My Liege,

While the plan from the previous post is still in effect, the timeline is not. I'm happy with what I've written for the adventure so far, but I've contracted a touch of writer's block. I've learned my lesson and won't be estimating completion dates for creative work again.

On the other hand, I've had a burst of ideas for feudal domain management, and they're starting to cohere into a set of rules that can overlay any RPG that uses the traditional six ability scores or close analogues.

These rules are central to the vision I have for The Red Ledger of Brechewold, so it allows me to make progress on that front. However, since the rules do seem to be flexible and robust, I think I will publish them in their own right, sooner than later, entitled My Liege, (comma intentional).

The central conceit is that everything must be done through vassals - construction, diplomacy, espionage, and warfare. The PCs issue orders to vassals twice a year: once for the Spring and Summer ("Campaign" season) and once for the Fall and Winter ("Harvest" season). The DM resolves the orders by rolling two ability checks for the vassals: a "primary" and a "secondary" ability depending on the order, and consulting this chart:

	Primary passed	Primary failed
Secondary passed	Order succeeds	Order fails with a silver lining
Secondary failed	Order succeeds with a complication	Order fails with the worst-case scenario

So the vassals need ability scores, and the DM should play them so the PCs have some idea of their strengths and weaknesses.

I defined primary and secondary abilities for a bunch of common orders, but DMs can resolve any order the players can think of by agreeing on what the primary and secondary abilities should be to accomplish the thing. The exception is warfare, which works slightly differently. I'll discuss it in a future post.

The PCs receive taxes in abstracted units that I'm calling Crowns for now, and they can gain even more wealth by ransoming captive enemy vassals or by pillaging. They pay some of this wealth in taxes and use the rest to issue orders.

The other currency for the domain to track is Favours. This is their concretized standing with other feudal courts of similar rank. It is gained by subordinating warbands, opening trade routes for luxury goods, and feasting.

The main mechanic addition is the Court Turn. Twice a year, at the start of the aforementioned Campaign and Harvest seasons, the PCs hear reports of the previous season's orders, petitions for this season (the domain equivalent of random encounters), collect taxes, and issue orders.

The whole thing is very high-level and more about delegating power. I didn't want to create a micro-management sim where players are worrying about every granary. The only real economic management is luxury production, and the political economy centers around feasting and warfare. These are deliberate choices to put the players in the mindset of feudal nobility.

I will be back before too long with more as I make progress here.