Topics

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BM General Discussion / Message upon arrival to the FEI is off

« on: July 26, 2013, 02:32:26 PM »

This is a roleplaying island. Constant roleplaying is required, and you can be OOC-banned for refusing to. In addition, we enforce the social contract very strongly here, and any and all OOC insults or attacks on other players will get you banned. Of course, in-character feuds with other characters are perfectly acceptable, if they are properly roleplayed..

This message would have been off-putting even when there was more RP on the island ('constant'?) but it seems it should be removed entirely.

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Roleplaying / Galiard Scarlett: The End

« on: July 24, 2013, 07:01:43 PM »

With the economy of the realm bent toward the war in every measure, there was little circumstance or fanfare to mark the small retinue that arrived at the docks in Anacan. A handful of the Royal Guard that had been on the verge of retirement when the new Queen took the throne carried torches that lit the road as the Sun was still only on the verge of rising.

In port was a single vessel: lean, well-made, expensive, just as the old King had once been. It bore the Scarlett banner of the King's family.

Galiard insisted upon walking, though the cane was a compromise with Ser Dodd; even with hardly anyone in attendance, it would not do to mark the occasion by falling out of the realm.

The road from the front had been long and uncomfortable, given the relative value of even an ex-King to the Imperial propaganda machine. Goodbyes had already been said - some emotional, but mostly not; Galiard's friends had with only a few exceptions died decades ago. The Royal party had rested only for a few hours in the palace before setting out.

The guardsmen loaded the caravel with many trunks: belongings, heirlooms, relics, and gold to cover necessities for the voyage. There was not the usual shipborne compliment of swarth. This was a journey of and for Old Men.

"Well," said Galiard.

"M'lud," said Ulwitt Dodd.

"This is where we part ways," said the King.

Dodd's brow furrowed, but he made no reply, nor gave indication as to whether he had expected to go along.

"See to the Princess, when she arrives," Galiard admonished, rather as one would dictate a shopping list.

Dodd nodded curtly; he had not needed to be told. He could not remember a time when he had not rose in the morning to look after a Scarlett.

"But not for too long," Galiard added. "You have spent your life in service; now you are released."

Doodd arched an eyebrow; something about that statement had piqued his interest. "M'lud?"

Galiard grunted. "Bondage is not the natural state of man, or else we should not be at war at all."

"But the debt--" Dodd objected.

"I know the debt," Galiard cut him off. "And I know your sons and nephews would pay it with as much distinction as you have. But they are released. You and your House are pardoned and restored to your ancestry."

Several of the Royal Guard exchanged brief, questioning glances: what debt? What crime to be pardoned? But there was no explanation; Galiard had already turned and crossed the gangplank.

Ulwitt Dodd had been raised to the rank of Duke in the most meaningless way imaginable, for the Duchy in question lay in ashes and was halfway around the world besides; but his expression was not meaningless but content.

Galiard glanced over his shoulder one last time. "I shall be laid to rest with my shield, and you with yours. Percy has it."

Dodd briefly looked irritated. "You entrusted it to Percy--"

"A locked iron chest that not even Percy could destroy," replied Galiard with a short smile. "Ser TNaismith has the key. He was the only person I could think of who has never had an agenda. Possibly it's a disease." He shrugged.

The Royal Guard stood at attention as the ship's lines were cast off. The tide and wind cooperated with the oarsmen in pushing her out to sea rapidly. Duke Ulwitt's voice rang out in the morning light.

"King Galiard!"

And then the old man was gone.

The sun rose anyway.

3

Questions & Answers / Make some magistrate cases private

« on: July 10, 2013, 08:01:48 PM »

So, Magistrates.

A lot of what is on here is useful stuff, particularly given the different ways a lot of BM's rules can be applied.

Some of it is manifestly not useful. Particularly, if players A and B hate players C and D and harassment goes in one or both directions, it isn't my business and it's just a forum for people to pile on whichever player(s) they don't care for in the exchange.

The resolution is going to be fairly particular and probably of limited if any use to the public.

I get that I can just not read the magistrates forum and that's fine. But it is making some useful information less useful through avoidance.

4

Development / Provisions on Stable

« on: June 24, 2013, 05:40:29 PM »

I may be missing something, but it appears to me that provisions have been implemented on Stable for a while in everything except the ability to buy them.

- The unit status screen shows your provisions %
- Your unit depletes its provisions in a starving region and then starves
- Your provisions are restocked automatically when you travel to a region with food...sometimes

However, there is no link to 'buy provisions.'

Can this be added to stable?

5

Feature Requests / Takeover breakdown

« on: May 30, 2013, 02:46:19 PM »

---
there ought to be an in-character way to determine which nobles are doing which things during a takeover. Some TO actions announce to the region but others do not. I don't think it's necessary to broadcast to the region but it should be possible to determine who did (approximately) how much if you're the General or marshal.

Or maybe when the TO is complete the game could just do a breakdown of who contributed what. Because I don't care about people logging in every turn but we have had issues in the past where a suspected spy wasn't doing anything for a TO and we were able to figure that out just by comparing the average number of TO reports that were issued for him to other people - but that was easy because it was zero in his case.

It is a gamey issue but unfortunately part of the game is keeping track of who is doing what ... up to a point.
---

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BM General Discussion / The Official Drink of Your Realm

« on: May 18, 2013, 10:17:41 PM »

Inspired by the OOC clique of me and Velax in Fiji* making mojitos (or 'mohitos,' M'lord Emperor, thank you wikipedia)

Liquor or cocktails preferred.

Cathay (under Galiard): Laphroaig 25 year single malt.
Cathay (under he-who-shall-not-be-named): Pabst Blue Ribbon.

* not actually

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Roleplaying / The long road home to Ossaet, with boulders

« on: April 20, 2013, 06:05:39 PM »

Galiard Scarlett looked out over the harbor as his armored column of Very Special Forces rode past. The King had previously been Old; now he had graduated to Frail, though he still wore a chain hauberk and a sword made of some foreign steel whose unnaturally light weight enabled the old man to swing it when he had to.

"I think TNaismith has been on nearly as many campaigns as we have," observed Ser Ulwitt Dodd from atop his old warhorse. "Shame they don't have archery competitions at tournaments; I can't hit the broad side of a barn but not a war goes by where you don't see him and sixty or seventy bowmen crashing about the place. I expect that if you turned around and ordered him to put an arrow in the Emperor's hat from here, he would."

"Ossaet may as well be the Emperor's hat," replied Galiard dryly, "but then one expects it is a bit more precious to ... well, everyone other than him."

Dodd snorted. "If m'lud should ever see fit to make me a Duke, I should like that title: Duke of the Emperor's Hat."

"Sounds suggestive," said the King.

Near the turn-off to the ancient monastery of the Osai was a planter: nothing extravagant, maintained as it was by the long-since unfashionable Osai monks. Rosemary, sage, and a handful of other herbs and vegetables that pervaded the sea air for a short while.

"My wife planted those," said the King.

Dodd glanced over sharply, but said nothing for a moment. "You do not speak of her often," he observed.

Galiard grunted. "It was a different time."

Dodd squinted at the monastery in the distance. Few travelers were on the road, whether due to the much more popular destination of the Temple of Sartan or the invading army; there was little commotion with the locals on the road, and some of the older townspeople stopped to wave at familiar banners that had once set out from Ossaet to conquer Anacan's mighty walls. "How long, now?"

"Fifteen years ago tomorrow," replied Galiard.

Dodd squirmed uncomfortably. "I meant until we reached the castle," he said lamely; "but I had not realized--"

Galiard smiled. "It is of no concern," he waved Dodd off. "She would be glad to know that we were back here; and besides, she never cared for the castle. She won't mind that we shall be pelting it with boulders. In fact I think she might have preferred we did so while we were still in residence to give her an excuse to renovate the South Hall."

Dodd glanced around and observed no-one else taking particular notice of the King's nostalgia. "Then we shall be happy to oblige Her Grace the Queen." He beamed. "Let us prepare the Renovators."

8

Helpline / Secession and pledging - Capitals / Last cities

« on: March 25, 2013, 07:16:53 PM »

I understand that the way this is set up is designed to prevent gamey behavior (among other goals I'm unaware of, no doubt). It is presently resulting in very gamey behavior.

Terran has fallen. The invading army is very far away and doesn't want to conquer the land for themselves; instead they struck a deal with the Duke of the capital (me) to establish a new realm. The capital can't secede, so we had the option of temporarily joining another realm (so that we wouldn't be the capital) but that was deemed too gamey - i.e. 'we aren't actually changing allegiance to you, we're just de-capitalizing ourselves and we'll be gone in a week.'

So we convinced a neighboring Duke in Terran to secede with the idea that we'd then pledge to join them, since we previously had the option of pledging to another, neighboring realm even though we couldn't secede.

Neighboring Duke secedes and we go to pledge only to get this message:

'You cannot change allegiance with the last city in the realm.'

If the intention here is to prevent gamey behavior, the only solution I can see is to force our new neighbors to conquer us. Terran has no ruler, and I won't run for ruler because it will kick me out as Duke if I do.

What is the solution here? Do we just appeal to Tom to please switch us over to another realm? Do we force people who like us to 'conquer' us and spend two weeks TOing several regions?

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Helpline / Priest must have 'reputation' before a personal sermon

« on: March 22, 2013, 02:42:28 PM »

Scenario: founder of a new faith goes abroad to convert some willing participants.

They are pagans (having left their previous faith) and can't invite him for a personal sermon because the priest lacks 'reputation.'

Priest has high honor and prestige and oratory around 70%.

What is meant by 'reputation' in this instance?

10

Roleplaying / Fall of the Chateau Saffalore

« on: March 22, 2013, 02:33:54 PM »

The great cacophany of falling rock awoke Quintus Scarlett with a start.

"M'lud," said Ser Magnus Dodd gloomily from where he stood in the doorway, his sword lain across a nearby table.

Quintus blinked his way to consciousness. "That sound," he observed, "is not the adoring masses come to exalt their favorite Duke," he asked, or rather stated.

"Not exactly," replied Quintus' lieutenant.

Quintus rose to his feet with some effort. He was old; he felt old. But the lines of his face were hardened into resolve, if not battle-resolve. "What is our status?"

"Per your instructions," Dodd replied, "we did not recruit any new militia; Aurvandil seems to have observed this fact and arrived to overwhelm what militia we had. So we have very few men and the walls are coming down around us."

Quintus looked thoughtful. "So the battle is lost, we have few men, and a large pile of gold. Fetch me a writer of fairy-tales and a curly black moustache; we have perhaps two days to perfect our mad cackling before they break down the gates."

Dodd furrowed his brow, uncertain how much of the request to take seriously. "Lord Hireshmont has also been seen in the area--"

"Pain," Quintus interrupted, "comes in two varieties: the kind that makes you stronger for having endured it, and needless suffering. I despise the unnecessary. Strike the standard of the Republic from the battlements," he said. "Raise the white flag and open the gates. If there is to be a reckoning, let us get it over with; I never thought I would say it, but I do wish that Mendicant were here instead of wherever the blazes he has got off to."

Dodd did not reply, but merely turned to carry out his orders. A short while later, the green cross-and-clover of the Republic ceased flying over the Chateau Saffalore.

11

Far East Island / Boats?

« on: March 16, 2013, 03:26:36 PM »

So does the FEI get boats anytime soon?

12

Roleplaying / The Lonely Priest, Day One

« on: February 19, 2013, 06:55:52 PM »

Lucius sat on the floor of the monastery, scratching at the wool frock that had replaced his elegant, if relatively straightforward garb as Baron of Sasat. "What is this made of?" he complained. "Fleas?"

Magnus Dodd leaned against the door frame, still sporting his customary hauberk and knight's garb. "M'lud is appreciating why most priests do not chose ascetisim," he observed.

"But it's tremendously appealing to the masses," Lucius insisted. "That fellow yesterday was so impressed he converted on the spot!"

Dodd raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Prior to his arrival at m'lud's monastery, he worshipped a dead chicken. That he had on him. We had to take it away at the door."

Lucius frowned. "We also gave him free lunch," he added. "Conversion is tricky."

"He had two followers who didn't convert," Dodd added. "They took the chicken."

"A project for tomorrow!" Lucius declared. "Now. What's for dinner?"

"Gruel," Dodd deadpanned. "Or did m'lud wish to stop hobnobbing with the peasantry?"

"I enjoy gruel," Lucius said half-believably. "Reminds me of being on campaign. Besides which, authenticity is important! You'd not have converted without it, would you, Ser Dodd?"

Dodd pursed his lips.

"You did convert." Lucius peered at him. "Didn't you?"

"I am in m'lud's employ," Dodd allowed, "and shall make whatsoever gesture to whichever deity m'lud requires of me."

"Very tactful." Lucius rolled his eyes. "Any word from my cousin?"

Dodd grunted and produced a letter bearing the seal of the King of Cathay, which he cut. He read aloud:

"Dear cousin Lucius: You shall recall that I did not endeavor to sublimate myself to the war cult when it was fashionable and everyone was doing it, and I very much wonder at your thought that I might do so now that it is unfashionable and only you are doing it. You always did have a queer taste in hats. Best wishes, cousin Galiard."

Lucius thought for a moment. "Promising," he concluded. "He did not rule out the possibility."

"He also did not rule out the possibility of the dead chicken cult," Dodd said dryly.

"Mmm," Lucius agreed. "Best not tell him about them."

13

Far East Island / A (not-so-great) Schism in the Church of Sartan

« on: February 18, 2013, 07:07:00 PM »

New and Improved!

http://wiki.battlemaster.org/wiki/The_Sacred_Church_of_Sartan

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BM General Discussion / Why can't priests fight?

« on: February 16, 2013, 05:08:36 PM »

I ask out of ignorance as I've never played a priest. I get that the 'priest game' is meant to be meaningfully different than the regular game and am fine with that.

But medieval priests can and did fight, some quite famously (like Adhemar du Puy on the First Crusade, who may as well have been the basis for every RPG mace-wielding 'cleric' ever seen)

They even had special titles for when they held land and owed secular fealty - Prince Bishops. More common in the HRE than France or England but it did happen.

It should be a perfectly valid choice not to do so (as most priests were content to be fat and happy without putting themselves at risk) but what is the rationale for preventing it?

15

Helpline / How to remove a treaty

« on: November 12, 2012, 06:03:31 PM »

Embarrassing question:

I created a treaty a while back to be signed by realms A (mine) and B (other guy). It never got proposed to realm B because we got busy.

This is fine as it needs to be re-written and updated anyway. But I accidentally proposed it to realm C that is not a party to it at all.

I can un-sign it but can I remove the treaty entirely? It hasn't got any signatures on it and we were the original authors, but I don't see a way to kill it.