HeroQuest Legends of Tianguo

[Waiwode]

My mission: to create a Chinese HeroQuest environment that reflected my image of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

I did some work on it, then real work dragged me away.  I posted some of my notes on rpg.net   ( http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=139551 ) but I won't repost it all here.  

Could someone, anyone, take a look at this and actually leave a comment, either here or there?  I feel the need for guidance, I'm not at all sure I'm headed in the right direction.

Suggestions (good and bad) not just welcome, solicited.

Doug.

[epweissengruber]

Really, it does.

What kind of HeroQuest conflicts are you going to offer your players?  If you could provide capsule descriptions of latent conflicts about to go volcanic it would add a few more notches of coolness to your belt.

[Mike Holmes]

Hmmm. Some new occupations there. I'd really like to see the Eunuch and some of the others written out. Any chance you could put those up at some point? It just so happens that I could use some of these in a current campaign I'm running.

Mike

[Waiwode]

If it flies I hope this game runs in three phases:

Phase I.  Military.
At first, with the Yellow Turban Rebellion "ravaging" the countryside (well, that's what the rumours say) the conflicts will be military.  The players' characters are going to end up drafted, enrolled, or assigned (depending on occupations) to the Glorious Tiger Army.  

The first two or three sessions will be more "life and challenges in the military" than war-fighting.

Phase II.  Wandering Heroes.  I don't really have any plans for this phase.  It's really "which way will they go?"  I imagine a quite life of study and reflection is unlikely.  I know my players.  They'll have seen some stuff (corruption, venal bureacrats, oppression of legitimate concerns, hints of dark magics) that should pique their interests.

Phase III.  Have gained fame and fortune (I hope) and with players who still want to play this and not Dungeon-gork (I hope, 'cause my players love their Dungeon-gork *sigh*) the group will become political movers and shakers ... just in time for the Emperor to pass away and the Empire to be divided into three warring kingdoms.

But we'll see how it goes!

Doug.

[Waiwode]

Here's a couple.  I've done them all now, and can post any.  I was trying to divorce Soldiers from Officers, and Officers from Generals, as the society doesn't allow any mobility between these positions.

Eunuchs will of course dabble in the darkest of magicks.  But we wont see those Eunuchs for a while.

Eunuch
Originally criminals and slaves castrated to serve the Emperor, the Imperial Eunuchs have evolved into the most powerful clique in the Empire. Incapable of holding office due to the rules of the Perfect Master, they none-the-less control access to the Emperor, and have phenominal sway at Court.

Abilities: Assess Social Status, Bribery, Curry Favour, Exploit Weakness, Grooming, Politics, Protocol, Sense Weakness.

Typical Personality Traits: Conniving, Deceitful, Obsequious.

Typical Relationships: To Emperor, to senior Eunuchs.

Typical Followers: Lesser Eunuch functionaries and possibly an Imperial Guard Escort.

Standard of Living: Prosperous.

Typical Equipment: Fine clothes, perfumes, an ornate fan.

General
The Armies of Tianguo are commanded by Mandarin Generals, men trained to the task and promoted to position based on test results. Study of every detail of the Art of War is the norm. There are rarely more than a dozen, a new one being created as the old ones are retired, disgraced, or slain in Bandit ambushes.

Abilities: Army Regulations, Cite Historical Battle, Command Soldiers, Exert Authority, Grooming, Imperial Guard Mass Combat, Imperial Guard Traditions, Riding, Sword Combat.

Typical Personality Traits: Arrogant, Pompous, Unimaginitive.

Typical Relationships: To Emperor, to Unit.

Typical Followers: Staff Officers, a squad of Bodyguards.

Standard of Living: Prosperoous.

Typical Equipment: Ornate Light Armour, Family Sword, Well-bred Mount.

Magistrate
Some Mandarins are placed within Judiciary branch of the government. Low ranking Magistrates are investigators, higher ranking Magistrates act as Judges. Torture is common among cases involving the lower classes, where confessions are required. Among the upper classes bribery and favour-peddling have replaced any real legal practices.

Abilities: Assess Social Status, Debate, Extract Confessions, The Five Classics, Grooming, Legal Code, Literacy, Notice Details.

Typical Personality Traits: Authoritative, Eloquent, Meddlesome.

Typical Relationships: To Emperor, to Patron, to Assistants, to Family.

Typical Followers: Magistrates are likely to be surrounded by a number of lesser Magistrates and functionaries. While travelling they are likely to have an armed escort.

Standard of Living: Prosperous to Rich

Typical Equipment: Ornate robes & fan, a sedan chair, a small estate in the city.

Officer
Mandarin appointees control the troops of the Imperial Army, while Noble sons control the forces the Nobility have managed to hold on to. For Mandarin Officers promotion is nigh-impossible, and dissatisfaction is common.

Abilities: Army Regulations, Camp, [Unit Weapon] Combat, Command Soldiers, [Unit type] Mass Combat, Riding, Scan for Danger, Sword Combat, [Unit] Traditions. The Five Classics for Mandarins.

Typical Personality Traits: Arrogant, Disciplined, Traditional. Dissatisfied for Mandarins.

Typical Relationships: To Commander, to fellow Officers, to Unit.

Typical Followers: Officers frequently travel with a servant, and may be accompanied by a small escort of troops.

Standard of Living: Common to Prosperous.

Typical Equipment: Medium Armour, Good sword, Horse, Well-made clothes.
[/i]

[Mike Holmes]

Neat. I'm not really well versed in the genre, but I'm assuming that some of the stereotypes are coming through in these occupations. Like generals being unimaginative.

That's what I really like about making up keywords, you really get to delineate the world being created.

Mike

[Nick Brooke]

Gorgeous stuff, clearly inspired. I added the original RPGnet thread to Lokarnos as something that was well worth reading for anyone planning a Gloranthan game set in Kralorela. I'll post a follow-up comment now, linking to this discussion.

BTW, are you familiar with Ernest Bramah's Kai Lung stories? Well worth a look -- Gutenberg has some of the collections: The Wallet of Kai Lung and Kai Lung's Golden Hours.

Cheers, Nick

[Waiwode]

...but I'm assuming that some of the stereotypes are coming through in these occupations. Like generals being unimaginative.
Mike

Well, I'm not sure how much "genre convention" that is and how much of me coming up with little Hero Wars that is.

The Generals of Tianguo are often young men who scored very well on their Great Exams.  There is no promotion based on experience for Mandarins in Tianguo, just appointment based on results of a test.

Thus Generals have a stunning theoretical knowledge of Warfare, as outlined in the Savant General's Art of War.  But little or no actual experience.  They are blinkered by what they see as the sum source of all military knowledge.

Doug.

[Waiwode]

Gorgeous stuff, clearly inspired.

Thank you!

I added the original RPGnet thread to Lokarnos

w00t!  Thank you again!

BTW, are you familiar with Ernest Bramah's Kai Lung stories?

Well I am know!  That's three thank-yous!  And I'm already thinking up scenes where I can work some of this stuff in.

Doug.