PDA

View Full Version : Anuire at War game



Ghearis
11-01-2007, 08:49 AM
I would like to find out if there is any interest in an idea that I have generating for a game that takes place a few years after where the BR timeline leaves off in the published sourcebooks. I would enjoy any and all feedback and especially any interest you might have in such a game. A synopsis of the idea as follows:

Preface/Introduction to Events

The Lord High Chamberlain Caleidhe Dosiere who has maintained the highest ranking position in all of the land on matters of politics and ascension to the throne for all of the long years of his life... has turned up missing. Some claim that he has passed unexpectedly - covered up by trusted friends and allies - without an heir to his position. This theory, of course, renders the position of Lord High Chamberlain and all of it's authority moot in the current political state of affairs. Others claim foul doings, kidnapping - imprisonment... attempts to provoke a war.

Speculation being as it may, the Council of Twelve is brought together in urgent meeting at the Imperial City of Anuire. The discussion became heated as it moved from speculations on the mysterious disappearance to matters of the throne. The usual claims were made and without the diplomatic authority of the Chamberlain preceding, long standing rivalries dominated the bickering with furious vigor.

Of all the rivalries brought to near bloodthirsty levels, the most heated of them all came between the Prince of Avanil and Archduke of Bouruine. The peace treaty signed years ago is dissolved through <i>writ of claim</i> which stated that should either lord be advantaged to stake their claim on the throne without neutral authority present (Lord High Chamberlain), the bindings signed therein would no longer be acknowledged under Anuirean law. Thusly, the two most prominent noble lines in all of Anuire declared war upon each other.

The next year saw boundaries shifting, territories falling under enemy claim, alliances drawn up through both desperation and necesity and the effects of long-term full-scale warfare taking full effect.

New Boundaries, New Allies, New Enemies: The Factions

During the recent course of warfare and struggle for power within the boundaries of Anuire, the political lay of the land has taken drastic change. Alliances are formed, armies clash and yet the most powerful of them all only watches.

1. The Southern Alliance: Roesone, Medoere, Ilien, Aerenwe
Immediately following the adjournment of the Council, Heirl Diem tried to quietly assuage Prince Avan into lending him support for his plans to conquer both Ilien and Medeore, promising the Prince aid in his campaign against Boeruine in return. The Black Baroness caught wind of this potential arrangement and warned the Prince through her own agents that if he agreed to such a thing, she would ally herself to Gavin Tael of Ghoere and allow his troops use of not only her own realm, but Medeore and Ilien... and all of their sources. Fortunately the Prince did not call her bluff. As things sit, the southern alliance no longer has need to fear Diemed, but Ghoere is a far worse threat than Diemed ever was.

2. The Archduke: Boeruine (expanded by 6 provinces), Talinie
Aeric Boeruine seemed way to prepared for all out war. His campaign began swift and fierce, expanding his realm into the Five Peaks, part of Tuornen and deep into Taeghas before being met and held in check finally by Avan's forces in the bloodiest battle of the war effort to date. The Archduke was prepared to advance on Talinie as well but struck a deal with the Thane instead, allowing her both law and temple holdings in newly acquired lands amongst the Five Peaks in exchange for her recognition of his claim to throne and support in the war. With the Thane covering his flank and a stalemate reached with Avan to the south, he focuses on destroying the proverbial thorn in his side once and for all... the Manslayer himself.

3. The Might of Ghoere: Ghoere, Alamie, Tuornen, Osoerde
Gavin Tael of Ghoere also appeared all too eager and prepared for the breakdown of order throughout Anuire. His conniving and incredible strategem allowed him to take both Osoerde and Alamie as vassals to his cause assisting Osoerde with quelling it's internal rebellion and Alamie with overpowering and conquering Tuornen. He now challenges Boeruine and Avan on the pursuit of the throne. Fully content to let those two contenders duke it out to the finish, however, his sights are set fully on Roesone and it's paltry alliance.

4. The Prince's Alliance: Avanil, Taeghas, Brosengae, Diemed
Prince Avan was caught off guard by the immediate surge of Boeruine's forces and Ghoere's schemings. Their aggressive tactics served a suitable trump to his well served nature for diplomacy. His hand was forced to commit a significant portion of his armies to the aid of Taeghas, his close friend and ally and these forces remain tied up in keeping the Archduke's forces at bay. Siding with Roesone over Diemed was a matter of damage control. He simply couldn't risk letting Roesone open itself up to Ghoere and he was no fool to be played in Diemed's narrow minded goal of becoming the nation it once was. He felt his best move was to simply take Diemed and replace it's rule with one of his lieutenants. Though this left him in no way able to support Tuornen, thus losing any hope of it's favor to Ghoere's machinations, he finds himself in a much better position to enable further diplomacy with the realms of the Southern alliance.

5. The Guilder Network: Cariele, Endier, various guild regencies and mercenaries.
Mheallie Bireon has conspired her way into a notable seat of power through crafty scheming and networking skills as one of the most proficient guilders and smartest business minds in all of Anuire. Her network of spies, assassins and mercenaries is unrivalled and during the early stages of the war, she put her power on display by having the highly reputed Guilder Kalien of Endier assassinated, then taking control of his own network to add to her own. Not to mention, taking control of Endier and all of it's valuable trade routes as an extension to her realm's. In terms of actual land property, provinces, and military this is a small and vulnerable alliance but the slippery Bireon holds a vicelike grip on the economy and trade that takes place all throughout Anuire and her network is to be feared. It's even said she is responsible for the disappearance of the Lord High Chamberlain. Further rumors indicate that Gavin Tael might even be attempting another one of his "arrangements" with her to benefit both his designs and her own.

6. The Elven Alliance: Tuarhieval, Dhoesone
he elves have always proven the craftiest and most cunning strategists in the matters of human politics. Out of 5 realms on their border, only one (Dhoesone, by relation) remains a friend while two other combined are significantly the most powerful force of evil in all the realm. The Gorgon's lands, in part with his vassals in Markazor and that's not even considering his other vassal, Mur-Kilad right beside. The elven lands are regarded as impenetrable but they must focus so heavily on defense that their threat is almost negligible. Only Dhoesone has the resources and ability to marshall force but they are so far removed as to be considered moot to the entire war effort.

7. The Hunter's Alliance: Mhoried, Elinie, Sielwode, Coeranys
Guerilla warfare is no better defined than by these hardy folk. Only Elinie remains as the most aggressive of the bunch, giving Ghoere all they can muster on their border with them. The Mhor is more pacifist, as is the Duchess Cariele of Coeranys and her close friend the Emerald Queen Isaelie. This group prefers to just wait out the war and survive at all costs. They will likely not recognize any regent who claims the throne through succession but Elinie has promised support from Khinasi influence and both the Mhor and Cariele have connections in Rjurik and Brechtur respectively if it comes down to taking the war beyond the borders of empire alone.

8. The Gorgon's Alliance: The Gorgon Crown, Mur-Kilad, Markazor, Thurazor
This is the most feared alliance for this monstrous lot will stop at nothing for ultimate power in the name of their lord but they have been quiet since the events of the doomed Council meeting which brooked the war. They continuously harass the elves of Tuarhieval as they have always done but their forces seem to be brooding a breath away from being unleashed. Recent rumors indicate that Thurazor has been attempting to unite various scattered tribes throughout the remainder of The Five Peaks under the Gorgon's banner.

Enter the Players/ Making it Playable

1. Regency : I'm not entirely convinced that I want to use regency in this game scenario. I think it would be much more enjoyable to have players enter as lieutenants, commanders, agents of espionage, high level mercenaries or specialists in a field, what have you and then be run through scenarios. If I did involve regency, I would likely want more DMs to help field the scenario.

2. Factions : With small interest, I would want to keep the game centrally around one chosen faction. A group of mercenaries working under the influence of Ghoere as a player group for example... or loyalists to Avan, etc... With high interest, perhaps with a sidebar of Co-DMs, maybe regency among many factions, but ultimately a choice among factions and a proper structure from there to keep things rolling without spreading everyone out too thinly.

3. Starting level and blood scions : In this sort of setting, I am considering high levels, starting at 10 as a base. I am of the notion to include scions and perhaps even ersheglien

Bialaska
11-09-2007, 05:44 AM
While I am usually hooked on joining almost any game that has to do with Birthright, I got very little interest in this. What makes Birthright into what it is, is the fact that you are a leader of a realm or a domain. Taking away the domain level of things takes away a lot of what I find interesting about a game. Sorry.

AndrewTall
11-09-2007, 02:11 PM
While I am usually hooked on joining almost any game that has to do with Birthright, I got very little interest in this. What makes Birthright into what it is, is the fact that you are a leader of a realm or a domain. Taking away the domain level of things takes away a lot of what I find interesting about a game. Sorry.

To me starting a PC as a non-regent, having them prove themselves and then earn a domain through RP could be a good way to play - particularly for new players who would start off with them only needing to learn the setting, then once they are comfy the DM would add the additional realm-level stuff. Not sure if that's the plan here but it was recently pointed out to me that BR has a very steep learning curve - and that deters many potential players.

cccpxepoj
11-10-2007, 06:27 AM
i personaly like to start my game with non-regent players, because when they become regents they care for every holding and are much more tied to the land they rule.

kgauck
11-10-2007, 10:20 AM
I also prefer to start players as heirs, lieutenants, and bystanders who rise to power rather just starting as rulers.

Bialaska
11-10-2007, 12:45 PM
For PBEM I want to play a regent character of some sort. Because I believe that PBEM is the best system for capturing the domain level play.

Playing a heir, lieutenant or another type of non-regent is something I like in tabletop games, where the domain level play becomes secondary to the adventuring.

cccpxepoj
11-10-2007, 05:52 PM
For PBEM I want to play a regent character of some sort. Because I believe that PBEM is the best system for capturing the domain level play.

Playing a heir, lieutenant or another type of non-regent is something I like in tabletop games, where the domain level play becomes secondary to the adventuring.

i dislike PBEM, maybe because i have a larger group of players in my home town so i don't need a PBEM stuff, and in a tabletop play we can role play our characters more realistic.

AndrewTall
11-11-2007, 05:12 AM
i dislike PBEM, maybe because i have a larger group of players in my home town so i don't need a PBEM stuff, and in a tabletop play we can role play our characters more realistic.

I don't know any roleplayer living within 50 miles :( so PBEM is the only way for me - BR seems to work well (take a look at the Heirs of the Fallen Empire forums) http://imperialarchive.proboards78.com/

Rjurik Winds has an online table top which is working well too - you can PM between the whole group, look at where you all are on the same map (when it stops refreshing) and see each others die rolls. We just have to figure out the voice-over-internet thing now...

Nothing beats a tabletop but PBEM is still good fun.

Now we just need someone to figure up a way to merge birmail, a forum, the old BR:TGA game, medieval war and Baldur's gate to really get the game going!

cccpxepoj
11-12-2007, 08:47 AM
Now we just need someone to figure up a way to merge birmail, a forum, the old BR:TGA game, medieval war and Baldur's gate to really get the game going!

Why being so modest not a Baldur's gate, more something like Newer Winter Nights 2 :D, and medieval total war 2 : Kingdoms lol

Thelandrin
11-12-2007, 11:22 AM
Actually, Andrew was right. Baldur's Gate was a far better game than Neverwinter Nights 2. For one thing, the ending made sense and didn't rely so heavily on pure brawn.

Bialaska
11-12-2007, 02:16 PM
Actually, Andrew was right. Baldur's Gate was a far better game than Neverwinter Nights 2. For one thing, the ending made sense and didn't rely so heavily on pure brawn.

I prefer the gameplay of NWN2, compared to BG, and NWN2 use the D&D 3.5 system, which is far easier to work with, while BG used the more inflexible AD&D. But the plot was better in BG.

RaspK_FOG
11-12-2007, 05:07 PM
If you ask me, both had issues; the rest is mostly preference.

AndrewTall
11-12-2007, 05:10 PM
I prefer the gameplay of NWN2, compared to BG, and NWN2 use the D&D 3.5 system, which is far easier to work with, while BG used the more inflexible AD&D. But the plot was better in BG.

From a programming perspective I'd expect BG to be easier - the game is less graphics intensive whereas NWN2 is excessively pretty. AD&D is easier simply as it is less flexible - less flexibility=less choice=easier to predict and thus work with, etc. 3.5 suffers heavily from bloating and imbalance issues as a result imho. Both lack the critical death's door rule which bugs me severely but overall I enjoyed BG and Icewind more than NWN2, NWN was v good though.

cccpxepoj
11-12-2007, 06:03 PM
Actually, Andrew was right. Baldur's Gate was a far better game than Neverwinter Nights 2. For one thing, the ending made sense and didn't rely so heavily on pure brawn.

i was ironic :D

akalsaris
11-21-2007, 03:07 PM
Well, I'd be interested in the campaign as a lieutenant or part of band of fairly influential mercenaries. Like many others, though, a lot of the fun in playing online for me comes from realm intrigues.

By the way, I preferred BG to NWN, my computer handled it better and the story was more engaging. Now I can't bring myself to play it without cheating in Boots of Speed though...

Talonlor
11-22-2007, 05:58 PM
I would be interested as well, kinda new to the BR franchise but I've been playing BR:TGA for years and years now :)