#The King's Dilemma

[natjennie]

this little laurie face is killing me right now. tfw you rebel against reality on the orders of your mad king.

[kuiperblog]

The King’s Dilemma is a game about roleplaying

I just played my first game of The King’s Dilemma, which is the most fun I’ve had playing a board game in a long time (and that’s speaking as someone who plays a lot of board games and has a collection that is entirely too big).

This man is suffering, but not from success.

The entire game is about reading cards from a deck that present you (the leaders of the noble houses of the kingdom, who are the the real leaders standing behind the figurehead king) with questions and voting on them (with various consequences, negative or positive).  The things you do affect the kingdom’s military strength, economy, health, morale, and knowledge.

A merchant sold spoiled food to your citizens.  Do you punish the man and make an example of him?  If you do, it will discourage anyone who might try to do the same (improving the health of your kingdom), but it might also have a chilling effect on trade (worsening the economy).  Punishment or no?  Aye or nay?

You’ve discovered a rare metal that might be useful for forging weapons.  Will you use it to bolster your own military, or seek economic benefits through trade?

Each card has printed icons showing some of the immediate consequences...but once you flip the card over and read the prose describing the aftermath of your decision, you’ll often discover that there may be hidden consequences that might have only been vaguely hinted at by the front half of the dilemma card. (This is the part where the game tells you to “open envelope #46, read the story card, then add the rest of the cards from the envelope to the dilemma deck.” The deck is shuffled each time, but the further you progress, the more likely you are to confront the consequences of past votes.)

Every member of the council can commit any number of power tokens from their supply to either an “Aye” or “nay” vote...or take the third option, and abstain.  (Because you stayed home to attend to your house’s affairs instead of attending the vote, choosing to abstain from the vote allows you to accrue a bit of power which you can use for future votes, as well as money, which can’t vote directly, but might be used to bribe other players in future votes.)  In addition to the direct consequences of your actions, new story cards will be added to the deck, presenting you with branching consequences for whichever path the council decided would be best.

However, what’s good for the kingdom may or may not be what is best for your particular noble house. The game begins with everyone secretly drafting a card which defines their own scoring conditions.

Sometimes your secret agenda will oppose someone else’s objectives: for example, the opportunist (who wants the kingdom to be weak) is directly at odds with the person who desires opulence (and wants the kingdom to be strong along every metric).  However, more often than not, your goals are orthogonal to other players: the moderate player wants all of the tracks to be close to the middle, which means that they’ll want to strengthen military efforts if the nation’s borders are looking weak, but they’ll start to do the opposite if the nation’s military starts getting too strong.

This orthogonality of hidden victory conditions around the table leads to natural shifting of alliances throughout the game in a way that’s completely organic, which also leads to great moments of drama and betrayal when the person who you cooperated with on the last 3 votes agrees to help you with another vote, only to reverse course at the last minute.  (Of course, you knew that eventually, your interests would diverge, something that you will surely bear in mind as you curse your former friend’s sudden yet inevitable betrayal.)

This set of hidden incentives is what undergirds every vote in the game: everyone’s route to victory looks different, and it may or may not coincide with a prosperous kingdom.

The King’s Dilemma is a game that encourages light roleplaying.  Every reviewer who talks about the game says this, and it’s true: a big part of the fun comes from the fact that you’re pretending to be the leader of one of twelve different noble houses, and a lot of the fun happens from picking a house with a philosophy that you get to embody, with each house having a tagline like “Never Break a Deal” (the motto of the merchant house) or “Tranquility In Death” (the house that takes on the unenviable task of defending the southern border, and seems to enjoy war and conflict just a bit too much). It’s exactly the kind of thing that appeals to the sorts of YouTube shows that are “friends sitting around a table, dressed in medieval costumes and playing larger than life characters.”

Funhaus, true to their channel name, clearly had fun with this one.

But the game is also about roleplaying in a different way: there’s a real sense that, within the fiction of the universe that the game inhabits, every single debate that takes place is kind of a LARP.

For example, on the final dilemma of the night, we were presented with the question of whether we should raise taxes on the prosperous and flourishing metalworkers guild for the purpose of feeding the poor.  As the first person to vote, I began with an impassioned speech about how as the nobles who had been tasked with stewardship of the kingdom, it was our responsibility to ensure that all people in the kingdom benefitted from the kingdom’s prosperity, and that passing the tariff would be the best way to ensure this.

However, my true reasons for trying to persuade the table of an “aye” vote were far more cynical: it’s true that I wanted the “community welfare” track to stay high, but this was largely because I had a objective token that meant that my house would be blamed (and thus lose prestige) if the kingdom’s welfare got too low. If we didn’t come up with an immediate short-term solution to the current hunger crisis, my house would lose 3 prestige points!   And so my character, within the fiction of this world, LARPed as someone who was concerned with the welfare of the people, when in fact he was only concerned with the image of his noble house.  How do I know that my character was only cynically LARPing as someone who cared about charity?  Because as soon as someone at the table offered me 12 gold to change my vote, I immediately accepted the offer.

It was one of those perfect moments of ludonarrative harmony, where the game’s mechanics perfectly convey the game’s themes and story.  What better way to tell a story about cynical, self-interested, backstabbing aristocrats who treat politics as nothing more than an exercise in gamesmanship than by presenting us with a set of game mechanics that would guide us to act out those exact scenarios ourselves?

The game was full of moments like this, where the theme just sang.  And what’s best is that these moments will happen, even if you don’t go out of your way to “lean into the fun.”  This isn’t a game where you have to choose between doing the “fun” thing instead of doing the thing that will make you win: the game’s mechanics are structured such that the best moments emerge as a result of everyone at the table ruthlessly pursuing whatever tack will result in them having the largest share of victory points at the end of the game.

Every moment is about doing the thing that will benefit you most, all the while trying to persuade everyone at the table that what you’re doing will actually be beneficial for them, and they should totally support you in the resolution that you’re trying to pass (or block)...while also hinting that, while you are definitely defending your position out of principle, you’re not so principled that you couldn’t be persuaded to change positions if they made the right offer.

The game continues until the king abdicates or -- if the council governs well -- until enough years have passed that the king dies of old age.  Our king lived long enough to die in his bed, surrounded by his loved ones (and us, his council of scheming advisors).  And as I proved more successful in scheming and earning prestige than anyone else at the table, I get to name the king’s heir, who will take the throne for next week’s game. I won tonight’s game, but the campaign has just begun. The king is dead, long live the king.

[saragrosie]

Some really stupid season 3-4ish mag sketches plus obligatory crumpling Jon up into a ball (And also s1 Jon is there writing his gay little statements whatever).

I say s3-4 cuz Helen ya know here's another Helen under the cut my beloved they could never make me hate you. You are the not a who but the moment the icon the legend:

I'm sharing some more dumbass things I've drawn in another post cuz there are early season 5 references (I'm on MAG 169) so check that out if you're caught up to there if not begone no spoilers for you ok byeeeee

[payidaresque]

Requested by Anonymus ❤️

[melljam]

and once again, gitae is drop-dead gorgeous !

[planetoflovers]

As a Jason liker why am I in the anti Jason Todd tag but you’re so real for the “citizens see red hood as more effective than Batman” hate. Loathing. 13 year old kids seeing the guy that killed their uncle Anthony but it’s okay cause dealers won’t sell to their 16 year old sister who’s either now doing even shadier shit to get drugs or being forced through withdrawal. Okay. If you want to fanon jason stays in crime alley area and Jason really puts the fear of god into criminals by killing them -> generation of kids growing up with red hood related ptsd from their extended family and neighbors being killed by this dude. Like. Why are so many people in this fandom obsessed with theory posting about things they don’t know anything about.

It just does not make any sense to me. There are so many examples of goons with families in Batman comics. I’m currently reading Batgirl 2000 and this is a recurring archetype amongst the criminals she fights. I just really dislike Jason stans’ hypocrisy surrounding some of the characters moral codes. Like they say Bruce is childish and weak for upholding his no kill rule and then say that Jason’s methods of killing with no due process or remorse is what Gotham really needs. It’s absurd.

Murdered are a dime a dozen in Gotham. For every drug dealer Jason kills there’s probably another guy out there glad that his competition is gone. Bruce’s whole thing is that he never wants another child to go through what he went through when his parents died, regardless of how morally upright those parents happen to be. Him going around killing criminals goes against that cause whether you want to admit it or not every criminal has someone that loves them.

It should be obvious to everyone by now that Gotham’s main issue is corruption. The reason crime runs rampant is because most of the policy makers and law officials are in the pocket of crime lords like the penguin and black mask thus preventing justice from taking place.

I’ve probably said this before but a lot of gothamites don’t even like Batman and his associates and he works within the limits of the law. With Batman you at least know that you’ll live to see tomorrow but with the red hood that guarantee is not there. Batman inspired hope in people that they can change and choose to do better. Some newer comics seem to have forgotten the heart of Batman but moments like this one from Batman: kings of fear show that Bruce is making a change

And anyways Jason’s whole thing seems more like a child rebelling and lashing out at his father than any real attempt at crime prevention 🤷🏾‍♀️

[ispaintingcalmly]

King Arthur❤️

[white-flower-blooming]

Ghost king little dilemma

•When you're trying not to rely on the brother of your nemesis but still have to rely on them....

Shi Qingxuan: Hey Ming-Xiong didn't you say you were good at fighting?? How come you're so miserable

He Xuan (grumbling): Shut up don't mention it

In the calamity bros communication array:

HX: Bastard did you have to punch me so hard!!

HC (innocently): it has to look credible right

HX: MY ASS!!! YOU WERE CLEARLY ENJOYING THIS!!!

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[malwarechips]

^ this guy

[romancemedia]

At this rate, I suspect these animes will be released on DVD/Blu Ray next year... and I REALLY want them.

[thechampagnesocialist]

Dom Alleyne, Duke of Coden and haver of a punchable face <3

-> Ken Ego | tbc.

[eggsaladed]

My main BG3 Tav, Gavriel mega-post!!

The embodiment of "fuck it! why not!"

Nowadays he has a very uncaring take on life, usually just looking for a good time or something to distract him

He sees himself as a bad person, so he tries very hard to fit into that persona. Despite this, his first knee jerk reaction is to always be compassionate and helpful whenever he sees someone in need.

In short, he's very empathetic which he finds annoying.

Full backstory under the cut!!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Gavriel was raised believing he was an orphan. Taken in as a little child by a travelling circus, the ringmaster alongside his wife when raising him, besides shaving his whole head, made him train to be a fire performer from a very young age.

Because of Gavriel's tiefling heritage, the ringmaster burnt him during one of their very first training sessions to prove to his wife that he could withstand it, leaving him with horrifying scars on his hands and forearms that he was told to bandage and hide. Little Gavriel repressed memories of that accident.

But sometime in his teenage years those scattered memories started surfacing again. When accidentally overhearing the ringmaster arranging a way of getting rid of him, supposedly because the boy started being paranoid around the fire that he was supposed to perform with and was no use to the show, Gav decided to confront him in his private tent.

Their meeting grew sour, turning into a fight. The ringmaster lunged at him with a knife. Gavriel ended up having to defend himself, killing the ringmaster in the process.

In that skirmish, a candle sitting on a desk got knocked over and started a fire, quickly spreading through the whole camp. With said fire being so big and ferocious it looked as if noone could possibly survive it. Convinced that he had murdered innocents, the last thing he saw before running away, and eventually becoming a rouge, was his best friend and her expression of utter horror who was convinced all this destruction was deliberate.

His best friend growing up was a half Drow girl, a fellow performer. She was a dancer, but her biggest passion were fantastical stories, which she used to share with him every night. The love for stories stayed with Gavriel to adulthood.

[natjennie]

HEARTBREAKING youtubers playing a game you really care about are getting a rule wrong !!

[anitrendz]

Best Boy Spring 2024 Week 5

Spring 2024 Anime Season Character - Anime Trending | Your Voice in Anime (anitrendz.com)

Kazuma remains at top, but Rudeus climbs up 4 spots to 2nd place after falling to 6th last week. Anos reaches Top 10 for the first time - a former Best Boy of the Year contender who has now since struggled in later seasons.

[white-flower-blooming]

Ghost king little dilemma

•When you try to help your Gege but you get a bit jealous in the process

Xie Lian: So San Lang there's that kid I couldn't find

Hua Cheng: No worry Gege San Lang got this

Xie Lian (feeling sorry for the kid): Ah San Lang. This kid looks so hungry. I know this is your house and I don't want to be impolite...

Hua Cheng (calm and collected): No need to ask. Do what you need to.

[HC taking a deep breath even if he don't need to): Calm down, it's for Gege. Remember for Gege. His Highness has always been generous and magnanimous with everyone. No need to worry -]

*Xie Lian treating the little beggar with utmost care*

[HC: NO NO NO NOOO!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! THE HELL WITH THAT DAMN BRAT!! HE'S TAKING GEGE ATTENTION!! Who the fuck does he think he is to STEAL Gege??!! I MUST GET RID OF HIM!! NO ONE CAN STEAL GEGE!!]

《Previous Next》

[spearxwind]

I need to find a way to scribble my bf in a way that doesnt make me explode (derogatory) so i can draw silly nonsense like i used to do with my irl friends in high school but its no longer acceptable to draw everyone looking like anime bc i can actually draw human features now jdjfjfjfdh

I also cant use any stand-ins because he obviously doesnt have a sona he's literally the kind of guy who uses his name for every media account and videogame character