Jump to content

What Would You Do If...?


Recommended Posts

Just got an idea to do a series of what ifs from the thread by ZeZar. His scenario was a bit facetious, but fun (and funny) regardless. :P

Basically what I will do is this: Every few days (or maybe ever week) I will pose a "what if scenario" along with specific rules that go along with that particular scenario. If you wish you can then take the challenge and post what you would do given the issue posed.

Hopefully I can come up with some good ones you all would enjoy discussing. Some will be historical in nature and others completely made up.

So, without further ado:

Mythos Ruler's Scenarios

Volume 1 "Your Kingdom Under Siege"

Time Period: Classical Period

Place: Hellas (Greece)

You are: A King.

Antagonists: Sparta, Athens, Rebels, Your wife (Queen)

Scenario: You are part of a large and proud aristocratic family that has ruled your small independant city-state on the mainland of Greece for decades. You have cultural ties with Sparta (also an aristocratic society) that go back well into the Archaic Period. However, after many hard years on the battlefield fighting alongside your Spartan ally a small movement towards democracy has germinated in your kingdom. Recently you fought successfully to open trade routes with Sparta's long time enemy, Athens, that have been an economic boon to your people and your way of life. Your economic ties to Athens have strained your relationship with Sparta and has emboldened the democratic rebels within your kingdom.

In preparation for war, the great powers of Sparta and Athens have sent emmisaries to your kingdom. Sparta has demanded that you side with them, recalling many great deeds the two of you have done together, and recalling many past glories. The Athenian ambassadors site the future; a future of prosperity in the Delian League.

As you ponder this decision with your aristocratic family members and advisors you are shocked to learn your Queen has sympathies with the democrats.

You are a King torn between duty and honor (Sparta) and prosperity for your people (Athens).

You have cultural and historical ties to Sparta.

You have economic ties to Athens.

You have a democratic movement beginning in your kingdom that threatens your crown and very way of life - worse yet your very own Queen (wife) may be betraying you!

What do you do?

Rules: Open ended for this first one. Anything goes.

Go ahead and post your comments. Hopefully we get some good ones. If this turns out well, maybe I'll make additional "volumes." :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course I'll try to keep friendly with both, for some time: an economical firendship won't mine completely the alliance with the Spartans, so I'd sign with them an "anti-rebel" treaty, who says we'll help each other in case of rebellion, but nonetheless I'll start giving some reforms to the people, but reforms decided by me, given from high, so people will think less about rebelling!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd attempt to be friends with both, then if that doesn't work I'd hook up with Athens and crush Sparta (economy is the only way to go). I'd prolly support a gradual move towards democracy, but make sure to be dead before I lost all my powers. That would also mean my wife would be free to feel as she wishes in this case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would arrange for my queen to take a 'vacatation' somwhere safe but far off. Don't want any chance of a rebellion in my own house. I would tell no advisor of mine of my plans for her vacation, she and everyone else will just think that I really think she should go to . No, not saying kill her, saying actually send her on a vacation.

Then I would meet with the Spartan embassador. I would tell him that I have done nothing against him, that the economic alliance I would agree on with Athens is because this way I know more of what's going on. If Athens decided to act against Sparta, they would know through me. But I would also warn him, that any secret act he would plan against Athens he should not tell me for I would be bound by contract to warn Athens. So I would suggest to him that he keep any secret aggressive acts towards Athens to himself, and involve me not. I would say he still has my complete alliance against any other nation. And would again reassure him that any act on Athen's behave towards him that I became known of I would tell him. I would be true to my word.

Then I would meet with the Athen embassador. I would tell him that I greatly wish for a economic alliance and peace between our nations, but can not break the loyal duties of honor I shared with Spata. But I would tell him that being Sparta's ally and his ally, I would know of any evil act Sparta meant to cause towards Athens, and I would thus warn him of it. But on the other hand, under the same alliance with Sparta, I would be forced to tell them any malicious act Athens had planned against them. Then I would comfort him, by saying that if Athens meant to act against Sparta, I must only not know about it and they will not know. They would have complete peace with me and if war shall rise between both nations I would help neither unless our relationship has proven more true than that of mine and Sparta, then I shall side with Athens. But I would again promise that I would no betray Athens, if anything I would be neutral to both. I would be true to my word.

Then I would give the people an offer, I would redirect a fair amount of my gold (money) towards educating three people from the village. These three men would be elected from the people by the people, and then would be educated in the arts of ruling an empire for 3-5 years. At the end of these years, they would become my advisors and share much power over some of the empire, but not enough to threaten mine. Then upon my death, they might be given more power depending on how they utulize their time in power.

Hopefully, this would ease all sides, not enough to consider it total peace, but enough to delay any conflict.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a note: I thought the Delian League contained both Athens and Sparta, and was Greece's unification when Alexander the Great tried to conquer them, but maybe I'm wrong.

People of Hellas: you know of the situation at hand. Athens and Sparta gather their allies for the upcoming war. Emissaries from both have been sent to my court. They remain here still because I have not given them answer to whose side our city will fight with. You know that our long history has remained with Sparta. They have been our friend for many ages. But also you know our ties with Athens. Their new form of government lets the people rule the people. A future with them would look very promising. But if we are to take a side, we must deny our longtime friend and ally, Sparta. In order to be decided who our city will side with, I have ordered that every man and woman of age in the city cast ballot. I will let the people decide whom our future lies with. If you want to side with a new future, Athens is there. If you want to side with our powerful longtime friends, Sparta is there. You the people should decide what we should do.

OK tried to keep it short, which it isn't, but oh well :P!

Also I'd expect that some people would prefer not to take sides, as taking the winning side would mean riches, but the losing side would mean death. If I wasn't so nice, I'd pick Sparta on the basis of them having a much larger and well trained army.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is after the Persian Wars (where Greece united to defeat the invading Persians) and before the Peloponnesian War (where most Greeks took sides with either Athens or Sparta in a long and terrible war). Sometime around, oh, 450 B.C.

The Delian League was the alliance between Athens, Euboea, the Aegean islands, Corcyra, and the cities of Ionia. This alliance eventually became the Athenian Empire.

Conversely, Sparta had a similar "league" - the Peloponnesian League, which included pretty much the entire Peloponnesian Penninsula (except Argos - Sparta's blood enemy).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...