A Game of Nations

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Contents

RPG Description

What is diplomacy, but a game of nations?

"...A world on the brink of war. A forgotten city in the clouds. A gathering of power from across the globe. Their goal? Peace, or so they say. Ambassadors arriving from all walks of life. Generals. Nobleman. Shamans. Warriors. Assassins...? We come in the name of peace, but not all intentions are so pure. For what is peace to a nation founded on war? And what peace can there be, between believer and heathen? And as for goodwill toward all men, may I remind the speaker, those of us here are not all men.

"Now, what is it the humans are always saying about the road to hell? -Ambassador Beroncan, speaking rhetorically

In Detail

A Game of Nations is a science-fantasy RPG wherein you, the player, invent a fictional kingdom, empire, republic, etc. of your own devising, to reign over as you see fit. Benevolent matriarch or diabolical despot? Shamanist culture hero or crusading warrior priest? Nation of simple farmers or jet-powered military coup? The choice is yours, right down to the species- it's not like they need to be human, not if you don't want.

Yet whatever goes on in the world we create, remember this: that we will see it all through the eyes of the player characters. Choose a representative to make the journey to forgotten Bantuss in no man's land. Remember that the difference between war and peace may rest on the words and actions of this ambassador- and his entourage, for you need not travel alone- and recall that the world is wicked, and danger lurks about every corner.

Behind the banners that say "˜Welcome" in every known tongue, for example. In the eyes of the Gatalan delegation, perhaps. No weapons are allowed, supposedly, but what of the Ayese ceremonial blades? The claws and venomous fangs of an Orruk? And just how do you unarm a wizard? Gag him? As well, that tray of hors d'oeuvres, it looks suspicious... You never know.

Current Chapter

The Game is afoot: Chapter I - One Thousand Years Later

Nations and Diplomats

Lith, and the planet thereof

Welcome, one and all.

The Lith is a fair-sized astral body orbiting precariously in the middle of an asteroid belt, and is warmed by a fairly average life-giving star. Lith in turn is circled by moons, rocks, moon-rocks and the like. Many of these satellites are quite large, and having atmosphere in common with Lith itself, may be reached by airship or telekinetic flight. As for the planet's surface, Lith is more than eighty-two percent water, with only a few main landmasses worthy of full continent status; the rest being large island chains. Life varies wildly across the oceans, representing every conceivable terrain, from frozen wasteland to magma gardens, flooded caverns to thin air at the very edge of the ozone layer; each region and archipelago is almost a world unto itself.

If that's not enough, some of Lith's low-hanging moons are also inhabited, with lush ecosystems all their own. The same cannot be said of the Upper Lands, however: as the shield which protects Lith by drawing meteorite bombardments, they are cratered, barren and lifeless. Science would have it that the floating islands and continents defy all known laws of physics. However, concerned citizens would rather scientists make an exception, lest it all come crashing down on the heads of an unsuspecting public. It is certainly not the strangest mystery to be found hereabouts.

As for civilized Lithians, no one race lays claim to that particular honour. The peoples of Lith are as varied and strange as the world itself. The nations have been rubbing shoulders for ages now, borders growing closer and more crowded. Battles have been fought, tyrannies overthrown, conquests had, alliances formed and broken. Unkindnesses have been uttered that can never be un-uttered. There has been peace and there has been war.

Progress has been made, of that there is no question: technological, spiritual, philosophical... Yet, if I have reached the stars, it is only because I have stood on the shoulders of giants- and if a few of those giants developed hernias in the process, then all apologies, but those are the breaks.

Each has gone too far to turn tail or back down now. The playing field has finally leveled itself, so that every single nation could be as much a threat as any other. Tensions are heating up on all sides, and unless drastic action is taken by the many, drastic action will be taken by a few, and the results are liable to be explosive.

So....

The arrangements have been made. The long-abandoned fortress of Bantuss, great empty city in the clouds, shall throw open its towering stone gates for the first time in a thousand years. The bickering nations have sent their foremost bickerers and peacemakers. They may swim, walk or fly, but they come. They may love war or seek peace, but they are here. Whether they tap the mystic powers of life and death or worship at the altar of reason and science, one thing is always true.

It's a small world after all.

Nation Creation

A rough guide to submissions. Does not have to be overly detailed, so long as you clarify within the story itself.

  • (start with the name of the nation.)
  • Capital City: (and/or seat of government)
  • Official Language: (or are you multilingual?)
  • Population: (what species/cultures are majorities? minorities? what are they like, in terms of average looks, strengths and weaknesses, special powers?)
  • State Religion: (assuming you have one, what are its beliefs, taboos, ceremonies?)
  • Government: (ideology, basically, and a description of the ruling body(-ies))
  • Geography: (the lay of the land, its climate and prominent features)
  • Economy: (wealth and trade, national and international - treaties, imports, exports)
  • Military: (how feared are they? how respected? how aggressive are they? how pacifistic? are they conquering heroes, or strictly defenders? technologically advanced, maybe? any psychic-mystic augmentations? how do they fight? what are their tactics like?)
  • Culture/History: (what is their national identity? what sets them apart? what made them who they are, and what makes them tick?)
  • Relations: (for future reference, it may be wise to keep tabs on the relationships between different nations, i.e. good, poor, allied, war declared)

These specific headings are not strictly necessary so long as the information is at least touched upon.

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