Intrigues and Matters Of Justic

[Kenneth Gauck]

>
>Can anyone give me some good ideas for when I roll up an Intrigue or
>Matter of Justice as a random event for a PC regent?
>
>Josimir "the Varsk" Monovski (male Vos fighter with Azrai blood): has
>claimed the provinces of Abbatuor, Caercas, Duerlin, Edlin, and Ilien as
>his own. Dubbed his realm Varskied.
>
Matter of Justice- Varskied: owing to changes in the law regarding the
treatment of labor (perhaps Vos concepts of slave cultivators are being
applied to Varskien freemen cultivators) there are shortages of labor on the
larger estates in the realm. Such shortage could result in a -1 being
applied to tax and incomes from guilds. Any guilders can issue a decree and
make the proper adjustments (perhaps importing food). The Tsar (?) must
make legal changes that will satisfy the cultivators. Restoring the old
laws may not be enough, since people have already moved on. Then again they
may well come back if their new lives are not working out. Reversing the
law will require a deree and the result will be determined as per skilled
responce.

Matter of Justice- Varskied: A review of the newly functioning court system
is not in the least bit useful. No law holdings claims will be effective
until this is resolved. A character with either a law or administration
proficency can check on the skilled event responce with a -1. A character
with both can check on the skilled responce with a +1. Every review costs
1GB to complete.

Matter of Justice or Corruption- Varskied: If the regent has any Brechts in
high positions, one or more are discovered taking bribes to leave the old
Roesonean laws in effect and not enforcing the new Vos-flavored laws.

Intrigue- Varskied: One of the Tsar's? circle has a twin. This twin
believes that either their twin sibling, or the Tsar, has wronged them in
the past. They seek to even the score. The wrong might have been a matter
of wealth, so the twin will used their sibling's place to make off with some
GB's (d6+1); or the twin's honor was taken from him/her, and they seek blood
vengence. Too bad the twin is no expert in poisons and the regent will only
be left coughing up blood for a week. This can poisoning can cause a
permanent (but not too serious) condition where the regent suffers ulcers or
coughs up blood after extreme exertion.

Intrigue- Varskied: A strange figure has been seen skulking around the
castle at night. (Especially effective if the regent has faced assasination
attempts before.) In fact it is simply an adulterous affair between members
of the court. Mistaken identities could be lethal if traps or ambushes are
planned.

>
>Merc the Merciless (male Anuirean priest of Cuiraecen with Anduiras
>blood): worshipper of Cuiraecen and archpriest of the Stormlord's Fist,
>which he founded himself in Varskied.
>
Matter of Justice or Intrigue- Stormlord's Fist: A key member of the temple
is [wrongly] accused of cowardice, a serious charge. Someone is attempting
to remove a key fellow from the Stormlord's service.

Matter of Justice or Magical Event- Stormlord's Fist: During an upcomming
battle in Medoere, troops tied to the tempels of Cuiraécen pillage a natural
site sacred to Ruornil. The troops expected (based on rumors) to find a
stash of silver, but none was found. The god has been angered and will lead
troops astray at night (patrols and such) and into enemy hands until
atonement is made. Rare herbs, oils, and fermented essenses costing 2 GB's
will be required to re-sanctify the place. If Ruornil is ignored, the God
will seek compensation by replacing a magic item with a mundane replica.

Kenneth Gauck
c558382@earthlink.net

[the Falcon]

Thank you, Kenneth...

These are good ideas, and they will definitely help. My gratitude.
However, I do have a question regarding your Matter of Justice ideas. In
the Rulebook it is stated in the Matter of Justic description, that if the
ruler gives in to the demand he will loose one point of bloodline
strength, and if he does not give in the loyalty in all provinces will
drop by one, but that both these losses can be avoided if the regent can
make some sort of compromise between the two extremes. How does this
feature in your random even ideas?

> Matter of Justice- Varskied: owing to changes in the law regarding the
> treatment of labor (perhaps Vos concepts of slave cultivators are being
> applied to Varskien freemen cultivators) there are shortages of labor on the
> larger estates in the realm. Such shortage could result in a -1 being
> applied to tax and incomes from guilds. Any guilders can issue a decree and
> make the proper adjustments (perhaps importing food). The Tsar (?) must
> make legal changes that will satisfy the cultivators. Restoring the old
> laws may not be enough, since people have already moved on. Then again they
> may well come back if their new lives are not working out. Reversing the
> law will require a deree and the result will be determined as per skilled
> responce.
>
> Matter of Justice- Varskied: A review of the newly functioning court system
> is not in the least bit useful. No law holdings claims will be effective
> until this is resolved. A character with either a law or administration
> proficency can check on the skilled event responce with a -1. A character
> with both can check on the skilled responce with a +1. Every review costs
> 1GB to complete.
>
> Matter of Justice or Corruption- Varskied: If the regent has any Brechts in
> high positions, one or more are discovered taking bribes to leave the old
> Roesonean laws in effect and not enforcing the new Vos-flavored laws.
>
> Matter of Justice or Intrigue- Stormlord's Fist: A key member of the temple
> is [wrongly] accused of cowardice, a serious charge. Someone is attempting
> to remove a key fellow from the Stormlord's service.
>
> Matter of Justice or Magical Event- Stormlord's Fist: During an upcomming
> battle in Medoere, troops tied to the tempels of Cuiraécen pillage a natural
> site sacred to Ruornil. The troops expected (based on rumors) to find a
> stash of silver, but none was found. The god has been angered and will lead
> troops astray at night (patrols and such) and into enemy hands until
> atonement is made. Rare herbs, oils, and fermented essenses costing 2 GB's
> will be required to re-sanctify the place. If Ruornil is ignored, the God
> will seek compensation by replacing a magic item with a mundane replica.

[Kenneth Gauck]

I am assuming your player's regent of Varskied is a native Vos and not a Vos
born and raised in Anuire. Though he may have spent some time in Anuire (or
all over for that matter) a native Vos will not be familiar with the
subtleties of Anuirian custom, so allowances must be made when penalizing
Josimir "the Varsk" Monovski. He should not be penalized in bloodstength
for being a Vos, although its perfectly appropriot to penalize him for being
a Vos in terms of lower loyalty if his style conflicts with the Anurian
sensibility.

- -----Original Message-----
>
>> Matter of Justice- Varskied: owing to changes in the law regarding the
>> treatment of labor ...

If the regent gives in to demands for a "fundamental" law protecting the
peasants, hit him with the loss of bloodstrength. If he does nothing and
ignores the matter (decides to tough out the shoratages (in Vosgaard we'd be
happy with half this amount of food), then you could use both the -1 on
taxation I suggested and the decline in loyalty.

>>
>> Matter of Justice- Varskied: A review of the newly functioning court
system
>> is not in the least bit useful.

This is not a serious risk for the realm, no serious penalties should be
levied. Not everything is of the gravest importance.

>>
>> Matter of Justice or Corruption- Varskied: If the regent has any Brechts
in
>> high positions, one or more are discovered taking bribes to leave the old
>> Roesonean laws in effect and not enforcing the new Vos-flavored laws.
>>

While its certainly possible that a wink in the case of cronyism will result
in a loss of loyalty, a Vos would have to go pretty far in the opposite
direction to suffer a point loss in bloodstrength. Killing a perfectly good
henchement over such a minor offence (a Brecht being a Brecht) would not be
to extream for the PC (just a Vos being a Vos). Allowing public oversight
would be a point loss though. The government belongs to the regent, letting
commoners oversee new matters (outside of any ancient rights they may have)
would always be a point deduction, as it represents a shift away from
regency and towards the dreaded democracy.

>> Matter of Justice or Intrigue- Stormlord's Fist: A key member of the
temple
>> is [wrongly] accused of cowardice, a serious charge. Someone is
attempting
>> to remove a key fellow from the Stormlord's service.
>>
If Merc the Merciless starts witch hunt, lose the point of bloodstrength.
If he ignores the charges of cowardice, you could hit him with a loyalty
loss but I would recomend a different approach. A priest can too easily
just agitate himself back up again, this is a serious blow to his
credibility, people may not listen. If Merc ignores the charges of
cowardice, I would treat it as a Minor Loss of Regency as described on p. 48
of the rules: lose a point of bloodstrength and 25% of accumulated regency.
Priests of Cuiraécen who ignore cowardice in their domains are ignoring the
very heart of their domains.

>> Matter of Justice or Magical Event- Stormlord's Fist: During an upcomming
>> battle in Medoere, troops tied to the tempels of Cuiraécen pillage a
natural
>> site sacred to Ruornil.

Given the description of this event, any loyalty loss from ignoring this
should effect the army. Lower their morale one symbol (or equivilent)
because they know that they are being punished by a divinity.

The section on random events is very general. Its suggestions about this
penaly or that are not always the best way to approach penalizing a player
who must suffer the consequences of his actions. Sometimes a loss in
bloodstrength or loyalty is appropriot. In a case where the palace is
penetrated by a thief who makes off with the regent's silver dinnerware,
neither penalty in the book is appopriot (and yet it so upsets the players
who realize that it could have been an assasin ).

Kenneth Gauck
c558382@earthlink.net

[DKEvermore@aol.co]

In a message dated 2/25/99 10:23:43 AM Central Standard Time,
c558382@earthlink.net writes:

> >> is [wrongly] accused of cowardice, a serious charge. Someone is
> attempting
> >> to remove a key fellow from the Stormlord's service.
> >>
> If Merc the Merciless starts witch hunt, lose the point of bloodstrength.
> If he ignores the charges of cowardice, you could hit him with a loyalty
> loss but I would recomend a different approach. A priest can too easily
> just agitate himself back up again, this is a serious blow to his
> credibility, people may not listen. If Merc ignores the charges of
> cowardice, I would treat it as a Minor Loss of Regency as described on p.
48
> of the rules: lose a point of bloodstrength and 25% of accumulated regency.
> Priests of Cuiraécen who ignore cowardice in their domains are ignoring the
> very heart of their domains.
>
More good stuff from Ken.

Here's a further or alternative penalty. I he does not respond to charges of
cowardice, have a Bard compose a song about it. The bard travels about the
realm _really_ making the king look bad with his satires. The king has a REAL
problem. If he "removes" the troublesome critic, people will ask questions.
It may even be viewed as an admission of cowardice! Now _outside_ realms are
going to treat him disrespectfully as well (penalty to diplomacy). His army
is likely to ignore or scoff at his leadership (great captain).

Historical note: In the old British kingdoms (Welsh) and Irish/Scot kingdoms,
bards had this power. They could not be touched and if they were in the right
when making such a satire, it also had legal ramifications! The king's honor
would now have no value. This means any crime against said king would have
not monetary penalty! Since kings were not above the law over the people
(although the British/Welsh ones did have more rights) this had extremely
serious repercussions. Irish and Welsh law was entirely based on monetary
penalties for nearly all crimes. The higher the station of the person against
which the crime was committed, the higher the cost if you were caught. If you
couldn't pay, then you could be handed over to the victim's family who could
kill you (legally!), enslave you, or...be even more imaginative. (gulp!)

I recommend following the examples of Welsh law for the lowland Rjurik, and
Irish law for more northerly Rjurik and maybe even the Vos.

Later!
Dustin Evermore