Birthright conversion for non-Cerilian games

[Silveras]

Oh, heavens, no... I don't mean to suggest replacing Bloodlines. What I'd like is to have different means available within the same world. For instance, if you introduce another continent in the BR setting (hypothetical, folks... No one needs a dogma hammer here...), there would be no story-based reason for the rulers of this land to have Bloodlines. However, one culture could have leadership by Druidic ritual (ala Uther/Arthur), while another could be trial-by-spirits (ala The Great Bear). In this manner, the rulers of the second continent would have similar abilities (maintaining a balance between the lands) without attempting to justify "Bloodlines" existing where they technically shouldn't; The inherited "enigma" is mechanically the same as a Bloodline, only the story-based reason for gaining it changes.

For example, the Chief's son, that merges with the Bear Spirit, would gain the power of the former Chief. In this instance, it is the father, but it wouldn't have to be: Anyone the Bear Spirit deams worthy of succession gains the enigma. In addition, tribal elders, shaman, and warrior-lords could also take similar tests with other spirits, reproducing the "family" in numbers if not in structure by having the lesser strength enigmas.

(When you think about it, I half-wrote the rule just now, didn't I?)

Rest easy ... there are two discussions going on.

Argus Decimus Mokira and I were talking about replacing the bloodlines with a less- or non- mystical version.

My previous answer about allowing for many different explanations of the source of a mystical bloodline still holds.

 

[Silveras]

This thread has been far too quiet recently, so I thought I would add a comment or two.

A while back, I spent some time figuring how to tie together A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe with the Domain rules in Birthright (and modified here). The resulting PDF was posted here on the Expeditious Retreat Press' Community Support section. It is a 7 page PDF, so I am not going to repeat it all here.

The document talks about assigning the Population Density and Urban Population Rate figures to an area. I based a lot of this on the Provinces of Birthright. From here on, PD means Population Density, and UPR means Urban Population Rate.

The standard Population Density range is 30 to 160 persons per square mile for an average kingdom, out of a greater "theoretical" range of 0 to 200 persons per square mile.

The easiest correlation is to say that a Birthright province level correlates to a Population Density increase of 13, using the average scale. At that rate, Provinces rated 0 have a PD of 30, and are considered to be as sparsely settled as an owned province can be. A Province 10 correlates to a PD of 160, among the highest achieved historically. The PD formula, in this case, is 30 + (13 x Province Level).

The other option is to go with the broader, more absolute range of 0 to 200. In this case, each level should increase the PD by 19, and the lowest organized province (0) should represent a PD of about 10. The formula in that case is 10 + (19 x Province Level), for a range of 10 to 200.

The PDF discusses a more complex approach. First, climate and terrain act to boost or lower the Population Density. This effect varies by race. The PDF lays out some basic numbers suitable for the "standard D&D" world.

Next, the PDF talks about other terrain factors... the presence of rivers and waterways, and how they influence the PD and the UPR.

Moving on, discussion turns to the stability of the area. A border region will have a lower PD and UPR because it is less secure. A region deeper in the "interior" of a nation will have more security, and thus a higher PD and UPR.

The age of the region, in terms of how long since it last changed ownership, is a factor as well. Natural growth is reflected as a +1 to PD per generation of the primary race.

Technology level and the availability of magic are also factors that are given some weight.

Historical factors, like recent wars and plagues, are reflected as modifiers to the PD. These are considered temporary, and the penalties decrease by 1 step per generation. The length of a generation is an arbitrary estimate (those interested in something more precise are directed to the excellent article "Survival is a Group Effort" by Stephen Inniss in the Dragon Magazine Archive).

Now, as to how this ties in here...
If you know what the province level is, you can work backwards to reverse-engineer the detailed numbers. If the PD correlates to a higher province level than you have in place, that might indicate that you need to add some historical events ... war or plague... to explain the lower-than-expected population. Or, it may mean that the area is magic poor. These may spark some ideas for adventures to place there.

So, there it is. Have fun with it.

Oh, and if you are using these rules, post a message sometime and let me know how its going.

 

[TheSavageBard]

You wouldn't happen to have all this info in pdf form, would you?

 

[Silveras]

You wouldn't happen to have all this info in pdf form, would you?

Well, I posted a link to the PDF on Population Density and Urban Population Rate in the previous message.

I do have my homebrew document in PDF form, but because it contains Copyrighted content from the original Birthright rules I am not posting it here.

 

[Argus Decimus Mokira]

Silveras,

I am indeed using your work, to great effect I might add, in my FR campaign. The PCs are embroiled in Sembian politics concerning the invasion of the elven forest of Cormanthor. Limited Sembian operations have already begun ... the Sembian legionnaires are falling victim to wood elf ambushes and hit-n-run tactics at an alarming rate, and have been responding by burning down any elven villages they stumble across. The Sembian council has begun amassing the southern armies and mercenaries from the Vilhon Reach for a full-scale assault that will surely destroy the southern forests of Cormanthor and bring Sembia into a war with the Dalelands and Cormyr.

So now the PCs, amongst them some Sembian nobles (scions), are raising funds, amassing their troops, and gathering intelligence. The group's politics range from sympathetic to the elves (and suspicious of the council's intentions) to gun-ho and ready to stomp some "twig ears". Naturally, being the proper model of Sembian gentry, the PCs are trying to make a greater showing than any of their contemporaries (to garner lucrative governmet contracts, such as the exclusive right to feed and clothe the troops ), and so there's a fair amount of skullduggery and open politicking going on. Alliances are forming between houses (the PCs have almost to a person entered into a trade contract with a powerful southern merchant family, not realizing they are in fact Zhent spies).

All in all, great times. We spend three-quarters of the time straight role-playing, the other quarter on domain mangement. It's a blast.

Thanks
-Matt

 

[Silveras]

Silveras,

I am indeed using your work, to great effect I might add, in my FR campaign.

Great ! Glad to hear it. If you find any problems, please post them.

 

[Tonguez]

bump

 

[Sepulchrave II]

Bump.