The general rules and information about the game in format as suggested by stilldawn.
Assassinations
There would come a time when a player would wish to murder another character, be it main or auxiliary. There are two ways of how they could it.
They could either assassinate them with the help of a professional assassin, or finish them off personally. In the second one, you can assail help from another player too if both agree. But this is a murder which the whole realm would eventually hear of.
My advice would be to use the professionals unless you opt for the second way, provided you are confident that your character would get away with it. The best alternative should you be unable to avail a professional assassin is to challenge them to a duel/fight.
Assassination (secret)
To order this, follow the simple steps.
- Contact a moderator (via PM the best),
- Pay 5,000 Reichmarks,
- State you intent (you must have a valid, IC reason to kill someone. “They looked at me funny” or “I don’t like them” are not valid reasons),
- The mod will then roll a D20 (in the moderator social group) to determine the outcome and post it in a relevant thread.
D20 Rolls:The following are the rolls and their outcomes.
1-5: Capture of the assassin before they even reach the target. The assassin’s employer’s identity is revealed to the target, who may decide what to do with the information.
6-10: Assassin misses the target and escapes successfully. Although the target is not eliminated, the identity of the one who tired to have the target killed remains secret.
11-15: Death of the target and the capture of the assassin. Although the target is dead, their heir may decide what to do with the identity of the assassin.
16-20: The assassin gets in, does his job, and gets out with incident. The target is dead and nobody knows who did it.
Open Murder (or assassination)
Simply follow the steps.
- Be in the same thread, you and your fellow conspirators,
- Post intent along with the reasons (valid ones),
- State which weapon(s) you and other conspirators intend to use (from the personal effects only),
- Target can use opportunity to do the same,
- Moderator rolls to decide outcome,
- Do spooky stuff (affects Chivalry/Dread) if you wish (putting the head on a pike, or putting the blood on the altar etc.).
Without Modifiers
11-20: Death of the target.
1-10: Target escapes.
With Modifiers
Each character (not including auxiliaries), will provide a +2 or -2 bonus depending on whoever they’re helping. The character (meaning target or assassin, not helpers) with the higher strength will receive a +1 and the character with lower strength will receive -1 bonus. Weapons and armor may also provide bonuses depending on their quality and so forth.
Imperial Systems
In 1370, the Holy Roman Empire operated, as much of the world did, on a set of legal, economic, and military customs known as Feudalism. Feudalism structured society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labor. There is a strict hierarchy of landed nobility, with peasants paying or fighting for their liege lords in exchange for protection. These lords have their own superiors, and provide money and troops in exchange for their protection. These superiors also have their own liege lords, and so on until you reach the highest order, the Kaiser (Emperor).
Titles and Holdings
Anyone who holds two or more provinces can give another player one or more provinces in exchange for their fealty. However, you may only be promoted to a rank lower than the promoter. The Kaiser generally doesn’t promote players to ranks below Count, so it falls to lower ranked nobles to do so. Lords are free to determine whatever tax they wish upon their subjects or whatever services they expect, however their subjects are equally as free to oppose this and revolt.
The Oath
When promoted, you will be required to undertake an oath of fealty to your liege lord. By doing this, you agree to supply your lord with taxes and troops or any other service in exchange for his help and protection. At any time, a liege lord may revoke the land and titles of their vassals; however their vassals may oppose this and rebel.
Levies
All landed ranks have a base number of troops ready and willing to fight for them when mustered. Provinces also provide troops. The exact number is tied to the quality of the province (tier) itself. Better provinces provide more levies.
Tier 1: 1,500 extra troops to its lord.
Tier 2: 1,000 extra troops to its lord.
Tier 3: 500 extra troops to its lord.
The above is in addition to troops gained from rank. Base levy given below.
Kaiser: 5,000
King: 3,000
Prince: 2,500
Duke: 2,000
Margrave: 1,500
Prince-Archbishop: 1,000
Count: 1,000
Baron: 500
Free Imperial Knight: 250
Merchant Republic (sovereign of): 100
Note: Electors add 1,000 men to their levy size. This is in addition to troops from rank and land.
Regents
When a landed noble dies without any successor (willed or otherwise), or when his successor is judged to be unfit by his subjects, a Regent shall be nominated by anyone and approved by the dead noble’s direct lord. Regents are responsible for the safe keeping of the lands they watch over, nothing more. They receive no extra income and are allowed to raise additional troops only when the deem it to be in the interest of the estate that he is charged with. Regency shall end when a character with a valid claim to the land is approved by both the subjects and the overlord. If no such person steps forward, the Kaiser may appoint someone to the position. Once approved by the subjects and liege lord, they will be able to assume all of the duties and privileges associated with the position. Regency has nothing to do with personal possessions and wealth. The duty of the regent is solely to the state, as the state (county or duchy etc.) is not a personal possession.
Childbirth and Adoption
The following are the rules for childbirth and adoptions in the game.
Childbirth
The procedure is the simplest. Simply post in the Physician thread, requesting the childbirth roll. The moderator will do the roll and post the outcome. The rolls would be for first the wife’s (or mistress’s) survival, second the survival of the child, and last the gender of the child. The odds are mentioned below.
No-Assistance
Wife’s survival: 8/20
Child’s survival: 6/20
Mid-Wife (The most basic assistance) – 500 Reichmarks
Wife’s survival: 12/20
Child’s survival: 10/20
Regular Physician (Average) – 1,500 Reichmarks
Wife’s survival: 14/20
Child’s survival: 12/20
Experienced Physician (Renowned) – 3,000 Reichmarks
Wife’s survival: 17/20
Child’s survival: 15/20
Physician of the Imperial Household (The best in the Reich) - For Emperor – Free, Electors – 3,000 Reichmarks, and Others – 5,000 Reichmarks.
Wife’s survival: 19/20
Child’s survival: 17/20
The following are the important points regarding the childbirth rolls.
- You must post clearly, the name of your character for whose spouse the roll is being rolled. The character can be main, or heir, or any family member of the main character.
- Do not post the roll request for auxiliary characters. You can simple assume them to have children.
- Only the child from a legal marriage sanctified by the church would be considered as legitimate. Otherwise, it would be considered as illegitimate.
- Only legitimate children can inherit personal fortune (by default) or stand successor or inherit the family name. You can however include them in the will (for personal fortunes) if you are intending for it to become the main character.
- You cannot ask for a childbirth roll more than once in a week (real life). If you consecutively ask for four rolls every week, a death roll for the wife will be added from fifth week onwards. My advice would be to wait two weeks before asking the roll again.
Adoptions
Adoptions are fairly simple here. You can adopt any child, provided it is not a rolled child of another player. Adoptions are subject to permission from your higher lord (in case of royals) or the church (for others). However, the emperor can permit the adopted child to inherit the name, fortune, or even stand as successor.
Incomes
This section covers the income part of the game. The game has base incomes (pre-defined set of incomes), and additional incomes (income from tax and trade). Historically, the currency of the Holy Roman Empire was the Reichmark. Hence, it shall feature as the currency of the game too.
Base Incomes
Base income is the predefined income for all paths. This is the basic income the players get without worrying too much about it. This income has two sub-types -> Starting income and Yearly income.
Starting Incomes
The below list includes the starting incomes for the paths. This income is collected when you start the game, and when you are promoted to a higher rank. This is a one time income only, and hence cannot be collected regularly.
Path of the Royals
Holy Roman Emperor/King of the Romans: 75,000 Reichmarks,
King: 50,000 Reichmarks,
Electors: 45,000 Reichmarks,
Prince: 40,000 Reichmarks,
Prince-Archbishop: 30,000 Reichmarks,
Duke: 25,000 Reichmarks,
Margrave: 20,000 Reichmarks,
Count: 15,000 Reichmarks,
Prince-Bishop: 12,000 Reichmarks,
Baron: 10,000 Reichmarks,
Governor of Imperial City (city state): 10,000 Reichmarks
Aristocrat/Nobleman: 5,000 Reichmarks.
Path of the Royals
Imperial Knights: 15,000 Reichmarks,
Marshal (Armee) and Admiral (Marine): 20,000 Reichmarks,
General (Armee): 10,000 Reichmarks,
Captain (Armee) and Captain (Marine): 8,000 Reichmarks,
Ritter (Non-commissioned Officer): 5,000 Reichmarks.
Path of the Church
Cardinal: 35,000 Reichmarks,
Archbishop: 20,000 Reichmarks,
Bishop: 15,000 Reichmarks,
Priest: 8,000 Reichmarks,
Theological Academic: 1,000 Reichmarks.
Path of the Quill
Court Councilor of the Empire (Law): 20,000 Reichmarks,
Magistrate (Law): 10,000 Reichmarks,
Imperial Diplomat (Politics): 10,000 Reichmarks,
Man of Letters (Science): 10,000 Reichmarks,
Doctor of Law: 5,000 Reichmarks,
Doctor of Politics: 5,000 Reichmarks,
Doctor of Science: 5,000 Reichmarks,
Scholar of Law: 2,500 Reichmarks,
Scholar of Politics: 2,500 Reichmarks,
Scholar of Science: 2,500 Reichmarks,
Academic: 2,000 Reichmarks.
Path of the Gold
Imperial Charter: 40,000 Reichmarks,
Merchant Republic: 35,000 Reichmarks,
Tradesman: 30,000 Reichmarks,
Merchant: 20,000 Reichmarks,
Local Merchant: 10,000 Reichmarks.
Yearly Income
The below list includes the yearly incomes for the paths. This income is collected every in-game year (every real week).
Path of the Royals
Holy Roman Emperor/King of the Romans: 7,500 Reichmarks,
King: 5,000 Reichmarks,
Electors: 4,500 Reichmarks,
Prince: 4,000 Reichmarks,
Prince-Archbishop: 3,000 Reichmarks,
Duke: 2,500 Reichmarks,
Margrave: 2,000 Reichmarks,
Count: 1,500 Reichmarks,
Prince-Bishop: 1,200 Reichmarks,
Baron: 1,000 Reichmarks,
Governor of Imperial City (city state): 1,000 Reichmarks
Aristocrat/Nobleman: 500 Reichmarks.
Path of the Royals
Imperial Knights: 1,500 Reichmarks,
Marshal (Armee) and Admiral (Marine): 2,000 Reichmarks,
General (Armee): 1,000 Reichmarks,
Captain (Armee) and Captain (Marine): 800 Reichmarks,
Ritter (Non-commissioned Officer): 500 Reichmarks.
Path of the Church
Cardinal: 3,500 Reichmarks,
Archbishop: 2,000 Reichmarks,
Bishop: 1,500 Reichmarks,
Priest: 800 Reichmarks,
Theological Academic: 100 Reichmarks.
Path of the Quill
Court Councilor of the Empire (Law): 2,000 Reichmarks,
Magistrate (Law): 1,000 Reichmarks,
Imperial Diplomat (Politics): 1,000 Reichmarks,
Man of Letters (Science): 1,000 Reichmarks,
Doctor of Law: 500 Reichmarks,
Doctor of Politics: 500 Reichmarks,
Doctor of Science: 500 Reichmarks,
Scholar of Law: 250 Reichmarks,
Scholar of Politics: 250 Reichmarks,
Scholar of Science: 250 Reichmarks,
Academic: 200 Reichmarks.
Path of the Gold
Imperial Charter: 4,000 Reichmarks,
Merchant Republic: 3,500 Reichmarks,
Tradesman: 3,000 Reichmarks,
Merchant: 2,000 Reichmarks,
Local Merchant: 1,000 Reichmarks.
Tax Incomes
The tax income works like this. Every region has productivity tiers. The income is derived from a formula involving these tiers. Tax then can levied as you wish, in fractions (1/3, 1/6 etc.). Refer the map for the province tiers.
Base value: The basic or average yield from the lands.
Tier value: The additional yield of a land.
The formula is given below.
Production = Base value + (D20 * Tier value)
- Base value – 500
- Tier I (Very high yield) – 2,000
- Tier II (High yield) – 1,000
- Tier III (Average yield) – 500
Trade Incomes
Trade income includes the income from NPC sales made by a merchant. The NPC trade income varies for individual and for Guilds.
Base value: The basic value which is decided by the in-game rank of the player.
Profit of a Good: Selling price – Cost price.
The formulas for NPC trading are given below.
Individual
Income from a good = (Intelligence/10) * (Base value * Profit of that good)
Guild
Income from a good = (1.25 * Number of members) * (Intelligence/10) * (Base value * Profit of that good)
- Base value for Local Merchant – 500
- Base value for Merchant – 1,000
- Base value for Tradesman – 1,500
- Base value for Trading Enterprise – 2,000