User blog:Pacman the great/Imperium Relictum - Rules for Players

This blog post details the mechanics for Imperium Relictum. This RP makes heavy use of dice to determine certain actions, resulting in a less predictable and more challenging experience.

Nations and Characters
You must have a nation and ruler.

You can only start with one city in your nation.

Each player may only have one nation.

When attempting certain actions (e.g. fort infiltration) you may roleplay the agents acting to complete this action, or simply send an unnamed individual and leave your success to the roll of a d20.

Regions
Regions are the countryside of an area. They generate tax and levies just like settlements. Orsinium and Stendarr’s Hold exist independently of regions.

To conquer a region, you must first control all the settlements and forts in the region. You must then send 3,000 soldiers to the region for three months to occupy it.

If more than three settlements or forts in a region are captured or revolt, then control of a region is lost.

Economy
Nations raise tax revenue from settlements and regions they own.

Cities generate 100,000 gold in revenue per month.

Towns generate 40,000 gold in revenue per month.

Fully controlled regions generate 80,000 gold in revenue per month.

Conversely, forts require 30,000 gold a month to maintain.

At the start of each year, dice are rolled to determine a region’s harvest. This will increase or decrease the tax revenue of all settlements in that region by up to 25%, and will affect revolt risks and attrition.

Nations may construct buildings and infrastructure in settlements or the countryside. This may affect levy qualities, revolt risk, or tax revenue from the settlement.

Settlements will tend to have a population close to a certain average population. This does not affect the economic rules.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Cities populations of 150,000.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Towns have populations of 50,000.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Regions have populations of 30,000.

Levies
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Settlements and regions contribute levies to a nation’s armed forces.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Cities have levies of 3,000 soldiers.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Towns have levies of 1,000 soldiers.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Fully controlled regions have levies of 3,000 soldiers.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Forts have levies of 1,000 soldiers.

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<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">There are four tiers of soldiers – elite, veteran, regular, and conscripts.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">One elite soldier costs 200 gold to recruit. At most 15% of your levies can be elite.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">One veteran soldier costs 120 gold to recruit. At most 25% of your levies can be veteran.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">One regular soldier costs 50 gold to recruit. Any proportion of your levies can be regular.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">One conscripts costs 10 gold to recruit. Any proportion of your levies can be regular, and you can train an unlimited amount in a month.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">For every region you control, you can recruit 1,000 soldiers a month, in addition to a base rate of 1,000 soldiers a month.

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<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Stendarr’s Hold and Orsiunium are highly militarized, and their levy restrictions are as follows:

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">One elite soldier costs 150 gold to recruit, and at most 25% of levies can be elite.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">One veteran soldier costs 80 gold to recruit, and at most 35% of levies can be veteran.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">One regular soldier costs 40 gold to recruit.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">One conscript costs 5 gold to recruit.

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<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Nations can recruit mercenaries. These soldiers do not contribute to levy restrictions, and cost as much in monthly maintenance as levies cost to recruit.

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Logistics
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">If an army or navy is cut off from its supplies, it will suffer attrition. This varies on the harvest in the region, and is increased by inhospitable terrain, such as desert and mountain.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Ships have enough supplies to last a month. If a ship runs out of supplies, it may mutiny.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Settlements have varying stocks of food to last for sieges. In general, cities will last longer than forts and towns.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Armies can march twenty miles a day on flat terrain. Ships and lone horsemen travel twice as quickly. See the scale on the map for reference.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Armies require military engineers to construct siege engines, but not to run them. Scorpios and ballistae require that special parts be taken with the army on campaign, but not mangonels or trebuchets. Access to lumber will speed up construction of siege engines.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">After battles, armies with healers can recover a portion of their casualties

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Battles
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Battles are determined by a system of rules based on die rolls. Knowledge of the ruleset is not necessary in the course of the RP.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">The battle ruleset models factors such as morale and may cause units to flee contrary to orders. Be advised that you command units, but do not completely control them.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Battlemages can be used in battle to conjure summons, reanimate the dead, or cast destruction spells. They may also cast spells to enhance or hinder units’ ability to fight as desired.

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Ships
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Ships are expensive and time consuming to construct. There are four categories of ship, but there is variation within those categories. Gunpowder cannon are not canon in Imperium Relictum.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Men o’war are the largest and third fastest ships, with three gun decks and space for forty-five ballistae. They can carry 1,000 men and require 100 men to sail. They take nine months to construct and cost 1,000,000 gold.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Frigates are the second largest ships and second fastest ships, with twenty gun decks and space for twenty ballistae. They can carry 500 men and require 80 men to sail. They take six months to construct and cost 400,000 gold.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Brigs are the third largest and fastest ships, with one gun deck and space for ten guns. They carry 250 men and require 50 men to sail. They take three months to construct and cost 250,000 gold.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Transports are the smallest and slowest ships, with no armaments. They carry 100 men, cost 50,000 gold, and take a month to construct.

Cultures
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Each settlement has its own culture. There are four cultures present in Hammerfell and High Rock – Redguard, Breton, Orcish, and Colovian. States controlling settlements of differing culture will collect reduced taxes and raise smaller levies, as well as requiring greater garrisons to keep settlements in order. Note that forts have no culture.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">The following pairs of cultures are considered similar: Redguard-Breton; Breton-Colovian. The culture penalty of a state controlling a settlement/region of similar but different culture is a 30% reduction in taxation and a 30% reduction in levies.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">The following pairs of cultures are considered dissimilar: Redguard-Orcish, Breton-Orcish, Redguard-Colovian, Orcish-Colovian. The culture penalty of a state controlling a settlement/region of dissimilar and different culture is a 40% reduction in taxation and a 60% reduction in levies.

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Culture Conversion
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">States may try to convert the local culture of a settlement to their own settlement. There are two ways to accomplish this – proselytizing and forced conversion. Orcs and the Colovian Order convert settlements twice as quickly.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Proselytizing is a gradual changing in a settlement’s culture over the course of two years. During this time, there is no further reduction in taxation or levies, nor is there an increased revolt risk. Proselytizing in a settlement costs 25% of the base tax rate monthly.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Forced conversion is the aggressive depopulation of land in order to remove people of indigenous culture or force them to accept the foreign culture. During this time, no taxation or levy may be raised from the settlement, the garrison size is increased, and revolt risk increases substantially. Forced conversion of a settlement costs 50% of the base tax rate monthly.

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Garrison
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">Settlements and the countryside require garrisons to keep order. Forts may be taken by hostile bandits if left ungarrisoned and settlements might suffer higher crime rates or revolt.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">If there are no cultural differences, settlements require garrisons of 10% their base levy, and regions require garrisons of 150 men.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">If there are cultural difference, settlements require garrisons of 30% their base levy, and regions require garrisons of 300 men.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%">During periods of forced conversion, settlements require garrisons of 50% their base levy, and regions require garrisons of 1,500 men.

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Revolts
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">Revolts are determined by a monthly die roll. These will produce revolts of varying sizes, ranging from increased crime to attempts at overthrowing the government. Revolts can be suppressed by large garrisons, but settlements of different culture or suffering from very bad harvests may revolt regardless of the garrison size.

Diplomacy
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">States may negotiate with each other for alliances, trade agreements, diplomatic marraiges, or military access. States with differing cultures will find it slightly more difficult to negotiate, and the Colovian Order and Orcs may find diplomacy nigh on impossible. Forebears and Crowns are likely to distrust each other and may not be receptive to diplomacy.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">Larger states may negotiate to gain suzerainty over smaller states, though outright annexation will not occur without military pressure.

The Raga Commonwealth
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">The Ra Gada Commonwelath is a confederation of the major states within Hanmerfell that swear fealty to the Na-Totambu (also known as the Consul), who is a high king of sorts elected by designated electors. The Na-Totambu holds little power over states, and the states within the Commonwealth are mostly independent of the Na-Totambu. The strongholds of Orsinium and Stendarr’s Hold are not recognized as states by the Commonwealth, and the Commonwealth claims rightful ownership of these territories.

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Elections and Electors
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">The title of Elector is a personal title handed down by rulers of states to their heirs, and exists independently of the states. The title may be revoked by the Na-Totambu, though such an act may cause rebellion. There are six electors – currently, they are rulers of Sentinel, Dragonstar, Skaven, Hegathe, Gilane, and Elinhir. The current Na-Totambu is the ruler of Sentinel, and cannot vote for the next Na-Totambu. Electors (including the Na-Totambu) may also vote on proposed law changes to the structure of the Commonwealth. Laws require a majority of votes cast to pass. Though illegal, there is frequent horse trading between electors for votes on certain legislation or for the next Na-Totambu.

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Na-Totambu
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">The Na-Totambu serves as leader of the Commonwealth, organizing the institutions of the Commonwealth. He is military leader during times of war.

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Obligations of Member States
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">The Na-Totambu may call upon member states to provide forces of 500 men to defend the order of the Commonwealth, a practice known as “scutage”. Member states may choose to pay a tax of 50,000 gold instead of sending soldiers. This can only occur once a year. Defence of the Commonwealth may be against external threats, or disputes between member states. Member states will take a dim view of the Na-Totambu using scutage to further the ambitions of his personally held territory.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">The Na-Totambu must return the soldiers to the states after four months, or negotiate an extension to this time. If he fails to do so, he must pay 5,000 gold in monthly compensation to each member state which sent soldiers.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">Failure to give scutage to the Na-Totambu is grounds for the revocation of privileges and territory by the Na-Totambu.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">The Na Totambu may call on all member states to unify their armies in the event of large scale foreign invasion, or a revolt by multiple member states.

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Obligations of the Na-Totambu
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; text-decoration: none">The Na-Totambu must come to the defence of member states against foreign attack. The Na-Totambu also serves as the highest court of appeal in the Commonwealth, and acts as arbiter of disputes between member states.

Map
The below map shows the area of the RP. There is a scale on the bottom left. The areas shaded red represent regions.