1. General Info
The Kingdom PbP Game puts the player in the role of a sovereign of a fledgling nation in a high fantasy setting. They rule their kingdom in whatever way they see fit, towards whatever goals they desire. Build a strong economy, set up a trade league, or conquer your neighbours and build a might empire. The choice is left to the player.
As the player's avatar personally undertakes certain areas, others may need to be left up advisors or underlings. A ruler certainly cannot personally manage every city they possess, nor can they manage their army's expedition and the capital, so they will need to prioritise and select their ministers and generals carefully. Managing both the happiness of one's underlings and the general populace will be important to ensure your kingdom is free from rebellions and treason.
Each player will chose an avatar from one of three classes to rule over a number of races/societies. Even this choice will affect their popularity, and certain combinations are inherently more difficult than others. For example, the Dark Elves, an inherently matriarchal society, will have problems respecting a male ruler of any class; while the Orcs, a warrior society, have little respect for a Governor class ruler. Certain combinations will thus have other complications, usually that of shadow leadership, to make them playable, although by technically being an underling it puts you in a very precarious position indeed. Thus it is only recommended for players who feel confident in the game's rules.
The three classes of ruler one can select are listed below. The general advantages and disadvantages listed below are subject to modification due to racial selection; certain races treat the classes very differently. Mystics in particular are especially situational, as each race does them slightly differently, it varies a lot from listed below.
Warlord
The warlord has a military background. In a more civilised society, they are likely a great general with many victories to their name. In a more barbaric one, they're the biggest, strongest, greatest warrior. Either way, their military ability is valued by their people, and their ability to inspire unquestioned.
Generally the lower classes(or equivalent) will respect the Warlord more, as they are inspired by the fame and deeds accomplished by them, or awed by their reputation. Military life is something they can relate to, and a war hero is someone everyone can love.
Likewise, the nobility(or equivalent) mistrust or scheme against the Warlord more often. Often viewing them as a brute or simpleton who understands nothing about the non-military matters, and fearing the respect of the common people they wield.
Naturally, the Warlord performs better in battle than the other two classes, and armies raised in his kingdom are slightly better. Armies personally led by the Warlord also receive a substantial boost. However, due to his warlike reputation, diplomatic relations with nearby kingdoms are more difficult, as they fear an invasion.
Governor
The Governor is an individual who has learned or been taught how to rule, often from a young age. In a civilised background, they're a scholar and a nobleman with a keen interest in economics and diplomacy; in a more barbaric background, they're often a shadow ruler hiding behind another, manipulating them to do their bidding. Either way, they're masters of managing the economy of a kingdom, and better at keeping everyone content.
Generally, the Governor is the most skilled at balancing relations, and doesn't incur any particular penalties from a class. Of course, they don't gain any bonuses either, but this skill also applies out to diplomacy, where they gain a bonus.
The Governor will also gain slightly more resources each harvest as they set in place more efficient systems. This bonus is compounded in the area they're personally managing, as they can ensure their system is implemented optimally.
Of the three classes, the Governor performs least will in a military situation. Their knowledge and skill in the area are typically rather limited and while the common soldiers may still appreciate having their ruler lead the army, the other officers will not be so approving of such things.
Mystic
The Mystic is an individual who wields magic power of particular note amongst his people, or something equivalent. In a magic rich race, they are a paragon of magical power, a protégée. In a race where magic is less common, they are no less powerful, but stand-out all the more because of it. As mentioned above, of all the classes, the Mystic changes the most from race to race, and the text below is only a rough guideline that may not be accurate to each race.
Generally, the Mystic is both feared and mistrusted by their people, imposing a slight penalty to the happiness of each class. However, their advisors, ministers and generals are all the more loyal through some combination of seeing through the clout surrounding them to fearing the consequences should they disobey or betray the Mystic. It is also more common for other individuals with magical ability to be available to appoint as staff.
Likewise, their diplomatic relations can also be somewhat strained due to the awe inspiring reputation. Having a powerful mystic next door would make any ruler nervous. However, the resource production of an area managed personally by the mystic will increase dramatically as their magical talents are put to use. Army strength is also boosted by the presence of a mystic, as their powers are put to use to alter conditions into ones more favourable. A mystic may also be able to field special units as they call upon their power.