[DitV] King's Marshalls

[Pelgrane]

I ran a game called King's Marshalls using 1st Ed D&D rules. It was intended as the first in a series of "system matters" experiments. I've just run the same game using DitV rules. The variant rules were devised with assistance on this thread.

Game Background
Thirty years ago after a great war, the many warring factions on the Peninsula drafted a King who would have responsibility for maintaining peace across the land. Standing armies would be eliminated, the summoning of dark forces from the outer planes must be stopped, and the King's taxes must be paid. Above all, the King's peace must be kept. To enforce these rules the King's Marshalls were empowered to move from town to town ensuring that the King's laws are obeyed and that rebellion and sedition are prevented. Characters can be knights, magicians, or have other talents. There are orcs and other similar creatures (the equivalent of mountain men.)

Demons
The role of "demons" in DitV is replaced by secessionism. There are also actual D&D style demons, but they have a different role. DitV "sorcerers" are seditionists, traitors and rebels.

Magic
Magic is handled as follows. When a magician is created, the player takes up to 8 dice from stat dice to create d8 magical traits (usually just a spell). Any "take the blow roll" which includes magical d8s is treated as one category worse for fallout (d10 max) (magic is dangerous). Magical conflicts have been enjoyable, and magicians always seem to risk using them, due to their relatively puny reduced stats. Any defining an item as magic takes this risk, but certain things can only be affected by magic.

The priest got to choose his own ceremonies, appropriate for his beliefs. There is ripe ground for conflict between the religious beliefs and the King's Law.

Marshall's titles are either Sir, Lady, Mage, Marshall or Provost (for a priest)

Possessions
Every marshall has a badge and a warrant, plus a killing weapon, and a protective item. Other possessions are optional.

Traits
Everyone needs to have "I am a King's Marshall" as a trait or relationship.

Escalation
This is standard DitV except Gunshot is replaced by Lethal weapon.

The Ladder of Rebellion
This is the King's Marshall analog of towns falling apart.
PRIDE ->  Crimes
INJUSTICE -> Injustice ..(in the context of politics rather than morality: taxes set too high, not maintaining the roads, whatever--all those "little laws" are just niggling color that you use to hammer the Crimes below.)
SINS -> Crimes ...against the Kings Law.
"DEMONIC" ATTACKS (things going wrong because of seditious influences)
FALSE DOCTRINE -> Unlawful Declarations ...Actually asserting that the "right" law is NOT the Kings Law.
CORRUPT WORSHIP -> Sedition ...Spreading democratic of nationalistic ideals; enforcing Lords Laws in violation of the Kings Law.
FALSE PRIESTHOOD -> A demagogue arises. Rebellion ...Actively disregarding the Kings Law, be it secretly or openly; drawing neighboring Fiefs into your Sedition.
SORCERY -> Treason
HATE AND MURDER - Secession ...Forming one's own Kingdom within the real Kingdom.

Simon Rogers
Pelgrane Press Ltd

[Pelgrane]

Players and Characters<Mage Ozmadeus<Sir John Fitz Hugh<Marshall Kess
This character was designed a player with no indie game experience.
Acuity:    3d6
Body:   4d6
Heart: 3d6
Will: 3d6
Traits: Agile 2d10, Stealthy 2d8, Weaponmaster 2d8, Smooth Talker 3d6, Sharp Eyed 1d10, (no startup conflict)
Relationship: King's Marshall 2d8, Thieve's Guild 3d6
Possessions: Kings Warrant, Badge of Office, Talisman of Protection 2d8, Short Sword 2d8+d4,  Various Poisons 2d6

Sir Ewan[/b
]Effectively a paladin, and hence ripe for moral conflict. An old comrade of Sir John.
Acuity:    2d6
Body:   4d6
Heart: 4d6
Will: 3d6
Traits: King's Marshall 2d10, My word is my Bond 1d10, I am seasoned warrior 2d8, I know the Laws 2d8, I hate traitors 2d6, Defender of the weak d6 (startup conflict)
Relationship: The King's Road 1d8, Bandits 1d4, Innkeepers 1d6
Possessions: Kings Warrant, Badge of Office, Sir John d6

Provost Gondry
Steve's character - he's an experienced DitV GM and helped out with the rules (sometimes with a quite reasonable degree of exasperation). The character zealous cleric of Penteteuch (in D&D terms a lawful evil god), opening up conflict potential between the religion and state, and by coincidence, ideal for the town. He and the elf are going to kick off. He is effective but gets on everybody's nerves.
Acuity:    2d6
Body:   3d6
Heart: 4d6
Will: 5d6
Traits: Aura of Calm d4, Berate Sinner 3d6, Crush chaos 2d8, I understand the attraction of chaos 1d6 (startup conflict)
Relationship: King's Marshall 3d10, Pentateuch 4d8
Possessions: Kings Warrant d6, Badge of Office d6, Symbol of Penteteuch 2d6, Mace of Penteteuch d8+d4, Robes d4

Mage Livius
A slight, bitter, pedantic magician. The player hadn't played before.
Acuity:    3d6
Body:   3d6
Heart: 3d6
Will: 2d6
Traits: Law 1d8, Interrogation 2d6, Get out of the way d8, Detect lies d4, I'm not a sheep d6 (startup conflict)
Magical Traits: 3d8 Mental Control, 1d8 Divination, 1d8 Reveal Hidden Power, d8 Air Control 1d8, 1d8 Recognise spell
Relationship: King's Marshall 2d6, d8 Alina
Possessions: Kings Warrant d8, Badge of Office d6, Quarterstaff 2d8, Ring of Protection d8, History of Magic 2d6, Horse d8

[Pelgrane]

I won't post the full town as the game is ongoing.

Achalach
Achalach was an independent town on the border between the Penteteuchian and Estarian regions before the War. During the war, the town stated independent until Penteteuchian secessionists started an abortive rebellion. Tax returns to the King have been very low.

The structure was loosened up a great deal from the D&D original, and I made very sure I had no plans for how it might have gone. In DitV terms, this would be a difficult town, or it wouldn't have made much of a D&D adventure.

Conflicts<

[Pelgrane]

Player comments:
Steve
I really enjoyed tonights game, the Dogs system seems to be working
well so far and we've got a good vibe going with these characters. I'm
not sure how much longer Provost Gondry can hold out against the
provocation from Mage Ozomosius. I'm pretty sure that as far as
Pentateuch is concerned elves are demons and can be flayed with
impunity.

Dave
I was pretty impressed with how well the game run on the 'dogs in the vineyard' rules. I think the game has the potential to run a lot slicker than the any S&S game I've ever played. There's very little room for rules lawyers to mess things up and with the 'conflicts' and the  multiples of dice I think there's plenty to keep action jumkies and dice addicts occupied.

Simon

[lumpley]

The session went well, better than I'd expected in fact. The religious conflict, moral issues relating to laws and traditions and how they interacted with the local mores gave fruitful soil for interesting conflicts.

I'm pleased to hear it!

-Vincent

edited to fix format - RE