Preview: The Wedding Gift

General Briefing for The Wedding Gift

The Wedding Gift is a classic committee game for up to seven players. It is set in a fantasy world with approximately 16th/17th century levels of technology (less gunpowder and with a bit of real divinity that manifests itself very subtly).

The King of a nearby nation (Dael Riata) is about to be married to the daughter of the Chancellor of another neighbouring nation (Bernicia). The King of Dael Riata has a claim to the throne of Bernicia, and the aging Bernician Queen is childless.

The players are all important senior officials in the hierarchy of the Skyssian government. Skyss is the most powerful trading nation on the planet. They have an elected monarch who needs to retain the confidence of the nine electors to remain on the throne. The Keeper’s Council is an executive committee that deals with important matters that don’t need to go to the principals. Like the wedding gift for the King of a small poor country nearby.

More detail in individual player briefings. I’ll be running this on Saturday afternoon at the Games Weekend. Sign up using the google sheet.

Extract from Minutes of last meeting of the Keeper’s Council

The King’s Palace. Kronstadt

First Quarter, Ripening Moon. 774AM

Present:

Harald Bjornson – Clerk of the Privy (Chair)

Ingrid Kemisdottir – Keeper of the Keys (Principal Secretary to the King)

Olaf Olafsson – Secretary to the Board of Trade

Birgitte Elfrunsdottir – (Keeper of the Cloth)

Captain Freya Ingridsdottir – (Keeper of the Dockyard).

Henrik Johansson – Keeper of Treasures

Hilda Helgasdottir – Keeper of the Rolls (senior officer in the House of Justice)

Any Other Business

The Secretary to the Board of Trade, raised that ‘The Daelian ambassador came in to see me this morning. Apparently their King is getting married and we’ll be getting an invite.’ The Keeper of the Keys asked if His Majesty would be expected to attend.

‘That wasn’t clear, but I got the sense they were hoping so.’Olaf said.

‘Would His Majesty be minded to attend?’ Captain Freya Ingridsdottir asked.

‘It’s a couple of weeks by sea, but he might be minded if there’s an advantage to be had from attending.’ Ingrid said.

‘They build good ships, some of their newer ones have been outrunning ours.’ Captain Freya said.

‘We’ll need a wedding gift’ Henrik Johansson, a white haired elderly man, said. ‘Whether or not the King goes’.

‘Is there something suitable in your collection, Henrik?’ Ingrid asked.

‘That depends.’ Henrik smiled. ‘On what message His Majesty wants to give the King of Dael Riata.’

‘What is our position on the Daelians?’ Harald asked.

‘They raid too much, it’s probably time for us to burn their shipyards again.’ Captain Freya said.

‘Actually reports of raiding by Daelians have fallen of late.’ Hilda Helgasdottir said. ‘We’ve had fewer of them brought into the House of Justice for sentencing.’

‘That’s good.’ Captain Freya said. ‘But are you sure it isn’t just because they’ve got faster ships?’

‘We’ve seen the same trend too. Dael Riata has got quieter since their new King asserted himself.’ Olaf said. ‘Trade is up.’