((Moaaan, more magic users great))
((Yeah, I didn't think this was Fantasy Land.))
This is, at best,
Low Fantasy land. We were doing quite reasonably with mundane methods until someone introduced a wizard - and then suddenly people think it's fair game to throw in lizardmen and orcs and D&D style chain-fireballing wizards. *grumble* I'd say "take the tone from what has come before" but it's my fault for letting magic exist in the first place. Risks opening up the floodgates to cliche fantasy. </rant>
In the less frequented inns, the sort adventurers seek out, there exists rumours of a land far to the north of the Weyburn Highlands of a barbaric no-man's land, now there are tales of many a place, with stories of cannibals feasting of the flesh of the still living. Yet in this land every single man, woman, and child is capable of great magical feats. Be it the result of a curse or blessing gone wrong, The result is brother turning on brother, and women brutalizing their husbands, as everyone attempts to survive it only ends in more bloodshed. Eventually one young warlock tires of the constant fighting, and flees to the south, hoping to gain power and land, so that he might subdue his fellow wizards. They call him the Ghost Wisperer, on the account of his ability to speak to the dead, but one day people will only dare to whisper his name in the back of the room, fear seen in the eyes of all who hear it, Pompulion the Soul-Reaper.
Spells and Such-Innate Ability -Summon Phantom Forces
Summons the unruly dead spirits of fallen soliders, requires a recently slain full regiment of troops. Can be only used thrice per year or the summoner risks the chance of the spirits turning on him (-3 to roll) Provides the same bonus as any other regular regiment.
-Misc Battle Spells
In battle in place of weapons, Bolts of Darkness are used to strike down enemies, and Nightmarish Illusions disable enemies, however these spells drain the user's stamina, and overexcessive use can result in death.
-Personal Regiment -Shadlings
Nightmarish creatures in the shape of men, same as any other regular regiment, yet causes allied troops to lose morale.
((I think I balanced the spells pretty well, just let me know if I should make a change.))
Power source and any particular
material costs for your spells, please.
Especially for raising the dead. Social costs for what is essentially a necromancer are pretty much what you'd expect - most sane people are going to be inclined to run you out of town.
Yet in this land every single man, woman, and child is capable of great magical feats.
I'm assuming that's part of the legend rather than a clear fact, so it's cool. I say that because the actual geopolitical impact of a country full of wizards would completely change the world dynamic - and if that's the plan, I'd rather it rose out of play rather than someone just saying 'wizard country exists now'. In short your homeland certainly isn't going to be populated entirely by wizards, but I could accept a distant land where wizardry is more accepted.
This goes for everyone making a new character from a different country. Be damn careful what you claim about that country's nature, especially if you are someone supposedly in a position of influence there. I reserve the right to veto anything ridiculously unbalanced or so out of character compared to the established character of the game so far that it would break things.
((I implied magic wasn't real. But either way, this is a Civ game, and 1 magic user is hard to balance in a world, where decisions are made with diplomacy and armies. They talk a bit about it in I believe Heroes of Battle DnD 3.5, I'll see if I can find a good quote.))
As mentioned, I left the choice of magic's existence up to the players, knowing that I would have to intervene heavily to balance it. If the players want or don't mind magic being involved, magic gets added to the game. But that doesn't change Elbreth's history or the presence of magic in the surrounding regions. Magic, to the vast majority of people, is either not real or the stuff of fantasy. Reactions to it are still perfectly valid. The only reason that would change is if there was a deliberate and concerted effort to make the populace magic-friendly.
Enough rulings, time to respond to some actions.
Actions: Trubaldsome shifts his seat back away from the priest-wizard confrontation, wondering where Waery got to, as Waery combs the room looking for some other gossips in the know about Miring.
[4] Waery finally locates a noble willing to provide him with a second-hand version of events in Miring. According to court gossip, some kind of elite Elbrethian assassin was sent to the court of Miring, where he single-handedly slaughtered the entirety of the court and the palace guard and forced the king to beg Elbreth to protect the kingdom. Virtually every noble who might have had a claim to the throne is dead.
Skin and burn 0.5 ducats worth of Slaves every hour until the Taggarts either surrender or attack. Meanwhile let the my regiments set up defenses in case of the latter.
[5+1] It's cruel and vicious, but it works. After one hour and the loss of
0.5 Ducats' worth of slaves, most of the Taggarts approach your lands and lay down their weapons. Others flee, disgraced, rather than face your forces. You acquire the
2 parcels of land that the Taggarts lived on and add them to your own demesne.
[3-2] Your extensive cruelty is not without its consequences. Word of your deeds is spreading throughout Weyland, even as far as Weybridge and the clan chiefs of the McKinley Clan. The McKinleys have not yet said if they will act, but neighbouring clans under the leadership of the Munro Clan have sworn to take vengeance upon the McRians and free their captured brethren.