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House Ghaele is a proud and ancient House, born of the wars between the Kingdoms of Rock and Reach before Aegon's Conquest. The family's noble history was very nearly blotted out of existence before it could begin after a bout of spring sickness eliminated its senior line, but over four and a half centuries since the House's history has been spotted with figures both glorious and ignoble. In the last two generations alone under Gregor and Tyrick Ghaele the House has become a valued vassal to Lord Tywin Lannister of Casterly Rock, as outside the Westerlands war wracked the land.

Robert's Rebellion ended fifteen years ago. Since the last Targaryens were overthrown, King Robert I Baratheon has reigned in the heart of the Crownlands, from the Red Keep. With Queen Cersei Lannister by his side and three healthy children to come after him, a new royal succession has been established to rule over the Seven Kingdoms. Yet though the King's Peace rules supreme, the game of politics and succession continues between the noble houses of Westeros and even in the peaceful heart of the Westerlands not all is exactly as it seems...

We've been doing House Creation over here, but we have enough pulled together at this point that I feel it's a useful point to start working on a group of character concepts for the players in this game.

I'm going to put as much of the House Information as I can into the Campaign Info thread (along with the House Resources and combined House History we've been putting together) but I'll put together some Narrator Characters here over time that I'd like to use (though not all of them necessarily have to be if Player characters end up being made that might tread on their toes) to help fill out the House and maybe help inspire your concepts.

What is the game?

After some discussion in the other thread (see above) we're looking at a game where the player characters are members of or sworn to House Ghaele of Goodby Knoll in the Westerlands, a vassal house to the Lannisters. We're using the Green Ronin Asoiaf rules, so please do have a copy of the core book (hard copy or pdf) or a pretty good knowledge of its contents.

Bear in mind that unlike most RPGs I've tried, combat in this ruleset and setting is not common in most periods and can be extremely (extremely) dangerous to all those concerned. Characters who can fight would definitely be useful, but not everyone should write concepts along this path.

What are you after from us?

For now? Character concepts. Who would you like to play in a (moderately minor) noble house of the Seven Kingdoms? Assume that the Lord and his Lady are off limits as NCs, but I'm open to concepts for male heirs between 30-11 years old and daughters in a similar age range.

We have the House Influence for one heir of notable Status - if it's a woman, then that probably means we have no male sons of the blood. If it's a man then there may be other sons of less status but still noble blood.

Please don't assume I only want to see noble character concepts, I'm just spending more time on them because there are a few more restrictions on them in this situation.

Overall I'm looking for 5-6 character concepts that fit together well, probably no more than 2 of them being actual blood members of House Ghaele. Don't worry about actually making your characters yet system-wise, although names and short bios would be appreciated to help get a feel for them.

Please feel free to ask any questions you like; I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Hi people,

I'm involved in two games on here (Only War and Eclipse Phase) and running a third (Homebrew), but I'm finding they aren't taking as much time as I'd expected and so I'm looking at the possibility of using at my other favorite ruleset, Green Ronin's A Song of Ice and Fire RPG.

Is anyone else feeling the urge for a jaunt to Westeros?

I'd probably prefer to play in it (in case my other three all get suddenly very busy) but if there's a fair bit of interest and everyone else would prefer to play too then I have a Chronicle or two in me. :3

Note this is simply a "Any interest?" check; if the answer is yes we can sort out who's running it, when it's set, who's playing and (depending on the story type) even do House Creation here before we do our character generation stuff in another Recruitment thread opened by the Narrator (who might even be me).

So; are you interested? And if so, prefer to play or narrate?

Day 0 - 4113002.M42 - Culara System outskirts

A shimmer and a discoloration against the black of deep space, a shadow that expands until it obscures seven stars. Then a glorious coruscation of light as though the void catches fire, and the twenty three vessels of Imperial Navy Taskforce 16.1 erupt back into realspace. Within minutes the whole flotilla is in motion, pairs of destroyers loping off after the two identified system patrol vessels while the others bore in towards the separatist world, Culara IV. Shoals of Furies and Sharks spread out to either side of the double column of transports, while the cruisers form a wedge at the fore. Indomitus Jubatus - as per doctrine - is at the point of the wedge, and aboard the flagship the finest minds of the 1252nd Army were busy reviewing data and planning for the full-scale invasion ahead.

In the war room, a screen lights up and the face of Vice Admiral Theodora Doheri appears. "Lord General, senior officers of the 1252nd Army," she begins, "We have confirmation that there are only two armed vessels in-system, neither of them warp capable. Hellcat will deal with them and see to the isolation of the in-system stations until the high orbitals are secure. When your foothold is strong enough, my cruisers and our armsmen will see to their reduction in short order." While of course she speaks with the greatest courtesy, she makes it subtly clear she feels she could deal with this inconvenience far more easily without the burden of the Guard hanging about her neck. The image blinks out at Domitian's acknowledgement and he turns to the others around the table.

"Very well, gentlemen and lady. We have twenty four hours before we are in position to commence our initial landings. I want to hear confirmation of the landing sites from our plan, and have no last minute changes you want to impose. I also want confirmation of which officer is commanding on the ground at the main landing site in case of loss of communication, and confirmation of where you want the main supply dump to be assembled from Day Two. Other than that..." He stretches, and you all see the first smile from him that you can recall seeing since you joined the 1252nd Army. "...get your regiments ready for landfall and get some rest. We have some long hard days ahead of us."

Imperial Taskforce 16.1 has just arrived in the Culara system, but the planning for the campaign started over a year beforehand. As the regiments were drawn from their posts and sent to the muster point, Lord General Domitian and his leading subordinates met in council to determine on a broad course of action.

This thread is out of character, but as well as general chatter it would be good if you could sort out a few things as well.

Esprit de Corps

There is a list of the 24 regiments (and a battalion presently part of but detachable from the 20th Khazak) in the Campaign Info tab, presently Unassigned to any Corps. How should they be organized?

I suggest a short discussion of what you think your Corps should do (see the third point maybe?) and then each general PMs me a list of the ten regiments they most want to command (in order) and I can sort out preferences and post the formed Corps, giving everyone as many as possible of their chosen units. At the moment the commands are:

I Corps: Lieutenant General James Kimes
II Corps: Major General Gauis Marcus Arvitus
III Corps: Ginearálta Aedán O’Hern
IV Corps: Marshal Lucius Ovidius Firmianus
V Corps?: ????

Military Intelligence

• Cularan System Defense forces are expected to have a minimal presence in-system, and no warp-capable vessels. Vice Admiral Doheri intends to sweep the system with escorts and attack craft upon our arrival.
• The rest of the system is vulnerable to the Imperial Navy and its armsmen, but ground-to-orbit weapons fortified all around the planet make orbital bombardments in areas not already secured by the Imperial Guard hazardous in the extreme.
• At the time of the revolt, Culara had six Planetary Defense Regiments, one an Armor regiment. Administratum tithes required one Guard regiment be mustered every decade; analysts predict that through the Heretic Davias' influence, as many as four Cularan Defense regiments may have been raised.

Plan-etfall

So we're going to invade a planet, right gentlemen? Only... how?

Have a look at the map from the last planetary census. While the Hive Prima marked are still proto-hives by the scale of some worlds, they are still the largest settlements by far. Landing directly on top of any of them would be... a brave choice, with the (possible) exception of a major spaceport facility.

On the other hand, having a spaceport will be a huge boost to your war effort - and will let the tread-heads among you start landing combat vehicles, which should make Arvitus happy at least!

Logistics

On the first day of the invas- er, liberation, the Navy can land up to four regiments if required. After that, they can only land a single regiment each day along with the required supplies for combat operations.

Combat vehicles can only be landed at a spaceport. There are three on the planet (marked on the map linked in Campaign Info) that could be seized - the Imperial Navy's preferred option.

Alternatively basic spaceport facilities could be constructed over time by a dedicated engineering battalion that could possibly be seconded from Imperial Navy ratings. Assuming the Lord General could talk the Vice Admiral into donating her ratings (and was himself persuaded to do so), the battalion would take the slot of a regiment that could otherwise be landed that day.

Competence on the battlefield is a myth. The side which screws up next to last wins, it's as simple as that.

-Lord General Zyvan

For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the Master of Mankind by the will of the gods and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium, for whom a thousand souls die every day, for whom blood is drunk and flesh eaten. Human blood and human flesh - the stuff of which the Imperium is made.

To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruelest and most bloody regime imaginable; yet even here some try to carve out a measure of freedom and independence for themselves. It was centuries before the growing dissent on Culara swelled into outright revolt, but when Lord Governor Davias directed the Planetary Defense Forces to storm the main Adeptus Arbites precinct house in Culara Prime they were only too eager to oblige. Over the following three weeks those loyal to the Emperor were purged across the world, killing or driving them into hiding.

The last seven years have been a glorious renaissance for the Culara system. Without the burden of Administratum tithes or restrictions, local economy, culture and happiness had all blossomed. No longer would the world's wealth be stripped and drained offworld by uncaring and distant overlords! No longer would brave Cularan troopers throw away their lives for the glory of the Imperial Guard and their so-called 'Generals'!

Then Imperial Taskforce 16.1 arrived in-system, and nothing would be the same again.

So, what is this?

Something I've tried with others before, a Strategic RolePlay Game (SRPG) using a homebrew system where the players create characters with their own personalities and play them over the course of an adventure or campaign.

Isn't that the same thing as a straight roleplay game?

Well, yes... and no. In Only War (as an example) you play a trooper or two and try your best to control your surroundings. In this kind of SRPG you play an officer commanding a number of regiments, sending orders to their Colonels and directing the flow of a war.

It does mean you're less likely to die, but on the other hand if you make a mistake it's going to have more of an impact than a Trooper's lasgun overheating.

Oh, ok. And who do we play in this case?

Well, that's up to you really. If we have 4 or 5 players (three at a pinch) I can run this with Imperial or Traitor players. The Lord-General and Lord-Governor will be NPCs in either case, and will be largely hands-off over any player characters.

The players would be Generals, each commanding a number of regiments in a Corps and conducting the ground war on Culara IV. Any other assets can be requested through your superior, and if backed by one or more of your fellow players is more likely to be granted. The Imperial Navy has the means to intervene in certain situations, and if you're playing as Imperials then you might be able to request air support from a Thunderbolt squadron. As for the Traitors, well, that would be telling. :3

Alright, that sounds interesting. So what do you want from us at this point?

I guess just a sense of how many people are interested, and which side of the conflict they would prefer to play. On the whole the Imperials have a slightly easier job (and more regiments than the Traitors), but the Traitors enjoy substantial local support.

Home-court defensive advantage?

So that's enough from me for the moment. This is no kind of formal recruitment thread (which will have more information on how often we should try to post and what's involved in character creation) but simply a check on who is interested.