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  • Tales from the Throne Room - Chapter Seven

    by
    phonicsmonkey
    Published on 04-12-2012 05:19
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    Welcome back to Tales from the Throne Room, our regular piece on the Org's community of hotseat and RPG gamers!
    (written by Zim, Nightbringer and phonicsmonkey, graphics by Quirl)

    The Throne Room is where we play collaborative and competitive games based around TW titles, including Hotseats, RPGs and Succession games. We currently have a group of 22 active players across 7 hotseats and one RPG.

    In Chapter Seven we'll provide updates on the games in progress and show you our plans for upcoming games which might interest you. We'll also share another classic story from our Throne Room collection.

    Hall of Fame:

    It's awards season at the Org and our members have been busily nominating and voting for various categories. Those relevant to the Throne Room are Best Hotseat Game, Best Gamesmaster, Best Throne Room Contributor and Throne Room Champion.

    In the next update we'll announce the winners and we'll showcase our Champion with an interview.

    Current RPGs:

    SS 6.4 "Lords of the Danube"

    The Kingdom of Hungary faces threats from all sides, with wars raging against the Cumans to the northeast and the mighty Eastern Roman Empire to the south.

    Progress against these foes has been mixed, with the fortresses of Halych and Baia captured from the steppe warriors and Scopia and Belgrade seized from the Byzantines, but with the jewel of Constantinople lost once more to the Empire.

    Indeed, in returning from the disgrace of Constantinople and while his nobles were gathered for a tournament at the capital Varad, King Pozsony was ambushed and slain by unknown assailants. The new King Bokeny has focused suspicion on the Cumans and rallied his nobles for a final push to finally defeat them.

    If you've never played a TW RPG, now is a great opportunity to discover this unique Org and Throne Room experience and understand why many veteran players have such fond memories of the past RPGs. There are several avatars available for new players to take over!

    Current hotseat games:

    M2TW: Kingdoms (Crusades) - "The Levantine Struggle"

    Fast becoming a contender for the longest running hotseat ever, this game is in its 61st turn...The alliance of Byzantines (Cecil XIX) and Turks (phonicsmonkey) is just about holding the line against the might of Antioch (Thanatos Eclipse). Meanwhile, in the desert, the Mongols shuffle about menacingly...who knows where or even if they will strike?

    Stainless Steel 6.4 "Wrath of the Khan 2"

    With the death of Genghis Khan and the betrayal of the Mongols (phonicsmonkey) by the Cumans (Visorslash), it seems the dream of world domination by the steppe horsemen is fast fading. In the Levant, the vast armies of the ERE (Silvershield) face a strong defensive line established by the Fatimids (Zim), who maintain their alliance with the Khan...for now.

    Meanwhile the hordes vent their rage on the Seljuks (LooseCannon1) and Khwarezm Shah (Myth) while the outriders of the Kievan Rus (Nightbringer) have been sighted in East Anatolia and Azerbaijan, poised to join the fray.

    In the West, the Moors (Mithridate) make war upon France (Thanatos Eclipse), adding intrigue to the fight against the Mongols.

    Third Age Total War 2.1 "End of the Third Age"

    After early gains along the Anduin, things have grown increasingly difficult for the forces of evil. Isengard (deguerra) has been destroyed by the forces of Rohan (mithridate), and the main force of Mordor (Nightbringer) was recently wiped out by Gondor (Zim). Gondor now marches on Mordor with catapults and the power of its cavalry. Further West, Rohan, Eriador (Rougeman), and the High Elves (Myth) are steadily growing in power, and are sure to be a powerful force once they join the battle. Although things look grim for the forces of evil, Harad (Loosecannon1) has begun raiding the South of Gondor, and it may be able to deal the necessary damage to allow Mordor to recover. Additionally, Rhun (Thanatos Eclipse) is entering the fray in the North, going toe to toe against the Sylvan Elves (slysnake). Can The Servant’s of Sauron make a comeback, or will peace be restored to Middle Earth?

    Stainless Steel 6.4 "Clash of Gods!"

    Clash of the Gods features a unique rule set that pits Catholic factions versus Muslim one’s in a team battle to control key cities across the map. The game started with the Moors (Loosecannon1) quickly dominating Iberia and threatening to eliminate Leon Castille (thanatos eclipse). However, a coalition of French (slysnake), English (Myth), and Venetian (Nightbringer) forces struck against the Moors, saving Castille and eventually destroying the Moors, capturing the target city of Cordoba in the process.

    In the East, The Crusader States (Silvershield), fighting for the Muslim side, conquered all of the Levant and moved into Greece where they were met by the forces of Venice. The Crusader States steadily gained control of Greece, expertly denying the Venetians chances to engage. The Crusader State now press into Italy, but attacks on Venice (another target city), have proven disastrous for them so far. Meanwhile, the Seljuks Sultanate (Mithridate) and the Khwarezmian Empire (Ezilkannan) have taken large swathes of land and Seljuk forces now near Italy. With reinforcements coming to relieve Venice and the Catholics raking in points from Cordoba, the Muslim factions are in a tough situation. Can they capture Venice? Will the recent Jihad recapture Cordoba? Or will the Catholics successfully sweep East and Capture Jerusalem, likely winning them the game?

    Stainless Steel 6.4 "The March of Time"

    The Fatimid Caliphate (phonicsmonkey) and Moors (Nightbringer) currently top the faction charts, with their vast empires dominating the southern corners of the map. An uneasy peace reigned among the kingdoms of the world, as the factions eyed one another suspciously - that is, until the Fatimids struck at Sicily (Myth), seizing Athens and Sparta while entreating the Siclians' allies Swabia (slysnake) and the Kievan Rus (Mithridate) to stay out of the fighting. Will the Islamic nations be successful in their plans to seize North Africa from the Sicilians? Or will the alliance of Sicily, Swabia and Russia strike back? And what of the stance of the northern kingdoms of England (Zim), Denmark (RexLegend), Lithuania (Nigel) and Poland (Gaius Octavaius Caesar)?

    M2TW: Kingdoms (Teutonic) "Winter Is Coming"

    The Teutonic Order (Myth) looked to be having things its way after the routine defeat of Lithuania (phonicsmonkey), but a spirited resistance by Novogorod (Zim) has bogged the crusaders down for long enough to allow Denmark (Nightbringer) to enter the fray. Meanwhile the HRE (Cecil XIX) and Poland (slysnake) are neutral in the conflict...for now.

    Stainless Steel 6.4 Late Era "Europa I"

    In this new hotseat, an innovative set of rules govern faction relations and the power balance between the players, with the gamesmaster (Hurin the Steadfast) tracking a set of characteristics such as Infamy, Prestige and Stability, all of which have in-game effects. In addition, a system of monetary rewards for roleplaying has encouraged storytelling to a level not seen for a long while.

    The game is in its early stages and the factions are positioning themselves diplomatically with no major wars so far.

    Upcoming games:

    TWS2 RPG: This game is its final stages of development and coming soon! Check out the discussion thread if you are interested in participating.

    From the Vaults

    This time we feature a story from the M2TW RPG Last of the Romans, which was set in the Byzantine Empire and ran in the Throne Room for most of 2008. This contribution, originally posted by GeneralHankerchief, nicely showcases the fun and humour that is to be had in playing RPGs!

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    The Byzantine Blab

    Your Daily Dose of Gossip in a Lovely, Effeminate Shade of Purple Since 330 AD

    August 1125 Edition - Special Magnaura Report

    Patriarch Lucks Out in Alexandria Conflict
    Was legal loophole a blessing from God... or tricky maneuvering?
    By Woodros Bernsteintinos
    CONSTANTINOPLE - Mere hours after the controversial Edict 4.5 was passed in the Magnaura essentially shipping Patriarch of Constantinople Nicholas III to yet-to-be conquered Alexandria, a statement was issued from the Office of the Patriarch proclaiming that, in preparation for the move to Alexandria, an error was discovered the ancient Book of Orthodox Doctrine.

    The Book, written in ancient times when the Eastern Roman Empire was flourishing and when Alexandria was under its control, lists the various Patriarchates and the powers allocated to each. Amended to keep up with the current state of the Byzantine Empire, the Patriarch of Constantinople oversees the religion in the greater Greece area, has a say in the legitimacy of royal heirs, and is allowed an official Representative in the Magnaura, among other things. In comparison, the Patriarch of Alexandria oversees Orthodoxy in Africa and the lower Levant and is allowed no greater say in the affairs of Constantinople.

    However, as the Office has revealed, the Book contains a glaring misprint, previously undiscovered due to the fact that up until a few hours ago, the Patriarchate of Alexandria had not existed for centuries. In the headings for each section, the words "Constantinople" and "Alexandria" are accidentally switched, meaning that, technically, the allowance of a Representative and a voice in the matters of succession now fall under the Patriarch of "Alexandria"'s duties, and vice versa.

    "What this means," said Nicholas III's official Representative, in an exclusive interview with the Blab, "is that Patriarch Nicholas essentially will continue in the same role he has had for the past years, with only his official title changing." The Representative went on to state that, despite the silliness and rather obviousness of the error, it is law, as the Book was legally voted to be "the absolute final say for all matters and disputes pertaining to Orthodoxy, as per the Joint Magnaura/Synod Resolution of 933 or something," said the Representative.

    Others, however, aren't so sure that this error always existed. "Come on, just a little bit after the Patriarch loses the fight and gets shipped to Alexandria, it's suddenly revealed that the Patriarch of Alexandria now has all the powers of the Patriarch of Constantinople? Give me a break," said a disgusted Savvas ek Miltou, in a bit of a rush considering his historic tie for the position of Megas. "Clearly, Nicholas and his cronies are manipulating ancient dogma to subvert the rule of law. If that was always in place like they say it is, I'll eat my entire Magnaura bench."

    When questioned about how quickly this oversight could be corrected, the Representative was not optimistic. "It's not as simple as crossing out 'Constantinople' and writing 'Alexandria' over it," he said. "Changing the Book is a very ancient procedure and will require, to start, a convening of at least two councils, followed by several votes as well as the Patriarch's approval. It could definitely take some time."

    "This just adds to my case," Savvas said upon learning this, before he walked off in a huff.

    As the learned portion of Constantinople was thrown into an uproar over hearing the two pieces of news, the few among them who remained calm said that the continued standoff did not bode well for the continued internal peace of the Empire.

    "At this point, the Basileus and Patriarch are just trying to one-up each other," said a citizen who preferred not to be named. "Eventually, something's got to give, and I predict it will sooner rather than later."

    The Patriarch could not be reached for comment.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Savvas ek Miltou used with Andres's permission.
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Tales from the Throne Room started by phonicsmonkey View original post
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