Editing Kingdoms: Throne of the Elder Dragon

[[Kingdoms: Main Page]] -> [[Kingdoms: Throne of the Elder Dragon]]

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=Dreamform: Throne of the Elder Dragon=

Prince Aerus was eleven when he realised the truth - that the ''Game of Succession'' was a farce, and that the millennial cycle could be broken. What Arcadia needed was a Seelie King that was great enough in power to deny the imperative to be sacrificed, and thus rule forever.

Prince Aerus knew that he was not that King, but he also knew that such a King could exist. He gathered to himself sages and masters of dreaming, and philosophers who could be persuaded to his vision. He employed his own dreaming to visualise a pleasant land filled with universities and centres of learning, and a people dedicated to researching his goal. As he neared his eighteenth birthday, he conceptualised a seed of an idea - that the Everlasting King went by the name of ''Elder Dragon'' and could be dreamed into being. 

Of course, as his eighteenth birthday rolled around, so began the war of succession, and Aerus found himself with a Kingdom that could win neither a short war nor a protracted one. He knew that he had twelve years to achieve his goal, or else his dream would end with his existence. Nonetheless, he is sure it is possible
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=The Dominant Actors of the Court=
==KING: Aerus, the Dragon's Regent==

'''Aerus''' is not the ''White King'', nor does he appreciate it when his followers address him by the titles of royalty. As far as he is concerned, he is just the Regent, keeping the throne warm for the true ruler to come.

He doesn't really look the part of a king anyway... He's just an eighteen year old human boy, with blonde hair, freckles and spectacles to correct his poor vision. He truly believes that imagination is mightier than any weapon, and so he has never trained in the arts of war, command or intrigue. He's either a visionary, or a fool.

* '''Suggested Boons:''' Effective Management; Empowered Dreaming;
* '''Suggested Drawbacks:''' Physically weak; Politically inept;
* '''Suggested Traits:''' Alternative Victory Condition; 
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==KNIGHT: Old Man Tomson, the Minister for Defence==

Old Man Tomson isn't a warrior, but rather an academic. Fortunately for Aerus, it so happens that Thompson's area of expertise is the practice of war and the use of military force. While he might not seem the most inspiring of leaders (surveying the field in his professor's robes, and needing a walking stick to move far) he is a veritable genius when it comes to tactics and strategy, which more than compensates for his physical frailties.

* '''Suggested Boons:''' Grand Strategist; Tactician;
* '''Suggested Drawbacks:''' Weak fighter; Hesitant;
* '''Suggested Traits:''' None;
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==BISHOP: Anson, the Orator==

Anson is a young man with a talent for debating, and something of a celebrity amongst the academics of the kingdom. He is especially skilled in rhetoric and public speaking, and was instrumental in convincing the masses that the King's eccentric plans were the best way forward.

* '''Suggested Boons:''' Master Propagandist;
* '''Suggested Drawbacks:''' Reduced Versatility (Propaganda only);
* '''Suggested Traits:''' None;
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==ROOK: Rotger, Security Chief==

A big and ugly man, Rotger is chief of security across the kingdom and is fiercely dedicated to his job. While he doesn't have any interest in the King's grand agenda, he figures that it isn't his place to make policy, but rather his duty to serve and protect his king in any way that he can. He might be a little slower than most, but his dedication is second to none.

* '''Suggested Boons:''' Kingsguard;
* '''Suggested Drawbacks:''' Delayed Response;
* '''Suggested Traits:''' None;
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=The Shadow Actors of the Court=
==QUEEN: Jade Lotus, the Flamebearer==

''Most Kings would have been grateful for a queen like Jade Lotus.''

She has the perfect skin and slight proportions typical of the royalty of her oriental homeland, and her pyromancy is a potent weapon of war. She is beautiful, young, cunning, magically gifted and ambitious... all excellent qualities that make her an excellent match.

Of course, Aerus is not like ''most kings''. He has adopted an agenda that Jade Lotus sees as ridiculous and self-destructive, and she has little desire to see him succeed. She doesn't want to nobly step aside for an everlasting King, she wants to rule by herself, as a Queen by her husbands side!

The only hope she sees is to let the ''Game of Succession'' run its course, and to make sure that her King is dominant at that time. Once the twelve years are up, the opportunity to pursue foolishness will have gone, and she hopes that her husband will settle into a more traditional role for a Monarch of Arcadia. 

* '''Suggested Boons:''' Puissance; War-magus;
* '''Suggested Drawbacks:''' Loveless Match; Disloyal Motivation; 
* '''Suggested Traits:''' Sorcery Style: Pyromancy;
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==KNIGHT: Sehund, Militia Captain==

Sehund was raised from the ranks of the peasant militia for his admirable success in the field of battle. It was only later that the King discovered Sehund's vicious streak, and his penchant for collecting grisly trophies from between the legs of fallen enemies. Aerus was quite ready to lock Sehund up for "war crimes", but the Queen insisted on naming Sehund as her Knight, and for the sake of Kingdom unity, Aerus agreed.

* '''Suggested Boons:''' Merciless;
* '''Suggested Drawbacks:''' Inferior Warcraft;
* '''Suggested Traits:''' None;
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==BISHOP: Torv, the Abductor==

Torv was a thug and criminal, the sort of person that the King wished he hadn't dreamt into being. Torv was languishing in the cells when the ''King'' realised that his grand plan would need someone like him, and offered him release in exchange for service.

Torv, of course, isn't feeling too cooperative so has entrenched himself firmly in the Queen's camp, and is working to her agenda, not the King's.

* '''Suggested Boons:''' Master Kidnapper;
* '''Suggested Drawbacks:''' Coward;
* '''Suggested Traits:''' None;
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==ROOK: Streck, the Prison Governor==

Streck is an unpleasant man who has run the kingdom's prisons for as long as he can remember. Aerus sees it as unfortunate but necessary that his domain has such large prisons, and even more unfortunate and necessary that Streck is the man to run them.

* '''Suggested Boons:''' Gaoler; 
* '''Suggested Drawbacks:''' Untrained in War;
* '''Suggested Traits:''' None;
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=The Eight Armies=

* '''1st Regiment: The Regent's Own Volunteers''' - First and finest, the Regent's own are all career soldiers and the original armed forces of the realm. ''(Combined Arms Warfare; Expensive;)''
* '''2nd Regiment: The Greystone Regiment''' - An all-golem regiment, built by college sages to supplement the realm's armies. ''(Indestructible; Fuelled;)''
* '''3rd Regiment: The Outrider Companies''' - Originally the postal service, these horsemen were drafted as scouts at the start of the Succession War. ''(Scouts; Low Quality;)''
* '''4th Regiment: The Peregrine College Duellists''' - Noblemen swordsmen volunteers, few in number but trained by their college to a high standard. ''(Combined Arms Warfare; Expensive;)''
* '''5th Regiment: The Watchtower Companies''' - Border guards drafted from the peasantry to man the border towers. ''(Defenders; Low Quality;)''
* '''6th Regiment: The Campus Guard''' - Orignally porters and support staff for the university, this crossbow regiment was hurriedly assembled when the Regent offered budgetary allowances to cooperative colleges. ''(Ranged; Low Quality;)''
* '''7th Regiment: The Royal Engineers''' - Not so much a military force as a collection of very clever people good at blowing things up. ''(War machines; Expensive;)''
* '''8th Regiment: The Ash and Yews''' - A late addition, formed when the King realised that many peasantfolk were practicing archery as a sport, and that they could be useful in war, even though it might mean taking them off the farms. ''(Ranged; Combined Arms Warfare; Hungry; Dependent;)''

''Italic text above represents suggested Descriptors.''


=Alternative Victory Condition=

If using suggested descriptors as above, the below is considered to be the alternate victory condition:

'''Summoning the Elder Dragon'''
* The Summoning can only take place as the first action of ''Springtime'', and only in years where ''White'' has ''Priority''.
* The enemy ''Queen'' must be in captivity at the start of ''Springtime'', as the ritual demands the sacrifice of a Seelie Queen (and, incidentally, a Seelie King).
* The King must have at least 15 Glamour at the start of Springtime, as this is what will feed the creation of the Elder Dragon.
* At the time of the ritual the kingdom must include three specific 3-pt Improvements, namely ''The Draconic Throne'', ''The Reality Shift Prism'' and the ''Sacrificial Altar''. These ''Improvements'' do not have any other game effect other than allowing the victory condition to take place.
* If all the above conditions are fulfilled, victory is attained!

Notice that the set up of traits means that the above victory is a win only for the White King Player, and a lose for White Queen Player, Black King Player and Black Queen Player.

The only way the ''White Queen Player'' can get a win is by having the White Kingdom win through the ''Inevitable Victory'' condition. This still counts as a win for the ''White King Player'', albeit a lesser one.

Note that for the ''White King'', the hardest task here is kidnapping the opposing ''Queen'', as unless he has access to mercenaries, or gets lucky against an overconfident opponent, likely need the ''White Shadow Court'' to help him out.

[[Category:Kingdoms|Throne of the Elder Dragon]]