House Rules for Random Events
Random events come in varying types and degrees of importance; I have tried to flesh out the BRCS descriptions a little and have also suggested alternate penalties for failure than a blanket regency loss for failed responses to an event.
I describe my interpretation of some possible random events below, leaving the mechanics of the type of event, likelihood of occurrence etc for another page.
Assassination
Base: An attack on the regent / an ally intended to kill them by someone with a realistic chance of success.
Motivations for the attack could be:
- 1. Ambition: The target is in the way and ‘dead man’s shoes’ is as good a method of promotion as any.
- 2. Bloodtheft: the target is blooded, the attacked wants their bloodline. This could be simple ambition, the driven hunger of a nascent awnshegh, or the desperate action of a divested scion.
- 3. Challenge: The ‘assassin’ demands a duel likely to be fatal to the challenged that cannot be easily denied.
- 4. Defence: The target is in a key role, but incompetent, the assassin’s paymaster wants him gone and a more able replacement appointed, or the target is criminal in some way and must be eliminated for the good of the realm / domain. In this case the assassin may have unexpected allies…
- 5. Fiscal: a money lender is attacked by an insolvent creditor; a blackmailer is attacked by his victims, an overly ‘aggressive’ robbery attempt.
- 6. Military: The target is someone with key knowledge / ability to defend the realm, an inspiring military leader, a gatekeeper whose replacement has been corrupted, etc. The assassin is paid by a domain rival / hostile law holder.
- 7. Mistaken identity: Not every assassin is a sly genius, some are simply incompetent fools who get lucky. If the assassination was the result of mistaken identity it may be very hard to determine the identity of the assassin or their paymaster as their motives do not support the assassination.
- 8. Pleasure / need: The assassin is killing for pleasure / to satisfy some warped emotional need.
- 9. Religion: The target is a blasphemer in the eyes of a fervent religious assassin, or has been declared a heretic, etc.
- 10. Revenge: the target ‘wronged’ someone in the other’s eyes and must die.
- 11. Romantic: attack by a rival, or assassin hired by a rival / object of affections.
Assassinations can affect the court's ability to function, or the DC of various actions (as the minions who would normally deal with the action are replaced by lesser minions). Where popular people are slain the assassination can impact morale, or even cause holdings to reduce as the followers of the slain person withdraw from participation in the realms affairs, emigrate, etc. Where the victim is a military commander their outraged troops may attack the ‘obviously guilty ‘ party’, reduce in effectiveness, etc.
Assassination event examples
Boon: An enemy / neutral regent or other important NPC is the target.
- 1. The PC regent can choose not to act and then take advantage of the power vacuum (if the attack is successful) or the NPC’s distraction (if the assassination attempt fails).
- 2. Alternatively they could warn the NPC / assist the NPC in foiling the lot in order to gain favor or assist the assassin to boost the chances of success.
- 3. Benefits of the boon are potential improvements in relations – even an enemy regent must publicly honor someone who saves their life, possible payment by the other regent in land, coin, or diplomacy. If the target is famous, saving them can cause a minor to major gain of regency, albeit potentially at the cost of annoying whoever was behind the assassination attempt.
Khinasi: Alikh ibn Siday, furious at the way that Nuri (a hostile guilder) undercuts his prices has decided to destroy Nuri by revealing Nuri's affair with Sami bint Fatima, wife to Donato a prominent local citizen. The PC's get wind of Alikh's plot and can benefit in a number of ways, they could choose to do nothing - and swoop on al Siday's guild when the revelations cause him a major loss of regency; or they could prevent Alikh from blackmailing Nuri successfully- possibly at the behest of Nuri or alternatively Sami/Donato in either case winning the favor of the person concerned; or the PC's could stop Alikh from blackmailing Nuri and do it themselves... and so on.
Minor: A court functionary or the captain of a military unit is attacked.
Vos: Nikolai Pavel plans to challenge his unit commander Sergei Feodor. Nikolai is a better fighter, but Sergei is a much better tactician and has been very successful in leading raids. Nikolai would be welcomed as new tsarevic by the priests of Belinik, but despised for his feeble wit and crude lusts by the priestesses of Kriesha from the regents perspective if Nikolai succeeds Sergei the effectiveness of the troops will fall while stopping him openly may win the disfavour of the priests of Belinik.
Major An important functionary such as the chamberlain, general of several military units is attacked, or a diplomat from another realm is the target/assassin.
Anuirean: The haughty Liemen Whitlock has been sent to your court as ambassador from Avanil. To combat the boredom of 'your dreary little realm' he whiled away the hours chasing everything with a skirt. The younger brother of one of the maids who got caught has decided to get even for his sisters broken heart by means of introducing a cleaver to Lord Whitlock's manhood. If successful Avanil will be furious and Lord Whitlock will demand the lads hanging (albeit in more higher pitched tones than usual) indeed Whitlock will demand execution even if the plot is foiled before it begins if he gets the slightest wind of the plot. Whitlock will certainly not be grateful for being protected - as a noble he considers it his right to 'indulge in the staff in any matter I please so long as it doesn't bother the horses'.
Great. A regent (the PC, an ally, vassal, or subject) is attacked, or implicated as the assassin
Elf: Heidi Kreimhild, daughter of the high priest at a local temple of Sera and some of her friends have taken to the habit of bathing in a forest lake on summer evenings - not realizing that they are watched by Eagandigh Grayheart, one of the local Gheallie Sidhe. Eagandigh is currently deciding whether murdering them gruesomely or impregnating them will better punish her father for the crimes of the church in leading the attacks on the elves centuries ago. Heidi's father is a noted firebrand and could arouse large numbers of peasants into a frenzy to avenge any harm done to his young daughter - for whom he has already arranged a very lucrative match, unfortunately Eagandigh has far more numerous and more powerful friends than the local Brecht expect...
Potential special effects for great assassination events:
- 1. Neutral regent/ally attacked: The regent’s holdings are inherited by their heir – who may have different loyalties to the master, or at least require a ‘demonstration of affection’ by the regent PC before accepting an existing tribute arrangement, continuing a vassalage agreement, etc.
- 2. Neutral regent/ally attacked: The regent attacked mistakes the PC regent for the source of the attack and responds accordingly.
- 3. PC attacked but survived: The enemy who initiated an attack on the PC regent follows up with attacks on other key personnel, a military assault, etc. Rumors of the regent’s illness / weakness spread through the realm. This could encourage attacks (of varying type) by third parties, encourage great captains, lead overly exuberant loyalists to avenge the attack on their master at ‘the obvious’ guilty party, etc.
- 4. Numerous military units lose commanders with a knock on effect on morale or elite status, multiple units may go rogue to avenge a well loved leader.
Challenge
Base: A challenge to the regent’s authority, assets, plans or person.
Motivations for the attack could be:
- 1. Ambition: The PC’s aims conflict with the challengers.
- 2. Military: A general challenges the PC’s strategy, right to take action, etc.
- 3. Pleasure / need: The challenger simply wants to test themselves against one of the best, or has a compulsion to cause trouble.
- 4. Religion: The regent controls something required by the faithful, such as a holy sight or relic.
- 5. Revenge: the regent has ‘wronged’ someone who challenges the PC in revenge.
- 6. Romantic: A potential spouse for the regent has another suitor (the challenger); or the challenger may be aiming for the PC’s affections but be either unsuitable somehow, or extremely suitable but unwanted, etc.
Challenge event examples
Boon
- 1. Romantic: Offer of marriage from a good source, i.e. neutral/hostile realm to tie the two realms closer together, or from an NPC with useful skills/reputation.
- 2. Skill: Two great craftsmen challenge each other to create a masterpiece, this may be given to the regent, morale in the province may increase due to pride in the craftsmen’s achievements, etc.
- 3. Glory: An NPC takes on a difficulty facing the realm as a challenge; this could be rooting out an old evil, slaying a notorious bandit or monster etc. Note that an ungracious PC could cause the challenger to become a great captain, as could an over-effusive PC who inflates the NPC’s ego too far.
Anuire: Sir Dietric Ogresbane declares he will drive out the dread giant Roberts, who has terrorized the peaceful folk of Tanner's Brook for generations. Success would allow easy trade with the dale and thereby open up land for expansion. If successful bards and priests flock to sing the heroic knights praises and the dale is open for further settlement reducing the next rule action DC for 2 years.
Minor
- 1. Slight: The PC is mildly insulted in front of witnesses, for example their great deeds are overlooked, or they are deliberately addressed with an inferior title.
- 2. Opposition: a realm/military action is challenged, the challenger may not understand the PC’s aims, have a ‘better’ idea, or simple be entrenched in their beliefs, the PC may be opposing tradition, etc.
- 3. Romantic: The PC is propositioned by someone of minor importance (a mayor, military unit leader, etc)
Brecht: Johann/Joanna Klatterback, local city guildsmaster/mistress becomes infatuated with the PC and sues for their hand. Although a few incurable romantics in the court are exultant that their regent is finally being courted and Johann/Joanna is an attractive, pleasant, reasonably bright person the remainder of the court are horrified - a match of far higher status should be sought for the regent's hand than a mere city guildsmaster...
Major
- 1. The PC is publicly insulted in some way – for example made the subject of a biting satire.
- 2. The PC is the recipient of romantic overtures by the ruler of a realm of equal strength, but who is grievously unsuitable. (Wrong race, religion, historic enemy, peasant origin, etc)
- 3. The PC is challenged to a (non-lethal) duel by a serious, valid, challenger.
Rjurik: The general of the PC regent is subject to a severe dressing down by a wandering druid, so wrathful is the druid that the details of the actual offense are drowned out by the list of the general's failings as the druid berates him - in earshot of an entire village who gape at the spectacle. The general refuses to say anything about the affair and the druid appears to have traveled on, but unless something is done the tales of the dressing down will spread throughout the domain and possibly force the PC to retire the general - certainly his troops will be uneasy following one clearly deemed unfit by Erik's chosen...
Potential special effect for failure faced with a major challenge:
- 1. A major functionary or ally is appalled by the PC’s failure to respond properly and resigns / breaks the alliance.
- 2. The PC’s weakness encourages enemies of people under the regent’s protection to believe that they can attack the regent’s pensioners and holdings with impunity.
Great
1. The PC is publicly humiliated by allegations of wrong-doing, a popular play describing them as weak or foolish.
2. The PC is seriously insulted by another regent in front of their court.
3. The PC is challenged to a duel to the death by a serious, valid, challenger.
Vos: Josef, the high priest of the Temple of Might declares that recent actions by a neighboring realm demand an immediate response, if the PC regent fails to teach the neighbor a lesson they will appear grievously weak and Josef will (deniably) encourage a warrior to issue a challenge for the throne. Other actions might include leading warriors of the priesthood on a raid - if successful this will strengthen the temple and enrage the neighbor, if it fails then the neighbor is still enraged, but the PC regents realm is weakened.
Potential special effect for failure faced with a great challenge:
- 1. Feud random event as rivals decide the PC is too weak to stop them annihilating each other.
- 2. A great captain arises challenging the regent’s right to rule due to their shame/humiliation.
Crime
Base: Criminal activity rises in the PC’s domain. This is however a domain event – so the crimes need to be wide-spread or particularly notorious to register.
Crimes include:
- 1. Drug dealing: Drug dealers flood the domain with narcotics; as a result laborers are less efficient, artists less creative, minions are prone to corruption, etc.
- 2. Larceny: Mass looting from property can leave the victims publicly up in arms at the PC’s failure to protect property rights; although the blame is likely to be unfair (the looting is likely to be organized and specific to the theft) the legal authorities may be deemed incompetent if they fail to bring the guilty to justice, undermining the relationship between community and legal authorities.
- 3. Murder: A prolific murderer can cause almost all business to shut down after dark, prevent travel in isolated areas, cause suspicion between strangers, etc.
- 4. Rape: A notorious rapist can cause the target gender (usually women) to stay at home rather than work or otherwise operate in the community, or only travel when guarded. If a noble is raped, their family could begin its own search for vengeance if the PC is tardy; the victim may also have serious trouble finding a match thereafter, and the family may need to marry them to someone otherwise unsuitable with lasting consequences.
- 5 Kidnapping: Kidnapping, particularly of a child, can have a substantial impact on morale across a province. If the kidnapping leads to vigilante action, or the diversion of resources it can impact GB production as trade suffers.
Crime event examples
Boon
- 1. Existing crime drops, a notorious criminal is caught, etc.
- 2. A valuable item could be stolen from a rival, with the PC’s agents detecting clues leading towards the guilty party, the PC could retrieve the valuable for the NPC, or keep it for themselves.
Goblin Grokk Manbaiter was caught and gutted by human knights while foraging in a human village, the humans left him hanging from a tree as a warning. While stripping his corpse one of your minions discovered a map indicating where he stashed his loot - if you dare the dangers briefly outlined on the map riches could be yours...
Minor
- 1. A jewel thief targets the nobility who demand that the regent take action – or compensate them, for their losses.
- 2. An arsonist begins targeting shops and storehouses, the merchants fume over their losses.
Vos Rot has been discovered in a number of grain barns, grain needed by the clan to let them survive the winter and the clan is growing agitated as the rot is discovered in more and more barns. Fiala, a priestess of Kreisha has secretly sent animated ice minions made of sewage water to break into the barns and leave parts of themselves in the grain sacks, these melt and spread rot amongst the grain. Fiala intends to eradicate the 'surplus' of food the clans have amassed after a great harvest and so ensure that the weak are winnowed from the clan...
Major
- 1. Suspicion and fear run rampant after a series of brutal muggings, armed guards become prevalent amongst the rich and others travel only in large groups. Feuds begin to ignite as vigilantes take to the streets, while the nobility begins to demand the right to raise armed units.
- 2. The bodies of sacrificial victims are found in an isolated spot, rumors of dark cults spread like wildfire and all manner of persons are suspected of depravity.
Anuire Moerel the Brown fled Endier after infuriating his former master Guilder Kalien. He set up a thieves guild in the PC regents largest city - and found the pickings rich. He has become drunk with success and he and his band have begun looting wholesale, careless of arousing fury. Stiele Hawkwind, a minor noble nearly died during a mugging, and the nobles now travel with large numbers of armed guards and have created an informal curfew to 'help the regent catch these villains'. The merchants are less than pleased by both the increase in thefts and reduction in late trade...
Great
- 1. Pirates begin raiding not just trading vessels but fishermen and even small villages up and down the coast. Many fishermen refuse to leave harbor for fear of the pirates threatening food supplies and trade routes.
- 2. Several prominent nobles/priests are attacked in the streets and a few murdered. The nobility/church demands the right to raise troops to act as bodyguards.
Brecht
Rjurik longships have raided up and down the PC regents coast this season, scores of folk have been carried off by the raiders - to add insult to injury mostly skilled craftsmen have been taken, not merely strong backs that could easily be replaced. The guilds are demanding the right to raise troops to defend their craftsmen, while several coastal villages have been abandoned. The PC regent must find out who the raiders are, where they are from, and stop the attacks. A truly great regent would also find out why the raiders are taking the craftsmen and recover their lost people.
Corruption
The PC’s followers become corrupt perverting the PC’s commands and therefore authority. Corruption has similar effects to crime, but by undermining the PC’s authority from within can be far more insidious. A PC can simply sink a pirate ship or track bandits to their camp and massacre them, but rooting out a corrupt bureaucrat can be a far more difficult task.
Corruption has many causes:
- 1. Dispute: An official does not believe that the regent’s priorities are correct and is spending the lost funds in more ‘worthwhile’ areas.
- 2. Frustration: The official feels overlooked or angry at the regent and is ‘punishing’ the regent for failing to promote the official / the official’s cause.
- 3. Greed: The official(s) are simply greedy and diverting the PC’s taxes/tithes etc for their own benefit.
- 4. Incompetence: the official is not up to the job and wasting resources through their incompetence.
- 5. Mistaken morality: The official believes that the PC is being too harsh and is ‘lightening the load’ on certain classes of people.
- 6. Selfishness: The official believes that they deserve better and is making good their low pay / excessive workload / satisfying their need for a certain lifestyle.
Greed and incompetence are the most common causes of corruption, a common effect of corruption is to create an underground / informal economy as people try to avoid arbitrary or excessive taxes, or simply get a job done without being stifled by red tape.
Corruption is common in areas where there is little political competition (i.e. a single dominant regent); relatively low economic growth – particularly if it is uneven; a weak civil society (low law holdings); and where there are weak institutions that could rein in corruption (i.e. the priesthood or army may usually act to restrain corruption depending on philosophy).
It should be noted that corruption tends to be persistent until rigorously dealt with, and also tends to spread within a political system. Any random event rolled while a province suffers corruption should have a 50% chance of being the result of corruption in a neighboring province.
Corruption event examples
Boon
Typically the target is another regent, giving the PC regent a bonus to espionage, contest actions etc. The PC regent may even be the beneficiary of embezzled funds as an admirer sees the PC regent as a more worthy recipient.
Vos Nikoli Axehand has grown tied of the weakling ways of his regent and so-called lord. The fool scorned raiding this season and listens to merchants as near equals! The regent demands that Nikolai and his men - great warriors - aid in the damming of a river to irrigate their lands! Nikolai and his warband have grown tired of such cowardice - if the clan hungers they should raid and win their wealth, not scrabble in the dirt like ants! Nikoli's berserkers are an elite unit armed with well forged steel won in tribute from a dwarf clan that they bested and will defect to the PC regent given the slightest encouragement.
Minor
A mid-level bureaucrat beings siphoning funds towards a pet project. This may result in the creation of a different project to the intended (for example mustering a unit of archers not one of pikemen) or simply slowing down the construction of one work with no apparent benefit to another.
Khinasi Infatuated with the Anuirean methods that conquered the Khinasi, a court minion has begun siphoning taxes to train a unit in the use of Anuirean longbows purchased at great cost from El-Hadid of far off Ilien. The unit will however cost twice as much as normal as the courtier is paying way over the odds without realizing it...
Major
- 1. A trusted adviser becomes corrupt, possibly raising taxes without passing the funds onto the regent, or alternatively lowering taxes and blaming bandits for the loss.
- 2. A ship built by the regent is stolen by pirates with the connivance of the harbormaster who is in their pay.
Rjurik A druid keen to reach out to reach out to follower of other gods has begun blending their teachings with Eriks teaching about Ruornil's love of the wilderness, Avani's glorious sunlight, etc. Their temple is however losing influence amongst the nomads as a result, and much of the regency that should go to the regent is instead lost through confusion of who truly speaks for the druid circles.
Great
- 1. A lieutenant misuses the authority given to them and declares war on a neighbor they despise.
- 2. A peace treaty offered by an enemy is overlooked by the regents generals
Elf Brynwbhie the Younger, assigned as diplomat to the goblinoid races, grew bored with the constant whining of the Anuirean merchants who constantly tried to sell the elves worthless trinkets in exchange for magic and turned several merchants into rabbits, so they could experience the inherent beauty of the forests and learn how unnecessary their fabrics, tools, civilization and other fripperies were.
Some of the merchants were eaten by wolves and hunters as they fled back to the local regents court mage. The human realm is are outraged and in addition to banning trade with the elves has demanded reparations. Brynbhie tried to undo the damage be explaining the valuable lessons learned by the surviving merchants and the trivial loss - the dead merchants only lost a few decades of life after all and no doubt had interesting experiences before being slain, but the humans were unwilling to listen to reason.
Diplomatic Matter
Diplomacy is not necessarily a bad thing, but does tend to take up time and quite often money. Typically an ambassador from another realm wishes to discuss a trade or military alliance or some other issue of mutual import, often they must be supported while doing so.
These could include:
- 1. The formation of a trade route
- 2. The formation of a military alliance
- 3. The negotiation of a cease-fire or truce
- 4. The conversion of a truce into a permanent peace treaty
- 5. An offer to agree a non-aggression pact
- 6. Negotiation for right of passage for military units
- 7. An offer of a diplomatic marriage
- 8. A request to assist the other regent in some action
- 9. A request to formally recognize the other regent / an ally thereof
Most of the standard effects are applicable – gifts of maintenance of diplomatic envoys costing GB, unpopular deals impacting morale, etc. The following special effects may also be considered:
Diplomatic event examples
Boon
The diplomacy is clearly beneficial to the PC regent with few, if any side effects or costs of negotiation.
Potential special effects:
- 1. The PC regent is loaned a military unit to assist them in defending their realm or invading another for a domain turn or two.
- 2. The other regent bids RP to support the PC
- 3. The other regent 'asks' a third regent to accede to a request of the PC regent.
Goblin An Anuirean merchant named Vaesil has offered to sell the Goblins good forged blades in exchange for lumber, if the goblin regent agrees they can muster up to one unit per turn with the Anuirean weapons (DM's choice of impact) in addition to the normal benefits of the trade route, of course persuading the tribes to cut the lumber and convey it to the coast will not be easy, and some of
Minor
Potential special effects:
- 1. The diplomat requires the support of the PC regent’s law holdings for the next year, gratis.
- 2. The diplomat offers an alliance which is likely to prevent beneficial deals with a third regent.
- 3. The diplomat asks the PC to bid 50% of their bloodline in RP to support an action of their master.
Dwarf A neighboring kingdom offers the services of two units of infantry to battle the orogs - but would need the dwarves to end their trade route to a rival realm and send the troops back with proper dwarf-forged weapons.
Major
- 1. The diplomat requires the surrender of a holding level.
- 2. The diplomat requires the ‘loan’ of a military unit or two for a campaign being undertaken.
Anuire: Duke boeruine sends word of bandit raids along his southern border, and requires his ally the prelate of Talinie provide him with scouts and infantry for use against the bandits. If the Prelate agrees she risks angering the master of the 'bandits' - Harold Khorien, and Khorien's master Avan. If she does not then she may well anger Boeruine who is a far more immediate threat.
Great
- 1. The diplomat demands the surrender of a province in return for peace.
- 2. The diplomat requires the PC to recognize their lord as the true heir to the Iron Throne / head of the revived Brecht League / etc.
- 3. The diplomat requires the ‘loan’ of several military units for an unspecified time.
- 4. The diplomat suggests that the PC accept a vassalage agreement with their lord, with ¼ to ½ of all regency income to be paid to the lord by the PC regent.
- 5. The diplomat requires an alliance which is almost certain to mean war / strife with a third regent.
Khinasi: Following their defeat of a rival, the Red Kings of Aftane grow bold and demand of the King of Ariya that the province of Assarif be turned over to them for a nominal payment of 5 GB - or the Kings will invade and take it for nothing.
Festival
Festivals are large scale affairs which raise the spirits of the populous; unfortunately they also tend to cost a good deal of money making the regent one of the few people who does not look forward to them. Unlike many other events Festivals are likely to often combine both boons and negative effects. Boons generally taking the effect of morale increases, with an extra or stronger negative effect to compensate.
Festival event examples
Boon
- 1. During a beer festival a visiting regent is indiscreet about their plans
- 2. A wedding brings the movers and shakers together from across the region allowing the regent to gain a free court action, espionage attempt or the like.
- 3. The clear wealth of the realm in hosting such a glorious spectacle dissuades predators from daring to strike against it.
Vos: During a wild feast a drunken warrior of another clan boasts that his clan will raid a neighbor shortly to steal a number of varsks and much of the harvest. The PC can warn the victims and thus win their loyalty, defeat the raid themselves winning the respect of all, aid in the raid thus winning a share of the loot for his own clan, etc.
Minor
- 1. Street parties in celebration of the birth of a long ago saint leave the population happy, but the regent’s purse far lighter.
- 2. A trade fair’s cost is equaled by increased tax revenue, but takes a great deal of the courts time to plan and oversee leaving little time for other matters.
Brecht: For some reason many of the goods ordered for a festival did not arrive on time - or at all forcing the court to buy expensive replacements, unless the PC regent can prove that the delay was intentional (to drive up the price) or otherwise recover the missing goods the festival will cost far more than it should depleting the treasury severely.
Major
- 1. The festival results in an indiscretion by one of the regent’s court; a hostile regent is alerted to some potential action (effects at the GM’s whim).
Anuire: During a festival lady Laile and Lady Faelan had a screaming row witnessed by several servants, now they are starting to scheme against each other, and worse their families will no doubt soon get involved unless the PC's resolve the dispute and find a face saving way for matters to be settled.
Great
- 1. The festival wastes much of the courts time either with preparations or distractions.
- 2. The population is furious at the squandering of so much hard earned wealth, province morale plummets and the nobles and church moan over the wasted taxes.
- 3. The festival costs the earth and the clear wealth of the province attracts the attention of predators…
Dwarf: Preparations for a great ceremony to honor Moradin are taking an age and distracting warriors from their posts. Unless the regent can find away to simplify the preparations, or some other way to guard the realm, they will be vulnerable to orog raids for several weeks. The temple of Moradin however will hear none of the regents fears - the festival is no mere annual event but a sacred ritual held but once a century - and it has been held at exactly the right time every century for near ten millennia - only the most incompetent or ungodly regent could fail to find some way of both permitting the ceremony and defending the realm.
Feud
A feud is an ongoing dispute between two or more influential factions. It typically causes the regent to waste resources and risks unrest and discontent. Nobles typically use the law, or muscle to get their way, churches use persuasion and popular unrest, guilds use bribery, coercion and blackmail.
Types of feud.
- 1. Noble vs noble. Think Romeo & Juliet or the wars of the Roses. These are common, often involve large numbers of innocent bystanders and are often violent.
- 2. Noble vs church. The church may excommunicate a prominent noble, speak out against the noble’s ways, or the two may simply have a commercial/land dispute.
- 3. Noble vs Guild. This may involve the guilds trying to log/mine in the noble’s lands, nobles trying to demand concessions from guilders, etc.
- 4. Noble vs Source. This generally involves the noble trying to expand the use of lands, etc from which the source-holder draws mebhaighl, or the distaste of the noble for magic.
- 5. Church vs church. Typically these battles involve a lot of talking and moral pressure on others, sometimes however they degenerate into extremely bitter fighting where little effort is made to spare bystanders or tolerate neutral parties.
- 6. Church vs Guild. Morality vs Money may be how the church sees the conflict, however this somewhat overlooks the substantial wealth of many churches. Typically the guilds are causing people to think in ways considered undesirable by the church or seeking to change existing practices which benefit the church.
- 7. Church v source. Witch-burning is a peasant tradition in many parts of Cerilia for the churches have often feared that wizards serve the ancient Lost, or are in league with the elves of the Gheallie Sidhe. Other churches distrust magic that they do not control, either for its potential danger, or for the fact it undermines their claims to miracles.
- 8. Guild vs Guild. Rival guilds are perhaps the most frequent feuds and frequently the most active – rival nobles may start a feud over a worthless field both claim due to ‘the principle involved’ but guilds generally compete over markets and resources needed to survive. Guilds initially tend to use price or quality competition but may resort to legal tactics (forming exclusive guilds, requiring minimum standards that the other guild can’t meet, etc), guilds may resort to violence but these rarely involve ‘outsiders’ – neither guild wants the province ruler to step in.
- 9. Guild v Source. These can be similar to noble v source, but also include competition between the holders of powerful sources selling rare herbs etc and guilds trying to move in on the action.
- 10. Source v source. As source holders tend not to have substantial numbers of retainers their feuds are rare, however they can involve summoned monsters, bizarre occurrences or even running street battles remembered for decades afterwards for the magical crossfire.
Feud event examples
Boon
- 1. The feuding parties are hostile regents and are unable to respond to regent actions this turn, or respond at double the normal cost.
- 2. A holding controlled by a feuding party drops by one level, becomes ruled by a great captain, or even petitions the PC regent / an ally to control it.
Minor
- 1. A farmers barn burns down and the local squire blames a rival landowner who has been demanding access rights to the land. To punish the rival the squire has minions carry out a number of small acts of sabotage.
- 2. Two artists claim to have painted the same picture, both are of impeccable character and both of significant fame - neither backs down an inch and seek aid from patrons to assert their claim.
Major
- 1. Young nobles from different houses come to blows over first women, then pride, then finally anything from a casual remark to the color of a tunic. Duels turn from words to fists to blades unless something is done.
- 2. Two rival shipwrights both claim to have invented a new technique for rigging a ship and setting sails, both petition the ruler to be named the inventor and demand payment from the other for use of the technique, other craftsmen begin to pick sides causing disruption to trade.
- 3. Rioting between church followers causes a number of small fires and the like in a town, opposing preachers regularly start whipping the faithful in a frenzy of anger against the other priest.
Great
- 1. Following the death of many of the family a noble house stands poised to abandon the province - and substantial numbers of their followers will go with them.
- 2. The local guild kills a wizard's apprentice in their campaign to drive out the source-holder. In retaliation the wizard begins corrupting their produce with some dread magic, passing their secrets to rivals - both inside and outside the realm. A number of guildsmen die in freak accidents, others simply vanish, while storms seem to constantly batter ships carrying their goods.
Great captain / heresy
A great captain event is where the regent is supplanted by another in the eyes of some of their followers. A great captain is typically one of the following people:
- 1. Local hero
- 2. Regent’s champion
- 3. Exotic outsider
- 4. Competitor regent
Boons typically result in a free chance to get an effective lieutenant, or the splitting of a rival’s holdings. If the great captain takes a province from a neighboring ruler, then conquest possibilities may occur – particularly if the PC ruler assists the great captain in defending the province from the former ruler and the PC ruler can then take advantage of the unfortunate demise of the great captain to increase their own realm.
Minor events are typically fads, with a temporary burst of fervor for the ‘flavor of the month’ hero and little long term effect. Alternatively they are more long lasting but affect only a limited number of actions rather than a persistent holding level. Minor events prevent the regent from taking a certain type of action using one holding – the great captain does it in their stead, examples include contest, agitate, create trade route, grant, create holding, etc. Typically this action would not be one chosen by the PC regent – who is likely to have to ‘clean up’ after a contest war…
Major events typically involve a holding level in a single province, and can be prolonged if the great captain continues heroic activity and avoids bureaucracy. The holding may permanently secede, or still proclaim loyalty but act independently – possibly forcing the PC regent to divest themselves of the holding to prove innocence of the great captain’s actions in some circumstances.
Great captains typically only occur if the regent is inactive or opposed to the vox populi, the great captain then rapidly supplants the regent until opposed and neutralized. In this case the great captain gains 1d2 of the ruler’s holdings per season, or the province itself if they have taken all of the regent’s holdings and the regent fails to stop them. The great captain gets a +5 circumstance bonus to the investiture attempt and does not require the investiture realm spell to be cast for the transfer.
Killing a great captain is the easy way to end their threat – any holdings taken revert to the PC ruler on a successful leadership check. Any provinces that revert have dissatisfied morale at best, or are rebellious if the PC ruler is not clearly innocent of the great captain’s death. Holdings that do not rejoin the PC regent are likely to petition another regent to join (free investiture attempt) or dissolve. Independent provinces simply have no effective ruler, but are likely to raise a local militia to resist any conquest attempts.
Great Captain event examples
Boon
- 1. A charismatic young priest renews the faith of outlying villages founding a small church in the name of the temple.
- 2. A valiant woodsman leads a number of fellows to join the army in its hour of need.
Minor
- 1. A senior military officer questions the current strategy of the ruler – thoughts echoed by others though they dare not speak them.
- 2. A young priest begins preaching a variant doctrine that more closely reflects local needs - regardless of the considerations elsewhere - for example preaching against wealth in a poor area despite the strength of the church as a whole amongst the nobility, preaching a martial stance in an army town despite the main churches opposition to the kings expansionary policy, etc.
Major
- 1. A number of merchants affiliated with the guild holding set up a separate co-operative to better their trade – heedless of the damage to others in the guild by their actions.
Great
- 1. A noble places his liegemen in key positions amongst the sheriff, militia and other important posts. The peasantry respond to the nobles charity and firm leadership with intense loyalty ceasing to listen to the regent where the two nobles disagree.
Intrigue
Intrigue is an odd random event, generally acting to add another layer to another event. Roll again, the result of the second random event roll is then to result of actions by another regent, either fomenting trouble or in some other way seeking to benefit themselves.
An event caused by intrigue is rarely minor – generally only if the intrigue is not aimed at the regent PC. Some events are unsuitable (natural and magical events for example) or difficult to fit into an intrigue and should be re-rolled to make the DM’s life easy.
The key difference in an event caused by intrigue and a normal event is that if intrigue is the source, the event will not resolve easily, or will re-occur in some other form as the source of the intrigue seeks to further their plans despite the PC regent’s interference.
Magical event
The supernatural counterparts to natural events, magical events include:
- 1. Birthright. An adolescent suddenly grows into their birthright and displays a powerful bloodline, or an unusual bloodline ability is used by someone.
- 2. Ley-line. A ley-line forms or is destroyed; if one forms it can be made permanent for no GB cost with a free (but not automatically successful) action.
- 3. Ley storm. A terrible storm caused by a substantial ley-line network and either hot dry air laden with static electricity or a thunderstorm. The storm includes magical effects and typically disrupts ley lines and source holdings.
- 4. Magical item. An item is found, stolen, or offered publicly for sale. Either way there is substantial interest in obtaining such a coveted item by folk from a wide region – particularly if the item is particularly useful.
- 5. Mystical beast. A mystical beast is sighted; hunters enter the area seeking a blessing, sighting of the beast, fetish made from its hair, etc. This should not be confused with a monster event which involves damage by the beast; in this case the beast is merely a cause of the problem – the actual damage is caused by the hunters – mostly against each other.
- 6. Madness node. A localized madness overtakes an area due to the interaction of some physical phenomenon and the release of magical energy in the recent past. This frequently manifests as apathy, or the manifestation of a primal emotion including bestial behavior. Alternatively it can affect the local animals, including domesticated stock and pets driving them to attack livestock or even people.
- 7. Shadow world. A portal to the shadow world is formed allowing something unpleasant to leave the shadow World, or more rarely, some unfortunate to enter.
- 8. Source flow. A source alters in strength from the usual level due to random shiftings in mebhaighl. This may increase the source beyond the normal province maximum and is likely to affect the holdings in the source, not simply the source itself.
- 9. Witch-craft. A witch is found by locals using traditional means, and threatened with equally traditional punishment. Alternatively the populace is menaced by a witch. Either way a ruler can have an interesting matter of justice to resolve – particularly if they do not share the locals view of witchcraft.
Magical event examples
Boon
- A great evil is absorbed into the Shadow World
- The mebhaighl in the region surges temporarily boosting source holdings and making the casting of domain magic easier
- A traveler finds an ancient blade in the woods – unmarked by tarnish or rust. Clearly it is magical and so rare a find is destined for the ruler of the realm…
Minor
- A village priest discovers a witch and sets a trial to prove their heresy. A supporter begs for aid but locals would be inflamed if the witch was allowed to escape justice after the crimes she has committed.
Major
- A dread beast prowls the land during the hours of darkness attacking travelers and terrorizing stock. Common soldiers dare not face the beast leaving the regent to step forth.
Great
- A legion of the dead marches from their graves to punish some transgression
- A terrible ley storm warps and frays all magic in its path and leaves many strange events in its passage.
Matter of Justice
A matter of justice is a situation where the laws of the realm conflict with the regent’s needs, the regent can simply run roughshod over the law of course, but that inevitably diminishes respect for the law across the realm.
Typical outcomes of a matter of justice are loss of morale, harm to law holdings, and the loss of a lieutenant or key courtier.
Typical matter of justice events:
- 1. A servant of the regent is accused of a crime, innocence must be proven and guilt may reduce or eliminate their ability to serve the PC regent
- 2. The PC’s plan run counter to some ancient law, custom, or other unexpected legal issue. The PC regent can simply change the law, ignore tradition, etc however this will typically encourage others to flaunt laws they dislike, cause a reduction in province morale, etc.
- 3. The PC is caught on a point of honor – honor demands that they carry out some action, aid an ally, attend a festival, etc. The law however requires them to do otherwise, such as oppose the action of a friend, attend a different event, etc.
Matter of Justice event examples
Boon
- 1. A local law or custom prevents a hostile regent from acting against the regent as they had hoped.
- 2. A twist in law forces the nobility to pay for some of the upkeep of troops for a season or two.
- 3. An odd local custom permits the regent or a lieutenant to avoid the consequences of some rash action.
Minor
- 1. Following an apprentice fair a noble’s daughter has vanished, rumors insist that she left after spending many hours watching an apprentice work his craft – her family is furious and demands that the kidnapper is brought to justice. The daughter when found insists that her husband is unharmed and her family prevented from chasing them.
- 2. Rjurik: A nomadic clan ‘hunts’ several cows herded by a local farmer to feed themselves, the farmer demands compensation, the nomads declare freedom to roam and hunt as they will to be Erik’s gift.
Major
- 1. A sheriff is accused of heavy handed tactics when hunting smugglers, several merchants demand compensation after searches of their shops discover no trace of the contraband that the officer believed was present, the militia insist that the sheriff is right and urge the regent to force the merchants to admit the truth.
- 2. The church demands the right to try a murderer after she claims sanctuary, but seems content with her oath to serve their god without seeming to make any attempt at punishment. The murdered mans family demand that the murderer is dragged from the temple and decapitated as a warning to others – but by solemn tradition no armed soldiers may cross the threshold of the church unless bidden by the curate.
Great
- 1. A lieutenant/the heir is accused of heresy or witchcraft – the accusers have proof (of a sorts) and demand a public trial.
- 2. A young noble kills another man in a duel ‘to defend his lady’, the dead mans family are low born but have substantial influence amongst the guilds and demand that the noble is hanged, the nobles family declares that the dead man was a brute who tried to rape the lady and demands that the families guild holdings are confiscated in compensation for the attempted rape.
Monsters / Brigands
Monsters and brigandage are distinct from crime events in that they can generally be dealt with by brute force, rather than requiring investigation and identification of the guilty party. Regents apt in using force will likely find these events a good outlet for their natural aggression, more subtle regents may find themselves overwhelmed for one can rarely reason with an invading army that knows it can simply take its fill without need for restraint.
- 1. Highway robbery: Perhaps the most common crime event, an organized gang begins raiding merchants and nobles on the roads disrupting traffic
- 2. Piracy: a pirate vessel begins preying on trading ships, etc.
- 3. Wandering monsters: These range from a pack of gnolls, griffin, pair of ogres, trolls and the like to a large gnoll war-band, orog troop; to multiple units of goblins, 1-2 stronger units or a giant raid.
Monster event examples
Boon
- 1. Monsters attack a hostile regent leaving them vulnerable
- 2. A hidden foe is revealed by a bandit raid that is repulsed far too easily...
- 3. A relatively weak band of monsters have a rare and valuable treasure
Minor
This would typically involve less than a unit of monsters – a pair of ogres or griffins, a few dozen gnolls, etc. The monsters are not numerous to pillage a province, or defeat massed troops, but are more than a village militia can handle.
- 1. Some gnolls begin raiding a village, or isolated farms
- 2. Non-human bandits begin attacking and (eventually) eating travellers (such as merchants, diplomatic envoys, sons of nobles, etc)
- 3. An ogre captures a bridge or pass and demanding tolls from passing trade
Major
This would typically involve a unit of monsters. Typically actions by the monsters would include.
- 1. Stealing all trade route income passing through the province
- 2. Raiding small villages (1d3 GB to repair, or a full action to arrange for free repairs (i.e. using a military unit to build the houses), or a drop in province morale.
- 3. Destroying bridges, important buildings and the like
- 4. Attacking and (eventually) eating travelers (in this case someone quite important)
- 5. Pillaging minor (L0 or 1) provinces
- 6. Making law claims against other holdings (i.e. raiding them)
Great
This would typically involve several units of monsters, with some unpleasant leader such as a minor awnsheghlien. Great events are far beyond the capabilities of the court to handle – the PC regent must lead troops against the monsters or seek some other way of driving them away.
- 1. The monsters begin pillaging the province(s) they are in, scattering the population and destroying great works.
- 2. The monsters demand a tribute of to pillage elsewhere.
- 3. The monsters demand a painful sacrifice – for example legions of undead led by a necromancer from the Shadow world may require a maiden cherished by the church for her rare magic gifts to be given over to him, or a coastal province abruptly invade may find the monsters demanding that they are given the folks ships so that they may sail on some quest demanded by their gods.
If the monsters are ignored they may grow in numbers, pillage the province to nothing, or try to invest the province. Either outcome will have a major impact on morale across the ruler’s domain.
Natural event
Natural events include:
- 1. Cave-in
- 2. Earthquake
- 3. Eclipse
- 4. Fire
- 5. Flood
- 6. Famine
- 7. Landslide
- 8. Pestilence
- 9. Tsunami
- 10. Storms
- 11. Volcanic eruption
To have a realm impact the event must be capable of impacting a wide area for a prolonged period, or damaging a reasonable amount of property / people. Natural events rarely require adventure or military action, rather the regent must repair damage, rebuild property, soothe agitated populations, etc.
Natural event event examples
Boon
- 1. An earthquake opens a pass through steep mountains
- 2. A breach in some natural earth-work partly drains a swamp or mire.
- 3. The harvest / fishing is unusually good
- 4. The trade-winds blow well enabling ships to travel faster than usual and therefore carry out more trade
- 5. Omens are good regarding some upcoming action
- 6. A freak storm prevents a rivals ships from landing or beaches their vessels
- 7. A rush of immigration gives the ruler a chance to rule the province (if normally there are restrictions on ruling the province) or +4 on the attempt otherwise.
Minor
- 1. A bridge, port, etc is damaged and requires repairs to be fully usable, until then trade is damaged.
- 2. A fort is damaged by flooding, a landslide, etc and loses 1 level of strength until repaired.
- 3. The fishing / harvest is poor – low income for the province ruler this turn
- 4. General bad weather reduces province morale.
Major
- 1. The fishing / harvest is dire, they must purchase food and transport it to the province or risk starvation, unfriendly or greedy neighbors can inflate the cost of foodstuff substantially.
- 2. A bridge is destroyed/road washed away impairing trade
- 3. A shipyard is badly damaged by storms slowing/reversing construction, impairing ability to build ships, etc.
Great
- 1. A complete farming collapse, province cannot be ruled for a year, ruler must pay 1d3 GB per season for a year or see the province population reduce each season.
- 2. Major flooding in a town or city causes substantial damage 1d6+1 GB and RP to repair, morale drops a level.
- 3. A number of roads and bridges are destroyed across the realm, or a stone bridge is destroyed.
- 4. Bad weather conspires against the regent in some battle, covering the enemies approach, preventing archers from using bows, etc. The regent has -1 defense if attacked, cannot use missiles if they have an advantage in missile strength, etc.
Trade Matter
These include:
- 1. Bridge damaged (minor, major)
- 2. Dangerous river (minor, major, great)
- 3. Fire (minor, major, great)
- 4. Guild hostility (minor, major)
- 5. Guild wars (great)
- 6. Mine collapse (minor, major)
- 7. Port damaged (major, great)
- 8. Road damaged (minor)
- 9. Ship lost (major, great)
- 10. Works stoppage (minor, major, great)
Trade matters typically center around the loss of wealth, or the emergence of competition. Typically negative effects are lost GB, lost or inhibited trade routes, damage to buildings, etc.
Trade matter event examples
Boon
- 1. A temporary shortage allows traders to make a killing boosting income
- 2. Miners hit a rich seam of ore which promises higher income until exhausted
- 3. The local landowner accidentally leaves a major loophole in a new law enabling tax to be easily avoided.
Minor
- 1. A fire at a guild house injures several high ranking craftsmen and causes some minor damage
- 2. A windfall tax is levied by a local noble.
Major
- 1. Bandits block a pass/bridge inhibiting trade.
- 2. Creation of a hostile guild holding or trade route in local territory.
Great
- 1. A riot at a trade fair leaves several guild leaders badly injured by the mob leaving the regent to handle matters alone until they recover.
- 2. Locals form a union along a major trade route demanding higher wages and shorter hours, with a complete ban on non-members in the local guild. Income will permanently reduce if their demands are met.
Unrest / rebellion
For a province ruler this is the most dreaded event, the populace rebels against the PC’s rule due to poor legal rulings, harsh taxation, or simply prolonged unfavorable conditions (a long hot summer is dreaded by some Khinasi rulers due to the tendency for riots amongst the poor caused by heat frustration). Unrest often results in loss of regency, at the extreme a province may secede – at spear point if need be.
Unrest often continues until the PC regent discovers the source of the problem and neutralizes it, or commits some great act of heroism, or the realm is invaded by a hostile force. The negative effect of the event occurs each round unless the PC reacts appropriately.
Unrest event examples
Boon
- 1. A neighboring province begs the PC regent to take the burden of rulership from their current sovereign. This is likely to be something of a mixed blessing as their current sovereign may object.
- 2. A rebellious province is restored to normal morale as the dissidents suffer a major unexpected reverse.
- 3. A rebellious noble, or other important but irritating person misjudges an attempt to force the regents hand on some matter, or secedes; giving the PC regent a chance to be rid of them without suffering the normal consequences of ejecting the person (loss of province morale, etc).
Minor
- 1. The population refuses to follow an action commanded by the PC regent.
- 2. The population requires substantial persuading to follow the regent’s lead after a charismatic orator persuades them that the action is doomed to failure.
Major
- 1. The province, furious about some scandal, refuses to pay taxes this season
- 2. Mobs burn down town halls and tear down statues following an unpopular decree by the regent.
Great
- 1. A noble complains about a recent change in the law (for example inheritance rights) and threatens to turn the province to follow a new regent unless matters are righted.
- 2. A minor rebellion results in a local levy being raised against the regent – possibly supported by local soldiers.
