Act One - The Petty Kings
Roleplay-heavy hotseat using the AoPK submod which will see kingdoms rise and fall as the actions of kings and their subjects define the fate of the continent currently an inferno of conflict.
Act One: Would be a fairly basic starter (ending after around 20 turns) during which time players mess around with RP plots and ideas. A blitzkrieg across the map would possibly destroy the entire purpose of the HS. You are playing as petty kings, who rule only due to their strength at arms more than anything. They barely have the authority to command their nobles, and do not have the power to be conquering vast empires. This will be shown accordingly.
I do stress that this would be for RPers more than straight-up HS conquerors. However I would love to at least attempt this. NPC houses would be admin controlled, acting on RP decisions. This is to not only create a better atmosphere, but also give the players a bit more of a challange.
Admin: Iron Aquilifer
Players:
TheBlackWolf - Mudd
Mithridate - Royce
Valyrion - Reyne
Narsils_shards - Durrendon
Axis Sunsoar - Manderly
The Penguin Wraith - Redwyne
Korpskog - Dustin
Riverknight - Blackwood
Disallowed Factions:
Sisterton, Hoare, Greyiron, Yronwood, Uller, Martell
Here is the thread for players to make claims for factions, post custom characters if they wish, and make any suggestions they have.
Also, see the group I have created "Dynastic Struggles" which has been created to give an up-to-date overview of what is happening/has happened.
Westeros is in the midst of war, the rapid expansion of the Andal invaders having caused the conflict to become a raging inferno. No-one has the power to rule for any length of time, but that does not stop those with a crown upon their brow from trying.
With the subjugation of the mountain clans completed, the Kings of Winter have issued a proclamation throughout the lands of the north. They have named themselves Kings of all the lands upon which winger strikes, and will destroy all those who defy them. This announcement has been met with varying amounts of indifference and aggression. The Giant Kings, with their northern border now protected by the Wall, can turn their eyes south, upon richer fields for conquest. Beloved of his subjects, the King of the Dreadfort has announced his intentions of defying the Winterfell Royals, marrying in to the royal bloodline of the Dustins to form a united front against the Wolves.
Having claimed the crown through deceit, the bastard usurper Harlton must now face former vassals and allies if he is to maintain control of his kingdom. And while the riverlords battle amongst themselves to decide who shall lead them to greatness, the Andals advance from the east, hindered only by their own petty greed.
The Vale is awash with blood as the Andal conquerors attempt to bring unity to the land, as First-Men band together in the south around the Royces of Runestone, and raider kings from the Three Sisters pillage and burn.
The Westerlands are far from united, despite First-Men giving way through war and marriage to the Andals. The three kings of the Westerlands, pious men all, have put aside any notion of brotherhood and religion in their desperate bid to rule supreme.
Once a land of a thousand kings, the Iron Isles have come in to conflict with the Seven's militant order, led by now-King Hoare and his landless nobles. While the Faith has lent its aid to Hoare and his family, the warriors put under their command could prove to be a liability, should the isles fall to his hand.
With the beating heart of the Seven at Oldtown, the Reach has had the good fortune to be the rallying point for many foreign Andals, lured in by the Faith and the fabled fields of fertile soil. Yet, while the Gardeners now boast the largest kingdom in Westeros, petty rivalry and greed threatens to break the fragile ideal that is a united Reach.
Wrecked by storms which send tidal waves ashore to drown whole villages, the Stormlands breed a people who only respect power and the will to live. Nothing else matters, except to conquer those who cannot defend themselves.
With nothing but sand to lord over, the Dornish kings squabble over oasis' which could not even supply a single man with the water needed to survive. There is no such thing as peace in Dorne, and no such thing as victory.
Notes/Summary:
-Starks lay claim over the North, with the Boltons and Dustins forming a marriage alliance to oppose then
-Mudds have been overthrown, which has led to most of their southern lands defecting to the re-emergent Kingdoms of Bracken and Blackwood, who as of yet, have not settled their differences to deal with this new threat.
-Slaver Kings of Sisterton have begun to raid and pillage both the North and the Vale.
-Arryns have subjugated much of the Vale, with the last free First-Men forces gathering in the south and east.
-A religious crusade has been called on the Iron Isles, with House Hoare being selected as the benefactor.
-Lannister attempts to expand their influence has led to open war with the Reynes, which has caused a conclave-supported House Tarbeck to attempt to conquer all of the Westerlands.
-Free-for-all in the lands bordering the Blackwater Rush as Andals fight among themselves and the native First-Men as to see who has the right of royalty.
-Stormlands continue to dispute over where borders lie, with peace being only fleeting.
-Kingdom of the Reach has reached an all-time pinnacle, although tensions with the bordering kingdoms and their northern lords may end in disaster.
-Having declared a king from within their own ranks, the Dornish Marches attempts to expand wherever it can.
-Dorne remains a disputed land, with no-one able to break the deadlock which keeps the Kingdoms from lessening in number.
Dorne, Iron Isles and Three Sisters are off-limits to players. This also extends in part to in-game interaction unless suitable RP is provided. This does not affect those trying to wage war with the Three Sisters, as they are slavers. The Ironborn as of yet have not begun their reaving of the west coast, beyond some small raids. Until they begin to do so, there is no reason to attack the Iron Isles. If in the event of a Hoare victory, then they are protected by the Faith, until evidence is proven that both the crusade is over and that they are a threat to fellow Andals. Due to Dorne's inhospitable nature, none of the other Kings wish to risk waging war against the Dornish, except for the Vormonts, and only if all other avenues of conquest are closed to them.
Guidelines/Suggestions:
Stark: wishes to take over all of the North, no excuses
Umber: wishes to become a powerful contender further south
Bolton: wishes to stop Stark intentions of taking over, wishes to reclaim the southern lands lost to the Three Sisters, wishes to remove the Three Sisters threat.
Dustin: wishes to stop Stark takeover, wishes to seize the Neck, wishes to get revenge on the Three Sisters
Mudd: wishes to punish the traitor lords, wishes to defeat the Andal invaders.
Bracken: wishes to maintain independence, wishes to destroy Blackwood
Blackwood: wishes to maintain independence, wishes to destroy Bracken
Sisterton: wishes to carve out a coastal kingdom and grow rich from reaving.
Arryn: Wishes to conquer all of the Vale, wishes to destroy the Three Sisters
Royce: wishes to drive back the Arryns, wishes to increase First-Man dominance
Mooton: wishes to take over the riverlands, wishes to spread the dominance of the Andals.
Crabb: wishes to maintain independence, wishes the Andals adopt First-Men ways.
Darklyn: wishes to expand its power west and south.
Massey: wishes to subjugate the lands around Blackwater
Durrandon: wishes to control the stormlands, wishes to expand west and north.
Estermont: wishes to maintain its supremacy of the seas, wishes to control the stormlands.
Vormont: Wishes to maintain independence, wishes to expand its control west and east.
Uller: wishes to control Dorne.
Yronwood: wishes to control Dorne.
Martell: wishes to control Dorne.
Manderly: wishes to create its own Kingdom and/or control the Kingdom of the Reach.
Gardener: wishes to spread the Andal dominance across Westeros.
Hightower: wishes to spread the Faith across Westeros.
Tarbeck: wishes to defeat Lannister, wishes to spread the Faith across Westeros.
Lannister: wishes to defeat Reyne and Tarbeck, wishes to have no rival among the Andals.
Reynes: wishes to drive back the Lannisters, wishes to expand inland.
Hoare: wishes to create a kingdom, wishes to control the Iron Isles.
Greyiron: wishes to spread the faith of the Drowned God, wishes to see the Andal invaders defeated.