1. Banishment - Summer, 1570
Stadtholder William of Orange by the Grace of God the Founder...
Stadtholder William of Orange by the Grace of God the Founder...
The Crown's Colonies
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1. Banishment - Summer, 1570
- Location
- MURICA
1. Banishment - Summer, 1570
Stadtholder William of Orange by the Grace of God the Founder of the Dutch Republic, Guardian of the Honest Merchant-Capitalist, Prince of Orange, Protector of Protestantism, and so forth hereby declares that we have, by our Letters Patent and the Great Seal of the Dutch Republic, appointed Sir Francis Devonshire the Governor-General of the Crown's Caribbean interests. This appointment shall last from June 1, 1570 for the duration of Our Will and Pleasure. Upon your Death or Absence, the power vested in You shall be transferred to Our Lieutenant Governor. If Our Lieutenant Governor is likewise indisposed, it shall pass to the Chair of our Most Loyal Assembly until such time as Our Governor or Lieutenant Governor is no longer indisposed.
Now know you that we place special Trust and Confidence in the Prudence, Courage, and Loyalty of Governor-General Francis of Devonshire. This Trust grants our Governor-General the power to raise Armies, Fleets, negotiate Agreements with local powers, and proclaim Law within the borders of the Caribbean region subject to the Consent of the Crown and the Consent of the Assembly of Our Loyal Caribbean Subjects. Within this framework, we expect you to expand our Territory and enrich the Crown's Treasury so that Our Navy might continue to protect Our Loyal Subjects against Pirates, Criminals, and other Monsters. We also Require you maintain Good Discipline among our Loyal Subjects by Commanding them to maintain weapons and munitions necessary to serve in the Crown's Militia.
We do hereby require and Command that you execute all Instructions and Authorities issued under the Great Seal, our Signet, and with the Signature of the Crown or Our Ministers. We require and Command that you ensure the security of our Most Loyal Subjects against all Enemies, both Foreign and Domestic. With consideration for Our Instructions and Authorities, we Command you to Enforce the Crown's Justice against the Criminal Element and Require you to enable Impartial Judgement by a Jury of peers. In this endeavor, we Command you to appoint Loyal Subjects to serve as Magistrates, Justices, and Sheriffs so that our Loyal Subjects may rest safe in the knowledge Justice shall prevail.
We do hereby give and grant you full power and Authority to call the Assembly of Burgesses within your Government to attend you so that they might give their Consent for your Most Prudent decisions. This power must also be exercised to Inform our Loyal Subjects of the Crown's Instructions and Authorities when such Commands are placed in your care. However, should a Burgess be found to be Disloyal, Dishonest, Corrupt, or Criminal we grant you the power to remove the offender and appoint a replacement so that our Loyal Subject's right to representation might not be compromised by the Criminal element.
We do hereby Give and Grant unto you full power and Authority to Erect, Raise, and Build within the Caribbean such works as you feel necessary. This includes matters such as the creation of Forts, Towns, Ports, Markets, Harbors, Fortifications, Roads, Mines, and whatever other infrastructure you feel might be required to enable our Subjects to be Productive and Safe. We also authorize the Manufacture and Creation of Munitions, Ordnance, and Arms under your Supervision so that you might Furnish such resources upon the Crown's Militia and other defenders to ensure the Security of Our Loyal Subjects in the Caribbean.
As Witness to the Crown's Command and by Writ of the Privy Seal,
First Minister Giovanni di Medici
The First Minister had smiled when he handed you the royal command to travel forth to the West Indies to take command of the Crown's interests in the Caribbean. You genuinely believed, for better or worse, that the Royal Command to assume command of the Crown's Caribbean interests was so that the First Minister could banish you from Court and give you a politically acceptable "promotion" that would weaken your criticisms. The truth was, you had limited experience outside of the Royal Court and that experience had come solely as one of the Crown's observers. It was a position that required you to do little other than provide an honest account of the successes and failures of more experienced men to the Crown without the sort of exaggerations such men would use to better themselves.
Perhaps you should not have suggested the First Minister exaggerated the success of his reforms....
Leader
[] [Leader] The Magician (Raw power at a cost.) : 20 Magic, 20 Personal Combat (Magic), 22 Martial/Intrigue (12 + 10), 12 for all other skills.
+1 Quality = +1 to most Rolls and +3 for their primary function. [i.e. British Flotillas will fight at +6 Martial but would only roll at +2 to perform a generic Martial action.]
[] [Nation] Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen of the British Empire. (Protestant. Martial/Intrigue. )
Suggested Combinations:
Spain or England/Captain.
Dutch or France/Merchant.
Spain or France/Agent.
England or Dutch/Magician.
Structure:
This will be the only character creation post and the choices will heavily influence your options the first few turns so pick areas you'd like to focus on. (i.e. Captain/England is going to be heavily Navy focused until you can sustain yourself with something besides piracy. France/Crown Agent will be heavily focused on picking a couple key allies to augment your capabilities. Dutch/Merchant will be focused on Trade. Spain/Captain or Spain/Magician will be focused on attacking Protestants. )
1 Capital = 1 Action. (Or you can bank it to have it available later.)
1 Asset = 1 Action (and 1 Capital consumed each turn), but it provides a substantial bonus to the action. Producing or improving an Asset requires 1 Capital. (i.e. A British Naval Flotilla might be +15 on top of the Governor's mod for combat.)
1 Season = 1 Turn. Turns will likely be interrupted by intermediate events (usually due to contested Martial or Diplomacy actions).
A/N on the Timeline:
OTL is correct up until the Renaissance when magic is discovered by Europeans. This accelerates the birth of the Dutch Republic by a few decades as it was one of the early cradles of such sorcery and Magic is heavily slanted towards the support of warfare (which may or may not be a vestige of its birth in the Low Countries and the fact they felt a near immediate need to utilize the tool as part of the Eighty Years' War).
Colonization begins slightly earlier than OTL and North/South America and the Caribbean has substantially changed to the point of being unrecognizable. There are various "native" Fantasy Empires with magical power that allows them to stand up to European guns far, far more effectively than OTL and the Caribbean is the only place the Europeans are able to realistically control due to the strength of the American Empires rival that of a European Great Power backed by cannon and musket (at least in terms of ability/desire to wage war across the Atlantic). The other reason continental colonization is ignored is the natives' willingness to trade valuable goods (sugar, tobacco, gold, silver, gems, spices, silks, etc.) for substantially less valuable trinkets (iron tools, etc.). Both sides think they are taking advantage of the other.
The Native powers, however, lack the technological prowess to build "proper" warships which has left the Caribbean at Europe's mercy. This is further impacted by the fact the Europeans need the islands to secure American/European trade routes while the native powers care not for such matters since the native powers lack vessels that can cross the Atlantic. The Europe/America trade currently represents a substantial fraction of the European Great Power's economic power and any disruption will result in conflict.
I debated about running this as Grand Strategy but tpfh, I think it makes more sense as a Quest as the Grand Strategy version would be pretty bloody and the rules aren't well balanced for PvP. This is roughly CK2 with Learning (which is largely useless without tech advancement) replaced by Magic.
Objective:
The goal of every Royal Governor in the Caribbean is to gain a monopoly on that trade by forcing the other Europeans out of the region. In pursuit of that goal, they are given great latitude to operate but if they piss their Monarch off...well...game over.
P.S.
<> is placeholder text pending vote since I have to make some minor changes based on the choice. If you are curious about letters of appointment (its realllllllly annoyingly written tho): New Jersey Department of State
Stadtholder William of Orange by the Grace of God the Founder of the Dutch Republic, Guardian of the Honest Merchant-Capitalist, Prince of Orange, Protector of Protestantism, and so forth hereby declares that we have, by our Letters Patent and the Great Seal of the Dutch Republic, appointed Sir Francis Devonshire the Governor-General of the Crown's Caribbean interests. This appointment shall last from June 1, 1570 for the duration of Our Will and Pleasure. Upon your Death or Absence, the power vested in You shall be transferred to Our Lieutenant Governor. If Our Lieutenant Governor is likewise indisposed, it shall pass to the Chair of our Most Loyal Assembly until such time as Our Governor or Lieutenant Governor is no longer indisposed.
Now know you that we place special Trust and Confidence in the Prudence, Courage, and Loyalty of Governor-General Francis of Devonshire. This Trust grants our Governor-General the power to raise Armies, Fleets, negotiate Agreements with local powers, and proclaim Law within the borders of the Caribbean region subject to the Consent of the Crown and the Consent of the Assembly of Our Loyal Caribbean Subjects. Within this framework, we expect you to expand our Territory and enrich the Crown's Treasury so that Our Navy might continue to protect Our Loyal Subjects against Pirates, Criminals, and other Monsters. We also Require you maintain Good Discipline among our Loyal Subjects by Commanding them to maintain weapons and munitions necessary to serve in the Crown's Militia.
We do hereby require and Command that you execute all Instructions and Authorities issued under the Great Seal, our Signet, and with the Signature of the Crown or Our Ministers. We require and Command that you ensure the security of our Most Loyal Subjects against all Enemies, both Foreign and Domestic. With consideration for Our Instructions and Authorities, we Command you to Enforce the Crown's Justice against the Criminal Element and Require you to enable Impartial Judgement by a Jury of peers. In this endeavor, we Command you to appoint Loyal Subjects to serve as Magistrates, Justices, and Sheriffs so that our Loyal Subjects may rest safe in the knowledge Justice shall prevail.
We do hereby give and grant you full power and Authority to call the Assembly of Burgesses within your Government to attend you so that they might give their Consent for your Most Prudent decisions. This power must also be exercised to Inform our Loyal Subjects of the Crown's Instructions and Authorities when such Commands are placed in your care. However, should a Burgess be found to be Disloyal, Dishonest, Corrupt, or Criminal we grant you the power to remove the offender and appoint a replacement so that our Loyal Subject's right to representation might not be compromised by the Criminal element.
We do hereby Give and Grant unto you full power and Authority to Erect, Raise, and Build within the Caribbean such works as you feel necessary. This includes matters such as the creation of Forts, Towns, Ports, Markets, Harbors, Fortifications, Roads, Mines, and whatever other infrastructure you feel might be required to enable our Subjects to be Productive and Safe. We also authorize the Manufacture and Creation of Munitions, Ordnance, and Arms under your Supervision so that you might Furnish such resources upon the Crown's Militia and other defenders to ensure the Security of Our Loyal Subjects in the Caribbean.
As Witness to the Crown's Command and by Writ of the Privy Seal,
First Minister Giovanni di Medici
The First Minister had smiled when he handed you the royal command to travel forth to the West Indies to take command of the Crown's interests in the Caribbean. You genuinely believed, for better or worse, that the Royal Command to assume command of the Crown's Caribbean interests was so that the First Minister could banish you from Court and give you a politically acceptable "promotion" that would weaken your criticisms. The truth was, you had limited experience outside of the Royal Court and that experience had come solely as one of the Crown's observers. It was a position that required you to do little other than provide an honest account of the successes and failures of more experienced men to the Crown without the sort of exaggerations such men would use to better themselves.
Perhaps you should not have suggested the First Minister exaggerated the success of his reforms....
Leader
[] [Leader] The Magician (Raw power at a cost.) : 20 Magic, 20 Personal Combat (Magic), 22 Martial/Intrigue (12 + 10), 12 for all other skills.
- Magician : You can wield magic which naturally amplifies your skill at combat and intrigue. ( 1/2 of Magic is added to Martial & Intrigue. Magic replaces personal combat and resistance to assassination. )
- Naval Commander : +1 Free Naval Flotilla ( Warships can be used as a Martial or Econ [Piracy] asset. Assets generate actions. )
- Merchant Marine : +1 Free Merchant Flotilla ( Merchant fleets are strictly for Econ [Trade] actions. Assets generate actions. )
- Wealthy : +1 Capital/Turn. (1 Capital = 1 Action. Or can be saved to buy assets, upgrade assets, etc.)
- Shrewd Merchant : +6 to any roll to establish a Trade Route or other Capital-producing endeavor.
- Ambassadors : +1 Diplomacy Action/Turn. (This converts to a French Consulate if you choose France.)
- "Friends" : +1 Intrigue Action/Turn. (This converts to a second French Consulate if you choose France.)
+1 Quality = +1 to most Rolls and +3 for their primary function. [i.e. British Flotillas will fight at +6 Martial but would only roll at +2 to perform a generic Martial action.]
[] [Nation] Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen of the British Empire. (Protestant. Martial/Intrigue. )
- Her Majesty's Navy : Quality over Quantity has kept England safe against Spanish and French invasions for centuries. ( Free +3 Quality to Naval Assets. )
- Her Majesty's Service : Queen Elizabeth only survived assassination attempts due to the talents of her ministers' counterintelligence service. ( Free +3 Quality to Intrigue Assets. )
- "Illegitimate Queen" : Elizabeth was recently declared illegitimate by the Pope. Catholics begin play as Hostile (Limited Diplomacy, Catholic pirates attack regularly).
- Capitalists : The Dutch merchant class is the most prolific and skilled in all of Europe. ( +1 Capital / Season. +6 to any roll to establish a Trade Route or other Capital-producing endeavor. )
- Birthplace of Magic : The Dutch were the first to openly wield magic in battle and they have the most experience with magic in all of Christendom. ( +6 Magic for Royal Governors and other Notables. )
- "Truce" : Spain has never forgiven the Low Countries for their Rebellion. The Spanish Empire will never improve past Hostile. (Limited Diplomacy, Spanish pirates attack regularly)
- Conquistadors : While the Spanish may not have the best military in Europe they certainly have the largest. ( Free Flotilla or Regiment every 4 Seasons. However, maintenance costs still accrue. )
- Pope Gregory XIII : Spain's policy is the Pope's policy. This diplomatic advantage is substantial, except with Protestants. ( +6 Diplomacy for Royal Governors, unless you are dealing with filthy protestants. +6 Martial when eliminating protestant filth. )
- Filthy Protestants : You will never make peace with Protestants if you want to remain Governor. A cessation of hostilities is the most that can be expected (Hostile relationship with limited Diplomacy and regular pirate attacks).
- "Diplomacy" : French Ambassadors are well known for their bottomless entertainment budgets and very friendly female staff. ( French Consulates double as Intrigue Assets. Free +3 Quality to French Consulates. Just realize, Consulates can't be used in Hostile colonies/nations. )
- French Rum : The French are well known for their wines. Their farmers have adapted well to producing Rum in the New World. ( +1 Capital / Season per French Island. )
- Hostile Pope : Spain has you by the cojones and can cause civil unrest easily. ( You cannot give Spain an excuse to claim you initiated a conflict with fellow Catholics. )
Suggested Combinations:
Spain or England/Captain.
Dutch or France/Merchant.
Spain or France/Agent.
England or Dutch/Magician.
Structure:
This will be the only character creation post and the choices will heavily influence your options the first few turns so pick areas you'd like to focus on. (i.e. Captain/England is going to be heavily Navy focused until you can sustain yourself with something besides piracy. France/Crown Agent will be heavily focused on picking a couple key allies to augment your capabilities. Dutch/Merchant will be focused on Trade. Spain/Captain or Spain/Magician will be focused on attacking Protestants. )
1 Capital = 1 Action. (Or you can bank it to have it available later.)
1 Asset = 1 Action (and 1 Capital consumed each turn), but it provides a substantial bonus to the action. Producing or improving an Asset requires 1 Capital. (i.e. A British Naval Flotilla might be +15 on top of the Governor's mod for combat.)
1 Season = 1 Turn. Turns will likely be interrupted by intermediate events (usually due to contested Martial or Diplomacy actions).
A/N on the Timeline:
OTL is correct up until the Renaissance when magic is discovered by Europeans. This accelerates the birth of the Dutch Republic by a few decades as it was one of the early cradles of such sorcery and Magic is heavily slanted towards the support of warfare (which may or may not be a vestige of its birth in the Low Countries and the fact they felt a near immediate need to utilize the tool as part of the Eighty Years' War).
Colonization begins slightly earlier than OTL and North/South America and the Caribbean has substantially changed to the point of being unrecognizable. There are various "native" Fantasy Empires with magical power that allows them to stand up to European guns far, far more effectively than OTL and the Caribbean is the only place the Europeans are able to realistically control due to the strength of the American Empires rival that of a European Great Power backed by cannon and musket (at least in terms of ability/desire to wage war across the Atlantic). The other reason continental colonization is ignored is the natives' willingness to trade valuable goods (sugar, tobacco, gold, silver, gems, spices, silks, etc.) for substantially less valuable trinkets (iron tools, etc.). Both sides think they are taking advantage of the other.
The Native powers, however, lack the technological prowess to build "proper" warships which has left the Caribbean at Europe's mercy. This is further impacted by the fact the Europeans need the islands to secure American/European trade routes while the native powers care not for such matters since the native powers lack vessels that can cross the Atlantic. The Europe/America trade currently represents a substantial fraction of the European Great Power's economic power and any disruption will result in conflict.
I debated about running this as Grand Strategy but tpfh, I think it makes more sense as a Quest as the Grand Strategy version would be pretty bloody and the rules aren't well balanced for PvP. This is roughly CK2 with Learning (which is largely useless without tech advancement) replaced by Magic.
Objective:
The goal of every Royal Governor in the Caribbean is to gain a monopoly on that trade by forcing the other Europeans out of the region. In pursuit of that goal, they are given great latitude to operate but if they piss their Monarch off...well...game over.
P.S.
<> is placeholder text pending vote since I have to make some minor changes based on the choice. If you are curious about letters of appointment (its realllllllly annoyingly written tho): New Jersey Department of State
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Player Assets & Accounts
- Location
- MURICA
Current Budget
Treasury: 0 Capital
Net Income: +0 Capital
Income:
+2 Royal Support (As long as the Crown is not suffering financially and likes you, they provide funding.)
+1 Investments (Wealthy Trait.)
+1 Merchant Capitalism (This is inherent to the Dutch people and cannot be lost.)
+? Williamsburg (Roll/Decision dependency.)
+? Devonshire Bank (Roll/Decision dependency.)
Expenses:
-1 Naval Flotilla
-1 Governor's Staff
-1 Dutch Regulars
-1 The Port of Williamsburg
-1 Devonshire Bank
Maarteen
Capital: Williamsburg
Economy: Troubled (DC 85)
Fixed Assets:
Devonshire Bank Q2 (5d20+6 v. Econ, 5d20+2 v. Others)
1st Caribbean Naval Flotilla Q3 ( 5d20+9 v. Martial, 5d20+3 v. Others)
1st Caribbean Dutch Regulars Q5 ( 5d20+15 v. Martial, 5d20+5 v. Others)
The Port of Williamsburg Q10 ( 5d20+30 v. Econ, 5d20+10 v. Others)
Governor-General Francis Devonshire
Tactical:
Health: 3 ( 3 Injury/Illness/Poison traits = Death. )
Personal Combat: 12 [12 Martial] ( Your ability to kill people in single combat. )
Security: 12 [12 Intrigue] ( Your resistance to assassination. )
Strategic:
Diplomacy: 20 [ 20 Merchant ]
Intrigue: 12 [ 12 Merchant ]
Magic: 18 [ 12 Merchant + 6 Birthplace of Magic ]
Martial: 12 [ 12 Merchant ]
Stewardship: 20 [ 20 Merchant ]
Specializations:
Trade [ +12 to rolls to Economic Actions. This usually affects Stewardship but might affect Diplomacy (Trade Negotiations) or Martial (Privateers, Pirates). ]
Traits: Warning, will contain spoilers past the first six traits.
Treasury: 0 Capital
Net Income: +0 Capital
Income:
+2 Royal Support (As long as the Crown is not suffering financially and likes you, they provide funding.)
+1 Investments (Wealthy Trait.)
+1 Merchant Capitalism (This is inherent to the Dutch people and cannot be lost.)
+? Williamsburg (Roll/Decision dependency.)
+? Devonshire Bank (Roll/Decision dependency.)
Expenses:
-1 Naval Flotilla
-1 Governor's Staff
-1 Dutch Regulars
-1 The Port of Williamsburg
-1 Devonshire Bank
Maarteen
Capital: Williamsburg
Economy: Troubled (DC 85)
- Spanish Pirates plague Dutch shipping, disrupting trade. (+5 DC)
- Spanish hostility has forced the Republic to maintain wartime taxes. (+5 DC)
Fixed Assets:
Devonshire Bank Q2 (5d20+6 v. Econ, 5d20+2 v. Others)
- The Bankers you've hired tend to play favorites. This Asset is locked to Generating Capital and improving relations with the faction that is picked...permanently(?)
1st Caribbean Naval Flotilla Q3 ( 5d20+9 v. Martial, 5d20+3 v. Others)
1st Caribbean Dutch Regulars Q5 ( 5d20+15 v. Martial, 5d20+5 v. Others)
The Port of Williamsburg Q10 ( 5d20+30 v. Econ, 5d20+10 v. Others)
Governor-General Francis Devonshire
Tactical:
Health: 3 ( 3 Injury/Illness/Poison traits = Death. )
Personal Combat: 12 [12 Martial] ( Your ability to kill people in single combat. )
Security: 12 [12 Intrigue] ( Your resistance to assassination. )
Strategic:
Diplomacy: 20 [ 20 Merchant ]
Intrigue: 12 [ 12 Merchant ]
Magic: 18 [ 12 Merchant + 6 Birthplace of Magic ]
Martial: 12 [ 12 Merchant ]
Stewardship: 20 [ 20 Merchant ]
Specializations:
Trade [ +12 to rolls to Economic Actions. This usually affects Stewardship but might affect Diplomacy (Trade Negotiations) or Martial (Privateers, Pirates). ]
Traits: Warning, will contain spoilers past the first six traits.
- Merchant Background : 20 Diplomacy, 20 Stewardship, 12 All Other Skills (Base Strategic Attributes)
- Wealthy : +1 Capital/Turn. (1 Capital = 1 Action. Or can be saved to buy assets, upgrade assets, etc.)
- Shrewd Merchant : +6 to any roll to establish a Trade Route or other Capital-producing endeavor.
- Capitalists : The Dutch merchant class is the most prolific and skilled in all of Europe. ( +1 Capital / Season. +6 to any roll to establish a Trade Route or other Capital-producing endeavor. )
- Birthplace of Magic : The Dutch were the first to openly wield magic in battle and they have the most experience with magic in all of Christendom. ( +6 Magic for Royal Governors and other Notables. )
- "Truce" : Spain has never forgiven the Low Countries for their Rebellion. The Spanish Empire will never improve past Hostile. (Limited Diplomacy, Spanish pirates attack regularly)
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Colonial Map Archives
- Location
- MURICA
The Caribbean, Summer, 1570
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World Situation
- Location
- MURICA
Economic Conditions
Dutch Republic
While wartime taxes are being maintained, the Dutch Republic is in good economic health. (+2 Royal Support)
The English
While wartime taxes are being maintained, the English are in good economic health. (+2 Royal Support)
The French
While wartime taxes are being maintained, the French are in good economic health. (+2 Royal Support)
The Spanish
While wartime taxes are being maintained, the Spanish are in good economic health. (+2 Royal Support)
Domestic Relations
The Caribbean
The Commoners (5)
The Oranges / Pro-Prince (50)
The Commoners (0)
The Wealthy (0)
The Nobility (0)
The Church (0)
The Oranges (45) / Led by Stadtholder William of Orange
Foreign Relations
Dutch
English (45)
Dutch (45)
France
Dutch (-5)
Dutch (-90)
Dutch Republic
While wartime taxes are being maintained, the Dutch Republic is in good economic health. (+2 Royal Support)
The English
While wartime taxes are being maintained, the English are in good economic health. (+2 Royal Support)
The French
While wartime taxes are being maintained, the French are in good economic health. (+2 Royal Support)
The Spanish
While wartime taxes are being maintained, the Spanish are in good economic health. (+2 Royal Support)
Domestic Relations
The Caribbean
The Commoners (5)
- Francis promptly performs his duties.
- Francis promptly performs his duties.
- Francis promptly performs his duties.
The Oranges / Pro-Prince (50)
- You have been a loyal agent of the Stadtholder for years.
- Francis promptly performs his duties.
- You have been a loyal agent of the Stadtholder for years.
- Francis promptly performs his duties.
The Commoners (0)
The Wealthy (0)
The Nobility (0)
The Church (0)
The Oranges (45) / Led by Stadtholder William of Orange
- You have been a loyal agent of the Stadtholder for years.
- You have made it easy to appoint Oranges to the Caribbean as the First Minister wants to "banish" your friends.
- You have been a loyal agent of the Stadtholder for years.
- You have made it easy to appoint Oranges to the Caribbean as the First Minister wants to "banish" your friends.
Foreign Relations
Dutch
English (45)
- The English supported them in their Rebellion against Spain.
- The English are competing with them in the Caribbean.
- The Dutch are Protestant.
- Francis seems like a valuable business partner.
- The Dutch are filthy Protestants.
- The Dutch are disloyal subjects of the Spanish Empire.
- The Dutch have agreed not to support other rebels.
Dutch (45)
- The English supported them in their Rebellion against Spain.
- The English are competing with them in the Caribbean.
- Hundred Years War ring any bells?
- The English are Protestant.
- The English are engaging in Piracy in the Caribbean.
- The English are filthy Protestants.
- The English are engaging in Piracy in the Caribbean.
France
Dutch (-5)
- The Dutch are Protestant.
- Hundred Years War ring any bells?
- The English are Protestant.
- The English are engaging in Piracy in the Caribbean.
- The Spanish have claimed territory in the Caribbean.
- The Spanish have installed a hostile Pope.
- We should not harm fellow Catholics.
Dutch (-90)
- The Dutch are filthy Protestants.
- The Dutch are disloyal subjects of the Spanish Empire.
- The Dutch have agreed not to support other rebels.
- The English are filthy Protestants.
- The English are engaging in Piracy in the Caribbean.
- The French have claimed territory in the Caribbean.
- The French oppose our most reasonable and fair Pope.
- We should not harm fellow Catholics.
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Game Mechanics FAQ
- Location
- MURICA
Core Mechanic
5d20+<Governor or Local Commander>+<Asset>+<Situational>
vs.
Fixed DC or Contested (Enemy Governor/Commander rolls)
Roll Results
Asset Quality
Skill Levels
Relationship Status
Domestic Politics
Foreign Relationships
Glossary of Terms/Merchanics
Oranges v. Republicans
There was a political power struggle between the Oranges, who supported the stadtholders/House of Orange-Nassau, and the Staatsgezinden (Republicans), who supported the States-General and hoped to replace the semi-hereditary nature of the stadtholdership with a true republican structure.
It would be a mistake to think of those as modern political parties as they were really loosely aligned groupings of interests and families that sought power in the State. Many of the people and groupings that were part of one faction could as easily be found at later times in different factions as their interests and family alliances changed.
The faction alignment was consistently the Stadtholder (the Prince whose power was increased by the breadth of his support) v. the First Minister (the head of the States-General in the Hague whose power would be directly increased by Republican support). And as such, it was more competition between the two most powerful men in the Dutch Republican than proper political parties.
The Stadtholder's power was focused on external matters such as War, Colonial Governance, Treaties, etc.
The First Minister's power was focused on domestic matters internal to the Republic such as Taxation, Judges, Constables, etc.
OTL Dutch Republic, for those interested.
Debt
It is possible for poor choices, piracy, and/or poor economic conditions to exist in this game that will turn a normally "safe" level of expenditure into an unsafe one. Debt represents money and favors owed with little control over what is demanded in return.
Debt must be bought off with Capital at a 1:1 basis and each point of Debt represents a -3 to all rolls.
You can also intentionally incur debt in emergencies (i.e. Invasion) in an attempt to stop the enemy. However, you can only create 2 Debt / season in this manner.
Turns
1 Season = 1 Turn.
Turns will likely be interrupted by intermediate events (usually due to contested Martial or Diplomacy actions).
Capital
1 Capital = 1 Action. (Or you can bank it to have it available later.)
Capital represents your political and financial capital.
It allows you to adjust the laws, commandeer goods, demand support from Europe, purchase assets, etc.
A positive quantity of Capital represents political favors owed and/or financial resources you can tap. As such, doing a Duke a favor is just as valuable as an Econ asset in virtually all respects.
This is the sole "Currency" of the game.
Econ Rolls (New Action Type)
The "base" DC of an Econ roll is 75 (for +1 Capital). For every 25 past that, you will generate additional Capital.
For instance, your home port (Q10, 5d20+30) will almost always generate 1+ Capital a Season as it gets a free opportunity to do so. (i.e. The Capital City gets to act twice essentially since it represents the City and the Governor technically.)
Other Econ assets are permanently locked to generating Capital until re-assigned or attacked.
Econ DCs are adjusted by economic conditions (such as Pirates, Wars, Shortages, and so forth). These are more often than not penalties due to the nature of a hotly contested region with limited power to punish piracy.
Assets
1 Asset = 1 Action.
It provides a substantial bonus to the action. Producing or improving an Asset requires 1 Action (thereby consuming 1 Capital). While Assets lock you in to a course of action, the bonus they provide is non-negligible (particularly for skills your character is "average" at with a +12. The initial Q2 Asset will provide a 50% improvement [+6] to the modifier. ) .
Quality = +3 to primary function, +1 to any other function(s) in addition to the Governor (or the local Notable commander's) modifier.
New Assets (without a National Advantage) begin at Q2 / +6.
For instance, a Q10 Port City provides +30 to Econ (primary function) and +10 to other actions (such as using the Port City's action to fight off an attack).
Assets, regardless of quality, cost 1 Capital / Season to maintain. As such, it is suggested you go "Tall" rather than "Wide" since poor Econ rolls can result in Capital deficits.
Asset Health:
Normal, Damaged (-6 to Rolls), Decimated (-12 to Rolls [if Q5+), Crippled (-18 to Rolls [if Q10+]), Destroyed.
Q2 = Normal, Damaged, Destroyed.
Q5 = Normal, Damaged, Decimated, Destroyed (+1 Health)
Q10 = Normal, Damaged, Decimated, Crippled, Destroyed. (+2 Health)
Magic (New Skill/Action Type)
Magic is a useful capability for any Governor or other Notable as it allows them to perform substantial actions from a "safe" distance and often in a manner that is difficult to pin on a particular target. In this way, it is much like Intrigue except with a different set of stats. It is also frequently used to support a Martial or Intrigue action. (i.e. Launching an Invasion supported by an Intrigue and a Magic action might cost you 3 Capital but your odds for the final Martial action will be improved for every Intrigue/Magic success and only a Blunder or Disaster will weaken the final assault.)
The Magician trait allows a character to use Magic for Personal Combat (replacing Martial, if Magic is higher) and Security (replacing Intrigue, if Magic is higher) while also boosting Intrigue/Martial allowing points in Magic to essentially count as 2 skill points for every point spent. The advantage this provides to the Dutch or any character that focuses on Magic traits should not be overlooked as Intrigue, Martial, and Magic are the three skills that determine conflict outcomes when engaged in piracy, assassination, or other forms of deadly contest.
5d20+<Governor or Local Commander>+<Asset>+<Situational>
vs.
Fixed DC or Contested (Enemy Governor/Commander rolls)
Roll Results
| Decisive (+50) | An additional negative trait is applied to the Enemy or a temporary positive trait to the Asset, Colony, Governor, or supported Action in a way that makes thematic sense. (i.e. A decisive intelligence victory in support of an attack might provide a bonus to battles in the current and following Turn.) |
| Excellent (+25) | A substantial success that will enhance the action (or the supported action) in some way. |
| Success (+5) | The action succeeds. |
| Marginal (+/-4) | The action mostly succeeds but something marred the success. |
| Failure (-5) | The action fails. |
| Blunder (-25) | A substantial failure that will create a complication that will negatively impact a different action. |
| Disaster (-50) | An additional negative trait is applied to the Asset, Colony, Governor, or supported Action in a way that makes thematic sense. (i.e. A disastrous pirate attack might destroy a Q2 Merchant Flotilla outright.) |
| Legendary (Q20+) | The very best. |
| Elite (Q16+) | The cream of the national crop. The 1%. |
| Renowned (Q12+) | Known in both Europe and her Colonies. |
| Exceptional (Q8+) | The top tier professionals. Like Swiss Mercenaries. |
| Competent (Q4+) | You can perform without embarrassment. Usually. |
| Functional (Q2+) | The most basic of assets. |
| Decimated (Q0) | Badly damaged assets whose best mod is negated by damage. |
| Legendary (50+) | The very best. Julius Caesar. William of Orange. Elizabeth I. Washington. Rommel. People who have legends that are remembered Centuries later. |
| Elite (40+) | The cream of the national crop. The 1%. |
| Master (30+) | Master craftsmen, skilled Generals. |
| Professional (20+) | The average professional. |
| Competent (10+) | You can perform without embarrassment. Usually. |
| Incompetent (0+) | You have no business making the attempt. |
| Childlike (-1 or less) | You are a cripple or a child. You will fail baring a miracle. |
Domestic Politics
| Patron (+100) | Regularly takes actions to protect your interests. ( Negates an enemy's influence or otherwise support you with 1 Capital/Turn.) |
| Ally (+60) | Actively acts to further your interests whenever convenient. (Will randomly help you / counter Hostile factions/people.) |
| Friendly (+30) | Supports you politically. |
| Indifferent (+/- 29) | Opposes you only when it is in their interest to do so. |
| Unfriendly (-30) | Opposes you politically. |
| Hostile (-60) | Actively acts to harm your interests whenever convenient. (Will randomly spend Capital to harm you. Counter with an Ally.) |
| Enemy (-100) | Regularly takes actions to harm your interests. (1+ Capital/Turn is dedicated to harming you. Counter with a Patron. ) |
| Client (+100) | You can dictate how they spend 1 Capital each turn. (Requires Consulate Q5 and 3+ substantial reasons for them to like you.) |
| Ally (+60) | Martial/Intrigue/Magic support is expected in the event of War. Martial actions are blocked. ( 1 Consulate with the Ally no longer requires Capital to maintain. You automatically share all strategic information unless you spend Capital to hide an action/asset/etc. ) |
| Friendly (+30) | Martial actions are blocked. ( Friendly nations with Consulates will automatically agree to Trade on fair terms [Establishing trade agreements no longer requires an action]. ) |
| Indifferent (+/- 29) | Normal Relations. ( Trade/Diplomacy rolls are penalized by the value of any negative relationship. In other words, -0 to -29. ) |
| Unfriendly (-30) | Covert conflict, rare "privateering" is tolerated. ( Trade/Diplomacy rolls are penalized by the value of the negative relationship. In other words, -30 or more. ) |
| Hostile (-60) | Covert conflict, "privateering" is commonplace. ( Diplomacy is restricted to short term agreements/exchanges. You cannot create new Diplomacy or Intrigue assets in enemy territory. All diplomatic agreements that last longer than the current Season except Truce are null and void. ) |
| War (-100) | Open Warfare. ( Only Diplomacy option is Truce which will improve the relationship to Hostile. You cannot create new Diplomacy or Intrigue assets in enemy territory. All diplomatic agreements are null and void. ) |
Oranges v. Republicans
There was a political power struggle between the Oranges, who supported the stadtholders/House of Orange-Nassau, and the Staatsgezinden (Republicans), who supported the States-General and hoped to replace the semi-hereditary nature of the stadtholdership with a true republican structure.
It would be a mistake to think of those as modern political parties as they were really loosely aligned groupings of interests and families that sought power in the State. Many of the people and groupings that were part of one faction could as easily be found at later times in different factions as their interests and family alliances changed.
The faction alignment was consistently the Stadtholder (the Prince whose power was increased by the breadth of his support) v. the First Minister (the head of the States-General in the Hague whose power would be directly increased by Republican support). And as such, it was more competition between the two most powerful men in the Dutch Republican than proper political parties.
The Stadtholder's power was focused on external matters such as War, Colonial Governance, Treaties, etc.
The First Minister's power was focused on domestic matters internal to the Republic such as Taxation, Judges, Constables, etc.
OTL Dutch Republic, for those interested.
Debt
It is possible for poor choices, piracy, and/or poor economic conditions to exist in this game that will turn a normally "safe" level of expenditure into an unsafe one. Debt represents money and favors owed with little control over what is demanded in return.
Debt must be bought off with Capital at a 1:1 basis and each point of Debt represents a -3 to all rolls.
You can also intentionally incur debt in emergencies (i.e. Invasion) in an attempt to stop the enemy. However, you can only create 2 Debt / season in this manner.
Turns
1 Season = 1 Turn.
Turns will likely be interrupted by intermediate events (usually due to contested Martial or Diplomacy actions).
Capital
1 Capital = 1 Action. (Or you can bank it to have it available later.)
Capital represents your political and financial capital.
It allows you to adjust the laws, commandeer goods, demand support from Europe, purchase assets, etc.
A positive quantity of Capital represents political favors owed and/or financial resources you can tap. As such, doing a Duke a favor is just as valuable as an Econ asset in virtually all respects.
This is the sole "Currency" of the game.
Econ Rolls (New Action Type)
The "base" DC of an Econ roll is 75 (for +1 Capital). For every 25 past that, you will generate additional Capital.
For instance, your home port (Q10, 5d20+30) will almost always generate 1+ Capital a Season as it gets a free opportunity to do so. (i.e. The Capital City gets to act twice essentially since it represents the City and the Governor technically.)
Other Econ assets are permanently locked to generating Capital until re-assigned or attacked.
Econ DCs are adjusted by economic conditions (such as Pirates, Wars, Shortages, and so forth). These are more often than not penalties due to the nature of a hotly contested region with limited power to punish piracy.
Assets
1 Asset = 1 Action.
It provides a substantial bonus to the action. Producing or improving an Asset requires 1 Action (thereby consuming 1 Capital). While Assets lock you in to a course of action, the bonus they provide is non-negligible (particularly for skills your character is "average" at with a +12. The initial Q2 Asset will provide a 50% improvement [+6] to the modifier. ) .
Quality = +3 to primary function, +1 to any other function(s) in addition to the Governor (or the local Notable commander's) modifier.
New Assets (without a National Advantage) begin at Q2 / +6.
For instance, a Q10 Port City provides +30 to Econ (primary function) and +10 to other actions (such as using the Port City's action to fight off an attack).
Assets, regardless of quality, cost 1 Capital / Season to maintain. As such, it is suggested you go "Tall" rather than "Wide" since poor Econ rolls can result in Capital deficits.
Asset Health:
Normal, Damaged (-6 to Rolls), Decimated (-12 to Rolls [if Q5+), Crippled (-18 to Rolls [if Q10+]), Destroyed.
Q2 = Normal, Damaged, Destroyed.
Q5 = Normal, Damaged, Decimated, Destroyed (+1 Health)
Q10 = Normal, Damaged, Decimated, Crippled, Destroyed. (+2 Health)
Magic (New Skill/Action Type)
Magic is a useful capability for any Governor or other Notable as it allows them to perform substantial actions from a "safe" distance and often in a manner that is difficult to pin on a particular target. In this way, it is much like Intrigue except with a different set of stats. It is also frequently used to support a Martial or Intrigue action. (i.e. Launching an Invasion supported by an Intrigue and a Magic action might cost you 3 Capital but your odds for the final Martial action will be improved for every Intrigue/Magic success and only a Blunder or Disaster will weaken the final assault.)
The Magician trait allows a character to use Magic for Personal Combat (replacing Martial, if Magic is higher) and Security (replacing Intrigue, if Magic is higher) while also boosting Intrigue/Martial allowing points in Magic to essentially count as 2 skill points for every point spent. The advantage this provides to the Dutch or any character that focuses on Magic traits should not be overlooked as Intrigue, Martial, and Magic are the three skills that determine conflict outcomes when engaged in piracy, assassination, or other forms of deadly contest.
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[X] [Leader] The Merchant (Diplomacy/Economy) : 20 Diplomacy, 20 Stewardship, 12 for all other skills.
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
[X] [Leader] The Merchant (Diplomacy/Economy) : 20 Diplomacy, 20 Stewardship, 12 for all other skills.
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
Arrrrrgh we be doing a pirate play through. Cough cough or should I say privateers?
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
Arrrrrgh we be doing a pirate play through. Cough cough or should I say privateers?
NuclearConsensus
Herald of the Thorned One
- Location
- the Philippines
[X] [Leader] The Captain (Martial/Economy) : 20 Martial, 20 Stewardship, 20 Personal Combat (Martial), 12 for all other skills.
[X] [Nation] Emperor Felipe II, the Pragmatic Emperor of the Spanish Empire. ( Catholic. Martial/Diplomacy. )
[X] [Nation] Emperor Felipe II, the Pragmatic Emperor of the Spanish Empire. ( Catholic. Martial/Diplomacy. )
- Location
- MURICA
Initially, Merchant/Dutch isn't really pirate/privateer as a Protagonist activity because your Martial would be 12. You'd end up delegating to your ship captain(s) due to your lack of military skill since non-Magicians aren't going to be throwing fireballs. (i.e. Without the Magician option, Magic is a non-combat only activity.)
So it really just depends on if you want to play Pirate/Privateer Captain or if you want NPC subordinates to be doing it.
Maybe I'm quibbling over nothing, I just didn't want you to feel I misled you into thinking a Dutch Merchant would make an effective Pirate. A Dutch Merchant would be a great leader of a Pirate Flotilla...from the shore handling the smuggling side of things.
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- Location
- Virginia
[X] [Leader] The Merchant (Diplomacy/Economy) : 20 Diplomacy, 20 Stewardship, 12 for all other skills.
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
- Location
- MURICA
Fyi, I'll close the vote in about 12-14 hours.
Tally stands at:
Tally stands at:
- Location
- in space
[X] [Leader] The Merchant (Diplomacy/Economy) : 20 Diplomacy, 20 Stewardship, 12 for all other skills.
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
- Location
- I think somewhere. I might be nowhere though
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] [Leader] The Merchant (Diplomacy/Economy) : 20 Diplomacy, 20 Stewardship, 12 for all other skills.
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
Too bad we can't play as Portugal's ( or Sweden's) colony
[X] [Nation] Stadtholder William of Orange, the Founder of the Dutch Republic. ( Protestant. Economy/Magic. )
Too bad we can't play as Portugal's ( or Sweden's) colony
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Initially, Merchant/Dutch isn't really pirate/privateer as a Protagonist activity because your Martial would be 12. You'd end up delegating to your ship captain(s) due to your lack of military skill since non-Magicians aren't going to be throwing fireballs. (i.e. Without the Magician option, Magic is a non-combat only activity.)
So it really just depends on if you want to play Pirate/Privateer Captain or if you want NPC subordinates to be doing it.
Maybe I'm quibbling over nothing, I just didn't want you to feel I misled you into thinking a Dutch Merchant would make an effective Pirate. A Dutch Merchant would be a great leader of a Pirate Flotilla...from the shore handling the smuggling side of things.
Thanks for the heads up, but I expect to be riding a desk. Pirates are just a tool.
- Location
- Wollongong, Australia
[X] [Leader] The Captain (Martial/Economy) : 20 Martial, 20 Stewardship, 20 Personal Combat (Martial), 12 for all other skills.
[X] [Nation] Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen of the British Empire. (Protestant. Martial/Intrigue. )
[X] [Nation] Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen of the British Empire. (Protestant. Martial/Intrigue. )
- Location
- MURICA
Sorry, I wanted to limit it to ~4 "real" competitors to make the Quest playable in a reasonable amount of time. If I added Sweden, Portugal as serious contenders we'd be up to 6 and it'd take ~50% longer in real time to play out.
QM burnout is unfortunately a thing. xD
- Location
- MURICA
I've updated the Mechanics and Relationships sections to give a better overview of how things work.
If people have any questions, let me know. The next IC post will start requiring you to take action(s) so its probably a good idea for you to know WTF is going on at that point.
If people have any questions, let me know. The next IC post will start requiring you to take action(s) so its probably a good idea for you to know WTF is going on at that point.
Night_stalker
Slava Ukraini!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Dutch Merchants?
We can work with that.
We can work with that.
- Location
- MURICA
Fyi, voting is now closed as there haven't been any new votes since I last tallied and I said I'd close it about now.
I hope to have a post up tomorrow, probably will have a bit more informational stuff today.
I hope to have a post up tomorrow, probably will have a bit more informational stuff today.
- Location
- MURICA
Lol. Just testing a dice roller experiment for this game.
5d20+12=77
77 vs. 80
Marginal.
5d20+12=56
56 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=42
42 vs. 80
Disaster!
5d20+12=85
85 vs. 80
Success.
5d20+12=60
60 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=60
60 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=83
83 vs. 80
Marginal.
5d20+12=61
61 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+40=80
80 vs. 40
Excellent!
5d20+65=89
89 vs. 15
5d20+12=58
58 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=65
65 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=54
54 vs. 80
Disaster!
5d20+12=45
45 vs. 80
Disaster!
5d20+12=81
81 vs. 80
Marginal.
5d20+12=49
49 vs. 80
Disaster!
5d20+12=56
56 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=70
70 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+40=70
70 vs. 40
Excellent! :lol
5d20+65=117
117 vs. 15
Decisive!
5d20+12=77
77 vs. 80
Marginal.
5d20+12=56
56 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=42
42 vs. 80
Disaster!
5d20+12=85
85 vs. 80
Success.
5d20+12=60
60 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=60
60 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=83
83 vs. 80
Marginal.
5d20+12=61
61 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+40=80
80 vs. 40
Excellent!
5d20+65=89
89 vs. 15
5d20+12=58
58 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=65
65 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=54
54 vs. 80
Disaster!
5d20+12=45
45 vs. 80
Disaster!
5d20+12=81
81 vs. 80
Marginal.
5d20+12=49
49 vs. 80
Disaster!
5d20+12=56
56 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+12=70
70 vs. 80
Blunder!
5d20+40=70
70 vs. 40
Excellent! :lol
5d20+65=117
117 vs. 15
Decisive!
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