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  1. #1
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Shade" <lordshade@SOFTHOME.NET>
    Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2003 11:23 PM


    > My goal, in general, is to have 1 adventure every gaming session (usually
    > we play one season). To me that is pretty balanced between adventuring and
    > domain-level play.

    Start having domain play only via e-mail, reserving table-top play for
    adventuring. Or to reverse it, don`t do domain stuff during gaming
    sessions. Use sessions only for domain actions that are role played, and
    those can involve a two goal story with a reversal.

    Players set out to solve a random event (Matter of Justice, say) only to
    find out that the story has an unexpected second act. It could just be a
    deeper mystery, it could have an unconnected (McGuffin) link to the second
    act, or it could reveal a master polt behind the original plot.

    1) Deeper mystery- A trade matter leads the PC`s to investigate/ negotiate
    with a key guilder, but the guilder isn`t doing what what originally
    suspected, he`s doing something else.

    2) McGuffin- During a diplomatic matter, it comes to the attention of PC`s
    that a treasure map, rumored magic item, or other useful hook is presented.

    3) Master plot- A corruption event is investigated to prevent the
    hemmoraging of additional GB`s. The PC`s ultimatly discover that the money
    and resoucres are being diverted to a major enemy like the Chimera or the
    White Witch.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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  2. #2
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Shade" <lordshade@SOFTHOME.NET>
    Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2003 11:23 PM


    > My goal, in general, is to have 1 adventure every gaming session (usually
    > we play one season). To me that is pretty balanced between adventuring and
    > domain-level play.

    Start having domain play only via e-mail, reserving table-top play for
    adventuring. Or to reverse it, don`t do domain stuff during gaming
    sessions. Use sessions only for domain actions that are role played, and
    those can involve a two goal story with a reversal.

    Players set out to solve a random event (Matter of Justice, say) only to
    find out that the story has an unexpected second act. It could just be a
    deeper mystery, it could have an unconnected (McGuffin) link to the second
    act, or it could reveal a master polt behind the original plot.

    1) Deeper mystery- A trade matter leads the PC`s to investigate/ negotiate
    with a key guilder, but the guilder isn`t doing what what originally
    suspected, he`s doing something else.

    2) McGuffin- During a diplomatic matter, it comes to the attention of PC`s
    that a treasure map, rumored magic item, or other useful hook is presented.

    3) Master plot- A corruption event is investigated to prevent the
    hemmoraging of additional GB`s. The PC`s ultimatly discover that the money
    and resoucres are being diverted to a major enemy like the Chimera or the
    White Witch.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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  3. #3
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    From: "Shade" <lordshade@SOFTHOME.NET>

    > I know that the books suggest there
    > are ruined castles all over the place where you can find treasure and
    > adventure, but I find that really hard to believe when you have 200
    > soldiers roaming that province on a regular basis.
    >
    > [snip]
    >
    > My goal, in general, is to have 1 adventure every gaming session (usually
    > we play one season). To me that is pretty balanced between adventuring and
    > domain-level play.
    >

    200 soldiers to a province is not a lot. In fact, that is probably hardly
    enough to patrol the densely populated areas. there is plenty of hinterland
    even in a level 10 province, and a province of level 1-3 is a tiny cluster
    of civilization in a huge wilderness. So there is plenty of room for ruined
    castles, goblin boglands, small elven groves, orog caves and other adventure
    locations.

    Not to mention that may adventures can center around holdings -
    investigating a new smuggling Guild or routing out some "Law" bandits can be
    great fun.

    One adventure per season seems quite all right. I had 1d6 months between
    every scenario at the start of my campaign - worked out to about the same on
    the average.

    /Carl

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  4. #4
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    On Mon, 2003-04-14 at 19:35, Stephen Starfox wrote:
    From: "Shade" <lordshade@SOFTHOME.NET>

    > I know that the books suggest there
    > are ruined castles all over the place where you can find treasure and
    > adventure, but I find that really hard to believe when you have 200
    > soldiers roaming that province on a regular basis.
    >
    > [snip]
    >
    > My goal, in general, is to have 1 adventure every gaming session (usually
    > we play one season). To me that is pretty balanced between adventuring and
    > domain-level play.
    >

    200 soldiers to a province is not a lot. In fact, that is probably hardly
    enough to patrol the densely populated areas. there is plenty of hinterland
    even in a level 10 province, and a province of level 1-3 is a tiny cluster
    of civilization in a huge wilderness. So there is plenty of room for ruined
    castles, goblin boglands, small elven groves, orog caves and other adventure
    locations.

    Quite apart from which: the most common adventure encounter is with
    patrols - or has been in D&D, AD&D (1st and 2nd ed). Running into 20-40
    of these soldiers can itself be *interesting*.

    Not to mention that may adventures can center around holdings -
    investigating a new smuggling Guild or routing out some "Law" bandits can be
    great fun.

    One adventure per season seems quite all right. I had 1d6 months between
    every scenario at the start of my campaign - worked out to about the same on
    the average.

    /Carl

    Yeah, if the players are into domain play - you should be getting plenty
    of plot-lines and adventure ideas from their own domain actions.

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  5. #5
    Birthright Developer irdeggman's Avatar
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    I also tried to run domain actions as much as possible via e-mail. Most can be easily handled that way. Seldom, in my campaign, did the player's PC's domain actions have competeing actions. Although this is quite possible depending on how closely allied the PC's are.

    Player's generally will feel cheated if they don't get to roll some dice at least once a game night.:)
    Duane Eggert

  6. #6
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    Stephen Starfox wrote:

    >From: "Shade" <lordshade@SOFTHOME.NET>
    >
    >>I know that the books suggest there
    >>are ruined castles all over the place where you can find treasure and
    >>adventure, but I find that really hard to believe when you have 200
    >>soldiers roaming that province on a regular basis.
    >>
    >>[snip]
    >>
    >>My goal, in general, is to have 1 adventure every gaming session (usually
    >>we play one season). To me that is pretty balanced between adventuring and
    >>domain-level play.
    >>
    >
    >200 soldiers to a province is not a lot. In fact, that is probably hardly
    >enough to patrol the densely populated areas. there is plenty of hinterland
    >even in a level 10 province, and a province of level 1-3 is a tiny cluster
    >of civilization in a huge wilderness. So there is plenty of room for ruined
    >castles, goblin boglands, small elven groves, orog caves and other adventure
    >locations.
    >
    To add to that: Even 400 normal soldiers (who are likely only 1st level
    commoners-levies, warriors-irregulars/infantery or fighters-elite
    infantery?) are entirely helpless if you have even a single monster that
    can only be hurt by +1 weapons, like a gargoyle or spectre or ghost -
    these monsters will send soldier after soldier fleeing for their lives
    and giving the ruined castle a reputation of being haunted by the worst
    nightmares which no normal soldier will enter even if commanded by his
    lord - except if personally lead by a liutenant or the regent himself...
    bye
    Michael Romes

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  7. #7
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    At 11:35 AM 4/14/2003 +0200, you wrote:
    >From: "Shade" <lordshade@SOFTHOME.NET>
    >
    >> I know that the books suggest there
    >> are ruined castles all over the place where you can find treasure and
    >> adventure, but I find that really hard to believe when you have 200
    >> soldiers roaming that province on a regular basis.
    >>
    >> [snip]
    >>
    >> My goal, in general, is to have 1 adventure every gaming session (usually
    >> we play one season). To me that is pretty balanced between adventuring and
    >> domain-level play.
    >>
    >
    >200 soldiers to a province is not a lot. In fact, that is probably hardly
    >enough to patrol the densely populated areas. there is plenty of hinterland
    >even in a level 10 province, and a province of level 1-3 is a tiny cluster
    >of civilization in a huge wilderness. So there is plenty of room for ruined
    >castles, goblin boglands, small elven groves, orog caves and other adventure
    >locations.

    ??? Really? I am afraid I just don`t comprehend how this is possible. Isn`t
    a province about 40 miles by 40 miles? 1600 square miles or so? That`s
    tiny! I live in Austin, Texas, USA and I would guess the Austin
    metropolitan area alone is about the size of a province.

    Austin isn`t even that big of a city.

    >
    >Not to mention that may adventures can center around holdings -
    >investigating a new smuggling Guild or routing out some "Law" bandits can be
    >great fun.
    >
    >One adventure per season seems quite all right. I had 1d6 months between
    >every scenario at the start of my campaign - worked out to about the same on
    >the average.
    >
    >/Carl
    >
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  8. #8
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    On Mon, 14 Apr 2003, Shade wrote:

    > ??? Really? I am afraid I just don`t comprehend how this is possible.
    > Isn`t a province about 40 miles by 40 miles? 1600 square miles or so?

    That`s the big end of the province scale -- according to the BR rulebook,
    they tend to measure 30 to 40 miles on a side, so 900 to 1600 square.
    Based on what I`ve managed to work out with blow-ups of the few (Players
    Secrets) maps with scales by counting squares (numerical integration by
    hand, as it were), the ones actually on the map have a bigger spread than
    this, but are centered more or less around that range.

    > That`s tiny! I live in Austin, Texas, USA and I would guess the Austin
    > metropolitan area alone is about the size of a province. Austin isn`t
    > even that big of a city.

    *grin* Recall that on the medieval (and to some extent the modern!)
    European scale, Texas is IMMENSE. Also, the concept "metropolitan
    area" includes a fairly high population density and modern mechanical
    transportation systems: 40 miles was much, much longer when you had to
    walk the whole way, and there were only 9,000 people there (a level 3,
    if you believe province level = population).

    There is plenty of room for all sorts of strange adventure locations in
    the sparsely populated Erebannien.


    Ryan Caveney

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  9. #9
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    At 07:25 PM 4/14/2003 -0400, you wrote:
    >On Mon, 14 Apr 2003, Shade wrote:
    >
    >> ??? Really? I am afraid I just don`t comprehend how this is possible.
    >> Isn`t a province about 40 miles by 40 miles? 1600 square miles or so?
    >
    >That`s the big end of the province scale -- according to the BR rulebook,
    >they tend to measure 30 to 40 miles on a side, so 900 to 1600 square.
    >Based on what I`ve managed to work out with blow-ups of the few (Players
    >Secrets) maps with scales by counting squares (numerical integration by
    >hand, as it were), the ones actually on the map have a bigger spread than
    >this, but are centered more or less around that range.
    >
    >> That`s tiny! I live in Austin, Texas, USA and I would guess the Austin
    >> metropolitan area alone is about the size of a province. Austin isn`t
    >> even that big of a city.
    >
    >*grin* Recall that on the medieval (and to some extent the modern!)
    >European scale, Texas is IMMENSE. Also, the concept "metropolitan
    >area" includes a fairly high population density and modern mechanical
    >transportation systems: 40 miles was much, much longer when you had to
    >walk the whole way, and there were only 9,000 people there (a level 3,
    >if you believe province level = population).
    >
    >There is plenty of room for all sorts of strange adventure locations in
    >the sparsely populated Erebannien.

    You don`t think 200 soldiers could patrol every inch of Austin? I find it
    really hard to believe there is a lot of "unexplored" territory in a 1600
    square mile area.

    How about rangers? You don`t think 100 rangers (25 per province) could
    patrol the 4-5 provinces of the Erebannien? I find it really hard to
    believe that they could not... I mean, how can you miss a band of 50 gnolls
    in the Erebannien if you`re a ranger? You can probably track them pretty
    easily, and you contact the Aerenwe military forces, who come in and clean up.

    (For that matter, how many rangers would you say Aerenwe has?)

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  10. #10
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Shade" <lordshade@SOFTHOME.NET>
    Sent: Monday, April 14, 2003 6:58 PM


    > I find it really hard to believe there is a lot of "unexplored"
    > territory in a 1600 square mile area.

    After the plague struck, large agreas of Europe, formerly populated were
    abandon to the wilderness, in part because wolves (also bears and boars)
    proved to dangerous to villagers reduced in numbers by disease. While
    fantastic characters of role playing might be mightier, so are the monsters
    of those wilderness areas. And that assumes you imagine Cerilian populations
    to be as dense as European populations.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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