High level charecters in battle: the Air Power analogy

[kigmatzomat]

Something to consider too though is there is a significant difference between air power and an HLC. If you're the king of a country, that HLC probably presents the largest single threat to you. Think about it. Unlike a bomber which has numerous safeguards and checks to make sure that someone doesn't go crazy and blow up something he shouldn't, the HLC in a given kingdom comes with no such command and control. A high level wizard makes a great ally, sure, but, if he ever disagrees with you as king, what are you going to do about it?

Which goes back to my "valley of the HLC" concept. A sizeable number of evil HLCs will either take over the entire country or be driven out to take over a smaller chunk of land. Many good HLCs will be faced with the similar circumstances (stop an evil ruler or be driven away by lack of trust). High level casters often retreat to isolated areas (islands, mountain tops, caves, glaciers, etc) just so they don't have to deal with the fear and coercion.

I have a few larger kindgoms but one has an "uncorruptable" HLC (silver dragon) and the other is LN/LE with rule by the strong as the norm (Emperors train their offspring to be HLCs so they can keep the family tradition alive). Most of the rest are generally city-states with a thoroughly dominated countryside. Several cities are ruled by wizard guilds or priestly councils.

 

[Gez]

Sounds cool, Kigmat - you ever seen the Fist of the North Star anime? That had exactly this setup, with lone HLCs commanding small kingdoms with mook 'show armies' there merely to cheer them on as they duelled the neighbouring kingdom's HLC.

An ambassador talks to King Pantulph XVIII.

"Milord, if I can be so bold; I've been surprised by the obvious lack of fortifications. No castles, no garrisons... Don't you train soldiers?"
"Yes I do. See that building? It's where my conscript do their drills."
"The civic festhall? I don't understand."
"See, I don't need my soldiers to wield weapons, I can take care of the massacring and slaughtering myself. So, instead, they have to cheer me up. I don't train fighters, I train pom-pom girls..."