The Third Dynasty of Brendan
June 10 - July 1, 2015
Ascension Address
Arranged in a circle on a pedestal, five crude dolls stare across at each other, their eyes of wood or soapstone unblinking and their shadows changing in the sinking afternoon light. If one were to sink down and sit on the floor next to them, moving closer, looking upwards, one’s view might change. Focus might turn their rough limbs to claws or haunches. Perspective might grant them monstrous size.
Somewhere, atop a cloud-thick and dormant volcano, a group of enormous beings shifts and fidgets on their perches around the caldera. Their impatience would be devastating if it were set loose, turned to fury; below, among the foothills and plains spreading out from the mountain, tiny humans work without end to rebuild wrecked cities from the last time these creatures came to blows.
“Hello! Yes! Thank you all for waiting,” pipes up a speck on the rocky floor. “The Emperor is busy with intergalactic matters on Xenon VI today, but wishes you to know that the consideration for the role of Imperial Heir is still ongoing! Only the strongest and cleverest kaiju, of course, can be selected for this all-important role, and rule the Nine Dimensions when the Emperor has transcended them all.”
“Now,” says the voice, turning sly, “I happen to know that one member of this court has been carrying on an affair with the Swarm-Mind who resides deep in the core of this planet, and that another has discovered the secret of breathing radioactive fire. Both of these truths, of course, would be looked very poorly upon by the Emperor—IF they were to come out. But perhaps the Emperor need not know. Perhaps, while we wait, we should amuse ourselves… with a bit of bidding?”
Change “Shifter” to “Kaiju” and “Forest” to “Attendant” throughout the ruleset. Repeal all Dynastic Rules except the first.
Players
The following players were active at the end of the Dynasty:
Brendan*, Darknight*, Kevan*, Tekneek, Tantusar
Final Ruleset
Posts of Interest
- The Enemy of my Frenemy gave each Kaiju another Kaiju as their "Right Claw" (public alliance) and another as a "Left Claw" (Attendant-tracked secret alliance). Both of these had to be chosen before taking further part in the game.
- Stubs defined each Kaiju as Mutant, Robot, or Alien, each with Esteem and Secrets
- Top of the Mothras created a system of bidding Prestige for Lab Tokens
- Okay, Let’s Try This changed the auction subject to Secrets (secret monster abilities), and created a list to populate
- Mild-Mannered 50-Foot Lizard Reporter renamed Secrets to Aspects and gave them subcategories of Mutations (Mutants and Aliens only), Technology (Aliens and Robots only) and Locations (Robots and Mutants only).
- Zilla App allowed Aspects to be put forward and either accepted or vetoed by the Attendant
- Kaiju Bushido added the concept of dishonorable actions
- A Tanker a Day introduced "Colossal Actions" which could only be taken three times per round
- Token Victory Proposal added Tokens Of Might, the victory points of the dynasty: 10 was enough to win
- Apex Predator rewarded winning a round with a Lab Token
- Traffic Stuck In Teeth restricted Kaiju to a single Location Aspect
- When The Stars Are Right added a reward for recruiting new players
- Roll Cameras switched off Dishonor penalties if the game dropped below three players
- If You Want Something Done Left saw the previously out-of-game Attendant join the fray
- To Progress! renamed the Attendant as the Emperor
- Sorry, You Want A Reward Because You Messed Up? blocked Dishonorable Kaiju from victory
- A Bigger Boat added the Military, an NPC Kaiju that could buy Location and Tech Aspects for itself
- Fall Earthwards Fast reduced the Emperor Prestige if they took no actions during a day
- Dateline... Peoria proposed to speed the game up, a day before it ended...
Ascension
The Dynasty ended when Kevan accrued 10 Tokens of Might. The vote on the DoV, submitted on 1st July, 2015, was 4-0 in favour of his victory. Post-dynastic commentary is here.
