The Realm

Domain Play for Romances, Sagas, and Chronicles

by Luke Murphy - art by Thorø Murphy

Table of Contents
1. Acknowledgements
INTRO
2. Using this Zine
3. Restrictions on Messages, Activity, Sharing
REALMS
Resources
4. Realms and Realm Actions
5. The Year and Upkeep
6. Decree, Diplomacy, Council, Travel
ACTIONS
7. Ply a Trade, Train, Make Friends, Woo a Lover
8. Build or Improve Holding, Settle a domain,
Construct an Asset, Conceive a Child
9. Intrigue
10. Muster Soldiers, Commission Brutes,
Scoundrels and Assassins
11. Soldier Checklist
WAR 12. Warfare
13. Battle, Unit Abilities
14. Realm Events
EVENTS 15. Illustration
16. Realm Events- Assassination Attempt,
Celebration, Feud
17. Realm Events- Natural Event, Envoy, Crime
18. Realm Events- Outlaws, Monsters
19. Realm Events- Trade Matter, Intrigue
20. Realm Events- Discord, Justice, Challenge
21. Realm Events- Incarnation
22. Advice on Preparing Realms
ADVICe 23. Advisors
24. Why is This so Strict?
25. Legibility, Charismatic Leaders
26. Tradition and Law
27. Injustice in the World
REFERENCe 28. Helpful Tables
Acknowledgements
Thanks to F. Killian of Stonedark Bruceman Games, without whose
influence and skill this would not have been possible, and without whose
guidance this would not have been quality. Thanks to Sam Murphy, who
ran play-by-post games where we drafted up international accords and
politicked for more hours than I could count. Thanks to Tyrel Danielson
and to the Galactic Dawn team (Wes Zebrowski, Vermillion R. Morgan,
Miles Brooks) whose skill as designers taught me a great deal about
domain play.

Thanks to every player in the Ten Blade Demigod campaign, whose

playtesting and advice was ever invaluable. Thanks to Sam Sorensen and
to Luther Gutekunst, for their advice in making the physical artifact of my
game a reality.

-Luke

A big thank you to my marvellous mentor, Jeannine Kitzhaber, for

continuing to inspire my art, and also to Isaiah Shipp; the philosophical
conversations we always end up having while we work on projects are to
be cherished forever.

Also, a big thanks to my mum and dad, who continuing to be loving and
supportive even when they have no clue why I am doing anything I’m
doing.

-Thorø
Copyright © 2023 Luke Murphy and Thorø Murphy.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or

transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other
electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other
noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. The font used on the cover and in
headings is Cinzel Decorative, by Natanael Gama. The font used inside the book is
Philosopher, by Jovanny Lemonad.

Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names,
characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination.

Cover image and interior illustrations by Thorø Murphy

1
Using this Zine
This ruleset is designed to supplement a standard dungeon adventure
game. It can provide structure to the ruling of a domain in an adventurer’s
“downtime” or form the basis of an entire campaign in its own right. A
DM may need to change the numbers used to fit their own system.

This book assumes:

● 2,000 gold coins is an unimaginable fortune for a commoner, but
about the amount of treasure needed for a PC to reach level 2.
● Armies are small— perhaps only one or two hundred people to a
side.
● A season is a reasonable unit of time for major events in a realm
to transpire.
● The world abounds both with portentous beasts and legendary
personages, even if those individuals are frequently slain by spike
traps or feral dogs.

The DM can multiply or divide costs, unit strength, and other numbers
consistently through the book to translate it to their system. In armies,
one individual can stand for a squad or platoon.

This ruleset can support a campaign in which any number of PCs are
rulers, and it can transition easily between the personal and ruling scale.
Adventuring should affect domain play and vice-versa.

2
Speech and INteraction
No matter the power that a character may wield personally and
institutionally, events of an adventure game may push them to the limits
of their ingenuity. The Realm domain system focuses on logistics only as
a means to create interesting problems. They are meant to be worked
around. If a plan should work "in the fiction", it should work in the system.

The discussion of players is the flower of play, but for purposes of the
game some in-game talk is restricted. Because PCs may often be in
conflict with each other, the game uses guidelines on how and when
players can conspire in secret or undertake hidden projects.

Players shouldn’t have secret game discussions unless their characters

are in the same place, or unless they have taken a special action to
communicate privately. Otherwise, remote discussion between ruler PCs
is presumed to take place through letters and envoys, and the other PCs
sitting around the game table are presumed to hear of them. This
additional cost keeps things sane while allowing for the potential to
deceive.

If the table is playing a game focused on domain play, a ruler is engrossed

in their realm action (see pg. 4) for the entirety of the season, and cannot
pursue personal projects during that time. If the table desires a game
where domain play occurs in the background, realm actions might be
ordered at the start of a season, leaving a ruler free to adventure with
their comrades, pursue romances, and settle scores, even if this would
reproduce effects that could have been achieve through realm actions. It
is an intentional and important aspect of the system that all but the most
laissez-faire rulers should feel that they are spread too thin to address
every matter of state they wish to. Ruling and, even more rare, ruling
justly, will take a great deal of time and cleverness, and extra realm
actions beyond what the procedures the table is using cannot be
performed, even if a player feels their character could juggle them.

Finally, it is important to note that treasure, including coins and magic

items, can only be shared among PCs in the same location unless a special
realm action is used. This reinforces the realities of distance and keeps
competition between mixed groups of PCs and NPCs fair.

3
Realms and Realm Actions
Every domain has a level from 0 to 5, which serves as the maximum for
the total level of holdings of each type it can have. The four types of
holding are law, trade, temple, and esoteric.

Domain level represents governed, worked land— farmland, pasture,

fishing coast, and the like. A level 1 domain may direct 2,000 inhabitants
and a single central town, level 2 might have around 4,000 people, level 3
might have 7,000, level 4 may have 10,000 inhabitants with major towns
and industries, and level 5 may have 14,000 and true cities.

● Law holdings represent stake in ruling and the ability to enforce

the rules of peace. Law holdings of greater size make it easier to
requisition military equipment and render the private lives of
inhabitants "legible" to the ruler.
● Trade holdings represent stake in the liquid economy and control
of business. Trade holdings of greater size make it easier to
acquire foreign goods and increase the circulation of taxable coin.
● Temple holdings represent stake in faithful congregations and civil
life. Temple holdings influence public ethics. If a ruler acts against
the norms of a temple, there may be riot or unrest.
● Esoteric holdings represent land seized by arcane and desolate
forces. This might be a wasteland sapping its energy into a nearby
dungeon, or a sacred grove set in reserve. They may not be useful
on their own, but can have an effect negotiated with the DM, like
a powerful spell or permanent curse. Each esoteric holding also
takes up 1 slot of another kind of holding. They are held remote.

The fact that holdings are limited by domain’s level is a huge driver for
conflict. If you are governing a level 1 domain and a prominent merchant
has a level 1 trade holding in it, she controls practically all trade until you
can improve the domain’s level, seize her holding, or destroy it.

Assets are separate from holdings, and they represent smaller

investments that are good to have in themselves— a fortress can aid in
defense, a grand road can speed travel, and a fraternity of minstrels can
spread the right kind of songs. When an asset is commissioned, the DM
and the commissioning player work out the cost and any mechanical
benefit.

4
The Year and Upkeep
At the beginning of each spring, each realm conducts upkeep. The DM
rolls a realm event (p. 14) for each realm. Rulers collect spendable taxes:
(1d[total domain levels + total trade levels])x2000 gold coins. They pay
for any soldiers they've raised and any other yearly cost.

Each spring, increase each PC and each major rulers’ age by 1. Each
character who has turned 65 or older should make a save or lose 1
constitution. If they roll a 1 on this save, the DM will randomly determine
a season that year that they will pass away from old age or disease.

Every season (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), you can take a realm
action, representing the major focus of your leadership that season.
Outside of realm actions, you can talk to anyone in the domain, make
personal purchases, or do other errands. A list of potential realm actions
can be found on the following pages, but anything reasonable for the
timespan of a season can be performed as a realm action.

Realm actions that require some kind of infrastructure can only be done
in domains where you have a holding, or one that the DM deems to be
familiar to the people of your realm. The rulers of other domains can
temporarily grant you guides in
order for you to access places
that they are familiar with, but
may charge for this privilege.
Using the guides is part of the
realm action that they facilitate;
the granting ruler does not need
to also spend their action.

One character’s realm can be

made up of many domains. The
DM only rolls realm actions
once for each realm, regardless
of how many domains make it
up. They should only bother
with the upkeep of NPC realms
that are in the spotlight of the
action.

5
Realm Actions
Make a decree
● The most general domestic action. Possible effects include:
○ Imposing tariffs for 1d[trade]x200 gold coins
○ Arrests, crackdowns, or other actions that might interfere
with other characters' actions in the domain.
○ Throwing a festival or holding a wedding.
○ Creating a minor event for another ruler.
○ Something non-mechanical
Send a diplomatic overture
● Conduct an in-depth negotiation with another ruler or faction that
is outside your realm. If an agreement is reached, this action can
also formalize it, enshrining it into law. In legalistic societies, a
ruler breaking a formal agreement outrages the population.
Host a Council (variable cost)
● Costs 100 gold coins for a rustic court, 400 for a fine court, and
1000 for a lavish court.
● Invite any number of other rulers to visit your domain for a
conference. This meeting can include secret conversations and
does not require attendees to spend a realm action to attend.
● Guests can bring no more than ten named NPCs and/or soldiers
without spending a realm action to travel.
Travel (variable cost)
● Costs nothing for up to five people, 100 gold coins for a rustic
retinue, and 500 for a noble procession.
● Journey somewhere outside your realm and go on an adventure,
have a pilgrimage, or lead an army in battle. This includes
traveling to a location, doing something on a personal scale, and
returning.
● Depending on the scale of the setting, a DM may limit the distance
a ruler can travel in one season, requiring multiple seasons of
travel to reach more remote areas.
● Travel can be used to make the people of a domain familiar with a
distant land, which is needed to build holdings abroad.
6
Ply a Trade
● Work at a mundane profession or craft. The DM may call for some
kind of roll to test the ruler's skill. On a failure, roll d2s for
revenue instead of d6s:
○ Artisan trade produces work that brings in 10d6x10 gold
coins. Creating masterworks or offering rare service is
worth 4d6x100 gold coins.
○ Magic charms and enchantments earn a number of d6s
equal to the character’s maximum spell level times the
domain’s level.
● Alternatively, the ruler may use their trade to defray the cost of
expenditures, such as forging a set of heavy armor themselves
instead of commissioning one and therefore only paying the cost
of the materials, which usually halves the price.
Train
● Spend the season practicing or studying to gain 400 XP, learn a
new skill, compensate for an injury, or gain some other personal
boon.
Make Friends
● Decide on a target in the same realm as you, whether it be an
individual, family, or group, and determine how you attempt to get
in their good graces, then make a charisma roll, modified as the
DM decides. On a success, you befriend them. On a minimum roll,
a complication arises.
○ The loyalty of groups is short-lived, but individuals can be
surprisingly gracious.
● PCs cannot be affected by this action against their player’s will.
Woo a Lover
● Attempt to win the affection of a particular NPC using a
well-selected approach. The DM may call for a charisma roll to
see how well you pull it off. Based on this, they assess whether
that NPC is enthusiastically receptive.
● A ruler can always find someone receptive to romance. If they
take this action to seek out a partner without being too picky, a
successful charisma roll always succeeds.
7
 Build a Holding (costs 1000 gold coins)
● Creates a level 0 holding of any type (law, trade, temple, esoteric)
in a domain. A ruler can build a holding in any domain their people
are familiar with. You should describe a holding when it is created.
● When this action is taken, the ruler of the domain it takes place in
may oppose the effort without spending a realm action. This has
a 50% chance to destroy the holding.
Settle Domain (costs 1000 gold coins)
● Creates a level 0 domain in any appropriately-sized wilderness
that doesn’t currently support any people.
○ Some regions might support people despite having no
holdings or formal ruler. Settling such a domain may
involve diplomacy or conquest and has repercussions.
Improve Holding or Domain Level (costs [new level] x
1000 gold coins)
● Increases the level of a holding or domain by 1. Determine what
form these improvements take. Remember when determining this
that increasing the domain level also increases the population.
● When this action is taken, the ruler of the domain it takes place in
may oppose the effort without spending a realm action, which has
a 50% chance to halt the improvement.
Construct an Asset (variable cost)
● Assets include palaces, fortifications, groves, and almost any
specific development in a domain. Decide with the DM the
appropriate cost and benefit. Some assets take longer to build, in
which case further uses of this action can reduce the construction
time.
Conceive a Child
● In three seasons, the child is born and you gain 400 XP.
● The DM should decide how dangerous childbirth is in the setting.
● When the child of a ruler, PC, or major NPC is born, roll a d10. If
the number is equal to or under the combined level of esoteric
holdings in the domain, there is a portentous birth: twin birth, a
caul hood foretelling of wizarding skill, the arrival of a mythical
godparent, being born fully grown, super-strength, etc.
8
Intrigue
● This is any action hidden from other rulers and from players. The
character who takes this action informs the DM discreetly, and
they invent some fake cover action the PC pretends to take.
● You can use this action to do one of the following:
○ Prepare to conceal another realm action. As long as you
can give a reasonable explanation of how, any previously
listed realm action can be readied in secret. Later in the
next few turns, you spend a realm action to perform it and
pay the associated costs as normal, but no other ruler is
aware of it. The DM will inform you secretly of any
outcomes, and it will remain undetected until
circumstances reveal it. For example, a foreign army
marching through a domain with a hidden temple holding
may discover it and report it to their ruler.
○ Send agents to seek out information about a private or
hidden action, such as another intrigue. If it makes sense
to resolve this with a simple roll, roll a d20 trying to get
equal to or under ten, plus any trade or temple holding
helping you in that domain. You may get a modifier if you
are sending agents of remarkable skill. Opposed law
holdings give a penalty to the roll equal to their level, but if
the owner tells the DM in secret that they support the
action, these allied law holdings give a bonus instead.
○ Catalogue troop movements in a foreign domain. In hostile
domains, your spies have a [law]-in-twenty of being
captured and a [domain level]-in-twenty chance of being
misinformed.
○ Rescue prisoners, deliver hidden messages, or secretly
move important objects.
○ Stoke assassins, heretics, courtly rakes, or corruption in a
particular domain to make trouble without a specific
target. If it makes sense to resolve this with a simple roll,
roll a d20 trying to get equal to or under (combined allied
trade or temple holding levels in that domain + 10).

9
 Muster Soldiers (variable cost every spring)
● When you take this action, note down how many soldiers of each
type you are raising (p. 11). They will be available at the start of the
next spring, at which point you pay their upkeep costs. The types
of soldiers you can train depend on the domain's law holdings.
○ Militarization changes a society. 1% of a domain’s
population can be called as levies in any given season. If
another 1% are mustered as soldiers at a time, the fact of
being war-ready will hang over any realm events in this
domain and may bubble up in other ways. If 5% of a
society is mustered or serving as levies for very long, it
may be on the brink of violent collapse.
Commission Brutes, Scoundrels and Assassins
(variable cost)
● Assemble a squad of brutes, a bustle of scoundrels, and/or a
conspiracy of assassins to act without scruple. You must give
them a simple job, like “burn down that temple” or “kill this
governor.” You can keep them on retainer, but they will demand
more pay after any truly strenuous work. The cost of the
commission is decided below:
○ If the target is a ruler or a ruler’s holding, then the cost is
calculated by this formula: ([target’s highest realm level]
+ [target’s highest law holding level] + [special traits]) x
[total levels of people hired] x 100 gold coins.
○ If the target isn’t a ruler or a ruler's holding:
([local law level] + 1 + [special traits]) x [total level of
people hired] x 100 gold coins.
○ Special traits include the following. Traits cannot bring a
cost below 0. DMs should modify this list for their setting.
■ -1: impiety, oathbreaking
■ +1 priest, fearsome reputation or noted wizard,
guarded by monsters or dungeon, making it look
like an accident
■ +2: target is beloved by thieves and rogues

10
Soldier checklist
(DM checks off which units are available in the setting of their game)
Any law level:
❏ 40 gold coins: scout (DEX 13,
club, buckler)
❏ 40 gold coins: skelt (STR 12,
spear, helmet)
❏ ____________________________
Law 1
❏ 50 gold coins: archer (STR 13,
bow, dirk, helmet)
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
Law 2
❏ 60 gold coins: peltast (STR 12,
javelins, shield, helmet)
❏ 70 gold coins: sapper (INT 13,
mattock, helmet and quilted
shirt)
❏ ____________________________
Law 3
❏ 200 gold coins: heavy cavalry
and groom (STR 14, bow, huge
shield, armored steed)
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
Law 4
❏ 100 gold coins: siege engineer
(INT 15)
❏ ____________________________
Law 5
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ 30 gold coins: irregular (STR
11, sword, fire)
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ 60 gold coins: shield (STR 12,
shield, helmet, spear)
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ 80 gold coins: mercenary
archer (as archer but musters
that season)
❏ 100 gold coins: knight (STR
14, lance, sword, helm, plate)
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ 160 gold coins: mercenary
knight (as knight but musters
that season)
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
❏ ____________________________
11
Warfare
Wars are fought for ambition and for deeply personal reasons. As rulers,
player characters will have to decide when to empty their coffers and
villages to kill and be killed.

An army on the march eats fields and drinks rivers. When traveling
through foreign terrain, an army’s ruler must either pay 1000 gold coins
to supply them or allow them to raid the countryside, instilling hatred and
fear. The third option is to starve. If a starving army fights a battle, its
starting HP is halved. Conditions can cut off certain options in play.

Sometimes, two armies will even fight each other! The leader of an army
will separate it into different units, which act as individual entities led by
their champions. When a battle commences, the commanders do not get
a birds-eye view. They must direct their units using only the information
that messengers or a good vantage point can give them. Therefore, almost
every army will have simple symbols that can be communicated at a
distance with flags, drums, explosive charges, or magic symbols. Clever
players can designate novel signals that their army might use, and thereby
keep abreast of the upcoming battle.

A ruler should typically be the one commanding an army, even if there are
more skilled characters available. Player characters should do their best
to serve as champions of an army, or to flee the battlefield and do good
elsewhere. Foot soldiers, even PC foot soldiers, have no real say in the
shifting of the tide of war, and do not act independently in the conflict.

12
Battle
In battles of romantic fantasy, the champions and heroes of a battle can
change the outcome through their legendary puissance. Therefore, battles
are conducted in a way very similar to normal party-scale combat, except
that each round covers a longer space of time.

At the start of each round, an army’s commander gives orders for what
each unit of soldiers should do. If the commander can’t be reached, a
champion may try to command their unit. In either case, there is great
opportunity for confusion. If a commander does not know an enemy
champion is at the front of a particular unit, they can’t direct their forces
to attack them and it will be up to any champions present to meet them.

Unit Abilities
● A unit must have at least 20 members to participate in a battle.
That army uses the average of the armor, morale, and special
abilities of its members
● A unit’s HP is equal to the number of members it possesses.
Monstrous regiments and similar groups may count for more.
● For every 20 members, the unit makes one attack per round. If the
unit contains different kinds of soldiers, apportion each attack's
type, hit bonus, and damage to represent the kinds proportionally.
● For every 25 members, the unit selects a champion at the start of
the battle who can act individually. This individual can attack
whole units as though they were individuals in a normal combat,
and use any of their personal abilities, like spellcasting. If there is
no special character to serve as a champion, an average member
is named and promoted to the role.
● Each unit has a Cohesion score that represents its training, used
in place of armor modifiers to AC in cases where they are
attacked by area-effect weapons, charged, or in other situations
where keeping formation is key to keeping the unit safe. This
score should match unarmored AC for the untrained and
plate+shield for the supernaturally disciplined.

Routing: When a unit hits 0 HP, it starts to retreat. Test its morale. On a
success, the withdrawal is measured and it takes 1d20% casualties,
regrouping an hour later with a quarter of its maximum HP. On a failure,
the withdrawal is chaotic and it takes 1d100% casualties, regrouping a day
later.
13
Realm Events
A DM should roll a realm event for each PC-controlled realm and a few
major NPC-led realms each spring, They may reveal the results right away
or announce some at the start of later seasons. The events should be
rolled in secret, so that a player is never certain that the apparent event is
what it seems to be.

This table could be modified to fit a particular vision of a campaign. A

campaign focused on ever-shifting geography might switch the natural
event and crime results, whereas a game about espionage and
backstabbing might promote the assassination attempt and intrigue
events closer to the center, where they are more likely.

Roll 2d10 for each realm:

2: Roll twice and combine
3: Assassination Attempt
4: Celebration
5: Feud
6: Natural Event
7: Envoy
8: Crime
9-12: No Event
13: Outlaws
14: Monsters
15: Trade Matter
16: Intrigue
17: Discord
18: Justice
19: Challenge
20: Incarnation

Each event result leaves the particulars to be decided by a DM but many

entries will provide examples in the following pages. Remember a ruler’s
enemies and deeds and re-incorporate them into later events as needed.

If a PC fails to deal with a realm event appropriately, the situation should

have some penalty or worsen after about three seasons. Players should
usually feel that they can get away with prioritizing one or two urgent
matters over the realm event, but not much more.
14
Placeholder for lovely full-page art

15
Assassination Attempt
On rolling this, the DM pretends that a “no realm event” result was rolled.
Some time during the following year, a character tries to kill the ruler or
an important official. They might attempt this themselves or hire a
professional assassin to do so. If the ruler might have a rival that can
challenge them openly, the DM should deploy them, perhaps having
gained some boon that makes them feel sure of victory. Otherwise, a
professional assassin will employ some stratagem to gain access to the
ruler.

If this is rolled for a PC’s realm or one where they are a prominent
character, it should be played out, as in a normal campaign structure. If
not, the DM can roll a d6 to see if the attempt is successful. Paranoid and
powerful rulers are killed on a 1-in-6, minor rulers killed on a 3-in-6. The
truly tyrannical are never killed by assassins without PC intervention.

Example Assassination Stratagems

Impersonate bandits on the road
Claim omen for ruler’s ears only
Charm servant into allowing entry
Offer erotic, private sword dance
Send cask of deeply poisoned wine
Spread treasure rumors in near lair
Burgle ally’s house, invite to meal
Offer to duel, cheat shamelessly
Pretend to double-cross employers
Volley of shots along common road
Gunpowder charge under inn floor
Climb improbably well, hide better
Disguise as quaint foreign envoy
Seduce heir, pump for information
Summon monster from Hell to do it
Feign skill as esoteric physician

Celebration
A traditional feast or a formal wedding ceremony is due at some point in
the following year, and the ruler is expected to both attend and contribute
to the expense— at least 50 gold coins per domain level. If they fail to do
so, an important vassal is slighted or the people are outraged, which will
lead to a new, worse problem in the following year. If especially creative
preparations or generous funds are given, the ruler may find a vassal
becomes a more energetic ally, or the population may grow to love them.

Feud
Two important groups within the ruler’s realm are at odds with each
other, and blood may be spilled. Both are important— if one is destroyed
or both continue the feud unabated, the dice size for next year’s taxes will
be 2 less, and worse may yet happen.

16
Natural Event
Roll a d6. On a 1-3, it is a minor disaster like a storm, landslide, or flood.
On a 4-5, it is a major disaster like a famine, fire, plague, or hurricane. On
a 6, it is a great boon, like an amazing crop, divine blessing, or useful new
path discovered. Minor disasters risk lost of income or reduction of
holding levels if not taken care of. Major disasters harm income and may
destroy holdings or worse. Boons can bring new treasures, assets, and
opportunities.

Envoy
The ambassador of a foreign domain arrives. If the host is shrewd, they
might seek an alliance, offer their ruler’s hand in marriage (or the ruler's
relative’s), or otherwise propose some joint venture.

Sometimes, the friendship of a scoundrel is worse than their enmity.

Crime
A prominent vassal or important person steals, acts with incompetence,
or overextends the favors due to them. If it was a corrupt official, the
treasury immediately loses 1d100x10 gold coins or manifests a long-hidden
debt. Otherwise, they may have begun an illicit affair now revealed, killed
someone unjustly, or misused the ruler’s assets. If the perpetrator was
not powerful, the ruler may immediately throw out the offending
individual or attempt to imprison them without taking an action.

17
Outlaws
A desperate or partisan force
seizes a prominent roadway or
holding, making its use dangerous
as long as they continue to operate.
If a holding is seized in this way, its
level is treated as 1 less until the
outlaws are ousted or an
agreement is made with them.

Outlaws operating in settled areas

often have the complicity or
partnership of a nearby town.
Outlaw camps along major travel
routes will stay well off the road,
but may wear tracks between their
camp and the road. The most
desperate are those who wander
from settlement to settlement,
staging unsustainable campaigns of
random violence until forced by
circumstance to secure an exit
strategy. Brigands usually aren’t
aligned with chaotic forces. Rather,
some factor has driven them to this
life. This fact stains their outlook
on everything.
Monsters
As with Outlaws, a monster
threatens a roadway or holding,
with the same immediate effect. A
monster will not seize an esoteric
holding unless it somehow belongs
to that holding.
A monster's motivation might be
based in an animalistic instinct or
in a quick mind unfathomable to
humans. DMs should play up their
alien minds when appropriate.
18
Example Monster Acts
Brownie spirits strike for pay
Cemetery hounds turn on the clergy
Comet full of pricks lands near river
Elementals migrate along highway
Demon poses riddles on major bridge
Dragon blackmails peat communities
Gnolls make sport of eating taxmen
Goblins sell addictive fruit to serfs
Lammia demands temple pivot to her
Manticore acquires taste for coopers
Nymphs entice traders from route
Octopus puts coastal town to siege
Rats growing bigger in major port
River god has drama with general
Rocs nesting, mating near capitol
Shadows strangle their owners now?
Triceratops escapes wizard’s cage
Unicorn pursues obscure vendetta
Vampire kidnaps sheriff’s children
Zombie pod arming off of war dead
Trade Matter
When this is rolled, the DM rolls a d6. On a 1 or 2, the ruler receives a
boon or surplus that grants them 1d20x100 gold coins or some kind of
asset. On a 3-6, there is a problem like a labor dispute, increase in tariffs,
or closure of trade routes. If not dealt with, this can close off some
domains from them, reduce the level of a trade holding, or inflict some
other penalty.

Intrigue
Someone in the court or bureaucracy deploys a play for power, possibly
displacing or secretly controlling someone higher up. A ruler may be
unaware of this, but the DM should communicate some change in
behavior of the affected vassal. The ruler may ignore this event, but could
be compelled to dismiss the affected servant or fail to find the originator
of any conspiracy that briefly surfaces.

Example Intrigue Stratagems

Excite rivalry in ruler’s harem
Selectively apply taxes to charm
Grow outrage for hated courtier
Nurture dicing debts, dependency
Hypnotize, impress with baubles
Initiate into severe secret society
Foster their offspring and teach sin
Wheedle endless, growing favors
Feign common touch, beneficence
Prove too useful a fool to remove
Garrotte even harmless critics
Use spells to bully anonymously
Seduce in hot-and-cold romance
Gaslight and commiserate madness
Give credit, then sabotage projects
Spread calumnies and stoke family
Force unfitting, insulting marriage
Recast previous actions as disloyal
Fill their coterie with confederates
Steal and exploit private papers
Teach dire rhymes to the people
Extract unwise promise, exploit
Undermine with deep extravagance
Embroil in theological quagmire
Spoil young heir to win eternal love
Offer tireless service, manipulate
Demurely suggest self as Messiah
Frame for crime, then blackmail
Discover crime, then blackmail
Exile closest family and friends
Send brutes to harass from villa
Expose to embarrassing curse
Lean on business partners for gold
Join in hunt, cripple in “accident”
Assassinate, aided by their spouse
Betray openly, give empty excuses
Replace regent with doppelganger
Poison slowly, assume wardenship
Bereave with false death notices
Arrange dispatch to foreign coast
Offer finance, withdraw dismally
Tit-for-tat with foreign killers
Spy on home, pass on information
Replace, disguised in a queer way
Seek to have burned for witchcraft
Frame foreign regent, incite war
Oppress with misleading contract
Encourage spouse to join convent
19
Discord
The vassals who run a domain or operate a holding raise some grievance.
If already distrustful of the ruler, they rise up in rebellion. In either case,
the ruler cannot command the affected domain or holding until the
situation is resolved.

Justice
Someone calls for the censure of a deviant, the punishment of a kinsman,
or the exclusive use of some resource, and the ruler is called upon to
adjudicate their case. If the issue is ignored or mishandled, the ruler risks
unrest. If they accede to popular pressure in a way that reduces their own
power, this will reduce their own station going forward.

Challenge
A holding, a sector of the populace, or a clique in the military falls under
the charismatic authority of a new figure. This figure will continue to gain
strength over time and if arrested or killed, their followers will be thrown
into rebellion. Each realm turn, this figure gains influence over another
holding.

Example Challengers
Foreign exiles arouse grievances
Nomad claims to be long-lost heir
Rustic fighter demands blood duel
Revival faith entices away soldiers
Magician curses the very land
General leads return to fictive past
Guild co-opts egalitarian populace
Clerics condemn ruler for leverage
Minority group flattered by captain
Angsty heir courts major vassals
Demagogue condemns tolerance
Vigorous noble runs trade holding
Ruler's aunt seizes weapon cache
Misanthrope befriends the knights
Hip sophist corrupts the youth
Hip warlock corrupts the youth
Provincial separatists congregate
Courtier abuses letter of the law
Veteran gets comrades war-hungry
Priest spews unorthodox doctrine
Body double tricks royal family
Apocalypticist abolishes old laws
Secret society lionizes old regime
Wizard claims industry monopoly
Wizard claims tutelary monopoly
Merchant-prince launches buyout
Crime prince bribes public officials
Duke agitates for aristocrat rights
Rural lord withholds grain to city
Vizier rallies spouses of vassals
Army thinks this guy will pay more
Ape talks with shocking authority
Greedy marshal promises tax lien
Merchant aims to capture industry
Social club heaps power on itself
Capitol mayor big for their britches
Hinterlander wants old privileges
Backer establishes personal army

20
Incarnation
Some bizarre mystical occurrence
unfolds, like a plague of the
undead, the steading of sea giants,
or the fruition of a wizard’s
ambition. This may bode well or ill,
or may simply remind the people
that there is always more than a
mere mortal can control or predict.
The result of an Incarnation might
simply resemble a natural event or
a monster event roll. However,
incarnations are an opportunity for
the sorts of occurrence that is rare
even in settings where monsters
and magic are rote affairs of state.
Feel free to pivot your campaign!
Example Incarnations
Angelic migration through realm
Return of land's legendary hero
Failed spell mutates wildlife
Sphinx teaches spells, mysteries
River or bridge moved overnight
Asset acquires voice and mind
Vassal undergoes apotheosis
Portal to an odd dimension forms
Underground byway discovered
Omens of a future event spotted
Clerics discover new miracles
Ruler's old foe back from death
Smith alleges new magical item
Divine mandate buoys yields
Heir manifests psychic abilities
Rotting evil unleashed from tomb
21
Advice on preparing realms
When preparing a domain play campaign, the DM will have to prepare a
list of domains PCs may end up ruling and interacting with. When they
create these domains, it can be tempting to focus on creating a diverse
variety of regions by varying levels and holdings. However, while the
system will numerically distinguish realms, it is more important to start
with the fictional distinctions that make each area an interesting place
worthy of telling a story in. It can help to think of realms in terms of their
relationships, such as a bastion state on the border of an expansionist
empire, or a city state that seeks to regain the glory of a neighbor’s
former regime. Otherwise, a strong and simple national identity, aided by
fantasy elements or historical hyperbole, suffice for great realms.

When designing realms for PCs to rule, it is enough to create a level 1

domain with a couple level 1 holdings. One good practice is to place some
of a ruler's holdings into other rulers' domains, so that they are constantly
interested in what their neighbors are doing. Conversely, placing even a
level 0 foreign law holding in a PC’s realm can keep them on edge and
serve as the locus of an interesting realm event.

If the table wishes, some PCs might end up ruling realms which contain
multiple domains. They may wish to set up some of those domains with
vassal-rulers, suzerains who owe them fealty and take care of those
domains for them, taking realm actions and raising taxes for themselves.

Once players take control of a domain, they should be responsible for

tracking its scores, raised military, and other statistics. DMs should only
closely track a couple NPC realms unless events force them to do more.

Some NPC domains will feature wild statistics or irreplicable facets. One
might have a level 10 law holding, another demonstrate no difficulty
fielding half its population in an army. These sorts of variations can pose
interesting challenges and assets to PCs, who should feel that even a
prosperous realm cannot spare them from creative problem-solving and
lunatic ambition.

When in doubt, create realms that are different from each other and don't
worry if one is "better" than another one. Nations differ, but rulers all
have precious few hit points.

22
Advisors
Just like in traditional dungeon games, PCs will likely seek to acquire
personal allies and lackeys to help them. As an optional rule, there are a
couple of ways to accommodate these retainers, who will be referred to
as advisors when they aid PCs in ruling realms. These are:

● At the table’s discretion, once per year, a player who has recruited
at least one advisors can dispatch them to perform a realm action.
This action must be within their field of expertise.
● Alternatively, to emphasize a theme or setting element, only
certain kinds of figures can be employed as advisors, such as a
spouse, high priest, or heir. These figures can be dispatched to
perform any kind of realm action that doesn’t involve the ruler’s
literal presence, though their field of expertise may change their
chances of success.

These figures would be appropriate characters to be the subject of realm

actions such as feuds, crimes, intrigues, justice, and challenges.

Advisors should have some kind of established relationship with their

ruler, whether it is personal or institutional. What qualifies them as an
advisor should include some kind
of ability in organizing and
directing other subjects, or acting
under their own supervision. A
smith, even a skilled one, might
nevertheless be a poor advisor if
they weren't in some other way
suited to performing realm actions
on behalf of their liege.

The table should decide before the

game starts whether PCs start with
any advisors. If the optional rule is
in effect, it may be fair to let
players decide if their characters
have spouses and friends, but still
require them to "recruit" the NPC
to advisor status with an action.

23
Why is This so Strict?
In play, when the artificial constraints needed to make the system work
are taken for granted, they become invisible. This is seen in the
ten-minute turn of the old school adventure game or the rigid grid combat
of some new school adventure games. For this domain ruleset, long
stretches of time will be reduced to encompass only a small number of
grand projects.

In play, the passage of time will roll along at a steady clip when the
domain game is allowed to play out, and when there is a break in the
domain game to explore a dungeon or hold a council, the timing of that
works out into its own pattern. Little is more exciting than to play out a
mission to map out a fortress your army will soon put to siege, or to have
an impromptu negotiation where the character you play is the PC whose
future you have been working for sessions to assure.

Another reason that certain aspects of the domain play system are so
nailed down is that they are meant to facilitate conflicts that may put PCs
at odds with each other. When players are collaborating to solve a shared
in-game problem, they are willing to give each other and the DM the
benefit of the doubt. When players compete and when they are invested
deeply in the outcomes for their character, “PVP Brain” can make it hard
to remain affable, fair-minded, and accepting.

While the table should discuss how and if they want to handle conflict
between PCs, no amount of prior discussion is sufficient to prevent PVP
Brain from frustrating someone. The most important way to handle this
involves using "empathy" and "social skills", giving people time to cool off,
vent, and recenter themselves. But these methods are too broad a topic to
cover here. The secondary (but more proactive) way to handle PVP Brain
is for the procedures of the game to be clear and require minimal
judgment from the DM in critical moments. Battles and duels should have
clarity regarding everything a PC knows and regarding everything they
don’t know.

When players compete, it should always be to work together to achieve

artistic and emotional joys, sometimes even chasing after tragedy to
achieve them. We should be gracious with each other and recognize good
play, even if the PC of the person who performed it fails.

24
Legibility
Romantic fantasy oftens depicts a premodern world, where rulers are
accustomed to having very little concrete information about the places
they rule. Mechanically, they can be pretty sure of their treasury and the
size of their mustered soldiery, but any estimate of population, untaxed
wealth, geographic features, or other "facts" available should be
adjudicated as unsophisticated reckonings. The ancient or classical state
cannot easily “read” its settlements, and for all a ruler knows there is a
dragon’s cave only half a mile from their comfortable palace.

Charismatic Leaders
Not every leader commands domains and holdings. The top-down
structure that this domain play system assumes can and will be subverted
by powerful individuals, those who lead by example and personal
charisma, and monstrous wildcards. Some PCs may even exist in this
position, taking realm actions each season but controlling no holdings or
domains and drawing no income from taxes.

If such a character can gain the respect of a domain’s people, they can be
agitated to act on the character’s behalf, possibly even against the
nominal ruler. If possible, the DM should adjudicate this using the normal
means for an adventure game and simply apply the consequences to the
domain procedures.
25
Tradition and Law
In the premodern romantic world in which the domain game is set, there
is often no developed legal system. Rulers are often the final court of their
land, and while there is often a common sense of the principles they are
meant to uphold, matters of legal procedure are often merely what the
ruler can make seem appropriate.

Conversely, in the premodern romantic world in which the domain game

is set, tradition is law. The people of a domain are broadly sincere in their
faiths and convictions, and even the peasantry will have a certain idea of
their rights. When a ruler is seen to flaunt tradition, there should be some
kind of consequence, even if it is merely to create an opportunity for
rivals or random events to capitalize on later.

Some societies will prove more legalistic, and may enforce a code that
rulers cannot break without great cost. Even these are contingent on the
crass idiosyncrasies of personal power and the coarse vagaries of
remoteness that will allow some rulers to act as they please when their
courts are not present. NPC rulers should be seen to violate the norms
and traditions of the land, and sometimes this should be a blunder and
sometimes it should turn out in their favor. Let these be interesting times.

In every romance and saga, laws of good conduct are cleft to, and even
the narrative may bend the moral arc of the universe to support them. But
these stories are often fascinated with the violation of good conduct. Evil
knights torture and rob. Profane houses violate their compacts and
murder subjects for their vineyards. Strong men conspire to outnumber
the good on the road, or they murder and hide the body. Evil chancellors
belittle and execute their rulers. These violations of the prescribed social
order create grand problems and require a lot of blood and ink to resolve,
which can be the stuff of a fantastic domain game.

But when the moral universe is a game world and the point-of-view
characters are player characters, the universe should not defer to their
right by default. A domain game gives players far more resources and
tools than a typical adventure game, and although the problems they face
are greater, this broad toolset empowers clever play to achieve almost
anything.

26
Injustice in the World
When societies are depicted in the game world, they can generate
interesting problems when they resemble the real world in representing
social injustices— not only the schemes of chaotic characters, but the
arbitrary, generational injustice that will keep PCs from assigning all their
subordinates' roles based on merit, cause discord among allies, and create
opportunities for ambitious characters to exploit. It is common for a game
at this scale to use the analogues of historical bigotries and cruelties, since
it is easy to understand how they will translate directly into the policies a
ruler's people will oppose or respect. Tragic history is gameable.

These kinds of cruelties can be grim, and some tables may find them easier
to grapple with in the context of a game by applying literary or fantastic
tropes to them, preferring a cruel king imprisoning his daughter in a tower
to one who tries to marry her to a PC when she is still a child, or to
contend with, say, elves who are racist against the Race of Men rather than
against the Race of Danes.

If the table prefers not to touch on

topics that hit close to home,
consider inventing new facets for
in-game injustice. If only people
born under a certain astrological
sign can inherit the throne, the PC
"ruler" who ends up needing to fix
things for their hopeless-yet-Virgo
sibling on the throne will have both
an interesting story and a keen
sense of the injustice preventing
them from acting more openly.

Give players permission to play

unjust characters and assure them
we all agree locking a young girl in
a tower to protect her virtue is bad,
but that no one will think less of
them as a player if their PC starts
constructing some kind of towering
maidenhood-gaol.

27
Helpful Tables
2d10 Realm Event Table D20 Titles Taxes: 1d[level+trade] x 2000
2: Roll Twice and Combine 1: Chief
3: Assassination Attempt 2: Dictator d20/d20 Realm Spark Table
4: Celebration 3: Master 1: Defunct / Road
5: Feud 4: Vizier 2: Secret / Priesthood
6: Natural Event 5: Grandee 3: Traitor / Plague
7: Envoy 6: Despot 4: Enchanted / Riders
8: Crime 7: Prince 5: Corpse / Mentor
9-12: No Event 8: Elector 6: Cursed / Market
13: Outlaws 9: Regent 7: Siege / Constabulary
14: Monsters 10: Lord 8: Ancient / Border
15: Trade Matter 11: Grave 9: Liminal / Record
16: Intrigue 12: Archon 10: Monstrous / Spy
17: Discord 13: General 11: Martyr / Outsider
18: Justice 14: Mayor 12: Just / Fortification
19: Challenge 15: Earl 13: Rural / Tower
20: Incarnation 16: Baron 14: Backstreet / Prison
17: Duke 15: Missing / Blessing
Generic champion 18: Count 16: Weeping / Vendetta
Lvl: equal to domain level 19: King 17: Shadow / Growth
Arms/Armor: as a unit of 20: Roll 18: Night / Regalia
highest law holding twice and 19: Sanctioned / Oath
Unique Ability: 33% chance combine 20: Crooked / Palace

Sending Assassins or Brutes

At ruler or ruler's holding:
(their highest realm lvl + their highest law lvl + special traits) x (total level
of people hired) x 100 gold coins

At other target:
(local law holding lvl + 1 + special traits) x (total level of people hired) x 100
gold coins

Special Traits (cannot reduce cost below 0)

-1: impiety, oathbreaking
+1 priest, fearsome reputation or noted wizard, guarded by monsters or
dungeon, making it look like an accident
+2: target is beloved by thieves and rogues

28
1d40 Realm Holdings Table
1: lvl 1, law 1, law 0, temple 0
2: lvl 1, trade 1, 1d2 trade 0, law 0
3: lvl 1, temple 1, law 0, trade 0
4: lvl 1, esoteric 1, 1d2 temple 0
5: lvl 1, law 1, trade 1, esoteric 0
6: lvl 1, law 1, temple 1, temple 0
7: lvl 1, law 1, esoteric 1, trade 0
8: lvl 1, trade 1, temple 1, law 0
9: lvl 1, trade 1, esoteric 1, law 0
10: lvl 1, temple 1, esoteric 1
11: lvl 1, trade 1, 1d4 law 0, temple 0
12: lvl 1, law 1, 1d4 temple 0
13: lvl 1, law 1, trade 1, temple 1
14: lvl 2, lvl 1, law 2, temple 1, law 1
15: lvl 2, trade 2, law 0, 1d2 law 0
16: lvl 2, temple 2, law 1, temple 0
17: lvl 2, esoteric 2, temple 0, law 0
18: lvl 2, law 2, trade 1d2, esoteric 0
19: lvl 2, law 2, temple 1d2, trade 0
20: lvl 2, trade 2, law 1d2, temple 0
21: lvl 2, trade 2, temple 1d2
22: lvl 2, temple 2, law 1d2
23: lvl 2, temple 2, trade 1d2
24: lvl 2, esoteric 2, 1d4 law 1d2
25: lvl 2, law 2, temple 2, trade 2
26: lvl 3, law 3, others 1d2
27: lvl 3, trade 3, others 1d2
28: lvl 3, temple 3, others 1d2
29: lvl 3, law 2, 1d4 trade 1d2-1
30: lvl 3, law 2, 1d4 temple 1d2-1
31: lvl 3, lvl 2, law 2, trade 1, law 1
32: lvl 3, lvl 1, lvl 1, law 2, 1d4 trade 1
33: lvl 3, esoteric 3, all others 1d2
34: lvl 3, all holding types 1d3
35: lvl 4, lvl 1, law 3, 1d4 esoteric 1
36: lvl 4, lvl 2, temple 4, 1d3 law ld2
37: lvl 4, lvl 2, law 3, 1d3 trade 1d2
38: lvl 4, all holding types 1d4
39: lvl 5, 1d4 all holding types, 1d4 0
40: lvl 1d3+4, law 5, reroll and add
1d40 Domain Feature Table
1: pretender owns secret redoubt
2: magic creature controls ruler
3: rough terrain aids defensibility
4: remote faction owns holdings
5: temple holdings at loggerheads
6: old fortifications serve bandits
7: ruler concealing arcane power
8: lowest in society are enslaved
9: priests seek temporal power
10: mad, sanguine tutelary deity
11: ruler concealing assassinations
12: home of demigod or land spirit
13: few routes in or out of domain
14: dueling is the nobility's mania
15: recovering from massive battle
16: low power-distance culture
17: state producing grand wonder
18: weather matches ruler's mood
19: esoteric holding far too prized
20: ruler hunting rightful heir
21: certain types of animal speak
22: engineering folly sullies capitol
23: caste revered as divine blood
24: holdings held by feuding kin
25: neutrality observed to a fault
26: vassals invite a conqueror
27: bloodsport is the civic soul
28: verge of population collapse
29: curious underground byways
30: ruling family has elven blood
31: portal to dread otherworld
32: magical taboo over all in land
33: wondrous holding— lvl seven
34: awaits its prophesied ruler
35: military wing given free reign
36: capitol ruins of previous age
37: powermad mage good citizen
38: vassal runs kidnapping ring
39: ruins spawn strange weather
40: odd creatures good neighbors
 he would be equally justified in silencing ever
al. There is no other way to guard yourself a
ery than by making men understand that telling
h will not offend you. We will never be here again
reached out his hand and took it. What do you hav
peace? Fall in behind me! Control your tem
sh men at crowded gatherings, for they frequentl
e than they know. How many of my guests preten
are called a coward, people may think that
tfully named so. If an injury has to be done to
ld be so severe that his vengeance need not be fe
h, and I make sure that everyone is equal. For here
gs betide. We cannot build the future by avenging
ot him that girdeth on his harness boast himself a
eth it off. No man will hurl me down to Death, ag
The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and
not defend himself from wolves. First, do what is ri
ot do what is evil. Compare me to someone and
m I am like. If this is your thinking, then let no on
go out of the city. I am a warrior, and to dwell a
place and live at court would weary me to death!
start it, but it will spread all over. His descent
tfall. And the love of hate is strongest of all. P
cess, youngest daughter, Open up and let me in! She
one day. We want a king over us. Then we will be like
r nations, with a king to lead us and to go out b
fight our battles. They never can work war's over
ld rather betray the world than let the world betr
d from God I have for you. The greatest evil is perm
ll it does. Now I have my birthright in my hand. Y
be screaming about the dark times. It will
ounced but there will be signs. Thou shalt not ge