About The Product
The Fall of the Empire and the Rise of Successor Kingdoms
The Empire has fallen, leaving multiple successor kingdoms in its wake. The lords and ladies of these petty kingdoms compete for control and influence, using both subtle schemes and open warfare. Families feud among themselves and against each other as greater threats loom over the land. Famines devastate the peasantry, warfare and disunity threaten the social order, noble families succumb to decadence, and beyond the old Empire’s borders, great armies of pillage and destruction gather under the banners of invader-kings.
In these uncertain times, you must lead your small kingdom to greatness and ensure the survival of your noble family in this medieval colony sim focused on generating stories of valor and treachery.
Family Dynamics and Leadership
Your family rules from on high, working together—or against each other—to govern your city, kingdom, and political machinations. Each family member has their own strengths, weaknesses, and ambitions, building complex relationships among themselves and with foreign rulers. Experience blooming friendships, drunken escapades, and brutal assassinations as your nobles direct peasants, lead armies, and study ancient texts.
A range of skills determines which family members are best suited for various tasks, from warriors to scribes and negotiators. Train their strengths, educate children for the future, and unlock additional talents in future generations. Each family member’s personality, cultural background, and needs influence their behavior, and dissatisfaction can lead to resentment and disloyalty. Will you calm tensions with gifts and camaraderie, or eliminate threats to your preferred nobles?
Ambition, greed, and opportunism can drive family members to conflict. From scorned lovers to power-hungry siblings and foreign influences, trust is scarce. Your kingdom’s capabilities rely on your nobles' knowledge, which they must study from ancient texts. Protect this knowledge from loss and decide whether to hoard it or trade it for wealth and resources.
Managing the Common Folk
The common folk are the backbone of your kingdom, serving their noble lords on the battlefield and in the city until their needs go unmet. With diverse backgrounds and needs, peasants can be difficult to please and easily manipulated into rebellion. Will you address their complaints as a benevolent lord or with the executioner’s ax?
Direct your peasants' work and priorities through your nobles, managing them carefully to maintain production chains and satisfy needs. Peasants rely on their wealth for a fulfilling life, so manage wages and costs to keep them motivated. High wages and low costs can encourage migration, but be cautious of who you welcome. Cultural differences can cause friction, which you can use to your advantage, but be mindful of your noble family's heritage.
Peasant factions have different priorities, from the pious adherents of the Church of Saint Sophia to loyalists needing money for food and beer. As you grow stronger, these groups will form shifting alliances. Manage tensions with patrols or executions, but remember that even great lords are vulnerable to angry mobs.
A Rich World and Political Intrigue
Norland is set in a rich world with a vibrant past and diverse cultures. The collapse of the Empire has left successor kingdoms vying for control. Resources vary by region, presenting different challenges and advantages. Use your nobles' skills to form alliances, negotiate trade deals, plot assassinations, and incite rebellions. Will you infiltrate foreign kingdoms or settle differences through warfare? How will you respond when enemies infiltrate your ranks?
Watch history unfold as events and calamities test your family and kingdom. Traveling nobles will seek refuge or sow dissent, and other kingdoms will push for alliances or wars. Bandits and foreign invaders add to the chaos. Will you join violent endeavors or work in isolation?
Warfare and Conflict
When all else fails, disputes are settled with bloodshed. Raise militias, motivate prisoners to fight, and put nobles in command to inspire troops. But whose life will you risk when banners are raised? Dissent and rebellion will see peasants take up arms against you, and some groups will be heavily armed. A succession crisis or power-mad relative may become your greatest threat. Keep public order and guard against enemies within.
Your warriors are the same people who tend fields and brew ale, making war a costly endeavor. Plan ahead before declaring war, and ensure your economy supports your armies. Defend your home against invaders or march across the world map to command your forces. Morale, combat skills, and tactics determine the victor, but no one is safe in battle.
Telling Your Unique Story
Norland offers a multitude of scenarios and options to build a society and tell a unique story. From warmongers with penal legions to educated religious zealots, multicultural idealists, and treacherous spymasters, what tale will you tell?
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