I want to tell you the story of my AD&D Birthright campaign and the adventures that have transpired in about six game years. Each ruler to their realm:

Alexander Roesone, Anuirean War Priest of Cuiraecen, Regent of Roesone and the “Church of War”

Raphael Saberstrike, Anuriean Wizard, Lord-Captain of Abbatuor, Regent of Source holdings in Roesone

Karem Walli-Jabar, Khinasi Priest of Eoele, pirate captain of a zebec

Trogdor the Spearweilder, Vos Fighter, mercenary captain

Each player was allowed to roll for blood according to the 2nd edition Birthright source book. Alexander opted to take the standard Roesone setup plus the inclusion of a created realm of temples (replacing large portions of the Impregnable Heart of Haelyn). Raphael took the option of getting points to spend based upon blood line power and created a fine network of source holdings and ley lines in Roesone, with enough left over to increase the province of Abbatour to level (4/5) and build a castle there. Karem choose points and constructed a pirate fleet and crew. Karem spent a great deal of his points creating the Royal Flush Gang; four other henchmen that would serve Karem as the King of Spades (the other four naturally filling out the suite: Queen of Spades, Jack, Ten, and Ace.) A great deal of time can and will be spent talking about these henchmen. Trogdor took the points and spent it all on cold hard gold; then by the grace of a generous DM, purchased as many drake eggs as possible to try and form a unit of drake riders (unfortunately the player that was Trogdor had a lot of personal issues come up and his character eventually retired to the mountains of Bhielne in Diemed).

Alexander, the Black Baron of Roesone, started the game by announcing a grand tournament to celebrate his ascension to the throne. Alexander summoned all his noblemen for private meetings at Blacktower Castle. After meeting with all the counts, Alexander held more meetings with Raphael and Count Sedrie Bellamie in the Baron’s hunting lodge in the Elvenmeres. During this private meeting it was decided that Alexander, Raphael, and Sedrie shared a few common attributes; the most obvious being evil. Alexander told them how he found his god weak, handing out power, and that Alexander was going to use power of faith to conquer his people. Sedrie sought power as a wizard; the adventuring party would soon come to use Sedrie as the go to henchman. Raphael wanted power and sought to secure the right to raise an army to conquer Albiele Isle.

Back at the grand tournament people begin to arrive from many other kingdoms. Karem the pirate hears word of this and devises a plot. Trogdor the Spearweilder wants to serve a grand king so he keeps his drakes hidden and comes to the tournament on foot. Alexander gets many opportunities to talk to either the rulers or ambassadors from nearby realms.

Alexander begins to court Suirs Enlien of Medoere to join into a passive alliance.

Raphael gets surprise visit form the Rogr of Ilien asking for an informal alliance against High Mage Aelies which Raphael accepts with the provision of unfettered access to the port of Ilien no questions asked.

Alexander surprises the ambassador from Ghoere by offering an alliance that would allow Roesone to invade Diemed and Ghoere to invade Osoerde.

When Karem’s Zebec arrives in the port of Proudglaive it has all the necessary paperwork to show that the ship is of royal importance. Karem first dispatches the Ace of Spades, a thief only known as “the Mystery Man,” to spy on the tournament. Karem leaves the Jack of Spades, Salim the Sailor, to protect the ship while the Ten of Spades, Josef the Kid, is sent on a mission to practice general thievery. That left the King of Spades Karem and his Queen; Lady Deathstrike. Lady Deathstrike was a Vos Fighter dedicated to Eoele that with the proper forged paperwork proved that she was indeed a noble from Vosgaard.

The grand tournament was for nobles only but even with that Lady Deathstrike would have to seek out permission to compete because she is a woman. Karem used a bit of leg work and bribery to get an audience with Alexander and pleaded the case to allow Lady Deathstrike to compete. Special permission was given and all was set to go. That was until Alexander’s half-brother, Arvour Raemel showed up. At first Alexander was shocked and taken back that he had an older half-brother that could try and claim his throne and that particularly that Arvour looked just like the original Black Baron of Roesone. But Arvour convinced his brother that he cared not for all that and lived life as an adventurer. Alexander accepted his brother and gave him the title of Sir Arvour to allow him to compete in the grand tournament.

The grand tournament should have gone better for Trogdor but that is how dice roll sometimes. I let Alexander roll for his brother Arvour but that did not good as Lady Deathstrike won three out of the five competitions to win the title of tournament champion. The tournament proved a great opportunity for Alexander to hire Lady Deathstrike and Trogdor as well as pick up henchmen in the form of Sedrie Bellamie and Sir Arvour. Which would prove useful as these henchmen would become characters in their own right.

It should be noted that Sir Arvour caught the fancy of Queen Liliene Swordwraith of Aerenwe. Sedrie Ballamie started to court a young lady from the family Algael, as in the province in Osoedre. Because of the tournament, Trogdor would soon become married to a noble lass from the province of Ciliene in Diemed

I will post more in the near future.