affairs.pdf

Affairs of State

By Thomas Russell

Table of Contents

ANSWERING A FEW QUESTIONS…

CHARACTER CREATION

THE SYSTEM

Resolving Actions

Step 0: The Mediation

Step 1: The Roll

Step 2: The Declarations

Step 3: The Showdown

Step 4: The Narration

Alliances:

Bonus Dice:

Participation:

AN EXAMPLE OF PLAY

ARTIFACTS

GM SECTION

NPCs

Adventure Ideas:

Answering a Few Questions…

Terrak pulled his cloak closer about him. The air was chill in the pre-dawn light. He

looked up and his gaze stretched across the imposing width of the Outer Wall. Nearly

stretching from one end of the horizon to the other, the intricate frescoes glorifying the

Empire were just starting to emerge from the shadows. Guards patrolled the Wall, their

torches like tiny sparks of fairy light moving slowly across the top. Beyond that Wall lay

a city of immense riches and wonder. A hundred miserable little cons and thefts had led

up to this moment. This was his one chance to parlay a lifetime of petty crime and

hardscrabble existence into something so much more. Terrak took a deep breath and

headed towards the Gates of Earthly Paradise.

When he finally reached the Gates, a long mechanical arm swung down. At the end of

the Arm was a metallic head wearing military headgear. The head began to look him up

and down, ticking, clicking and whirring as it moved. Terrak had only seen a few

clockwork devices and this was by far the most complex one he’d ever seen. He had to

remember to keep his cool. It wouldn’t do to get flustered before he’d barely started.

“Who are you and what is your business?” came a tinny voice from the head.

Terrak nearly jumped out of his skin, but that icy calm he got whenever he ran a con

slowly began to take hold. “I am Lord Dumont of the Kingdom of Arkeht,” he said,

shifting off his cloak and displaying his ill-gotten finery, “I have come to establish

diplomatic relations between our two countries!”

* * *

Who are you?

You are a con artist who has come to the Imperial City posing as the diplomatic

representative of a far off (and quite fictitious) country.

Where are you?

The Imperial City. The Empire once stretched out across a massive continent, from sea

to sea. The Emperor ruled his distant provinces from behind the thick walls of the

Imperial City, never venturing outside. But that was long, long ago. Now the Imperial

City and a few hundred square miles surrounding it are all that’s left. But though the

glory of the Empire has faded, its importance has not. The Imperial City is home to a

number of artisans and crafters who possess the knowledge and the skill to build the

amazing clockwork devices that are common in the Imperial City but command a king’s

ransom in the outside world. Thus, the Imperial continues to hold itself above nations

many times its size and power.

Why are you here?

The Imperial City is a place of fabulous riches and technical marvels. The standard of

living here is better than anyplace else. So as long as people think you’re a legitimate

diplomat, you can live like a king!

What do I do?

Well, mostly you try and lead a life of decadent hedonism. Too bad you keep getting

caught up in the intriguing of other diplomats and preventing your lie from being

exposed.

How do I do that?

You’re a con artist. Be charming, glib, fast with your wits and faster with your feet.

Character Creation

“But why do I have to be the secretary?” whined Connor.

“Because you have the manners of a goat,” replied Elana. “Plus, I’ve made an exhaustive

study of Late Imperial Architecture. Which means that when I talk about the Imperial

ruins of our beloved homeland, our story sounds more plausible. How much do you know

about Imperial ruins?”

“No one cares about a bunch of run-down buildings, they want to see a man of action and

that’s me!”

“Oh you’ll be a man of action all right. I’ll need someone to help me arrange the furniture

in my apartments.”

* * *

Step 1: Name and “ Home Country”

Create a name for your character and the country you’re claiming to be from. Are you

just an Ambassador, or do you have other titles? The name you choose can set the tone

for the kind of country you claim to be from. After all, Commander Skartz, Ambassador

of Plesnosk presents a very different image than Unifier Mistwater, Ambassador of the

Elysium Confederation. Thinking about who you are and the country you pretend to

represent helps you establish a vivid character right from the start. And first

impressions can mean a lot.

Step 2: Describe yourself

Write a short paragraph that describes what your character looks like. Doesn’t have to

be more than a few sentences, but if you’re struck with inspiration write as much as

you want. Pretend that your character is being introduced for the first time in a novel.

This means that your physical appearance, the clothes you’re wearing, and the general

feeling you exude will all be there. Aside from being an quick way to describe your

character to the other players, this also gets you thinking about your character and

helps to flesh them out.

Step 3: Pick your Greed

Although everyone wants to live the easy life of a diplomat, there’s some aspect of the

highlife that you’re always hankering after. It could be booze, sex, fine clothes, fine art,

money, food, parties, or just about anything else, so long as it doesn’t make you a better

person. This is your Greed and you should write it down now. The Greed gives the GM

tools to help start an adventure or pick up the pace and when you encounter it, feel free

to chase it down. Roleplaying your Greed well can earn you a bonus die from the GM

while blatantly ignoring your Greed may earn you a penalty die.

Step 4: Pick your Skills

You now choose three skills:

· Your Specialty skill. This is something you’re very good at and allows you to

roll 6 dice on a Challenge involving that skill. The Specialty can be any skill,

even one that normally requires a lot of training to learn.

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