The Vacant Throne - A Roleplay of War and Politics [Interest Check]

[Doc Gnosis]

[HEADING=1]The Vacant Throne - A Roleplay of War and Politics[/HEADING]

The year is 1297 in the Imperial Calendar, and Holy Kolonaean Empire has entered a state of flux. Their war against their Southern kinsmen left them victorious and their lands ceded to the Empire. For the first time since five centuries the Imperial Domain is united under one crown. And yet this glorious reunion was not without cost: the Emperor Odd III lost his life in the battlefield in the course of this restoration. The nobility will mourn his loss in the spring, but soon they must name a new sovereign to rule over this new age

But not all welcome it with open arms. In the Southern territories the former dukes and petty kings groan and plot for independence from the Imperial yoke. They had long been free and will not accept this age without a bloody death. In the East travellers speak of a conquering 'High King' with an army like the ocean. The commonfolk live in fear when his armies turn to Holy Kolonaea while the nobility watch. And still more troubling, the Fylkirate - the pillar of faith in the Empire - seeks a restoration of their old power over the land and people. They once held the crown in their hands yielding it only to those they choose, and they want that authority once more.

The Empire stands before a new age as a new Emperor must be chosen, and a Great Game played amongst the worthy. Either Kolonaea will become a dominion that can last a thousand years, or fall to ashes by the threats that circle it. One man will rule this new age, or destroy it. Only time will tell...

********

Welcome to The Vacant Throne. This will be an experimental RP using a system I've cooked up for this kind of gaming, mostly working around individual CYOA with certain PDQ elements factoring in. Players will play a noble family with the ambition to become Emperor, trying to accumulate enough power and alliances to fulfill that end. And yet they will also have to be careful of whatever threats that seek to undo that ambition.

[HEADING=2]*ON THE GAME*[/HEADING]

The Game of War and Politics can be considered to be broken into three rounds or phases; The Early Game - prior to nominations - The Late Game - after nominations - and The Election - in which a final victor is decided. The game is won by receiving appointment to the position of Emperor in most cases, but some more devious characters can win by achieving darker goals. Let?s begin by covering the basics.

As the game begins, players will submit character sheets to the GM for review. These character sheets will contain the relevant information and backstory of the characters players wish to enter, in addition they will contain three positive skills/abilities/perks and one negative foible/weakness/obstacle. The former can either be activated in return for one point, or triggered by the GM for free, while the latter can only be triggered by the GM.

When all character sheets have been approved and readied three of the players will be appointed Electors by the GM (out of a pool of volunteers). It is the role of Elector characters to decide the nominees for Emperor at the mid game. Each Elector is duty bound to select one and only one of the player characters to nominate for public consideration for the throne. An Elector cannot choose to nominate himself, however, should one Elector receive the nomination of both of his fellows he will be considered a candidate for the throne. In this circumstance though the third Elector must still nominate a competitor for himself, out of duty.

Once Electors have been appointed and publicly announced the GM will privately message three other players (out of a pool of volunteers) informing them discreetly that they are to play the Double-Agent, The Radical or The Devout. These three roles have in common that they are secret and should ideally remain so.

The Double-Agent is a traitor to the Empire; he has sold his loyalty and his nation to the High King who even now march from the east on a ceaseless campaign, offering the throne in exchange for power. Will their war come to our door step?

-The Double-Agent wins the game if the High King?s armies capture the capital city of the empire.
-The Double-Agent will privately send communique to the High King advising their troop movements and strategy.

The Radical feels no love for the Empire; he would see the newest seat of our Empire returned to the barbarous kin from whom it was rightfully seized. And there are kinfolk who agree with him.

-The Radical wins the game if the South achieves independence from the empire.
-The Radical will privately send communique to the Southerners advising their troop movements and strategy.

The Devout?s loyalties were never to the Empire, it was to the Gods and their servants The Fylkirate. The death of the former Emperor sees a power vacuum that the church would have sealed neatly by a man of the Faith. And will do all they can to undermine Kolonaea until the people plea to the Fylkir for salvation

-The Devout wins the game if the Empire is sufficiently drained
-The Devout will privately send communique to The Cardinal advising his troop movements and strategy.

Players can make actions on the world without having to worry about points, but if they want to keep their actions secret they need to spend a point. At the start of the game, each player has five points to spend for activating their benefits or making secret actions. Points can be earned through actions that earn the love and adoration of the people or nobility - or by writing a quality post.

Spoiler: A Brief Political Rundown

In terms of remembrance, the Holy Kolonaean Empire is a hybrid of Vikings with the Holy Roman Empire in terms of their succession. A group of fifteen Electors - high ranking nobles - pick powerful candidates to take the throne; each one pleads their case before the Electors, and they in turn debate amongst themselves of the choices before coming to a vote. There needs to be a four to one majority before an Elector is chosen.

As for how an Elector is chosen, the position is hereditary; they were originally holy men, warlords, and merchant kings who had enough sway in the land to be declared an Elector. No one Elector can nominate themselves but they can be nominated by two other Electors; however that tradition is unusual.

Spoiler: Character & House Sheet

Name:
Age:
Personality:

Character History:
House History:
Lands:

Benefits: What makes your House stand out among others? (Pick three, and they cannot have anything to do with your character)

Drawback: What problem does this House suffer? (Name only one, and it cannot have anything to do with your character)

Volunteer? -By saying yes, you may be selected to be either one of three electors or antagonist roles.

Feel free to add anything else you think is pertinent; your crest; your family members; what kind of politcal game you're looking for; etc.

Feel free to ask any questions you have on the world, or the rules, or anything else that's important. I'll update the opening thread as time continues.

 

[Cal Shackleford]

This looks like it could be a great deal of fun (especially for a CK2 junkie such as myself!).

Was wondering if you have a few more notes out there on the world? (Sorry for the bombardment)

Geographically is the world an analogue of our own, or tastefully twisted?

The Fylkirate looks like it's a pretty organized religion - Church body, cardinals etc. Guessing the Emperor must always be a man of the Faith but are outside faiths tolerated, or even respected? Guess ditto for other ethnic groups - is there much of a spread within the Empire or just mostly Northerners and Southerns?

Might be silly but is the election process anonymous (written? marbles? intricately painted eggs etc) or do the electors bear it all for the hall to see/hear?

Is there any hardcore techcap on the world? Guessing naturally we won't be seeing ships-of-the-line hoisted high in the sky by balloons with a fearsome shoe-seller or apple growing priest at the helm... but any grenades or hand-cannons rumbling about?

By benefits and drawbacks... Is it rude to ask for a little clarification? I'm more used to the simple free-form RP to be honest. Are these more dynastic/legacy based, or more immediate? Uh, that's the say something like

- "When Bob Bobson fled in the face of the enemy at the Battle of the Kitchen Sink, he left a dark stain figuratively and literally upon his House. Few honourable men would gladly follow a son of Brown Britches Bob into battle ever again."

or -

"Winter's a *****, all nobles know that, even better than farmers. Farmers starve if the frost comes too soon, the snows linger. But nobles? Beggar Princes find little luck in winning swords to their banner."


Thanks for your time,

Hope this finds you well and this adventure get's off the ground!

 

[TheIronRuler]

A CK2 game does sound interesting...

Do we control only our head of the family, or is our character merely a part of the noble House? Can we control other family members, and if so, should we create sheets for them as well?

What other neighbors lie to the other sides of the Empire - to the west, and the north and the south? Can we interact with these neighbors? (Even if it's just a Lombard southern major Bank financing my campaign in exchange for certain rights when my character attains the position of Emperor). Can I call into favor family ties with outside forces?

What is the position of Free Cities and Bishoprics? Are there any Merchant Republics? Are there any Noble Republics (a-la Commonwealth and Netherlands)? Can a leader of a Noble Republic even be considered to the position of Emperor?

I reckon old blood is a requirement for such a position, but are newer nobles permitted to play the game of thrones? Can Merchant Princes take the opportunity? (Born of a Patrician and a Noble Lady).

Are there any Religious orders? (Hospitallers, Templars, Teutons, Livonian, St. John, etc.) Do they play a part in the game?

What is the attitude of the Empire and the Faith to Heretics and to Heathens? Are there Heathens nearby? (Can I accuse a man of Heresy, thus incurring the wrath of the Inquisition?)

You mentioned Vikings - are there any Vikings, sea raiders, pirates, etc.?

What's the attitude of the princes and electors to a more centralized Empire?

Do the nations inside the Empire fight against each other? Can I convince certain electors with the force of arms, or promise my support for their feud with another nobleman? Can I extract wealth from a free city, threaten a bishop to support me in the church? How about... assassinations?

I'm sure there are many more questions, and I know that some of those I haven't mentioned were asked by Cal.

 

[Frission]

Weird, I was actually wondering if there was an RP about playing a backstabbing nobles. The two above posters asked most of the questions that were going through my mind.

I'll just like to know if could we also write a short description about the lands and assets the nobles own, and if we can derive any bonuses and maluses from them, or should the lands be only used for aesthetic purposes?

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Ah, what delicious double dealings and backstabbing to follow...

I am still wondering, how will this go? Can we try to kill off our enemies? Can we raise our enemies children and would they be played differently?

 

[Frission]

Ah, what delicious double dealings and backstabbing to follow...

I am still wondering, how will this go? Can we try to kill off our enemies? Can we raise our enemies children and would they be played differently?

Hopefully getting your main character killed won't end the game. Maybe the kids take over like in Rogue Legacy or Crusaders Kings or something. Although if that happens there's a chance that any enemy kid you raise will pull a Theon Greyjoy.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Was wondering if you have a few more notes out there on the world? (Sorry for the bombardment)

Geographically is the world an analogue of our own, or tastefully twisted?

What other neighbors lie to the other sides of the Empire - to the west, and the north and the south? Can we interact with these neighbors? (Even if it's just a Lombard southern major Bank financing my campaign in exchange for certain rights when my character attains the position of Emperor). Can I call into favor family ties with outside forces?

In terms of geographical analogue, think of Kolonaean domain as the entire Scandinavian Peninsula and Denmark, with a few Germanic city-states in between. In the West and North there are oceans; the west leads to islands of strange and wealthy people - the perfect place to go raiding - while the north only holds colder and more barren lands. The South has tons of fertile lands and further are just vast mountain ranges that mark the boundary of that region. The East is heavily forested and underdeveloped; whatever people are out there live in very rural settlements. They also house a particular group of infidels that are very warlike in nature; The High King is among those infidels.

Having said all this, this is not quite a carbon copy of Europe; don't be expecting Mongols or Timurids in the East, or Muslims in the South.

You certain can try interacting with nearby people, but the scope of time in-game is going to be less than a year. If this game goes very well, I'd be ready to extend the time.

The Fylkirate looks like it's a pretty organized religion - Church body, cardinals etc. Guessing the Emperor must always be a man of the Faith but are outside faiths tolerated, or even respected? Guess ditto for other ethnic groups - is there much of a spread within the Empire or just mostly Northerners and Southerns?

There are offshoots to the Faith the Fylkirate epouses with some sects more accepted than others; usually they are focused on one god being more important than the others. As an aside, the religion the Fylkirate epouses is like the Norse faith with the structure of the Catholic church.

As for ethnic diversity, Kolonaea boasts that they have a diverse number of peoples but that sentiment means little. To point the differences between them or their subgroups would be like trying to differentiate the Norse from the Saxons; you would find them but they would be minor or superficial.

You'd be better off looking for what debts or grudges each 'group' has held over the years; who attacked whom; which prince swore fealty to whom; who granted favors to whom; etc.

Are there any Religious orders? (Hospitallers, Templars, Teutons, Livonian, St. John, etc.) Do they play a part in the game?

What is the attitude of the Empire and the Faith to Heretics and to Heathens? Are there Heathens nearby? (Can I accuse a man of Heresy, thus incurring the wrath of the Inquisition?)

There aren't really any religious orders to speak of on an Empire-wide scale; you do get militant zealots but not in large groups.

As for the question of heresy, they do exist in Kolonaea. As I had mentioned, the High King and his band follow a faith that is considered barbaric to the Empire; for example, these people believe that everyone has a living doppleganger on earth, and killing him before you die guarantees that you go to heaven.

In the islands far west of Kolonaea they follow their own faith, though some groups there mix parts of the Fylkirate's doctrine to their own sensibilties, and the sum makes an unintentional mockery of it.

You mentioned Vikings - are there any Vikings, sea raiders, pirates, etc.

What's the attitude of the princes and electors to a more centralized Empire?

You ARE the Vikings; a better way to describe Kolonaea would be if Scandinavians made the Holy Roman Empire and retained their laws and customs. You get to raid settlements and cities and not be prosecuted for it; if the man does not have the power to protect his things, then he deserves to lose them.

The many princes of Holy Kolonaea are of the mind that someone should choose their Emperor, that the son of the Emperor should not be the successor unless he has the power to rule. The man who wants to instill hereditary rule on the Empire at large would need to prove that his family is strong enough to do so...

Might be silly but is the election process anonymous (written? marbles? intricately painted eggs etc) or do the electors bear it all for the hall to see/hear?

Do we control only our head of the family, or is our character merely a part of the noble House? Can we control other family members, and if so, should we create sheets for them as well?

I reckon old blood is a requirement for such a position, but are newer nobles permitted to play the game of thrones? Can Merchant Princes take the opportunity? (Born of a Patrician and a Noble Lady).

As long as you have the support of an Elector - or two if you're one yourself - you are a candidate for the throne. If you're a merchant, priest, or bandit raiding the countryside, you could be nominated.

The voting and debating process is private amongst the Electors; the candidate can speak their claim in front of the assembly, but they are not present when the voting starts. Electors who have been named a candidate for the throne are the only exception to that rule.

As for control, you directly control your family's head, but not every family member; you can try to influence them, but you cannot directly control them as well. As an aside, you do not have to be limited to creating a noble family; if you want to enter a priest as a possible contender, you could switch out the family with a local church or Bishopric.

What is the position of Free Cities and Bishoprics? Are there any Merchant Republics? Are there any Noble Republics (a-la Commonwealth and Netherlands)? Can a leader of a Noble Republic even be considered to the position of Emperor?

There are Bishoprics; a few of them ancestral seats to the Electors. Free Cities and Republics are a bit more scarce in the world; most would probably be situated in the South in between the petty kingdoms. With Kolonaea recapturing the South, some of those structures may be torn down in favor of the Imperial model.

Having said that, such peoples could be nominated just the same; though they may expect some scruitiny from either their own kin or Imperials who find it strange a senator from a republic is vying for the throne.

By benefits and drawbacks... Is it rude to ask for a little clarification? I'm more used to the simple free-form RP to be honest. Are these more dynastic/legacy based, or more immediate?

They can be dynastically based if you want them to be; both your examples work well as describing benefits and drawbacks. The only caveat is that you can't have them be directly based off of your current family members. You could also describe benefits of the environment your lands are in - like fertile lands, or naturally defendable, or dirt poor.

I'll just like to know if could we also write a short description about the lands and assets the nobles own, and if we can derive any bonuses and maluses from them, or should the lands be only used for aesthetic purposes?

You certainly can do that; it would make GM-ing this easier on both sides.

I am still wondering, how will this go? Can we try to kill off our enemies? Can we raise our enemies children and would they be played differently?

You certainly could do that as well, but do keep in mind that this will not be a long game in-universe; again you have less than a year in-game to scramble for the Throne.

If you have any other questions or if I've missed one of your questions, please let me know.

Oh, one more thing; if your main character does die in the course of the game, then you can pick another character in your family to continue, but you'd be starting from the beginning figuratively speaking.

EDIT:

Is there any hardcore techcap on the world? Guessing naturally we won't be seeing ships-of-the-line hoisted high in the sky by balloons with a fearsome shoe-seller or apple growing priest at the helm... but any grenades or hand-cannons rumbling about?

Technology is kinda at the medieval level in this game; no sophisticated explosives, steam energy, or the like. The only exception is in shipbuilding and and navigation; they know how to sail, though they have yet to discover the world is round or any other revelations of the world.

 

[Cal Shackleford]

___

Sounds all good. hmm Admittedly at first I was probably a little too PLC inspired in my thinking - was aiming for an ersatz "tartar" family looking to carve up a melting-pot border kingdom with some Casimir the Great style promises of protection. But if we've got a lot more homogeneity, will have to rethink that.

With the new info should be easier to think up a more anchored-to-universe family. Hmm probably go for a landlocked south-eastern family who turned out luckier than some, not as lucky as others, following the death of their in-laws in the war.

Back to the drawing board then!

 

[TheIronRuler]

Here's an attempt, something to test the waters with...
If this is alright, I'll write the Character History.
.

Spoiler

Name: Yorick Ugrich

Age: 42

Personality: Yorick has a long memory, and a tendency for petty revenge. He has a nose for business and a pleasant manner of speaking, and when combined with his luck makes him the most successful merchant. He is quite the loving type, and had continued the family tradition of having many wives and children. Yorick loves the drink and the song - he enjoys a good festivity and a skirmish on-stage. He often closes himself within his own tower and his books, delving into the histories of the world.

Character History: -TBA-

House History: House Ugrich was forged through war between the city-states of the Yuven Island. Forced into bloody conflict by a terrible famine, the city-states tore themselves to shreds - the three pillars of Yuven, and House Ugrich - Renvoy, Darnek and Naarnov fought for dominance. It was only with the clever dealings of High-Judge Lirio, who contracted the services of a most notorious northern Warband to fight his war that the conflict ended. Sacked and looted by the Ugrich Warband, the two cities became a shell of their former selves. It was then that the Warband turned on their own employer, and the leader, Ufrick Ugrich, had taken the position of High-Judge, busted it to pieces and proclaimed himself king of Yuven Island.

The mercenary-turned nobleman created the great house of Ugrich, which later became the Empire's largest port, situated in the sound and the entrance to the Imperial sea. Ugrich took hold of neighboring islands, connecting their island holdings with a strong navy and merchant fleets. The name became synonymous with tax, and every ship which sails through the sound pays the tolls for passage to the house of Ugrich.

Later in its history, the house joined the Empire, and connected its main holdings. It became the dominant naval force in the Empire, providing much needed support for ferrying zealous troops to the eastern lands. As payment, House Ugrich received large swaths of lands to the east, which the great lord at the time, Denerir the Blackheart, bestowed upon his many legitimized bastards, forming the basis to the web of alliances the house Ugrich created in the eastern parts of the Empire.

Later in history, the noble house of Ugrich tried to dabble in internal politics, failing to attain the Imperial throne - but still backing the right horse every time. They have supported their distant cousins in the east with their claims, and have worked tirelessly to cultivate family bonds with the larger families in the Empire. They've been the first and so far the only ones who had organized expeditions to the west, to discover new lands to colonize and trade with.

Lands: House Ugrich controls Yuven Island, and the surrounding islands in the sound toll area. Renvoy, a chartered free-city under the protection of House Ugrich operates from the island, owning the largest sea port in the inner seas and directing trade through it. House Ugrich holds numerous outposts in the eastern lands, major cities and forts along the coast where trade flowing to the inner sea is handled. Much of the forces protecting these holdings belong to the House's cadet branches, which hold extensive territories in the east of the Empire.

Benefits: Sound Toll: House Ugrich controls the Sound Toll, which means that all trade in the inner sea flows through Yuven, and the hands of Duke Yorick. It made the House obscenely rich, and politically influential within the Empire.

Naval Supremacy: House Ugrich sports the largest navy in the Empire, slightly more robust than all of the other navies in the Empire put together.

A lot of Bastards: House Ugrich's extensive network of family ties goes back all the way to the first great war, when they had been bestowed with great swaths of heretic lands by the Emperor, which Blackheart used to create duchies and counties for his many bastards. Now the cadet branches of House Ugrich form a considerable presence in the eastern Empire, and are its greatest allies bound in blood.

Drawback: No Guts, Always with the Glory: House Ugrich is often regarded as 'gutless', its people 'cowardly' and its history 'mercantile'. They aren't known for their fighting skills, and their standing army is tiny compared to the other large houses of the Empire. They hide behind their navy and lean on trade, while boasting a small professional army.

Volunteer? Nope.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Here's an attempt, something to test the waters with...
If this is alright, I'll write the Character History.
.

Spoiler

Name: Yorick Ugrich

Age: 42

Personality: Yorick has a long memory, and a tendency for petty revenge. He has a nose for business and a pleasant manner of speaking, and when combined with his luck makes him the most successful merchant. He is quite the loving type, and had continued the family tradition of having many wives and children. Yorick loves the drink and the song - he enjoys a good festivity and a skirmish on-stage. He often closes himself within his own tower and his books, delving into the histories of the world.

Character History: -TBA-

House History: House Ugrich was forged through war between the city-states of the Yuven Island. Forced into bloody conflict by a terrible famine, the city-states tore themselves to shreds - the three pillars of Yuven, and House Ugrich - Renvoy, Darnek and Naarnov fought for dominance. It was only with the clever dealings of High-Judge Lirio, who contracted the services of a most notorious northern Warband to fight his war that the conflict ended. Sacked and looted by the Ugrich Warband, the two cities became a shell of their former selves. It was then that the Warband turned on their own employer, and the leader, Ufrick Ugrich, had taken the position of High-Judge, busted it to pieces and proclaimed himself king of Yuven Island.

The mercenary-turned nobleman created the great house of Ugrich, which later became the Empire's largest port, situated in the sound and the entrance to the Imperial sea. Ugrich took hold of neighboring islands, connecting their island holdings with a strong navy and merchant fleets. The name became synonymous with tax, and every ship which sails through the sound pays the tolls for passage to the house of Ugrich.

Later in its history, the house joined the Empire, and connected its main holdings. It became the dominant naval force in the Empire, providing much needed support for ferrying zealous troops to the eastern lands. As payment, House Ugrich received large swaths of lands to the east, which the great lord at the time, Denerir the Blackheart, bestowed upon his many legitimized bastards, forming the basis to the web of alliances the house Ugrich created in the eastern parts of the Empire.

Later in history, the noble house of Ugrich tried to dabble in internal politics, failing to attain the Imperial throne - but still backing the right horse every time. They have supported their distant cousins in the east with their claims, and have worked tirelessly to cultivate family bonds with the larger families in the Empire. They've been the first and so far the only ones who had organized expeditions to the west, to discover new lands to colonize and trade with.

Lands: House Ugrich controls Yuven Island, and the surrounding islands in the sound toll area. Renvoy, a chartered free-city under the protection of House Ugrich operates from the island, owning the largest sea port in the inner seas and directing trade through it. House Ugrich holds numerous outposts in the eastern lands, major cities and forts along the coast where trade flowing to the inner sea is handled. Much of the forces protecting these holdings belong to the House's cadet branches, which hold extensive territories in the east of the Empire.

Benefits: Sound Toll: House Ugrich controls the Sound Toll, which means that all trade in the inner sea flows through Yuven, and the hands of Duke Yorick. It made the House obscenely rich, and politically influential within the Empire.

Naval Supremacy: House Ugrich sports the largest navy in the Empire, slightly more robust than all of the other navies in the Empire put together.

A lot of Bastards: House Ugrich's extensive network of family ties goes back all the way to the first great war, when they had been bestowed with great swaths of heretic lands by the Emperor, which Blackheart used to create duchies and counties for his many bastards. Now the cadet branches of House Ugrich form a considerable presence in the eastern Empire, and are its greatest allies bound in blood.

Drawback: No Guts, Always with the Glory: House Ugrich is often regarded as 'gutless', its people 'cowardly' and its history 'mercantile'. They aren't known for their fighting skills, and their standing army is tiny compared to the other large houses of the Empire. They hide behind their navy and lean on trade, while boasting a small professional army.

Volunteer? Nope.

This sheet works for me. All you need is the Character history and that's an accepted sheet.

EDIT: One more thing: I'll be starting up an IRC channel for players or would-be applicants if you're interested or want to talk more about the game or world. The channel is #VacantThrone. Hope to see you there.

 

[Cal Shackleford]

Here's another draft to hit you with.

Please point out any problems with it. Happy to make any changes

Spoiler: House Suvoruk

House: Suvoruk

Crest: A crane upon a grass sea

Colours: Silver & Emerald

Lands and Titles: Dukes of Haynch, Estra & Eutoria, Counts of Voidvezol, Sietch, Rimnik, Bzraken & Yurak

Location: [Utter] Southeastern fringe of the Holy Kolonaean Empire

Family Head: Grand Duke Tyan Yazja Hizenach Suvoruk

Members of House Suvoruk:

Primary Branch

Hizena Azjach Suvoruk (60). Deceased. Former head. Grand Duke of Haynch

Jezika Ulzta-Suvoruk (57). Hizena's widow. Mother & Grandmother of;

Mylena Ziast-Suvoruk (29). Widow of Duke Ultich Ziast. Duchess of Estra. No surviving issue.

Tyan Yazja Hizenach Suvoruk (26). Head of Family. Grand Duke of Haynch, Ducal-Regent of Estra and Eutoria. Count of Voidvezol. Unwed.

Jezika Durajin-Suvoruk (25). Widow of Duke Karl Durajin. Duchess of Eutoria. No surviving issue.

Pyotr Hizenach Suvoruk (25). Count of Rimnik. Husband to Countess Amanza Melenhovitch. Twin sons.

Odro Pyotrch Suvoruk (5). Named for his maternal great-grandsire.

Azja Pyotrch Suvoruk (5). Named for his paternal great-grandsire.


Secondary Branch
Janiz Azjach Suvoruk (53). Hizena's brother. Count of Bzraken. Widower.

Filiz Janizch Suvoruk (37). Count of Yurak. Heir to Bzraken. Husband to Baroness Elia Durin of Yurak. Two sons.

Nekki Filizch Suvoruk (20). Heir to the County of Yurak. Unwed.

Bazara Filizch Suvoruk (9). Ward at Bzraken.

Tertiary Branch

Strildar Azjach Suvoruk (48). Hizena's brother. Count of Sietch. Widower and grieving father.

Uzsoul Moadrilch Suvoruk (3). Strildar's grandson. Heir to the County of Sietch.

History:
House Suvoruk came to Kolonea as little more than displaced savages fleeing a now long forgotten menace. These early refugees found protection and service in the plains of Haynch under the fading House Fyora. Alien in blood, deed and name, the Suvoruks and their cousins quickly adopted the gods of the Kolonaea and the Fylkirate faith; with later generations claiming divine descent from the union of a far eastern horse god and the goddess of fertility and tilling, Gerjun.

Despite their adoption of the Faith, the Suvoruks retained their old customs of mounted warfare; preferring the shortbow and javelin to the broadshield and axe of a true Kolonean. House Fyora encouraged such practices and employed the Suvoruks to great success in a series of bloody wars against their neighbours, increasing Haynch's lands threefold by the time of their demise. Such conquests paled, however, to the Holy Kolonaean Empire's relentless wars of "Imperial Aggression" toward the South.

A hundred years after swearing fealty to the Fyoras, the Suvoruks found themselves lordless in the wake of the Last Fyora Duke, Sven Hrodrisen's death. Reluctant to become the vassal of another petty duke Lional Jozanch Suvoruk, Duke Sven's sole surviving Hirdman, claimed Haynch in the name of House Suvoruk. It is around this time the myth of divine intervention in the bloodline begins to surface, with some older annals going so far as to style Lional; "Godssen." In practical terms such a claim would have served the immediate needs of Lional - ruling over lands rich in crop and grazing land, descent from two such associated deities would affirm the Suvoruks's right to rule. While modern generations pay little heed to such preposterous claims, the influence of hoof and husk cannot be overstated, nor the fact that Lional paid for the construction four new bishoprics upon seizing Voidvezol.

An initially shaky hold over Haynch was inadvertently reinforced over the next two centuries as incursions from the southern dukes, the Ziasts of Estra, and the Durajins of Eutoria, rallied the people of Haynch under the Suvoruk banner in defence of their plains. Checked, cornered and more than a few times paying for victory with the life of their reigning duke, the Suvoruks nonetheless never felt the bitterness of defeat. When such petty wars turned in their favour they pursued peace, rather than subjugation, and when the arrows returned to their quivers, the Suvoruks would send unto their beaten foes wagons bearing the fruits of Haynch's fields. "I cannot return to you your sons. I cannot give you your husband. But I will honour them as I can. I owe a debt to those left behind," wrote one Suvoruk to an Eutorian village alderman.

Publically House Suvoruk has never been one for entertaining the fantasy of malice; once peace is agreed upon all hatred must be put to bed, the fields must be tilled, the villages must needs be rebuilt, the fallen sent unto the gods. To the Suvoruks punishing an enemy is as if punishing a friend for, as critics have well observed, there is a selfish investment in their charity; Haynch is a land poor in timber, rock, metals and has scarce amounts of clay and other baser resources, as such it is almost wholly dependent upon its neighbours' lands for such, and thus a speedy return to pre-war industrial conditions is favourable for Haynch.

Such a policy has built for the Suvoruks a reputation as patrons of charity among its neighbours' commonfolk, however it has earned much contempt from the lords themselves. Many see such acts as rubbing salt in the wounds, if not an outright subversion of authority. Even if such acts are performed for the "Good of the South," they are met with false smiles and silent scorn. For what do the smallfolk say of a lord who must look beyond his own lands to sustain his people? But what do they say of a fool, or monster, who would deny them the basic necessities of life?

In recent decades House Suvoruk, after much difficulty, managed to forge a peaceful coexistence with its lordly neighbours; a succession of marriages to the Houses of Ziast and Durajin ended the border wars, while attempts to marry brides to more distant dukes (both Southern and Northern) met with less success. A passive pro-Empire voice within the South, House Suvoruk maintains the opinion that a unified Kolonaea is the ideal state of existence for all. Granted an Empire with its capital firmly centred in the South. Regardless of their feelings, the Suvoruks have never stood against their southern brothers during any of the North's wars.

Presently the future is a bright but uncertain one for House Suvoruk. Their well respected patriarch died in the South's last great counteroffensive against Emperor Odd III. Their allies are now ghosts; the Dragon of Ziast, the Last Duke of Estra, fell to a "coward's arrow," the noble Durajin family was butchered to the babe when ambushed by Northern raiders. And yet the Suvoruks are stronger than ever; the gods blessed Haynch with plentiful harvests throughout the war, the lands of Estra and Eutoria now fly the Suvoruk banner, their forests and mines waiting to be exploited. Despite the loss of their patriarch, the commonfolk of Haynch fared far better than their more northern brethren. Food, ore, rock, timber and manpower all sits at young Duke Tyan Yazja Hizenach Suvoruk's finger tips.

Now House Suvoruk must turn its attention to restoration of the South and the mending of wounds left raw.

Lands: ((If it helps ? think a micro Silesia))

House Suvoruk is nestled in the southeast corner of the Empire; a contiguous amalgam of three form independent petty-kingdoms closed off by the border mountains in the utter south, the thick forests of the east, and the twisting (locally called) Trolga River to the north and west.

Grand Duchy of Hanych: The home to the Suvoruks, former home to the fallen Fyoras. A winding strip of fertile crop and grazing land that sits atop Estra and Eutoria, following the southern bank of the Trolga to the base of the border mountains. Divided into the counties of Voidvezol in the east and Sietch in the southwest, Haynch is a populous if somewhat plain area. Good wheat, fast horses and men are its main products.

Petty Duchy of Estra: The ancestral home of the fallen Ziasts. Its borders follow the thick untamed forests of the east down to the mountains. Game, furs, leather and timber are in abundance. Its capital is the County of Rimnik overlooking the impenetrable forests. Much of Estra is underdeveloped, a fact not overlooked by its new masters.

Petty Duchy of Eutoria: The seat of power for the tragic Durajins. Eutoria stis atop the southern border mountains with the most immediate point of access via the Haynch county of Sietch. It is a mass of rocky foothills, deep ravines and the twisting beginnings of tall, snow-capped mountains. All its wealth comes from deep within the earth; the capital Bzraken in the lower foothills hosts most all the copper and tin mines, while the higher up county of Yurak, contains covetously guard iron and silver seams.

Benefits:

Swift Saddles: Horse-power is the Suvoruk's military strength. Where others rely on axe-hurling madmen, pike swinging fanatics or sea-carving longboats, the Suvoruks have swift coursers perfected over the centuries through selective breeding, shrewd training and good old fashion luck.
These light stallions are not intended for the savagery of a pitch melee, but are used for gracefully, or "cravenly," outrunning one's enemies, tiring them out whilst bleeding them white with a hail of javelins and arrows.

Rich Lands: The additions of Estra and Eutoria stand to make House Suvoruk an unrivalled economic power in the South, especially while so many more northern provinces reel after the North's vicious invasion. Although far from the oceans there is potential to make a trading hub on the backs of horses and riverboats, ferrying wealth throughout the South and - possibly - into the east, should the Empire ever look toward the savages in the forests.
More immediately at hand are the resources for a leading role in the speedy recovery of the South's economy, or the means for equipping a new army of bitter yet unbroken Southerners.

Unbroken: Regardless of tactics, honour or popularity, House Suvoruk has yet to officially lose a battle commanded by one of their own. The enviable ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat is one that fills their vassals and allies with confidence when facing the enemy. Admittedly such an achievement may simply boil down to knowing when and when not to fight? Of course who is to say what will happen should the legacy come to an abrupt and bloody end? And does winning a battle even matter now that the South has, most decidedly, lost the war?

Hindrance:

Isolated: For all their wealth, old and new, the Suvoruks find themselves a politically poor house. Leagues away from the Imperial Capital, tucked into one of the remote corners of the Kolonaean Empire and without the maritime capacity to easily traverse more than a few leagues upstream, they are little more than an afterthought in the North - and indeed some parts of the south. More seem know of them through rumours, exaggerations and wild anecdote than actual deed and engagement. Among their Southern brothers and sisters Pro-Empire sentiment has won them few friends, particularly now in the face of capitulation and the vanquished look for reasons for their loss. Along with their "unmanly preference for war," the Suvoruks are hardly the first choice for any true Kolonaean to follow except out of absolute necessity.

Spoiler: Grand Duke Tyan Yazja Hizenach Suvoruk

Dynastic Head / Player Character / POV

Age: 26

Personality:

Tyan is a soft spoken man. His words carry on a melodious voice that rings with emotion, making him appear more a boy than a man in spite of his years and scars. Honest and deception dance close within his heart; a man?s honour must never be violated, publically, but family must always be respected and obeyed above all else. What good is honour if it allows one's house to weaken?

He will never betray blood, nor will he abandon it for his own sake. A trespass against his kin is never forgotten no matter how minor or ancient. This extends to his vassals and aldermen and to the South as a whole. Tyan despises the North's romanticisation of plunder and reaving, somewhat ignoring the prevalence of such practices among his Southern brethren.

Driven and repulsed by adherence to a code of "permissible evil," as he sees it, to the external world Tyan is a man of harsh justice and often pained honesty. As the only sins permitted are those in service of his family he ensures all other aspects of his life are pure and free from transgressions. He has come to avoid indulgences of the flesh and senses - food, drink and even bedding. However he does permit himself to enjoy music and finds some meditative relaxation in the rhythmic strumming of a qitara bought long ago.

Appearance:

Tyan is a stretched figure of a man. His long limbs and strong bones boast of the richness of Haynch?s harvests, but there is little in the way of a "warrior's muscle" on him. Like all Suvoruks he carries the traces of his foreign ancestry, his skin a faded bronze, his hair onyx, his eyes green-within-green. Beneath a latticework of scars and the puff of a healed fracture along his cheek, framed by the ruin of his right eye, Tyan's comeliness, along with any physical trappings of boyhood, have long since left him.

Personal History:

The oldest son of Grand Duke Hizena of Haynch, Tyan spent his formative years close to his father's side. The trivialities of courtly life passed slowly but not all together unobserved; he learnt the necessity of appearance, of strategic debasement, when to strike and when to yield. Among his father's aldermen he learnt how one wagon in a cold winter could buy a village's loyalty for a generation.

When Odd III began his war Tyan followed his father to the front. Wounded in the early days of the war, Tyan was retired from the front to coalesce and serve as messenger between the different bodies of Southern resistance. The death of Duke Hizena forced Tyan to assume command of Haynch?s forces, focusing on raiding enemy supply roads, striking down their messengers and zealously chasing after reports of raiders. His greatest accomplishment came in an act now called "the Forest of Scarecrows," Tyan had one hundred Northern captives accused of raiding river villages drawn over sharpened logs and left to die, besides their burning longboat. (Accounts differ as to if this was performed several days before or after the Southern Capitulation).

With the war lost, Tyan looks to protect his family and his lands from the savage North. He believes the South cannot hope to stand in rebellion, yet fears a Northern Emperor will plunder the South for all it has. Unable to reconcile with the North, and not so blind as wish for a war that will spell the South?s destruction, Tyan believes only a Southern Emperor can maintain the tenuous peace.

Volunteer: No thank you. Think I see these guys as too vanilla to be traitors.

Will have to track down the IRC (and an IRC program!)

 

[TheIronRuler]

Christ, Cal Shackleford, you've given me a lot of work... Now I need to write a much more detailed sheet.

 

[Cal Shackleford]

Oh sorry. Haven't really done any forum RP since my WoW years, going on six years now (wow...) once I got started...

Yours is nice and to the point. Concise is always an advantage. (Formatting was a pain - MSword to Escapist didn't turn out as friendly as I expected.)

 

[Doc Gnosis]

-snip-

Those are some very in-depth sheets. Accepted.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Bumping this thread up; I really don't want this game to die.

I'm going to need at least six people to get this game up and running. If anybody knows anyone who may be interested in playing this game, please send 'em here.

 

[TheIronRuler]

Second try.
.

Spoiler

Name: Yorick 'Goldhands' Ugrich

Age: 42

Personality: The unforgiving Type, Yorick is a ruthless man with a midas touch. He has a tendency for petty revenge and needless carnage. Yorick has a nose for business, and had been carrying his house for two decades. He's quite the loving type, and continued the family tradition of having many wives and children. Yorick loves the drink and the song - he enjoys a good festivity and a skirmish on-stage. He often closes himself within his own tower and his books, delving into the histories of the world.

Character History: Third son of the unfortunate Redhands, Yorick grew up under the shadows of his older brothers. He rarely saw his father, and was groomed to be a steward from birth. He wasn't meant to be a great commander - but a number's man, a shrewd and reliable councilor to his eldest brother.

That was the plan, but plans rarely follow through. His father, the Redhands, had brought down the family prestige and wealth - unable to stand up to the free city at the heart of the Ugrich lands, he grew weaker in power and his health deteriorated. Soon his two eldest sons squabbled with each other for the throne, and a civil war loomed above.

Yorick, the ever clever, had proposed a solution that was acceptable by both of his brothers - the first to have reached the lands to the west and return with a pound of spice to the city ports would become king. It wasn't a competition of strength or cunning - merely chance, and paltry navigation skills. The two brother agreed, and Yorick set the contest - sending forth his own men to man their boats.

They never came back, and Yorick had been officially waiting for their arrival ever since. In reality, he was the absolute and undisputed ruler of his house in all but name. He had overthrew the Free City's Patrician family, and set-up a new administration. He won several victories against unruly peasants in the islands, and conquered a once rebellious baron back to the fold. Yorick cultivated a fearsome and unforgiving nature, one of brutality and cold calculations.


House History: House Ugrich was forged through war between the city-states of the Yuven Island. Forced into bloody conflict by a terrible famine, the city-states tore themselves to shreds - the three pillars of Yuven, and House Ugrich - Renvoy, Darnek and Naarnov fought for dominance. It was only with the clever dealings of High-Judge Lirio, who contracted the services of a most notorious northern Warband to fight his war that the conflict ended. Sacked and looted by the Ugrich Warband, the two cities became a shell of their former selves. It was then that the Warband turned on their own employer, and the leader, Ufrick Ugrich, had taken the position of High-Judge, busted it to pieces and proclaimed himself king of Yuven Island.

The mercenary-turned nobleman created the great house of Ugrich, which later became the Empire's largest port, situated in the sound and the entrance to the Imperial sea. Ugrich took hold of neighboring islands, connecting their island holdings with a strong navy and merchant fleets. The name became synonymous with tax, and every ship which sails through the sound pays the tolls for passage to the house of Ugrich.

Later in its history, the house joined the Empire, and connected its main holdings. It became the dominant naval force in the Empire, providing much needed support for ferrying zealous troops to the eastern lands. As payment, House Ugrich received large swaths of lands to the east, which the great lord at the time, Denerir the Blackheart, bestowed upon his many legitimized bastards, forming the basis to the web of alliances the house Ugrich created in the eastern parts of the Empire.

Later in history, the noble house of Ugrich tried to dabble in internal politics, failing to attain the Imperial throne - but still backing the right horse every time. They have supported their distant cousins in the east with their claims, and have worked tirelessly to cultivate family bonds with the larger families in the Empire. They've been the first and so far the only ones who had organized expeditions to the west, to discover new lands to colonize and trade with.

Lands: House Ugrich controls Yuven Island, and the surrounding islands in the sound toll area. Renvoy, a chartered free-city under the protection of House Ugrich operates from the island, owning the largest sea port in the inner seas and directing trade through it. House Ugrich holds numerous outposts in the eastern lands, major cities and forts along the coast where trade flowing to the inner sea is handled. Much of the forces protecting these holdings belong to the House's cadet branches, which hold extensive territories in the east of the Empire.

Benefits: Sound Toll: House Ugrich controls the Sound Toll, which means that all trade in the inner sea flows through Yuven, and the hands of Duke Yorick. It made the House obscenely rich, and politically influential within the Empire.

Naval Supremacy: House Ugrich sports the largest navy in the Empire, slightly more robust than all of the other navies in the Empire put together.

A lot of Bastards: House Ugrich's extensive network of family ties goes back all the way to the first great war, when they had been bestowed with great swaths of heretic lands by the Emperor, which Blackheart used to create duchies and counties for his many bastards. Now the cadet branches of House Ugrich form a considerable presence in the eastern Empire, and are its greatest allies bound in blood.

Drawback: No Guts, Always with the Glory: House Ugrich is often regarded as 'gutless', its people 'cowardly' and its history 'mercantile'. They aren't known for their fighting skills, and their standing army is tiny compared to the other large houses of the Empire. They hide behind their navy and lean on trade, while boasting a small professional army.

Volunteer? Nope.

 

[Cal Shackleford]

Bumping this thread up; I really don't want this game to die.

I'm going to need at least six people to get this game up and running. If anybody knows anyone who may be interested in playing this game, please send 'em here.

I hope so too! Sadly don't really know anyone here that I can press gang. Guess we've gotta just hold out and hope.

Hah maybe also collect on past RP favours? (If they exist on this site - "I joined your RP last year...")

 

[Doc Gnosis]

-snip-

That works for me! Accepted.

 

[Cal Shackleford]

Just realized - is there any "fixed" spot where the capital is? Guessing maybe on a river or the mouth of a fjord / by the sea, but beyond that? Imagining it'll be somewhere defensible in the North. Oh, also, is there a name you've got in mind for it or just "capital?"

Oh, also-also, the electors are old and established families, of which there are fifteen, but for the southern (and independent) electors (if there were any) were they able to vote in previous elections though not de facto vassals of the Empire? Wondering if that's a possible motivator for the radical character or not.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Just realized - is there any "fixed" spot where the capital is? Guessing maybe on a river or the mouth of a fjord / by the sea, but beyond that? Imagining it'll be somewhere defensible in the North. Oh, also, is there a name you've got in mind for it or just "capital?"

It is fixed, though newly elected Emperors tend to relocate the capital to their home domain. The Capital - Rosenkrone - is indeed nestled in the north on a jagged Peninsula with only one clear road through the mountains.

On an aside, Rosenkrone is the seat of one of the Electors: Soren Solmunnin

Oh, also-also, the electors are old and established families, of which there are fifteen, but for the southern (and independent) electors (if there were any) were they able to vote in previous elections though not de facto vassals of the Empire? Wondering if that's a possible motivator for the radical character or not.

The Southern Electors broke ties with Imperial matters like election altogether; six out of the fifteen. Those six made up a portion of the kings and dukes in the South, while the remaining Electors who stayed loyal to the Empire frantically searched for any remaining descendants that were still loyal and install them as Electors.

Following Imperial reconquest, the Northern Electors - in a gesture to the Southern nobility - reinstalled some heirs to their respective families as the new Electors, replacing some of the incumbents they had picked long ago. Three of the six 'Southern' Electors are actually from the South, but the remaining three Elector families have been dismissed as minor lords.