War Mechanics
War efforts in Ransera are primarily intended to be player driven. While it is encouraged for moderation staff to provide prompts and guidance for players to follow, the majority of the efforts involved should come from player driven ideas. Encourage them to follow their interests in the war effort whether that be in a direct or supportive role.
Resources
The pace and progress of the war effort should be measured according to the status of the key resource pools that each side gathers. These resource pools are broken down into the following:
Manpower - Manpower is the total amount of people committed to directly engaging in war fighting efforts. That means soldiers, knights, mercenaries, cavalry, tacticians etc. The goal of the manpower resource is to provide soldiers who are actually going to go up against opponents in direct conflict whether through open fighting, guerilla tactics, or large scale battles.
Materials - Raw resources including natural resources such as lumber, minerals, gold, etc. are what is encompassed in this category. This category also includes armaments, siege weaponry, food stuffs, medical supplies and scientific endeavors engineered to improve outfitting the war effort.
Political - The political resource is a measure of political capital, influence, and matters of espionage and intelligence. Garnering political resources means using diplomacy, leadership, and charisma to marshal support among the populace, among allies, and abroad in sympathy of your side. This pool also includes the efforts of spies and other intelligence gathering agents who perform acts of subterfuge, information gathering, and even sabotage against the enemy.
Arcane - Magic is a tangible and real resource in Ransera. The efforts of a small group of mages can have far reaching consequences when put toward the right endeavors. Magical resource is a measurement of arcane artifacts, dragonshards, spellweaving and magical research devoted to either hindering the enemy, countering their spellcraft or protecting your allies. Additionally, the recruiting of a mage to one’s side is considered an increase in arcane resources.
Every 35 days across the war effort, Staff will assess the status of these resource pools and make determinations regarding the progress of the war. What this means is that every 35 days, the resource pools will be reset. The success of one side versus another is directly affected by player participation. So, it is advised that players be strategic in their efforts regarding how and when they choose to contribute. Sometimes a defeat now can mean a decisive victory later.
How To Accumulate Resources
Players will be provided the opportunity to accumulate War XP (WXP) that can be put toward the war effort. When submitting a relevant thread for review, players need to designate whether or not the thread in question is asking for normal XP or WXP, at which point in time either will be awarded as appropriate. Players can accumulate as much WXP as they wish. However, when submitting WXP to the resource pool they must provide an accounting of the threads that are relevant to the resource pool they wish to increase.
OR
Players can accumulate WXP and use it to purchase a moderated Star Event, War Prompt, or Standard Prompt. These tasks do not award WXP but upon successful conclusion of the event, it contributes a set number of resources to a given resource pool or if the event fails, it may have consequences that impact the affected side's resource pools negatively. Players should be judicious about requesting Star Events, War Prompts or Standard Prompts, as they can be a high risk, high reward type of situation.
At the conclusion of the War Event story arc, any remaining WXP can be converted to ordinary XP and applied to the player’s character sheet as normal.
Star Events
A Star Event is a moderated thread that is directly overseen by a member of Staff. Depending on the type of event purchased with WXP, that determines how grandiose and far reaching the event in question is. Purchasing a Star Event can be a community effort. However, that carries with it the requirement that all contributing players MUST actively participate in the event. Staff reserves the right to cancel the Star Event if enough contributing players fail to actively participate or, if appropriate, consider it a failed event and award the resources that might have been accumulated to the opposing side.
Star Events can take place anywhere in the world but they must somehow be directly pertinent to the success or defeat of one side of the war vs. the other.
Platinum - A platinum event is a moment that holds significant weight and far reaching consequences across the entirety of the war effort. It can involve major characters (whether PC or NPC), vast resources, entire armies, and encompasses entire cities or geographic regions, or is a specific mission with such significant outcomes that it cannot be categorized as anything else. The aftermath of the event, whether good or bad, can change the course of everything in an irrevocable way. +1600 Resources. Cost: 600 WXP.
Gold - A gold event is an event that involves a significant operation typically encompassing the outcome of a crucial battle, resource, or even the gaining of a majorly influential ally. The success of this event can mean victory and successful occupation of a major town, fortress, resource outpost, gaining severely damaging intelligence against or in support of opponents and allies, and even the acquisition or death of an important figure. +650 Resources. Cost: 400 WXP.
Silver - A silver event is something that affects a specific area, group of people, or perhaps results in the acquisition of a cache of resources that boosts the development of an overarching endeavor. This includes things like disrupting a specific delivery of important resupply items (as opposed to dismantling an entire supply line which would be a Gold tier event), abducting a key figure who is assisting in a particular endeavor, defeating a battalion of soldiers in direct engagement, or even using one’s spellcraft to counter the workings of another small group of mages. These events should be specific in their scope with more direct reaching consequences. +350 Resources. Cost: 150 WXP
Bronze - A bronze event is typically short in both duration and limited in scope however it can mean having just enough of an edge in a pinch to see a hard won victory or a less crushing defeat. These events include minor things such as fighting in a skirmish that, while small, secures a particular area from further incursion. A diplomat might sway the mind of a minor ally whose support, while not being major in itself could mean they have just enough political support to pass emergency war legislation in a council chambers. These events should be small in scope but have a definitive outcome that contributes to the greater success or defeat of allies or opponents. +200 Resources. Cost: 100 WXP.
War Prompts
WXP can be used to purchase a War Prompt. The completion of a War Prompt does not award WXP but rather resources directly contributing to the resource pools. Players purchasing a War Prompt are not receiving a moderated thread but are being given a definitive task by the Staff in support of the war effort. War Prompts should fall within one of the purviews of the resource pools when the task is requested and assigned.
Gold - A gold prompt should be challenging and force participating players to push themselves to their limits. +100 Resources. Cost: 50 WXP.
Silver - A silver prompt should be moderately challenging, forcing players to think critically in order to achieve their desired outcome. +75 Resources. Cost: 25 WXP
Bronze - A bronze prompt should be fairly straightforward and relatively minor in scope that is well within the given character’s ability to achieve a desired outcome. +60 Resources. Cost: 15 WXP.
Standard Prompts
A Standard Prompt is always in effect. These are missions or assignments that are considered routine to the war effort to a degree that players can assume there is always a need to complete them.
Medical Assist - A group of soldiers or civilians require medical help and treatment. +25 Resources. Cost: 5 WXP.
Skirmish - A report has come in that enemy forces are on the move. Engage the enemy! +25 Resources. Cost: 5 WXP.
Reinforcements - A unit has put out a distress call. Reinforcements are needed! Answer the call! +25 Resources. Cost: 5 WXP.
Resupply - A new delivery of supplies is needed to continue operations. Ensure the safe delivery of the materials to their destination. +25 Resources. Cost: 5 WXP.
Arcanomancy - Enemy wizards have been spotted working their magic on allied forces. Put a stop to their sorcery and protect our soldiers! +25 Resources. Cost: 5 WXP.
Diplomacy - A lesser noble or bureaucrat is hesitant to throw their lot in with the war effort. Persuade them to rally behind the cause. +25 Resources. Cost: 5 WXP.
Addendum
At any time, Staff can assign an Addendum to a given War Prompt, Standard Prompt or even a Star Event that complicates the given endeavor. However, the accepting of these increased stakes or risks means that the reward in question for completing them is also increased at no extra WXP cost to the players. Players can always decline an Addendum and simply accept the baseline rewards.
Snapshot (24 HR) - The thread must be completed in its entirety within 24 hours of the initial post. Reward(s) are tripled for 24 HR snapshot events. Failure to meet this condition means the resulting resource reward is given to the opposing side.
Snapshot (48 HR) - The thread must be completed in its entirety within 48 hours of the initial post. Reward(s) are doubled for 48 HR snapshot events. Failure to meet this condition means the resulting resource reward is reduced by half.
Word Count (10k) - Participants must write a total of 10,000 words each, in the thread in order to successfully complete it. Reward(s) are tripled for Word Count (10k) conditions.
Word Count (5k) - Participants must write a total of 5000 words each, in the thread in order to successfully complete it. Reward(s) are doubled for Word Count (5k) conditions.
Hazard (DEADLY) - On top of the stated goal of the given Star Event or War Prompt, players will face a DEADLY hazard that poses a life threatening risk to their character(s). Success means that reward(s) are tripled. Failure could mean severe disability or even death. DO NOT ACCEPT A DEADLY CONDITION IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT THE RISKS!!!!!
Hazard (CHALLENGING) - On top of the stated goal of the given Star Event or War Prompt, players will face a CHALLENGING hazard that poses a risk great enough to imperil their lives or result in serious harm to their character. Success means that reward(s) are doubled.
Hazard (MODERATE) - On top of the stated goal of the given Star Event or War Prompt, players will face a MODERATE hazard that can result in a longer than average road to recovery if they fail to overcome it. Success means that the reward(s) are increased by half.
No Magic - For whatever reason, magic is either not usable or ill-advised during the course of this particular event. As a result, no magic can be involved in achieving the solution to the given objective. The completion of this type of condition will double the resource reward.
Magic Only - For whatever reason, the solution to the problem the players face is one that can only be solved through the use of something magical. Additionally, all participants must use magic in every single post within the thread. The completion of this type of condition will double the resource reward. For the purposes of this Addendum, the magic in question must either be a Personal or World Magic.
Divine Wrath (3+) - 3 players or more within the thread each bear an Emblem and make extensive use of said Emblem within the course of the thread. "Extensive" will be defined as the use of the Emblem in every post that relevant players make within the thread. The completion of this type of condition will double the resource reward. The reward will double again if all participants bear the same Emblem.
Divine Wrath (2) - 2 players within the thread each bear an Emblem and make extensive use of said Emblem within the course of the thread. "Extensive" will be defined as the use of the Emblem in at least every other post that relevant players make within the thread. The completion of this type of condition will double the resource reward.
Alternate Rewards for War Resource Threads
It is recognized that players interested in participating in War Event related plots are not receiving XP whenever they turn in the threads that are submitted for WXP. To that end, the following are permitted to be "tacked on" to war event related threads as prizes for completing them.
Spoils of War - A spoil of war is a cache of items, money, or even an artifact or two that is associated with the conditions of victory in a given Star Event, War Prompt or Standard Prompt. The spoils should be equivalent to the magnitude of the scenario. These items must receive the sign off of a member of Staff.
Money - It is assumed that some missions are above the norm of the hazards of war or produce a situation that warrants a special compensation beyond the norm of a soldier's pay. Monetary values above 500 GP must receive the sign off of a member of Staff.
Land or Title - Acts of distinguished bravery, conspicuous gallantry or heroism may be rewarded with the granting of land and titles or promotions. These types of rewards should be signed off by Staff.
Miscellaneous - Any number of rewards could be assigned to a War Event thread by both players and Staff. If in doubt, as the moderation team and we will work with the concerned parties to discuss the logistics and feasibility.
