[img]http://oi60.tinypic.com/242vibm.jpg[/img] [h1][color=darkorange][u][b][i]HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN:[/i][/b][/u][/color][/h1] In a world where blue blood is power, where one man is a seed that grows into a powerful dynasty, there is a land desperately grasping for greatness. A land small in size but grand in ambition. A land of grandeur, culture and progress but also of death, destruction and greed. Where knowledge is power and money is method. [color=darkorange]Welcome to Duchy of Manburg and House of the Rising Sun Roleplay![/color] [h2][color=darkorange][b][u]Setting:[/u][/b][/color][/h2] You are in control of a noble family in the Duchy of Manburg located in the lands of what was once known as Duchy of Austria. The Austrian Duchy fractured into several smaller states after a long civil war that started off as a power struggle between sons of a deceased duke and ended with separatist movements of the strong noble families, one of which were the von Rittenbergs, your monarchs. You are in control of up to 15 family members (both male and female) of your royal house that were awarded lands in the duchy. The duchy is divided into four counties and land directly under the Duke. With your family finally on the radar of medieval politics, you are soon to find that nobility is not all milk and honey. You find yourself in a society where the conniving and power hungry thrive and where true friends are as rare as medieval hygiene. Your goal is to further your family in the social hierarchy possibly even aiming at the throne itself. May it be through honor and justice or belligerence and manipulation, it is completely up to you. Fighting other noble houses for power in the realm is nothing foreign to the lands of Manburg. But you better be careful when you do it. The rulers do not appreciate their manpower being wasted on internal disputes. [h3][color=darkorange][b][u]Information:[/u][/b][/color][/h3] These are mostly technicalities to serve you as basic information on the game and the medieval way of life to keep things realistic. [hider=Information] *[color=darkorange]Total number of families[/color] in this RP [color=darkorange]will not exceed 10[/color], not including own (may change later). *There are a [color=darkorange]total of four count titles[/color]. They are picked at random from the people that have applied. These titles can be achieved by any noble family that goes far enough to earn them. *[color=darkorange]The noble ranks are as follows[/color]: 1)Herzog (Duke)- title of the head of the ruling family. Can own towns, castles, villages and mines. 2)Graf (Count)- four titles awarded to the heads of four different families. Can own towns, castles, villages and mines. 3)Burgraf (Burgrave)- a title given to a castle owner. Can own castles, villages and mines. 4)Herr (Lord)- a title given to any noble. Can own towns, castles, villages and mines. 5)Ritter (Knight)- a title given to good soldiers or those that trained to become knights. Can own villages. 6)Edler- small noble. Most likely an impoverished noble or one that bought his title with money. Can own mines and small businesses in towns as a source of income. *[color=darkorange]Other professions for nobility[/color]: 1) Cleric (bishops are highest in a county. Have the power to elect a archbishop) 2) Advisor 3) Constable (local jurisdiction within a town/castle) 4) Bailiff (local sheriff of a county. Appointed by a count) 5) Magistrate (local judge within a county. Appointed by a count) *[color=darkorange]Noble professions that have time terms[/color]: 1) Chancellor (appointed by the duke. Takes care of legal issues like passing laws, diplomacy and such. 4 year term) 2) Military marshal (appointed by the duke. Equivalent of minister of defense. 2 year term) 3) State treasurer (appointed by the duke. Deals with country's financial issues. 2 year term) 4) Archbishop (appointed by county bishops and the bishop of Manburg - 5 in total. 10 year term) *A child becomes a knight through following process: 1) At the age of 7 they become a page at the court of a noble (errand boy). 2) At the age of 14 they become a squire (shield/armor bearer). Knight's personal assistant. 3) At the age of 21 they are knighted by either a duke or a count, depending where he is from. *Recruitment of troops comes in three ways: recruitment of [color=darkorange]professional army[/color] (average cost, good fighters), [color=darkorange]mercenaries[/color] (high cost, excellent fighters) [color=darkorange]levies[/color] (low cost, bad fighters, large number). *[color=darkorange]Available mercenaries are[/color]: (Genoese crossbowmen, Welsh longbowmen, Castillan heavy cavalry, Rascian light cavalry, Swiss pikemen, Gaelic gallowglass, mixed mercenary bands). *Currency used in game will be [color=darkorange]ducats[/color]. *[color=darkorange]One RL day equals to 3 in-game months[/color]. Starting date of the RP is 1st of January, 1400AD. *This is a model of the feudal system we will use: [hider=My Hider][img]http://www2.uncp.edu/home/rwb/feudalismchart1.GIF[/img][/hider] *There is currently over [color=darkorange]60 different events[/color] that will occur throughout the Roleplay. Some are historical and some are purely fictional. *There will be [color=darkorange]PvP and PvE warfare[/color]. PvE battle is written entirely by the player engaged in the battle. Be realistic and don't go overboard with numbers. As for PvP, this should be discussed between players in PM (size of armies, outcome, location, strategy, etc). PvP can be written by both players from each point of view (but the outcome must be the same), or just by the winner. [/hider] [h3][color=darkorange][u][b]Troop Tree:[/b][/u][/color][/h3] These are just rough guidelines of troops you could find in a medieval army, though if you believe something is left out you are free to implement it. Knowing these various troops will come in handy when describing battles, etc. More troops will be implemented later (cannons and such). [hider=My Hider] [u]Regulars:[/u] ~Archers: Bowmen => Skirmishers => Archers => Crossbowmen ~Infantry: Militants => Footmen => Sergeants => Landed knights ~Cavalry: Horsemen => Men-At-Arms => Mounted squires => Mounted knights [u]Mercenaries[/u]: *A mixed mercenary band *Welsh longbowmen *Genoese crossbowmen *Rascian light cavalry *Castillan heavy cavalry *Gaelic Gallowglass *Swiss pikemen *elite mercenary band [/hider] [h3][color=darkorange][u][b]Maps:[/b][/u][/color][/h3] Maps will be updated accordingly as the game progresses. [hider=Maps] Political map of Europe: [img]http://oi62.tinypic.com/2qu6e6h.jpg[/img] Administrative map of Duchy of Manburg: [img]http://oi59.tinypic.com/29o3div.jpg[/img] Geographic map of Duchy of Manburg: [img]http://oi59.tinypic.com/2drf5mp.jpg[/img] [/hider] [h3][color=darkorange][u][b]Application form:[/b][/u][/color][/h3] The application form should contain Family name (preferably German with prefix 'von' or 'zu', but also Italian, Hungarian, Czech or maybe even French is acceptable), family history and family tree. Coat of arms is most welcome but not necessary. I will post mine in the OC section for everyone to see what it should look like. [color=darkorange]SUGGESTION[/color]: I personally found it a lot easier to make a family tree first and then develop a family history using the family tree as guidance. [color=darkorange]People who have shown interest[/color]: [list] [*] [@Gowia] - House von Hoffendolt (German) [*] [@UltikanaRe] - House von Drosendorf (German) [*] [@LordZell] - House von Bavaria (German) [*] [@Cold Hands] - House von Klavadio (German) [*] [@thorgili] - House von Graffe (German) [*] [@mrambo90] - House Beldon (English) [*] [@Inkdrop] [/list]