----- Original Message -----
From: "Zaor" <zaor81@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sent: Monday, August 05, 2002 4:00 PM

> This is one of the ideas I use in my birthright games. The objetive is
> to make all rulers more or less "equal" in power terms (and not the
> landed ruler the most powerful and the rest being puppets, specially
> the wizard).

This is an interesting subject, and I was close to bringing it up on my own.
I have structured my game so that the most powerful class is the one that
typically gets two sources of regency. For example in Anuire the typical
landed ruler is the most powerful, and this is reflected in his control of
both provinces and law. In Brechtür, I have shifted dominance to the
guilders, who are liable to own most of the law, and either control an
occasional temple to Sera, or have a strong Sera temple as an ally.
Obviously Brecht landed rulers, left with just provinces, fall back to the
second rank of power. In Rjurik lands, because I give druids access to
sources, the religious power of Erik`s church is very strong. They control
soucres and temples, and because the development is as low as it is, tend to
have more power than the landed rulers, many of whom share their law with
their jarls and eorls. It just seems to make sence to do it this way. I
find it a very elegant way to reinforce the cultural differences.

This brings up my interpretation of the academy, a possible new holding
type. My thinking was that if every class could have two hodling types at
the very core of their class purpose, what about the arcane spellcaster?
Mana is certainly one way to go, and I hope anyone who gives it a try will
keep the list posted. But I though I would take a moment to further
describe my idea about the academy. First of all its not just wizards
training wizards. Its learned people teaching anyone who can pay. So its
more like the independent or vernacular school system of the Renaissance.
Now, the collection of the youth of the well to do in such a place, the role
of educator, this was historically one of the church`s sources of power in
Medieval Europe. Wizards, Bards, and Clerics could run an academy, and
teach whatever they wanted, or what the local elite was willing to pay for.
Its just a natural thing that wizards could do to collect some money and
additional influence in local affairs. Just like any other holding, the
ruler isn`t standing over students, the ruler directs others to perform the
mission of the holding, in this case a school.

Kenneth Gauck
kgauck@mchsi.com

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