Editing Kingdoms: Overview of the Game System (section)

=Game Concepts=
==The Courts and Seelie Nature==

There are two Courts, each representing the followers of a different King.

The '''White Court''' is led by the '''Seelie King'''. White Courts tend to have a strong emphasis on honour, discipline, loyalty and noble behaviour. The White King rules because his subjects choose to follow him, and because they feel it is right and correct to do so.

The '''Black Court''' is led by the '''Unseelie King'''. Black Courts tend to be rife with intrigue, passion and freedom. The Black King rules because his subjects dare not disobey him, or are bound to his will by sorcery or manipulation.

'''Seelie''' characters are those that, by their nature, are inclined towards honour, lawfulness and ethics.

'''Unseelie''' characters are those that, by their nature, are inclined towards covert means, ambition and domination.

Note that while the White Court is always led by a Seelie King, his followers are a mix of Seelie and Unseelie. Likewise, while the Black Court is always led by an Unseelie King, his followers are also a mix of Seelie and Unseelie.

Its also worth being aware that concepts of good and evil are not directly applicable to either the white/black or the seelie/unseelie axis. A White King, for example, could be an overzealous legalist who punishes minor crimes with excessive force, or he could be a noble gentleman who is fair and even-handed. A Black King could be an unholy tyrant who rules through mind control charms and torture, or he could be a revolutionary who believes that all men are born equal, and spits at the hidebound strictures of Fae society.
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==The Players and The Adjudicator==

By default, it is assumed that five people will be playing Kingdoms. For ease of reference, we'll refer to these people as the '''Adjudicator''', the '''White King Player''', the '''White Queen Player''', the '''Black King Player''' and the '''Black Queen Player'''.

* The '''Adjudicator''' prepares and runs the game, makes judgment calls and fulfils the traditional role of a GM.
* The '''White King Player''' plays the '''White King'''. He also controls three other pieces on the White side: The ''Seelie Knight'', The ''Seelie Bishop'' and the ''Seelie Rook''. Collectively, these four pieces are called the ''Dominant Actors of the White Court''.
* The '''White Queen Player''' plays the '''White Queen'''. She also controls three other pieces on the White side: The ''Unseelie Knight'', The ''Unseelie Bishop'' and the ''Unseelie Rook''. Collectively, these four pieces are called the ''Shadow Actors of the White Court''.
* The '''Black King Player''' plays the '''Black King'''. He also controls three other pieces on the Black side: The ''Unseelie Knight'', The ''Unseelie Bishop'' and the ''Unseelie Rook''. Collectively, these four pieces are called the ''Dominant Actors of the Black Court''.
* The '''Black Queen Player''' plays the '''Black Queen'''. She also controls three other pieces on the Black side: The ''Seelie Knight'', The ''Seelie Bishop'' and the ''Seelie Rook''. Collectively, these four pieces are called the ''Shadow Actors of the Black Court''.

Note that the '''White King Player''' and the '''White Queen Player''' are both aligned to the '''White Court''', so they are allies with the same agenda. However, the '''White King Player''' represents the '''Seelie pieces in the White Court''' and the '''White Queen Player''' represents the '''Unseelie Pieces in the White Court'''.

Likewise, the '''Black King Player''' and the '''Black Queen Player''' are both aligned to the '''Black Court''', so they are allies with the same agenda. However, the '''Black King Player''' represents the '''Unseelie pieces in the Black Court''' and the '''Black Queen Player''' represents the '''Seelie Pieces in the Black Court'''.

This may seem counterintuitive at first... you may want to question why there are Unseelie Pieces serving the White and Seelie Pieces serving the Black.

The answer to this is that whatever the Nature of the King,  he must eventually rule over all Fae, both Seelie and Unseelie. Thus it is only appropriate that he has servants of both natures. Of course, the White King would rather leave the "dishonourable business of subterfuge, subversion and espionage" to his Unseelie White Queen, while the Black King happily delegates "all that high society and by-the-book warfare nonsense" to his Seelie Black Queen.

Regardless of personal nature, every fae is '''ultimately loyal to his or her own King, and to that King's Court'''. Every fae will do all that he or she can to attain victory for his Court. This is not a matter of personal ideology, but rather one of survival and personal protection... after all, the Court of a defeated King will likely have no place in the new world order.
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===A note on Terms, Gender and Pronouns===

For the purposes of the game, ''Pawns, Knights, Bishops, Rooks, Queens and Kings'' are all referred to as '''Pieces.''' Any aligned with the Black Court are called '''Black Pieces''' and any aligned with the White Court are called '''White Pieces'''. When describing all these pieces for setting-background purposes, rather than game-rules purposes, they'll generally be referred to collectively as ''The Fae''.

Additionally, the following pieces are referred to as '''Back Row Pieces''' - ''Knights, Bishops, Rooks, Queens, Kings.'' These are also sometimes called '''Player Characters''', and sometimes '''Actors'''.

The real life people who control these ''Actors'' are called '''Players'''. As noted above, these will generally be referred to as the '''White King Player''', '''White Queen Player''', '''Black King Player''' and '''Black Queen Player'''.

With regards to ''Player Characters'', ''Kings'' are always male and ''Queens'' are always female. All other player characters can be male or female (or should you wish, neither or both).

With regards to ''Players'', any player can be any gender! However, for ease and simplicity these rules will refer to King Players as "he" and Queen Players as "she".

The '''Adjudicator''' is not considered ot be a Player, and can of course be of any gender. However, for ease and simplicity these rules will refer to the Adjudicator as "he".

Note that '''Pawns''' are also referred to as '''Armies'''. Because each army represents a large number of soldiers, they'll get the pronoun "they". Also, Pawns are not directly depicted as Player Characters, but rather should be regarded as resources to be used.
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