The Strong Do As They Will, The Weak Suffer As They Must

About the adventure

We will use Rolemaster Unified by Iron Crown Enterprises to explore the "Western Way of War". Advancements and maturation of magical abilities as a replacement for traditional gun powder. As GM, some of the goals\concepts I hope to touch on using the world of Layn Ager: Extrapolating "The Western Way of War" into a fantasy setting. What is the western way of war? Innovation is a huge part of the way in which the traditional and historical "West" distinguished itself from its competitors. We will explore magic (as a substitute for chemical technology) and its enhancement and revisions for western style war making. Secondly, when we think of the West we often think of forces that are outnumbered and abroad. Often times, there is a capitalist motive for foreign expedition. Whereas the soldiers of many non-western armies would be slaves or conscripts in the ancient world, the West distinguishes itself by drawing upon the wealthy and most ambitious propertied men of its time. The existence of a middle class and merchant class helps fund and support these expeditions. In typical fashion, the party will be pitted against forces that may seem overwhelming, but I have great faith in your ability to innovate, use force multipliers, and unconventional means to accomplish your team objectives. And finally, how does the West manage to produce the industry to generate all of the essential war making tools. From educated officers, experienced non-commissioned officers, transportation, logistics, etc. I think it will be fun to explore some of the concepts. Regime Cannibalism - Why do some regimes/nations survive and prosper and why do some quickly peak and diminish? What are some of the core principles that allow some nations to survive for a thousand years, while others turn over every generation? What roles to economics, faith, integrity, paternalism, and external threats play in the process? The world of Layn Ager will offer many different types of governments, theocracies, thalassocracies, and power vacuums for us to explore. Power Projection - How would a world with powerful magics really function? How would powerful interests exploit capitalism, project power, and eliminate threats in an age of magic? How would people protect themselves. And what sort of skills and resources would allow one nation state, or style of warfare, to achieve supremacy over another. In Layn Ager, different cultures marshal their magics in different ways. Magic has evolved from raw, to ritualistic magic, to more refined form employing artifice and strategy in the casting. So, with that said, let's let the Iron Dice roll and see what shakes out. :D