Editing Kingdoms: Springtime - Growth (section)

=Roleplaying the Springtime=

Generally, the structure of Springtime will be as follows:

(1) The Adjudicator declares Springtime has begun, and reminds the players which game year they are in (1 to 12) and which Court has priority this year.

(2) The Adjudicator relates any Events to all the players as a group.

(3) The two Courts split off, and quietly discuss their plans for the Season, without letting their opposites hear what they are saying.

(4) The two Kings each show the Adjudicator what they have done. The two Queens tell the Adjudicator what they are doing. Also, any Escape Attempt rolls are made.

(5) The results of the season are proclaimed, and any actions become known to all players.

It is possible (though inadvisable) to handle this in a purely gamist fashion, running through the numbers. It is far better though, to remain in character in every step. As a rule of thumb, for any season, the only person who routinely uses "gamespeak" should be the Adjudicator. Everyone else should revel in their roles. 

Mostly, of course in steps 1-3 of this season it will be each King conferring with his Queen, but it should be assumed that if any players wants to, he can always talk with opposing players in-character too. You can justify this in story as communicating through magic mirrors, or through letters, or however else - just keep the roleplaying going!

Step 4 is invariably gamist, but the Adjudicator can still respond as a GM would, and play out scenes.

Step 5, however, can be handled in a lot of ways. A gamist group might want the Adjudicator to just present the bare facts, with descriptions of game effects. A more narrativist group would ask the players to step into role again, describing their changes in-character. For example, the King could issue out his boons and declare kingdom improvements through "an address to the nation". Likewise, the Queen's player could step into the Queen's shoes, and describe to her King what spell she has prepared for him. Confident and experienced roleplayers might even narrate the events as if they themselves were GMs describing the situation, or might play out small scenes with impromptu minor actors to relay the information.

Regardless, its important that in game-terms, the end results of Springtime are always clear and overt. While planning might take place in secret, you ultimately can't hide what you're doing from the enemy. Its generally best if the season ends with the Adjudicator explicitly describing the game effects of everything that has happened.
[[Category:Kingdoms|Springtime]]