Just got back from a week and a half in Perú. Fantástico. Now once more I can slip back into the eighteenth century when the fancy strikes.
Thank you for the welcomes and the comments. And yes, when this gets to a playable point, I do hope other imagi-nationeers will be interested in participating, either through envoys and ambassadors from their own imagi-nations, or by playtesting the system as Estrian Grand Dukes, or by proxy gaming any tabletop scenarios that might emerge.
Incidentally, one of the movies on offer during the flight down was "Io, Don Giovanni."
Mixed reviews, but I found it quite an enjoyable way to kill a couple of hours. The lives of libertines in a world where religion and a preoccupation with "good reputation" still have real force and power. The Estrian nobility in a decadent nutshell. That's the stuff to give the troops!
Do you plan to introduce combat in your campaign -mostly duels, but attempts of assassination cannot be excluded? If so, how would you 'play' such events?
ReplyDeleteRPgaming is rooted in wargaming -the original D&D was subtitled 'Rules for a Fantasy Medieval Wargame Campaign'- but in practice miniature figurines are more a hindrance. Rattrap Gloire rules enjoy a good press, but I keep fond memories (distorted by nostalgia, maybe?) of Flashing Blades our group used for a campaign set in some 'alternate' mid-18th C. France where the Fronde had triumphed.
As for Intrigues a Venise -English version Inkognito- and Courtisans de Versailles, I read about them in mags when they were published, but never saw them played; my understanding is that they are 'family' games.
Greetings and Felicitations from the Kingdom of Wittenberg. The king will be closely monitoring the situation in Estria - beware the machinations of Stagonia (vile) and Monrovia (invidious).
ReplyDeleteKing Leopold IV
the short answer is yes, there will be combat.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to courtly, mostly indoor actions generally by individuals (e.g. seduction,
persuasion through religious authority, bribery,
espionage/informing, blackmail/extortion, securing financial aid, publishing letters/damaging characters' reputations, arranging marriages, etc.), characters will also be able to undertake abduction, assassination, armed escort, kidnapping for ransom, transporting money, rescue attempts, and of course duels.
All of these latter can be gamed out on the tabletop, including duels if you have a suitable ruleset and you want your duellists to leap on tables, swing from chandeliers, etc.
I have been working out basic formulas that allow any of of these actions to be resolved off-table and the results integrated into the flow of the game, though I would assume that players would normally rather move to the tabletop for anything that can actually be played out on a tabletop.
Both options would be available: resolve the action using formulas or move the scenario to the gaming table. Either way works.
Greetings King Leopold and thank you for the warning. Estria will remain vigilant!
ReplyDeleteTrust no-one!
ReplyDelete