Run Villein, Run!

Run Villein, Run! is first and foremost a story of resistance. It is a journey, a TTRPG where you search for freedom enabled by the Caltrop Core system by TitanomancyRPG and the Carta SRD by Peach Garden Games for the Caltrop Core Jam.

Where do we play?

This game is set in Elius, a feudal society with hints of scifi or fantasy flavor.  The monopolization of land rights by a chosen few has resulted in a replication of the manorial economic system. Most are only able to survive as tenants to the Landlord aristocracy.

Some arrivals to Elius were able to afford arrangements exchanging goods and money for tenant right to homes and land or perform a short indenture-ships because they had skills in high demand. Their descendants today are the free peasantry of Elius. Your ancestors were not so lucky.

Who do we play?

You are a villein, a bonded peasant. You get a parcel of agricultural land in exchange for several days labor a week to your landlord. This could be farming, but also mining, quarrying, cutting wood, construction, or gathering resources from the many caves on your lord's land. If you want to learn more about villeins, you can read about it here!

The land can be enough to live on in good times, yes. Under a harsh lord though or in times of poor weather, the fees and taxes can be a straining burden on top of your several days of required labor for your lord. Other villeins are not really suited for a rural life of hard work either because they have larger ambitions or they do not find themselves physically or mentally adapted to the tasks at hand. These folk dream of a way out.

Fortunately one exists.

Why do we play?

Nearby your lord's lands lies the Free City of Avet. Avet and critical other locations around the planet were made neutral ground outside of the influence of the nobles. Urban centers sprang up there to service the needs of transport, resources processing, and trade. If you could only get yourself to Avet and remain hidden there for a year, then you could be free of your previous servile life for good. While being a poor peasant in the City holds it own risks, not even the sky is the limit to how high you or your children could rise!

Our game follows this journey. Using the card-based Carta system to create The Road to Avet, your Villein characters try their best to manage their health and supplies as they make their way to freedom. Each card provides a scenario or problem your characters need to overcome. These are roleplayed using a simple d4 system based on the Caltrop Core. 

Status of the project

This project is current in a prototype state. It has a basic formatting layout and no art yet. I will be continuing to work on this by refining the Carta events and mechanics, developing a proper layout, and adding thematically appropriate art over the first quarter of 2022. When I consider the game feature complete, I will switch this game from PWYW to a base required cost with avliable community copies like most of my other games.

If you get the game now, then you will have access to any further improvements as a thank you for your support no matter the status of future arrangements and will contribute to the starting Community Copy .

Legal

Run Villein, Run! uses mechanics derived from Caltrop Core created by Lex Kim Bobrow (aka @titanomancyRPG) and the Carta SRD created by Cat McDonald (aka @catlinggun) of Peach Garden Games.  However, Run Villein, Run! is not affiliated with or endorsed by Lex Kim Bobrow, Cat McDonald, or Peach Garden Games.

You, the user, are welcome to utilize the mechanics and concepts of this game as you see fit for either enjoyment or personal gain so long you to credit me and no verbatim copying of text if it for a commercial use. However, you can consider that permission revoked if you use this game to create anything utilizing or related to blockchain technologies such as NFTs or other such technologies found to be particularly harmful as defined by me, Bryon Casebolt (aka Hessan Yongdi).

Additionally, I reserve the right to revoke permission for use or  of this product to any individual, group, or organization who uses the materials found within for any reason found to be harmful to others or to promote hateful viewpoints including, but not limited to:
-   racism, ethnocentrism, sexism, or other forms of discrimination against individuals or groups based on their mental & physical characteristics, sincere religious beliefs, economic status, professions, or ancestry

-   Fascism, white supremacy, and other extremist political and economic viewpoints that promote exploitation or any form of violence against individuals or groups for any reason