Rules for the Anuirean Legends PBeM
The following rules will be used for the Anuirean Legends PBeM Campaign. Note that there may be further additions or addenums to these rules as the situation dictate. Also, the DM's will resolve any rule omitted here purposely or accidentally. For questions on any rules or clarifications, e-mail
Bondman or Lord Dawin. For adventuring or website questions, you may also contact Nanaki. All documentation and rules will be used from the BR Rulebook, the Books of mage/priestcraft, 2nd Edition PHB, 2nd Edition DM’s Guide, Ruins of Empire, Naval Battle Rules, Rjurik Highlands, Cities of the Sun, and Bondman and Lord Dawin’s own custom rules. Other items not listed here a hereby banned and will not be used in the Anuirean Legends Campaign.I. Characters
All characters will be generated using one of two formats. 1) The players may keep the regent from the RoE Book or 2) may generate a new character. Regardless of which is chosen, all characters will be modified to 20k xp's, that of a 5th level mage. All 2nd Edition PHB rules will be used for character creation and all stats will be generated with 80 points to distribute among them to a max of 18 in any particular stat. The DM's will then add racial modifiers. All specific character generation rules will be in the Character Generation rules for the Anuirean Legends PBeM documentation.
II. All races and classes will abide by the Birthright rules. They supercede any of those rules in the 2nd Edition Handbook. Psionics and Character Kits will not be allowed.
III. Proficiencies will include all those from the 2nd Edition PHB, the BR Rulebook and any of those allowed by the DM's. Specializing or proficiency in weapon groups is not permitted. The four fighting styles will be allowed as detailed in the Fighters Handbook. Multiple specialization in the same weapon for fighters is disallowed as well.
IV. Languages from the BR Rulebook are the most common ones in Cerilia. However, a player may choose a language that could be found in Cerilia, and is not listed in the rulebook, if they so please.
V. Equipment that Anuirean's may use is limited to the ones listed in the BR Rulebook on pages 17 & 18. Otherwise it is not common in the lands and could cost from 3 to 5 times its normal cost to obtain. At the start of play, all Anuirean regents have access to all "normal", non-magical items listed in the rulebook, within reason.
VI. The DM's will determine bloodlines unless the original regent is used. The player may request a particular derivation if they want, however, the final discretion is up to the DM's. The following notes about particular things are listed below:
Azrai bloodlines: If someone obtains an Azrai bloodline they stand a great risk of becoming an awnsheghlien. If they blood theft from another awnsheghlien, then their risk is even higher. If they become one, then their characters mind is all but gone and unless there is great role-playing done, the character will be removed as an NPC.
Blood History: Few people realize this power’s benefits. It bestows all the past peoples memories to the regent. This is an outstanding gift when no one living remembers what a certain tower might be and you actually DO know what it is because one of your forefathers visited there before! Get the idea?
Divine Wrath: This is one of the best powers in the game. The one main question is, "When does it activate?" Well, our house rule, and now this campaigns rule is this: If someone (thing) has done something to bring harm or potential harm to someone close to the regent or the regent themselves (friend, ally, family, anyone fairly close) then the power activates when that endangering foe is met! If an assassin tries to murder a regent with this power and then the regent and assassin meets up in combat, the poor assassin may have a tad of a surprise!
Heightened Ability: If anyone receives this power, the player may choose which stat is raised (if applicable) and the DM's will apply the increase in stat.
Iron Will: Among the abilities gained in the rulebook for this power, we play that the character with this skill has like "super endurance". They are able to withstand unbelievable pain, torture, illnesses, intoxication, and other things which ordinary people would fall out after just a dose. This person’s ability to deal with these things is just "super human" in a sense.
Persuasion: Beware of regents with this power! Not only is a PC very powerful with this one, but what about an NPC? If you are careless in your dealings with regents with this power, they could very well FORCE you to do a domain action the way THEY want you to! You have been warned!
Unreadable Thoughts: This is another possibly underrated power. With this, no one can use any sort of detection's that determine the regent’s alignment, thoughts, or intents (evil, good). It shields them from all those variants of the spells as well such as Detect Alignment, ESP, and Detect Evil (good). All of these simply get no reading from the effects!
VII. Naming Heirs
Heirs are your only ways to continue playing in the game should your regent die. You must be careful, however, in naming your heir as the DM will control them (or a PC could be named if you wish). So, if along the way you would get betrayed or anger the heir, guess what? They could have you killed and take the throne for themselves! Just be safe with your decision! To name an heir, the regent must do an investiture ceremony on the heir to tie them to your regency after your death. This DOES require a domain action (unless you are a priest, you get a free investiture per domain turn) and you must have a priest hold the ceremony for you if you are not a priest.
VIII. Bloodtheft
When a regent bloodthefts another regent, several things happen. 1st, the blood-stabbing regent regains all his/her hit points. 2nd, the character is then stunned for 1-3 rounds. 3rd, if the thefting regent’s bloodscore is higher than or equal to the victims, the regent gains 1 to their bloodscore. If the victim’s is higher, the thieving regent gains 2 points. If the victim has no heirs, then the thefting regent gains 1 point per 5 points of the victim’s bloodscore and the killer also gains the victim’s regency points. 4th, a few hours after the bloodtheft, a strange occurrence happens in the thefting regent resulting in the gaining of 1 point to a random stat (determined by the DM). Tighmaevril may be discovered in the land and will be played as detailed in the BR Rulebook.
IX. Province Loyalties
All provinces at the beginning of turn 1 will be at average loyalty. All penalties will be applied for poor and rebellious provinces. Also be aware of the continuous effects that certain domain actions and events have on province loyalty especially if the province’s ruling regent does not contain all of the law within that province.
X. Vassalage
Some domains begin play as a vassal to another or may become a vassal over the course of the campaign. In all instances, a "deal" will be agreed upon by both parties that the vassal will give the leading domain a certain number of regency and gold per turn. Vassalage could be any type of deal depending on the situation. Both parties must participate in an investiture ceremony for the vassalage to be completed. Vassalage may be broken if either party wishes the vassalage to end.
XI. Domain Sequence of Play
The sequence of play will be exactly as it is in the BR Rulebook on page 39. Free Actions MUST be listed BEFORE any domain actions are listed. All players will receive a turn sheet format that will list the order of all turn sequences. Players will be expected to abide by the turn format. It will keep turns going smoothly and help decrease confusion. More will be covered on this when the turn sheet format pages are sent out.
XII. Random Events
These puppies WILL be used, you better believe it! All the events in the BR Rulebook will be used plus some new, unexpected ones from us as well! Aren’t you happy?
J A note here, if random events are ignored, they will only get worse! We would suggest you handle them PROMPTLY!XIII. Taxation and Collection
Taxes may be collected by regents with law holdings. Law holdings may tax all other holdings (besides other law holdings and sources) and may tax provinces as well! The regent with the holding must decide if they are going to tax applicable holdings and provinces before the start of the next turn. Temples and guilds will collect GB’s as described in the BR Rulebook on page 43, table 18. Provinces will use the same rules as in the book as well on page 43, table 17.
XIV. Domain Maintenace
This will be kept by the DM's. Remember, maintenance includes unit upkeep, lieutenants, and total number of provinces and holdings controlled (excluding sources), courts, castles and fortifications, special structures, tributes, and magical item (spell) research.
XV. Losses of Regency
The rules for losses of regency will be in effect. If holdings or provinces are lost then the regents will be susceptible to the penalties as described in the book on page 48. Remember that a regent that fails to respond to a random event or hostile action or violates his/her alignment is subject to regency reductions as well! Violations ARE cumulative and will add up VERY rapidly!
XVI. Domain Actions
This will probably be the most involved topic. To decrease confusion and to implement some custom rules in this area, we will take the actions individually.
This is one of the coolest aspects to the Anuirean Legends PBeM Campaign. We have a third DM,
Nanaki, which will be conducting adventures on ICQ. Now, NOT everyone every turn will be able to do this! We will select random adventure actions to be sent to him. At this time, it is not known how many adventures he will be able to handle per turn, but it will be a minimum of at least one per turn. Now for all adventures presented by the DM's there will be a recommended character detail filled out for the adventure (described below). Keep in mind, just because an adventure is not listed in the possible adventure log that DOES NOT MEAN you can’t adventure for something! Your character may adventure for ANYTHING!The recommended character detail for each adventure will list the most appropriate class for the adventure and recommended proficiencies they should have in order to complete the quest to it’s fullest potential. For example: Let’s take a quest entitled "Goblin’s Delight". It would appear something like this on the Adventuring Quests Log Page:
Title: "Goblin’s Delight"
Difficulty: Warrior-2, Priest-3, Rogue-2½, and Mage-4
The difficulty approximates how difficult the adventure is for the classes. In this example, it is easier for a Warrior and rogue to complete the quest as compared to a Priest. It is easier for the Priest as compared to a mage. This quest would be difficult for a mage, BUT not impossible. The difficulty is given a number from one to ten with one being very easy and ten being very difficult.
Detail: A local goblin tribe from Chimaeron has been causing problems for civilians in Eastern Coeranys. You must travel to Mistil province in Coeranys to put an end to the goblin’s treachery. However, rumors tell of the goblin chief Bremlof to hold an item of considerable power that allows him to maintain a solid hold on the normally chaotic band of goblins.
Recommended Character: Warrior with tracking, the Goblin language, and endurance.
The recommended character tells the character with the highest possible chance of success. Others may achieve the highest possible success; however, it will be tougher and could require some luck.
Now, when one decides to adventure, you will list it on your turn sheet as an action and then one of two things will happen; 1.) You will be contacted by the adventuring DM that your quest has been selected to be held live over ICQ or 2.) The info you listed when you selected the adventure will be used. The info that you write on your turn sheet will be used to help determine adventure success if it is not selected for ICQ. The info you write will be how your character acts around strangers, if they will attempt to complete the quest quietly, forcefully, diplomatically, deceivingly (using bribes and such), or any other way. The info will also include which spells you have memorized (for spell casters), items you have in your inventory, proficiencies, blood abilities, magical items or relics, persons accompanying you, physical stats, thief skills (for all characters who have those), and other things. We will then compare all that with the overall difficulty level and roll a percentile die and determine the degree of success you will have.
Agitate will be basically played as detailed in the BR Rulebook on page 51. Remember that this is also a Priest free action and can be used once freely per turn. Also, keep in mind that this will be an early way to deal with your province loyalties and with each province starting at average loyalty, it would be wise to keep an eye on them with agitate.
Build structures is a free action used by anyone. One could build anything nearly imaginable from a simple wooden bridge to a magnificent palace. The DM’s will also release lists of special structures and ships that may be built as well. These structures will be typically grander than normal ones and will add bonuses to the domain. Examples of these buildings are located in the
This may be perhaps the most confusing action in the game. So, we will insert a custom house clarification here. If you contest a holding (no matter what type) once, then it produces no gold or regency. The holdings owner may rule it to remove the contestion. Now, if a contested holding is contested a second time, then it’s owner loses control of it (and suffers the regency penalties for loss of holding) and now anyone may freely gain control of it by simply investing it. The holding’s owner must now use an investiture ceremony themselves in order to regain the holding. Any level zero (0) holding that is contested just once is destroyed (and owner is subject to regency loss as well).
A province may be contested as well; however, certain stipulations must be in place before a contestion may be attempted. 1st, the province must be at a poor or rebellious loyalty. 2nd, if the province’s owner either, A) has a law holding but it is contested or B) only has a zero (0) law holding then any regent with any type of holding may attempt to contest the province. A province that is successfully contested does not generate any gold or regency until A) the province owner successfully gains a law holding or increases the provinces loyalty to above that of poor or B) someone successfully divest the province from the owner (i.e. another regent successfully holds an investiture ceremony).
This allows anyone to create any type of holding in any domain. Upon a successful attempt, a level zero (0) holding of the type desired be created in the province selected. The creating regent is now able to perform actions that they normally wouldn’t without the presence of a holding. Note that if a level zero holding is contested, it is destroyed and a loss of regency penalty applies.
This is the only way that opposing armies may cross another domains border. Without a declaration of war, a domain may not invade or attack another domain. It is basically the representation of the preparing of troops and red tape involved in attacking another domain.
Decrees have varying effects and purposes. A decree can be from a simple specific law addendum, such as no one may walk on grass any longer within the province, or it can be used to serve other situations such as decreeing that a trade route through the regent’s province or domain is now disallowed and stopped. Also, they can be used to perhaps stop certain factions within the domain from grouping. An example could be that the king decrees that two certain guilds within the domain could no longer trade with one another or such to keep competition within the domain and not certain monopolies from forming. The decree also has varying success rates and how well the people obey depending on the law level the regent controls in the province(s) where the decree is placed.
H) Diplomacy
We again will use a clarification of the rules here. This may or may not be what you interpret in the
Rules, but this will be the way we play. The diplomacy action MUST be used to create alliances, treaties, vassalage's, trade routes and roads, etc. with or within another regent’s domain.
Essentially the same as the rulebook here. You may disband regular army to troops to save cost, etc. without any penalty. However, if one disbands mercenary troops, then a success roll must be made to determine if the merc’s become uncontrolled brigands. One may also disband (thereby destroying it) any holding or castle to save on maintenance as well. Remember, if you don’t pay the upkeep cost for a unit, it’ll disband automatically.
This action is basically the intelligence part of the domain. It can be used to reveal secret alliances, catalog troop movements and strengths in a foreign province, create a random event such as an assassination, intrigue, corruption, or heresy in another domain as well. It may also trace the responsibility of another espionage attempt or operation, attempt to rescue prisoners, secretly move important people or messages or anything else the DM’s do not specifically disallow. If the success roll fails by more than 10, then the target learns of the spy’s identity. May also be used as a realm action, but only one troop movement and strength can be observed.
This will be used as exactly described in the rulebook on page 55. Remember that overuse of this action can result in reduction of the monetary value within the domain and cause your treasury to be reduced to nothing.
Wizards may create these special routes of magic to expand their magic network. They may be connected to other existing ley lines the regent controls. They may only be supported or opposed by any wizard with a source holding in a province in which the ley line crosses. The lowest level source the ley line connects to becomes the same level (for purposes of casting realm spells only) as the highest source in which the ley lines are connected to.
This action is used to make holdings within a domain stronger than normal. If a holding is fortified, it can’t be destroyed automatically when enemy units occupy the province it is in. It must be taken by siege or storm. This means that a number of troops greater than its level must be present in the same province in order to besiege it. The units must then stay in the province with the holding a number of domain turns for each level of the fortified holding. Each turn in the province with the holding decreases the holding 1 level each turn. When the holding is reduced to level 0 (zero) it may be destroyed. Castles are treated exactly as fortified holdings except that castles hinder an equal number of troops as castle level movement and all of your holdings within the same province are considered fortified.
This action is exactly as described as in rulebook on page 56. It can be used to do any of the things listed there as well as any other reasonable idea one might have to use a grant for.
This action will also be used as described in the rulebook on page 56. Remember, if you hold your action and no one provokes you, then your action is wasted.
This action is used to connect a regent to the regency a domain outputs. A Priest may use this action one time free per domain turn. A Priest MUST be present to do an investiture ceremony. The only exception to this rule is in elven domains. An elven investiture is done in the same way except that the elves involved in the ceremony must be present together for the full action round. An investiture MUST be used in order to "give away" or "take" any form of regency or holdings, or provinces, or domains, period.
A regent may put out a request for Lieutenants throughout the realms. Then depending upon several things, a few potential lieutenants may emerge. The number and quality of applicants will depend on the regent’s Charisma, reputation and attitude meter from the applicant’s home kingdom if not a member of the regent’s domain. A lieutenant may perform an additional domain action for the regent as well as be used to help solve/end random events. They may also be used to accompany the regent on quests and adventures as well.
The cost and terrain effects affect troop movement just as described on page 57. Move is a free action, mind you, and MUST be declared before the action turns. If declaring war, a destination route of the troops must be detailed before the action is actually done. After the declare war action has been officially completed, the troops will then move to their destination points if movement and cost is met.
This will be handled just as in the book on page 58. A number of troops may be mustered equal to the province level they are mustered in per turn. Levies are handled the same way, so unless just held without a choice, don’t send those levies into a foreign war.
If you have this much time on your hands, something is wrong and we need to stop the campaign!
A wizard or priest may cast a realm spell using this action just as in book on page 58.
A custom rule will be used here. When one decides to research magic items, you must tell the DM what specific TYPE of item you’ll be researching. This includes rings, staves, rods, weapons, armor, etc. Then, the DM will send the player a list of 3 items that they may choose from. Only one of the items may be researched at a time and the cost of the item will proceed at a rate of d4 GB’s per turn until it is completed. A regent may pay 6 GB to make the work proceed at 2d4 GB’s.
The rule rule (hehe
This action creates a trade route between 2 guild holdings in different provinces with different terrain. There are a few things that must first happen, however, before a trade route may be created. There MUST be a road built between the two guilds (unless it is a sea route). Also, if the guild regent is not the regent of the provinces where the roads and routes are to be made, then the guild regent must have the permission of the province owner to build them. If the route is to go over a third or more regent’s domains, and then each of them must give permission to build roads and the route as well. Keep in mind, that ANY regent of the province where the route passes through may suppress the route at any time by a decree action (see above) as long as their law holding is greater than the guilder’s holding. For a guild to be considered a seaport, it MUST be at least level 4 and have access to the ocean or body of water. All trade routes MUST be linked to other guilds, there will be no "parts unknown" trade routes allowed. If you are creating a route between yours and another regent's guild, then both regents receive half of the profits and regency.
This option will NOT be used in the Anuirean Legends Campaign.
All the rules for creating and mustering armies are exactly the same as in rulebook on page 60. A note on mercenaries and special troops though. Throughout the course of the game, a few special mercenary guilds or a few special "unique" units may be trained or offer their services to you. To create and train new special units a War Academy must be built within the domain (War Academies are described in the Build Monument Document). One must declare war before they may invade another regent’s domain. They must use the declare war action as described above. You may freely move around within any allied domain with troops (if the alliance allows that). The DM's will decide the exact effects of the battles. It will be determined by the levels of the opposing regents, their abilities (magic and blood), their lieutenants, troop experience, terrain, home domain/terrain advantage, number of troops on both sides, quality of troops, spells used in combat, and many, many more things. We will give an example of what a battle would be like, below:
Aeric of Boeruine and Duke Carilon Alam square off on the battlefield after endless debates and squabbles. Aeric brings in his 2 elite units of Boeruinian Iron Guard (2 move, 7 charge, 5 melee, 4 defense, and 3 hits) as well as two units of elite infantry (1 move, 4 melee, 4 defense, and 3 hits). Aeric is level 12 and decides to bring his Archmage Arlen Innis whom is level 7. Aeric has battlewise and Arlen has 2 fireballs and an icestorm memorized. Duke Alam meets the invaders with his 3 units of elite infantry (same as above). He is level 2 and has a magic relic that forces one unit to retreat from combat (automatically routed with no morale check allowed). He also has the home terrain advantage as they are fighting within the domain of Alamie. The battle would result something like this based upon the data above and then the rolling of dice: Each thing above gives each regent a number of points and then the dice roll is modified by who has the most. Above, Aeric has the most. A percentage die is rolled and it indicates that 75% of Alamie’s troops are defeated, the others routed and 35% of Boeruine’s are killed. So, Alamie makes it out with but one unit of their Elite Infantry and Boeruine survives with one unit of elite infantry and a unit of Iron Guard (the other unit of Iron Guard was routed with the relic and the other elite infantry was destroyed).
So basically, the more things that a regent has at their disposal for a battle the greater their chances of winning.
After a province is taken in combat, it becomes occupied. The attacker then has the option of pillaging the province. He can pillage one level of the province for each troop they have present up to the level of the province. Pillaging reduces the province by one level and results in a severe taxation of the province at its current level. While occupied, the forces serve as a law holding equal to the number of troops within the province. The attacker then has the option of reducing all law, temple and guild holdings to zero within the province as long as they occupy it or they may destroy the holdings or they may reduce all sources within the province by one level. Fortified holdings are not affected this way (see fortified holding action above). You may also occupy your own provinces and destroy other regent’s holdings within the provinces however, a –1 loyalty grade is applied to the provinces for each turn the troops occupy the provinces.
Rules for ship building and warfare are the same. Ships will be built exactly as monuments and determining the cost and then a maintenance fee added at the beginning of the new turn until they are constructed makes other things.