When creating a City using the Steading rules, if you don’t select Autocracy as an additional tag (if it has trade with 1 and fealty from 1), nor Theocracy or Democracy as a problem, then what the heck kind of government does it have? (Yes, I will gladly ask my players…)
When creating a City using the Steading rules, if you don’t select Autocracy as an additional tag (if it has trade…
When creating a City using the Steading rules, if you don’t select Autocracy as an additional tag (if it has trade…
ANARCHY IN DW
Some type of Kratocracy, where the one strong enough to seize power rules.
Dracogarchy, magocracy, or a dwarven republic.
Kleptocracy!
Let’s go steal a government…
Alessandro Gianni, I’ve been singing my own version of “Anarchy in Marahesh” already, as that’s the city’s name, which I’m trying to figure out how it’s ruled.
John Desmarais, huh, I had never heard of kratocracy before, but that would certainly be a good possibility. Just some strong-armed dude, or wealthy or well connected enough to have powerful men on their side. It still rings awfully close to autocracy as all the power sits in the hands of one individual.
Marshall Miller, those are not possible in this case, it’s a human city, and without any arcane elements.
Gray Pawn, kleptocracy was another new term to me, but seems to fit as a perfect description for most modern democracies in my eyes. 😉
Okay, I had a look at Wikipedia on Governments:
Aristocracy is a definite possibility, the rule by elite citizens.
Geniocracy or rule by the intelligent seem unlikely as a default.
Meritocracy or rule by the meritorious also seem possible.
Technocracy or rule by the educated also has potential.
The many pejorative governments (including kleptocracy or as it’s called on wikipedia, mafia style) also have some cool options.
Thanks for all the help.
Marshall Miller, one of the Dangers that my player introduced is a powerful Assassins’ Guild, and from how things have played out they are definitely an Ambitious Organization, but I was trying to figure out if they were a Cabal, trying to take power, or perhaps a Corrupt Government, trying to conserve the status quo.
I may go with the government being a kratocracy, and the Assassins’ Guild a Corrupt Government. It will make for a bit of an odd series of Grim Portents though, in order to not really change anything.
A danger’s instinct doesn’t necessarily translate to it’s resultant doom. Like, the assassin guild’s instinct to protect the status quo could be what drives them to murder and intimidate so many citizens and dismantle so many institutions that the city is left with nothing but beggars, thieves, and wretches (doom = impoverishment).
Jeremy Strandberg, certainly, but in my case the Impending Doom = Tyranny, given that I’ve now established that they already have the power and want to maintain the status quo, that’s where it felt slightly odd to me.
However, my Grim Portents read a lot like your suggestions, but perhaps without the same final result. Things such as kill strong leaders from other strata, infiltrate and take over the city’s guards, kidnap relatives of the PC and threaten bodily harm unless they comply, and completely overlooking the outside threats of two other large dangers (ignoring the pleas of a keep it owes support to).
Sounds to me like they already have established tyranny. That impending doom has already come and… pended? imped? Whatever, it sounds like you’ve already got the strong ruling over the weak and few ruling over the many.
I’d recommend going for a different doom, or going bigger. Like, if you stick with tyranny, have it increase in scale. The Assassin’s Guild comes to dominate other cities, depose other rulers, conquers nations.
Relevant: http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Scarlet_Brotherhood
But see that’s just what I mean, Jeremy Strandberg, that with an Impulse to maintain the status quo, it’s rather weird using the whole Grim Portents concept.
Yes they rule the city of Marahesh from the shadows, but I think I’ll stick with the strange Impulse just as it is, and with the same (not so) Impending Doom. I like my Grim Portents, and as the protagonist in my game is working to bring down the guild, it works for me.
There also happens to be several threats towards the city, that it will be a fight for the guild just to retain the status quo.
The only way they can maintain the status quo (their control of Marahesh) is to dominate the rival cities as well?
David Guyll, I mean that they are taking out prominent people that are, or could be, a threat to the status quo. That is, not actual government leaders, but opposition leaders.