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Gathering the Players

In order to play Rulers you will need:

  • Several six sided dice (d6).
  • A map of the world you will be playing in.
  • The means to communicate with players both publicly and privately, either online or in-person.
  • One player to be the Gamemaster (GM), and several other players to be Rulers.

The Players and the GM

A game of Rulers requires a number of players to play Rulers, as well as one player who is the Gamemaster. The player who is the Gamemaster (GM) is responsible for advancing turns, providing a narrative structure, arbitrating resolutions, and everything in the game not directly controlled by the other players, such as GM controlled Rulers (GMRs).

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Often these game controlled characters are called NPCs, or “non-player controlled”. In this game we opt to call them “GM-controlled Rulers” or GMRs, because the GM is a player too!

Players are responsible for their Ruler and the Realm they govern. It is their responsibility to track their Resource production, upkeep costs, the positions of their Armies and Messengers on the world map, any ongoing effects they are responsible for creating, and resolving as much of their actions as they can be themself, aside from actions requiring opposed rolls from other Rulers.

Players, including the GM, should share their worldbuilding and encourage each other to add to the collective narrative in a way that supports other players.

Rulers & Realms

The Ruler is a character controlled by a player (which includes the GM). Every Ruler commands their own Realm and takes all actions relating to it.

Realms are civilizations in Rulers which govern at least one Region, and refers to their total area of control. Every Realm has a Ruler.

Players may describe their Realm, its people, its culture, its armies, its settlements and its resources, in any way they may see fit, providing all other players are in agreement that these descriptions suit the overall narrative of the game they all wish to play.

Player vs Character Knowledge

The players in a game of Rulers may have access to information that the character of their Ruler would not know. For instance, they may know details of another player’s Realm, such as information about their culture or settlements, that were communicated player-to-player, but not Ruler-to-Ruler. It is very important to both fairness and roleplaying that players do their best to make decisions as their Ruler would make them, based on that character’s personality and the information available to them, and to avoid being swayed by what they know as a player. A Ruler making what you as a player knows to be a bad choice, is good for the story.