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In the Year of Our Lord



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Gender: Ace
Points: 911
Reviews: 62
Thu May 26, 2016 8:34 am
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ThePatchworkPilgrims says...



It's the year of our lord 1452. Frederick III of Austria has been crowned the Holy Roman Emperor. The Ottoman sultans finally succeed at laying waste to the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, Constantinople. Somewhere in Tuscany a future genius known as Leonardo Da Vinci is born in a small farmhouse. In Rome, Pope Nicholas V issues the Dum Diversas against the Saracens of Northern Africa. And in France, the French succeed in capturing the city of Bordeaux from the British.
It seems like Europe is filled to the brim with war, turmoil, and the vying for power between great men and women. But everyone seems to have forgotten about those they rule. Those on whose backs these great nations are built. People like you an me.

We are the powerless and forgotten, the weak and unimportant, and we have been missed by those who view us as mere pawns in their never-ending game. But we too can change the fate of the world. We too can shake the foundations of history. All we have to do, is stand up.


This SB is, as you can see, set in an actual historical background, and will have historical elements and events, but will ultimately depend on you.

However, unlike almost every other SB, we will not be playing the main roles, no, we will be playing those whom history forget to mention, those who, with a strong enough will, can shape the future, or die.

The Mechanics


Okay, so unlike other SBs where only a certain amount of people can join and be done with it, this SB has an open cast. This means, people can come and go (more or less) as they please.

There may only be a maximum of 16 players at a time, but other individuals can always prepare to jump in (like in real history, the characters will appear and fade from history constantly as new individuals enter the stage)

You can be any of the roles down below, as long as somewhere in Europe there is a spot open for you ;-) Each type of character will have certain advantages and disadvantages that will affect their future in this tale.

Since we will not be driving history (for now), randomized events and challenges will be thrown at the characters to further their tales. These might range from royal marriages to raiders, from plagues to floods, all of which might be universal (affect all players), or just selective (only certain players). Certain challenges and events will also be available to be done by characters, and can lead to plot pushers or plot enders for your character.

These events will be determined by random chance (i.e through method of D100 rolls, pulling them out of a hat, pin-the-tail-on-the-disaster, etc) Some events will also be posed as SB Challenges, so prepare to get a few credits (or a lot, if you manage to survive)

The Nations


Since this SB is taking place in the grand arena known as Europe, here are the main nations at present available to players.

The Holy Roman Empire


Spoiler! :
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The Great and majestic Holy Roman Empire, consisting of most of Central Europe. Dozens of Free Cities and smaller kingdoms form part of this unit of might.

Current Ruler: Frederick III of Austria (37 years old)

Player slots allowed in this Nation: Farmer's Son/daughter, Merchant, Son/Daughter of a smaller noble family, Young Soldier, Squire/Handmaiden/Herald

Terrain: Temperate to Cold, woody, mountainous, urban

Religion: Various (Primarily Protestant and Catholic)


The Kingdom of France


Spoiler! :
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The Noble kingdom of France. A land divided upon itself, with two kings claiming right to the French throne, and several other noble families seeking an opportunity to rise to greatness.

Current ruler: Disputed, Charles VII of France (49 years old) and Henry VI of England (30 years old)

Player slots available in this Nation: Farmer's Son/Daughter, Son/Daughter of a smaller noble family,Young Soldier,Squire/Handmaiden/Herald

Terrain: Mediterranean, predominantly farmlands, woodlands

Religion: Primarily Catholic (with a Waldenian Protestant minority)


The Italian City States


Spoiler! :

Venetian Empire
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Rulers of the Mediterranean, boasting the strongest fleet in Europe and a beacon of trading power. Constantly contesting with the Ottomans for absolute power in the naval regions of the Balkans.

Current ruler: Doge Francesco Foscari (79 years old)

Player slots available in this Nation: Merchant, Son/Daughter of a smaller noble family, Page on a ship

Terrain: Mediterranean climate, coastal, urban

Religion: Catholic

Florence

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The beautiful scenery of the Florentine and Tuscan landscape hide the struggle for power between several noble houses, most notably the Medici.

Current Ruler: Cosimo de Medici (63 years old)

Player slots available in this Nation: Farmer's Son/Daughter, Young Soldier, Squire/Handmaiden/Herald, junior cleric

Terrain: Mediterranean climate, Farmlands

Religion: Catholic

Milan

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Currently unavailable to players


The Iberian kingdoms


Currently unavailable to players. No heralds have arrived thus far with new information.

The Ottoman Empire


Spoiler! :
The rulers of Arabia, the defenders of Sunni Islam. The Ottoman Empire has finally caught the attention of the European lords, and they have come to stay. Through trade and military might, they seek to expand their steadfast religion across Europe.

Current ruler: Mehmed II (21 years old)

Player slots available for this Nation: Merchant, Page on a ship, Young Soldier, junior cleric

Terrain: Mediterranean to Arid, mountainous, desert

Religion: Sunni


Player Slots:


Farmer's Son/Daughter-
You were born the son or daughter of a small landowner in Medieval Europe. Although to most this life might have been a satisfactory existence, inheriting the farm one day, picking up where your parents left it.
However, you were born with greater things in your mind. Though not wealthy or completely literate, you wish to see the world, leave your place of birth, and create a name for yourself somewhere bigger. It won't be easy, due to your current circumstances, but if Fate allows it, anything is possible.

Lesser Noble's Son/Daughter-
Being the third or fourth child of a lesser noble in Medieval Europe isn't as luxurious a life as the common folk would believe. You aren't set to inherit what little land or power your parents have, and you'll most likely be married off quicker than the spread of the Black Plague.
But what your father doesn't know is that you have higher aspirations than being his pawn in the game of nobility. You wish to end in a position of great influence and power, to be remembered in the annals of time. The path won't be clear, with assassins and silver-tongue nobles in your way, but with sheer determination, you will succeed.

Young Soldier-
In the current turmoil and power struggle of the great kingdoms, being a new recruit is never a positive fate. You will be drilled to the brink of death by relentless commanders, and be forced to fight the battles of cowardly nobles and rulers hiding in their castles.
However, even if you might not have chosen this life, you have decided that you will try your utmost to rise to heights only the heavens may know. You will have to compete with over-privileged nobles, ruthless diplomats, and more importantly, the ongoing wars to ensure that your name is engraved in history.

Squire/Handmaiden/Herald

Being born to serve the higher powers has many disadvantages. You own very little, are often looked down upon, and are always left to clean up your master's mess (or take the blame for it)
However, the one thing you do have is knowledge. You are often disregarded as a nobody, and this allows you to gather scandalous, treacherous and damning information about the higher ups. How will you use this knowledge? Will you use it to further your own ends, or will you change the course of history with false information? This all remains to be seen.

Merchant

Your purpose in life, according to nobles, is to sell what they want when they want it, and then to give all that money back to them in the form of taxes. Whether it be linen and silk, or weapons and gunpowder, you are relied upon by both the higher and lower classes.
Do you plan on using this power to rise above the muddy roads and markets to become an accumulator of money and power? Do you plan on becoming a feared or respected tycoon, no longer bound to petty nobles?

Page on a Ship

Unlike normal servants who reside in warm, comfortable buildings, you were forced, from a young age, to serve on the open seas, albeit on a trading vessel or a mighty warship. You, and the countless other pages on ships, fight for survival on a daily basis, and will continue doing so as long as fate demands you do.
But you are an ambitious person, always looking to the horizon. You may be nothing more than a servants, but unlike most servants, you are not bound to a lord or lady, and that has its own advantages. Through deeds and merit, you will rise in station, and bring honour to your family, and yourself.

Young Cleric

To some, being bound to a religious factions is a tedious and no purpose life, but to you, it is all you ever wanted. You serve your chosen faith whole-heartedly. You feel that there is no other station in the known world of more importance.
But you do not feel as if your role in this world is justified yet. You wish to rise and rise to become a chief figure in the will of your deity, hoping that one day, you too will help reshape the world.

Character slots

Okay, so since this is a large-scale SB, it will work as follows: I give a certain amount of slots per type of character, who can then can be played in any of the nations where they were specified to be in (max of three characters in a nation for now)

If you want to join, but all the roles are filled, contact me in the DT, create your character, and wait for either someone to back out (in which case your character can enter the scene), or wait until I make a few more slots (which will obviously happen as time takes its course and more nations become available)

Son/Daughter of Farmer 1: reserved for @Steggy
Son/Daughter of Farmer 2: Open

Lesser Noble's Son/Daughter 1: reserved for @Wolfical
Lesser Noble's Son/Daughter 2: Open
Lesser Noble's Son/Daughter 3: Open

Young Soldier 1: reserved for @TheForgottenKing
Young Soldier 2: Open

Squire/Handmaiden/Herald 1: Open
Squire/Handmaiden/Herald 2: Open
Squire/Handmaiden/Herald 3: Open

Merchant 1: reserved for @niteowl
Merchant 2: Open

Page on a Ship 1: Open
Page on a Ship 2: Open

Young Cleric 1: reserved for @TheIllusiveIntellect
Young Cleric 2: Open

Character Template

Please use this to create your profiles. Pictures may be included, but please add written descriptions as well.

Code: Select all
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Role:[/b]
[b]Nation:[/b]

[b]Back Story:[/b] (As detailed or brief as you want. Minimum of four sentences)

[b]Personality:[/b] (Please include strengths and character flaws... I don't want any perfect characters, we're all human)

[b]Appearance:[/b] (please stay historically accurate... Also, remember your role you are playing! And preferably don't include a too detailed outfit description... We're in the 15th century here, clothes are bound to be ruined or lost)

[b]UFL?:[/b]

[b]Random Question:[/b] (Optional) If you could change one moment in the past, whether it be in your own life, the recent past or the distant past, what would it be and why?
Former incarnations have been:
TheWanderingWizard
TheClockworkConjurer
TheIllusiveIntellect
TheSunderingSorceror
And, TheMaieuticMesmerist


Proudly [They/Them]








But there was no goat man, there was NEVER any goat man!
— OSP Red