Weekenders/Kore plot development

[doghead]

After reading the location and organisation threads and then the Liberation of Tenh Plot, and subsequently the IC, thread I decided that I wanted to do something more with a low level PbP game that was I was mulling.

The initial concept was just a series of loosely linked short adventures. But what I would like to do is have a campaign running on several levels - military, political and economic.

So far, this is where the background is at post wise:

Bulletin 1

| background |

Things have not been peaceful in the Kingdom recently. For years, the Houses struggled amoung themselves for power and influence. Alliances and allegiances shifted and changed rapidly. Disputes were common and often hit flashpoint. The Orcs came out of the mountains. Some whispered of a pact. More lives were lost and more land laid bare until a peace was brokered. A weary calm settled over the kingdom as the Houses licked their wounds (and prepared for next time).

But it was not all bad for House Oe. In return for its steadfast support of the Warlord, the lands of Karatsu were granted to the House. Although a relatively insignificant and poor district, a gift of land is a great honour in the Kingdom. However, for a small House like House Oe, it is also very dangerous one. Sending too many soldiers would weaken the House proper. Sending too few and failing to manage the land would be a loss of face. So, after spending the whole day in discussion with his most trusted advisers, Lord Oe commanded three detachments, 22 soldiers, to be prepared by dawn and summond the young Lord Ari to take them to Karatsu.

House Oe is located far from the capitol in the lands of the south. It is a relative old and honourable House, but a small provincial one all the same. Lord Oe is a traditionalist, not only espousing the virtues of service and moderation, but practicing them as well. He is widely respected and trusted by the people of Oe for his dedication to the land and its people. He rarely travels North.

| characters :: assuming the man-at-arms concept |

The characters form the mounted detachment (6 soldiers) of the small force sent by Lord Oe to take possession of Karatsu castle and region.The other two detachments (8 soldiers each) are infantry, largely made up of greener recruits stiffened with a couple of seasoned soldiers. All characters would need to be able to ride, wield a sword and use a bow. The weapons, armour and mounts will be of the same type.

<snip>

The young lord will be an NPC. However, I am thinking about allowing the players (OOC) to determin what she tries to do. Her objective will be to secure control of the castle and lands and manage them until Lord Oe can organise a permanent force. The timeframe is about six months to year.

| others |

There are a number of races in the Kingdom. The most common are Kobalds. Orcs. Ogres. Giants. <snip>

Wild animals are plentiful. Crows. Foxes. Wolves. Tigers. Bears. etc.

Deamons are the great enemy - defilers of the land and spirit. But they exist only in legends and the tales mothers tell their children to frighten them.

The full "Weekenders" thread is here.

To shamelessly paraphrase (contact):

If you were a player, what would you be hoping for?

If you were a GM, how would you develop the political (social?) and economic side of the campaign?

I have some rough ideas but this post is already quite long and its well into the small hours of the morning here, so I'll just leave open ended for the mo'.

the head of the dog

 

[arwink]

If you were a player, what would you be hoping for?

Is this not a question to ask the players first?

The easy answer regarding the political side is to move the PC's out of the range of "Mounted detachment" and into the realm of trusted advisors/friends of the lord. Engineer a situation where they save the lords life, or simply have him recognise them as logical choices for tactical advice, and get them involved in his decision making process as characters. More effective than letting the PC's make the lords decisions is putting them in a situation where they can argue and influence decisions the lord has already made.

Once they've gotten used to that layer of trust, start messing with it. Give them other allies, some who may later have clashing goals, and force the PC's to choose between them.

 

[doghead]

"Is this not a question ..."

Its a valid point. I didn't really plan to run this game, it just kinda happened. At the moment I am not even sure who is going to be in it. However, I going to keep it in mind. I think that I might deal with it as in IC responce - "What thoughs and questions run through your minds as you lie there, unable to sleep, awaiting the new day?"

The game is set in a feudal world, so as the "elite" warriors, the characters would have the ear of the lord to a significant degree. What I was pondering was the feasibiliy of having the PCs involved in the success or failure of the governership.

For example - the district has been harshly rule and taxed in tha past. Roads and bridges are in disrepair. The town is filthy and the services unrelaible. Many buildings are run down as the people cannot afford the materials to repair them, and winter is comming. Many of the fields are untended as the farmers lack the seed to sow. Law and order is weak outside the main town.

How should the new lord respond? How should he spend his limited budget. What are the priorities? How do I manage the mechanics of this?

I think I will start off as suggested, with the PC's having a role as advisors. This also allows me to introduce this element of the game slowly.

 

[doghead]

I am thinking of using the following races in my homebrew (a feudal japanese type setting) I would like to keep the number of intellegent creature types failry small. I have also modified the stereotypes to some degree. :

Giants: keep to the mountains; minimal contact with humans.
Kobolds: keep to the mountains; miners; some trading with humans in the foothills.
Ogres: hills and forests; neutral attitude towards humans, dedicated forest managers/guardians.
Orcs: 17 tribes scattered through the mountains; have a treaty with the humans; some conflict over territorial control.
Trolls: very elusive; rarely encountered; believed by many to be gone from the kingdom; skillful stone workers.

Dragons would also exist within the kingdom, but I don't see them becoming part of the game at this stage. They would be almost mythical in stature.

I would really apprieciate your thoughts and suggestions on this.