Gather Your Banners : A Brief Respite from War (And A Good Place to Start RPing, Hopefully)
General Purpose:
A Medieval setting for RPing with enough history to give folks ideas for characters but enough freedom to allow for mostly whatever. A large gathering consisting of the canon nations of the game Mount and Blade Bannerlord (Don't worry, I'll explain) and perhaps some folks from farther off lands.
A celebration of a new but very appreciated peace on the continent. There will be Taverns and Tournaments. Bartering and Brawls. Politicking and Probably Other Stuff That Starts With A P.
Advanced Writers please feel free to regale us with tales of your heroes and have them seek an audience with the Emperor. Do pretty much whatever within the standard RPG General Decent Bloke rules.
Casual or Skittish Writers please feel free to do the exact same, or if you're more comfortable with it just have a character settling into a tavern to try to find out what is going on in town. Perhaps join a tournament, this is peace time so they're using blunted weapons and trying to avoid any of the unpleasantries that pop up when someone or other's brother gets his head detached from his shoulders.
General Approach:
The Rules are pretty much bog standard. Stuff no one should have to list.
1- Don't be terrible to each other. 2- Don't control someone else's character. 3- Don't dismiss or ignore someone else's writing. 4- Don't make a Mary/Gary Stu. Your character is not perfect. Perfect is for bad Fan Fiction not RPing. 5- Don't smut it up. Fade to black or take it to PMs. If you're good send me the PMs. I'm kidding. Unless you're really good.
The only rule really that's a little not bog standard is one that may not even come into play, it is this...
6- Tournaments. If you want to actually RP out a fight you and your opponent either need to come to an agreement on who wins or we treat it similarly to how the Arena here functions. You guys RP it out for a bit and I, or someone you both agree to, determines who wins. Or if you want to fight we could just use the Dice Roll function here to determine who wins. These fights aren't to the death and there's no shame in losing. It can be fun for character development. Just make sure that both you and your opponent are having a good time, that is the only point of RPing.
- What You Need To Know -
Today marks the halfway point of the Fourth Year of Peace in Calradia, a continent with a long history of war. It is also a celebration of the Fifteenth Birthday of the Princess Ira, only child of Arencios the Wise, Emperor of Calradia.
From across the continent and beyond peoples once at war, some still with long simmering resentments, have come together for many reasons. From each nation they come to assess old enemies and to kindle those very same long burning resentments. They come to seek alliances. They come to make connections in far off lands that might benefit their trading caravans. They come to marry off their sons and daughters and strengthen their family name. They come to see this great Emperor and bring him their gifts, their requests, or their curses.
They come to fight in the great tournaments, for fortune, for fame, for booze, for women, or because they saw no other plausible way to improve their station. Some just came for the food. Perfectly valid reason.
Led by Arcenios the Wise. Largely Roman based. Think Skyrim Imperials if that's easier. Center of the Map, Center of the World, Doing Big Things. The North is the Seat of the Senate. The West is the home of the Emperor, Emperess, and the Princess. The South is the seat of Military power.
Strong alliances with other nations. Central position. A lot of land under their control. A well respected leader. The Empire is currently the dominant culture in the area.
Moderately Hierarchy Based. Not Easy to move from poor to rich or to move from commoner to noble. Upward Movement based on membership in Senate, Marriage, Distinguish Service, or Potentially Extreme Wealth/Influence
Strengths: Most developed power. Hold very lush lands in a central location. Extremely versatile in war. Highly developed troops at highest tier of promotion. Excellent armor means high troop survival rates. Access to archers, infantry, and cavalry. Large land holdings mean lots of willing recruits.
Weaknesses: Long process for promotion. Junior troops vulnerable to cavalry. Surrounded by opposing factors, villages on frontier vulnerable to exploitation in war.
Led by King Derthert. Heavy Cavalry, Big Armor, King Arthury Big Tough Knights. Old Blood. History and Power. Recently at war with The Empire. Some lesser Lords run Mercenary companies.
Very Hierarchy Based - Very Difficult to move from poor to rich or to move from commoner to noble. Upward Movement based on Blood or a Combination of Distinguished Service and Wealth/Influence.
Strong bloodline alliances. A lot of camaraderie amongst the Lords of the lands. Feared and respected Heavy Cavalry makes Vlandia, and particularly that Heavy Cavalry itself, a nation it is very difficult to take land from.
Strengths: Powerful lancer cavalry, both from Noble Families and the Peasantry Well-trained and Well-Equipped Crossbowmen Extensive use of Polearms Strong Economically and Densely settled When at peace with The Empire exposed to threats only from Battania and Sturgia through the North East.
Weaknesses: No Horse Archers at all Focus on Crossbows rather than Bows means harder hitting but less agile long-distance fighting. Cavalry requires more upkeep, reliance on Cavalry means high costs.
Led by King Caladog. Excellent Archers. Woods. Sneaky buggers. Think Irish/Scottish/Welsh Resistance to the English Throne. Recently at war with The Empire. Once controlled much of the continent, defend their current borders fiercely.
Not Very Hierarchy Based. Nut much resistance to moving from poor to rich or to moving from commoner to noble. Upward Movement based on Distinguished Service or Demonstration of Leadership Ability.
Long history. Long memory. Backed into a corner Battania is very capable of defending its borders, and from a great range, and having become accustomed to the environment fights much more effectively amid the forests they dwell. Invaders face ample ambush opportunities.
Strengths: Extremely powerful Noblemen archers Falxmen use powerful weapons with very long reach Large Shields Battanian territory is largely highly condensed woods and very defensible
Weaknesses: Limited Cavalry. No Heavy Cavalry or Horse Archers. Not very versatile. Poorly armored. Surrounded by potential enemies. Weak economy.
Led by Prince Raganvad. Nords. Vikings. Snow. Axes. Big Swords. Sick Beards. Skol. Think any big bearded guy with an axe. Recently at war with The Empire.
Not Very Hierarchy Based. Nut much resistance to moving from poor to rich or to moving from commoner to noble. Upward Movement based on Distinguished Service or Demonstration of Leadership Ability.
A Warrior culture in the great white north. They have become accustomed to the high altitude, mountainous terrain, and frigid cold. This makes it easier for them to defend their borders but makes it more difficult for them if they venture too far South.
Strengths: Very powerful Heavy Infantry. Experienced Noblemen Shock Cavalry on par with other Heavy Cavalry Axes give a significant edge in melee and Sturgia has a lot of them. Mounted skirmishers provide an effective counter to cavalry.
Weaknesses: Mediocre archers. Lack of true mounted archers. Wide border, which can result in multiple wars fought on far away fronts.
Led by Prince Monchug. Confederation of Steppe Tribes. Horse Archers. Horse culture. Generally great on horses. Men and Women fairly equal. Hard to catch. Think Mongols. Long time ally of The Empire.
Not Very Hierarchy Based. Nut much resistance to moving from poor to rich or to moving from commoner to noble. Upward Movement based on Distinguished Service or Demonstration of Leadership Ability.
No one matches the sheer riding ability of a well-trained experienced Khuzait. It is said that with the proper horse and a quality saddle a Khuzait rider could outrun the sun. The reality is that on flat level ground a Khuzait horde is a nightmare to face in battle. Though they have difficulty taking land from others they excel at harassing and deterring invading forces.
Strengths: Born in the saddle, even small weaker armies have plentiful mounted archers and light cavalry. Well-rounded infantry, very adaptable. Ranged troops carry extra quiver allowing them to continue shooting longer. All Nobles are mounted, causing them to be hard to catch and quick to strike. Very Fast in travel.
Weaknesses: Smaller weaker armies do not have polearms, making the unmounted troops they do have vulnerable to cavalry. Small shields, veteran troops shields are durable but junior troops often use wicker shields. Specialization in Cavalry means they excel in one thing but if counter-acted they're in big trouble. Difficulty with Sieges, though a blockade can be very effective.
Led by Sultan Unqid. Footmen and Horsemen. Great traders. Masters of the deserts. Breed the best horses. Very civilized. Think Redguards from Skyrim or Lawrence of Arabia or Ottoman Empire. Long time ally of The Empire.
Not Very Hierarchy Based. Nut much resistance to moving from poor to rich or to moving from commoner to noble. Upward Movement based on Distinguished Service or Demonstration of Leadership Ability.
Masters of Trade. Masters of Horse Rearing. The best horses in the lands come from the Aserai peoples. While a Khuzait rider could likely catch them, given a quality horse, they would have to outwit them as well. In the desert lands the Aserai call home that is quite unlikely. The deserts of the Aserai are unforgiving, the Aserai know them well.
Strengths: Adaptable troops: Infantry and cavalry use throwing weapons, horse archers carry shields. Low tier troops possess polearms, making them useful against cavalry. Powerful archery units with top-tier weapons and arrows. All tiers of noble troops possess horses.
Weaknesses: Adaptability rather than specialization means someone does everything better than them. Poor quality of shields Weak Heavy Infantry and little protection offered from their helmets Reliance on high quality and therefore expensive horses.
A Khuzait Youth, traveling to show off his/her family's horses and his/her skills with them. An Aserai Trader, looking to make allies in Battania and Vlandia on the other side of the Empire to ensure safe and profitable routes. An Old Tournament Fighter, hoping to eek out one last Tournament victory and perhaps earn himself a spot training a next generation. A Sturgian Warrior, looking for a powerful family from whatever nation that might have a Bandit problem which needs fixing. A Vlandian Knight, joining the jousting tournaments to prove that none can best Vlandia. A Lord from Any Nation, seeking to restore his Family's Name so his children might have a better life than he. An Annoying Drunk, Short, Bearded, Asshole, stumbling in and out of all the taverns trying to get free drinks and company.
It was seven years ago that Arcenios was declared the Emperor of Calradia by the Senate. In those years he brought a fearful people besieged at all side up into prosperity and restored the reputation of The Calradic Empire. His victories in Battania, Sturgia, and Vlandia were celebrated without the torment of the vanquished. The folly of the previous Emperor was corrected and the lands taken were brought into the Empire rather than drained of their resources. Their cultures permitted to persist rather than being smothered. Arencios was respected both at home and abroad for his decisive leadership and uncommon empathy, but it was his absolute opposition to corruption that brought him admiration.
He did what so very few Emperors ever do. At his strongest, after a long and terribly successful campaign and when global conquest seemed all but certain to succeed, he disbanded the Imperial Legions. There would be no further grand campaigns. The Legions would return to their homes where their Archons would be responsible for their upkeep and the defense of their lands. Not all of the legionaries were happy about this, but the Empire as a whole was. Most of the continent was. He spent the next three and a half years traveling about The Empire, protected by his very own Vaegir Guardsman, working to solidify the hard fought peace. Finally, he returned to the place of his birth.
Arcenios returned to the South of The Empire, to the great fortress of Lycaron, to rest. He had much to celebrate.
If the tournament idea gets going or we decide to have drinking contests, or archery contests, or something like that.
Just another aspect of RPing, taking the certainty of victory away and allowing for some random chance.
In the game this setting is based on some of the most interesting stuff happens when your plans go awry.
Alain the Old Tournament Fighter hoping for one last jousting victory ends up losing to Cheggog, big shot with the Khuzait Horse Tribes. He retires to the tavern to drink away his woes only to hear Cheggog is looking for him. Cheggog admires his horsemanship, his horse, and his dignity in defeat. He offers him a job riding with them, teaching them what he knows about The Empire.
Or Galvain the Sturgian Viking Badass Mercenary fights on the losing side against an Aserai Lord and is captured. He treads along with them in captivity through the desert until he sees an opportunity to make a break for it. He escapes, but soon passes out from dehydration and the heat. The Aserai Lord recaptures him. More stuff happens.
I'd generally prefer IRL but you can use an anime one if you've got one you really like.
I'll start work on an OP for the actual RP shortly.
Largely the same thing but I'll reference the wiki and try to provide a bit more history for the factions and short notes for some of the smaller factions in case anyone wants to be a raider or bandit group or something but needs a little inspiration
I'd generally prefer IRL but you can use an anime one if you've got one you really like.
I'll start work on an OP for the actual RP shortly.
Largely the same thing but I'll reference the wiki and try to provide a bit more history for the factions and short notes for some of the smaller factions in case anyone wants to be a raider or bandit group or something but needs a little inspiration
Cool! Also, I know I promised not to make a Marty Stu, and I think I can give my potential character enough flaws to make him not one, but can I make a 15-year old male to try and romance Princess Ira?
Edit: Yes, I know, I have a reputation for making a certain type of character, but I think I can do it well.
Trying to find a mate would likely be a pretty common thing at a big gathering during this time period. I definitely am not a fan of the Mary Sue/Gary Stu self insert kind of thing, but that's usually a part of developing.
That's part of why I usually make characters quite unlike myself, makes it harder to identify with them and easier to see them as sort of a creation rather than like an avatar.
I'll work on getting an OP up today and fleshing out the factions a little. They do all have some interesting history but if none of them strike your fancy you could always say So and So traveled here from a far off land. So long as it's not too goofy
1x Thank
