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[Ixarys]

Spoiler: List of Tyrants of Gedur (click to show/hide)

Gezhugimiluk, 300 AC - ?
(Last update Spring 302 AC)
- Birth: 265 AC
- Trait: Ambitious
- Family:
Wife: Aktina, daughter of a prestigious merchant (wed in 285 AC)
Heir: Naram-gez (son, born 288 AC, with Aktina)
Other children: Aruki (daughter, born 290 AC, with Aktina), Tiamat (daughter, born Autumn 301 AC, with Aktina)
- Achievements:
Founder of the "of Kutaz" dynasty (300 AC)
Did a successful raid on the Nenubilanur Kingdom, in the surroundings of Ewadd (Autumn 300 AC)
Crushed Zepatian's army, saving the city of Tell Anak (Summer 306 AC)
Won against Nenulbinanur, adding Ewadd as a subsidiary ally and turning Nenulbinanur into a tributary (Autumn 306 AC)
- Other:
Received a Fate Seeker's prophecies (Spring 304 AC)
Started a training system for slave-soldiers (Spring 305 AC)
Got rid of the corruption in the bronze trade (Summer 305 AC)
Met a giant from the Navilim race, named Eldunak. Allowed him to stay in the city (Spring 307 AC)
- Death: /

Spoiler: Of Kutaz dynasty tree (click to show/hide)

Last update: Autumn 305 AC
(Made with Family Echo)

------------------------------

Greetings people of Bay12! I am once again coming out of nowhere to submit a game to you.
Basically the SPAMKINGDOM series from the mighty Haspen, but with an eastern flavour. If you have ever dreamed of playing in a bronze age city-state scenario, well, it's your luck.

Most of the rules are similar to the Spamkingdom, so you should not be lost. I have however a few modifications.

About statistics

There are four stats for your city-state: Stability (which is similar to Haspen's Happiness), Army (which is your army strength compared to your neighbors), Treasury (which is how well your fortune is going. Note that this is not about the economic's wellbeing of your population, but your own) and Population (like Army, relative to your neighbors' ones).
Unlike Haspen, I will use - and + to express the stats. Both because I want to give a feel instead of a raw number and because I don't want to get entangled in maths. The range goes from --- to +++. Both extremes are bad, though only --- may cause game over. +++ will only cause... Unstability and unrest that may lead to a --- situation.

Stats aside, game over happens if your capital city is destroyed, abandoned or absorbed into an empire. This means that you may have political or dynastic changes, or even being a vassal to another city-state and continue, as long as your rulers have a direct control over your city.

There are also five stats for your ruler, which I shamelessly borrowed from the Crusader Kings series:
- Diplomacy: How your character is able to smooth their interlocutors with their tongue
- Martial: How well your character is in military stuff. Include his skills with weapons, for sake of simplicity
- Stewardship: How good is your ruler with coins, managing state projects and generally monitoring the realm
- Intrigue: When it comes down to sneaky and illegal stuff
- Knowledge: For when you call history, customs, law and theology for help

For reasons next below, these five stats are ranked from 0 to 20. Lower numbers are worse. Most people are between 8 and 12.

I might also add traits. Some of them might only give small bonuses or maluses, others might be hugely influential. Acting against your personality may give your character addictions to cope with it.

About rolls

Most of the rolls will be on D20, using the five character's stats. Successful rolls must be lower or equal to the concerned stat (treshold can be modified by bonuses or maluses).
1 is a "natural critical success", 20 is a "natural critical failure", independently from the skill tested.

About votes

I am not against suggesting new options on a vote. However, I trust you to not go overboard on it. Should the votes get more divided than an election on proportional ballot, we might back out.
Another rule on this is to not get over detailed on new option. A good rule of thumb is to not make it longer than the already existing options.

About the unfairness of the Gamemaster

Disclaimer here. I'm an amateur gamemaster, so I might have some troubles balancing the game sometimes, being heavy-handed or not enough. My goal is still to create a fun story with you, and this may (and I believe, should) include how the story ended. Please do not take too much to heart what is mean to be a lighthearted game.

That being said, let's see who crumbles first: my motivation or your mighty city!

-----------------------------------------------------

Today is a day of great joy in the city-state of Gedur. For the first time since a century, Gedur is independent, now that Kalkan Empire has fallen under the combined pressure of internal revolts and hillsmen invaders from the Namorr's mountains. It didn’t take much to convince the Kalkan governor to get out as fast as possible back to his homeland. Now, the Gedurans have chosen you as their new leader. Who are you?

Name: Include your regal name and your dynasty name. You can check out the funny names from Ancient Mesopotamia if you lack inspiration
Formation: Diplomat / General / Advisor / Henchman / Priest
Give you a bonus on skills roll in the according category

What is your city-state best known for?
A) Its massive population, bigger than most city-states of its size
B) Its troops, who were important auxiliaries in the time of Kalkan Empire
C) Its strong customs and traditions, standing Gedur out of its other neighbors
D) Its rare tin mines, key component to make bronze, making the city-state a major trade hub of the region

And finally, how did you came to power?
A) Through a palace coup, using the dignitaries of the city as support to oust the governor (Monarchy)
B) Intimidating the small group of Kalkan officials by an army's show of strength (Tyranny)
C) By a mix of bribery and threats, using the wealth of your rich merchant friends (Oligarchy)
D) Using the clergy to gather support of the population, becoming the leader of a popular arising (Theocracy)

[Haspen]

Name: Gezhugimiluk of Kutaz
Formation: General

As for the choices: DB

Blessings upon thee and thy game.

[NUKE9.13]

Name: Gezhugimiluk
Formation: General

As for the choices: DB

Blessings upon thee and thy game.

Is the name a compound of Regal and Dynasty names? Cos we're supposed to include both. Other than that, I approve of this. For the first choice, D is the only option, in my mind- control of tin is insanely important during the Bronze Age. The wealth said tin generates will need defending, so a strong military start makes sense as well.

[Haspen]

Oh huh, mesopotamians usually lacked dynasty names as they were tacked on by later historians, I think.

EDIT: Added a more plausibly sounding dynasty name, indicative of birthplace.

[King Zultan]

Name: Gezhugimiluk of Kutaz
Formation: General

As for the choices: DB

Blessings upon thee and thy game.

+1

[Ixarys]

Oh huh, mesopotamians usually lacked dynasty names as they were tacked on by later historians, I think.

Let's call this an acceptable breach from reality, eh.

------------------------------------

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Here comes the dice bucket!

Martial background bonus: 1D4 = 2
Diplomacy: 2D10 = 19
Martial:2D10+2 = 16
Stewardship:2D10 = 6
Intrigue: 2D10 = 10
Knowledge:2D10 = 19
Good gods, no wonder why your fellow citizens have chosen you

Current situation of Gedur:
Stability: -
Army: -
Treasury: -
Population: --
Mmmmh...

You are Gezhugimiluk! You came from a small village near the city of Gedur named Kutaz, hence people referring to you and your family as "of Kutaz".

An ambitious man, you climbed the hierarchy of Gedurian army. You were a general when the combination of uprisings from vassals and tributaries and invasions from the Namorrian people broke the Kalkan armies.
Seizing the opportunity, you convince other generals through sheer charisma to follow you towards the palace, where Kalkan officials were living. As the sound of sandals were rolling in the streets, the Kalkan governor quickly invited you inside. It didn't take much to guide him towards an honorable departure.

A few days later, you gave an inspiring speech to soldiers and commoners alike, who proclaim you as the new Tyrant of Gedur. While a more than able commander, you are known for your great oratorical skills and deep knowledge on Gedurian and Kalkan culture, gods and history. However, it is notorious that, for a mysterious reason, money seems to burn a hole in your pocket.

This will for sure be a problem, and you will have to use all your skills to their greatest extent, as the situation of the city-state is dire. Gedur was not exactly prospering under the Kalkan rule, who were extorting every possible riches for their capital, Kalka. Even the tin mines near your city were strictly under Kalkan's control! Thus, Gedur is a poor state, with a meagre fortune, weak army and, possibly worse than all: a reduced population. Your city never really recovered from the brutal Kalkan conquest a few decades ago. Whole areas are left abandoned, unhabited. Given a few more decades on this trend, or a new demographic hit, and the city may become a ruin.

300 AC, Spring

As you sit in the stone throne of Gedur, you see small characters carved on the arms, which oddly confirm the impression you have on Gedur's state. Oddly enough, nobody can say who carved them. You postpone this matter for latter.

For now, your chief diplomat, an elegant man with a well groomed spiked bear comes to you.

"Benevolent Tyrant, as a newly proclaimed leader, you might wish a foreign marriage to establish your legitimacy with our neighbors. They would obviously return to senses given enough time, but this would speed the process."

And this would give you a precious ally for your unsteady city.

"As a man in the prime of your life, you could marry your children."

This was also true. Although not from a prestigious family, your sweet Aktina gave you a son and a daughter, now at the end of their adolescence.

"Oooor you could take a second wife. It is not uncommon for men of your standing to take numerous spouses."

A) "I'll take a second wife"
B) "Let's find a match for my son and heir!"
C) "Go find a worthy husband for my daughter!"
D) "We don't need a marriage for now"

[Haspen]

A because that will show our neighbours that we're rich and confident enough to support multiple wives.

[Ixarys]

"A second wife it is, my lord"

Your advisor nods and write something on a clay tablet he takes out of his garment.

"Do you wish someone from a neighboring city or from afar?", he asks without taking his eyes off the tablet.

A) "Closest is best!"
B) "A distant one. Less motives to bicker"

[NUKE9.13]

I suspect “second wife of upstart ruler of impoverished city” would not be very tempting to distant rulers. Nearby ones might be more inclined to win our favour (for now).
A

[Fluffe9911]

A

[Ixarys]

"Indeed, indeed, my lord", says your chief diplomat as he nods even more intensely.

He finishes writing and hide back his clay tablet.

"We will do our best to find a suitable bride for you", he speaks, before bowing and leaving.

300 AC, Early Summer

You heard from your spy-master, who heard it from merchants, that the not-so-far city of Zepat has fallen into the hands of hillsmen invaders. It is now a Namorrian dynasty which rules the city-state.
Worryingly enough, nobody in the region seems to care.

300 AC, Late Summer

"What do you mean by ‘on the brink of starvation’?"
"We have too many soldiers and not enough able bodied men to harvest the crops. We will face famine by winter if we don’t react now, my lord," explains your steward.
"Reducing our numbers is like a death sentence," roars your chief general. "Not with Namorrians at our doors!"
"Having swords won’t do us any good if our men do not have the strength to lift them," retorts the steward.

Furious, your commander grinds his teeth before turning towards you, seeking support.

A) "Our army is already weak. We must carry on"
B) "We will disband a chunk of our warriors, so they can harvest"
C) "Sounds like a good time to strike a deal with one of our neighbors!"
D) "We must do a sacrifice for Beylab, Goddess of Barley"

[Maximum Spin]

How about E: use those soldiers to get some more workers and grain by raiding?

[Ixarys]

How about E: use those soldiers to get some more workers and grain by raiding?

Eh, it’s not too late to start a slaver market.

[Atian the Elephantman God]

D

[Fluffe9911]

C