In a world not entirely unlike our own exists hundreds of empires spread across the globe. A...
The Age of Empires
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Introduction 1
- Location
- USA
In a world not entirely unlike our own exists hundreds of empires spread across the globe. A globe suspiciously similar to Earth. Empires suspiciously similar to someone accidentally spilling a bowl of anachronistic medieval stew. Yes, while this may be a bizarre reflection of our planet during the middle ages, things are not entirely the same.
For you see, the empires are all aware of each other. Or, at least, the concept of a round planet and a vague idea where far away empires might be. Some empires may be ambitious to try and take on others halfway across the planet, but most have their own troubles nearby to deal with. Nobody really knows why the map of the planet is pretty filled out. It's been that way as long as they could remember.
Technological and immune system disparity is a thing of the past. While empires have their own advantages and disadvantages compared to each other, they are more or less on the same playing ground. This leads to many frustrated warmongers indeed.
Oh yeah, this world also has magic. And has tapped into the mystic powers of rule of cool.
What a time to be alive.
You have always felt a calling to serve your empire, and the time is ripe to take action on its behalf! But before we know more about you... just where are we, exactly?
[] The Americas. Almost two separate landmasses, but not quite. While there are countless tribes populating the lands, only some have become full-fledged empires. This leaves quite a bit of land (and people) to claim, but also opens up imperialistic powers from overseas to move in.
[] Europe. Europe is quite crowded. All the land has been claimed by empires, but this generally means you only have to deal with your neighbors. Who are dealing with their neighbors. Who are dealing with... you get the idea. An empire that successfully capitulates another is sure to gain a significant foothold in the power game.
[] Asia. What a crazy huge continent this is. And yet, despite its size, most land has been claimed by empires. However, these empires tend to be larger than Europe's, leaving centralized power far beyond some border fortresses and the like. One well-executed push can be all it takes to conquer a big chunk of an opponent's land.
[] Africa. The next crazy huge continent. All kinds of things are going on in Africa, and it has a similar deal as the Americas. Only instead of a large ocean that foreigners need to cross, you have to worry about coastal attacks from closer nations. Unless you're in the middle of the desert or jungle. Then you have to worry about that.
[] Oceania. Australia and her island friends. You have the advantage of isolation, but that can also be a disadvantage. It's going to take quite a bit more effort to launch an attack on another empire.
We'll whittle down things until we know exactly what empire you're from, then we can see your role in it. And no way are we just going to stick to one empire. The world is far too big for that. One's a pretty good idea to start with for now, though.
For you see, the empires are all aware of each other. Or, at least, the concept of a round planet and a vague idea where far away empires might be. Some empires may be ambitious to try and take on others halfway across the planet, but most have their own troubles nearby to deal with. Nobody really knows why the map of the planet is pretty filled out. It's been that way as long as they could remember.
Technological and immune system disparity is a thing of the past. While empires have their own advantages and disadvantages compared to each other, they are more or less on the same playing ground. This leads to many frustrated warmongers indeed.
Oh yeah, this world also has magic. And has tapped into the mystic powers of rule of cool.
What a time to be alive.
You have always felt a calling to serve your empire, and the time is ripe to take action on its behalf! But before we know more about you... just where are we, exactly?
[] The Americas. Almost two separate landmasses, but not quite. While there are countless tribes populating the lands, only some have become full-fledged empires. This leaves quite a bit of land (and people) to claim, but also opens up imperialistic powers from overseas to move in.
[] Europe. Europe is quite crowded. All the land has been claimed by empires, but this generally means you only have to deal with your neighbors. Who are dealing with their neighbors. Who are dealing with... you get the idea. An empire that successfully capitulates another is sure to gain a significant foothold in the power game.
[] Asia. What a crazy huge continent this is. And yet, despite its size, most land has been claimed by empires. However, these empires tend to be larger than Europe's, leaving centralized power far beyond some border fortresses and the like. One well-executed push can be all it takes to conquer a big chunk of an opponent's land.
[] Africa. The next crazy huge continent. All kinds of things are going on in Africa, and it has a similar deal as the Americas. Only instead of a large ocean that foreigners need to cross, you have to worry about coastal attacks from closer nations. Unless you're in the middle of the desert or jungle. Then you have to worry about that.
[] Oceania. Australia and her island friends. You have the advantage of isolation, but that can also be a disadvantage. It's going to take quite a bit more effort to launch an attack on another empire.
We'll whittle down things until we know exactly what empire you're from, then we can see your role in it. And no way are we just going to stick to one empire. The world is far too big for that. One's a pretty good idea to start with for now, though.
Databook
- Location
- USA
Virgil Corvinus:
Stats:
Strength: Low
Dexterity: Mid
Constitution: Low
Intelligence: Mid
Wits: High
Resolve: Low
Presence: High
Manipulation: High
Composure: Mid
Talents:
Stealth: Adept
-
Academics: Basic
Investigation: Adept
Politics: Medium
-
Empathy: Medium
Persuasion: High
Socialize: Low
Subterfuge: Adept
Powers:
Eye of Huginn: Virgil can achieve a minor mental link with any crow within a radius of several thousand meters. This allows him to see through their eyes. He can see through multiple visions of crows, but such a task is mentally taxing. He can also effectively communicate with crows, but this enhanced communication is only one way.
Relations:
(Empires)
Byzantium: He loves it and has some renown there
Ottoman: He dislikes it but is unknown there
Sicily: He dislikes it but is unknown there
Venice: He dislikes it but is unknown there
(Organizations)
Crows of Constantinople: Liked
Sanctum Umbrarum: Weary
(People)
Ahenobarbus: Hated
Ahenobarbus:
Stats:
Strength: Low
Dexterity: Mid
Constitution: Mid
Intelligence: High
Wits: High
Resolve: Mid
Presence: Mid
Manipulation: High
Composure: High
Talents:
Athletics: Low
Larceny: High
Stealth: Adept
-
Investigation: Adept
Occult: High
Politics: High
-
Empathy: Basic
Intimidation: Medium
Persuasion: Medium
Socialize: Medium
Subterfuge: Adept
Stats:
Strength: Low
Dexterity: Mid
Constitution: Low
Intelligence: Mid
Wits: High
Resolve: Low
Presence: High
Manipulation: High
Composure: Mid
Talents:
Stealth: Adept
-
Academics: Basic
Investigation: Adept
Politics: Medium
-
Empathy: Medium
Persuasion: High
Socialize: Low
Subterfuge: Adept
Powers:
Eye of Huginn: Virgil can achieve a minor mental link with any crow within a radius of several thousand meters. This allows him to see through their eyes. He can see through multiple visions of crows, but such a task is mentally taxing. He can also effectively communicate with crows, but this enhanced communication is only one way.
Relations:
(Empires)
Byzantium: He loves it and has some renown there
Ottoman: He dislikes it but is unknown there
Sicily: He dislikes it but is unknown there
Venice: He dislikes it but is unknown there
(Organizations)
Crows of Constantinople: Liked
Sanctum Umbrarum: Weary
(People)
Ahenobarbus: Hated
Ahenobarbus:
Stats:
Strength: Low
Dexterity: Mid
Constitution: Mid
Intelligence: High
Wits: High
Resolve: Mid
Presence: Mid
Manipulation: High
Composure: High
Talents:
Athletics: Low
Larceny: High
Stealth: Adept
-
Investigation: Adept
Occult: High
Politics: High
-
Empathy: Basic
Intimidation: Medium
Persuasion: Medium
Socialize: Medium
Subterfuge: Adept
The stats consist of the following:
-Strength (Physical Power), Dexterity (Physical Adaptability), Constitution (Physical Stability), Intelligence (Mental Power), Wits (Mental Adaptability), Resolve (Mental Stability), Presence (Social Power), Manipulation (Social Adaptability), Composure (Social Stability).
The progression of power in stats goes, from lowest to highest, crippled, weak, low, mid, high, extreme, then godly.
The talents can be narrowed down into more specific categories, but the main ones any will belong to are:
-Physical: Athletics, Larceny, Marksmanship, Martial Arts, Ride, Stealth, Survival, Weaponry.
-Mental: Academics, Crafts, Investigation, Medicine, Occult, Politics, Religion, Warfare.
-Social: Animal Training, Empathy, Expression, Intimidation, Persuasion, Socialize, Streetwise, Subterfuge.
The progression of proficiency in talents goes, from lowest to highest, basic, low, medium, high, adept, then master.
Physical Talents:
-Athletics: This reflects the prowess of your physical ability. Running, jumping, climbing, swimming, and dodging are all things represented by this talent.
-Larceny: This reflects the prowess of your sleight of hand, and is commonly used by thieves, illusionists, and lockpickers.
-Marksmanship: This reflects your prowess in using ranged weapons, anything from bows to crossbows to a simple throwing weapon like a javelin.
-Martial Arts: This reflects your prowess in unarmed combat: punches, kicks, grapples, headbutts, and all of the various flair and technique that can be applied to them.
-Ride: This reflects your prowess in controlling and maneuvering mounts and any vehicles they may be pulling.
-Stealth: This reflects your prowess in staying hidden. It covers sneaking, hiding, moving through crowds, disguises, and other such things.
-Survival: This reflects your prowess in living off of the land. It covers finding shelter, gather food, hunting, and enduring harsh elements of the wild.
-Weaponry: This reflects your prowess in using melee weapons. Swords, polearms, clubs, you name it.
Mental Talents:
-Academics. This reflects your knowledge of the arts and humanities: history, literature, law, economics, linguistics, research, and all of that good stuff.
-Crafts: This reflects your knowledge to analyze, repair, design, and build specific objects. Some examples would be carpentry, smithing, and stonework.
-Investigation: This reflects your knowledge in putting together clues to solve mysteries and puzzles.
-Medicine: This reflects your knowledge of the human body and how to treat its ailments. It runs the gamut from simple herbalism to full on surgery.
-Occult: This reflects your knowledge of myth, folklore, and non-religious magic, amongst other strange things.
-Politics: This reflects your knowledge of political figures, issues, and bodies. You can navigate bureaucracies and play the political game with this talent.
-Religion: This reflects your knowledge of religious institutions, their gods, and religious magic.
-Warfare: This reflects your knowledge of the art of war. Formations, tactics, and other such things are the domains of this talent.
Social Talents:
-Animal Training: This reflects your ability in understanding animal behavior. You can tame, soothe, and calm animals using it.
-Empathy: This reflects your ability to understand another's feelings and intentions. You can detect someone's mood and subtle things like deception or uncertainty, as well as soothe their feelings.
-Expression: This reflects your ability to communicate your thoughts and emotions. This talent covers the written and spoken word, arts and crafts made to convey beauty or emotion (though crafts will overlap with the crafts talent above), and performing acts, music, or dance.
-Intimidation: This reflects your ability of using fear to get others to do what you want. This can range from subtle threats to interrogation to a full display of force.
-Persuasion: This reflects your ability of using influence, charm, and arguments to change the minds of others.
-Socialize: This reflects your ability of etiquette and fitting in a variety of social situations.
-Streetwise: This reflects your ability of reading how life in the city works. You can navigate a city well and know just who and where to go to for certain needs.
-Subterfuge: This reflects your ability to deceive others. While it is commonly used to lie to others and hide your true intentions, it is also used to help detect when you are being lied to.
-Strength (Physical Power), Dexterity (Physical Adaptability), Constitution (Physical Stability), Intelligence (Mental Power), Wits (Mental Adaptability), Resolve (Mental Stability), Presence (Social Power), Manipulation (Social Adaptability), Composure (Social Stability).
The progression of power in stats goes, from lowest to highest, crippled, weak, low, mid, high, extreme, then godly.
The talents can be narrowed down into more specific categories, but the main ones any will belong to are:
-Physical: Athletics, Larceny, Marksmanship, Martial Arts, Ride, Stealth, Survival, Weaponry.
-Mental: Academics, Crafts, Investigation, Medicine, Occult, Politics, Religion, Warfare.
-Social: Animal Training, Empathy, Expression, Intimidation, Persuasion, Socialize, Streetwise, Subterfuge.
The progression of proficiency in talents goes, from lowest to highest, basic, low, medium, high, adept, then master.
Physical Talents:
-Athletics: This reflects the prowess of your physical ability. Running, jumping, climbing, swimming, and dodging are all things represented by this talent.
-Larceny: This reflects the prowess of your sleight of hand, and is commonly used by thieves, illusionists, and lockpickers.
-Marksmanship: This reflects your prowess in using ranged weapons, anything from bows to crossbows to a simple throwing weapon like a javelin.
-Martial Arts: This reflects your prowess in unarmed combat: punches, kicks, grapples, headbutts, and all of the various flair and technique that can be applied to them.
-Ride: This reflects your prowess in controlling and maneuvering mounts and any vehicles they may be pulling.
-Stealth: This reflects your prowess in staying hidden. It covers sneaking, hiding, moving through crowds, disguises, and other such things.
-Survival: This reflects your prowess in living off of the land. It covers finding shelter, gather food, hunting, and enduring harsh elements of the wild.
-Weaponry: This reflects your prowess in using melee weapons. Swords, polearms, clubs, you name it.
Mental Talents:
-Academics. This reflects your knowledge of the arts and humanities: history, literature, law, economics, linguistics, research, and all of that good stuff.
-Crafts: This reflects your knowledge to analyze, repair, design, and build specific objects. Some examples would be carpentry, smithing, and stonework.
-Investigation: This reflects your knowledge in putting together clues to solve mysteries and puzzles.
-Medicine: This reflects your knowledge of the human body and how to treat its ailments. It runs the gamut from simple herbalism to full on surgery.
-Occult: This reflects your knowledge of myth, folklore, and non-religious magic, amongst other strange things.
-Politics: This reflects your knowledge of political figures, issues, and bodies. You can navigate bureaucracies and play the political game with this talent.
-Religion: This reflects your knowledge of religious institutions, their gods, and religious magic.
-Warfare: This reflects your knowledge of the art of war. Formations, tactics, and other such things are the domains of this talent.
Social Talents:
-Animal Training: This reflects your ability in understanding animal behavior. You can tame, soothe, and calm animals using it.
-Empathy: This reflects your ability to understand another's feelings and intentions. You can detect someone's mood and subtle things like deception or uncertainty, as well as soothe their feelings.
-Expression: This reflects your ability to communicate your thoughts and emotions. This talent covers the written and spoken word, arts and crafts made to convey beauty or emotion (though crafts will overlap with the crafts talent above), and performing acts, music, or dance.
-Intimidation: This reflects your ability of using fear to get others to do what you want. This can range from subtle threats to interrogation to a full display of force.
-Persuasion: This reflects your ability of using influence, charm, and arguments to change the minds of others.
-Socialize: This reflects your ability of etiquette and fitting in a variety of social situations.
-Streetwise: This reflects your ability of reading how life in the city works. You can navigate a city well and know just who and where to go to for certain needs.
-Subterfuge: This reflects your ability to deceive others. While it is commonly used to lie to others and hide your true intentions, it is also used to help detect when you are being lied to.
Last edited:
Introduction 2
- Location
- USA
Europe. The leader of the bunch, you know her well. The lands of Christendom either living in the remnants of the legendary Roman Empire (for the most part), or in the remnants of barbarian lands that have since become formidable empires in their own right. Or you are the Roman Empire, in which case, good luck about that Turk problem to the east. Despite being the second smallest inhabited continent, we're still going to need to narrow down your origins.
[] Western Europe. These chaps, along with their Iberian neighbors to the south, are those that end up essentially conquering the world in our timeline. While not as powerful here, they're still in a prime position to conquer wherever they damn well please.
(The empires in this region are: Aquitaine, Brittany, Burgundy, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales)
[] Southern Europe. These are the empires residing on the various appendages dangling into the Mediterranean. They may or may not be haughty about residing in Roman lands. Or being Rome. The Mediterranean provides excellent opportunities to take overseas lands, but your particular penninsula is likely fractured at the moment. Or, if you're on Iberia, you could just go wherever you damn well please.
(The empires in this region are: Aragon, Byzantium, Castile, Cyprus, Galicia-Leon, Genoa, Granada, Malta, Milan, Naples, Navarre, Papal States, Portugal, Savoy, Sicily, Tuscany, Venice)
[] Central Europe. What is even going on here? Outside of Germany we look nice and stable, but what even is this Holy Roman Empire? Either you're outside of the feudal mess, are one of the seven sub-empires inside of it, or, unfortunately, some smaller territory trying to make a name for yourself. Wherever you're from, being smack dab in the middle of Europe can have some advantages.
(The empires in this region are: Austria, Bavaria, Bohemia, Brandenburg, Holy Roman Empire, Hungary, Palatinate, Poland, Switzerland, Westphalia)
[] Northern Europe. Here be former vikings. Or just some other people on that phallic peninsula up there. Or you're a crazy crusader order that has set up shop in the Baltics. Regardless, you're in a good position to expand by either land or sea.
(The empires in this region are: Denmark, Finland, Lapland, Norway, Teutonic Order, Sweden)
[] Eastern Europe. Here be Slavs. Unless you're Lithuanian or encroaching steppe or Siberian folks. You're probably like Rome in where you're more worried about threats to the east. Unless you are one of those threats from the east.
(The empires in this region are: Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Crimea, Croatia, the Golden Horde, Kievan Rus, Komi, Lithuania, Moldavia, Muscovy, Nenets, Novgorod, Serbia, Wallachia)
[] B-But we're European, too! You may have some arguments, but geography says you're Asian, sorry. Still, you could entirely ignore your home continent and just stick your thumbs in European pies all year long, so welcome aboard.
(The empires in this region are: Antioch, Armenia, Georgia, Ottomans)
[] Western Europe. These chaps, along with their Iberian neighbors to the south, are those that end up essentially conquering the world in our timeline. While not as powerful here, they're still in a prime position to conquer wherever they damn well please.
(The empires in this region are: Aquitaine, Brittany, Burgundy, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales)
[] Southern Europe. These are the empires residing on the various appendages dangling into the Mediterranean. They may or may not be haughty about residing in Roman lands. Or being Rome. The Mediterranean provides excellent opportunities to take overseas lands, but your particular penninsula is likely fractured at the moment. Or, if you're on Iberia, you could just go wherever you damn well please.
(The empires in this region are: Aragon, Byzantium, Castile, Cyprus, Galicia-Leon, Genoa, Granada, Malta, Milan, Naples, Navarre, Papal States, Portugal, Savoy, Sicily, Tuscany, Venice)
[] Central Europe. What is even going on here? Outside of Germany we look nice and stable, but what even is this Holy Roman Empire? Either you're outside of the feudal mess, are one of the seven sub-empires inside of it, or, unfortunately, some smaller territory trying to make a name for yourself. Wherever you're from, being smack dab in the middle of Europe can have some advantages.
(The empires in this region are: Austria, Bavaria, Bohemia, Brandenburg, Holy Roman Empire, Hungary, Palatinate, Poland, Switzerland, Westphalia)
[] Northern Europe. Here be former vikings. Or just some other people on that phallic peninsula up there. Or you're a crazy crusader order that has set up shop in the Baltics. Regardless, you're in a good position to expand by either land or sea.
(The empires in this region are: Denmark, Finland, Lapland, Norway, Teutonic Order, Sweden)
[] Eastern Europe. Here be Slavs. Unless you're Lithuanian or encroaching steppe or Siberian folks. You're probably like Rome in where you're more worried about threats to the east. Unless you are one of those threats from the east.
(The empires in this region are: Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Crimea, Croatia, the Golden Horde, Kievan Rus, Komi, Lithuania, Moldavia, Muscovy, Nenets, Novgorod, Serbia, Wallachia)
[] B-But we're European, too! You may have some arguments, but geography says you're Asian, sorry. Still, you could entirely ignore your home continent and just stick your thumbs in European pies all year long, so welcome aboard.
(The empires in this region are: Antioch, Armenia, Georgia, Ottomans)
Introduction 3
- Location
- USA
Southern Europe is the homeland of your empire. Being the home of legendary Rome and Greece as well as being entwined in the Mediterranean means that all kinds of traffic has gone through both the lands and sea, making this area a hot spot for would-be conquerors, but also the inflow of trade and culture.
Which do you belong to?
[] The Crown of Aragon. This maritime powerhouse is ruled by the God-King Chaime I. In addition to the eastern coast of Iberia, this empire possesses the Baleric Islands and the island of Sardinia.
[] The Byzantine Empire. This empire is Rome, though nobody else really acknowledges this. The empire had been in a steady decline until the ascension of the current God-King Alexios I Komnenos, seeing its return to owning the southern Balkans, the Aegean Sea, and the island of Crete, in addition into pushing into Anatolia. It's still a long ways off from reaching its former glory.
[] The Crown of Castile. This empire resides in central Iberia and is ruled by the God-King Ysabel, one of the few female God-Kings. She seeks to drive out Granada and unite the peninsula under one empire.
[] The Kingdom of Cyprus. This crusader kingdom is ruled by the God-King Pierre I Lusignan. It resides on its titular island and seeks to expand by fighting against the Turkish heathens.
[] The Kingdom of Galicia-Leon. The former Christian powerhouse of Iberia has suffered loss of land to both Castile and the breakaway empire of Portugal. The two empires had to band together to maintain their power. It resides in the northwest of the peninsula and is ruled by the God-King Alfonso VI.
[] The Republic of Genoa. This small empire on the northwest coast of the Italian peninsula is ruled by the God-King Simone Boccanegra. It is a powerful trading force seeking to make colonies across the Mediterranean, and it has already obtained the island of Corsica.
[] The Emirate of Granada. Located in southern Iberia, this empire is ruled by the God-King Muhammed I ibn Nasr. The remnant of the once mighty Caliphate of Cordoba, Granada is the last bastion of Islam in Europe and is being hammered hard by the Christian empires to the north.
[] The Kingdom of Malta. This tiny crusader kingdom in the southern Mediterranean is ruled by the God-King Jean Parisot de Valette.
[] The Duchy of Milan. Located in central northern Italy, this wealthy empire is ruled by the God-King Gian Galeazzo and has recently broke away from the Holy Roman Empire.
[] The Kingdom of Naples. This empire holds the entire "bootheel" of the Italian peninsula, and it is led by the God-King Roberto il Saggio. It is still reeling from the loss of the breakaway empire of Sicily.
[] The Kingdom of Navarre. Located in central northeastern Iberia, this small empire is ruled by the God-King Sancho III. The pressure from the larger neighboring empires has put Navarre in a very defensive position despite its role in pushing back the Moors.
[] The Papal States. Residing in central-eastern Italy, this empire is the heart of the Catholic faith and holds significant sway over all of Christendom. It is ruled by the God-King Pope Innocent III.
[] The Kingdom of Portugal. Holding the majority of the western coast of Iberia, this empire broke away from Galicia-Leon and is ruled by the God-King Afonso I.
[] The Duchy of Savoy. This empire resides in a pocket of the Alps slightly to the west of the Italian peninsula and has recently broke away from the Holy Roman Empire. It is ruled by the God-King Charles I the Warrior.
[] The Kingdom of Sicily. A recent breakaway from Naples, this empire is ruled by the God-King Roger II, who is not content with merely ruling the titular island.
[] The Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Residing in central-western Italy, this empire is the cultural heart of the peninsula and is the birthplace of the Renaissance movement. It is ruled by the God-King Lorenzo de Medici.
[] The Most Serene Republic of Venice. Located in northeastern Italy, this wealthy empire commands the Adriatic Sea and has expanded to obtain some land and islands on the northwest coast of the Balkan peninsula. It is ruled by the God-King Enrico Dandolo, who greedily eyes the opportunity to strike at Byzantium before it gets too powerful.
Which do you belong to?
[] The Crown of Aragon. This maritime powerhouse is ruled by the God-King Chaime I. In addition to the eastern coast of Iberia, this empire possesses the Baleric Islands and the island of Sardinia.
[] The Byzantine Empire. This empire is Rome, though nobody else really acknowledges this. The empire had been in a steady decline until the ascension of the current God-King Alexios I Komnenos, seeing its return to owning the southern Balkans, the Aegean Sea, and the island of Crete, in addition into pushing into Anatolia. It's still a long ways off from reaching its former glory.
[] The Crown of Castile. This empire resides in central Iberia and is ruled by the God-King Ysabel, one of the few female God-Kings. She seeks to drive out Granada and unite the peninsula under one empire.
[] The Kingdom of Cyprus. This crusader kingdom is ruled by the God-King Pierre I Lusignan. It resides on its titular island and seeks to expand by fighting against the Turkish heathens.
[] The Kingdom of Galicia-Leon. The former Christian powerhouse of Iberia has suffered loss of land to both Castile and the breakaway empire of Portugal. The two empires had to band together to maintain their power. It resides in the northwest of the peninsula and is ruled by the God-King Alfonso VI.
[] The Republic of Genoa. This small empire on the northwest coast of the Italian peninsula is ruled by the God-King Simone Boccanegra. It is a powerful trading force seeking to make colonies across the Mediterranean, and it has already obtained the island of Corsica.
[] The Emirate of Granada. Located in southern Iberia, this empire is ruled by the God-King Muhammed I ibn Nasr. The remnant of the once mighty Caliphate of Cordoba, Granada is the last bastion of Islam in Europe and is being hammered hard by the Christian empires to the north.
[] The Kingdom of Malta. This tiny crusader kingdom in the southern Mediterranean is ruled by the God-King Jean Parisot de Valette.
[] The Duchy of Milan. Located in central northern Italy, this wealthy empire is ruled by the God-King Gian Galeazzo and has recently broke away from the Holy Roman Empire.
[] The Kingdom of Naples. This empire holds the entire "bootheel" of the Italian peninsula, and it is led by the God-King Roberto il Saggio. It is still reeling from the loss of the breakaway empire of Sicily.
[] The Kingdom of Navarre. Located in central northeastern Iberia, this small empire is ruled by the God-King Sancho III. The pressure from the larger neighboring empires has put Navarre in a very defensive position despite its role in pushing back the Moors.
[] The Papal States. Residing in central-eastern Italy, this empire is the heart of the Catholic faith and holds significant sway over all of Christendom. It is ruled by the God-King Pope Innocent III.
[] The Kingdom of Portugal. Holding the majority of the western coast of Iberia, this empire broke away from Galicia-Leon and is ruled by the God-King Afonso I.
[] The Duchy of Savoy. This empire resides in a pocket of the Alps slightly to the west of the Italian peninsula and has recently broke away from the Holy Roman Empire. It is ruled by the God-King Charles I the Warrior.
[] The Kingdom of Sicily. A recent breakaway from Naples, this empire is ruled by the God-King Roger II, who is not content with merely ruling the titular island.
[] The Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Residing in central-western Italy, this empire is the cultural heart of the peninsula and is the birthplace of the Renaissance movement. It is ruled by the God-King Lorenzo de Medici.
[] The Most Serene Republic of Venice. Located in northeastern Italy, this wealthy empire commands the Adriatic Sea and has expanded to obtain some land and islands on the northwest coast of the Balkan peninsula. It is ruled by the God-King Enrico Dandolo, who greedily eyes the opportunity to strike at Byzantium before it gets too powerful.
Introduction 4
- Location
- USA
You reside in the empire of Byzantium, which is the oldest empire in all of Europe. The area has a rich history, owning the heartland of the ancient Greek empires, and the empire is the sole survivor of the fall of Rome, being the Eastern Roman Empire itself. The Byzantine Empire has lost quite a few land since its apex from the Arabs, Turks, and Normans, but it has managed to bounce back in power and fortify its lands. Being the heart and soul of the Orthodox faith, the empire has considerable influence over the other Patriarchate empires. Constantinople, the capital of the empire, is also one of the finest cities the world has known, as well as having a key location in the Bosporus Strait. While the God-King may have stabilized the empire's territory, its enemies that have seized land in the past are still prime threats.
Before your role in the empire can be decided, the attributes you possess need to be established...
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Time to decide how your stats play out. The stat system in this CYOAis blatantly stolen from World of Darkness consists of three categories crossed with three types for a total of nine stats to decide. The three categories are physical, mental, and social. You can make an impact on the world with any of these three attributes. You can express them in three different ways: power, adaptability, and stability.
This makes the nine stats Strength (physical/power), Dexterity (physical/adaptability), Constitution (physical/stability), Intelligence (mental/power), Wits (mental/adaptability), Resolve (mental/stability), Presence (social/power), Manipulation (social/adaptability), and Composure (social/stability).
Instead of exact numbers, I'm merely using a ranking system. Rankings go, highest to lowest, godly, extreme, high, mid, low, weak, then crippled.
Now you need to decide the importance of your stats. Of physical, mental, and social, you must pick one category to prioritize and one to neglect. This ranking will determine the roles available to your character. For example, high physical and mid social would be fitting for a warrior, while high social and mid mental would be good for a merchant of sorts.
For your primary stat, pick two of its associations to be rated high and one to be rated mid.
For your secondary stat, pick one of its associations to be rated high, one to be rated mid, and one to be rated low.
For your tertiary stat, pick one of its associations to be rated mid and two to be rated low.
Before your role in the empire can be decided, the attributes you possess need to be established...
---
Time to decide how your stats play out. The stat system in this CYOA
This makes the nine stats Strength (physical/power), Dexterity (physical/adaptability), Constitution (physical/stability), Intelligence (mental/power), Wits (mental/adaptability), Resolve (mental/stability), Presence (social/power), Manipulation (social/adaptability), and Composure (social/stability).
Instead of exact numbers, I'm merely using a ranking system. Rankings go, highest to lowest, godly, extreme, high, mid, low, weak, then crippled.
Now you need to decide the importance of your stats. Of physical, mental, and social, you must pick one category to prioritize and one to neglect. This ranking will determine the roles available to your character. For example, high physical and mid social would be fitting for a warrior, while high social and mid mental would be good for a merchant of sorts.
For your primary stat, pick two of its associations to be rated high and one to be rated mid.
For your secondary stat, pick one of its associations to be rated high, one to be rated mid, and one to be rated low.
For your tertiary stat, pick one of its associations to be rated mid and two to be rated low.
Introduction 5
- Location
- USA
You are a master of words, being able to sway the minds and hearts of men and women alike. You were a schemer, more than content to let others use physical force for you if the need required it. Your role in the empire can almost be chosen, but first...
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Now we need to know your talents. Theseare also stolen from World of Darkness represent your expertise in certain functions linked to the physical, mental, and social stats. The progression of proficiency in talents goes, from lowest to highest, basic, low, medium, high, adept, then master. Unlike the stats, it's perfectly normal to have no proficiency in several talents. Not everyone's a renaissance man. But now you need an overview of just what talents you are capable of.
Physical Talents:
-Athletics: This reflects the prowess of your physical ability. Running, jumping, climbing, swimming, and dodging are all things represented by this talent.
-Larceny: This reflects the prowess of your sleight of hand, and is commonly used by thieves, illusionists, and lockpickers.
-Marksmanship: This reflects your prowess in using ranged weapons, anything from bows to crossbows to a simple throwing weapon like a javelin.
-Martial Arts: This reflects your prowess in unarmed combat: punches, kicks, grapples, headbutts, and all of the various flair and technique that can be applied to them.
-Ride: This reflects your prowess in controlling and maneuvering mounts and any vehicles they may be pulling.
-Stealth: This reflects your prowess in staying hidden. It covers sneaking, hiding, moving through crowds, disguises, and other such things.
-Survival: This reflects your prowess in living off of the land. It covers finding shelter, gather food, hunting, and enduring harsh elements of the wild.
-Weaponry: This reflects your prowess in using melee weapons. Swords, polearms, clubs, you name it.
Mental Talents:
-Academics. This reflects your knowledge of the arts and humanities: history, literature, law, economics, linguistics, research, and all of that good stuff.
-Crafts: This reflects your knowledge to analyze, repair, design, and build specific objects. Some examples would be carpentry, smithing, and stonework.
-Investigation: This reflects your knowledge in putting together clues to solve mysteries and puzzles.
-Medicine: This reflects your knowledge of the human body and how to treat its ailments. It runs the gamut from simple herbalism to full on surgery.
-Occult: This reflects your knowledge of myth, folklore, and non-religious magic, amongst other strange things.
-Politics: This reflects your knowledge of political figures, issues, and bodies. You can navigate bureaucracies and play the political game with this talent.
-Religion: This reflects your knowledge of religious institutions, their gods, and religious magic.
-Warfare: This reflects your knowledge of the art of war. Formations, tactics, and other such things are the domains of this talent.
Social Talents:
-Animal Training: This reflects your ability in understanding animal behavior. You can tame, soothe, and calm animals using it.
-Empathy: This reflects your ability to understand another's feelings and intentions. You can detect someone's mood and subtle things like deception or uncertainty, as well as soothe their feelings.
-Expression: This reflects your ability to communicate your thoughts and emotions. This talent covers the written and spoken word, arts and crafts made to convey beauty or emotion (though crafts will overlap with the crafts talent above), and performing acts, music, or dance.
-Intimidation: This reflects your ability of using fear to get others to do what you want. This can range from subtle threats to interrogation to a full display of force.
-Persuasion: This reflects your ability of using influence, charm, and arguments to change the minds of others.
-Socialize: This reflects your ability of etiquette and fitting in a variety of social situations.
-Streetwise: This reflects your ability of reading how life in the city works. You can navigate a city well and know just who and where to go to for certain needs.
-Subterfuge: This reflects your ability to deceive others. While it is commonly used to lie to others and hide your true intentions, it is also used to help detect when you are being lied to.
Phew. That was a lot to cover. Now you have to decide how to distribute your talents.
Recall the ranking of talents (basic, low, medium, high, adept, then master) and that's it fine to have no skill in one or more. You're not starting off as a master in anything. This will be a point buy system: becoming basic in a talent requires one point, low requires two points, and so on up to becoming adept with five points.
Social is your main category. You have 14 points to spend in its associated talents. Mental is your secondary category. You have 9 points to spend in its associated talents. Physical is your lame category. You have 5 points to spend in its associated talents.
As with before, if there's no clear majority, then I'll do a conglomerate deal and average out the votes.
---
Now we need to know your talents. These
Physical Talents:
-Athletics: This reflects the prowess of your physical ability. Running, jumping, climbing, swimming, and dodging are all things represented by this talent.
-Larceny: This reflects the prowess of your sleight of hand, and is commonly used by thieves, illusionists, and lockpickers.
-Marksmanship: This reflects your prowess in using ranged weapons, anything from bows to crossbows to a simple throwing weapon like a javelin.
-Martial Arts: This reflects your prowess in unarmed combat: punches, kicks, grapples, headbutts, and all of the various flair and technique that can be applied to them.
-Ride: This reflects your prowess in controlling and maneuvering mounts and any vehicles they may be pulling.
-Stealth: This reflects your prowess in staying hidden. It covers sneaking, hiding, moving through crowds, disguises, and other such things.
-Survival: This reflects your prowess in living off of the land. It covers finding shelter, gather food, hunting, and enduring harsh elements of the wild.
-Weaponry: This reflects your prowess in using melee weapons. Swords, polearms, clubs, you name it.
Mental Talents:
-Academics. This reflects your knowledge of the arts and humanities: history, literature, law, economics, linguistics, research, and all of that good stuff.
-Crafts: This reflects your knowledge to analyze, repair, design, and build specific objects. Some examples would be carpentry, smithing, and stonework.
-Investigation: This reflects your knowledge in putting together clues to solve mysteries and puzzles.
-Medicine: This reflects your knowledge of the human body and how to treat its ailments. It runs the gamut from simple herbalism to full on surgery.
-Occult: This reflects your knowledge of myth, folklore, and non-religious magic, amongst other strange things.
-Politics: This reflects your knowledge of political figures, issues, and bodies. You can navigate bureaucracies and play the political game with this talent.
-Religion: This reflects your knowledge of religious institutions, their gods, and religious magic.
-Warfare: This reflects your knowledge of the art of war. Formations, tactics, and other such things are the domains of this talent.
Social Talents:
-Animal Training: This reflects your ability in understanding animal behavior. You can tame, soothe, and calm animals using it.
-Empathy: This reflects your ability to understand another's feelings and intentions. You can detect someone's mood and subtle things like deception or uncertainty, as well as soothe their feelings.
-Expression: This reflects your ability to communicate your thoughts and emotions. This talent covers the written and spoken word, arts and crafts made to convey beauty or emotion (though crafts will overlap with the crafts talent above), and performing acts, music, or dance.
-Intimidation: This reflects your ability of using fear to get others to do what you want. This can range from subtle threats to interrogation to a full display of force.
-Persuasion: This reflects your ability of using influence, charm, and arguments to change the minds of others.
-Socialize: This reflects your ability of etiquette and fitting in a variety of social situations.
-Streetwise: This reflects your ability of reading how life in the city works. You can navigate a city well and know just who and where to go to for certain needs.
-Subterfuge: This reflects your ability to deceive others. While it is commonly used to lie to others and hide your true intentions, it is also used to help detect when you are being lied to.
Phew. That was a lot to cover. Now you have to decide how to distribute your talents.
Recall the ranking of talents (basic, low, medium, high, adept, then master) and that's it fine to have no skill in one or more. You're not starting off as a master in anything. This will be a point buy system: becoming basic in a talent requires one point, low requires two points, and so on up to becoming adept with five points.
Social is your main category. You have 14 points to spend in its associated talents. Mental is your secondary category. You have 9 points to spend in its associated talents. Physical is your lame category. You have 5 points to spend in its associated talents.
As with before, if there's no clear majority, then I'll do a conglomerate deal and average out the votes.
Introduction 6
- Location
- USA
Now it's (finally) time to finalize the character creation process. With your attributes and skills finalized, now you can decide what role you play in the empire.
[] A diplomat. It's your duty to travel to other empires and improve their relations with Byzantium while also learning of their plans and intentions.
[] A spy. Similar to a diplomat, but clandestine instead of public. Rather than care about public relations, it's your duty to learn information or to sabotage.
[] An assassin. Your social skills make it easy to infiltrate and eliminate your targets.
[] A criminal. Breaking and entering gives you such a rush, especially when you're not caught!
[] A merchant. Traveling and selling your wares has brought you to the city that is the crossroads of Europe and Asia.
[] A noble. Having high status in the empire gives you particular sway over the lesser folk that inhabit it.
[] Pyrooooo, you didn't think of this thing! (Write in).
And we'll need an actual character to attach all of these traits to.
[] Name (Latin or Greek should do the trick)
[] Empire of Origin (of course, you can be an immigrant or descended from one, which would change your name if you're not native)
[] Sex
[] Appearance
[] Personality
Lastly, you have what is known as your One Unique Thing. This is some sort of object, skill, or situation that puts you above the common folk. Do you have a weapon that is enchanted in some manner? Do you have a religious relic that grants a power of some sort? Does lady luck always seem to favor you? Or perhaps you are the heir to considerable fortune? Anything goes so long as it isn't overpowered.
[] My One Unique Thing is... (Write in)
[] A diplomat. It's your duty to travel to other empires and improve their relations with Byzantium while also learning of their plans and intentions.
[] A spy. Similar to a diplomat, but clandestine instead of public. Rather than care about public relations, it's your duty to learn information or to sabotage.
[] An assassin. Your social skills make it easy to infiltrate and eliminate your targets.
[] A criminal. Breaking and entering gives you such a rush, especially when you're not caught!
[] A merchant. Traveling and selling your wares has brought you to the city that is the crossroads of Europe and Asia.
[] A noble. Having high status in the empire gives you particular sway over the lesser folk that inhabit it.
[] Pyrooooo, you didn't think of this thing! (Write in).
And we'll need an actual character to attach all of these traits to.
[] Name (Latin or Greek should do the trick)
[] Empire of Origin (of course, you can be an immigrant or descended from one, which would change your name if you're not native)
[] Sex
[] Appearance
[] Personality
Lastly, you have what is known as your One Unique Thing. This is some sort of object, skill, or situation that puts you above the common folk. Do you have a weapon that is enchanted in some manner? Do you have a religious relic that grants a power of some sort? Does lady luck always seem to favor you? Or perhaps you are the heir to considerable fortune? Anything goes so long as it isn't overpowered.
[] My One Unique Thing is... (Write in)
Information: Infractions issued
Byzantium - I
- Location
- USA
Well, that didn't change the majority or anything. More spy than noble, but you're both anyway, so whatever.
---
Cheers from the surrounding crowd filled your ears as you took a long drink from the goblet of wine in your hands. The chariot races at the Hippodrome were always an exciting time... especially if your gambling paid off in the end. You had quite a bit of money riding on the Blues today. You sat far above the common riffraff below, most of them not being able to afford seats, as you gazed down at the racers preparing the chariots.
You didn't pay much mind when someone sat down next to you. That is, until he spoke.
"Having a good time, Virgil?" the man asked, his smooth voice slithering into your ears. Most would be charmed by this man, but you could only associate his voice with disgusting slime anymore. This bastard that was, as far as you were concerned, the only person that held power over you. You didn't even know his name, just what he went by.
Ahenobarbus.
"Oh, don't you worry, I'm not going to be here for long," he said with a slight smile that had smugness painted all over it. He was a handsome fellow with short curled red hair and a goatee held into a curled point with some wax. Give the man some horns and he'd be a spitting image of the Devil himself.
"Just get it over with," you growled. "Your presence is making me ill."
"We have a job for you," he said, getting to business. By "we," he meant the shadowy organization Sanctum Umbrarum. Ahenobarbus was the public face and the mouthpiece for it, and every single time he showed up you regretted ever looking into the rumors in the first place. If you never dove so deep, you'd still have one of your eyes, and you certainly wouldn't have this pest always showing up and bossing you around.
"What troublesome official am I helping to take down this time?" you asked with a heavy sigh.
"How good is your Turkish?"
That meant this wasn't a public dissident at all. Were you actually going to be sent into enemy territory to deal with someone? If he was asking, then he didn't know for sure what languages you knew...
[] Tell him you can speak it (truth).
[] Tell him you can speak it (lie).
[] Tell him you cannot speak it (truth).
[] Tell him you cannot speak it (lie).
---
Cheers from the surrounding crowd filled your ears as you took a long drink from the goblet of wine in your hands. The chariot races at the Hippodrome were always an exciting time... especially if your gambling paid off in the end. You had quite a bit of money riding on the Blues today. You sat far above the common riffraff below, most of them not being able to afford seats, as you gazed down at the racers preparing the chariots.
You didn't pay much mind when someone sat down next to you. That is, until he spoke.
"Having a good time, Virgil?" the man asked, his smooth voice slithering into your ears. Most would be charmed by this man, but you could only associate his voice with disgusting slime anymore. This bastard that was, as far as you were concerned, the only person that held power over you. You didn't even know his name, just what he went by.
Ahenobarbus.
"Oh, don't you worry, I'm not going to be here for long," he said with a slight smile that had smugness painted all over it. He was a handsome fellow with short curled red hair and a goatee held into a curled point with some wax. Give the man some horns and he'd be a spitting image of the Devil himself.
"Just get it over with," you growled. "Your presence is making me ill."
"We have a job for you," he said, getting to business. By "we," he meant the shadowy organization Sanctum Umbrarum. Ahenobarbus was the public face and the mouthpiece for it, and every single time he showed up you regretted ever looking into the rumors in the first place. If you never dove so deep, you'd still have one of your eyes, and you certainly wouldn't have this pest always showing up and bossing you around.
"What troublesome official am I helping to take down this time?" you asked with a heavy sigh.
"How good is your Turkish?"
That meant this wasn't a public dissident at all. Were you actually going to be sent into enemy territory to deal with someone? If he was asking, then he didn't know for sure what languages you knew...
[] Tell him you can speak it (truth).
[] Tell him you can speak it (lie).
[] Tell him you cannot speak it (truth).
[] Tell him you cannot speak it (lie).