The Maiden Saga: Role Playing Game (2 page)

The winner gains 1 Glory Point and the game continues along his chosen path, unless the loser chooses to restart the Conflict.

To restart the Conflict, the loser must sacrifice 1 Glory Point and chooses the new Conflict Attribute.

Any player who has run out of Glory Points cannot restart a conflict, but this does not mean they are out of the game.

 

This basic system works for all games, each of which has its own individual characteristics. To learn to play the Maiden Saga, read on.

 

The Peoples of the Maiden Saga

 

There are eight different peoples in the
Maiden Saga
, each with their own distinct culture and each absolutely convinced of their own superiority. They do not merely think that those with different religious beliefs are fools and heretics, they
know
it, just as they know that people from less advanced cultures are murderous barbarians or even cannibals
«
and that people from more advanced cultures are effete, self-righteous poseurs. Worlds beyond their own are, at most, a rumour, irrelevant to day to day life. These peoples are – Aeg, Mund, Hai, Ythan, Makean, Oretean, Vendjomois, and Aprinian – and their approximate ranges are shown on the world map. Some are related, some entirely distinct.

 

«
They may be right.

 

Roles of age and sex are important, but be assured that if you are a seven foot Aeg maiden you are nobody's victim, although cunning and knowledge can be just as effective as brute force. The world is also full of half-men and dire beasts.

Individuals can be as complicated as your imagination allows, but each culture has a
Primary Drive
, one of the eight main attributes that govern the way different people think and act, not only in the Maiden Saga, but through the Cluster.

 

• Power (Aeg) – you exalt in your raw, magnificent strength.
  
• Allure (Hai) – even the gods are in awe of your beauty.
  
• Pride – (Mund) – you innate nobility sets you apart.
  
• Craft (Ythan) – your skill and dexterity raise you above the common dross.
  
• Greed (Makean) – the satisfaction of your desire is the only worthwhile goal.
  

• Guile (Oretean) – as you persuade others, so you control them.
  
• Wisdom (Aprinian) – knowledge separates men from beasts and you from lesser men.
  
• Wealth (Vendjomois) – if you have enough money, everything is for sale.
  

 

Each culture is developed across the four books of the Maiden Saga but the brief descriptions and key words below should be used when considering the character and likely reactions of each people. In keeping with the nature of the books, the stress is on eroticism.

 

Aeg

 

“You intend to fight? Good.”

 

 

The Aeg are huge, often over seven feet tall, pale skinned and red haired. They are ferocious fighters and enthusiastic raiders, but prefer to avoid combat with an obviously unworthy opponent. Most are practical and down to earth, but all are superstitious and some are fey. Save for a very few Mund, only the Aeg are sufficiently in touch with nature to produce witches and warlocks, who can distil potions, talk to the dead and in rare cases summon demons. Everybody else regards the Aeg as barbarians, but there their few sea ports are relatively cosmopolitan and have adopted many of the customs of Mund.

 

• Primary Drive - Power
  
• Social – primitive, hunting and gathering, some agriculture. Chieftainship using Mund titles.
  
• Slavery – incomprehensible.
  
• Technology – iron.
  
• Armament – heavy axe, hunting bow, mace. Crude armour.
  
• Clothing – fur, leather, simple cloth. Practical garments.
  
• Religion – ancestor worship.
  

 

Erotic Congress – the Aeg mate more or less as they please. Although a naturally beautiful people, strength and size are considered the prime physical attributes, so that anybody approached, male or female, may put up a fight in order to show pride, warm up a little or make sure their prospective partner is worthy. In the sea ports and especially among important families Mundic customs have been adopted with enthusiasm but incomplete understanding as they find it hard to equate sex with shame. Prostitution is unknown, but potions made from the musk of nymphs or goblins can be purchased by those who need assistance in gaining the object of their desire.

 

Quirks – with the Aeg it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between sex and a brawl, but despite the best efforts of some to imitate the Mund they don't really understand sexual aberration. The Mund might disagree, pointing out that Aeg barbarians consort with nymphs and even trolls, drawing the line only at goblins, while witches and warlocks are rumoured to summon demons for their private indulgence.

 

Mund

 

“You have insulted me. Prepare to defend yourself.”

 

 

The Mund are close cousins to the Aeg but marginally less gigantic and often pale haired. The general population are hearty and practical but often aggressive. They do not suffer fools gladly and are often somewhat dour and given to rage or in rare cases berserk fury. These characteristics are taken to extremes among the nobility, who are immensely proud and obsessive about status. Those who die in combat feast for eternity, but there are separate halls for heroes and heroines. No living person can be a hero. They trade precious metals and furs, providing considerable wealth.

 

• Primary Drive - Pride
  
• Social – medieval, feudal. Agriculture, hunting. Basic monarchy.
  
• Slavery – anathema.
  
• Technology – steel.
  
• Armament – great sword, war bow, specialised daggers. Developed armour.
  
• Clothing – cloth, some fine. Rarely silk. Elaborate garments.
  
• Religion – ancestor worship.
  

 

Erotic Congress – the general population behave much as the Aeg do, especially in remote areas, but with more reserve. Among the nobility sex is both peculiar and alarming. Both men and women are intensely proud and extraordinarily sensitive to humiliation, while virginity is an obsession. Highborn girls live in towers and wear iron girdles beneath immensely elaborate dresses in order to ensure the preservation of their virginity and reveal the absolute minimum of flesh. A highborn man, in order to gain a mate, must scale the tower, break in through a window, force the lock of the girl's chastity girdle and ravish her. He will meet stern resistance throughout, involving not only nails and teeth but daggers, swords, chamberpots and anything else that comes to hand. Only once her virginity has been taken will she give in, after which their union will be for life. Thus it is assured that only the proudest and strongest reproduce, and that there are few superfluous nobles.

 

Quirks – the Mund, especially the nobles, are obsessed with flagellation, both erotic and punitive, also nudity. To the spanked naked is the ultimate humiliation to a noble Mund, while even the exposure of a buttock has been known to trigger berserk rage. Lesbian relationships between highborn girls and their maids are normal but a shameful secret.

 

Hai

 

“Sit, let us drink and watch the sport in the streets.”

The Hai are related to the Aeg and the Mund but with a touch of southern blood which gives them their golden beauty. They are a cheerful people, enjoying pageants and every sort of display, especially elaborate cruelties and humiliations. Political intrigue is taken for granted at every level of society and loyalty is fluid to say the least. The climate is mild, food easy to come by, wine as easy to make as to drink. The Hai regard the Aeg and Mund as bloodthirsty savages, but they themselves are larger and stronger than most, providing excellent mercenaries if they can be bothered. Hero is a rare and exalted title, gained only by some extraordinary feat or by killing an existing hero in combat.

 

• Primary Drive – Allure
  
• Social – renaissance. Guilds, class mobility. Agriculture. Monarchy.
  
• Slavery – rare.
  
• Technology – steel. Fine glass is a speciality.
  
• Armament – axe, crossbow, swords for nobles, hammers for priests.
  
• Clothing – fine cloth, silk. Light, stylish garments.
  
• Religion – monotheism.
  

 

Erotic Congress – the Hai take sex more or less for granted, enjoying each other openly and with few inhibitions. Although not exceptionally lustful, they consider it rude not to satisfy each other in the evening or at a small social gathering between friends. Erotic spectacles are part of every pageant and circus program, while nudity is commonplace. A young couple might well slake their desire for each other in the street without attracting adverse comment, while a maid thrown into a pit of goblins for impudence will come out a trifle crestfallen but still smiling. The Gannite priesthood attempt to stress the submissive role of women but few take any notice, regarding their vindictive displays of restraint and flagellation as just one more entertainment, even if on the receiving end.

 

Quirks – elaborate and subtle cruelties are a normal part of sex and there are few taboos, which means that to others, especially the Mund, the Hai are unspeakably depraved.

 

Ythan

 

“The practical solution is always the best.”