System for Domain Management in Exalted

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AsenRG

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I'm now in need to add a level of domain management to my game set in the setting of Exalted...in the year of the disappearance of the Scarlet Empress (and two years before it was officially known:angel:). Solars are only going to appear in months.
(Game is heroic mortals, though, and is mostly set in Kirighast).
Why? Because my player is making her own crime gang. Which is likely to start doling out justice.
In Kirighast*. That's going to be fun:devil:.
Did I say I'm really proud with her:heart:?


So my question is going to be short and to the point:
If you want to use only the domain management rules, and have a choice between An Echo, Resounding (written for the Crimson Tide setting, OSR-based except it's way more abstract than, say, ACKS), the Mobsters RPG (An Amoral Roleplaying & Strategy Game - Mobsters in New Orleans during the prohibition), Reign (Greg Stolze's ORE game about the PCs being leaders) and Dogtown (crime in the 70ies), which one would you use?
The main rules are Cepheus Engine.
For the record, I have access to the Great Game in Weapons of the Gods as well, but I'm looking for something lighter:grin:!

Some background:
The main PC, the one who initiated this, is a Cathak Patrician (un-Exalted, for now, Imperial citizen with good standing). She works for one of the young Cathak Dragon-Blooded of lower standing...and was recently recruited by another Cathak, an archon**, to help them with contraband - for a sizable portion of the profits. So she's also making a lot of money.
And she wanted to deliver something the people of Kirighast are lacking. So she asked one of her bodyguards, a Totikari and former Bride of Ahlat, what the people are lacking. She got a really short answer.
"Justice. Security".
And now she's setting up now a gang of justice-bringers who are going to work as guards as well. With money she receives from the contraband of items that the Immaculate Religion would disapprove*** of:shade:.


*A colony of the Realm in the South, where jade deposits were recently found (suddenly making it a Point Of Interest for people that weren't slavers to begin with). Disunited by the tribe allegiances as well as interpersonal rivalries, and corrupt administrators - and you need a lot to earn that title in a place where corruption and nepotism are the expected mode of governance.
Kirighast is what happens when a colonial force installs its administration as "overseers and advisors" of the actual administration of the conquered state...and yet doesn't touch on the local religion to avoid an all-out rebellion. Despite said religion contradicting important tenets of the Realm's own religion.
Can you say "gangs, corrupt officials and power-mad colonial rulers"? Now make some of the former Dragon-Blooded as well:gunslinger:. And, if you can imagine a mix of Colonial Powers in China/India/Africa in the 19th century, a turn-of-the-20th-century town like Chicago/New Orleans where gangs are vying for control, and India while a revolt against the British Empire is being prepared...that's the vibe I'm going for:clown:!

**Mortal Patrician who went to serve an Imperial Magistrate in an South-Eastern city in the Threshold. Almost as if he didn't want to remain in the Realm! And he's helping contraband in the Realm, although Magistrates are supposed to prevent crimes from being committed...and are hand-picked by the Empress and her representatives.
So far, she's assuming they are gathetring illicit funds for a Thousand Scales "black" operation. No way that could be a lie:tongue:!
Of course, the only problem is, the archon is my PC from another game-in-progress that she doesn't know about. As it's well-known, my PCs don't lie to relatives...but if a relative has a mistaken opinion, might choose to not enlighten her:music:.

***She already knows they've been crafted by ghost crafters...which, of course, have been using Essence in the endeavour, and have perfected their expertise over centuries. Putting it simply: those are all masterworks, and many would stand in a pile of masterworks of the same kind.
She hasn't yet asked herself how comes that mortals, and possibly a single DB, consider it a good deal to receive 50% of the price of such items. (She's getting 21% of the rest, and is almost swimming in money...no way somebody might ask for a share:hehe:)!
 
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I want to grab you by the collar and shake you while I ask why haven't you gone with Godbound to begin with, but yeah, An Echo Resounding is a neat, no-fuss, get-the-job-done subsystem. Reign's Company subsystem is also fairly abstract.

But considering you're using Cepheus, wasn't there a domain management system for Mongoose Traveller 1st edition? Dynasties or somesuch?
 
Mortal-level domain: An Echo, Resounding.
OK. What makes it a better fit for a Vlad Taltos style game:smile:?

God-level domain: Godbound.
I've got it, of course, but it's not the level of the game:wink:.


I want to grab you by the collar and shake you while I ask
Easy there, pardner:gunslinger:!

why haven't you gone with Godbound to begin with
1)It's not a game of god-like beings.
2) Silent Legions might fit better.
3) Too much D&D DNA remaining in the core rules.

but yeah, An Echo Resounding is a neat, no-fuss, get-the-job-done subsystem. Reign's Company subsystem is also fairly abstract.
So which one do you recommend? And why?

But considering you're using Cepheus, wasn't there a domain management system for Mongoose Traveller 1st edition? Dynasties or somesuch?
Yes, but I don't own this one.
Also, I suspect the supplement for rogue characters might have better/more relevant ideas.
 
Mortal-level domain: An Echo, Resounding.
God-level domain: Godbound.

This is sound advice. now what I tinkered with was the covenant rules from Ars Magica. Admittedly our group was more interested in gathering resources and crafting zombie behemoth armies then in fighting for justice but its worth a look.
 
OK. What makes it a better fit for a Vlad Taltos style game:smile:?


I've got it, of course, but it's not the level of the game:wink:.

So, here's how I imagine the difference between the two.


An Echo, Resounding

<Seneschal to king PC> My lord, we've got a problem. The evil kingdom nearby is mustering up its armies, and our military is woefully inadequate to confront them.
<King PC> Aww, crap. Ok, we need to step up our military efforts. Let's start with a recruiting drive and let's establish a military school to train new officers. This is going to take time though, so we'll need to complement our forces with mercenaries in the meantime.
<Seneschal> Both of these things are going to cost an awful lot of money... and the kingdom treasure is depleted.
<PC> Yeah. Go fetch my friends, time to go to the legendary abyss of bottomless despair and come back with huge amounts of gold.
<Seneschal> At once, my lord.

Godbound

<Seneschal to king PC> Your Most Holy Divine Highness, we've got a problem. The evil kingdom nearby is mustering up its armies, and our military is woefully inadequate to confront them.
<God-King PC> Aww, crap. Ok, I need to use my powers to create a legion of flying radioactive fire-breathing warriors to lay waste to our enemies. We'll need a bunch of celestial shards, though.
<Seneschal> ...is this thing even possible?!?
<PC> Sure. Go fetch my friends, we need to go into the primordial chaos, find one of the engine of creations and plunder it, sundering a few realms for our own personal benefit.
<Seneschal>...


 
So, here's how I imagine the difference between the two.
OK, that was amusing. But I'm afraid I was asking why AER is the better option than the other systems I mentioned. I'm familiar with AER, GB, Silent Legions, and basically everything written by the same author. But I am stuck actually picking between his work and the other systems. It's like picking between ORE, the Scorpio System and, say, BRP or GURPS...a daunting task, indeed:grin:!
I mean, I'm sure I could use any of the four. But as it stands, none of them inspires me much more than the others, so there are no clear winners.
 
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