M.E. Brines' web page

His blog can be found on Goodreads

He also game masters…

Ruling Dynasty play-by e-mail role playing game

In Ruling Dynasty, players run a family of characters in a fantasy world. The object of the game is to have a long-lasting dynasty and raise your empire’s prosperity and technology over time. Players deal with rival dynasties, construct palaces, monuments, cities and ships, raise armies, engage in warfare and diplomacy, marry into other families, and sire new characters (children), over time forging mighty empires and creating a new civilization. Each weekly turn represents the passage of one game-year. Due to the game’s open-ended nature, players may join the game at any time.

Characters not controlled by players are known as non-player characters (NPCs) and are run by the Game Master (GM) whose purpose is to make the game as challenging and fun for the players as possible. As such, the GM will play those positions as different personalities, allying with or opposing players depending on circumstances.

The map is divided into provinces. Each inhabited province has a name, dominant race, dominant religion, a fortification level, a wealth level and potentially other details. Name, race and religion are listed on the map; other information is listed on the owner’s character sheet. There may be a symbol indicating terrain. Provincial borders indicated by ^^^^^^ indicate mountain ranges.

Provinces that come into “unrest” have potential to revolt. This is indicated on the map by an unhappy face symbol. Unrest is the last stage before open revolt. If one of your provinces goes into unrest you should do something about it. There are many ways to “deal” with unrest. Whether you employ the velvet glove or the mailed fist is up to you.

Each turn, players submit their orders to the GM, who determines the success of the various endeavors attempted based on the various modifiers utilized. Modifiers are anything that makes an endeavor possible—wealth, weapons, talents, etc. Modifiers are typically expressed as a numerical bonus after a “+” symbol. Modifiers are not necessarily useful for every endeavor. For example, a warship provides no benefit when trying to build a road.

The GM produces a newsletter every turn with notes on important happenings of interest. The GM then sends each player an updated character sheet showing all of that player's current characters and possessions with advice and commentary from their underlings. Players should also consult the game maps and forum for changes every turn. Unlike most on-line games, in Ruling Dynasty a player's actions can permanently change the world.

Players have a week between turns to engage in diplomacy with the other players, decide what they want to do, write up their orders and turn them in to the GM by the deadline. Orders are easy to issue and can be modified any time up to the final deadline. An example of orders is given at the end of the rules.

Begin your rule today!

Who is M.E. Brines?

M.E. Brines spent the Cold War assembling atomic artillery shells and preparing to unleash the Apocalypse (and has a medal to prove it.) But when peace broke out, he turned his fevered, paranoid imagination to other pursuits. He spends his spare time scribbling another steampunk romance occult adventure novel, which despite certain rumors absolutely DOES NOT involve time-traveling Nazi vampires!

A former member of the British Society for Psychical Research, he is the author of three dozen books, e-books, chapbooks and pamphlets on esoteric subjects such as alien abduction, alien hybrids, astrology, the Bible, biblical prophecy, Christian discipleship, conspiracies, esoteric Nazism, the Falun Gong, Knights Templar, magick, and UFOs, his work has also appeared in Challenge magazine, Weird Tales, The Outer Darkness, Tales of the Talisman, and Empirical magazine.

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