The World is Flat
User
A Miz & TWIF Production
Introduction:
The Prince lies dead, all so suddenly. He leaves no heir apparent, no leader for the noble courts. Now this great city has become divided. Noble houses argue and accuse; spies and assassins lurk in the dark, ready with a wicked blade; the Clergy remain absent minded, struggling to remain neutral as nearly all claim the throne in holy righteousness. The city is becoming undone, new alliances are being made, old ones are being ripped apart. Vassals are swearing fealty to lords, and spies and little birds are coming to be rich from the sale of whispers. Love, loss, death, deceit, spies, scriptures, assassins and arcane wait for you within. Whether you are a scheming noble, or a Valiant Knight, the road ahead is fraught with peril and intrigue, as only one can assume the throne.
Gameplay:
In Dynasties, you may play as a pure-blooded noble, rich with power, wealth, and multitudes of holdings, or as a Vassal; sorcerers and warriors, scribes and clerics, assassins and spies, scholars or advisors that serve the nobility. Whether you are a Vassal or a Noble, you belong to a House (each with its own advantages and weaknesses). Players can make their own house, or join others. If a character is a Noble, they are born to a Noble House. If a Vassal, they are loyal to one of those Noble Houses.
Nobles:
Playing a noble in Dynasties is for players who want to experience or shape court politics and intrigue, manipulate others, or act as a beneficent servant of the people. Nobles do not always take interest in the court or politics, yet all are involved. You will have wealth, resources, commoners, and Vassals at your disposal to achieve whatever ends you strive for.
Nobles can range from powerful landholders to bishops or religious leaders. They can be retired generals, or peasants pulled from the squalor for some great act of achievement or nobility, or simply for performing the right service to the right Prince.
Each noble has five stats which determine his capabilities within a field of lordly employ, such as Politics and Intrigue. Each Noble is also defined by their ‘Feats’, which are some of their most defining characteristics. Feats give you special powers to enact upon your enemies, or that give you control; over people, resources, information, money, etc.
Each noble house carries a vote and a seat on the princely court, and this vote is the sole province of the Lord of the House, or his Heir should he be unable to vote. As such, not all nobles actually hold a seat, and their bargaining powers go only as far as they are able to manipulate their own houses’ vote. A Noble character can create their own house, or join another. However, if someone is already the leader of their House, and a player wishes to join their house, they must roleplay either their manipulation, cooperation or hostile takeover of the House.
Vassals:
Playing a Vassal in Dynasties is for players who want to be more involved in action, combat, magic and heroics. Vassals are those characters that serve a noble, and deal with affairs such a defending their noble, performing righteous deeds, and of course handling the dirty work. Vassals however still get into the intermixing of politics, but they are more users of swords rather than words.
Vassals can range from Knights and Mercenaries, to Cooks and Clergy, Spies and Advisors. Vassals are the real perpetrators of crimes, the men and women who guard their lords, or the mages and alchemists who study the arcane in high towers, or dank libraries.
Each Vassal, much like his liege lord, has five stats that govern his virtues, and also like their employers, they are capable of great worldly feats, such as casting spells, or moving unheard and unseen in the dark. These feats and stats help to define Vassals.
Vassals, while some may hold their Lord’s ear, have no sway in the Princely Court, and must utilize their contacts and their Lord’s powers to have influence in politics.
Houses:
Every Noble and every Vassal in Dynasties belongs to a Noble House. Nobles are, of course, born into their House as rulers and managers of the house’s affairs. Many Vassals, on the other hand, in an effort to elevate themselves from their commoner status, offer service to a lord in exchange for inclusion, no matter how small, into the house of that lord. In many cases, only their children or grandchildren may see anything come of it; Adoption.
Noble Houses are of such size and breadth and power that they much like Nobles and Vassals are host to Feats that define them. A great house may be well known for its benediction over a rare resource, or for its strong connections to the Clergy, or for its private armies and military history.
Each Noble house holds a seat on the Princely Court, and its blood is considered pure adjunct to that of the Commoners and Peasants. Nobles are the only one properly eligible for the throne of Natahmar.
Each Noble House much like Vassals and Nobles, has its own sheet. However like stated previously, a player can choose to either make a new house or join one that has been already created.
Stats:
Each Vassal and Noble has a host of five stats that define the character’s specialities, strengths, and weaknesses. In addition to characterisation these stats help to lay a framework for that character’s abilities.
For Nobles, their stats relate to the realm of the Princely Court, and to their noble duties and challenges. For Vassals, their stats relate to their physical and mental alacrity in the realms of martial talent, scholarly study, and magic.
A user has 20 points, that they can divide amongst their five stats on a scale from 1-7. 1 being pitiful in the certain area, and 7 being nearly god-like, you can see the scale below.
Noble stats:
Enterprise; Business acumen, managing money and enterprises.
Intrigue; Underworld connections, spies, how good you are at court intrigue.
Politics; Dealing with other Nobles, politics inside the Princely Court, etc.
Logistics; Managing your house, internal affairs such as your own court, and your resources.
Charisma; Dealing with commoners and soldiers, encouraging civilians and vassals. Also how artistic you are.
Intrigue; Underworld connections, spies, how good you are at court intrigue.
Politics; Dealing with other Nobles, politics inside the Princely Court, etc.
Logistics; Managing your house, internal affairs such as your own court, and your resources.
Charisma; Dealing with commoners and soldiers, encouraging civilians and vassals. Also how artistic you are.
Combat; Your ability to engage in combat. Your skills with weapons and the fighting of others (ranged and melee). Someone with a high combat is probably a knight, ranger, or mercenary.
Subtly; Your capabilities for stealthy, silent, or discretionary actions, someone with a high subtlety is likely an informant, framer, or assassin of some nature.
Strategy; Your ability to plan both in combat and politics. Someone with high strategy most likely has multiple plans of action.
Prestige; Your notoriety and fame, how well known and honorable your knighthood is to other nobles and commoners. Someone with a high prestige is likely to be seen as loyal, trustworthy and has a great deal of respect from others. Also how artistic you are.
Learnedness; Your knowledgeability in matters of science, such as; literature, history, religion, magic, and/or philosophy. Someone with high Learnedness has the ability is likely to be considered a Scholar, and has a vast degree of general and specific knowledge.
Subtly; Your capabilities for stealthy, silent, or discretionary actions, someone with a high subtlety is likely an informant, framer, or assassin of some nature.
Strategy; Your ability to plan both in combat and politics. Someone with high strategy most likely has multiple plans of action.
Prestige; Your notoriety and fame, how well known and honorable your knighthood is to other nobles and commoners. Someone with a high prestige is likely to be seen as loyal, trustworthy and has a great deal of respect from others. Also how artistic you are.
Learnedness; Your knowledgeability in matters of science, such as; literature, history, religion, magic, and/or philosophy. Someone with high Learnedness has the ability is likely to be considered a Scholar, and has a vast degree of general and specific knowledge.
1/Counterproductive - A character with a 1 in a Trait, will actively work against himself because of his sheer ineptitude. Someone with a 1 in politics will oftentimes bastardize their own position and show complete lack of understanding.
2/Terrible - A character with a 2 in a Trait, will assuredly fail at any related task, but at least he will not work against himself. Someone with a 2 in Charisma is mildly repulsive and cannot hope to sway others to his side with charm or oration alone.
3/Poor - A character with a 3 in a Trait, is generally unskilled at any related task and will probably consistently underperform. Someone with 3 in Logistics is poor at managing their house and family, but doesn’t actively work against or damage their standing... most of the time.
4/Acceptable - A character with a 4 in a Trait, will behave no better or worse than the average. Someone with 4 in Intrigue will have a few trustful spies who can fetch the basic underworld rumors, but will probably never feed you unique information.
5/Good - A character with a 5 in a Trait, while he does not excel, is certainly a little better at it than the average. Someone with a 5 in Enterprise is a solid businessman, and can consistently make reasonable business deals.
6/Great - A character with a 6 in a Trait excels in that particular field. Someone with a 6 in Politics understand the positions of all involved, has impressively appropriate etiquette, and never offends. His political positions are strong and persuasive.
7/Monumental - A character with a 7 in a Trait is the paragon of its virtues, and possesses talent of a nearly inhuman level. Someone with a 7 in Charisma is a noble that has his people’s undying loyalty, he is seen as a magical or divine ruler, and people will do almost anything for him.
2/Terrible - A character with a 2 in a Trait, will assuredly fail at any related task, but at least he will not work against himself. Someone with a 2 in Charisma is mildly repulsive and cannot hope to sway others to his side with charm or oration alone.
3/Poor - A character with a 3 in a Trait, is generally unskilled at any related task and will probably consistently underperform. Someone with 3 in Logistics is poor at managing their house and family, but doesn’t actively work against or damage their standing... most of the time.
4/Acceptable - A character with a 4 in a Trait, will behave no better or worse than the average. Someone with 4 in Intrigue will have a few trustful spies who can fetch the basic underworld rumors, but will probably never feed you unique information.
5/Good - A character with a 5 in a Trait, while he does not excel, is certainly a little better at it than the average. Someone with a 5 in Enterprise is a solid businessman, and can consistently make reasonable business deals.
6/Great - A character with a 6 in a Trait excels in that particular field. Someone with a 6 in Politics understand the positions of all involved, has impressively appropriate etiquette, and never offends. His political positions are strong and persuasive.
7/Monumental - A character with a 7 in a Trait is the paragon of its virtues, and possesses talent of a nearly inhuman level. Someone with a 7 in Charisma is a noble that has his people’s undying loyalty, he is seen as a magical or divine ruler, and people will do almost anything for him.
Feats are a special system unique to Dynasties. Feats are extra advantages that are added to your character to give them something special/unique/custom compared to other characters. That way even characters with the same stats have different abilities or specialities. At the beginning of the game, every character (a Noble or Vassal) only receives one slot for Feats. As the game progresses however, characters can gain additional feats either through roleplaying their acquisition (such as gaining a treaty with a foreign nation) or having them be rewarded to the character via a Storyteller (as a reward for being a reliable and excellent role player in the game).
