Leonardo Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 http://s101.photobucket.com/user/Shyox/media/northDiplomacraft.jpg.htmlHello and welcome; this game is designed to put players directly into the world of ASOIAF and in control of one of the dynasties or factions of the North. The main objective is to ensure your house's survival, and if possible claim dominion over the North or a good position in said heirarchy. Each faction also has its own minor objectives secret from the rest, but the way you fulfill these objectives or if you choose to do so at all is entirely up to the player. Though there are some stats and numbers, these are generally just guidelines to clue you in on the situation in your domain.The game progresses in a turn-based fashion, and with the coming of each new turn there are events and crises for each player to deal with. These are picked randomly using dice rolls, though if needed I will step in to balance things if, for example, one house gets 3 negative events a turn on a spree or if the result is too deviant from the median. There are also global events which will almost certainly effect all the players, though they are very rare and far between; these will also be random, so even I don't know what will occur every turn or when they will occur.Player interaction is key, so if you don't like having a few PMs in your inbox every other day, this game is probably not for you. A lot of the planning will be done 'backstage' so to speak, either through me or directly with other players. On that note, all orders you don't want public go to the gamemaster aka Me, or if you don't mind you can post them in the game topic.There are 13 spots, with some wiggle room to possibly add one at need, and it's also capable of running at only half capacity, with people having the option to jump in as it moves along. Each turn lasts 3 months in game, and 3-4 days IRL for turn cycles, depending on scheduling. This can be adjusted at need depending on game flow, and I'm predicting the game will go for about 25 turns at max, and 10-15 at the least. To set the stage, this game takes place before Aegon's conquest and near the end of a long summer, with fall still a year or so off(depending on the dice). The Night's Watch is a powerful institution at this point in time, though over the course of the game they will become less and less effective against their counterparts beyond the wall. Other than that we are likely taking some liberties with direction, and there are no characters from the series in the game, leaving you to form your own. At game's end we will crown a winner based on a number of factors that will help tell us how well someone played the game of thrones. A house that was wiped out may still take the cake for example if they were extremely effective in-gameMost importantly though is that everyone has fun, even as they watch their chosen faction crumble into gravel over the course of the game. I'm often available for any questions or concerns you have, so feel free to shoot me a PM anytime. Two ground rules and then you can start picking a faction and creating your house:1. Westeros.org prohibits roleplaying, so even though you are taking control of a main character and house this is a game of diplomacy and statecraft, not an RPG. Please refrain from doing so in the topic and keep it light or OOC(out of character). Feel free to issue edicts and the like, but no RPing2. This game is more subjective than similar games in nature; it's not about number crunching and such, and in that spirit many of the backstage mechanics of the game are purposefully hidden so as to not concern the players with them. Orders are freeform, though are is a limit to what you can do in a turn and occasionally I will override some decisions, though hopefully this is rare or doesn't occur at all as an ideal.So far we have:1. Lord Lyman, Bear Island2. Bright Blue Eyes, Chieftain beyond the wall3. Alestor, Barrowton4. Stannis Joplin, The Rills5. Minstral, Karhold6. Dobromir, TBD=======Getting StartedThe first thing you'll want to do is pick a faction and then use the house member creator to flesh out your dynasty and court. There are some things that go unsaid about some of the factions, though most of the important points are noted. Not all factions will be equal or even equatable, and each essentially has different goals. You may have a maximum of 12 house members, though you will see why keeping numbers low can also be very important, and of course as previous one of these characters is the head of the faction.Prestige: The respect of the realm towards youLegitimacy: The respect of your vassals towards youPopulation: The amount of people in your lands / The amount of armies able to be summoned at game startIncome and coffers: The income and current funds of your regimeResources: The resources available to your factionTraits and Notes: Any special rules or notes about your faction1. WinterfellPrestige: 9 (Held in high regard by all but their envious rivals)Legitimacy: 9 (The Stark's bloodline dates back beyond memory and their works and triumphs are known throughout the North; however with the recent trade blockade of the Boltons this is beginning to be questioned)Population: 420,000 / 3,200 foot, 1000 mountedIncome and coffers: Medium / 250,000 GDResources: Furs, LumberTraits and Notes: The Starks of Winterfell - Inspires great loyalty, great troop morale, and has inherent magic, as well as being the rightful rulers of the North.The Library of Winterfell - Aside from Castle Black and White Harbor, the only notable area encouraging study is the library of Winterfell, where many an ancient tome are kept2. The NeckPrestige: 2 (Feared, but generally looked down on)Legitimacy: 8 (The Reed's have ruled the neck for a long while, but with the lack of formality and legalism comes its own risks, meaning lords are more flighty in decision making)Population: 70,000 / 1,400 crannogmenIncome and coffers: Low to None / 20,000 GD (The treasures of your people and whatever plunder is gleaned from disrupted trade)Resources: Peat (Heating in winter is not a problem due to the abundant sources of peat)Traits and Notes:Bog Devils - The infamy of the bog devils is well known; they are impossible to subjugate(supposedly) and their tactics are no less formidable for being known throughout the realm.Warrior Culture - A substantial more amount of fighting folk can be raised than would usually be possible with such a small population due to the warrior culture of the NeckThe Neck - The Crannogmen control the only land route north, which is their only real source of income as well. Allow too many foreigners in however, and you will upset your bannermen3. White HarborPrestige: 5 (The fact that the Manderly's worship the seven hampers their credibility, though makes the port a much more tolerant atmosphere for traders worldwide, increasing trade revenue)Legitimacy: 6 (The wealth of House Manderly keeps many of the more outspoken zealots quiet, but there are those of your vassals who wish for a return to the old gods)Population: 650,000 / 5,000 foot, 1,500 mountedIncome and coffers: High / 800,000 GDResources: Silver, Luxury Resource - AleTraits and Notes:White Knife: One of the best trade routes in the North, this is vital to trade and whoever controls it recieves extensive benefitsThe Seven: Gives troops poor morale and causes friction in the city between the two factions of believersSilver Mines: Though it takes more time than trade, you can pull your wealth directly out of the ground if need be by setting up subsidized work projects. Pulls directly from soldier pool however due to the hard laborTrade Fleet: House Manderly possesses a large trade fleet and a few warships, with the ability to convert these for battle or expand this fleet4. The DreadfortPrestige: 8 (Uncouth tactics have left a bitter taste in the mouth when uttering the name Bolton, but the fear the name inspires hushes most criticism)Legitimacy: 10 (Fear has an iron grasp on your vassals, and with the new trade route having developed and in Bolton control, your lords applaud your every move)Population: 400,000 / 3,000 foot, 1000 mountedIncome and coffers: Medium / 250,000 GDResources: Furs, Lumber, FishTraits and Notes:Trade Route: The new road leading east to the sea has given the Boltons somewhat of a monopoly on the trade central to the North not flowing up the white knife, as few ships visit the eastern coast at allThe Flayed Man: House Bolton inspires great fear, giving solid morale(though not as good as some) and makes revolt very unlikely5. KarholdPrestige: 6 (House Karstark doesn't enjoy the same status as their namesake kin, though they are known as doughty fighters. Too rural and somewhat remote to be considered with the same reckoning as Stark or Bolton)Legitimacy: 8 (Your vassals are humble, but enjoy staying at home and dislike your dealings with the Braavosi, who they claim have begun to settle some of your coastlines to enact their own small logging operations)Population: 300,000 / 2,300 foot, 700 horseIncome and coffers: Low* / 100,000 GDResources: Lumber(See below), FishTraits and Notes:Greatwood Trees - The trees if Karhold are both plentiful and one of a kind; the greatwood tree only takes root in great number here, and Braavosi shipmakers pay highly for this as well as lumber for firewood, representing most of the Karstark incomeRural Coasts - The coasts are broad and the fishing is here is some of the best in the North, though it begins to freeze during winter and are somewhat hard to policeWoodland - This confers a bonus while fighting on your land, while also taking more time to mobilize men as well as making it more difficult to keep them fed in one place6. Mountain ClansPrestige: 4 (Though never openly mocked in their hearing for fear of reprisal, it is well known the North generally looks down on the mountain clans as backwater folk only a rung above wildlings)Legitimacy: 6 (House Liddle currently holds senior position among the clan chiefs, but due to the democratic and squabbling nature of the mountain clans, holding any central position of power requires constant maintenance and pleasing of chiefs)Population: 200,000 / 3,000 fighting men each with their own garron and equipment, many with sparesIncome and coffers: Low to none / 50,000 GDResources: Garrons, GoatsTraits and Notes: True Northmen - Due to living in the rugged mountains, there are no troops more suited to cold conditions of true winter than the clansmen, and their garrons will last longer than any other northern mount, however they are not ridden into battle generallyMountainous - Easy to defend the lands these folk no well, and they are difficult to subjugate, though it also is time consuming to mobilize forcesWarrior Culture - Instead of soaking up precious resources in winter, these folk prefer to die with steel in hand, and in general value combat highly, letting them levy more troops than other factions7. The RillsPrestige: 7 (House Ryswell is known far and wide for their horseflesh and command a sizable chunk of the North, though not capable of the shows of force House Stark or Bolton can muster)Legitimacy: 8 (Your vassals are rich through the horse trade, though many also now push for ways to expand this revenue and find new sources of trade and land expand this monopoly)Population: 280,000 / 1,800 foot and 1000 mountedIncome and coffers: Medium* / 500,000 GDResources: HorsesTraits and Notes: Horsemen - The rills boast the swiftest and fastest horses of the north, as well as the best ridersLongships - A number of fishing boats are available as well as a few longships to House Ryswell to help protect its coastsIrrigation - Due to the nature of the rills, farmland is abundant due to easy irrigation methods, though not fit for all crops8. BarrowtonPrestige: 5 (In short, House Dustin is known for its mead, not for its famous victories in the field; however, despite being a younger house they have managed to grasp a sizable portion of land, a deal of it being the best farmland the North has to offer)Legitimacy: 6 (With more food than is known what to do with, your lords press you to secure trade routes with which to expand revenue streams outside of the North and Saltspear. They also press you to continue colonizing land by issuing grants to their own vassals)Population: 450,000 / 3,500 fighting men, 1000 mountedIncome and coffers: Medium / 400,000 GDResources: Mead, Honey, Dairy productsTraits and Notes:Best Farmland - The lands beholden to Barrowton are both vast and fruitful; a great deal of the best land is already in full production, but much of the outliers such as Cape Kraken remain unsettledRapid Growth - Due to its location and bountiful harvests, Barrowton can experience a great deal of population growth and is a hotbed for refugess of war9. Bear IslandPrestige: 3Legitimacy: 9 (None question the rule of House Mormont but your coastal vassals, who provide nearly half your manpower)Population: 170,000 / 1300 foot, 400 mountedIncome and coffers: Low / 75,000 GDResources: Fish, Exotic FursTraits and Notes: Large Game - There are no better hunters than those of bear island, who tangle with the largest prey available south of the wallSouth Coast - The South coast of Bear island remains fishable even in the deeps of winter, providing a steady though less consistent source of food, with the rest being free of ice the rest of the timeSkinchangers - House Mormont boasts a large number of skinchangers, rumors sayFleet - The Bear has not forgotten the Kraken; House Mormont has the only sizable fleet this side of the North10. SkaagosPrestige: 5 (Fear is a paramount figure in this equation, causing many lords to shun the island all together, as they are known as slavers, cannibals, and worse)Legitimacy: 9 (The Skaagosi are bloodthirsty people, who require raiding and plunder to sate them, as well as preservation of old customs such as first night. Give them this, and they are putty in your hands)Population: 120,000 / 3,000 foot*Income and coffers: Low to None, 10,000 GDResources: Fish, Slaves, Obsidian Mines, Unicorn Blood/Horn/Hair*Traits and Notes:Unicorns - These creatures reportedly have great magical properties; their hair is whispered to be unbreakable and unlike any other material found in the world, their blood is reputedly able to grant great gifts to its drinker at a price, and its horns are said to be able to heard across great distances, inspire men, and even contact the children of the forestWildling Trade - Along with having trade with the wildlings for what few luxury goods beyond the wall land has to offer, they also are saddled with many a wildling washing up on their coasts, who they enslave and take as thralls, even occassionally selling them to those from the free cities, though your lords do not appreciate dealings with foreignersObsidian Mines - The lands of Skaagos boast of the only obsidian mines in the north, though the profession and act of mining is mocked as low by all Skaagosi, fit work only for thrallsCannibals - The Skaagosi have methods to avoid starvation and harsh winters that are not even considered, let alone spoken openly of; some say they even engage in it ritualistically*Skaagosi troops, while numerous and possessing almost unshakable morale, are poorly armored and armed11. Last HearthPrestige: 7 (The mightiest fighters the North has to offer, these men often have fierce reputations which command respect, though is not always given by the haughtiest of Northern lords due to rumors of barbaric activities)Legitimacy: 10 (The Umbers and their vassals keep the old ways such as First Night and blood sacrifice. By allowing them to hold to these traditions you command their undying loyalty, though it causes some in the realm to shun you)Population: 340,000 / 2000 foot, 1000 men with garrons, 400 mountedIncome and coffers: Low / 120,000 GDResources: Lumber, Weirwood, Gold?*, precious resources?*, secrets?*Traits and Notes:Wildling raids - The Umbers suffer from raiding wildlings due to the lack of natural cover the mountain clans can boast, and some say they use passages and ways now lost to the North to pillageCave Systems - Underneath the North and extending even beyond the wall are vast caves of unknown origin; though some return with fables of riches untold waiting to be mined or secret passages with secrets, more return with tales of monsters and demons, or not at allWeirwood Grove - The Umbers possess the largest natural grove of weirwoods south of the wall, rivalling Winterfell's godswood. The Umbers swear by its power and make regular prayer here, which they say explains their harvests which seem larger than should be possible...12. The WallPrestige: 10Legitimacy: 10Population: 10,000 / 1,000 rangers, 3,000 foot, 1,000 mountedIncome and coffers: Low / 50,000 GDResources: NoneTraits and Notes:The Decline of the Watch - The Night's Watch is an institution of great prestige, however over the course of time this begins to decline as the watch forgets its true purposeLibraries of Castle Black - If there is a center of learning of the North, it is ironically at the wall, where thousands of books lie dating from beyond living memory13. Beyond The WallPrestige: 1 (You are a chief of the Free Folk, where respect and loyalty is earned through action, not birth)Legitimacy: 1 (Your holdings are small, but those under your command are loyal)Population: 500,000Income and coffers: None / 100 GD in valuablesResources: Giants, Mammoths, ObsidianTraits and Notes: Wildlings - The Free Folk are notoriously fickle and difficult to organize, and while forming armies is possible, forming labour groups is almost laughable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 HOUSE MEMBER CREATION You have 40 points to distribute amongst up to 10 house members, with 5 points maximum per category. These will directly affect outcomes of endeavors made by them, capable of greatly enhancing chances of success or failure. When the head of house dies, you take over as the next in line. Natural death count will be low and shouldn't be worried about much unless there are crises which directly affect this. A child's education, said cost of, mentor, and chance will determine how they progress as they age. After creating your house, you do the same for your court, only with a maximum of 6 members and only 20 points to distribute. All other characters used will perform as if they had 0 in all categories. Intrigue: Statecraft:Martial: SAMPLE HOUSE: Tywin LannisterIntrigue: 3Statecraft: 5Martial: 4 Jaime LannisterIntrigue: 0Statecraft: 3Martial: 5 Cersei LannisterIntrigue: 1Statecraft: 1Martial: 0 Tyrion LannisterIntrigue: 3Statecraft: 4Martial: 3 Kevan LannisterIntrigue: 1Statecraft: 5Martial: 3 === In closing is a sample turn along with the player's following orders to give you an idea of what gameplay consists of Turn 1 Robert Umber of House Umber 2/5/4 (Intrigue/Statecraft/Martial)Prestige: 7 (The mightiest fighters the North has to offer, these men often have fierce reputations which command respect, though is not always given by the haughtiest of Northern lords due to rumors of barbaric activities)Legitimacy: 10 (The Umbers and their vassals keep the old ways such as First Night and blood sacrifice. By allowing them to hold to these traditions you command their undying loyalty, though it causes some in the realm to shun you)Population: 340,000 / 2000 foot, 1000 men with garrons, 400 mountedIncome and coffers: Low / 120,000 GDResources: Lumber, Weirwood, Gold?*, precious resources?*, secrets?*Traits and Notes:Wildling raids - The Umbers suffer from raiding wildlings due to the lack of natural cover the mountain clans can boast, and some say they use passages and ways now lost to the North to pillageCave Systems - Underneath the North and extending even beyond the wall are vast caves of unknown origin; though some return with fables of riches untold waiting to be mined or secret passages with secrets, more return with tales of monsters and demons, or not at allWeirwood Grove - The Umbers possess the largest natural grove of weirwoods south of the wall, rivalling Winterfell's godswood. The Umbers swear by its power and make regular prayer here, which they say explains their harvests which seem larger than should be possible... <><><><><><><> STATE OF AFFAIRS: -News is dire as your own daughter has been hauled off by the wildlings! Witnesses report them heading to one of the cave system's entrances, and your vassals urge you to march into the depths to retrieve her before the window is shut forever. If you do not act, some of your vassals may regard you as craven and cause them to lose respect. However to brave the deeps may have its own consequences... -One of your patrols recently dissappeared while near the border of the Karstark lands; they were carrying tribute from one of your vassals and your advisors push for recompense from the Karstark's or an investigation into the matter at the least. -A band of wildlings was caught and apprehended alive; while the zealots among you urge you to make a sacrifice to the old gods of them, your less devout say they may yield information about how the raiders are entering your lands. YOUR HOUSE AND COURT: Arnolf 'The Quiet' UmberIntrigue: 4Statecraft: 4Martial: 4 Cregan UmberIntrigue: 0Statecraft: 1Martial: 5 Roose 'Smallbones' UmberIntrigue: 5Statecraft: 5Martial: 1 Tytos SnowIntrigue: 3Statecraft: 5Martial: 3 Colloquo 'The Easterling'Intrigue: 1Statecraft: 3Martial: 5 EXAMPLE ORDERS: -House Umber decides to establish a standing force of 500 men to help prevent and respond to wildling raids -Send Arnolf 'The Quiet' Umber into the caves with 50 good men and light provisions. Tell him to bring charred wood to mark their ways through the caves and establish an outpost before venturing deep into the caves. Also send some of my best hounds and one of the raiders you caught, while the rest are sacrificed to the old gods. -Dispatch a raven to Karhold inquiring as to the dissappearance of your men and this vassal tribute while simultaneously dispatching a small force to the vassal himself and another where the men supposedly vanished As the game moves on, situations will become more complex and player to player interaction will begin to take the place of random events. Through this more subjective approach I will be able to cater more to the individual gameplay of players and more ably ensure a fun game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Lyman Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I'm up for round 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Vunderbar, do you have any preference as to faction or should we just put them in a hat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Blue Eyes Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I'm in. King beyond the Wall sounds sweet. Second preference would be Lord Commander. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Lyman Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I might like 1. Bear Island2. The Neck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Good choice; bear island holds a decent bit of coast as well at this point, where deepwood motte should be on the map. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Also if anyone was curious the population of the north based on this is around 3.5 million Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alestor Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I would like to join also1. Barrowton2. Last Hearth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Noted ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edd fetch me the boo box Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I'll take The Rills. Second choice....Winterfell. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Whew just spent a good minute compiling vassal houses, next I'm going to start adding more castles and holdfasts to the map to give a better sense of scale and distance. Taken some small liberties with house overlords but almost all of it should be pretty correct, I'll edit into the opening posts when I have a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Barrump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minstral Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 So do we go about making our "own" family tree or does one get assigned to us? I'll say I'm in. Karstark (first choice) or Bolton (second choice), can be decided on a coin toss if needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 So do we go about making our "own" family tree or does one get assigned to us? I'll say I'm in. Karstark (first choice) or Bolton (second choice), can be decided on a coin toss if needed.You make your own tree, up to 10 members; you get 40 points split among the 3 categories intrigue(for plotting and planning), statecraft(ability to govern and negotiate), and martial(anything combat related) for all of them, so some will probably be more effective and important.After that you also get a court which can consist of up to 6 characters and 20 points to distribute.I encourage to think of a backstory as well; the north was involved in a huge war just before this last winter and a lot of people died, including the king in the north. Mostly this is to give reason why the Starks or Boltons havent crowned a king yet and to not completely force them and the game into that paradigm. So you're free to write your house's history to this point, and give a little color and background to your house members, and then if people want I'll go in and add some semi-randomized details to a few, like that character may be a hunter or accomplished duelist if he has a high martial score, and we'll balance those with a negative trait like drunkard. That may make it a bit complex but I'd like to be able to differentiate with more than just a score for questions like who is the better fighter or more likely to win at cyvasse, and also have it go hand in hand with backgrounds. It should help things to come alive so to speak, and add an extra element and flavor outside of "5 martial means you're a good commander AND warrior AND strategist AND duelist". As a final note and without giving too much away, the characters will change over the course of the game and there are ways to increase both.I wouldn't worry about it yet, there are secret objectives for each house or faction that could influence how you structure. These don't have to be followed by any means, but it will be of import at game end when we want to look at our winner or winners and it's revealed what was going on behind the scenes as it were.Very excited, have a lot of stuff planned and the tests I've been doing in regard to how random my tables are have gone well; only two houses shared the same style of event on a sample turn and I wrote a good deal more to add in this morning while I was waiting to pay the power company. Something like 80 different ones so far, and 20 more unique to some factions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Bump for great science Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Bump for commonplace kindness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 In west bumpadelphia born and raised Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m49/Shyox/northDiplomacraftbordersandcitycastle.jpg Aaand a new map to get a look at borders; there are currently some neutral houses and castles, namely House Flint of Widow's Watch and Flint's Finger. By no means done, as most everyone will have at least 2 castles and a town or equivalent, but getting closer if not neater ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Bump for secret justice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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