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CHIAVELLI - EnGarde!
Being in the main a fantasy PBeM of social climbing, duelling and adventure

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HOUSE RULES

Being in the Main the Activities of Several Gentleman Adventurers during September 2089

Events:
His Majesty King Mark considers bestowing Titles upon exceptional Heroes of the Campaign:
Captain Scorpio Undrentide of the Red Mountaineers [6+ rqd, roll... 1] receives a pat on the back.
Captain Algernon Tuft of the Warlord of Raz's Cuirassiers [6+ rqd, roll... 2] also receives a pat on the back.
Famine strikes, as the harvest fails in the County of Didleby/Portby of the Raz Republic. Upkeep in the City of Raz for the season will be +10Cr per month, per man and horse!
A nest of diseased dwarves are driven out of Cetin, in the Duchy of Duettin.
Investments pay dividends, resulting from the Summer Military Campaign: Arms +80% (7 brigades), Finance -60% (7 brigades), Commerce +20% (avg. army outcome B).
Official appointments made: None.
The Sheriff of Riss leads local Levies to put down revolting peasants near Jasmalin [MA7, roll 3, Outcome C]. The result is Inconclusive, but the Sheriff escapes unharmed.

Scorpio Undrentide - Honoured Gentleman (SL7) [MikeC]
1st Son of an Impoverished Nobleman (Knight), a Captain in the Red Regiment, Male Human Str17,Int15,Wis9,Dex13,Con11,Cha9,Siz10 Ht 5'10, Wt 10st, HP=5
Favours: None.

Crowns

Status

Activities

1488

0

B/F

12

4

Scorpio receives his due as a Captain in the Red Mountaineers Regiment.

0

0

Scorpio receives no allowance

-14

0

Scorpio supports himself as befits an Honoured Gentleman

-15

3

Scorpio pays his tithe to the Mielikki Temple.

-25

5

Scorpio pays his dues to the Masonic Brotherhood.

-5

0

Scorpio maintains 1 Horse (3 Cr) and a Groom (2 Cr)

0

6

Scorpio is a celebrated Hero (Hardale Assault, Hardale Campaign)

-7

1

Scorpio indulges in Conspicuous Consumption

-770

-

Scorpio repays his loans to Shylock the Usurer – even though the dwarfen cur demands extra, as 'interest'!

-7

1

Week 1 : Scorpio visits his Guild and Carouses.

0

0

Week 2 : Scorpio worships at the Mielikki Temple. The Lady of the Forest is pleased.

-7

1

Week 3 : Scorpio visits his Guild and Carouses.

-----

-----

650

22

Scorpio continues at the Social Level of an Honoured Gentleman (7). Favours Gained: None.

Algernon Tuft - Goodly Gentleman (SL6) [PeterW]
Child of a Very Wealthy Merchant Commoner, a Captain in the Raz Regiment, Male Human Str16,Int7,Wis7,Dex11,Con13,Cha12,Siz9 Ht 5'2, Wt 8.25st, HP=6
Favours: F2(Kethleen).

Crowns

Status

Activities

506

0

B/F

14

5

Algie receives his due as a Captain in the Warlord Raz Cuirassiers Regiment.

50

0

Algie receives his allowance

-12

0

Algie supports himself as befits a Goodly Gentleman

-10

2

Algie pays his tithe to the Freya Temple.

-20

4

Algie pays his dues to the Bardic Beguiling Company.

-5

0

Algie maintains 1 Horse (3 Cr) and a Groom (2 Cr)

-27

4

Algie sends little what-nots to Baronette Kethleen Muleteer of Candahar

0

9

Algie is a celebrated Hero (Grafton Zombies, Hardale/Veloii)

0

0

Week 1 : Algie visits the lady Baronette Kethleen Muleteer of Candahar and enjoys her Female Companionship.

0

0

Week 2 : Algie practices the Sabre at his regiment. [39%, roll 84, +6 = 45%]

0

0

Week 3 : Algie practices the Sabre at his regiment. [45%, roll 37, no increase]

0

0

Week 4 : Algie practices the Sabre at his regiment. [45%, roll 02, no increase]

0

1

Algie exercises his Wit: "I would say something witty, but I can't think of anything at the moment."

-----

-----

496

25

Algie RISES to the Social Level of an Honoured Gentleman (7). Favours Gained: None.

Corban 'Oakenfoot' of the Hold - Proper Gentleman (SL5) [JamesW]
4th Son of a Very Wealthy Gentleman, a Captain in the Red Regiment, Male Human Str17,Int7,Wis9,Dex5,Con12,Cha14,Siz15 Ht 5'10, Wt 10st, HP=9
Favours: None.

Crowns

Status

Activities

866

0

B/F

12

4

Corban receives his due as a Captain in the Red Mountaineers Regiment.

125

0

Corban receives his allowance

-10

0

Corban supports himself as befits a Proper Gentleman

-10

2

Corban pays his tithe to the Demeter Temple.

-20

3

Corban pays his dues to the Merchant-Adventurers Guild.

-5

0

Corban maintains 1 Horse (3 Cr) and a Groom (2 Cr)

0

-2

Corban did not enjoy any female companionship this month.

-----

-----

958

7

Corban continues at the Social Level of a Proper Gentleman (5). Favours Gained: None.

Hiram T Hackenbush - Gentleman (SL4) [PeterT]
4th Son of a Merchant Commoner, a Sergeant in the Sarc Regiment, Male Human Str10,Int10,Wis10,Dex10,Con10,Cha10,Siz10 Ht 5'10, Wt 10st, HP=5
Favours: F2(Harriet).

Crowns

Status

Activities

72

0

B/F

4

0

Hiram receives his due as a Sergeant in the Sarcophraz Pikes Regiment.

20

0

Hiram receives his allowance

-8

0

Hiram supports himself as befits a Gentleman

-10

2

Hiram pays his tithe to the Demeter Temple.

-

-

Hiram refuses to pay his dues to the Thieves Guild, and thus resigns.

-21

4

Hiram sends little what-nots to Miss Harriet Capracornia of Sprit

0

4

Hiram is a celebrated Hero (Hardale Assault)

-20

3

Week 1 : Hiram joins the Merchant-Adventurers Guild.

-4

1

Week 2 : Hiram visits his Guild and Carouses.

0

0

Week 3 : Hiram worships at the Demeter Temple. May the Lady of Plenty sustain him and his friends – in particular, the Lady Harriet.

0

0

Week 4 : Hiram visits the lady Miss Harriet Capracornia of Sprit and enjoys her Female Companionship.

0

1

Hiram exercises his Wit, Regailing Harriet with stories of Derring-do from his adventures during the Hardale Campaign and impressing her with the size of his Halberd.

0

0

Hiram has NO TIME LEFT to be ON DUTY! Sergeant Hiram did insufficient duty with the Sarcophraz Pikes – and is drummed-out of the regiment!

-----

-----

33

15

Hiram RISES to the Social Level of a Proper Gentleman (5). Favours Gained: None.

Chiavelli Map - Political Version

THE ESSENTIAL RULES - Social Level and Status
Mostly as per standard En Garde! rules but slightly adapted to the setting. You can read them and/or ask me via email.

SOCIAL LEVEL & STATUS
Most important in those rules is your character's SOCIAL LEVEL (SL) - which measures how highly-regarded they are by other members of society.
That need not be paramount, however, as this is a more wide-ranging RPG - your characters may have any goals you choose. But SL still affects interactions with non-player characters, such as when joining a regiment, guild or temple, or being promoted to a higher rank, or a title.

To maintain Social Level you need that many points of STATUS each month, otherwise SL decreases by one. SL increases by one if you get Status at least equal to the next Social Level x 3 in a month. Status doesn't carry forward.

Status is gained from your position in society: membership of a Regiment, a Guild, a Temple, and/or Appointments held. Also from activities, courting ladies, carousing, conspicuous consumption, excessive gambling, heroic achievements on campaign or adventure, besting rivals in honourable combat, exercising your wit... and anything else you can think of?

CHARACTER CREATION
Choose a name, and a home town/area. Generate characteristics as usual for RuinQuest, with 4d6 best 3 (unlike standard EnGarde!). Also roll 1d6 for Military Ability. Then roll on the Birth Tables (as per standard EnGarde! page 32) reproduced for convenience here.

INFLUENCE & FAVOURS
Non-player characters make many decisions: who gets appointed to a position, how many brigades go on campaign, should one regiment replace another, whether to execute a character for treason... Decisions by NPCs are D6 rolls versus a certain target number (which may be over 6). These decisions can be influenced by FAVOURS. Favours can be gained from your Social Level, posts held, ladies wooed, and some other sources.

Each Favour has a “level”, from just F1 which can influence a Captain or Major, up to F9 - which can sway the King!

Each favour gives a +/-1 modifier. More than one can be spent, and higher-level favours give extra bonus: e.g. influencing a Colonel (normally F3 required) with an F7 Favour (4 higher than needed) would give a +/-5 modifier. Favours may be combined, for example two F3 Favours make one F4.
Favours are held to be even more powerful than gold [although bribery may be possible and, if effective, have similar effect].

GOLD - Money is measured in Gold Crowns, which are very valuable in the Cantabrian area. They are equivalent to Gold Pieces of D&D.

REGIMENTS – In these troubled times, respectable able-bodied persons are expected to enlist in one of the various military regiments. Lower ranks must spend time on duty, but officers are free to pursue other activities – unless the regiment goes on campaign, in summer. Ranks may be purchased.

GUILDS – Guilds are rather like clubs for artisans, and gentlemen of appropriate social standing. Social activities such as drinking, gambling and pleasurable company are available. Being seen partaking of such is vital to anyone wishing to retain or gain standing in society.

TEMPLES – Membership of a temple brings status and requires tithes, but can also be of other benefit: healing, ransoming, etc, depending on the deity. This is simply Lay membership of the faith. But honour must be upheld, and members of rival faiths must be challenged whenever encountered.

THE LADIES – Certain ladies across the realm are known to appreciate the attentions of dashing young persons. Association with these damsels brings many rewards, including the approbation of society. (Lack of female companionship loses status, -2SP/month). So these lovelies are certainly worth the wooing, and winning.

DUELS – If you encounter social rivals on your adventures, there is honour to maintain. Members of enemy regiments or temples met, or those courting your lady, or anyone insulting yourself or things you hold dear – must be challenged to combat of the field of honour. Or you will lose face...

“THE CHIAVELLI” - Campaign Rules
Rules are based on 'En Garde!' (classic game of renaissance social climbing/duelling), adapted to the fantasy setting.

Players have one or more characters and may choose four activities to attempt each game month, each taking about a week. Time scale is about double the real world, thus allowing campaign history to progress yet not ageing characters too fast. So a game-month will occur roughly every two real weeks. If the schedule sounds too tight, don't worry: default actions apply if none are given in time for a month; and if chances are missed, that's just realistic!

OVERVIEW
The standard rules allow characters to pursue a military career, woo fine ladies, gain political influence, perhaps winning wealth, high office and titles – all the while carousing and wenching their fill – and cutting down social rivals with wit and sword. Extended rules allow characters to join a guild, display their faith at a temple, and serve in a variety of local public appointments. [Future rules may allow civilian careers in the guilds, forging a mercantile empire by developing the lands, and adventuring.] All this is now possible for your heroes!

WHAT TO DO
Join a Regiment – you will not be taken seriously in society otherwise. Purchase Captain or Major rank if possible, or you must spend time on duty.
Let the GM know the Temple and/or Guild to which you wish to belong initially. (You can change later, but being a member from the outset will hopefully prevent artificial loss of social levels during game start-up).
Then visit the Bawdyhouse, dally with the doxies for female companionship, carouse (+1SP), and perhaps gamble.
Finally, perhaps court a lady who takes your fancy – and to whom you are not socially unacceptable...

Additionally, everyone is expected to “Exercise Wit” (a free action) – which should be some sort of contentious, yet funny, remark which risks inviting a challenge from any who may feel insulted. Keep it short! The GM will award a bonus (+1SP) to wit which particularly amuses him.

That should see you through the first month on the social scene, and should give the feel of things. Thereafter, you're on your own. Good luck!

EXAMPLE ORDERS:

Dan the Dwarf – January 2091
Week 1: JOIN REGIMENT Red Mountaineers Regt as Captain
Week 2: VISIT GUILD Sword Brothers with Zelinus to Carouse and Gamble: 3 bets of 200gp, Cut@6
Week 3: COURT A LADY Countess Ruth of Dentelles, +36gp extra
Week 4: VISIT BAWDYHOUSE and Dally with the Doxies, take 20gp, no gambling
EXERCISE WIT “How do you confuse an Orc? Tell it the Uradilians are advancing!”

EXAMPLE RESULTS – A MONTHLY REPORT:

Being in the Main the Activities of Several Gentleman Adventurers during January 2091

Sword-Lord Zelinus Duetti [PeterW] (SL13 = Count)
1st Child of a Very Wealthy Nobleman (Duke), a Captain in the Sword Regiment, Male Human
Favours: 3xF3(SL).
Crowns Status Activities
15 4 B/F
+8 +0 Zel receives his due as a Captain in the Sword Brothers Regiment.
+38 +0 Zel receives his allowance
-26 +0 Zel supports himself as befits the social equal of a Count
-20 +4 Zel pays his tithe to the Sif Temple.
-5 +0 Zel maintains 1 Horse (3 Cr) and a Groom (2 Cr)
+0 +2 Zel is a celebrated Hero (Tomb Of Horrors, Slew Acererak)
+0 -2 Zel did not enjoy any female companionship this month.
----- -----
10 8 Zel falls to the Social Level of a Viscount (12). Favours Gained: F3(SL).

ACTIONS

JOIN REGIMENT Regiment [RankPurchased] [Reg2, Reg3...]
APPLY FOR APPOINTMENT Name
RESIGN APP/REG Name
JOIN GUILD GuildName
LEAVE GUILD GuildName
VISIT GUILD GuildName GuestOf/- Guests CarouseY/N NumOfBets AmtOfBets CutLevel
VISIT BAWDYHOUSE CashTaken DallyY/N NumOfBets AmtOfBets CutLevel
COURT LADY LadyName ExtraSpent
VISIT LADY LadyName
JOIN TEMPLE Name
LEAVE TEMPLE Name
BORROW MONEY FromWhom Amount (May borrow from a player-character or SHYLOCK)
CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION Amount (Certain multiples of your Social Level
INFLUENCE Who ToDoWhat Favour1 [Fvr2...] (Favours can combine to greater level: e.g. F4+F4=F5)
PRACTICE WeaponName (May improve skill)
ON DUTY (Privates must be On Duty for 2wks/month, Sgts 1wk/mth)
BUY HORSES Number (100Cr each. Required for officers)
SELL HORSES Number (50Cr each when selling)
EXERCISE WIT Witticism (May give status, if GM amused)
MISC FreeText (For special use to do ANYTHING!)
LEND MONEY Recipient Amount
REPAY MONEY Recipient Amount
DEMAND REPAYMENT From Amount
VOLUNTEER [GoSelfY/N] [Units...] (Go on campaign out of season, to the Frontier)
REQUEST LEAVE (Leave of Absence from regiment)
ISSUE CHALLENGE Name Reason Taunt (To fight a duel)
MAKE INVESTMENT Amount Type (Arms/Finance/Commerce. Multiples of 1000Cr)
LIQUIDATE INVESTMENT Amount Type (Minus a 10% 'Liquidation Fee')
BRAVERY Modifier DeathLimit (Set Recklessness/Poltroonery modifier & Death Limit)
BRIBE ?
BUY/SELL/GIVE STUFF ?

REGIMENTS
Gentlemen will find that a career in the military offers the best opportunities for advancement. Regimental Table A lists the names of the regiments and the minimum die roll needed to be accepted into that regiment per social level. This die roll may be modified by influence with the regimental commander [Colonel: F3 rqd]. If the regiment is commanded by a player, no roll is required: the commander decides who is accepted. The candidate must meet all minimum criteria for acceptance into the regiment.

A player who unsuccessfully attempts to join a regiment may apply to other regiments in the same week, but may only apply to regiments of lower social standing than the one to which he has been denied admission. The social standing of the regiments is the order in which they are listed on Regiment Table A, the Royal Foot Guards being the highest, and the Frontier regiments the lowest. For every two rejections, the character must subtract one from his die roll on subsequent regimental applications.
The character has the option to buy an officer's commission provided he has the social level and the money to do so. A rank up to and including that of major may be bought immediately upon entry into the regiment, providing the character meets all other requirements. Regimental Table B lists the minimum social level, status points received monthly, pay per month, and price required to purchase a particular rank. The price to purchase is the amount of money it takes to receive that rank from the rank immediately below it. In order to initially buy a majority, for instance, a character would have to pay the costs of the rank of captain and subaltern in addition to the cost of major. For the ranks of lieutenant-colonel and above, commissions may not be bought initially.

Members of cavalry regiments and captains of any regiment must buy one horse and equipment. Majors and above in any regiment must buy three horses and equipment. Anyone who buys a horse must also hire a groom and pay support on a monthly basis. A horse costs 100 crowns, and requires support of 3 crowns per month. A groom must be paid 2 crowns per month, but only one need be hired, regardless of how many horses are to be cared for.
Characters with the rank of private must spend two weeks of each month on duty with their regiment: cleaning stables, mounting guard, polishing equipment, and so on. While on duty, they may undertake no other action. Subaltems [Sergeants] must spend one week of every month on duty supervising the privates, while officers above the rank of subaltern need not spend any time on duty at all. Privates and subalterns [sergeants] may be excused from duty by the permission of their battalion commanders. A non-player battalion commander will excuse a player from one week of duty on a roll of 5 or greater on one die. This may be modified by influence [Lieutenant-colonel (1st battalion/squadron): F2 rqd; Major (2nd/3rd battalion/squadron): F1 rqd].

Each regiment is a component of a specific brigade. Brigades and their component regiments are listed on Regiment Table C [included in Table A, above]. Brigades are important in determining which regiments go on campaign.

CAMPAIGN OUTCOME
Officers commanding regiments and higher units exert a sufficient amount of initiative that their action affect the outcome of the campaign.
Campaign battle results determination begins at the highest level and proceeds to the lowest. That is, first the Army, then Division, Brigade and Regiment. Battle results are determined by roll of a die cross-indexed on the Battle Results Table with the commander's modified Military Ability (M.A.). If a commander obtains a result of A or B then his subordinates roll as if their M.A. were one greater; but on an E or F they roll as if it were one less. (The modifiers are cumulative).