Genealogy RP

[vcczar]

I'm getting close to being able to start a Genealogy RPG game. You will play as one family from the year 1350 to the present, if you can make it that far. If you are really interested in genealogy/family trees, then you get priority for playing this first test run. This first playtest will focus in Taunton, England. The year 1350 is selected because that's when commoners were getting surnames to cut down on confusion as villages got larger. I picked Taunton because it saw an increase in population as the wool industry saw a boom at about this same time. 

Players will be playing a single-player game, but playing from the same start point. You will be a 16-year-old male who left their home village for employment in a relatively nearby town with employment opportunity. 

 

[OrangeP47]

Slow is fine by me, right now it's probably for the best, so that's not an issue.  I do have quite a bit of interest in genealogy, just not particularly my own genealogy (I mean, CK is probably my favorite Paradox game, so you have that starting base, and then I'd rate myself as several notches *more* obsessive than the average player of it, so that's my self-description).

[vcczar]

I must confess one reason I picked Taunton is because the house of some of my ancestors still stands after 500+ years:

[ConservativeElector2]

One of the best features in Medieval II Total War, was it's family tree.

http://www.twmodsquad.com/img/twc/familytree9.jpg

Edited January 16, 2023 by ConservativeElector2

[vcczar]

I'll start this RP, most likely on Wednesday. It will be rather slow moving. 

[Arkansas Progressive]

I did have a genealogy obsession when I went through phases back in school and slow is definitely fine with me. I'm definitely interested as well

[vcczar]

I won't get much into this today, but here you go:

Note: This is a single player game, so all of you tagged below are doing this independently. 

Step 1: The Origin Story

Your temporary name.

 The year is 1350, about the time when English commoners were selecting or being given surnames. You are a 16-year-old Roman Catholic farm laborer from Trowbridge. King Edward III reigns in England. England is at war with France (100 Years' War). The Black Plague resurfaces occasionally and it has killed your family, but it has also left occupation vacancies in larger towns, such as Taunton, where the wool industry is thriving. 

You learned of Taunton while making a rare trip to the inn in Trowbridge to return a wagon you had been borrowing. One of the guests, a messenger of the Bishop of Winchester, William Edington, who owns the manor house overlooking Taunton, spoke boastingly of the wool trade there, but also that the recent plague has left the town in need of workers. 

You detest being a farm laborer in a town with few opportunities and little wealth. Besides, you lost your family here. Trowbridge might as well be a tomb. 

For the next few months, you work whatever odd jobs you can after your work on the farm, until you've raised enough money to walk the two days it will take to walk to Taunton. Money is needed for food, a day's rest at an inn midway to Taunton in Wells, and potentially temporary housing in Taunton. 

Up next: The stop at Wells, where you will relate your name, family, etc. to build that part of your profile. Friday is probably when I'll get to the next part. 

@OrangeP47 @Rezi @Ich_bin_Tyler @ConservativeElector2 @matthewyoung123 @Murrman104 @WVProgressive @Rodja @The Blood @Arkansas Progressive

[OrangeP47]

Ironically about 10 miles from here is a dead town named Trowbridge that has a Roman Catholic cemetery and nothing else.

[vcczar]

Step 2: Revealing Your Name

After a days walk to Wells, you stop into the inn just as night is falling, exhausted and hungry. While eating in the common room, you talk to another guest who is passing from Wales to London. He notices your dialect as very much different from his city dialect of the London. When he asks you for your name, you tell him:

First name (pick from the common names below):

William

John

Henry

Richard

Robert

Ralph

Thomas

Walter

Roger

Hugh

followed by one of the following as the concept of surname is not known to you:

• "the Younger" if your father's name is the same as your own. 
• "Son of _______ ", if your father's first name if different than your own (pick a name from above). 
• "The farmer"
• "Of Trowbridge"
• "Who lives near the _________." Pick a topographical description, such as the River Biss, Castle, church, graveyard, lake, the creek, the bush, the oak tree, the shrubs, the type of farm you lived on, etc." A specific type of tree, plant, road, water formation, etc would be better than something vague. 
• "of the county of Wiltshire"
• "the ______." Give yourself a personality trait. "The Poor," "The swift," "the lost"
• "like you, a guest"
• "like you, an English man"

This will be your temporary name.

After learning your name, the fellow guest, upon learning that you are on your way to Taunton, curious about you, asks what manner of man would seek to walk to Taunton. This leads you not only talk about the loss of your family to the plague, but also to talk a bit about yourself. 

Next step will be gaining your personality. 

@OrangeP47 @Rezi @Ich_bin_Tyler @ConservativeElector2 @matthewyoung123 @Murrman104 @WVProgressive @Rodja @The Blood @Arkansas Progressive

[matthewyoung123]

2 minutes ago, vcczar said:

Step 2: Revealing Your Name

Next step will be gaining your personality. 

@OrangeP47 @Rezi @Ich_bin_Tyler @ConservativeElector2 @matthewyoung123 @Murrman104 @WVProgressive @Rodja @The Blood @Arkansas Progressive

Robert, the Younger.  (It is where my real last name, Young, actually derives from).

[OrangeP47]

John, the Younger (I'm actually John, and so is my dad)

[ConservativeElector2]

William of the county of Wiltshire

[Murrman104]

Hugh the Poor

Edited January 18, 2023 by Murrman104

[WVProgressive]

Roger, son of William

[Arkansas Progressive]

John of Trowbridge

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

John, Son of John

Also happens to be my last name (Johnson) and the name (John Johnson) that my great, great grandfather picked when he immigrated from Finland.

[vcczar]

15 minutes ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

John, Son of John

Also happens to be my last name (Johnson) and the name (John Johnson) that my great, great grandfather picked when he immigrated from Finland.

I have a Massachusetts ancestor named John Johnson who migrated c. 1630 from England. 

[The Blood]

Thomas, son of Walter

[vcczar]

Just need @Rodja and @Rezi

[Rezi]

Walter, the farmer.

[vcczar]

Need only @Rodja

[vcczar]

19 hours ago, vcczar said:

Need only @Rodja

I'll wait 5 more hours before posting the next part. If @Rodja hasn't responded by then, then he's out. 

[Rodja]

On 1/18/2023 at 10:20 PM, vcczar said:

Step 2: Revealing Your Name

After a days walk to Wells, you stop into the inn just as night is falling, exhausted and hungry. While eating in the common room, you talk to another guest who is passing from Wales to London. He notices your dialect as very much different from his city dialect of the London. When he asks you for your name, you tell him:

First name (pick from the common names below):

 

William

John

Henry

Richard

Robert

Ralph

Thomas

Walter

Roger

Hugh

followed by one of the following as the concept of surname is not known to you:

• "the Younger" if your father's name is the same as your own. 
• "Son of _______ ", if your father's first name if different than your own (pick a name from above). 
• "The farmer"
• "Of Trowbridge"
• "Who lives near the _________." Pick a topographical description, such as the River Biss, Castle, church, graveyard, lake, the creek, the bush, the oak tree, the shrubs, the type of farm you lived on, etc." A specific type of tree, plant, road, water formation, etc would be better than something vague. 
• "of the county of Wiltshire"
• "the ______." Give yourself a personality trait. "The Poor," "The swift," "the lost"
• "like you, a guest"
• "like you, an English man"

This will be your temporary name.

After learning your name, the fellow guest, upon learning that you are on your way to Taunton, curious about you, asks what manner of man would seek to walk to Taunton. This leads you not only talk about the loss of your family to the plague, but also to talk a bit about yourself. 

Next step will be gaining your personality. 

@OrangeP47 @Rezi @Ich_bin_Tyler @ConservativeElector2 @matthewyoung123 @Murrman104 @WVProgressive @Rodja @The Blood @Arkansas Progressive

Henry,Son of John

[vcczar]

The Inn at Wells Part 2 

You have a lengthy conversation with the guest at the inn. You notice that after introducing yourself, he keeps referring to you as [See your name and surname below]. The man seems to have gathered your character rather easily and often speaks as if he's sized you up, noting bluntly your prevailing traits [See your traits below], as well as your physical and mental description [See your character descriptions below]. 

You wish you could have spoken to the guest longer, as it took your mind off the death of your entire family during the plague in Trowbridge, but you also feel mildly violated by his penetrating incite into you after just a few hours of conversation. You take off, exhausted of a day's 8 hour walk from Trowbridge to Wells. You will have to walk about that distance again to make it to Taunton tomorrow. 

You enter your small room and rough bed, wondering what your future entails, and if your life will be better in Taunton, and if escaping the plague in Trowbridge had been a blessing or a curse. 

Up next: Arrival in Taunton

Note: For this playtest, you'll be stuck with these surnames, but historically, they sometimes changed until about 1550 church records. In addition to this, spelling wasn't standardized and the idea of consistent spelling wasn't considered. Thus, Johnson might become Jonson within the same document. If Johnson has a speech impediment or the recorder is hard of hearing, he might be Justin, or Jutten, which might be translated as Dutton. In short, you wrote and recorded phonetically. Spelling didn't exist aside from recording sound. Also, regarding 1550 (which is 200 years from now), ancestors prior to this date are overwhelmingly unrecorded, unless they are prominent enough to own extensive property. Your ancestor in this game, his children, grandchildren, and possibly great-grandchildren and 2x great children are likely to be unknown to history, although they'll be vital for all later generations existing. 

Your character names, traits, and descriptions:

@matthewyoung123

Robert Young

Optimistic. Drunk. Greedy.

Emaciated, average height, above average intelligence, average health, and gorgeous.

@OrangeP47

John Younger

Unambitious, Compassionate, Introverted

Thin, short, genius, average health, and hideous.

@ConservativeElector2

William Wiltshire

Political, Non-curious, Unlucky

Thin, short, above average intelligence, average health, ugly

@Murrman104

Hugh Poor

Brave, honest, booksmart

Thin, average height, average intelligence, frail, attractive

@WVProgressive

Roger Williams

Humble, creative, rational

Thin, short, genius, average health, attractive

@Arkansas Progressive

John Trowbridge

Lucky, Spontanous, Curious

Average build, average height, gifted intelligence, average health, ugly

@Ich_bin_Tyler

John Johnson

Ambitious, Lazy, and addiction-prone

Athletic, giant, genius, average health, below average looks

@Rezi

Walter Farmer

Brave, humble, experential

Average build, average height, genius, hale, above average looks

@Rodja

Henry Jackson

Lustful, Lazy, Indecisive

Average build, tall, average intelligence, average health, and ugly

@The Blood

Thomas Walters

Lustful, Compassionate, Independent

Average build, average height, average intelligence, frail, average looks

[vcczar]

Arrival in Taunton

You arrive in Taunton, a town a little more vibrant from the one that you left. You are unemployed and poor, having only experience as a farm laborer. You, like most in the town, cannot read a letter or sign your name, aside making a mark. 

You find a local inn for temporary housing. When the innkeeper asks for your name for your register, you give him your first name. He pauses, and asks for your surname. You give him the name given to you by the man you met at the inn in Wells. This innkeeper scrawls your name down in symbols you don't understand. He then tells you to make your mark next to it, you do so. 

You talk to more guests during the night in hopes of finding work, but as travelers, they aren't terribly helpful, although many suggests that King Edward III needs more soldiers to fight the wars in France or protect the borders near Scotland. You decided to talk to the innkeeper, who suggests that at your age you may be able to convince a weaver or a butcher to become an apprentice. Aside from that, there's always a need for urban or farm laborers. He also confirms that the King needs more soldiers. 

The next morning, you step out of the inn with your first good view of Taunton at daylight. You note that within the the town, St Mary Magdalene Church is the prominent feature, and you'll be expected to be here every Sunday to avoid condemnation from the community. In the distance, you see Taunton Castle and a manor, both owned by the Bishop of Winchester, who more or less rules the town, despite rarely being around. 

After brief sightseeing, you begin your new life. 

Below I'll tag you and your characters, and you'll make life choices on EMPLOYMENT:

==========================

@matthewyoung123

Robert Young

Optimistic. Drunk. Greedy.

Emaciated, average height, above average intelligence, average health, and gorgeous.

Employment: Robert's greed make it so that the farm and urban laborers aren't an option. His propensity to drink is picked up by military recruiters, so being a soldier isn't an option. He can choose between applying to be a weaver's apprentice or butcher's apprentice or being a beggar. 

=============================

@OrangeP47

John Younger

Unambitious, Compassionate, Introverted

Thin, short, genius, average health, and hideous.

Employment: John's compassion makes the soldier route impossible. As a genius, he can't accept being a laborer as he needs to put his mind to work. His lack of ambition has no impact yet, but will bar him from advancing much professionally. He is suitable to be a weaver's apprentice, butcher's apprentice, or beggar. 

================================

@ConservativeElector2

William Wiltshire

Political, Non-curious, Unlucky

Thin, short, above average intelligence, average health, ugly

Employment: William has the option of being a soldier, farm laborer, urban laborer, beggar, weaver's apprentice, and butcher's apprentice.  

==================

@Murrman104

Hugh Poor

Brave, honest, booksmart

Thin, average height, average intelligence, frail, attractive

Employment: Hugh, despite not being able to read, is booksmart. Thus, he won't accept a laborer position. He's brave, so he gets a boost if he becomes a soldier, however, he's frail, so he won't be accepted. His options are weaver's apprentice or butcher's apprentice. Or Beggar. 

===============

@WVProgressive

Roger Williams

Humble, creative, rational

Thin, short, genius, average health, attractive

Employment: Roger is too inteligent to be a laborer. His options are soldier, weaver's apprentice, butcher's apprentic or beggar. 

=================

@Arkansas Progressive

John Trowbridge

Lucky, Spontanous, Curious

Average build, average height, gifted intelligence, average health, ugly

Employment: John has the option of being a soldier, farm laborer, urban laborer, beggar, weaver's apprentice, and butcher's apprentice.  Note: Lucky won't die in war, so he hasn't the risk that others might have if becoming a soldier. 

==================

@Ich_bin_Tyler

John Johnson

Ambitious, Lazy, and addiction-prone

Athletic, giant, genius, average health, below average looks

Employment: John is too ambitious to be a laborer, and his laziness will get him rejected as a soldier, and likely complicate him in the workfield. His options are weaver's apprentice and butcher's apprentice or beggar. He's going to have a hard time being a an addiction-prone, lazy giant. Fortunately, as he isn't a drunk, there isn't much for him to be addicted to at this point. There's no caffeine, hard drugs, soft drugs, etc. He isn't gluttonous. So he's prone to addiction in a time with fewer avenues for abuse, unless there's some I'm not thinking about off the top of my head. He isn't lustful. 

========================

@Rezi

Walter Farmer

Brave, humble, experential

Average build, average height, genius, hale, above average looks

Employment: He's too intelligent to be a laborer. He can be a weaver's apprentice, butcher's apprentice, soldier, or beggar. He gets a boost for soldier as he's brave. 

==========================

@Rodja

Henry Jackson

Lustful, Lazy, Indecisive

Average build, tall, average intelligence, average health, and ugly

Employment: Military recruiters won't accept him because he's lazy. His options are farm laborer, urban laborer, weaver's apprentice, butcher's apprentice, or beggar. 

============================

@The Blood

Thomas Walters

Lustful, Compassionate, Independent

Average build, average height, average intelligence, frail, average looks

Employment: Thomas is too independent and frail for the military. He can be a weaver's apprentice and butcher's apprentice, although his independence might make him a difficult underling. He can also be a farm laborer or urban laborer. Obviously, begging is an option. 

Up next: Employment result & Courtship options (if any) & housing options. 

Also just FYI, all of the characters were born in Trowbridge in 1336, during the 9th year of the reign of King Edward III, the present King. None of your characters are probably certain of the year of their own birth as these things weren't recorded. They might say, "I'm 16 summer's old" or "More than 15 but less than 20," "Since the 9th or 10th year of King Edward" or something to that affect. There was no requirement or incentive for knowing one's age. No records establishing it. The more intelligent or reflective characters might be able to reason what they're age is. Invested parents would be a good source for knowing the age of their children probably more than the children would know their own ages. It was a different world.