Active PBEMS, new pbems?

[Mojczak]

Are there active PBEMS looking for players and which aren't mainly sitting idle? Would anyone here be interested to flesh out something with me and share DM chores? Like, a full 3.5 Birthright game. Doesn't need to be full continent or region scale. Could be something like 2 or 3 realms with all occupied regents. Something sweet and deviant.

[Thelandrin]

Ericthecleric's Shadows of Empire is still running and I believe a couple of others are. I'm afraid I can't commit to any GMing.

[Mojczak]

Originally Posted by Thelandrin

I'm afraid I can't commit to any GMing.

Oh please DO!!! I don't mind doing most of the work... I just need good support/initiation. As I lack definitive knowledge of PBEM dming. (thus why the relatively small scale). We shall make this wonderful and mind-blowing!!!

Seriously, Birthright needs a relive cure or something. We should have a promoting campaign on campuses for geeks :P. Make pbems flourish again.. :'(. Could be nice to make a "interested players", "potential dms" database for birthright pbems.

[Thelandrin]

Well, I might be able to commit to running a couple of low-maintenance NPC realms for you and maybe answering a few setting/theme questions, but I really can't commit to running a game

Regarding the database, we do have this sub-forum for that very idea, so it's really up to the posters to proceed as they wish.

[Mojczak]

What would you say if we took the heartlands and the east coast as a focus? (i.e., Ghoere, Elinie, Osoerde, Coeranys, Diemed, Aerenwe, Roesone, Medoere, Ilien as realm with playable regent), leaving regents from Ghoere, Aerenwe, Osoerde and Diemed as NPCs. Of even smaller scale. Ghoere, Elinie, Coeranys and Osoerde, but with the introduction of manor and similar holdings and numerous smaller lords.

[Thelandrin]

In a PBEM game of rulers, I don't think that the manorial style is terribly rewarding. (I'm sure that Kenneth will spring to disagree!) I would leave sub-realm politics and adventuring to face-to-face games and stick with realm play for PBEMs.

[Mojczak]

Well, I like the depth they actually had to the design of provinces and the multiplications of potential regents. After all provinces of 10 represents organized cities, but nones speaks of the country side. We could possibly design something different for manor than pure numeral (like, set a maximum number of manors per type of provinces and have them developped on their own as smaller sub-provinces with law, guild, and some other types of holdings). Like that, you could have a relatively developped country side with low province level - we just should find a way to balance that with sources and I think that'd be nifty and would allow for a smaller-range play with more focused intrigues (which eases the DMing while leaving the bookeeping at a seemginly identical level)

Edit. Wait. That's absurd. But there should be a way to allow smaller vassal regents to enter into play... hmmm.... possibly some unblooded as well.

[Mojczak]

COME ON, people. What is the reason why you keep coming on these forums. I'd say: Let's make one unforgettable pbem of all times! Let's recruit players, dms and fans, let's do this stuff, build dynasties, stories, adventures... Let's try to make a game that will be remembered for 10 years after!!!

[kgauck]

Originally Posted by Thelandrin

In a PBEM game of rulers, I don't think that the manorial style is terribly rewarding. (I'm sure that Kenneth will spring to disagree!)

You'd want somewhere on the order of 50 players to want to open up sub-domains.

Or limit the area to say - Alamie vs Tournen

Generally a game should either focus on the sub-domains or the domains. Who wants to sign up to be 1/10th as strong as the next guy? Setting up a PBeM with 50-80 players and using subdomains you'd need a strong team approach (Ghoere recruits his own players) because otherwise the small positions look like appetizers.

[Mojczak]

Well, the birthright holdings representing highly stratified society, a regent who actually "holds" a manor, more has the manor older, or the person who has bought the priviledges of exploiting it, under his hand, paying him a fee and granting him the regency. Unless the manor holder really is independent and rules his domain as he sees fit, all in legitimacy, paying no one's right but to the country's law. In those kind of campaigns you usually keep the big heavies as key npcs, to introduce DM plots and the like, unless you have a really devoted player who wants to make the effort of playing him by the story's stream.