Jim Cooper
12-15-1998, 09:27 PM
My Woeful but Ever Faithful Servant wrote:
> What is everyone's opinion regarding the Count of Muden & Melisande
> Reaversbane?
I go with whats written in the sourcebook (which, btw, was perhaps *the*
best sourcebook written to date, next to Hogunmark).
> Since Richard is *THE* Count, he should still be able to move & muster
> troops throughout Muden right? But according to the rules, he would
> have to ask Mel's permission to move troops into any of the coastal
> provs (since she is invested with them) or declare war and make war
> moves against his own people. Likewise, he could not actually build any ships since all the coastal lands are controlled by the Captain. What's the take on this??<
All this is very true, but this is how we played:
Theoretically, the above is absolutely correct, however such a situation
in Muden allows for the rules to be bent for the sake of playability.
IOC, either regent can act as if Muden is solely their own domain, with
the only visible difference being that RPs only go to the regent who
actually controls said prov/holdings. However, each regent respectively
has the ability to 'force' the rules on the other, but then that
wouldn't really be a cooperative rulership now, would it? :P Now,
AIOC, we ruled that traditionally, the Captain of Muden had sole control
over the shipyards of Muden, so the Count of Muden really would need the
Captain's permission despite what I said above, but other than that,
either regent can act without hindrance in Muden.
> This also brings up the question of provincial Loyalty. When tracking
> loyalty, is Muden actually divided between the two regents seperately &
> independent from one another, or is it a 'shared' loyalty level?
> Agitate & espionage moves would affect loyalties for who??
Shared, although of course low loyalty in a province would really hurt
the regent who was tied to that province. Agitate and espionage would
affect the loyalties of the provinces, so I'm not sure what you mean.
Since only one regent can be tied to a holding, the regent whose
province it is would be affected (and ought to act accordingly - but the
benefit of this cooperative rule is that you have another regent to fall
back on if you are in a bind!).
> Now, if Melisande & the Count share regency of a single domain, who has tax rights? The Muden source book says that Richard gets law claims from Melisande, but what self respecting player is going to allow this to happen on a regular basis? If Mel & the Count both 'play straight' and only tax their own lands, then they are in for some hard economic times unless they disband some of that military & tax heavily.<
Whoever actually gains regency from the province has tax rights.
However, IOC, the Captain had to surrender all taxes to the Count
anyway, so the Count gets the GBs left at the end of the day. Oh, and
as player of the Captain IOC, I allowed law claims against myself
(mostly because it was the lawful thing to do and I was LN). Heh -
stupid Count (PC), he even created the special "Rommel Tax" (that was
me, Captain Rommel) as the name for the law claims ... Course,
as lawful regent in the realm, I legitemately argued for dispensations
and tax breaks from the money-grubbing tax claims of the Count ... you
see, the evil Berhagian Tyrant PC made it easy for me to do so with the
actions he was performing over the border in Berhagen! :P
Your right on the last bit, though - so, IOC, the Count PC ended up
becoming a guilder - supported by nationalizing the economy (he *bought*
out all the other guilders), and I, Captain Rommel, supported his
fascist regime by instituting strict tax laws and claiming sovereignty
over the waters 100 miles surrounding Muden ("All the waters which touch
the shores of Muden to within 100 miles"). Heh. Needless to say, we
made few friends with our neighbours, but then who cares? They were all
just a bunch of pirates and priveteering Brechts! After spending 100s
of GBs researching Tower ships and upgrading Muden's harbours and
shipyards for said ships, we were the ultimate power in Brechtur!
Mwuhahahaa! :P
> And what's the thinking behind giving Kallen Pickbiter regency over
> those Grevesmuhl provinces? (Thanks Tripp... missed that little bit of info. See page 82 under Caliene Llwelyn). Why would humans willingly submit to dwarven rule? Also, why then would Mjollinar, Ruelsfeg & Tyrtep be considered a part of Grevesmuhl, and not Daikhar Zhigun? Ed, any 'official' thoughts on this matter?<
HA, he's probably the sole voice of lawfulness in all of Brechtur north
of Muden! :P I can see that happening (even the other way around -
dwarves submitting to a very lawful human ruler). Seriously, his
protection is probably gratefully accepted from the harsh savagery of
Grevesmuhl that surrounds the unwashed there. 2)? = because they
haven't succeeded from Grevesmuhl yet (but I hardly think DZ even WANTS
to look after those 'critters', so if they left Grev. they would be on
their own ... all alone next to a Vos realm ... 'nough said).
> And while I'm at it, how is Grabentod divided? Parneil, Harlmut (IIRC), Delma, and Graben all have provincial regencies within Grabentod, but who rules what? Is it a simple matter of giving them regency over the provs where they each have the majority of law holdings, or is it more complex than this?<
This is not civilized Muden, old chap! Here, in this wretched hive of
scum and villany, its ever man or woman for themselves. Whoever
controls the most law in a prov. can be considered regent of the prov.
as well. Like you guessed, of course.
> And just out of curiosity, is Delma Nauren Albrechts wife or cousin? In the Hag's Contract, she is his estranged wife I believe, though I have heard arguments that she is actually his cousin.
> Of course, if cousins were to marry, Grabentod is as good a place as any to practice this....
You said it well enough, friend! Bah, you never can trust Grabentods -
dirty savages ... :P
> As a final thought, what's the deal with the Swordhawk?<
For my part, as DM IOC as well, I rule that the Swordhawk has enough
problems other than building up a large enough navy to rule the Krak;
namely The Gorgon! IMNSHO, the Swordhawk has two choices: 1) try to
compete with an entire civ (about a dozen domains) that calls the sea
its home and where every citizen probably learns to sail before they can
walk, or (2) fight Ol' Rock Butt and his scum-bucket toadies (who, of
course, *obviously* is as dumb as he looks cause I, the Swordhawk, have
defied him for centuries!). Which would you choose? :P If I was the
'intellectually brillant' Swordhawk (naturally egotistical of course), I
would choose the latter - why? Because I only have to fight 4 realms as
opposed to a dozen, at a serious disadvantage.
Merry Christmas y'all!
Darren
> What is everyone's opinion regarding the Count of Muden & Melisande
> Reaversbane?
I go with whats written in the sourcebook (which, btw, was perhaps *the*
best sourcebook written to date, next to Hogunmark).
> Since Richard is *THE* Count, he should still be able to move & muster
> troops throughout Muden right? But according to the rules, he would
> have to ask Mel's permission to move troops into any of the coastal
> provs (since she is invested with them) or declare war and make war
> moves against his own people. Likewise, he could not actually build any ships since all the coastal lands are controlled by the Captain. What's the take on this??<
All this is very true, but this is how we played:
Theoretically, the above is absolutely correct, however such a situation
in Muden allows for the rules to be bent for the sake of playability.
IOC, either regent can act as if Muden is solely their own domain, with
the only visible difference being that RPs only go to the regent who
actually controls said prov/holdings. However, each regent respectively
has the ability to 'force' the rules on the other, but then that
wouldn't really be a cooperative rulership now, would it? :P Now,
AIOC, we ruled that traditionally, the Captain of Muden had sole control
over the shipyards of Muden, so the Count of Muden really would need the
Captain's permission despite what I said above, but other than that,
either regent can act without hindrance in Muden.
> This also brings up the question of provincial Loyalty. When tracking
> loyalty, is Muden actually divided between the two regents seperately &
> independent from one another, or is it a 'shared' loyalty level?
> Agitate & espionage moves would affect loyalties for who??
Shared, although of course low loyalty in a province would really hurt
the regent who was tied to that province. Agitate and espionage would
affect the loyalties of the provinces, so I'm not sure what you mean.
Since only one regent can be tied to a holding, the regent whose
province it is would be affected (and ought to act accordingly - but the
benefit of this cooperative rule is that you have another regent to fall
back on if you are in a bind!).
> Now, if Melisande & the Count share regency of a single domain, who has tax rights? The Muden source book says that Richard gets law claims from Melisande, but what self respecting player is going to allow this to happen on a regular basis? If Mel & the Count both 'play straight' and only tax their own lands, then they are in for some hard economic times unless they disband some of that military & tax heavily.<
Whoever actually gains regency from the province has tax rights.
However, IOC, the Captain had to surrender all taxes to the Count
anyway, so the Count gets the GBs left at the end of the day. Oh, and
as player of the Captain IOC, I allowed law claims against myself
(mostly because it was the lawful thing to do and I was LN). Heh -
stupid Count (PC), he even created the special "Rommel Tax" (that was
me, Captain Rommel) as the name for the law claims ... Course,
as lawful regent in the realm, I legitemately argued for dispensations
and tax breaks from the money-grubbing tax claims of the Count ... you
see, the evil Berhagian Tyrant PC made it easy for me to do so with the
actions he was performing over the border in Berhagen! :P
Your right on the last bit, though - so, IOC, the Count PC ended up
becoming a guilder - supported by nationalizing the economy (he *bought*
out all the other guilders), and I, Captain Rommel, supported his
fascist regime by instituting strict tax laws and claiming sovereignty
over the waters 100 miles surrounding Muden ("All the waters which touch
the shores of Muden to within 100 miles"). Heh. Needless to say, we
made few friends with our neighbours, but then who cares? They were all
just a bunch of pirates and priveteering Brechts! After spending 100s
of GBs researching Tower ships and upgrading Muden's harbours and
shipyards for said ships, we were the ultimate power in Brechtur!
Mwuhahahaa! :P
> And what's the thinking behind giving Kallen Pickbiter regency over
> those Grevesmuhl provinces? (Thanks Tripp... missed that little bit of info. See page 82 under Caliene Llwelyn). Why would humans willingly submit to dwarven rule? Also, why then would Mjollinar, Ruelsfeg & Tyrtep be considered a part of Grevesmuhl, and not Daikhar Zhigun? Ed, any 'official' thoughts on this matter?<
HA, he's probably the sole voice of lawfulness in all of Brechtur north
of Muden! :P I can see that happening (even the other way around -
dwarves submitting to a very lawful human ruler). Seriously, his
protection is probably gratefully accepted from the harsh savagery of
Grevesmuhl that surrounds the unwashed there. 2)? = because they
haven't succeeded from Grevesmuhl yet (but I hardly think DZ even WANTS
to look after those 'critters', so if they left Grev. they would be on
their own ... all alone next to a Vos realm ... 'nough said).
> And while I'm at it, how is Grabentod divided? Parneil, Harlmut (IIRC), Delma, and Graben all have provincial regencies within Grabentod, but who rules what? Is it a simple matter of giving them regency over the provs where they each have the majority of law holdings, or is it more complex than this?<
This is not civilized Muden, old chap! Here, in this wretched hive of
scum and villany, its ever man or woman for themselves. Whoever
controls the most law in a prov. can be considered regent of the prov.
as well. Like you guessed, of course.
> And just out of curiosity, is Delma Nauren Albrechts wife or cousin? In the Hag's Contract, she is his estranged wife I believe, though I have heard arguments that she is actually his cousin.
> Of course, if cousins were to marry, Grabentod is as good a place as any to practice this....
You said it well enough, friend! Bah, you never can trust Grabentods -
dirty savages ... :P
> As a final thought, what's the deal with the Swordhawk?<
For my part, as DM IOC as well, I rule that the Swordhawk has enough
problems other than building up a large enough navy to rule the Krak;
namely The Gorgon! IMNSHO, the Swordhawk has two choices: 1) try to
compete with an entire civ (about a dozen domains) that calls the sea
its home and where every citizen probably learns to sail before they can
walk, or (2) fight Ol' Rock Butt and his scum-bucket toadies (who, of
course, *obviously* is as dumb as he looks cause I, the Swordhawk, have
defied him for centuries!). Which would you choose? :P If I was the
'intellectually brillant' Swordhawk (naturally egotistical of course), I
would choose the latter - why? Because I only have to fight 4 realms as
opposed to a dozen, at a serious disadvantage.
Merry Christmas y'all!
Darren