The Chronicle of Karguun · Chapter 4

Kingdoms and their Monarchs

Electing a monarch

• Every province votes for one province of its kingdom on the Politics page, and may change its vote at any time.
• A province's vote counts for as many votes as its title allows (see Honour and Nobility).
• A candidate is crowned with more than half of all votes and at least 2 more than the runner-up.
• A province holding more than half of the kingdom's networth chooses the monarch alone.
• Without a winner, the throne stays empty until one emerges. Votes are counted every day.

What the monarch does

• Rules the kingdom's voice. The monarch names the kingdom, writes the message every member sees on their Throne, and keeps order on the Moot.
• Deals with other kingdoms. Only the monarch declares war, offers or accepts peace and ceasefires, surrenders or withdraws, sets the kingdom's stance and begins a dragon project. See Relations between Kingdoms.
• Is rewarded. The monarch's province earns +10% income, +10% food and +10% runes.
• Is guarded. When defending against a kingdom in Hostile or War relations, the monarch's province gains +10% defence, and as much against spells and thieves.

Talking

• Couriers carry letters to any province in the realm.
• The Moot is your kingdom's forum. In war, both kingdoms also share a War Moot.
• The Paper reports everything your kingdom did and suffered this month; Last Month keeps the month before.

The realm's other rulers

• Most provinces are ruled by stewards of the Elder Thrones (computer rulers). Each has a style of play, a skill, and a temperament dealt when the age begins: a Coward who builds a great army and never attacks, a Vengeful ruler who hunts whoever struck it last, a Total Newb who gets everything wrong, and many more. The Glossary lists them all.
• Temperaments are never labelled. Read the signs: their couriers and Moot posts are written in their own voice, and a Crystal Ball or Infiltrate shows what a ruler seems to be.
• A few change during the age: a Pacifist hit three times in three days turns Vengeful, a Quitter who loses a third of its land in a week gives up, and a Total Newb slowly learns. A Wildcard plays a different temperament every month.
• They remember only what you would: an anonymous attacker is known by kingdom, not by name, and thieves who are not caught stay unknown.
• When the age ends, the Hall of Legends reveals every steward's temperament.

Counsel

• Vote for someone who is active and will talk to the kingdom. A monarch who never logs in cannot answer a declaration of war.
• Stewards of the Elder Thrones vote for the most honoured active player; with none, for a kingdom-mate campaigning for the throne (one voting for itself), and otherwise follow the monarch they have.