So I took the old Ancorage concept of building up your points with cards, and then I looked at my SPAMKINGDOM lore and thought...
"All is Well in Damdamian Republic!" - the biggest lie ever
GOAL OF THE GAME:
As a Senator of Damdamian Republic, you need to obtain 50 or more points of Prestige, or Wealth, or Power.
Alternatively, you can eliminate all other Players from the game.
PLAYERS AND FACTIONS:
3 to 6 Players needed. Each one belongs to a Faction. Factions are:
Militari: Power cards cost 1 Power less to use. Gains 2 Power points per Turn.
Goldkeepers: Wealth cards cost 1 Wealth less to use. Gains 2 Wealth points per Turn.
Patricians: Prestige cards cost 1 Prestige less to use. Gains 2 Prestige points per Turn.
GAME START AND GAME TURNS:
Everyone starts with 10 points of Prestige, Wealth and Power, 1 random Card related to their Faction as well as 4 other randomly choosen Cards.
Turn Order is determined by the order in which Players were added to the Game.
At start of each Turn, you will gain 2 points as described in 'Players and Factions' section and receive a PM from the GM with a new Card that you receive.
During a Turn, you can play 1 Card from the ones you received. After all Players play their Cards, the GM processes the cards, long-term cards lower their 'counters' and a new Turn begins.
CARD TYPES:
Power: They cost Power to play, and are related to Militari Faction.
Wealth: They cost Wealth to play, and are related to Goldkeepers Faction.
Prestige: They cost Prestige to play, and are related to Patricians Faction.
Espionage: These can manipulate Cards and Points your opponents have. You can spend either type of points (Prestige, Wealth, Power) to play them.
Long-Term: These cards last several Turns (usually 5).
PLAYER ELIMINATION:
If a Player has less than zero points of Prestige, Wealth or Power at the end of a Turn, they are kicked out of the game. The last Player to remain in the game automatically wins.
CARDS: (53 total)
Power Cards: [14]
Border Expedition [5]: You gain 3 Prestige and 3 Wealth. Toss a coin; if its Heads, you will gain 1 extra Prestige; if its Tails, you will gain 1 extra Wealth. Campaign against a wealthy but hostile neighbour - the best way to gather accolades and spoils of war!
Campaign [7]: Long-Term. Campaign lasts 3 Turns; at its end, toss a coin four times; for each Heads, you will gain 4 Wealth; for each Tails, you will gain 2 Power and Prestige. Campaign cannot be played if you have 20 Power or less. It was a long, drawn-out war, but it brought Julius' family wealth and recognition of great magnitude.
Conscription [2]: You gain 3 Power. Republic requires soldiers; about time we conscript some of the lazy masses!
Dictator [8]: Long-Term. At the start of each next Turn, you will gain 3 Power and 1 Wealth. Dictator lasts 5 Turns and cannot be played if you have 20 Prestige or less. When Dictator is in play, no one else can play a Dictator card. It is dangerous to put so much control in hands of one man, but emergency situations call for emergency measures.
Lictors [3]: After you play this Card, you cannot be targeted by Espionage Cards until the end of next Turn. He knew that he was in danger, and therefore requested sixteen Lictors from the Senate. They arrived just in time to capture his would-be assassin.
Military Parade [2]: You gain 2 Prestige. If your faction is Militari, you will gain 2 Power as well. Nothing reassures the people of Republican strength more than a parade of its finest sons in decorated armor!
Military Reform [4]: Long-Term. At the start of each next Turn, toss a coin; if its Heads, you gain 3 Power and 3 Prestige. Military Reform lasts 5 Turns. Every so often, there is a need for a sweeping change within the military.
Military Triumph [4]: If you played 'Border Expedition', 'Campaign' or 'Raid Against Pirates' Card last Turn, you gain Prestige equal to the played Card's cost multiplied by 2. All hailed him a hero of the Republic, the man who vanquished her enemies and the man who brought massive wealth to her coffers.
National Mobilization [5]: Long-Term. At the start of each next Turn, all Players gain 1 Power. Power cards you play give you 1 Power extra besides usual effects. National Mobilization lasts 5 Turns; at the end of fifth Turn, all Players lose 2 Prestige. When National Mobilization is in play, no one else can play a National Mobilization card. To arms, sons of the Republic! Our State is in danger! To arms!
Proscription [8]: Pick 2 Opponents; these Opponents lose 6 points of Prestige and Wealth each. "I did nothing wrong!" "The Senate says otherwise! Taken him for questioning, and put his villa for sale!"
Factional Purge [4] As an extra Cost to play Factional Purge, discard a Card. Draw 3 Cards; it is guaranteed that all 3 will be of the same type as your Faction (Militari - Power, Goldkeepers - Wealth, etc). Overnight, many of the old, powerful men were replaced by young, ambitious and progressive... A lot of blood was shed that night.
Raid Against Pirates [3]: You gain 2 Prestige and 2 Wealth. If your faction is Militari, you will gain 1 extra Prestige. A naval expedition to, once again, bring order to the Central Sea.
Sacred Brotherhood [4]: Everyone sharing the same Faction as you gains 3 Prestige and 3 Power. You gain 2 Prestige and 2 Power per every Player you share Faction with. Their holy laws were above tradition and above magistrates. Their code of honor and duty was finer than Code of Legions. These were whom we call the Sacred Band of Debes.
Slave Raid [2]: You gain 3 Wealth. Those who bemoan slavery as barbaric are simply too poor to afford some slaves for themselves.
Wealth Cards: [15]
Artisan Sponsorship [2]: You gain 3 Prestige. He was a patron of many young and aspiring sculptors, and they repaid him with many fine statues and busts.
Bodyguards and Mercenaries [2]: You gain 3 Power. Truly an exotic unit they made; Dark elf swordmasters, Tuumian slingers, Koronian boar-riders. And they were the most loyal, and the best paid of them all.
Bread and Circuses [6]: You gain 5 Prestige; draw 2 Cards. Senator Comicus knew it best how to make common people into his most loyal supporters - feed them, and entertain them.
Estate Purchase [7]: You gain 6 Prestige and 2 Power. Did you hear you about Hoardus Villus Maximus? He bought another marble palace with a hundred of servants inside. He's got what, six estates by now? Crazy!
Elite Foreign Mercenaries [4]: You gain 7 Power. Each of his bodyguards had a name; and each of those names instilled awe and respect in some part of the Republic, where they were best known for their deeds.
Exchange [2]: As an extra Cost to play Exchange, discard a Card. Draw 2 Cards; it is guaranteed that both Cards will be Wealth Cards. Barter, haggling, exchange - the basis of trade.
Foreign Wares [6]: Toss a coin four times; for each Heads, you will gain 2 Wealth; for each Tails, you will gain 2 Prestige. Saravayan jade, Qinga spices, Tvenian gemstones - I have it all, I have it all!
Festival Sponsorship [5]: Draw a Card. At the end of the next Turn, you will gain 6 Prestige and 6 Wealth. It is an old tradition for the wealthy to sponsor the festivals of the holy for the entertainment of the poor.
Gladiatorial Games [4]: Choose as many Opponents as you want; each chosen Opponent receives 2 Prestige. You receive 3 Wealth and 3 Prestige per every Opponent you've chosen.
Gladiatorial School [4]: You gain 3 Power and 2 Prestige. Trident dancers, swordsmasters, beastlords, he had them all in that school of his, and they represented him well during many of the Games.
Investment [3]: Long-Term. At the start of each next Turn, you will gain 1 Wealth. Investment lasts 5 Turns. To gain money, one must first spend money - most often, it IS money well spent.
Moneylender [4]: Long-Term. Choose an Opponent; that Opponent gains 4 Wealth. Three turns after you play Moneylender, the same Opponent loses 5 Wealth and you will gain 5 Wealth. Oh, he loves to share the money with others; as long as they pay him back extra.
Masterwork Collection [4]: You gain 7 Prestige. The literary works of Platypus, the fine sculptures of Diddlydalus, they were all within his grasp; all he needed to do was to toss some coins in their faces.
Sacrificial Donations [4]: Until the end of the next Turn, you cannot lose any Prestige, Power or Wealth points. He was thrice blessed by the priests, not because he was holy - only because he donated thousands of denars upon altars of the Father.
Treasurer [8]: Long-Term. At the start of each next Turn, you will gain 3 Wealth and 1 Prestige. Treasurer lasts 5 Turns and cannot be played if you have 20 Prestige or less. When Treasurer is in play, no one else can play a Treasurer card. Everyone thinks that being Treasurer of the Senate isn't an exciting job; but do you know just how MUCH of the Republican economy he controls?
Prestige Cards: [15]
Consul [10]: Long-Term. At the start of each next Turn, you will gain 3 Prestige, 2 Power and 2 Wealth. Consul lasts 5 Turns and cannot be played if you have 25 Prestige or less. When Consul is in play, no one else can play a Consul card. The crowning moment in a Senator's career.
Coalition [3]: Choose a Faction; Players of that Faction gain 2 Prestige each. You gain 1 Wealth and 1 Power per each Player belonging to the Faction you've chosen. They were in minority, so to gain any political power, they had to do something unlikely - form a temporary alliance.
Court Case [2]: Choose a Player that played a Card against you last Turn, and toss a coin; if its Heads, that Player loses 6 Prestige. Unable to win on the Senate's floor, Aurelias took the matters to the Court, where Uralian had almost no power - and Aurelias won.
Darkhorse Candidate [3]: At the start of next Turn, you will gain 7 Prestige. He saw the potential in that newcomer, so he backed him up while others laughed... Few months later, it was him who was laughing.
Defamation [5]: Choose an Opponent and toss a coin; if its Heads, that Opponent loses 7 Prestige; if its Tails, that Opponent must discard a Card. Angry speeches are the most entertaining ones for all, except for the victim.
Discord [3]: All Opponents lose 2 Prestige. His speech rained metaphorical fire and brimstone on the Senate; order wasn't restored for hours, until the City Guard itself arrived to deal with this 'Riot of Senators'.
Foreign Princess Bride [5]: You gain 4 Wealth and 4 Power. He couldn't find neither allies nor wife at home, so he found them abroad; the King of Talia, and his beautiful daughter.
Honors and Titles [4]: Draw 2 Cards; it is guaranteed that both Cards will be Prestige Cards. He had so many titles, they required a scroll to contain them all.
Laudation [3]: Choose an Opponent; that Opponent gains 4 Prestige. Draw 2 Cards. To further one's goal, even praising your enemies is a fair tactic.
Nullification [7]: Choose a Long-Term card in play. That card is removed from play and it's effects no longer apply. It was a shock to him, but after the vote, Consul Marius had to face the truth - after just a month in the office, he was no longer a Consul.
Passionate Oration [2]: You gain 3 Power. And after he finished, the whole Senate applauded, and many pledged their loyalty to him.
Political Marriage [5]: Choose an Opponent; that Opponent gains 5 Prestige. You gain 5 Wealth and 5 Power. There's no stronger political alliance than the one made at the altar.
Pontifex Maximus [7]: Long-Term. As long as this Card is in play, you cannot be targeted by Espionage Cards and can't lose any Prestige points. Pontifex Maximus lasts 5 Turns and cannot be played if you have 20 Prestige or less. When Pontifex Maximus is in play, no one else can play a Pontifex Maximus card. Maybe it is a holy occupation, but it has many political benefits as well. Every previous Pontifex will tell you that.
Tribune [8]: Long-Term. At the start of each next Turn, you will gain 3 Prestige and 1 Power. Tribune lasts 5 Turns and cannot be played if you have 20 Prestige or less. When Tribune is in play, no one else can play a Tribune card. He was the Man of the People, and he gained all the advantages of that position he could get.
Wife for a Merchant [2]: You gain 3 Wealth. Senator Greedus and gem merchant Lardus, were sure happy to become family. The poor Rebelia, Greedus' youngest daughter and Lardus' newest wife? Not so much.
Espionage Cards: [9]
Arson [2]: Choose an Opponent; that Opponent loses 4 Wealth. It was a profitable workshop; producing finest silverware in Nikaia. And one night, it turned to ash and rubble...
Assassination [10]: Choose an Opponent; that Opponent's largest Point pool is halved (rounded down), and they have to discard 3 Cards. It was mourning period for Augustus; death of his most competent subordinate, Marcellus, shocked him deeply, and was one of the causes of his eventual downfall.
Forged Letter [5]: Choose an Opponent; that Opponent has to discard 2 Cards. Its authenticity wasn't questioned for weeks; after the truth about it surfaced, it was already too late.
Forged Ownership [7]: Choose an Opponent; that Opponent has to give you 2 Cards they have. And thus, the 300 years old villa of Ursan family became the villa of Lieus family overnight.
Hired Thugs [2]: Choose an Opponent; that Opponent loses 4 Power. As it turned out, not even finest foreign mercenaries are immune to brutish bandits and common cutthroats.
New Contacts [4]: Draw 2 Cards; it is guaranteed that both Cards will be Espionage Cards. Sometimes, one has to search for new business partners. They can be more useful than the old ones.
Riot! [6]: Every Opponent tosses a coin; if its Heads, they lose 3 Wealth; if its Tails, they lose 2 Power. A rumor, a shout, a gathering, a chant; few hours later, seventy eight killed, six buildings burned down and two Senators beaten. What a mess!
Slander [2]: Choose an Opponent: that Opponent loses 4 Prestige. Everyone knew that Senator Filius was extremely loyal to his wife; still, it took just one rumor for his family life to take a sharp turn southwards.
Villa Raid [3]: Choose an Opponent; you will be informed by GM about the Cards this Opponent currently has. Only in the morning did Senator Schemus notice that his personal desk was thoroughly checked - and that quite a few things were missing.