In-Game Interactions Between TGOK Nations & Swashbuckler Characters - Discussion

Those reading the play journal belonging my Swashbuckler character, Mister Bartholomew Yorke, may have seen that it has come to a point where the The Glory of Kings player, controlling the country where my Swashbuckler character is located, wishes to make contact between us in the game.

I just thought it would be interesting if I gave my ideas and thoughts on how to achieve this, and also see what other forum members had to offer, or what experiences they've had between Swashbuckler - The Glory of Kings player's character interactions inside the games.

To use my character as an example; Mr B. Yorke is a Commoner, a small-time merchant from York in the North of England. He's a nobody. But, at present in the game, he has found himself entering into the employ of several distinguished gentlemen belonging the Royal Society. Said gentlemen of the Royal Society, being social upper-class men and Knights of the Realm, seek to enrich the geographical and scientific knowledge of the age, but to do so are prepared to go wandering about a territory of another nations, without thinking they might just need to ask permission first.

This is where my Swashbuckler character's game plot has entered into the larger world of The Glory of Kings game. Inside the in-game newspaper it has been announce that the Royal Society at London is planning an expedition to Greenland - So becoming common knowledge and, possibly, an international development that more than one TGOK players can feature in their own games. But how? That's my question.

The player controlling England in TGOK wants to make contact, presumably to announce his worries that an international diplomatic incident may occur through my, and the expedition's actions. But my Swashbuckler character is a social nobody, who wouldn't even know of the British government's concerns in the game as members of his social class wouldn't be privy to such mutterings. The British government (through the TGOK player issuing a game order through his Diplomatic Orders) wouldn't go hunting for Mr. Yorke in all the streets and clubs of London, as even if they sent out the army or the town watch more than likely they still wouldn't find one person amongst the masses. So how can the British Government, a TGOK player position, make contact with Mr. Yorke, a Swashbuckler character?

To my mind it is all about role play. The TGOK player uses his Diplomatic Orders to ask for members of the Royal Society to attend upon the Government at their earliest possible convenience. [In the example used above, the planned expedition to Greenland is being carried out by members of the Royal Society, not a single Swashbuckler character.] In the world of TGOK the Royal Society would meet with a government minister and the TGOK player would role play the meeting out with the GM (AGEMA) as part of the TGOK game turns.    

That isn't to say that a one-on-one meeting, or interaction, couldn't occur between a Swashbuckler character and a TGOK character inside the games.

A noble Swashbuckler character could quite feasibly find himself asked to attend upon the court or government of the land. A military officer likewise. Such Swashbuckler characters are of the right social pedigree that communications between TGOK and Swashbuckler would be straightforward and correct, to my mind. In the case of a commoner, or outlaw, the interaction between TGOK and the Swashbuckler players in the game would require some creative role playing to orchestrate a method of communication, but if achieved I'm sure the GM would look favourably upon good role playing. But this is only my, guessed at, opinion.

I'd be interested to read the thoughts of other players of AGEMA games, not necessarily just Swashbuckler or TGOK players. Any exchange of ideas can only work to improve our own playing and enrich the game, being my view.

-- Reading back the above, I've just thought of another possible, direct method of inter-game interaction; a TGOK character being married to a Swashbuckler character. Two such linked, influential player characters could seriously change the course of a TGOK game in their locality. Oh what possibilities!



Roy

Richard said that if a SB player becomes famous enough and gets in the right position he could end up running a country, but I suppose that's a BIG if

Interested to hear what others thing as well. As the British Government so described I am searching for ways to make such contact. Perhaps the idea of investing into such a mission if it were to be somewhere else might well be worth the attempt to contact. Greenland is after all claimed by an ally if I am not mistaken.

In this specific case, could not the British government simply have a chat with the Royal Society and through them 'talk' to Mr Yorke?

As a topic, this might also apply to "Scramble" as I believe there might be individuals on the loose there too...

I agree with Rozwi pretty much.

Swashbuckler is a particular subset of the game. You start as a relative unknown and attempt to build yourself up in the world. As a consequence, you should really only come to the attention of the great by doing enough to get yourself really noticed. Forcing that contact short-circuits what I think is a key part of the challenge of that particular rule set.

Bear in mind that TGOK, separate from Swashbuckler, permits oddball and small positions. If you want to be the eccentric world explorer, the Duke of West Easterly, you can do that and have a lot more resources and wherewithal than a starting swashbuckler character. Then you can naturally approach royalty and rulers because you're a person of substance already. The rule books suggest playing a swiss bank manager and the like as other possible positions.

As a ruler, I'd be happy to have another player rise to the point that I notice them and can offer them some challenge, but if that doesn't happen naturally, then I think you're not playing swashbuckler, you're trying to play a small TGOK position. Part of swashbuckler ought to be the challenge of winning through to fame and the fortune that follows.

If you want to skip right to the next part, then get a small TGOK position and play with that.

I worked my way up and I am considered famous now according to my turn. But I suppose there is fame in the country you live in and then fame as well known through out Europe....

Thanks for the input, everyone. Much appreciated.

My initial idea for B. Yorke, when setting up the SB. character, was that, in the long-run, he'd become a well-known merchant at York, the north of England. Hence why I stated that I wanted him to return to his York merchant's guild after, at least, two years attempt at making his fortune.

I always considered the chap a law-abiding merchant, who would be travelling around the British Isles, Northern Europe, possibly even India, in pursuit of mercantile success. I never thought that he would become involved in anything belonging TGOK, though I did send him to London to attempt introduction to officers belonging trade guilds and the like, via social circles and church services. Obviously the connection to the Royal Society has taken my idea, which I did convey to Agema in my SB. turns, and elevated it to a higher level. But this only allows me further chance to earn my fortune, which as a merchant is more important to my character than any local or national fame?

Though I suppose that if I did return to York, rich and having a tale or two to tell, my character's arrogant nature might just have him attempt public office. I wonder what the requirements are to become Mayor? Or, if he did a good service to the Royal Society, through their contacts he could end up as a government trading agent.