Thread link to come when I've created one.
Important notes for anyone considering playing
- As the Jelbe player, I am going to be central to this RP. I am also a very slow poster - both because I like my posts to be of a quality I think I can only deliver with consideration, and because I am employed full time and married and so my time to dedicate to PT is limited. As such, there will be next to no tie between posts in this RP and the actual date in the Particracy game itself. We will agree on a time period that this RP occurs in, and all posts will be posted as if they occur in that time period, even if it is long past that time in game. This is called "fluid time RP" and if you are unfamiliar with the concept please ask either here or in the Discord, I or other players can certainly help it make sense
- Though this will primarily be a story about a revolution directly in Jelbe, my intent is that direct involvement in Jelbe itself will be mostly limited to immediate neighbors (basically, probably no nations outside Majatra except MAYBE Lourenne or Vascania if there's a reason for it) should expect to actually drop troops in Jelbe. That said - if there are nations who want to use a pretty hot war in Jelbe as a kicking off point for other related conflicts elsewhere, I think that'd be really cool - just feel free to post ideas in here and people can run with them as appropriate.
- I myself am not particularly interested in military RP insofar as it relates to military equipment. That said, this will be a war, there will be fighting. There will be images of military equipment. For purposes of this RP, let's all agree that so long as we all agree on a shared story, we are not going to get hung up on who can or can't have what equipment.
- Related to the above, approach this RP from a perspective of improv: when another person progresses the story, your job is to say "Yes, and..." - work with others to write a good story. Don't worry so much if they use a picture of military equipment you think they need to prove they have procured. If somebody posts something you really think you can't respond to ICly, ask in the OOC thread about it (don't post OOC in the IC thread!). We can work through disagreements to get to a good outcome - I promise.
What we need, part 1: We need a register of nations which will be involved. This needs to be publicly posted. Each nation should have some designated player which runs point for it.
Why we need that: We need to understand who is participating (for part 2), and we need to understand who can "speak" for that nation as we coordinate this RP.
What we need, part 2: We need an overarching outline made which incorporates the general roles of each nation and timing of events. This won't dictate RP on a post-by-post basis, but it will highlight generally important events, the way the RP begins and ends, etc.
Why we need that: This will ensure everyone knows in general and beforehand what to expect the outcome of the RP to be, and nobody ends up rage quitting because somebody shoots (to steal Doc's phrase, which basically means somebody goes way off base and makes a move nobody likes). This will also allow us to make sure we involve everyone meaningfully.
What we need, part 3: In the spirit of a previous rule which no longer is a rule but which I still think was very wise, this RP will require that any nation participating must pass an RP event bill outlining the event is approved by a 2/3rds majority of all players with seats (not just those with seats who vote) and over 50% of the seats in the legislature. This bill must specify the necessary and possible consequences of the role-play event, as well as a clause that deals with the eventuality of one or more players becoming absent for more than a specified time, and how such an absence is to be interpreted in in-game terms.
Why we need that: This allows everyone involved to know that any nations participating have a vested interest in continuing in the RP even if an election causes the country's political makeup to totally change, or if someone goes inactive. This allows us to enter into the RP knowing that nobody's going to back out and leave us all stranded. If you are not able to pass such a bill, that's OK - you can participate in future RP, just not this one
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Nation participating / Side (pro-modernization or pro-Khanate) / Contact person (forum username) / Legislative bill establishing RP consent
Jelbe / Both (not an option for others), but ultimately modernization / Zanz / TBD
General outline of the RP
Jelbe has been a reactionary absolute monarchy under the Jelbek khans for millenia in game. ICly this has always been fun to RP, but it's a bit stale. We need to bring Jelbe into modern times, but that cannot reasonably happen without a major societal upheaval. So that's what we're going to write here. I am very open to suggestion as to how I can make this relevant to other nations.
- Jelbek students who have gone on exchange to other nations will bring back an interest in foreign sports - likely Mordusian football or cricket, depending on how I feel when I make the initial post.
- Eventually, one of these sports will grow quite popular at universities around Jelbe (they do exist) and, by their nature, serve as both sport and social clubs for young people in Jelbe.
- The Khan will do Something Awful (to be determined) to some students or some women - I am open to suggestions here, it may make sense for this to be in response to something external. I am also open to meddling from external governments at this point.
- Unlike most times when the Khan is a real jerk, sporting clubs will serve as a real method for Jelbek young people to organize and resist in a way that they generally have not before (maybe with external help?). There will be violence. This is where I imagine real international interest can begin. Here are some thoughts I have on that:
- Jelbek expatriates in states nearby to Jelbe have long had issue with the Khanate and its total power. Maybe some start fomenting unrest locally to pressure their adopted homes to support the students? Maybe some reactionary expats fight back? I imagine this may be of interest to Vanuku, Beiteynu, Zardugal, Vascania, Deltaria, Barmenistan, Pontesi
- Jelbe is *absolutely* destitute. There are a couple of major cities but the bulk of it is totally rural steppe wasteland occupied very sparsely by nomadic steppe clans. There is a *lot* of room for random weirdos to just have come out into the steppe and be practicing like, cult worship or something. Even if you don't have a major role to play in this RP overall, consider if there might be room for you to have a couple of flavor posts that the rest of us can react to.
- Jelbe's nature also means that any major unrest is going to lead to very basic human need issues quickly. Refugees will be plenty, starvation will be rampant (especially since that Fish Hook guy in Cildania let all the Cildanians fish the Majatran Sea dry), etc. Consider if your nation may be able to get involved in a humanitarian capacity. Maybe the MSCO can try something - maybe the World Congress. No guarantees that humanitarians won't be the target of a little violence on occasion, though.
- Ultimately, I intend for Jelbe to come out of this with the Khan either arrested or killed, and a republic to be born on the Jelbek Steppe. What this republic will look like is very much up to us and our RP. Maybe we're heavily influenced by the socialist regime of Zardugal, maybe we descend back into relative servitude of Vanuku, maybe we're a buffer state for Deltaria, or maybe we are a true bastion of newborn democracy propped up by a World Congress peace keeping mandate. Sky's the limit - I want it to be whatever allows most people to play - drop your ideas below!
