, Authority I, Intellect II, Fervor 0 House Karegatid, Northern Warriors | Istvan of the Two Crossings, Explorer | Legitimacy III, Authority II, Intellect I, Fervor II House Lutillier, Merchant House | Viscount Robert De Lutillier, Scholar | Legitimacy III, Authority I, Intellect II, Fervor 0, -1 Martial Prowess House Northurnd, Cadet Branch | High-Prince Herbert Northurnd, Scholar | Legitimacy V, Authority II, Intellect II, Fervor I House October, Atoners | Carole October, Scholar | Legitimacy I, Authority I, Intellect II, Fervor II, +1 Martial Prowess House Valiero, Men of Industry | Count Palatine Ludovic Edelmir Valiero, Architect | Legitimacy II, Authority I, Intellect II, Fervor 0 | Kingdom of Thrun House Cor Vidalis, Men of Industry | King Verron Irontooth, Cultist | Legitimacy IV, Authority I, Intellect III, Fervor 0 House Black, Northern Warriors | Marchioness Elaina Silvia Black, Tactician | Legitimacy III, Authority II, Intellect I, Fervor II House Blessing, Blackguards | Genesis Blue, Scholar | Legitimacy III, Authority II, Intellect II, Fervor I House Caenae, Antiquarians | Julia Caenae, Cultist | Legitimacy III, Authority I, Intellect III, Fervor 0 House Faucher, Flagellants | Archduchess Severine Faucher, Duelist | Legitimacy III, Authority II, Intellect I, Fervor III, +2 Martial Prowess House Fox, Blackguards | Scarlet Fox, Cultist | Legitimacy III, Authority II, Intellect II, Fervor 0 House Helchester, Men of Industry | Duke Sylkaroth Vanserra, Duelist | Legitimacy II, Authority I, Intellect II, Fervor 0, +2 Martial Prowess House Rogerik, Blackguards | Earl Harond Rogerik, Priest | Legitimacy III, Authority II, Intellect I, Fervor II |
Time
Turns pass in seasons, and will come every few days depending on how quickly folks are able to post. With the passages of the months and the years the world will change underfoot, characters growing older, getting wiser, and potentially even perishing. Ensure your lineage is secure in your heirs, for only in legacy can we truly cheat death.
The World
Eagun is a fierce and beautiful land, demarcated by ancient tradition and long Havanian bureaucracy into provinces, some of which are still civilized and developed, but most of which have fallen into ruin and savagery. Each province counts as a single holding. Provinces come in several types and can be upgraded and modified, the primary means by which a Liege can pursue their ambitions.
Initiation:
By default, all Lieges begin with:
- A single Rural Estate
- A Man-at-Arms Battalion.
- 500 Nobles (currency)
While each King has:
- A Castle holding with a Royal Palace building, constructed in a Rural Estate province.
- 1 other Rural Estate.
- A Pikeman Battalion.
- A Cavalry Battalion.
- 5 Provinces of Flatland, 2 Provinces of Hills, 3 Provinces of Forest
- 2000 Nobles
Holdings:
Each Liege (and King) can have active Holdings equivalent to their Legitimacy. Holdings can be active or passive. Passive holdings do not generate income, or require expenditures. There is no limit to the number of Holdings a Liege can possess, but active administration is another matter entirely.
Armies also detract from the Legitimacy of a Liege, but cannot be stood down to a passive state - only via mustering out and retirement can an Army be demobilized, freeing up a Liege's Legitimacy for another purpose.
Money and Resources:
Nobles are the primary currency of each Realm, and trade at par between the kingdoms - there are also secondary resources which can be gained to aid a Liege in their endeavors, such as crucial Timber or valuable Iron. Resources are always gained at the start of turns and can be spent in the same turn they are acquired.
Military Infrastructure:
All battalions have a training and an upkeep cost, along with a building prerequisite and training time. All costs must be paid at the moment of recruitment, after which training will begin. Units are fully mustered after seasons equal to the training time has passed since the season the costs were paid - for instance, a Spear Militia Battalion raised in Spring, Year 1, would be ready to fight Summer, Year 1. Armies must be paid every season or else they will dissolve via desertion. When the Liege voluntarily dissolves a Battalion, 50% of the Training Cost and Resource Cost can be reclaimed. Each battalion represents, on average, about five hundred men. If a Battalion suffers casualties, it recuperates those casualties by taking no action in a subsequent season at a rate of 25% of her maximum strength. This rate is decreased to 10% for Professionals.
Warfare and Battles
The default length of a War is a Season. This means that a single Battle will take place at the end of the season the war was declared in, and only forces located within one Province of the Battle may take part if they are so inclined. There are multiple methods to extend a War, both as attacker and defender, potentially allowing for multiple Battles and larger areas to engage in the War.
Battles are relatively straightforward. Upon the beginning of a battle, I will set the stage for the engagement, and then both sides may deploy their forces. All players may state their orders, which will be resolved in order of precedence based on their Lord's Intellect. Casualties will be stated, and thus a winner declared depending on the course of the war. Battles may come to draws, if neither side gains a distinct advantage over the other.
There are several modifiers in battle. If a military commander with the appropriate trait leads one side or another's army, they may choose to fight at a different site of battle, or allow two lieges to redeploy their forces after battle lines have been drawn. Additionally, if the side on which the war was declared on has a castle, then the battle may be conducted at the castle if the defenders choose not to sally forth. Such defensive fortifications can have a large impact on the conduct of a battle.
Holdings, Buildings, Armies
Laws & Independence
Each Kingdom / Realm can and should possess a series of Laws which define the obligations of lieges to their king and the king in turn to his lieges. A harsh set of Laws may encourage a liege to seek out a less oppressive overlord, whereas a light burden can tempt men to turn their coats for their own advantage. The interplay of obligation and benefit for being part of a particular kingdom is a matter which is of utmost importance for the stability of a Realm.
Any Liege may, at any time, declare Independence or Turn their Coat, going it alone or accepting the claim of another King - Independence will reduce a Liege's Legitimacy by 50%, as the populace struggles to accept their rule as ordained by tradition and faith. Becoming a Turncoat reduces Legitimacy by 25%, but only 10% if your new King has more Legitimacy than your previous King. Legitimacy losses are rounded up.
Culture
Cultural sophistication, the development of philosophy, and the advance of social thought - these matters are of importance to a Realm, and separate her from the simple barbarians of the North or the wicked courtiers of the South. Increasing Culture is of value to all Lieges within a Realm, though sometimes some more than others. The specific Culture measures at which a Tier is reached are hidden.
Tier 1 - Civil Law: +1 Holding (but not Legitimacy) for every Liege. Allows the construction of Dirt Roads
Tier 2 - Noble Conduct: +1 Legitimacy for all Lieges, an additional +2 for the King. Allows construction of Cottages.
Tier 3 - Vows of Fealty: Allows for the training of Knights and unlocks the new Liege Action: Feasting
Tier 4 - Code of Chivalry: Increases the Fervor of all Lords by one. Allows the recruitment of Priest agents. Allows construction of Manor.
Tier 5 - Hidden
Science
Knowledge and wisdom, not to mention a mastery of the mechanical arts - there is much value in these things for a Realm. Taken together, science will give a realm a significant advantage over her rivals.
Tier 1 - Translation: +1 Latin Text at Royal Palace. Allows construction in Forests (+2 Generic Building Slots).
Tier 2 - Crop Rotation: +100 Nobles income from all Rural Estates. Allows construction of Tilled Fields.
Tier 3 - Nascent Bureaucracy: Allows Lieges to conduct a Census; enables the collection of Manse Taxes, and the construction of a Village Well.
Tier 4 - Simple Machines: Allows the draining of Swamplands, and the construction of Alpine Holds. +100 Nobles per year from Workshops. Allows construction of Smelter.
Tier 5: ???
Faith.
Faith is different to Culture and Science. The mechanics of faith are not revealed, but its usually better to have more faith then less; she has an outsize impact on the results of Events, as well as beneficial perks for realm coherence and military morale. Faith is measured not on a Kingdom-by-Kingdom basis, but for a religion as a whole. More Faith means the religion has greater credence in the hearts of the common man, and guards against heresies and pagan mysteries.
Existing Faiths:
The High Three - Tenets: 50 Nobles in Alms per Season from each Liege, the first Chapel gives a bonus Legitimacy
Lieges and Skills and Time
As the years pass, Lieges may grow in skill or valor, but they also grow older. Eventually, time lays low all men - be ready for that day, and ensure you have an heir ready to take your place.
Four main measures effect Lieges and Kings:
Legitimacy: A mark of a man or woman's right to rule as viewed by those around them. If the Legitimacy of a Liege rises higher than his or her King's Legitimacy, that Liege may turn their coat or declare Independence without any loss of Legitimacy.
Authority: How much impetus the words of a Liege hold on the world around them, and thus their ability to command men. For every one Authority, a Liege may command an additional military unit. Authority also effects their chances of attracting a Knight-Errant to their lands, and the favor of the Liege with the nobility.
Intellect: A man without a cunning mind is simply a fool for others to take advantage of. For every one Intellect, a Liege gains 50 Nobles in base income. Intellect also effects the likelihood of a Liege gaining a beneficial trait, the order of deployment in battle, and the favor of the Liege with merchants and educated men.
Fervor: Passion burns in the hearts of all folk, the favor of the Almighty and the unshakable moral certitude of a man doing right. For every one Fervor, a Liege gains a 10% chance to foil enemy plots against his person. Fervor also effects the Liege's personal combat skill, chance to gain Legitimacy from events, and the favor of the Liege with the clergy and the peasantry.
Liege Application
- Code: Select all
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Name of House:[/b]
[b]Province Description:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Backstory:[/b]
[b]Trait:[/b]
[b]Marital Status:[/b]
[b]Applying for King?[/b] (Yes/No)
[b]Additional Information:[/b]
Backstory
Everyone has a past. Where your liege came from shapes who they are now. Choose a backstory to define your ruler.
Traits
- Tactician: If elected as commander for one of the sides in a battle, that side may use Military Commander bonuses.
- Drillmaster: +1 Morale to Battalions
- Sailor: +25 Nobles income to Provinces next to the Sea or a River
- Investor: +100 Nobles base income
- Architect: May construct one building at a 10% discount per Season. Effect may be loaned.
- Pioneer: +1 Good from a Province
- Cultist: +1 Intellect, -1 Fervor. Secret options during events.
- Scholar: Generates 1 Science for the Kingdom. +1 Intellect
- Artist: Generates 1 Culture for the Kingdom. +1 Authority
- Priest: Generates 1 Faith for the Kingdom. +1 Fervor
- Explorer: May Explore gray Provinces. Expeditions cost 2000 Nobles each and takes 3 turns.
- Duelist: +2 Martial Prowess. 50% less likely to be injured in battle
