RE: Building an Empire
06-04-2018, 09:51 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-14-2018, 04:05 AM by Protoman.)
Here's a go at an institutions app! It's a WIP for now, will have to consult with the GM and generally brainstorm to figure out a few specifics, but for now, anything in brackets is most certainly gonna get changed at some point. Hit me up via PMs or my Skype or Discord if ya got it if you wanna discuss anything specific about it or if I've edged in on the territory of an idea you're interested in!
Name: The Union of Heroes, Monster Slayers, and Defenders of Mercy.
Less Bullshit Colloquial Name: The Adventurer's Guild.
Guild Leader: Grandmaster-Syndic Nasrin I.
Function: On the side of labor: providing organization, contracts, and collective bargaining power to adventurers; that is to say, people who embark on quests to slay evil creatures, defeat tyrannical skeleton-kings, and rid your garden of sentient slime. On the side of the customer: providing quality contractors, freelancers, and mercenaries to defeat any threat to the good people of your realm.
History: The guild is a fairly recent addition to the empire, only a little over half a century old. Following in the wake of the Blood Moon and the subsequent Red Tide, the seeming inability of the Empire or its princes to properly raise a military that could immediately answer the needs of all its people became apparent. Out from the most devastated villages and townships came a new sort of warrior: the Adventurer.
Ill-equipped, without noble title, and with nothing to their name but their courage, bands of these adventurers ventured far from their homes to slay the evils that lapped at the fringes of Imperial society. They fought, bled, and died, not for fame, fortune, and valor, but to protect the innocent, to send the wicked to their doom, and to end the suffering of the oppressed. Many died, but some? Some had the temerity to win.
Fame might not have been their goal, but it was theirs all the same. Their names echoed throughout the hamlets and beer-halls, in farmstead and workshop alike. A paradigm shift occurred as people realized that a hero need not be of noble birth or blue blood. A hero needed only a valiant soul. More took up arms, and in time, the bands of adventurers turned into bands of bands. Soon, a guild was formed across the empire, a place where the bold children of peasants, burghers, fishers and craftsmen could follow in the footsteps of those legendary greats.
Over the years, the guild has grown prominent, almost even respected. Some resent it for its role as a paramilitary organization, criticizing it as inherently disruptive. Others resent it for its core ideals, claiming that it incites within the lower classes airs of grandeur suited only for their betters. None, however, can ignore the good it does on a daily basis.
Strengths: Decentralized: The guild's decentralized nature allows it to better respond to local needs, prevents high-level systemic corruption, and makes it tremendously hard to stamp out.
Solidarity: The guild is made up of the common people, and thus share a special bond with them. A great deal of trust exists between members of the guild and the peasants and burghers they serve.
Armed With Valor: The guild has a reputation for producing tremendously talented and brave individuals. Its warriors, while numbering few in any given region compared to any local army and not always well-equipped, tend to be frighteningly deft with their weapons.
[Piety?]: Depending on the nature of religion in the empire - specifically how it relates to matters of class - the guild will likely be either tremendously faithful, or have a great deal of tension with it.
Weaknesses: Decentralized: The guild's decentralized nature ALSO makes it incredibly hard to organize against larger threats. It imposes a greater difficulty in enforcing guild regulations, fighting low-level corruption, and getting guild profits to reach the higher levels.
Class Conflict: Almost all of the guild bleeds red. What few nobles exist within the guild are without influence, typically being the seventieth child of some backwater baron. Dealing directly with the nobility is difficult, and some members of the guild chafe at working for or with particularly cruel lords. In addition, the guild has no chance of expanding through political marriage - at least not in a way that would be considered legitimate by most blue-bloods.
Morality: The guild has a reputation for do-goodery, and thus attracts a high number of people unwilling to fight for causes which directly harm the innocent. Certainly, some are here for gold and glory, and may grumble in resentment at lost job opportunities, but most are utterly unwilling to raise their blade simply to hear the jingling of coin in their pocket.
Leader Biography: Born in the last days of the Blood Tide, Nasrin's early life was spent in the misery of a community trying to rebuild. Her village had been racked by the abominations, leaving the land blighted, many dead, and the survivors broken. She was born to a widowing mother, her father having departed from this world after finding himself incapable of dealing with the aftermath of what he'd seen. Her mother, Zahra, held on in spite of the hardship, holding out hope for her only child. She was a kind and loving woman, and raised her daughter to be much the same. No matter what, Zahra did all she could to provide a gentle place for her daughter in a harsh world.
The years passed. As Nasrin reached the cusp of adulthood, the Grimgrave Skelelord Mortemitrix rose from her bone palace upon the hidden island of Strasgard and began her invasion of the land. Word spread, and the name of the fledgling adventurer's guild was in everyone's mouths. Nasrin abandoned the loving arms of her mother in favor of service. She had been taught goodness by her mother, and goodness she would do. She joined, and she fought, and she fought well. In time, she distinguished herself as one of the greatest fighters in her army, possessed by untold courage. In the five years that followed, she rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the lieutenant of the first-generation legend Dalibor of the Dead-Eye, a skilled archer said to be able to shoot a pigeon out of the sky from a mile away without looking.
She was present at the final battle against the Mortemitrix the Dastardly, fighting face-to-face with the Skelelord. She accompanied Dalibor as well as a berserker great-sword user named Gauntblade Gaubert, a stealth expert and mid-ranged combatant named Urpi the Swift, and the greatest of the first-generation heroes, first Syndic of the guild, a woman known as Kiri the Ironsoul. The battle raged on and on, until finally Mortemitrix was banished from this realm, for a time - as Kiri laid dying.
The war was over, but the guild went into mourning. Nasrin, for her part, went home. She reunited with her beloved mother, married, and had a child - all while remaining in the public light. After the death of the Ironsoul, Old Gaubert was elected as the second Syndic, and Nasrin took a position of prominence in the guild - one even greater than she'd had before. She had attained a rank no second-generation hero previously had, and her fame did not fade. When the time came for Gaubert to retire, the choice for the Third Syndic was easy.
Nasrin is rather uncomfortable with her position, preferring the simple do-goodery of adventuring life to fame and management. Still, she is no shirker, and she has accepted the responsibility thrust upon her shoulders. She will serve as best she can while she can, and to someday return home to her village, content to spend the last days of her life with her husband, daughter and grandchildren.
Leader Strengths: Veteran Hero: Nasrin was one of the greatest warriors of her age. She distinguished herself in the Bone Wars, having been a direct participant in the Second Battle of Cadaver Castle and a member of the Band of Five that slew the Grimgrave Skelelord Mortemitrix in the final battle. Is well respected in her own guild, and has had little resistance to her election.
Martial Reputation: Nasrin is known by any who have lived long enough to remember the rise and fall of Skelelord Mortemitrix. Her name commands some amount of respect from those who are involved in or particularly interested in military matters - even if it is sometimes a begrudging respect.
Leader Weaknesses: Peasant Background: This character was born a peasant. They lack the prestige and opportunity that comes with nobility, are probably looked down upon by those who are particularly inclined towards blue-bloods, and have only what education the years have bestowed upon them. Illiterate.
Age: Nasrin is in her early fifties. She is in good health for now, but her time in this world is limited, and she will need to start scouring the ranks of the guild for a successor in the coming decades.
Elected: Nasrin does not rule by divine right or noble lineage. She is an elected leader, and leads only through the consent of the guild. Should they ever decide she has led poorly, they can have a recall election.
Name: The Union of Heroes, Monster Slayers, and Defenders of Mercy.
Less Bullshit Colloquial Name: The Adventurer's Guild.
Guild Leader: Grandmaster-Syndic Nasrin I.
Function: On the side of labor: providing organization, contracts, and collective bargaining power to adventurers; that is to say, people who embark on quests to slay evil creatures, defeat tyrannical skeleton-kings, and rid your garden of sentient slime. On the side of the customer: providing quality contractors, freelancers, and mercenaries to defeat any threat to the good people of your realm.
History: The guild is a fairly recent addition to the empire, only a little over half a century old. Following in the wake of the Blood Moon and the subsequent Red Tide, the seeming inability of the Empire or its princes to properly raise a military that could immediately answer the needs of all its people became apparent. Out from the most devastated villages and townships came a new sort of warrior: the Adventurer.
Ill-equipped, without noble title, and with nothing to their name but their courage, bands of these adventurers ventured far from their homes to slay the evils that lapped at the fringes of Imperial society. They fought, bled, and died, not for fame, fortune, and valor, but to protect the innocent, to send the wicked to their doom, and to end the suffering of the oppressed. Many died, but some? Some had the temerity to win.
Fame might not have been their goal, but it was theirs all the same. Their names echoed throughout the hamlets and beer-halls, in farmstead and workshop alike. A paradigm shift occurred as people realized that a hero need not be of noble birth or blue blood. A hero needed only a valiant soul. More took up arms, and in time, the bands of adventurers turned into bands of bands. Soon, a guild was formed across the empire, a place where the bold children of peasants, burghers, fishers and craftsmen could follow in the footsteps of those legendary greats.
Over the years, the guild has grown prominent, almost even respected. Some resent it for its role as a paramilitary organization, criticizing it as inherently disruptive. Others resent it for its core ideals, claiming that it incites within the lower classes airs of grandeur suited only for their betters. None, however, can ignore the good it does on a daily basis.
Strengths: Decentralized: The guild's decentralized nature allows it to better respond to local needs, prevents high-level systemic corruption, and makes it tremendously hard to stamp out.
Solidarity: The guild is made up of the common people, and thus share a special bond with them. A great deal of trust exists between members of the guild and the peasants and burghers they serve.
Armed With Valor: The guild has a reputation for producing tremendously talented and brave individuals. Its warriors, while numbering few in any given region compared to any local army and not always well-equipped, tend to be frighteningly deft with their weapons.
[Piety?]: Depending on the nature of religion in the empire - specifically how it relates to matters of class - the guild will likely be either tremendously faithful, or have a great deal of tension with it.
Weaknesses: Decentralized: The guild's decentralized nature ALSO makes it incredibly hard to organize against larger threats. It imposes a greater difficulty in enforcing guild regulations, fighting low-level corruption, and getting guild profits to reach the higher levels.
Class Conflict: Almost all of the guild bleeds red. What few nobles exist within the guild are without influence, typically being the seventieth child of some backwater baron. Dealing directly with the nobility is difficult, and some members of the guild chafe at working for or with particularly cruel lords. In addition, the guild has no chance of expanding through political marriage - at least not in a way that would be considered legitimate by most blue-bloods.
Morality: The guild has a reputation for do-goodery, and thus attracts a high number of people unwilling to fight for causes which directly harm the innocent. Certainly, some are here for gold and glory, and may grumble in resentment at lost job opportunities, but most are utterly unwilling to raise their blade simply to hear the jingling of coin in their pocket.
Leader Biography: Born in the last days of the Blood Tide, Nasrin's early life was spent in the misery of a community trying to rebuild. Her village had been racked by the abominations, leaving the land blighted, many dead, and the survivors broken. She was born to a widowing mother, her father having departed from this world after finding himself incapable of dealing with the aftermath of what he'd seen. Her mother, Zahra, held on in spite of the hardship, holding out hope for her only child. She was a kind and loving woman, and raised her daughter to be much the same. No matter what, Zahra did all she could to provide a gentle place for her daughter in a harsh world.
The years passed. As Nasrin reached the cusp of adulthood, the Grimgrave Skelelord Mortemitrix rose from her bone palace upon the hidden island of Strasgard and began her invasion of the land. Word spread, and the name of the fledgling adventurer's guild was in everyone's mouths. Nasrin abandoned the loving arms of her mother in favor of service. She had been taught goodness by her mother, and goodness she would do. She joined, and she fought, and she fought well. In time, she distinguished herself as one of the greatest fighters in her army, possessed by untold courage. In the five years that followed, she rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the lieutenant of the first-generation legend Dalibor of the Dead-Eye, a skilled archer said to be able to shoot a pigeon out of the sky from a mile away without looking.
She was present at the final battle against the Mortemitrix the Dastardly, fighting face-to-face with the Skelelord. She accompanied Dalibor as well as a berserker great-sword user named Gauntblade Gaubert, a stealth expert and mid-ranged combatant named Urpi the Swift, and the greatest of the first-generation heroes, first Syndic of the guild, a woman known as Kiri the Ironsoul. The battle raged on and on, until finally Mortemitrix was banished from this realm, for a time - as Kiri laid dying.
The war was over, but the guild went into mourning. Nasrin, for her part, went home. She reunited with her beloved mother, married, and had a child - all while remaining in the public light. After the death of the Ironsoul, Old Gaubert was elected as the second Syndic, and Nasrin took a position of prominence in the guild - one even greater than she'd had before. She had attained a rank no second-generation hero previously had, and her fame did not fade. When the time came for Gaubert to retire, the choice for the Third Syndic was easy.
Nasrin is rather uncomfortable with her position, preferring the simple do-goodery of adventuring life to fame and management. Still, she is no shirker, and she has accepted the responsibility thrust upon her shoulders. She will serve as best she can while she can, and to someday return home to her village, content to spend the last days of her life with her husband, daughter and grandchildren.
Leader Strengths: Veteran Hero: Nasrin was one of the greatest warriors of her age. She distinguished herself in the Bone Wars, having been a direct participant in the Second Battle of Cadaver Castle and a member of the Band of Five that slew the Grimgrave Skelelord Mortemitrix in the final battle. Is well respected in her own guild, and has had little resistance to her election.
Martial Reputation: Nasrin is known by any who have lived long enough to remember the rise and fall of Skelelord Mortemitrix. Her name commands some amount of respect from those who are involved in or particularly interested in military matters - even if it is sometimes a begrudging respect.
Leader Weaknesses: Peasant Background: This character was born a peasant. They lack the prestige and opportunity that comes with nobility, are probably looked down upon by those who are particularly inclined towards blue-bloods, and have only what education the years have bestowed upon them. Illiterate.
Age: Nasrin is in her early fifties. She is in good health for now, but her time in this world is limited, and she will need to start scouring the ranks of the guild for a successor in the coming decades.
Elected: Nasrin does not rule by divine right or noble lineage. She is an elected leader, and leads only through the consent of the guild. Should they ever decide she has led poorly, they can have a recall election.