Rulers of Pegolia 2023 - Week 1 update

PEGOLIA 2023 - WEEK 1

Last time, before a week-long vacation, the kids had finished up their rulers, placed their kingdoms and received the update of a filled in map, showing everyone who was where. 

The lay of the land in Pegolia.

• On the Coast at A3, We've got King Jayden, who hadn't given a name for his country. His city floats on the sea.

• B5 is shared by two Empires, and their Empresses, which is not surprising because it has the benefits of forest tiles AND river land tiles. We've got both Empress Lauris of the empire of Israel and Empress Chlor of the Empire of Messias. Both of their empires float on the river.

• C1, which has a volcano (hidden by the flag), has been claimed by Emperor Alex of the Empire of Signapour. They are famed for their Vibranium mines.

• D4 has been settled by Berticobella, the Small Lover and her domain called Sliefingtime. She is known for speaking any language.

• E1 has both a river and mountains. It's wisely been inhabited by Emperor Shibi Js of the Bradj Empire. The people here all have magic eyes that give them superpowers, like in Naruto.

• E7 is the domain of The Wild Child, Prince of the Animals of Donkerwoud (Dark Wood). He can speak the language of the animals.

Empress Lauris sent a letter to Berticobella asking for aid in a war, not against the Empire of Messias, as I would have expected, but against the Empire of Bradj, way far away. This, in part, has to do with the players of Chlor, Lauris and Shibi Js being in the same classroom, and Shibi Js' player boasting of going to war immediately. 

In class, out of in-game correspondence, the rulers of Messias and Israel made an agreement to go to a preventative war against Bradj. And Lauris, taking the lead is trying to gather her forces through diplomacy.

Meanwhile she receives an offer of friendship from the Empire of Signapour to work together and perhaps establishing some trade. Oh, and maybe take over the world together.

To make things worse I rolled an event roll (since she only sent out letters and didn't take any other action) and it came up bad. Her people are complaining. There's not enough room in the country. Tensions are rising between the people of the empire of Israel and the people of the Empire of Messias. Advisors are suggesting options (war, finding another place to live or showing the people how to live together) but in the end, the decision will be hers.

She will have some choices to make.

Emperor Alex only sent a letter to Lauris in an offer of friendship and trade, and the possibility to conquer all other countries together and did nothing else. This is significant, since in class, out of in-game correspondence, he made an agreement with Berticobella to build roads towards each other to establish trade. It will be interesting to see if he's just that kind of person who does nothing in a group assignment or if he's purposefully playing her.

Since he didn't take any actual action, I rolled an event. It's a bad one, so I decided that the volcano in his territory started smoking and rumbling. The advisors ask him what he wants to do.

Emperor Shibi Js sent a letter to the Wild Child (all the way across the land), to try and recruit him for his war, offering him magic eyes.

He also didn't do anything other than send a message, so I rolled an event and got a 6 (on a d6) which I ruled to be a good special event. Long story short, they found a dragon egg in his country and brought it to him.

Berticobella started on her road. It didn't go well specifically. Apparently the road she wanted to make goes through some sacred territory, and some of the workers don't feel comfortable making a road through there. They ask her what to do. Is she gonna push through or is she gonna make a detour?

She also wants to make a magical electrical fence around her country. It will have a magical electrical gate to which she has the only key. It turns out the technology for that will needs some work. Her technical advisors promise her that they will discover or invent techniques to do this. They just need some time.

Through the failed rolls for this, I used the XP to grant her two new talents. Building (2) and Researching (2).

She gets a whole lot of mail. Both from Empresses Lauris and Chlor, both asking for aid against Emperor Shibi Js. And then another letter of introduction from King Jayden.

King Jayden realized people didn't know his country, so he sent a letter to everyone introducing himself and saying that the name of his country is "De Noordzee op land" (The North Sea on land).

For his event, trade went well this week. He's got some extra riches to use.

Empress Chlor of Messias sent a letter to Berticobella asking for help, but also confiding in her that she really does not want war, but to be able to share together, but she's too scared to stand up for that in the group. But maybe there is strength in numbers?

Her advisors come to her with the same problem Empress Lauris has. The people between the two empires are not getting along. What should they do about that? War? Looking for a new place? Setting an example of living together?

Wild Child gets the invite from Emperor Shibi and will have to react to it.

For his action he goes on a hunt and stocks up on food. He succeeds and makes sure there's a surplus of food.

He rolled a six on his do anything, so he's discovered the talent of Hunting (2).

So, that's what's going on for now in Pegolia. Lot's of potential for drama, for sure. Lot's of interesting opportunities to give them hard choices or dilemmas.

It will be interesting to see how they react in the coming week.