I've been thinking about this for some time now. How do you run campaigns where the pcs are ruling the country, planet etc. What are the kind of issues that could arise when the pcs are in control of, well everything?

I'm not talking about the pcs slowly building up power/influence and becoming the rulers of the domain, I'm talking about pcs who begin the campaign  controlling (in character) the campaign setting.

Now I'm sure each genre will provide it's own set of specific problems/issues. And I'm sure there are some general themes running through each genre. So what are they?

Also what kind of systems -  if there are any (Aria ?) - are condusive to running these kinds of campaigns? If the personal is the political, any ideas on how to highlight the former in a campaign like this.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: David RI've been thinking about this for some time now. How do you run campaigns where the pcs are ruling the country, planet etc. What are the kind of issues that could arise when the pcs are in control of, well everything?

As a war game.

The Rules Cyclopedia has an entire chapter on PC-run dominions.  It's a beautiful system: crunchy enough to dig into, abstract enough that you're not playing Stalingrad.

Need conflicts?  Dig into your political science textbooks.  There are no friends among nations, which means security comes first.  And how do you secure your nation?  By roleplaying!

PCs would have to secure resources, pacify the population, ensure rule of law, repel invaders/brigands, smooth over conflicts with neighbors and rivals, build up their armies without arousing the anger of said rivals...

And the RC gives you the tools to do all of that, if D&D doesn't make oozing sores erupt across your body when you read it.  D&D also gives the plus of dealing with non-human heads of state ("The chair recognizes the First Dragon of the Mountain Confederation") for that fantasy geek thrill.

Pocket Empires. Nuff said.

Thanks fonkaygarry. I don't want to concentrate only on fantasy or for that matter historical genres, but what got me thinking about this whole thing, was watching the film and miniseries Elizabeth and thinking what could be the possible directions of a campaign where the pcs start on top of the food chain - besides the long fall down of course

Regards,
David R

Birthright dealt with this very issue.

Quote from: ColonelHardissonBirthright dealt with this very issue.

One of my players just passed this to me. I may not run, a fantasy campaign but she said that it has a lot of very interesting ideas .

Regards,
David R

So the PC run a nice, decent, happy place, huh?

Heyy, fine. Now the fun comes in letting them find out that keeping utopia running can be as hard/harder than seting it up in the first place.....

Quote from: Dominus NoxSo the PC run a nice, decent, happy place, huh?

Heyy, fine. Now the fun comes in letting them find out that keeping utopia running can be as hard/harder than seting it up in the first place.....

Not at all. It's most probably going to be set in present day South East Asia. I'm currently running a cyberrap campaign and also a about to start a fantasy  - okay more like robots (Warforged) in a post apoc setting - so, the present is about the only time frame left

This is probably going to be one of those games where the players have a lot of pre game input about the setting. I've just pitched an idea based on the doc Crisis Is Our Brand - okay, a more extreme power behind the throne polemic based on the doc, which I think would be a fun ride

 (So, the last part of your post is partly accurate )

Regards,
David R

In Nobilis, creating a Chancel (anything from a secret hideout to a pocket universe) for the PCs to govern is an integral part of the game during the chargen: that realm will then afterwards act as their home, sanctuary and fortress. Exactly what the place should be like is entirely up to the players, with the caveat that any significant benefits which it might yield in or against the outside world will have to be purchased with points (initially with the Realm attributes of the characters and later with the Chancel Points awarded much like XP).

Now, those precious points probably won't amount to much at first. Fortunately, the group can also pick up negative properties (for example, the local populace hates their rulers, or the enemy has discovered an unguarded backdoor, or the whole place is slowly fading out of existence) in exchange for a bit of CP compensation; unfortunately, each such property is effectively an excuse for the GM to mess with the Chancel and prompt the PCs into action.

Damn it GrimGent now you've got me thinking about Nobilis. But honestly, this is a whole different kind of game than I am aiming for. An interesting option though.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: David RDamn it GrimGent now you've got me thinking about Nobilis. But honestly, this is a whole different kind of game than I am aiming for. An interesting option though.

The thing is, you can easily set an entire campaign within a single Chancel: they can be vast, and there may be native things and strange civilizations in there which cannot simply be brushed miraculously aside. All of India was once a Chancel and vanished from the face of the Earth for a thousand years before reappearing just as suddenly, unlike Atlantis, Camelot, and Troy which still remain out there but out of plain sight. And then there are the likes of the Sanctum at the Television's Breast (where network TV programs are reality and the dramatis personae of the current teen hits are stalked by the disgruntled villains of cancelled shows), Cabin Fever MUSH (once a humble Internet hangout which was subsequently taken over by an angel and turned into a digital realm of its own), or Locus Sakhrat (an island which floats barely above the sea of the collective unconscious in the world of the mind, and which can be reached by walking into anyone's psyche if you know the right way), or Cityback (the living streets of which stretch behind every city on Earth and require one death every night)... So the place could be Narnia or Dodge City or the Sprawl with equal ease. As said, it can be anything.

Somehow, I misread and thought this thread was going to be about He-Man.

RPGPundit

Quote from: SettembriniPocket Empires. Nuff said.

Care to explain? :confused:

Quote from: David RNot at all. It's most probably going to be set in present day South East Asia. I'm currently running a cyberrap campaign and also a about to start a fantasy  - okay more like robots (Warforged) in a post apoc setting - so, the present is about the only time frame left

This is probably going to be one of those games where the players have a lot of pre game input about the setting. I've just pitched an idea based on the doc Crisis Is Our Brand - okay, a more extreme power behind the throne polemic based on the doc, which I think would be a fun ride

 (So, the last part of your post is partly accurate )

Regards,
David R

The PCs are used to being the underdogs, fighting against, defying or otherwise working against the system in some way, so this campaign is a great chance for them to play the other side of the street. Go for it.