We are introducing a new game-within-a-game at TIWHA; Kingdoms and Empires! This is a historical reenactment/RP type of thing, and your stable staff get to design your own kingdom/state or choose to join someone else’s. You may choose to treat it as them getting dressed up and getting involved in a large scale historical reenactment roleplay, or as an alternate universe as you prefer. This is a little different than other systems because it is based around not your stable or horses, but your staff. You may choose to enter as many or as few staff as you have time for, and you may choose to have them all working together in one kingdom or fighting against each other in different kingdoms.

This game will be play at your own pace. If someone challenges you, you may turn them down if you do not have time. The only exception to this is if your kingdom is invaded. If you do not step in you may be pulled into another kingdom but your ranking etc will not be impacted.

This game should be less about showing and more about having fun! Go crazy with your stories, design your kingdom map and castle if you’d like. Feel free to develop allies and enemies, blood feuds and long lost relatives. We are a real-breed no-magic group, but otherwise anything goes.

Ranking system:

Each person you submit will start out at the Warrior ranking (unless they come in with experience). They may increase their ranking by images of them competing in warhorse disciplines (1 point), warhorse discipline training images (0.5 point), by placing in warhorse shows (additional 2 points for 1st, 1 point for 2nd/3rd), or by duels (2 points for win, 1 for loss) (see here: [link]. While you can't enter duels or TIWHA events with a non-real breed of horse, training/show entries with fantasy horses will count towards your staff member's experience.

Warrior (0-4 points)
Knight (5-9 points)
Noble (10-19 points)
King/Queen (20-49 points)
Emperor/Empress (50+ points)

Whatever ranking your staff member enters at, they must choose a kingdom. They may create a new kingdom (this may be a real historical kingdom or an imaginary one) or may join someone else’s (with that leader’s permission).

Each staff member that joins needs to have a “reference” (that people may use as a reference when drawing you in duels/shows etc). This can either be an image, or a journal. You may combine multiple staff into one journal if you prefer. This reference needs to include: Name, Kingdom, link to Kingdom’s shield and colors, Ranking, Past experience, and an image of your staff member (this can be a reused image from a show entry, etc, we just need to be able to see their features). A reference to the style of armor and tack they use would be nice, but is not required. Feel free to include a history/backstory for them if you wish.

Kingdoms:

We use the generic term "Kingdom" here, but if it is led by an emperor it is an Empire. If it is led by a king it is a Kingdom. If it is led by someone of rank less than a king/queen, it is a State.

A kingdom must have at least one member, a crest and colors. Whoever first creates the kingdom must design the crest and colors for the kingdom (for in-game duels and events only). Members of the kingdom may ride wearing some combination of their personal colors/crest and the kingdom's colors/crest, as long as their kingdom of origin is obvious. The default combination would be to use the kingdom's colors and crest on the horses' barding and the personal crest on the knight's shield, unless it is otherwise described in the member's reference.

Kingdoms do NOT have to be European-based, nor are they limited to any particular time period. They may also be completely imaginary. A history/overview for the kingdom is recommended, but not required.

A kingdom with fewer/lower ranking members is weaker, and may be challenged by neighboring countries and overtaken. If this happens, all members are automatically taken in by the overtaking country but may leave with the kingdom leader’s permission or may duel for their freedom.

To try to take over another kingdom, note the group. I will roll a random number between 1 and the total experience points of all members of your kingdom. If the number rolled is higher than the total experience points of the challenged kingdom, the invasion is successful. However, members of the invaded kingdom can fight back via Duels or events, which will add to their experience points and make them harder to defeat. For this reason, it may be safer for newer or less experienced members to join a larger kingdom that is already established. They might challenge their leader for their freedom (via a duel) at any time to join a different kingdom or start their own.

Horses:

Any staff member may use any TIWHA registered horse in their stable for any challenge/duel etc. However, the more images a rider and horse have together the stronger their bond, and this will give them a slight edge in duels. Riding a horse with lots of warhorse experience (with the same or different rider) will also give riders a slight edge in duels.

We will accept other war animals in certain events, so long as they are historically domesticated for that purpose (camels, elephants) and meet the same realism requirements as TIWHA registered horses. These animals should not be used for duels against horses without an okay from all parties involved.

Events:

Since warhorse classes may be hard to come by, the group will try to keep a few small scale events going most of the time. We will also link to outside warhorse classes. Duels (see here: [link] are free to initiate at any time to increase your ranking/experience in whatever warhorse discipline you would like.



The Current Kingdoms:

Sherwood Forest



This kingdom was started by a group of bandits who raided tax collectors they saw as oppressive during times of famine. Over time they used some of the collected gold to invest in horses and armor until they had strength enough to raid and overtake forts and outposts. Though they were a small group, they had the support of the people whose tax money they returned and thus were able to carve out a small but happy little rural state. They maintain a trio of oaks as their crest, a reminder of the forest that was their refuge during times of need.

Crest/Colors: A trio of mighty oaks; Black, Forest Green, Brown
Leader: Richard Leos, King (*bovidaeloony)
Other Members:
Noam Connery, Warrior (*AccaliaRose)
Jack Bruce, Warrior (*bovidaeloony)

Accepting new members: Yes

Trebond



This is a small but ancient state, originally represented as a dark red fort on a red and gold field. The last ruler of this state had only a female heir. She was strong and fierce and an accomplished warrior, but under the laws of the country could not rule if she wasn’t married and would have to concede the crown to her husband. After her father’s death she used sheer force of will and a bit of intimidation to overturn the law, and now rules with an iron fist. The new state crest is a female lioness, and the leader of the state wishes to recruit other female warriors to prove that “the weaker sex” is fully capable.

Crest/Colors: Lioness Rampant; Red, Yellow, and Gold
Leader: Robin MacLean, Noble (*bovidaeloony)
Other Members:
Rosie Kimble, Warrior (*AccaliaRose)
Accepting new members: Yes but females only!


To register a member:
Name:
Link to reference: (deviation or journal, as outlined above)
Rank: (proof must be listed in reference)
Kingdom: (please get approval from leader of kingdom prior to registration)


To register a kingdom:
Name:
Link to colors and crest (template here: [link] ):
Starting members:
Accepting new members?: (Yes, no, or conditions for joining)
History/Backstory: (optional, but makes your kingdom more appealing)