Imperial Conquest RP Idea

[Vahir]

Alright, fellow Guilders, some musing I've been doing lately.

Most pre-industrial RPs have, in their background, some sort of empire, usually founded by a guy called "X the Conqueror". Sometimes, the RP even takes place during the conquest, with the players fighting against imperial aggression.

What I had in mind was to instead have an RP set during the conquest, where players are exiled nobility, mercenaries, philosophers, and other assorted courtiers fighting FOR a conqueror. We'd be the best and the brightest of the world, united to unite the patchwork of nations under a single flag. People who make a big contributions to the war effort could be given the rule of the territory they had conquered.

Basically, Aegon's Conquest, but we're the ones with the dragons. Thoughts? If you guys are interested, feel free to pitch in whether you prefer a fantasy setting or a gritty non-fantasy.

[TJByrum]

I like Stannis. I mean, I like grittiness, but that doesn't mean no fantasy.

[Eschatologist]

I am super interested.

[Flagg]

Interested, ofc.

[Dblade26]

I'm in for it!

[Vahir]

Nice to see all this interest! I'll work on fleshing out a setting for us to set ablaze.

I'm working from nothing, so if you guys have any ideas for countries to topple, feel free to pitch them.

[Sloth]

I'm in for it!

@Dblade26

Dammit D blade! Showing up before I do and things. I've got a few character ideas in mind ranging from an exiled younger son of a noble family, an elevated commoner (Perhaps a mercenary commander? Who knows.) or an elbow rubber who knows something about everything. I'll probably flesh it out more once "The Emperor Character" is more defined.

(In regards to the fantasy vs non-fantasy setting, I've got no particular preference.)

[Vahir]

Alright, I'll give you guys teasers about the background so that you have something to think about while I'm writing up the lore.

Longer ranting than I'd anticipated

The world's fantasy, but non-humans have been beaten back from most of the world. Orcs were wiped out early on, and only survived because nobody wanted to venture into their last territory, the brutal Orkantor Desert. Dwarves mostly retreated underground, and they generally do their own thing, ignoring the surface. The Elves went out with a whimper; Although they still have the jungle of Xochimilco in the far south, they're heavily persecuted in most lands, which regularly banish them (They're pretty much fantasy jews), although they form the aristocracy and priesthood of the Tolosi Empire.

Speaking of which, about 500 years ago, the Empire controlled pretty much everything in the north, and although it was in decline, it managed to keep its shit together. That is, until a guy called Oromis showed up, a self-proclaimed immortal who could use magic at will.

Tangent on magic

Magic can't be done just by waving your hands in this setting. In fact, people can't use it at all. There's these magic stones, rare but still found here and there, which each do... something. Some of them are just cold to touch, others make objects around them lift randomly. Some cultures have the art of working with the stones to focus their powers and use them for cool stuff, but it's a science that's mostly gone now, so artifacts with stones worked in them are enormously valuable. The fact that Oromis could do magic stuff at will, without any stones, is considered flat-out impossible.

Oromis was disgusted by the corruption and decay of the Empire, and the elven monopoly on power. He started a rebellion that tore the Empire into shreds, conquering the entire half of the Empire west of the Nerwains. Meanwhile, neighbors took the opportunity to grab land form the Empire as well. But a Tolosi hero rallied the routing armies in the east, and marched back west, meeting Oromis's host in battle. The battle was bloody, and though the Etruscans (As the followers of Oromis were called) won, Oromis himself was mortally wounded in the battle. Oromis swore he'd return, and entrusted the care of his legacy to a close friend in the meantime.

Oromis reappeared 100 years ago, and was faced with a very different world. The Etruscans had formed a theocracy around a religion worshiping him, with his friend's descendent as the acting Prophet. Oromis's attempt to get himself recognized did not end well, though. The Prophet condemned him as a fake, and a religious war broke out across Etruscia. Although Oromis won battle after battle, he was assassinated a year into the war, which marked a turning point in the conflict. The Mardochians, the sect which fought for Oromis, started losing after that, and they were eventually forced to flee completely to the Hamrock Islands, across the Gap.

This started a cold war between the islands and the Etruscan League. Although the later prophets made many attempts to invade the Islands, they never succeeded. And that's the situation at the start of this RP, when Oromis re-emerges once again, as foretold.

Some rough summaries of the nations:

The World

Map

Hamrock Isles: A collection of islands which follow Mardochianism, a heresy of Etruscanism. They hold true to the teachings of the immortal Oromis, and await his arrival to restart his conquests.

Etruscan League: An alliance of a thousand kingdoms, duchies, and principalities, which worship the immortal Oromis, and await his return. In theory ruled by the Prophet, but each principality rules itself. Basically medieval Europe.

Empire of Tolos: A sparsely populated and ancient nation, ruled by an elven nobility. It depends on its abundance of magical artifacts to survive.

Coromis: A dwarven country, based around the fortress of Coromis. Most of its lands are in fact inhabited and ruled by humans. The dwarves have installed Boyars over these territories, which pay tribute to Coromis in exchange for protection. Preaches a faith involving human sacrifice by fire.

Qaylu Confederation: A closed off land of hidden valleys in the heart of the Nerwains, perpetually covered in thick fog. Each valley is ruled by its own citadel. The Qaylu keep to themselves. Asian influences.

Samnidall: The Samni are the tribes that inhabit the frozen north of the world. Basically inuits.

Principality of Jadis: Former Tolosi colony, now obscenely wealthy from the gemstone-rich Kolyat desert.

Kolyat Desert: A barren desert, which is nevertheless ridden with precious gemstones. Inhabited by the human Kolyat tribes, which are in perpetual conflict with the greedy Jadisi.

Orkantor Desert: A brutal desert completely inhospitable to life, yet somehow still inhabited by the orcs. The latter defy all attempts of extermination, and continue to plague the neighboring lands with raids.

Kingdom of Rusadir: A newborn orc kingdom, conquered from the Etruscans. Hungrily eyes the human lands to the north.

Kingdom of Adulis: A curious nation of black-skinned humans who follow the cult of Oromis. Based off Axium and ethiopia in general.

Kingdom of Matamba: A human kingdom of the savahnas and grasslands between the desert to the north and the jungle to the south.

Kingdom of Xochimilco: The last remaining true elven kingdom, Xochimilco is a harsh land of unforgiving jungle. Its city-states are in perpetual war against one another.

[Athinar]

Looks pretty good. Interested.

[Lexicon]

Expressing interest as well, and I think we could do grit and fantasy together. Realism and fantasy CAN mix to a certain extent. I was wondering if a character assigned as Oromis' bodyguard might be a possibility. Someone to protect him in case anyone manages to get close enough to do some damage.

[Dblade26]

I was actually thinking maybe a character from Qaylu who was betrayed, banished and set adrift in a boat to slowly die only to wind up drifting into the Hamrock Isles by chance. Then he'd throw his lot and service in with Oromis in exchange for his life and the chance to see the traitors who destroyed him devastated in return.

I'm not sure exactly what his skills would be, but either someone skilled with intrigue, social manipulation and assassination or maybe a strategist, scholar and tactician. In either case his own citadel's lord felt threatened by his competence and didn't believe someone of his abilities was content with remaining a servant and had them cast out to die of starvation and exposure at sea.

[Vahir]

In either case his own citadel's lord felt threatened by his competence and didn't believe someone of his abilities was content with remaining a servant and had them cast out to die of starvation and exposure at sea.

@Dblade26

Self-fulfilling prophecies are really the best kind of prophecies.

I'm writing up the OOC at this moment.

[Vahir]

OOC is up:
http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/82411-tverios-the-conquest/ooc

[Brother Tumbo]

Interested. Beginning a character sheet.