Hmmm..... a feel a soapbox coming.....

I have been/will be running a Brecht PBeM, and it becomes obvious *very* early
(like turn 1) that Muden was/is going to go broke. Having thought of it for
awhile now, I have come to realize that this is one of the things that makes the
Birthright game so wonderful. Not everything is gravy.

In the FR, every one has more than enough gold and magic to make ends meet. In
Greyhawk, there is always a ruins at the edge of town, stuffed with enough gold
to make an emergency trip below if you're running short on cash. Everything is
always nicely and conveniently located nearby to guarantee your success. Not so
with Birthright!

I have heard mention of realms & regents who cannot afford to maintain
themselves as described in the books, and the general argument seems to be that
Ed (or who ever) must have made a mistake. The Dms/players begin making
modifications to the domain so that it CAN maintain itself. I submit to all,
that Ed knew what he was doing! He wrote it so that not every realm was an easy
success story! So Muden is going to go broke, big deal! Look at it's
description compared to the other regions of the Bay.
1) A huge army/navy
2) a level 10 court
3) several level 7 provinces

Compared to the rest of the Bay, Muden starts well ahead in the game. I think
it appropriate that the player need make choices. Lower the court a bit, and he
saves some cash, though he looses his domination among the Brechtur diplomatic
community. Disband some of the troops, sell some ships. All tough choices to
be sure, but hey, life as a regent is tough! Not everything is fair! Not
everything is balanced or convenient! The player _must_ make hard choices, if
not, you reduce the uniqueness and flavour of Cerilia, and is little more than a
typical fantasy setting afterwards.

Short and skinny of it folks, is that I think it is a more realistic portrayal
of Cerilia where not every realm/domain can manage itself at the level described
in the books. How many stores & businesses shut down on a daily basis because
the money going out is more than the money coming in? Debt, is one of the
primary motivators in a Birthright campaign, and in the hands of a skilled Dm,
it can become a wonderful campaign device. I suggest you use it.

At least, that's the way I see it.

Morg

> several trade routes under his control, notwithstanding the fact that he has
> no formal Guild holdings. As a Regent could interfere withTrade Routes if he
> wanted to, I suppose one could also rationalize this by saying this is an
> additinal "tax" on trade routes. Whatever the case, the Muden source book
> is, to my mind, quite deficient in its economic portrayal of the Regency. A
> few tweaks and all is well,

- --
"I hate it when my brain stem hurts."
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