Lake Maggiore Campaign

Lake Maggiore Pink Lotus		Lake Maggiore Region

Background Situation
Revolution is in the air across the world. The oppressive subjugation by the Huns no longer threatens the world with extinction. Powerful merchants from Melbin and Urlhan deliver fine goods from all around the Inland Sea. The minor lords and leaders of the recent past are now the barons and kings of the world, but not yet the as powerful as the duchies of old. These baronies and small kingdoms loosely cooperate with the New Empire, which guides the world again from the New Capitol (basically only symbolically.) Every great lord now hopes to become a powerful king, usually at the expense of their neighbors.

The metropolis of Algheri dominates the Eastern Mountains region and stands on the frontier of the Old Empire. The citizens of Algheri and the locals in the surrounding area consider themselves to still be members of the Empire, even though the power of the New Empire does not really reach here. The Maggiore Campaign is set in the city of Algheri, with the characters being members of a recently disposed aristocracy that has turned to rebellion.

Many eras and conquerors have shaped the character of the city of Algheri over the last thousand years since being founded. The largest impact on the history and character of Algheri remains the age of the Empire. Even today, most of the people of Algheri consider themselves either Imperial citizens or allies even though the Empire has broken up and is no longer the Empire of old. Most of the inhabitants of the city are not one of the local tribes, like Tlan, Semper, or Yuli, but Galeric-speaking old empire remnants. The prosperity of Algheri during its long history relied mainly on its dominant position in the Eastern Mountains, on Lake Maggiore, and its position on one of the main trade routes to the East.

Over the last twenty years, the Governor lived well with the high taxes on the city. The increasing burden of these taxes finally caused the various factions in the city to overthrow the corrupt Governor. Over the last two years, the religious leaders of the Potola Kingdom repeatedly threatened and extorted Algheri. When the citizens of Algheri refused a particularly onerous demand just after a minor rebellion in the city, troops from the Potola Kingdom conquered the city. Various factions in the city combined to demoralize, disrupt, and effectively destroy the Praetorian Guard. But, the resulting vacuum allowed the Potola kingdom to sieze the advantage and successfully invest the area around the city and cause the city leaders to surrender. The people of the city now feel that the failure of the leaders of Algheri to maintain internal unity caused the power of the city to diminish significantly and the conquest to occur.

The conquest of the city occurred mainly because the growing power of the local tribes and their long resentment of the city-dwellers and their prosperity. When major dissention occurred in the city resulting from disputes about trade rights and rights of outsiders, the resulting minor rebellion caused the city to be too weak to prevent a conquest by the Potola Mountain Kingdom. Many of the regional power groups long out of influence saw their chance to gain by helping the invaders, some overtly and some covertly. Now the religious leaders of the Potola Kingdom will probably change the entire power structure of the city and surrounding communities. The Potola Kingdom uses anti-imperial rhetoric and have claimed they successfully overthrew the corrupt Imperial Governor. They also promise of reduced taxes in the attempt to keep the people of the city content. A new secret rebellion hopes to overturn the conquest and return the city to it former glory.

General Party Background
The characters are members of power structures that have been diminished by the recent conquest of the city of Algheri by the Potola Kingdom. Increasing personal and group power at the expense of the conquerors and anyone else in the way will probably be the main goal the party will choosing for this campaign. How power is regained and with whose support is something that needs to be determined. The party could choose a populist path, where broad support from many lower-power people is cultivated. The party could also pursue a more machiavellian and ruthless path. Either way I expect many adventures to revolve around the goal of the party to try and convert their currently limited power and resources into greater amounts at the expense of the conquerors.

The party is working with support from one of those still with some power, but who is actually working toward overthrowing the new conquerors. The party faces many dangers and can be sold out by mercenaries, other locals who want to collaborate, enemy tribes in the area, and almost anyone else. The party is a cell pulled together by a noble to disrupt the conquerors of the city. The party needs to keep a low profile and carefully use the available safe houses. Long-term objectives could include objectives such as diminishing and dividing the conquerors (and other nearby enemies) and/or unifying the factions of the city in order to free the city.

The man who supports the party, Lord Piero Morelli, heads one of the formerly leading noble families of Algheri. The Morelli family interests, land, and fortunes have diminished due to the conquest. Lord Morelli's main goal is for the party to enhance the stature of the Morelli family, the city of Algheri, etc. all at the expense of the conquerors. Each character will have a reason (or reasons) that Lord Morelli discreetly asked them to join his secret rebellion.

Campaign Style
The campaign will be an adventure style game with combat, exploration, mysteries, intrigue, diplomacy, etc. Most adventures will probably all be very local. Players will generally be younger and less experienced than previous games. The best starting skills will be 12-15 (60-75%). The game will emphasize problem solving and ideas over exact character capabilities. But note that even good ideas still will need to be executed within the limitations of the character's skills or knowledge. The goal is maximum game fun. Notice that this situation allows the characters and the party to have few obligations and to pursue whatever path they desire.

Some battles will be with limited armor and small weapons, due to the desire to limit exposure to authorities. The patron will pay for support and general equipment. Loot recovered by the party will be divided as they see fit. Grants and other money can be available infrequently for specific objectives. The characters are both colonial descendants and revolutionaries. The conquerors are not that powerful and should be able to be opposed successfully.