1254 AD: Purgatory of Europe
It has been fifty years after the Fourth Crusade, where the armies of the West turned against the greatest Christian City in the world, Constantinople, committing acts of bloodshed, rape, looting, and indiscriminate murder that were appalling even in such a brutal era. With the heart of Eastern Christendom ripped out, the legal heirs of the Imperium of Rome were driven out of their capital, onto Western Anatolia, where, holding back Turks and Westerners, they managed to build a stable, prosperous state.
In the West, the Seventh Crusade against Egypt has failed, and King Louis IX of France has taken revenge by expelling all that country's Jews, while Henry III of England is unwillingly forced to let elected representatives from shires and parliaments sit on the King's Council. In Portugal, similar things happen, with Alfonso III of that country holding the first session of the Portugese Cortes, an assembly of Nobles, Merchants, and more elected representatives.
And in the hallowed halls of the Vatican, the Papacy has clarified and named the doctrine of Purgatory, a state between Heaven and Hell in which sinners are purged of their sins before being allowed to Paradise. And Purgatory is what Europe is going through.
For death, fire, swords and blood are the laws of that time, the laws of the world. While people dream of a better world, they can do little to bring it about, and few even try that little. But there is always hope even in the darkness of the time...one just has to grab it.
------
So there you have it, a Historical NRP based on the Middle Ages. I know, I know, people are generally uninterested in the era, but I hope to make it accessible for non-history nerds, as well as give people a great time while fighting/politicking/looting. Anyway...
Wikipedia
I'll add an Etherpad Link if necessary.
------
Rules and Guidelines (Partly Copied from Gilded Throne with Gowi's Permission
I. The most important thing is to respect and follow the rules of our host site, which is no question. If there’s sexual content there is always “fade to black”, if it is a particularly dark and questionable scene it can be referenced or hinted at instead of shown. Basically, nudity is fine, but no 'horizontal tango'!
II. Respect fellow role-players. This is a collaborative project in nature so we shan’t dismiss or patronize those we should be working together with—lighthearted humor is fine but remember not to insult outright or start flame-wars; generally you know the drill so don’t be a dick and things should be kosher.
III. No meta-gaming—in Game of Thrones Robb Stark wasn’t prepared for the Red Wedding, so by good logic you shouldn’t be as well. The characters can’t know things outside of their timeframe, knowledge, and so on.
IV. This is important—Your Nation must always be next to another Player Nation. And by that, I mean that during nation creation, you should not start at far-flung geographic regions; one nation in Scandinavia and another in North Africa.
V. Characters can and will die in this role-play. Battles can and will be lost. This means if five armed swords surround an unarmed individual there will be certainly a terrible end. Although, this is not to say GM’s or other players can kill others outright and without consultation—you have a say in plot progression but do remember this is a game of collaboration.
VI. Post length should fit the scene progression.
VII. Also a major rule...HAVE FUN!!! (or else...:p)
VIII. In the case of players who drop, grow completely inactive, and other situations that hold up the RP the GM's will take exclusive control of these nations so the RP can continue to progress.
IX. If you have any questions, comments, concerns or need to contact a GM for any reason, we ask that you add all three to your pm or we will rewrite your pm to fit this format. To reiterate, all pm threads to the gms for gm reasons MUST include me or anyone I list as Co-GM in the thread. This will normally include late additions to the lore, or concerns involving other players.
X. No Magic! 'Miraculous Cures' are permitted if they're obviously the placebo effect, though, and you can develop new technology if you can convince me that it'd be viable through PM.
XI. No attacking other nations, NPC or PC, without a Cassus Belli, aka a legitimate reason for war. Naturally, attacking nations of other Religions, or Excommunicated Catholics, is the easiest Cassus Belli there is.
-----
Nation:
Location:
Total Military Numbers (between 5000 - 50,000 for most countries, while big empires such as the Golden Horde and Ilkhanate can have 100,000):
Icon:
History (You are allowed to use Wikipedia for now):
It has been fifty years after the Fourth Crusade, where the armies of the West turned against the greatest Christian City in the world, Constantinople, committing acts of bloodshed, rape, looting, and indiscriminate murder that were appalling even in such a brutal era. With the heart of Eastern Christendom ripped out, the legal heirs of the Imperium of Rome were driven out of their capital, onto Western Anatolia, where, holding back Turks and Westerners, they managed to build a stable, prosperous state.
In the West, the Seventh Crusade against Egypt has failed, and King Louis IX of France has taken revenge by expelling all that country's Jews, while Henry III of England is unwillingly forced to let elected representatives from shires and parliaments sit on the King's Council. In Portugal, similar things happen, with Alfonso III of that country holding the first session of the Portugese Cortes, an assembly of Nobles, Merchants, and more elected representatives.
And in the hallowed halls of the Vatican, the Papacy has clarified and named the doctrine of Purgatory, a state between Heaven and Hell in which sinners are purged of their sins before being allowed to Paradise. And Purgatory is what Europe is going through.
For death, fire, swords and blood are the laws of that time, the laws of the world. While people dream of a better world, they can do little to bring it about, and few even try that little. But there is always hope even in the darkness of the time...one just has to grab it.
------
So there you have it, a Historical NRP based on the Middle Ages. I know, I know, people are generally uninterested in the era, but I hope to make it accessible for non-history nerds, as well as give people a great time while fighting/politicking/looting. Anyway...
Wikipedia
I'll add an Etherpad Link if necessary.
------
Rules and Guidelines (Partly Copied from Gilded Throne with Gowi's Permission
I. The most important thing is to respect and follow the rules of our host site, which is no question. If there’s sexual content there is always “fade to black”, if it is a particularly dark and questionable scene it can be referenced or hinted at instead of shown. Basically, nudity is fine, but no 'horizontal tango'!
II. Respect fellow role-players. This is a collaborative project in nature so we shan’t dismiss or patronize those we should be working together with—lighthearted humor is fine but remember not to insult outright or start flame-wars; generally you know the drill so don’t be a dick and things should be kosher.
III. No meta-gaming—in Game of Thrones Robb Stark wasn’t prepared for the Red Wedding, so by good logic you shouldn’t be as well. The characters can’t know things outside of their timeframe, knowledge, and so on.
IV. This is important—Your Nation must always be next to another Player Nation. And by that, I mean that during nation creation, you should not start at far-flung geographic regions; one nation in Scandinavia and another in North Africa.
V. Characters can and will die in this role-play. Battles can and will be lost. This means if five armed swords surround an unarmed individual there will be certainly a terrible end. Although, this is not to say GM’s or other players can kill others outright and without consultation—you have a say in plot progression but do remember this is a game of collaboration.
VI. Post length should fit the scene progression.
VII. Also a major rule...HAVE FUN!!! (or else...:p)
VIII. In the case of players who drop, grow completely inactive, and other situations that hold up the RP the GM's will take exclusive control of these nations so the RP can continue to progress.
IX. If you have any questions, comments, concerns or need to contact a GM for any reason, we ask that you add all three to your pm or we will rewrite your pm to fit this format. To reiterate, all pm threads to the gms for gm reasons MUST include me or anyone I list as Co-GM in the thread. This will normally include late additions to the lore, or concerns involving other players.
X. No Magic! 'Miraculous Cures' are permitted if they're obviously the placebo effect, though, and you can develop new technology if you can convince me that it'd be viable through PM.
XI. No attacking other nations, NPC or PC, without a Cassus Belli, aka a legitimate reason for war. Naturally, attacking nations of other Religions, or Excommunicated Catholics, is the easiest Cassus Belli there is.
-----
Nation:
Location:
Total Military Numbers (between 5000 - 50,000 for most countries, while big empires such as the Golden Horde and Ilkhanate can have 100,000):
Icon:
History (You are allowed to use Wikipedia for now):
