Feudalism - Tumblr Posts
Just a thought on Digital Currency
Digital Currency is the inevitable future. None of that ‘dirty money’ - just nice, clean digital transactions via cellphones. Sounds swell, right? Well, imagine a system where - unlike cash - every transaction can be monitored and recorded. Big deal, right? Yeah, it is. Digital Currency is a new way to TAX THE SHIT out of anyone who spends. Oh? You borrowed some money from your bud to buy gas? We gotta tax that. You gave little Elmer some money for his fifth birthday? We gotta tax that as well. Hey - those old ladies had a garage sale? Yeah, we’re taxing that too. Oh, and last time I checked, this worthless paper didn’t require me to purchase a piece of electronic hardware (with a monthly pay subscription) to spend it. Digital Currency is being sold to the people as ‘security and convenience’, but in practice, it will be yet another way those in control will extract just a little more blood from an already broke stone. People can call what we’re seeing around the world Socialism, Communism, Fascism, etc., but in reality, it’s Feudalism. A small number of Bureaucrats, protected by vast armies, robbing billions of productive people world-wide. It’s strange. We live in this Digital Age, with supposedly endless ideas and potential, and the vast majority of people still wish to fight over outdated economic systems which have been proven to be shit - all those ‘isms’ ever did was; murder people with pointless wars, squander our creativity and resources, and retard the development of human civilization.
Just a thought on Digital Currency
Digital Currency is the inevitable future. None of that ‘dirty money’ - just nice, clean digital transactions via cellphones. Sounds swell, right? Well, imagine a system where - unlike cash - every transaction can be monitored and recorded. Big deal, right? Yeah, it is. Digital Currency is a new way to TAX THE SHIT out of anyone who spends. Oh? You borrowed some money from your bud to buy gas? We gotta tax that. You gave little Elmer some money for his fifth birthday? We gotta tax that as well. Hey - those old ladies had a garage sale? Yeah, we’re taxing that too. Oh, and last time I checked, this worthless paper didn’t require me to purchase a piece of electronic hardware (with a monthly pay subscription) to spend it. Digital Currency is being sold to the people as ‘security and convenience’, but in practice, it will be yet another way those in control will extract just a little more blood from an already broke stone. People can call what we’re seeing around the world Socialism, Communism, Fascism, etc., but in reality, it’s Feudalism. A small number of Bureaucrats, protected by vast armies, robbing billions of productive people world-wide. It’s strange. We live in this Digital Age, with supposedly endless ideas and potential, and the vast majority of people still wish to fight over outdated economic systems which have been proven to be shit - all those ‘isms’ ever did was; murder people with pointless wars, squander our creativity and resources, and retard the development of human civilization.
Just a thought on Digital Currency
Digital Currency is the inevitable future. None of that ‘dirty money’ - just nice, clean digital transactions via cellphones. Sounds swell, right? Well, imagine a system where - unlike cash - every transaction can be monitored and recorded. Big deal, right? Yeah, it is. Digital Currency is a new way to TAX THE SHIT out of anyone who spends. Oh? You borrowed some money from your bud to buy gas? We gotta tax that. You gave little Elmer some money for his fifth birthday? We gotta tax that as well. Hey - those old ladies had a garage sale? Yeah, we’re taxing that too. Oh, and last time I checked, this worthless paper didn’t require me to purchase a piece of electronic hardware (with a monthly pay subscription) to spend it. Digital Currency is being sold to the people as ‘security and convenience’, but in practice, it will be yet another way those in control will extract just a little more blood from an already broke stone. People can call what we’re seeing around the world Socialism, Communism, Fascism, etc., but in reality, it’s Feudalism. A small number of Bureaucrats, protected by vast armies, robbing billions of productive people world-wide. It’s strange. We live in this Digital Age, with supposedly endless ideas and potential, and the vast majority of people still wish to fight over outdated economic systems which have been proven to be shit - all those ‘isms’ ever did was; murder people with pointless wars, squander our creativity and resources, and retard the development of human civilization.
Game of Thrones, Diplomacy (board game) Feudalism Variant
Summary: This is an Idea for a Diplomacy board game variant with teams of semi independent vassals "controlled" by (but more like working with) their overlords. This is based on a song of ice and fire books and map and introducing feudal mechanics.
An approximation of Starting Locations:
Source: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TabletopGame/Diplomacy
Here's a brief summary of Diplomacy's rules and some quick resources to understand the game if you don't know the game but still care to read this post:
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Diplomacy/Rules
https://www.youtube.com/watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch
I had an idea for a variant of Diplomacy (though I confess to barely having played, and mostly consumed Diplomacy content) based on the feudal system of GRRM’s A Song of Ice and Fire.
The variant would use a map of Westeros (and possibly a few Free cities, Braavos, Tyrosh, Pentos, even a Triarchy player if doing a Dance of Dragons game). The variant would have to have key changes from actual Diplomacy rules. Because the foundational idea for this variant is that each team's three starting supply centres are controlled by independent Lords/Ladies.
So for example The North is ruled by House Stark in Winterfell (supply center) but House Bolton and Manderly are on Stark's team and control one supply center each (the Dreadfort & White Harbour respectively). This allows for similar complex feudal dynamics like those that appear in ASOIAF. Ex. Vassals could betray their Overlords and join another team, ignore their overlord, destroy other vassals in feuds, threaten their Overlord if they are stronger and become overlord themselves by vassalizing the previous overlord or destroying them.
I can imagine win conditions being 1. Overlord Victory: complete domination of majority of supply centers (unlikely), 2. Great Council Victory: Winning the fealty of enough players that supply points become a majority (Team win), 3. Age of Heroes Victory: splitting Westeros into independent Kingdoms by agreement so no one has a supply center majority (Multi Team Draw).
Available Houses (Overlords in bold)
The North
Stark of Winterfell
Bolton of the Dreadfort
Manderly of White Harbour
Westerlands
Lannister of Casterly Rock
Marbrand of Ashmark
Brax of Hornvale
Riverlands
Tully of Riverrun
Bracken or Blackwood
Frey of the Twins
Vale
Arryn of the Eyrie
Royce of Runestone
Corbray of Heart's Home
Crown/Stormlands
Targaryen of King's Landing/Dragonstone
Velaryon of Driftmark
Baratheon of Storm's End
Reach
Tyrell of Highgarden
Hightower of the Hightower
Rowan? Peake? Tarly?
Dorne
Martell of Sunspear
Yronwood of Yronwood
Dayne of Starfall
Iron Islands
Greyjoy of Pyke
Harlaw of Ten Towers
Goodbrother of Hammerhorn
The Crownlands and Stormlands are combined because Targaryen, Baratheon, and Velaryon are all Valyrian houses; + the Baratheon Stormlands act more of a source of soldiers than an independent region (in my opinion). This setup limits the # of players while also allowing for different eras of play. (Pre Robert's Rebellion it's Targaryen, Baratheon, and Velaryon and post Robert's rebellion it's Baratheon of Storm's End, Baratheon of King's Landing and Baratheon of Dragonstone (hail to the true King Stannis!)). You can still do Baratheon civil war though! Switching around Loyalties, the Reach becomes loyal to Storm's End, The Westerlands loyal to King's Landing and Dragonstone all alone or with some other loyalty.
Houses can be changed for different eras:
Pre conquest: Teagues instead of Tully's or house Hoare of the Iron islands controls the riverlands and house Gardener replaces Tyrell.
If before the Rains of Castamere House Reyne replaces Brax or Marbrand.
Geography/Gameboard (Reference Map Below)
Regions:
The South riverlands & northern reach (middle of the south) would be at the start a big uncontrolled area. (especially Harrenhal but also Maidenpool, Duskendale, Bitterbridge.)
The River Fever would act as a canal & connect the Bite and Saltspear
Mountains of the Moon are impassable terrain except for the high road. (still vulnerable to naval invasion)
ADWD Westeros Map (North left) (South right) Source: https://atlasoficeandfireblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/23/the-maps-of-a-song-of-ice-and-fire-a-dance-with-dragons/
List of possible supply centres/regions
Starting centres:
King’s Landing
Dragonstone/Driftmark
Storm’s End
Highgarden
Oldtown
Starpike
Sunspear
Starfall
Yronwood
Lannisport/Casterly Rock
Golden Tooth/Castamere
Pyke
Harlaw
Riverrun
The Twins
Raventree Hall/Stone Hedge
The Eyrie/Gates of the Moon/Bloody gate
Heart’s Home
Runestone/Gulltown
Winterfell
White Harbour
The Dreadfort
Open centers or spaces: Karhold
Barrowtown/Torrhen’s Square
Harrenhal
Maidenpool
Duskendale
Nightsong
Bitterbridge
Goldengrove
Griffin’s Roost
Stonehelm
Seagard
The Arbor
Braavos
Pentos
Lys
Myr
Tyrosh
Some Atheistic suggestions for flaunting power (If you don't care skip to Other Mechanics section).
Power in Westeros isn't that of a nation state but a Family so to adopt those same trappings of power instead of playing a country you are playing a house/character of that house.
Titles: a player can take or make up different titles based on what they are doing or their goals, a fun way to try and bribe someone might be offer a fancy title (typically with lands or responsabilites):
Independent Kingdom title examples
King/Queen in the North
Iron King/Queen (Iron Islands)
Prince/Princess of Dorne
Queen/King of the Rock (Westerlands) (If not in control of Casterly rock take the title King/Queen of the Westerlands)
Queen/King of the Rivers (Riverlands)
King/Queen of the Vale
King/Queen of the Mander
Storm Queen/King
Great Houses Vassal Titles examples
Lord/Lady Paramount of (insert Region)
Warden of (west, north, east, south)
Smaller vassals making a bid for independence might use their royal titles
King/Queen of the Torrentine (Dayne)
Red Queen/King (Bolton)
If making a bid for the Iron Throne and rule of all Westeros you could offer someone the title of Hand or a position on your small council.
For other title ideas see the ASOIAF wiki:
https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Category:Titles
https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Kingship#Known_Titles
If a "character" doesn't fall into the gender binary of those titles there are many gender non conforming characters in ASOIAF so following from their example a player can: Make a new title, say their character defies gender norms while using the same title ex. Loreon V Lannister "Queen Lorea", use both etc. It's the player's prerogative.
House Trappings
Messages are sealed or marked with the sigil of that house.
Players' are given their house names. Ex Percy who is playing house becomes Lady/Lord Percy Other players can use this in negotiation. Being respectful by adding the titles or being rude by omitting them. To even go further an enemy can refer to a player solely as Bracken (a house name) or an insult like Wolf Idiot to a Stark player.), A player can also address someone by their old title to offend them if they've taken a new shiner title or to gain favour if the other player's lost that title.
I can also imagine renaming some stuff
Treaties = Oaths
Supply Centers = Castles
Messages = Ravens
When an Overlord and vassals talk together = War Council
When Multiple Overlords & Vassals talk = Great Council
Loyalty = Fealty
TIME KEEPING
I would assume the two most desirable starting dates for ASOIAF diplomacy are 298 AC right before the events of A Game of Thrones and 282 AC before Robert's Rebellion. Other starting dates could be Aegon's Conquest in 0 AC or the Dance of the Dragons in 129 AC.
In regular Diplomacy a year is split into two seasons. This does not work because seasons in ASOIAF are longer than years. Therefore turns needs must be divided using different terminology, I would propose Six Moons (months in asoiaf), or early (insert year) and late (insert year).
OTHER POSSIBLE MECHANICS
ASOIAF is a story that examines numerous themes and so maybe certain mechanics can be introduced to reflect this diversity of actions.
Supply points can be gifted to vassals. Promising supply points can be a way to flip an enemy vassal.
Independent armies and rogue lords/ladies (Beric Dondarrion). If someone's last castle is taken but their army remains intact, instead of eliminating that player they could be allowed to fight on, through original diplomacy rules by taking a new supply center, or by new rules convincing another lord or their overlord to give them a new castle before their elimination (Ex. offering to stab their overlord in the back for being given a supply center by an enemy lord) or by respecing how to kill armies so they can exist independent of supply centers that way there could be rogue lords/ladies like Beric Dondarrion or (SPOILER) like how Robb Stark is able to fight even when Winterfell was lost (possibly not the best example since Robb had other castles at this point).
Independent armies might allow for a Golden Company or Blackfyre player. (or Maybe they just control Tyrosh).
Marriages. A strong part of ASOIAF is marriage. Maybe two players can unite their cause through marrying each other forming a marriage pact. This could combine their personal armies (meaning they are now permanent teammates) Or if that's too limiting on each other maybe they both get full vision of each other's messages (after all, living in the same castle).
Valyrian steel swords. I guess a player could claim to have one of these
Gay Alliances- Maybe only the Dornish can have official same-sex marriage style alliances (I know there isn't gay marriage in the books) while the rest of Westeros limits its alliance options. Maybe everyone can do whatever when it comes to marriages... if you really wanna be true to the series maybe you're marrying off random cousins who read the other player's mail.
Sexism- I don't think is a great board game mechanic or thing but its a theme of the story.
Magic- I think this might add unnecessary complications. Ice zombies or red witches are cool but I have no idea how they'd be implemented. (Maybe a 3 vs 1 style game where one player commands undead ice hordes and a team of others command separate armies (that don't respawn like in War of the Ring LOTR strategy board game)).
Weather. In ASOIAF weather is wonky and affected lots in medieval society and the books. Or maybe it can be shuffled aside in the same way Diplomacy shuffles aside weather. After all Diplomacy is focused on scheming relationships not so much army management.
Siege warfare (castles), GRRM tends to downplay siege warfare so it's something that could be waved away like in Diplomacy. Maybe Chevauchée just works really well.
Creatures (Dragons, Krakens, Direwolves) Air and sea and land monsters. Maybe Dragons can give attacking support anywhere on the map (no adjacency) or smth.
Assassination... It's a thing in ASOIAF but I don't see how it could influence a game where individual players can't be killed unless their supply centers are destroyed and armies annihilated.
Money? Probably not since once again Diplomacy is focused on scheming relationships not so much financial management.
Religion. Maybe an effect on who you can marry, maybe not. Likely irrelevant other than for aesthetics.
I have also cut out the Night's watch and the Wildlings. I'm not sure how to add them and I don't think they should be added, what would they even do? The Night's Watch is supposed to take no part in Westerosi wars (I know they could do otherwise but still) and the Wildlings are mostly always decentralized. It would add too many more players I think.
Other than all that I'd Imagine Army units become re-skinned into Knights and Fleets stay as Fleets or Ships.
Solutions I can think of:
To solve the issue of players dying too quickly early on by losing their castle (If indeed that is how elimination will work) supply centers can be augmented so each player can easily get one at the beginning of the game.
In classic diplomacy there are 7 players, 34 Supply centers, 56 land tiles and 19 sea tiles. In this variant I know there will be 8 teams, but other than that have no idea. Maybe if I matched the original ratios of supply centers it would be around 24 starting controlled, out of 37 supply centers (this is assuming that only 8 regions of Westeros with three supply centers are players not including Free cities).
The whole point of this big post is that I have a small idea. But I am not a board game freak or good mathematician. My question then is: does this idea hold any water mechanically? Instead of expanding the map like in other mass diplomacy games it splits up the map. It would require a lot of players (22-24ish) I know there are some big diplomacy variants but this player requirement would make this variant tough to test. From what I have found this idea is similar to chaos diplomacy or in regards to having single control point nations like with minor powers in the Diplomacy Versailles variant. I know there are ASOIAF diplomacy variants but I wanted something that reflects the feudal nature of Westeros. I'd like people's feedback who know better about Game Design or Game theory on how to design something like this but better thought out in terms of maths and adjacency of regions with map design. Or you can tell me you like it or hate it. I'd love some thoughts.
I also posted this here on reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/diplomacy/comments/195zhm2/diplomacy_board_game_variant_idea_adding/