CKRPG — Kingdom of Albion
Æthelbald of Mercia sought to unify the scattered Anglo-Saxon kingdoms under a single crown, and when the Kingdom of Wessex was finally brought to its knees in 731 AD he had accomplished his goal. Æthelbald ruled this new kingdom with guile and cunning, and over his long reign he slowly eroded the power of the church and nobility until his rule was nearly absolute. His skill on the battlefield made quick work of his foes, but despite his ambitions he actually had very few rivals: His kingdom and its people were rich from trade and tribute from all of Britain, and his skill and charisma made it so even his detractors had to offer their respect.
The year is now 770 AD, and Æthelbald the Great lies on his deathbed. He ruled healthily for decades, so the realm's power remained firmly in his hands until the very end. His apparent heir and his family died in a tragic fire just a few years ago, leaving only a politically disfavored grandson to inherit the throne. The various tribes kept under heel have been preparing for decades for England's grip to loosen. And perhaps worst of all, a storm is brewing in Scandinavia that will change the fate of Europe forever. With fate apparently aligned against it, the fate of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom is now left in the hands of its most prominent nobles.
In this ahistorical Britain, players create a powerful Anglo-Saxon family. The game's focus is on diplomacy, politics, and intrigue: A landless noble in the king's good graces can be more powerful than any duke. The game is also more about interesting stories than playing to "win": An insane duke that alienates his vassals is far more welcome than yet another perfect noble who can do no wrong.
A turn takes place every week, and players are expected to post orders every turn. Rather than a turn being a fixed amount of time, the GMs will occasionally announce that we've entered the next half-decade. An in-game decade will almost always be far longer than a real-world month, but this allows inactive periods to pass quickly without rushing role-playing too much.
If this sounds interesting, feel free to check out the Rules and CKRPG Subforum and take a look. If you have any questions or want to join, just post here.
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