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Thread: Rheulgard info

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    Senior Member cccpxepoj's Avatar
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    Rheulgard info

    i am gathering material for my new campain in Rheulgard. so if some one have interestin idea please post it. Thanks in advance

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    Senior Member cccpxepoj's Avatar
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    My first idea about barony of silent watch is that it is the oldest part of Rheulgard , firstly created by the rjurick legions under the banner of Roele in the early days of the empire as the ideal strategic point for the further advance in Vosgaard. Then the rest of modern Rheulgard was "pacified" from the humanoid taint .

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    Senior Member cccpxepoj's Avatar
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    but what realy is confusing me is how the hell that realm continue to exist if the goverment is divided in 3 factions, and if the barony of silent watch is hereditary why they are not independent. And not to mention the cultural difrences .

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    Site Moderator AndrewTall's Avatar
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    Tradition can be a strange and powerful thing.

    It is possible the factions fight bitterly amongst each other but unite to vehemently oppose 'outsiders'.

    Or the barons for example may see themselves as the guardian of Rhuelgard - meaning that they cannot claim independence without breaching their core self image.

    Alternatively the factions may have strong common cultural traditions that keep them united, English counties had (in some cases still have) strong identities and rivalries with other counties without ceasing to consider themselves a united English people (mostly) similarly for Scot and Welsh clans.

    Another possibility is that the natives have a powerful distrust of their neighbours, etc. Fear of the elves might encourage the Rheulgarders to maintain a strong united front, etc.

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    Quote Originally Posted by cccpxepoj View Post
    but what realy is confusing me is how the hell that realm continue to exist if the goverment is divided in 3 factions, and if the barony of silent watch is hereditary why they are not independent. And not to mention the cultural difrences .
    Lots of minor nobles are hereditary but not independent: consider the many individual province-ruling jarls of Rjurik lands who cooperate as multiple vassals of a king often chosen from their number. In fact, in a place like Anuire, I think every individual level of a law holding is composed of several different hereditary nobles, whose lands are too small to represent separately in Birthright scale, but whose existence and active participation in government are crucial to proper functioning of the whole feudal system.

    Also, the tripartite and multicultural nature of Rheulgard is quite new: the Khinasi third was only founded 20 or 30 years ago. Up until now, there has been no conflict, but growing interethnic tension is a perfectly natural source of plot events for your campaign.

    The two Brecht thirds cooperate in a natural division of labor. That is, the Stille Waechter are a purely military order concerned mainly with defense against the Vos, while the Poden area has a more typically Brecht focus on commerce. The two complement each other well. I see each side as having a job that the other doesn't want, and is perfectly glad to leave in someone else's hands. The historical success of this model may well be the inspiration for the more recent division of labor between the Count and Captain of neighboring Mueden.


    Ryan

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    Senior Member cccpxepoj's Avatar
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    first i am sorry for my theory obout rheulgard history( it is described in havens of the great bay page 48 ), 2nd yes you are right hereditary does not mean independent ( english history is a perfect example ),but there is no king of rheulgard ( or count, or graf.....), Richard Kaysun is just a maister of Poden, and the law holdings are few in all three factiones. It is natural to me that they will be at peace at the moment but if there is no greather outside threth they will be in state of civil war in no time .
    P.S.-sorry on my english its a little rusty, but it will impruve in time.

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    Site Moderator AndrewTall's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cccpxepoj View Post
    Richard Kaysun is just a master of Poden, and the law holdings are few in all three factions. It is natural to me that they will be at peace at the moment but if there is no greater outside threat they will be in state of civil war in no time.
    Alternatively the Khinasi faction could be absorbed into the main Brecht faction, or take up a specialist role within it which reduces competition with the Brecht. That would depend on relative population sizes and wealth.

    For example if the Khinasi are poor but numerous they could form the peasantry - farmers and bulk labourers, the Brecht the middle class. If the reverse then the Khinasi could take on the administrative role, etc. Either way reduces conflict as the two compete for different resources within the society. Alternatively they could form a single blended culture as one assimilates into the other or they form a new culture.

    A lot will depend on the willingness of the two cultures (the Stille Waechter for a distinct military caste so can mostly be ignored) to mix and key spokesmen within the two groups. A single loud-mouthed priest proclaiming Brecht/Khinasi cultural superiority and vehemently deriding 'half-breeds' and the like could put back assimilation decades - or cause the conflict you describe. Alternatively a pragmatic regent of Rhuelgard could act harshly against any such 'troublemakers' and strongly encourage mingling - lower taxes on joint enterprises, hybrid families, etc.

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    Senior Member cccpxepoj's Avatar
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    Thank you guys but my intension whit this thread was to collect informations and ideas ( ok you show that the civil war is not necessary ) so if you have any cool NPC in mind please describe it. My friends and I are starting to work on a fan version of Secrets of Rheulgard that we will upload to the site, eventually .

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    Site Moderator AndrewTall's Avatar
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    Hmmm, ideas for NPC's. I would try thinking up factions that might exist, and then create exemplars for them. So:

    Stille Wachter
    A subordinate of Alford may despise the Khinasi influx and seek to encourage attacks upon them, either to directly displace them, or by triggering a response get an excuse to openly drive out the foreigners. This could be due to xenophobia, or a desire to unify the realm and belief that the cultures cannot coexist.

    Another may firmly believe in welcoming Khinasi aid and want to build closer ties to strengthen the realm, they may be willing to act against impediments, create conditions where the Khinasi can prove their usefulness, etc.

    Richard Kaysun
    As someone almost in the middle of the other law holder Richard likely has someone who deals with each side, he may also have pensioners displaced by the Khinasi influx who want to regain their lost lands and influence, etc. He also could use a general, chamberlain, champion, wife, children, etc.

    NB: a pensioner is someone who lives on a pension, or regular stipend from another, often without ability to survive independently.

    Unbrau
    Frederika rules the Khinasi area, and was born in the south, but has a Brecht name and blood. She may be a 'real' khinasi who took a Brecht name to reduce tension, a Brecht whose parents lived in the south and has displaced the khinasi ruler since returning to Brechtur (possibly by marrying the former regent and surviving her spouse) etc. Each possibility raises issues about her relationships with her people and the rest of Rhuelgard. Do the Khinasi have a champion who seeks to overthrow her? Does a real Brecht champion scorn her attempt to 'play Brecht' and seek to displace her?

    Given the strength of families in Khinasi lands I would create a few nobles of Khinasi blood who oppose her, possibly one that is a wizard who can use the Khinasi tradition of wizard rulers against her.

    Nachteben
    As a temple of Ruornil this can have a number of NPC's from undead hunters, or someone paranoid about the shadow world, to a sage well versed in various mysteries. The conflict between the Nachteban and the Wachen an Soonlacht is quite literally one between night and day - a paladin of Avani determined to prove that Ruornil's faithful are evil would be an interesting NPC (the last lot of such folk turned to serve Azrai and plague Cerilia to this day! Shall we stand by while our own folk are corrupted?). The church is only strong around lake Bannalach - is there a reason for this? Does something lurk under the waters? Have temples in the south been reduce din influence? How actively is the Nachteban trying to regain influence?

    As possibly the state faith (big in Poden, although the Wachen dominate elsewhere) the Nachteben should also have a court adviser to Richard Kaysun of some sort, who probably either gets on very well, or very badly, with Rheulaan Greencloak.

    Wachen an Sonnlacht
    One option is knights opposed to the evils of the Shadow World who compete with the Ruornilites (the cleansing light of the sun will erase these abominations - we have no need to understand their world, merely destroy any part of it that taints our own). That gives you a few knights, possibly a priest, etc.

    As the new up-and-coming faith I'd make the Wachen quite aggressive and keen to prove themselves to the people of Rhuelgard and make most of their NPC's young. A possible NPC would therefore be a priest seeking to spread the word and convert people from the Nachtaben, they may be a martyr at heart or quite militant.

    Old Father of the Forests
    The Druids could do with a few champions such as a ranger or two, probably used to dealing with elves and either for or against them as a result. An NPC heavily opposed to guilds could help explain the guild position and provide some tension.

    Bannalach Spoilers
    These seem designed as a bad guy domain, the odd thing is the low holdings in the realm as a whole which are only briefly commented on in Havens. I would have some independent guilders who have been prevented for some reason from forming guilds - or possibly a guild collapsed after its regent was killed and the lack of holdings is just temporary indicating that an NPC could be seeking to rebuild, Tyrus may well have hand in the demise of the regent and need an assassin, etc. I can also see some major conflict with the druids and elves over logging, land clearance and the like permitting an NPC or two.

    Sayer of Coullabhie
    She and Rheulaan have an ongoing feud, it is quite possible that she has an agent working for her in the realm - it is likely that some elves do live in the empty woods of Beuraben, and Eolrab. Whether these elves shun interaction with the Rheulgarders or are forming a Gheallie Sidhe to recover their lands will give more NPC options.

    Rheulaan Greencloak
    Two of his minions are noted, but as a major player in the region he should probably have more - possibly less public ones. If you are running a BRCS 3.5 campaign then Rhuelaan has a reasonable amount of trade income in Zedforest - someone likely runs it for him.

    Other npc's
    These could include goblin or gnoll tribesmen in the more empty areas, separatists who want the realm to split, something deeply unpleasant in the Zedforest - it is not only unpopulated but given its source potential of 9 hasn't been logged, etc in centuries - something is stopping its exploitation and Rheulaan is a relative newcomer.

    Then you have agents of Molochev, or Molochev rebels driven out of that realm to seek sanctuary in Rheulgaard and so on. A few provinces have elven names - adding in some ancient elven influence - a trapped fiend slowly extending corruption via a network of agents, etc could be interesting. Meson has an old hatred of Rheulgard, a NPC who grievously harmed him in the past, and now lives in mortal fear of him, might explain why.

    Empty holdings
    The absence of regents in Wiestod and Wohlers amazes me - these are highly populated provinces, while guilds are rare in general in Rhuelgard I'd struggle to explain the lack of faith and probably say that the temples there are simply independent of any regent - allowing for several NPC's that could be won over by a priest player. I'd want some stubborn, some proud, some evil etc to give a mix of opportunities for players.

    The low law holdings could indicate independent nobles who refuse to recognise any lord, the existence of bandits who make the province ungovernable, multiple claimants for a vacant post, etc.

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    Senior Member cccpxepoj's Avatar
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    Thanks Andrew this is real helping. I had idea of Druids opposing guilds (especially Tyrus Yurdvik, traitor rjurick) and Stille Wachter being neutral faction seeking eventual independence. But Alford is a paladin of Kirche and that religion
    suits he's warlike militant subordinates, so Stille Wachter may become knightly order.

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