[CHAR] The Masters of Veranth! [Accepting by Application Only]

[Polybius]

Game Rules & World Info

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Geography

Apologies for the low quality maps. It is possible to right+click and view a larger version in a new browser window.

Map of Veranth

_{Map version 3}

Map Key
I. Imperial District
Veranth was originally a Lassan Empire Port-City. The inner wall of the fortification is all that remains. Within this district is the Ducal Palace, the Church of St. Martinus and accompanying chapels. The White Tower, a relic of the old empire is located within the grounds of the Church of St. Martinus. Often simply and menacingly referred to as The Torre, or Tower, it is where political prisoners and enemies of the church await trial or execution.

II. Financial District
The powerful banks of Veranth overlook the River Otium, or 'peaceful river'. Here more money than any single man ever need attend is locked in vaults and exchanged for large sums of goods and property. The mighty Banco Mora and her rival Banco Bladelli are both located on Via della Oro, a paved avenue that some of the most important and wealthy men in the world have walked.

III. Guild District
From the Pallazo di Arto Maggiori, the influential Guildmasters oversee the workshops, warehouses and businesses that comprise the industrious Guild District.
IV.

Lassa Peninsula

The World

As the RP progresses, the political scope may expand to a more worldly scale. Information will be updated as necessary.
Kingdoms & Empires
The Kingdom of Geromdia
The Oghuz Empire
The Jade Empire

On Wealth

The Wealth System

Because a renaissance-era economy is complex, wealth is abstract in this game. Each season (a single turn), the cities of Lassa pay bills and collect income. Your characters also have bills to play and will be reflected in the player ledger I submit via PM each turn. Amounts and values are measured in Wealth Points (an arbitrary amount of gold) The details are listed below along with an example breakdown of the population statistics. The ledger of foreign city-states is unknown to player characters at the beginning of the game. Policy is currently set by the Council of Peers in Veranth.

Wealth Points (WP) can be spent on pretty much anything. Include spending in your turn orders. To give you an idea of what a wealth point can buy, 1 WP can hire you about 1000 private soldiers. Think about that. 100 men willing to fight and kill for your cause for the abstract sum of 1 WP. What else can you buy with 1 WP? You can bribe the crap out of someone, invest in a construction project (A major cathedral-a rather extravagant expense of the day would cost about 50 WP over a period of 25-30 years), pay fines or debts etc...

EXAMPLE PLAYER LEDGER
TURN: The current turn for clarity sake.
Assets: Any properties or businesses you currently own.
Income: Any profit (WPs) you receive from business, single payments or special circumstances.
Expense: Any payments in taxes, bribes, upkeep or penalties.
Coffers: Bonus payments each turn. You may not always receive a bonus payment.
Each Season: The bottom line report. I'll tell you if your making money or losing.

Naming Your Character

This RP is set in a pseudo renaissance Italy and the names used should reflect that asthetic.
Useful Links for Names:

13th century Pisa names
donjon gen- choose real world names, italian etc.

[Polybius]

Current Players:

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Citizens of Veranth:
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Giovanna di Mora played by @Empress
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Rodrigo Nantua played by @bluetommy2
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Bartollemeo Palladino played by @rush99999
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Alessandro de Bladelli played by @Theodorable
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Alexis Fortunata played by @Ashevelendar
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Foreigners Residing in Veranth:
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Noctus Turchii played by @Ryteb Pymeroce
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[rush99999]

The Shield of Veranth

Name: Bartollemeo Palladino

Title: The Shield of Veranth

Age: 30

Residence: The Shield of Veranth resides within the main headquarters of the city guard, an imposing structure that's crawling with guardsmen all day everyday.

Personality: Bartollemeo is an honorable man and a formidable warrior with a habit of leading from the front and enough worldly experience to have a hand in carving out the destiny of Veranth, hopefully for the better. He cares only for the safety of his city and the people it houses. He is tough on any crime that can be found, but he is toughest on corruption, as he sees a guardsman going back on his oath to uphold the law for personal gain as an unforgivable act of treachery, and banditry, as certain events in his past have left him with a burning grudge against all bandit kind. Though he maintains enough of a pious appearance to not be hauled off for heresy, Bartollemeo has no true respect for the church. And though he is very good at his job as a guard and is a well known defender of the people, his social graces among the nobility he has found himself in as the commander of the city guard leave much to be desired.

Background: Bartollemeo came into this world at the cost of his mother's life. And after his father died from grief, the infant was taken in by his uncle Leonardo and his aunt Sophia, who desired children but couldn't make any of their own after a run in with some brigands left Leonardo unable to do so. As a commoner, Bartollemeo lived a pretty ordinary life. At the age of 16, he met and fell in love with a girl named Rosa, who he married 4 years later.

To pay for the expenses of his new family, Bartollemeo joined the city guard. As it turned out, he had a knack for that line of work. So much so, that he had already been promoted to captain by the end of his 3rd year. A year later, a large group of bandits appeared near Veranth and their ambitious leader had his sights set on the city. What followed was a 2 year stalemate between the bandits and the city, with the city being unable to find the bandit's main hideout and the bandits being unable to get any gainful pillaging done before Veranth's guards chased them off. Although the city guard in general were a thorn in the bandits' side, Bartollemeo stood out as a particularly bothersome hindrance, especially after he was given his title by his fellow guardsmen, which quickly spread throughout the city.

As Veranth's bandit problem reached its height, several bandits invaded Bartollemeo's home 1 night. The bandits forced Bartollemeo to watch as they killed his Rosa and their 4 children 1 by 1, before setting fire to the house and leaving Bartollemeo to burn. However, Bartollemeo walked away from the blaze with a burn covering the right side of his face and a fire raging in his heart. Not long after, the bandits' main hideout was discovered and Bartollemeo spearheaded the subsequent assault. By the end of the battle, Bartollemeo had his family's killers and the bandit leader at his mercy. But instead of claiming vengeance, Bartollemeo walked the path of justice. He arrested the remaining bandits and dragged them back to the city for trial and execution. Hailed as a hero by the city, Bartollemeo was promoted to commander 2 years later upon the retirement of his predecessor.

Attributes:

• Charisma: 0
• Combat: 2
• Fame: 2
• Faith: 0

Skills:

• Grace: 0
• Speech: 1
• Literacy: 1
• Trade: 0
• Luck: 1
• Dueling: 2
• Strategy: 1
• Leadership: 2

[Empress]

Giovanna di Mora

Name: Giovanna di Mora

Title: Marquise of the Reach

Age: 26

Residence: Palazzo Moravese. A sprawling fairytale palace in the heart of the finest district of Veranth, near to the ducal seat itself, this is the home base of House Mora. It is the nerve centre of the familial financial empire and its landed interests both, the dynamo of the House’s beating heart.

An expression of the family’s power and influence, of Moravese patronage of the arts, the palace is richly decorated and extravagantly furnished in the new Baroque style – sweeping aside the more modish styles of the recent past. As a result, the fine white marble of the Palazzo Moravese has been delicately and painstakingly carved into filigree lacework by the finest stonemasons, whilst beautiful caryatids support its graceful colonnades and covered loggias. Fresco-work delights the eye with sumptuous scenes from myth and history, gold leaf flashes from its roofing finials and window casements, and exquisite bronzes dot the splendid formal gardens which cloak the Palazzo from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Few who arrive here could ever mistake the place for anything other than what it is, but nonetheless shields and sculptures bearing House Mora’s distinctive double-headed dragon crest are discreetly placed to catch the eye – from weathered stone shields, artistically half-choked in bougainvillea at the end of a shaded garden walk, to the haughty draconic gargoyles and grotesques staring down from the Palazzo’s many spires.

Personality: Giovanna is a Mora through and through, with two principal concerns: the family and the city, and in that order. The head of a powerful banking dynasty, her power is not measured by the number of men she can call to her banner, nor by the blood-soaked deeds of her ancestors. Instead, Mora power and success is measured in promissory notes, in bills of exchange, in constellations of discretionary deposit accounts and insurances and – not least – in the bullion on which the Bank of Mora rests. Her fountain pen could, conceivably, do more damage than a brigade of soldiers, albeit in a roundabout fashion.

For all that, though, Her Serenity the Marquise of the Reach is a charming woman indeed. Erudite and witty, she is a noted patron of the arts and the sciences which have flourished in Veranth, away from the restrictions imposed by the heavy hand of the Church. Her parties and balls are legendarily magnificent; she entertains widely and well, having a lively appreciation that business is not only done in the boardroom, and that many a lucrative deal has been struck over champagne and fine food - particularly when your compatriot is well into their cups and your own wine has been heavily watered down – perhaps with theirs subtly fortified, too, for good measure.

Exquisitely mannered, bright and brilliant, all that many see is the shimmering froth hiding the predator beneath. Giovanna di Mora is ruthless in her business dealings; competitors and other banking houses are quietly targeted, investigated, infiltrated and then gutted, their assets stripped and their businesses – and any promising employees - discreetly transferred to the Bank of Mora.

Ambitious and cunning, Giovanna has her sights set on lofty goals. The family bank is powerful, true, on the Lassan peninsula, but she dreams of reaching further and faster, of a wider and wider network of Moravese bank branches and mercantile interests spreading beyond the city-states and quietly eclipsing the powerful, ecclesiastical Dukes of Mersolan – the House’s main competitor - in wealth and power.

Attributes
• Charisma - 3
• Combat - 0
• Fame - 1
• Faith – 0

Skills
• Grace - 3
• Speech - 0
• Literacy - 1
• Trade - 4
• Luck - 0
• Duelling - 0
• Strategy - 0
• Leadership - 0

[Bluetommy]

Rodrigo

Name: Rodrigo Nantua

Age: 42

Residence: Villa Nantua, Veranth.

Floor plan

Personality: Arrogant is a good word to describe Rodrigo. He is sly and cruel, and has no friends beside his sword and his mind. He is known for his eyes not speaking with his mouth and it is hard to judge what he will do next. He furrows his brows when frustrated and never smiles. Rodrigo's ambitions involve becoming the next leader of Verantha and claiming the entire Lassa peninsula for himself for his own gain. His temper is as fiery as his bright red beard when he is angered, and he is quick to challenge an opponent to a duel despite his relatively low skill. Rodrigo does what he is told and rarely argues. He refuses to kill children and attempts to stop men under his command from looting and murdering after sieges, an unpopular move, but one he thinks is just.

Background: Born to a banker family in Verantha, Rodrigo is of Parmosi and Traton descent. His family was very rich, but they had gotten those riches through questionably legal means, and were thus very unpopular. He was the youngest of four children and had an additional two half-brothers from his father's previous marriage. His eldest half-brother was lynched by a mob when he seized church property for not paying up on a loan. It was this incident that drove Rodrigo's father to heavily push for clerical reform, seizing the property with mercenaries and burning down the church as payment for his son's death.

It was not long after this incident that Rodrigo's father was poisoned along with his eldest daughter in what was believed to be a murder-suicide as a result of growing discontent with his business practices. An attempt to protect his daughter from retaliation while saving himself from a similar lynching as the one his son had suffered. Rodrigo was sent to an officer's academy not soon after as a result of his growing interest in swordplay and warfare. He was recruited into the Varanthan army and made a name for himself as a skilled tactician. Returning to his family's villa to discover his remaining half-brother murdered by his eldest full-brother and tossed to the crowds, who rabidly tore him apart. This brother then shaved his head and declared himself a monk to atone for his family's crimes. As the oldest remaining eligible male, Rodrigo became head of the house and owner of the villa.

Rodrigo has two daughters, Elena and Katarina, and an adopted son, Giovanni, born to his monk-brother before he turned to the church. His brother recently passed as a result of symptoms similar to pneumonia. Though most don't suspect Rodrigo of his brother's murder, he still attempts to hide any evidence in order to appear innocent despite his guilt.

Attributes:

• Fame Rank 2
• Charisma Rank 0
• Combat Rank 1
• Faith Rank 1

Skills:

• Rank 1 literacy
• Rank 1 speech
• Rank 3 strategy
• Rank 2 leadership
• Rank 1 dueling

[Theodorable]

Alessando de Bladelli

Alessandro de Bladelli

Name: Alessandro de Bladelli

Title: Owner of the Banco Bladelli, Head of the Bladelli family.

Age: 57

Residence: Villa Venicius. With historical ties to the old district, the Bladelli family has renovated and encapsulated a home within the home. While more lavish families have moved from Villa Venicius with their rise and fall, the Bladelli family has kept what has always been theirs. The abodes deep within Villa Venicius are neither lavish nor draconic; but instead functional. In keeping in line with the ideas of his now deceased father, Alessandro has maintained that the accumulation of wealth does not lend to it's immediate expenditure. This frugal nature has spilled into the very identity of the Bladelli family, with plainly painted and sparsely decorated living conditions.

Personality: Alessando is a renowned banker, accountant and merchant. From this he has learned the power of negotiation. He is rumored to be dry of wit and brutishly honest. From this misgivings, he is considered to be dull in conversation, if not sharp of mind. The Banco Bladelli, the largest, most prominent and historic bank in Veranth has flourished under his reign, most suggested is due to Bladelli's lack of brashness in action, accepting only deals notable to increase Bladelli's already considerable wealth. By remaining wary of the political situation and keeping himself free from the temptations of women, drink and warfare, Bladelli is considered a man wary of adventure and cautious of risk.

While the Banco Mora (Bank of Mora) has long loomed in Bladelli's shadow, it's connectivity with local politics has ensured that Bladelli's coins are what fill merchant coffers and pay Veranth soldiers.

Attributes
• Charisma - 0
• Combat - 0
• Fame - 4
• Faith – 0

Skills
• Grace - 1
• Speech - 0
• Literacy - 0
• Trade - 4
• Luck - 2
• Dueling - 0
• Strategy - 0
• Leadership - 1

[Ryteb Pymeroce]

Noctus Turchii

Name: Noctus Turchii

Age: 28

Residence: The Turk's Coinpurse, a trading company operating out of the dockyards. They deal in products from the Oghuz Empire, a country to the south east of Lassa Peninsula.

Personality: As a foreigner by birth, Noctus holds no delusions of attaining a position of power. Instead, his aims are much more practical. He wishes to consolidate economic power such that his company has the monopoly on products from the Oghuz Empire. He is a duplicitous sort, commonly known as a snake who thrives on the misfortune of others. Despite hating violence, he is not above other underhanded tactics such as poisoning or sabotaging his opponents business.

Attributes:
Charisma- 3
Combat- 0
Fame- 0
Faith- 1

Skills:
Grace- 0
Speech- 0
Literacy- 2
Trade- 4
Luck- 1
Dueling- 0
Strategy- 1
Leadership- 0

[lopa12]

The names are all randomized, although the ending part of a name is always picked from a predefined list based on real and fictional versions. This randomization does mean some names may not work very well, depending on what type of language and culture you're going for.
The first 5 names in this generator are generally shorter than the last 5, so those names suffer less from the stranger randomization results than the last 5.
kingdom name generator