Plot

From Age of Intrigue Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

Starter Guide
to Age of Intrigue

Intro
Plot
Reading Selection
How to Play
FAQ
Rules
Join
Contact

Age of Intrigue is a continuing story taking place in England's 17th century. We started in May 1675 and are currently in April 1676.

The moderator team or Privy Council writes overarching plots that everybody can join. Meanwhile everybody has their own individual stories, interacting with each other, living out their lives while they try and accomplish goals. Together we weave the complicated web of threads that is Age of Intrigue.

Contents

Themes

This game focuses more on politics, society and intrigue, but other themes like swashbuckling, arts, horror, mystery, romance and science are part of the whole. It is a game of subtlety, manoeuvre, rumormongering, manipulation, decadence, and adventure. There will be mysteries to solve, enemies to ruin, powerful persons to placate, and high society to conquer. It is a court rife with hedonism and ambition. You determine what role your character will play. Will you be the noble character who resists the wanton and corrupt ways of court? Or will you climb to the top ruthlessly? Are you a social butterfly? Or a dedicated scientist seeking advancement in the Royal Society?

Plotting

Age of Intrigue is a moderated game. This means that the moderator sets the scene for both environment and non player characters (NPC) and determines the success of the actions of players as well as the consequences, according to the Rules of Realism. The thrill of not knowing what will happen next and the danger of things going wrong adds to the game experience when dealing with intrigue. Therefore, most of the plotting is done by moderators in a large amount of secret forums that are not visible to the public.

For your private plotting you will have your own secret forum, called a Player Compendium, visible only to you and the Privy Council. In the compendium you can keep notes, communicate with the moderators, keep a list of past threads, discuss characterdevelopment and make plans for the future. We have created a Sample Player Compendium so you can see how that works.

Preplotting

We do not have a section where you can plot with your fellow players in advance of writing the actual thread. We encourage everybody to let events happen naturally. The exception is that you could, during character creation, become a family member of an existing PC. In the game you can even marry another PC. In these cases you will be provided with additional access so you can plot together. In addition we have the circle forums where you can do some IC plotting with people in the same circle of friends. You can read more on allowed forms of preplotting in the OOC Plotting section.

Player Initiative

See Also Player initiative

While the moderators plot, that still means that you don't lean back and wait for the stories to come to you. Player initiative is very important in Age of Intrigue. It is the fastest way to success, while passivity might get you nowhere. You decide what your character does, you try and make your goals happen. Don't wait for a mod to continue his story. Go visit the NPC concerned. Find out information about the situation. Step into a library. Inquire with other NPC's. Look for NPC's at a Ball by specifically mentioning them in your thoughts. Write letters. Cause something to happen. A PC to PC thread harbours even more possibilities for Player Initiative and the rewards may be even bigger. As long as there is IC pretence, a character may grant another anything that is within his power, likely while extracting a like favour.

Where You Start and Where You Aim to Be

As you can read in the character creation section not all characters are created equal. Certain benefits might aid you. However, all the same as a newbie character you will have to work on making your aims and goals become true. You will have to climb the ladders of power, maybe aided by a powerful patron, a selected circle of friends, or your own wits. You can ask us for advice how to approach this in your Player Compendium. However, do not expect it to be instantaneous, for what would be the fun in that? Age of Intrigue is a game best enjoyed if you like taking a long view on success.

Current Major Plots

There is no big overarching plot, because we consider that binding and one directional. Of course there is the major outline of history, to which we give an alternate twist. There are many more plots to be found in Age of Intrigue. Everywhere you turn you will see a new plothook, or you can take the initiative and write your own story. Age of Intrigue is a living, breathing world where our player characters can walk around in and discover their own stories.

This is a small selection of the plots that are currently running on the boards, without mentioning the more individual ones.

Politics

  • The Queen died at at the hands of an assassin. The King for political reasons is unable to grieve overlong for he needs a protestant heir. Despite having 14+ natural children, he has none, only his Catholic brother. So the King must wed again. Many countries in Europe see this as an opportunity of a life time. London is swarming with their dignitaries and princesses.
  • The Whigs are pushing to exclude James Stuart, the King's brother, from the throne, demanding only Protestants can ever be King of England.
  • The King and Parliament are always wrestling for the ultimate power. One of the things that parliament uses is money, for the King is ever in need of it and can't have it without approval of the house of Lords and the house of Commons. The latest issue of debate is the financing of the Royal Navy, which leads to heated debates.
  • The French, the Dutch, the Spanish. Many nations have their own quarrels with each other and fight it out right here in London. The French gold due to the English King because of the Secret Treaty of Dover has disappeared. It is rumoured it was stolen by the Spanish. Meanwhile the Dutch and the French are at war and duel with more than just words at London court.

Society

  • The Proper Circle is trying to enforce the growing rules of etiquette. Yet they find themselves with repeatedly interrupted by the libertines who with their deliberately lewd behaviour question the strict adherence to form. and prefer a hedonistic approach to life. The latest incident involved the three Godivas, three noble ladies who rode into the Privy Garden in Eva's costume atop of their horse, wearing only a mask. It was said to be an amusement for the King.
  • Court has moved to Newmarket to attend the races there. All are guests of the King, who himself partakes in all available amusement, including horseriding. It is clearly a libertine event and likely there will be repercussions from proper society as they learn of what transpired.
  • Bachelors & Bachelorettes - the proper circle tries to play matchmaker, the reformed types try the hardest. The reward? Lots of favour.
  • Battle of the Mistresses - the trick is not to get the King in your bed. The trick is to keep him there. Several royal mistresses fight for favour.
  • For fashionista's there is only one important question: who of them will be able to set the colour of the season and is thus true leader of fashion. A trend against all things French has been promoted.

Arts & Science

  • In Greenwhich Christopher Wren is building an observatory.
  • The Chelsea Veteran Hospital is offering services for commoners.
  • There are rumours that the painter Lely is expanding his collection of Court Beauties.
  • Competition between musicians is rife. Will you be able to survive?

Trade

  • The hottest thing to come out of the Highlands is not the Kings Scottish Mistress... it is wool. Much in demand in both the colonies and for the Flemish tapistry. However, how to avoid taxation? Scottish farmer merchants try to curry favor with Lauderdale.
  • India, the jewel of the crown, place of exotic wonder and many products of rising fashion. The East India Company tries to promote her business by the creation of an India Memorial Garden in memory of the late Queen Catherine.
  • Smuggling is a way of life for some, even in the highest circles. How else to obtain the nicest liquors? The best silks from Italy? There are rumours that the seal of portmaster has been stolen, making it possible to avoid taxation.
  • Kingpin Ravenna has been arrested and thrown in the Tower, on the charge of murder of a duke, high way robbery and involvement with smuggling. Will it stick or will the slippery baron of Chelsea find favour in the King's eyes once more? He claims he is but an honest businessman.

Adventure

  • In the London Port there are rumours of privateers and smugglers.
  • A gentleman robber is said to be active in the countryside surrounding London. Where did he learn his excellent manners and his ravishing ways?

Seasons Past

We have summaries of past seasons and recesses for you to catch up on some of the longer running tales:

Read More

  • Reading Selection ~ links to actual threads listed per theme
  • Game Events ~ an incomplete listing of past plots and how they worked out.
  • Event oriented modding ~ our vision on creating a living breathing world the player characters can walk around in, instead of creating a binding one directional plot.
Retrieved from "http://wiki.ageofintrigue.com/index.php/Plot"
Personal tools