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So I started running a one on one game with my wife a short while ago, and I started by posting here asking for ideas for Eastern European small kingdoms to add (or even better, flesh out from small references in the books) to give me ideas and plotlines.
I’ve been running the game for her for a little while now, and I thought I’d start relating the story here. It is set in Eastern Europe, based primarily in the kingdom of Tarnow. Specifically, the character my wife made is the princess of Tarnow, younger sister to the current king.

There are some things in this game that I have changed from the books, and some things from the books that I have emphasized over other factors. For the most part I have tried to stick to the books, but there are many things I have extrapolated or added to what is in the books.

The biggest change I made to the Rifts setting when I started this game was to change the make-up of the Tarnow royal family. What I have now is a mix of the original family as presented in the book, and ideas from my wife on the sort of character and background she wanted for her character. I have kept the family as three siblings, whose father died several years ago in battle against the Brodkil.

The current family is:
King Ulrich: The oldest brother, based on Peter from the book, aged 24. He became king young, and takes his role very seriously. He tries hard for his country, and his people, and wants the best for them. He cares deeply for his siblings, but if push came to shove he values the country above any individual, including himself. The crystal has only slightly started corrupting him. When the game begins, no one suspects it’s effect. Ulrich has not yet dropped in alignment, but is begging to plan for expansion against the Brodkil. Publically he is liked, and respected by his people.

Prince Stefano: Younger brother, based only lightly on Mathew from the book, aged 16. He is sometimes rash, but not particularly prone to violence or aggression. At this point he has not used the crystal, and is currently in the military training and being groomed to eventually take the role of a general. He is a twin, older than his sister by less than two minutes. Even at this age he is becoming something of a playboy figure in the public eye, and is well liked.

Princess Ariel: The youngest, and Stefano’s twin, and my wife’s character in the game. This is her tale. She did not always take well to stereotypical ‘princess’ activities growing up (cross stitch is still a sore topic) but enjoys riding and reading, and is an intelligent young woman. While she never had interest in taking a military role within the kingdom, she resents that she was never allowed to take any combat or weapon training growing up while he brother Stefano has basically been groomed for the military.
The game began as King Ulrich is considering how to build towards a campaign against the Brodkil Empire. This idea may have been born from the Tarnow crystal, or it may be entirely practical as he looks around and sees his nation growing and looking for new land to expand into. Either way, his planning right now is still at a very early stage. He is looking to build up the military, but he is also reaching out to potential allies that might be rallied against the Brodkil Empire or provide any kind of aide during a future campaign.

In my rendition of Tarnow history, before Ariel’s father died at the hands of the Brodkil, he had begun pulling away from relations with nearby kingdoms and nations. Tarnow became more isolationist near the end of his rule, and this was because of the crystal’s corruption causing greater and greater paranoia. None of the children really know why their father was doing this, only that they actually have little information about their nearest neighbours.

It is probably worth noting that while my wife knows a little bit about Rifts as a setting, she knows nothing of Europe. When she has played Rifts in the past it was always in North America, and none of the games lasted very long.

The premise of the campaign, or at least the beginning of the campaign, is that Ariel is being sent to nearby small kingdoms to establish or re-establish relations, and to build alliances. As a side-note her brother the king has also suggested that it would probably be a good idea to consider her future while she meets the rulers of these nations, specifically that she should consider prospects for a husband.

I hope you enjoy hearing about the campaign.

I apologize for the long delay in updating this.

It may continue to be long waits between updates, I'm going to do my best to get back here often though.


Chapter 2: The beginning

The game began innocently enough, with a horseback ride in the woods.

We’d established that Ariel had been raised in a fairly traditional ‘princess’ manner, but that she had always resented being told she couldn't learn the same things as her brother Stefano. It wasn't that she wanted to go into the military like he was groomed for, just that that she resented being told that she couldn't. Despite this, she had pushed and railed until she was taught horseback riding and archery, and at least which end of the gun made the lasers come out.

The princess knows her histories (as much as anyone might, given Tarnow’s location and relations), and speaks several languages, but has taught herself how to sneak when she needs to and how to persuade others. She is not tall, blonde haired and growing into a beautiful young woman.

So we began on a horseback ride in the woods. She had two bodyguards who had been working in her company for a while, and she had convinced them to try and teach her a little bit of self defense while out in the woods on horseback rides, where prying eyes won’t see and no one needs to be any the wiser.

Her two bodyguards have become friends, to her and to each other, through their time in this posting to protect the princess. Sogi is faster, and quick with wit, and a bit less formal with Ariel. Just under six feet, fit, smiley with chin length blonde hair. Arich tends to be just a little more stuffy, and stern. Six foot two, broad shouldered, more serious than fun but can be both, short trimmed dark brown hair.
So Ariel begins by practicing self defense with Sogi and Arich in the woods. A small forest located within the bounds of New Tarnow city, what might be a public park elsewhere but here it is part of the royal grounds connected to the palace. Their conversation quickly turns to whether or not they should be teaching her self defense, hand to hand fighting. Sogi jokes that it’s not very lady like, and Arich simply tells her that it’s not the two of them she has to convince - it’s her brother Ulrich.

And that’s when I call for a notice check, which she succeeds on. There is a rustling in the underbrush on the far side of the clearing, a shift among low hanging branches that seems suspicious - as though something was moving invisibly through the forest towards them.

Ariel quickly warns her guards, just as a brodkil comes running out of the trees to attack her. Her warning gave Sogi and Arich enough time to jump between her and the charging demon though, and quickly they are in a blade fight with vibro-swords drawn on all sides. Arich yells at her to get mounted and escape as they hold off the would-be assassin.

Ariel runs to her horse, mounts, but refuses to leave. She knows that if she’s already mounted she can run away if the brodkil gets past her bodyguards, so she decides to try and help them. She pulls out of her saddlebag the pistol that she was given by her brother, but it’s not exactly a weapon of war. It’s meant to hang at her side when appearing in public in her shiny/pretty armor, more of a display piece than anything else.

So when she fires at the brodkil, and botches the roll, not only does the shot go wide but the heat of the barrell actually melts half the decorative plating making it useless.

Arich and Sogi yell for her to leave as blades dance back and forth, but our princess is unperturbed and draws her bow, and one of a handful of MD arrows she had snuck out of the armory for her own use - no matter how un-ladylike it might be.

As Arich takes a nasty hit across his chest plate Ariel pulls back on the bow and releases, with a roll completely the opposite of what her pistol managed.

The brodkil bellows a challenge to Arich, thinking himself victorious, and is surprised as anyone when a small explosive arrow lodges in the back of his throat before triggering.

Sogi is left dripping in bits that he is not looking forward to cleaning off his armor.

Ariel’s first thought is to make sure her guards, her friends, are okay before realizing that she is going into a shock a little bit over what she’s just been a part of. Our princess may be brave, and born into a world where violence is often the only way to survive, but this is the first time she’s ever had to kill something.

She is quiet as she rides back to the palace with Arich - Sogi stays behind to do a quick survey of the area and wait for soldiers to arrive and investigate the scene. It was so fast, and it was danger not only within the boundaries of Tarnow but within the capital city and near the palace to boot. It’s not the first time a lone brodkil - or even a small group - was able to penetrate deeply into Tarnow thanks to their invisibility, but it’s the first time in a long time that any have come so close to a member of the royal family.

Ariel has one thought at the forefront of her mind as she rides back to the palace. She would speak with her brother Ulrich, and this time he had damn well better get someone to train her in some self defense.

The bit about the kingdom's bout of isolationism during the previous king's final years of rule and his slight corruption by the Crystal...it fits ob your changes, right? In the books Peter Voytjla was already king when the sstone waass found, if memory tricks me not.

Question: is it a solo game? Because focus in the first post was very much on Ariel and her family relations.
edit: you did say it was one-on-one game in the begining and i totally missed it. my bad.

So, kind of Ariel wanting to be Fiona?
Ah, she's blonde, not a redhead - there goes half my princess' jokes!

The thing about Ariel's pistol - who thought that giving her a borderline hazardous piece of pretty wrought slag that might have burn her hand was a good idea? Nobles can be victims of assassination or kidnapping attempts, having something something useful with which to defend herself should have been a necesssity, bodyguards notwithstanding. That - and the incredibly stealthy un-borged brodkill that managed to not only get as far as the royal gardens undetected, but to target a royal princess - could be seen as suspicious, specially by the besiesged or paranoid.

Was it truly coincidence that he would cross on her and her bodyguards in such a large area, or was it an arranged attack, with inside info on her schedule among other things? Food for thought i would say.

Also, possibly of visual relevance, imho. Seriously, a post-apocalyptic take on winged hussars, either magical, high-tech armor or a mix of both, could be pretty nice.

Could you tell more on your deviations from canon Tarnow - have been thinking of doing a game set there of late and hearing of other GMs takes of the landd should be nice for reference and contrast.

Man this is some serious thread necromancy you got going on here . . . Might want to check the forum rules.

I wonder if there was anymore to this story though, it seemed like it could get pretty interesting.

Captain_Nibbz wrote:Man this is some serious thread necromancy you got going on here . . . Might want to check the forum rules.

I wonder if there was anymore to this story though, it seemed like it could get pretty interesting.

15 days past the limit isn't the worst offense that we've ever seen, but yes, this is likely to get locked shortly.