Bone2pick
Minority of One
Fantasy nation building — that's what I want. I love the scale and scope of the conflict that it can showcase. I love that just the threat of entire armies clashing provides more than enough story material, let alone the imagery and drama you get when those armies actually take the battlefield. Did I mention I also want political intrigue? Not a modest amount of it mind you, I want to pile it on. I want kings and queens to never stop looking over their shoulder. "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown."
I want castles stormed; and if they're still standing, I want them stormed again. And in my world, every castle flies. No exceptions. The victor owns the skies while the loser is turned to rubble. I want take no prisoner fortress sieges at sixty five hundred feet. I want airship dogfights, strafing castle cannon runs, monarchs strapped into their thrones like cockpits, and assassins gliding through clouds hoping to land on enemy battlements. I want swordplay, gunplay, and spellplay in a roleplay — so I created one. Here it is.
Early Eagan
Twelve hundred years ago the people of Eagan were primitive. It was to be expected on such a young world. They were tribal, poorly literate, typically nomadic, and lived short lives. Magic was present but because it was manipulated with ignorance it was unreliable and weak. As a result, practical methods were preferred over supernatural ones.
Gods were often prayed to but they rarely answered. The people of Eagan had to make their own way. Excluding the most recent twelve centuries, only a dozen or so civilizations were ever attempted. The societies that dared to form during those chaotic times had either failed, or were in a state of failure, when the first crop of Monarchs revealed themselves.
Monarchs
It always manifests in children. The calling can come as early as nine or as late as fourteen. Boys and girls feel it in the gut, the great push of destiny. They separate from their tribe in order to touch the world. Alone, they push their fingers into mud and begin to understand their gift. They will lead their people; it's their birthright. For only they can raise their subjects into the heavens. So they begin to shape.
It often stretches beyond a decade. For years the child stands, without food, without water, without rest. Each wave of its hand pulls dust, stone, and roots away from their beds and mixes them into an earthy soup above its head. The child builds its home, its temple, a mighty stronghold with a central throne for its heart.
And all the while the brightest and bravest nearby folk flock to their new lord. A Monarch's authority is undeniable, only they can usher in order and civilization. The locals swear their loyalty without hesitation. A nation literally rises.
What It Means To Rule
The supercontinent of Eagan supports hundreds of nations. Each one fiercely independent from the other, and each one fanatically loyal to their Monarch. While the nobility, army, and navy float above, the rest of the citizens are busy gathering resources and living out their fairly peaceful lives. War, almost exclusively, is carried out overhead. Armored cavalry accompanied by legions of foot soldiers are for yesterday's battles.
Alliances are as convoluted and as delicate as cobwebs. Diplomatic arrangements, most often brokered by royal heralds, are almost never sealed in writing. And defensive pacts or war alliances are considered so obscene, to form one is to invite the immediate attack of neighboring Monarchs. Kings and queens, as per long standing etiquette, defend themselves. A few ambitious lords and ladies ignored this unwritten rule. Their broken bones are scattered among the ruins of their former castles.
Time cannot slay Monarchs; they age on their own terms. The oldest, and there are only a few remaining, have sat on their thrones for over a millennium. Their castles, the greatest on Eagan, are drifting mountains of power. To find yourself in their shadow is to know fear.
I want castles stormed; and if they're still standing, I want them stormed again. And in my world, every castle flies. No exceptions. The victor owns the skies while the loser is turned to rubble. I want take no prisoner fortress sieges at sixty five hundred feet. I want airship dogfights, strafing castle cannon runs, monarchs strapped into their thrones like cockpits, and assassins gliding through clouds hoping to land on enemy battlements. I want swordplay, gunplay, and spellplay in a roleplay — so I created one. Here it is.
Monarch — Ultimate Castle
Early Eagan
Twelve hundred years ago the people of Eagan were primitive. It was to be expected on such a young world. They were tribal, poorly literate, typically nomadic, and lived short lives. Magic was present but because it was manipulated with ignorance it was unreliable and weak. As a result, practical methods were preferred over supernatural ones.
Gods were often prayed to but they rarely answered. The people of Eagan had to make their own way. Excluding the most recent twelve centuries, only a dozen or so civilizations were ever attempted. The societies that dared to form during those chaotic times had either failed, or were in a state of failure, when the first crop of Monarchs revealed themselves.
Present State • Eagan, a young world with a supercontinent (Pangaea like) of the same name • Magic present and effective in utility, but it's generally slow and ritual based • Magic examples include: farsight scrying, messenger spirits, minor healing, & airship construction • Magic that doesn't exist (incomprehensive list): instant flight, exploding fireball projection, undead/dead raising, elemental control, *Outside of airships, magic is considered too slow for warfare. Battles in this setting are won and lost depending on strategy, tenacity, and ferocity rather than magical might. *magical artifacts are rare, and the ones that exist usually help communication or transportation needs rather than take the form of weapons or armor. • Religion is culture/nation dependent but most think of their Monarchs as their patron demigod. That commonly held perspective usually leads to a sharp decline in the importance of distant gods. • Both natural and supernatural creatures exist on Eagan. But a few overused creatures like dragons, zombies, angels, and vampires are not to be introduced. • Same for playable races: Tolkien staples like elves, dwarves, orcs, and goblins are not to be introduced. • Gunpowder is a thing. Think cannons and primitive guns (blunderbuss). |
Monarchs
It always manifests in children. The calling can come as early as nine or as late as fourteen. Boys and girls feel it in the gut, the great push of destiny. They separate from their tribe in order to touch the world. Alone, they push their fingers into mud and begin to understand their gift. They will lead their people; it's their birthright. For only they can raise their subjects into the heavens. So they begin to shape.
It often stretches beyond a decade. For years the child stands, without food, without water, without rest. Each wave of its hand pulls dust, stone, and roots away from their beds and mixes them into an earthy soup above its head. The child builds its home, its temple, a mighty stronghold with a central throne for its heart.
And all the while the brightest and bravest nearby folk flock to their new lord. A Monarch's authority is undeniable, only they can usher in order and civilization. The locals swear their loyalty without hesitation. A nation literally rises.
What It Means To Rule
The supercontinent of Eagan supports hundreds of nations. Each one fiercely independent from the other, and each one fanatically loyal to their Monarch. While the nobility, army, and navy float above, the rest of the citizens are busy gathering resources and living out their fairly peaceful lives. War, almost exclusively, is carried out overhead. Armored cavalry accompanied by legions of foot soldiers are for yesterday's battles.
Alliances are as convoluted and as delicate as cobwebs. Diplomatic arrangements, most often brokered by royal heralds, are almost never sealed in writing. And defensive pacts or war alliances are considered so obscene, to form one is to invite the immediate attack of neighboring Monarchs. Kings and queens, as per long standing etiquette, defend themselves. A few ambitious lords and ladies ignored this unwritten rule. Their broken bones are scattered among the ruins of their former castles.
Time cannot slay Monarchs; they age on their own terms. The oldest, and there are only a few remaining, have sat on their thrones for over a millennium. Their castles, the greatest on Eagan, are drifting mountains of power. To find yourself in their shadow is to know fear.
Perspective Players Monarch — Ultimate Castle is a freeform fantasy nation RP. Players will create a nation, which will include its history, its population, and its location/surrounding environment. Players will also create their Monarch (brief character sheet), and include other key national personnel. Finally they'll describe their ultimate castle: how it looks, the military makeup that defends it, and its strong and weak points. Initially players will be encouraged to develop their own plots, which will give everyone lots of narrative freedom. But later on, when I feel the time is right, I will introduce a world wide threat that can serve as a rallying point for player collaboration. |
