From the Phoenix’s Ashes: Politics and Intrigue

While I wrote this campaign setting for the dungeon crawling potential, while moving away from at least some of the problematic tropes of the genre, I think it would also work quite well as a setting for political intrigue if a DM more skilled then I were to run it.

Read more: From the Phoenix’s Ashes: Politics and Intrigue

You’ve got a young queen, much beloved, but one who has spent much of her youth in a foreign culture with very different politics and social customs. She is scared that her country could go down the same past as their just-defeated opponent and wants to move to a system of government with more checks and balances, or one that puts less power into a small number of people. She is leaning towards a Commonwealth style constitutional monarchy, but could be persuaded towards backing other forms of government.

Meanwhile the nobles are split: Many of them want a return to tradition, with the rights afforded them that were curtailed during the war returned, the Queen to marry into one of them, and so forth. However, many of the richer nobles have actually allied with a number of wealthy non-noble merchants to push for a form of plutocracy, or at least laws that favour the wealthy.

Meanwhile, many of the returning veterans want a form of government that gives them more say. They saved the country, and as a result, they want their voices heard. This ranges from demands for democracy, to socialism (democratic or otherwise), to anarchism, hitting all points between. Many of the farmers and workers that supported the war effort with long hours and rationing have joined in these movements.

To give more foes for the players to fight, there is a small (optional) group of fascists, formed mostly from a group of rear-line troops that didn’t see actual combat and want to see their nation grow in power and influence over its remaining neighbours, by force if needed. This faction ensures that no matter what composition of players you have, they have someone they all hate to work against.