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[Iituem]

Let's get back to basics.  First player to respond is the king (or lord).  Everyone else is a courtier.  I will occasionally throw in events and information to mix things up, but otherwise this is in the lord/king's hands.  If necessary I might throw in statistics, but my advice to the lord is to RtD the hell out of stuff as needed.

To the lord (or king) I ask:  What is the name of your province/kingdom, and what are its features?  Who are your people, and how did you come to power?

To everyone else, introduce yourself as you arrive at the court.  You might be a long-established member of the kingdom, you might be a newcomer.  That and everything else is up to you.

Edit: And what are your names as well?

Oh and if you don't feel up to the challenge of being the lord, don't post first.

[Iituem]

Spoiler: Troop Costs (click to show/hide)

Upgrading the Military

The first necessary step will be to bring levies up from strict levy to levy reserve.  Before you can apply training any more regular than annual or seasonal or train them with more than minimal equipment, a reserve of the levies must be available for training.  This will re-instate the basic annual wage requirement @ £1/100 men.  The levies are still only available when raised, and take time to gather, but more professional armies are more expensive.

Professionalism
Strict Levy: No Wage Cost
Levy Reserve: £1 / 100 men.
Garrison: £2 / 100 men.
Professional Soldiers: £5 / 100 men.

Equipment
Minimal: Sticks, cleavers, whatever the peasants have on hand.  +£0 / 100 men.
Basic: Spears or clubs and light wooden shields, basic leather armour.  +£0.5 / 100 men.
Simple: Maces, axes or pikes, heavier wooden shields, leather armour.  +£1 / 100 men.
Light: Above, with studded leather and reinforced shields.  +£2 / 100 men.

Higher than Light Armour is not available because of the lack of experienced armourers in Meridia.

Training
Militia: The peasants have enough training to hold spears without killing themselves.  Free.
Basic: The recruits are taught to march in order and not hit each other.  £1 / 100 men.
Structured: Formations are taught, as are combat techniques and basic stances.  £3 / 100 men.
Professional*: The troops are taught to fight and kill effectively with their chosen weapons in a variety of circumstances.  £8 / 100 men.
Harsh*: The troops survive in the worst conditions and can kill with anything.  Their discipline is iron.  £20 / 100 men.
Elite*: The best ordinary men can become.  Feared by all.  £50 / 100 men.
Spartan*: Legendary warriors to whom war is a way of life.  Soldiering is all they know.  £150 / 100 men.

Marked * tiers require a Commander assigned permanently to training in addition to the cost.  A Commander assigned to training can reduce the cost of training by £10/year, but cannot contribute by leading battles.

Recruitment
Recruiting essentially means rush-training troops up to a desired standard, whereas the above training merely keeps such training in shape.  To recruit a band of troops within 1 month costs 5x the cost of the training quality, plus whatever equipment costs they require.  One or more Commanders assigned to recruitment can reduce this cost by £10 each.  Commanders assigned in this way cannot may also lead troops in battle.

Experience
Veterans fight better than green troops.  Experience cannot be trained into troops or bought, it can only be acquired through battle.  More experienced troops fight better.  Victories improve experience, defeats reduce it.  Troops advance in this approximate order as experience goes:

Green
Recruit
Blooded
Experienced
Veteran
Elite
Legendary[/quote]

[CyberGenesis]

You're an evil bastard...

[Ardas]

Arcadius III

Meridia

Landlocked country with lots of hills and forests and small rivers. People tend to be farmers and foresters for the most part and the country has few towns.
I inherited the crown form my father, Pelagius the First.

Name         Post                                   Favour

Grewie        Court Wizard/Alchemist        3/10
Kyle           Chief Librarian/Physician       6/10
Carling       King's Sword/Jester              5/10
Lukas         Royal cook/food taster         4/10
Alexis         Royal Spymaster                 4/10
Atsam        Chancellor                           6/10
Hulen         Court Shaman                      7/10
Raeric        Commander of the Guard      7/10
Gamel        Steward of the Realm               6/10
Korgoth      Mercenary   (not yet hired)
Anders       Lord Mayor of Meridon          5/10
Robert       Court Architect                      5/10
Anastasia   Mistress-at-Arms                  5/10
Richard     Private Merchant                   1/10

And map of the country, courtesy of our court cartographer.

[Iituem]

You're an evil bastard...

Arcadius III

Meridia

Landlocked country with lots of hills and forests and small rivers. People toend ot be formers and foresters for the most part and the country has few towns.
I inherited the crown form my father, Pelagius the First.

Arcadius III accepted as King of Meridia.  CG posted first, but Ardas answered the questions.  Arcadius is now the King.  I'm handing the reins over to him until an event occurs, so let's say we begin at the first session of court following Arcadius' coronation.  Good luck Arcadius!

[GreatWyrmGold]

I am Grewie the Golden, a minor magician* who has acted as an advisor to Arcadius for years. They don't see eye-to-eye, but Arcadius knows that Grewie will say what he really believes is best for the kingdom. He doesn't want to exploit his position for personal gain, as shown by the spartan quarters he lives in. The only luxuries he allows himself are yellow dye for his clothing and excellent instruments for the lab he spends much of his free time in.

*If there's no "real" magic, there's probably alchemists or something like IRL.

[kj1225]

Greetings, I am Kyle the court physician and librarian after the previous librarian died. I also monitor the literature that is allowed in the kingdom, normally I would mean about as much as a rock in the road but I have been the one to feed the 'correct' information to the subjects for years. It is a pleasure to see a worthy heir on the throne.

[Ardas]

"Thank you Grewie and Kyle, you are men of learning and knowledge and I shall seek your consuel and advice whenever necessary. You are both free to take the positions of court wizard/alchemist and librarian/physician.
I have few tasks in mind for you, but I shall wait for more courtiers to arrive before I set about to work."

[kj1225]

Of course sir.

[Ghazkull]

Carling "The Mad Jester" is one of the less reputable members of the Court. Filling the Position of Torturer,Executioner and Jester alike the Man is deemed utterly mad by most. And although he himself heartily agrees, there is something more about him, between the Mad Giggling the Bloodthirsty Jokes and Insensitive Jokes there lies a Cruel Cunning none would want to cross...

[escaped lurker]

Lukas - with some adding the suffix "the lardy" - has been chief of the Royal Cookery and the last Kings personal food-tester for short of a decade. Valuing his life, he is said to know quite a few things about poisons. There are also some discreet rumours that knowledge about them is not the only thing he is proficient in, but if ever asked about such matters he would obviously be outraged. He displays himself as loyalist and humble, the later somewhat betrayed by his rounded appearance and occasional fit of gout.

(( Here is hope that Lord Pelagius died not of food poisoning))

[Alexandria]

Alexis is chief Blade to the king and commands the Crimson Fisk, an order of spies and assassins who answer only to Alexis herself who answers only to the king himself, they are well armed exceptionally well trained and exclusively made up of highly attractive females.
Alexis herself is a tall lithe blonde with long hair and deep blue eyes.

[Azthor]

A world-weary but imposing man in his early 40s approaches you, bowing swiftly as he reaches the throne's base "Greetings, King Arcadius the Third. As you well know, I am Lord* Atsam of Penters, your father's former Chancellor, and now yours to use. I look forward to serving Your Majesty to the best of my capacity"

"Your noble vassals, myself included, would like to express their collective good wishes for your reign, though it is with a heavy heart that we see your father depart. The current Marshal of the Realm and Lord* Mayor will no doubt come to greet you personally... though it would seem something has them temporarily detained (...)" he says as he kneels before you, awaiting your command.

*honorary magisterial titles, no feudal rights or land attached in any way or fashion, unless otherwise stated by the King

[Ardas]

"Alexis, Lukas and Carling - you are welcome at my court and shall retain or attain the positions you are after, as long as more fitting replacement is not found: your presence here is based on merit as much as favour."

Arcadius then looked at Lord Atsam and motioned to him to rise.

"My lord, we heard much about your skills as a minister and office holder and I will be glad ot appoint you to the position of my Chancellor and chief minister. I expect you to shoulder the burden of running the realm with me as much as you did under my predecessor. Also, please tell me where Penters is. I do not know the place and if it lies within my realm, I shall grant it to you as your fief."

[Azthor]

Atsam is stock-still for a brief moment, as though caught off-guard "Your words do me undeserved honor, my liege. I've done nothing beyond what was my duty; grand a title as Chancellor may be, I am but of commoner birth, and attending to your court is already more than is due one such as me" he seems to hesitate for a moment "... while I must insist you retract your generous offer, it would, however, bring me great to joy to tell you of my birthplace at a later date, should you so desire"