RoE3 Setting Choices - the current options

[Aeric (DM Matt)]

Currently I am looking at two different possible setting options and would like to offer them to the masses. It looks like we will have somewhere between 15 and 20 players at the moment and as such conversation between Bjorn and myself has developed on producing a focused player area that will allow a good level of interaction without the need for incredible amounts of NPC involvement every time a domain decides to have breakfast.

Option 1 - The Taelfirth.
This option would be to run a largely vanilla campaign on normal timelines run around the Taelfirth featuring such domains as Stjordvik, Rjuvik, Talinie, Dhoesone and Cariele. The Taelfirth itself would serve as the focus as politics, trade and even war cross back and forth its bountiful waters. It would be a game of the clash of cultures and the ever present dangers from the powers, both mortal and not, and natural and not, that threatens them.

Option 2 - Reconquista.
This option would be a follow on from RoE1/RoE2, set a generation or so after the epilogue that Our Glorious Leader is defining for us and would be about the attempt to retake and rebuild the lands from the devastation they suffered. It would be a game of expeditionary forces, sent to re-establish the footholds for those who were driven from their homes, of unfurled banners taking the fight to those who squat amongst the ruins of the realms that once were and of schemes and battles as all interested parties decide they cannot allow others to take that which they themselves have not yet.

Option 1 would be less work. But probably also more standard.
Option 2 would be more work but would probably also allow players more freedom of choice as to the realms they want to create. It would also probably include some more unusual features, such as some Fog of War in respect to the P&H that may well spice up the information/espionage/scheming game for those so inspired.

I am going to put up a poll in a couple of days time to let you express a preference but in the mean time this is the place for rumination, discussion and thoughts.

[Aeric (DM Matt)]

Frequently asked questions

"What intrigues you about Tael Firth, as opposed to other more or less not purely Anuirean regions?"

It is focal point between two cultures - it provides the conflict inherent in the relationship between two people wth different moral, ethical and cultural structures as well as the continuity of the struggle against the wild. The Southern coast is a very civilised setting. The Taelfirth also provides a concentration of game that signicicantly exceeds other areas, where the domains are just much larger and spread out. Concentration of game is very important to stop a common gaming issue of cluster explosion ie everyone runs in opposite directions making GMing near impossible.

"Regarding Option 2 and the reconquista-thingy; would players mainly be nobles? Or would guilders/mages/templars also play into it?
 It seems somewhat military-oriented "

There would be a mix; it is not intended as a set of purely military focused campaigns. After all battling can happen in many ways and it is set a generation after the original story; there may be new powers to interact with and compete against. Or even to play.

An examination of the real world reconquista also shows that warring was a realtively small part of the actual reconquest. Trade and Conversion of populace were even more important. Just battles grab better headlines

"On option 1: is it entirely separated from RoE I & II?; or might it be transpiring parallel to events in that "history"? Or might it begin around Turn #71-ish?) or 73? (since that's spring)?"

Option 1 I would take back to turn 1. And run it down a parallel trouser like of time. That might mean that some of the same things happened but that player action may cause any number of changes. It would provide some continuity with RoE but would also allow for divergence.

Which option is most likely to feature golden elephants?

Neither is less likely. Golden elephants will always haunt Rune now, just at the edge of his vision, pushing at his conciousness...

[X-Osoerde (Alan)]

Matt, can you explain a little more why Option 1 is not a Rijuvik campaign?

[Aeric (DM Matt)]

Because to define it is a Rjurik campaign would be to ignore more than half of the content of the Taelfirth... It is set at the point where Anuire meets Rjurik and is a choice of setting that presents the friction between the cultures as a major part of the grit in gears of otherwise smooth beancounting play.

I have not defined it as a Anuire campaign either, because a fundamental driver in the game will be the clash between peoples and the edge of civilisation that it represents to so many of the Anuire. I have deliberately chosen to play to a boundary condition because in my experience that is what generates the best quality of story - sometimes those boundary conditions can be created by a driven narrative piece (and no doubt some will) such as the awnsheghlien. I also like to build them in at a foundation level, to mean that such frictions are always present and are the prism through which most character action is viewed, IC and OC.

[X-Points East]

OoC:

Regarding Option #1:  Might Svinik, Halskapa, and Jankaping be player-controlled domains?

Regarding Option #2:  In which region(s) of Anuire might player-controlled domains be?

[Aeric (DM Matt)]

Option 1 - No. It is unlikely those realms would be available as player controlled domains. Perhaps Svinik, but certainly not the others.

Option2 - There would be a load of work to do to work out which regions would be available but largely they would be in the southern coast, heartlands or the eastern marches but clearly most realms in that setting would not be recognisable from vanilla.

[X-Osoerde (Alan)]

So, in option 1 we will largely expand on vanilla roe but in option 2 is the setting and domains more a dm-player collaboration?

[Aeric (DM Matt)]

Yes!!! 

[X-Brosengae [Cloene] (Linde)]

Is it possible to rewrite the golden elephant that trample Runes character into a cthulu-phant?

[Aeric (DM Matt)]

No. I have plans for that.

[Aeric (DM Matt)]

Currently it is not my intention to include non-human realms in either setting.

[X-Endier & KoH/GdN (JP)]

Well for the purpose of history and some actual knowledge of the game I like option 2.  It gives you some background information and allows for you to build upon history attempting to not make the same mistake as your ancestors did.  On the other hand a fresh start would level the playing field a bit for all player involved.

I will admit I am not too familiar with ROE setting but I did really enjoy what I learned from the last campaign.  This is also another reason I like the original setting in a new time frame.

All that being said I will be happy to have a game to play and willing to learn the setting if that is what is needed.

[The Dark Lily/ML]

Currently it is not my intention to include non-human realms in either setting.

How unfortunate, I would have loved to play Thurazor.

[X-MOC/Leman States (Even)]

Option 1 - No. It is unlikely those realms would be available as player controlled domains. Perhaps Svinik, but certainly not the others.

Is this due to the location, or the style of the realms/domains as described in vanilla BR?

Any thoughts on province/holding levels? RoE typically had higher average levels than the base BR setup, and domains seemed to have a generally higher level of average income. Would it make sense to update the levels for RoE3 as well? I was mostly thinking about the cost of actions, and got a uneasy feeling the cost would be too high as currently set in RG to be suitable for less developed areas.

[Aeric (DM Matt)]

Due to location and wanting to keep the play area very focused and "competitive".

I am working through province and holding levels ATM. Where they end up? Who knows! I am very aware of some concerns (does rune ever stop???) about the costings for rule actions