Mahadlika

Getting back to Mahadlika

2010-08-03T00:13:00.000-07:00

I'm narrowing my gaming related writing to my Mahadlika blog... and not so much gaming related writing but Story-writing. I'll focus on putting down the setting of Mahadlika and moving towards fleshing out its characters and locals.

This is supposed to be an altered history setting, with the intent of pouring more gasoline in the tumultuous period of Philippine history by changing some key economic and political factors in order to fast track things along.

I won't be using real people from history, but people born into a strange and different philippines of the 19th century. the Philippines was roughly 2-3 million at the time, but the amount of control, taxable populace and commerce intensity was very low because of some very basic economic aspects noted by Jonathan Fast in Roots of Dependency.

I will begin to point out the differences and illuminate the cast of thousands. Write now Edit later, so the quality is not going to be great but at least the good ideas are going to finally find some readers. Anyway, this is a labor of love than a real business plan.

I will be working on some outlines this week and will be writing and posting next week.

Here is Jeds Character, some questions

2009-12-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

Why is she unmarried? Women are typically forced to marry by society, an admirer or her relatives. Some reason why she is unmarried would be helpful. At default assume, she was but it is learned she was barren. This embarrassed her husbands family and they filed for annulment. You are free to make up your own reason.
Quirks? 5 distinguishing habits, or marks that make her stand out.
Stage Name or Real Name?
Flesh out the background. Feel free task about more about any historical details that might help.
flesh out her motivations, figure out what is her day to day conflict and what keeps her from marrying again or attaching herself to some man as a mistress. Very strong motivations are usually attached to independence.

Feel free modify her. I'll come up with my own version based on this. (will update probably next week)

Character: “Sophia Bella”

Archetype:

Description :

Background:

Attributes [40]: ST 9 [-10]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 10 [0].

Secondary Characteristics [0]: Dmg 1d-2/1d [0]; Basic Lift 16lbs [0]; HP 9 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Per 12 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Basic Speed 5 [0]; Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8 [0];

Social Background [5]:

Spanish Cultural Familiarity [0];
Speak Kastil (native) [0];
Tagalog Cultural Familiarity [1];
Chinese Cultural Familiarity [1].
Speak Tagalog (fluent) [3];
R/W Spanish (fluent) [0];

Advantages [70]:

Ally (Madrid Olivera) [5];
Appearance: Beautiful [12];
Combat Reflex [15];
Charisma +2 [10];
Empathy [15];
Reputation (Performer: Manila Area; recognition-10) +2 [3].
Fine Manual Dexterity +2 [10]

Disadvantages [-60]:

Code of Honor (Lady) [-5];
Duty, Non-Hazardous (Performer) [-5];
Intolerance (Clergy) [-5];
Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10];
Secret: Agnostic (Serious Embarrassment) [-5];
Sense of Duty (Friends and Loyal Patrons) [-5];
Social Stigma (2nd Class Citizen, Barren) [-10];
Strength -1 [-10].

Quirks [-5]:

Skills [65]:

Primary Skills [31]:

Intra-Personal Skills [18]:

Psychology (H) IQ [4]-15Ə;

Body Language (A) Per [2]-12;
Diplomacy (H) IQ [4]-14©;
Acting (A) IQ [2]-14©;
Public Speaking (A) IQ [2]-14©;
Observation (A) Per [2]-12
Carousing (A) HT [2]-14©.

Performer Skills [13]:

Artist (Designer) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10;
Profession (Actor) (A) IQ [2]-12;
Performance (A) IQ [2]-12;
Literature (Theater) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10;
Writer (A) IQ [2]-12;

Make Up (E) IQ [1]-12;
Disguise (A) IQ [2]-12;
Sewing (A) IQ [2]-12.

Secondary Skills [21]:

Unusual Skills [21]:

Detect Lies (H) Per [4]-12Ə
Sex Appeal (A) HT [2]-14@©
Sleight of Hand (H) DX [4]-12§
Pick Pocket (H) DX [4]-12§
Filch (A) DX [2]-12§
Hold-out (A) DX [2]-12§
Merchant (A) IQ [1]-14©
Knife (E) DX [1]-10

Background Skills [13]:

Area Knowledge (Manila) (E) IQ [0]-12

Cultural Background [4]:

Theology (Roman Catholic) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10;
Literature (Spanish) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10;
History (Local) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10;
Current Affairs (Local) (E) IQ [1]-12;

Status Background [9]:

Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ-2 [1]-12;
House Keeping (E) IQ [1]-12;

Dancing (A) DX [2]-10
Musical Instrument (H) IQ-2 [1]-12§;
Singing (H) HT [1]-10;
Savoir-Faire (Servant) (E) IQ-2 [1]-12.

Current Affairs (High Society) (E) IQ [1]-12;

First Aid (E) IQ [1]-12;

@ - Appearance

§ - Fine manual Dexterity

Ə – Empathy

Reaction Bonus: +4 to everyone else, +6 to men, +1 in business transactions, +2 for people who recognize her. A the highest +9 doing business with working class men who watched her perform.

Appearance +2/+4

Charisma +2

Merchant Skill +1

Reputation +2

Worn:

Clothes (status 0) ($120), 4lbs
Shoes $40, 2lbs
Gloves $15 neg
Total $55, 2lbs

Carried:

Umbrella $100 4lb
Dagger $20 0.25lbs
Pouch $10, 3lbs
- Personal Basics $5 1lb
Flask $10 1lbs
Total $145, 9.25lbs

Alesandro Liu'wei'lin, sample character

2009-11-18T21:06:00.000-08:00

Another character for the game. Will try to come up with one more tonight. Alesandro here is shrewd businessman and negotiator. On of his key strategic strengths is the diverse knowledge he can draw on because of his business. As an adventurer, he is an opportunist and will enjoy a good puzzle.

Character: Alesandro Liu'wei'lin

Archetype: Chinese Mestizo Illustrado

Description: tall 5'6”, (about 140lbs). He has a fair complexion, narrow eyes, a thick pencil mustache and long braided uncut hair. He is slender with long narrow fingers. He is always with his body guard and man servant.

Background: Alesandro's father was a native Tagolog from who was very young when he came to Manila for work. A Chinese carpenter and wood worker employed him. Circumstance had it that, he was a very enterprising youth and he found his employer suppliers to bring him a lot of lumber.

He moved mostly in and out of manila doing construction projects. His employer knew methods of construction that didn't use nails but was just as effective. They were able to employ it while maintain Spanish architecture. In a few years, the business grew large employing a 100 men who divide their work hauling lumber and doing construction.

His empoyer's son had a falling out and went back to the mainland. This broke the old man's heart and quickly many of what they have strive to work for came falling apart. Alesandro's father took the matter to his own hands, and proposed to marry his master's daughters. He told him, if the name mattered so much to him, he would give up his own and worship him in their altar.

His father worked for most of his life for his master, and marrying him off to the help wasn't appealing despite the necessity at that time. The old man died that night after considering the desperation he has fallen into.

The eldest daughter, carried on and married Alesandro's father. His uncle came back after hearing what had happened, only it to find too late to prevent the marriage. He tried to take with him, is two other sisters. They did not go with him, and he left empty handed.

Alesandro's aunts and mother raised him and handled much of the business. He and his brothers and cousins were sent to his uncle to apprentice in carpentry and wood working when they were young. Alesandro and his brothers studied civil engineering at the college, and learned to deal with people from his father.

Alesandro runs a shop that makes parts for wood block printing. This is his cover business, in reality he secretly makes copies and knock offs of western books and sells them.

Alesandro has with him always his body guard and his “mistress”. Estella, his significant other, is a very attractive “reformed” prostitute who Alesandro's family severely disapproves of.

Attributes [40]: ST 10 [10]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 10 [0].

Secondary Characteristics [0]: Dmg 1d-2/1d [0]; Basic Lift 20lbs [0]; HP 10 [0]; FP 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Basic Speed 6 [0]; Move 6 [0]; Dodge 10 [0] 10 [0];

Social Background [10]:

Chinese (Cultural Familiarity) [0].
Filipino Cultural Familiarity [1];
Speak Tagalog (native) [0]
Speak Amoy (Fluent) [3];
R/W Chinese (native) [0];
Western, Cultural Familiarity [1];
Speak Spanish (accented) [2];
R/W Western (fluent) [3];

Advantages [80]:

Wealthy [20]
Status 1 [0]
Contact Group (Chinese Community) [5]
Contact Group (Civil Guard) [5]
Ally (Body Guard) [15]
Ally (Mistress) [15]
Intuitive mathematician [5]
Versatility [5]
Photographic Memory [10]

Disadvantages [-60]:

Social Stigma (Second Class Citizen) [-5];
Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10];
Code of Honor (Professional) [-5];
Secret: Criminal Activity (Prison/Exile) [-20];
Bad vision, Mitigated with Glasses [-10]
Sense of Duty (Family, and Friends) [-5];
Duty, Non-Hazardous (Business Owner) [-5]

Quirks [-5]:

Collects Rare and Expensive books (not a connoisseur)
Mixes western and Chinese dress
Likes eating out (and criticizes the food).
A bit argumentative and particular
Drinks a lots of stimulants, if he can't find any will complain about it.

Skills [55]:

Primary Skills [30]:

Intra-Personal Skills [14]:

Psychology (H) IQ [4]-12;

Body Language (A) Per [2]-12;
Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ [1]-12;
Diplomacy (A) IQ [4]-12;
Acting (A) IQ [2]-12.
Observation (A) Per [2]-12

Business Skills [9]:

Administration (A) IQ [2]-12
Merchant (A) IQ [2]-12
Accounting (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
Economics (H) IQ-2 [1]-10

Market Analysis (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
Finance (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
Current Affairs (Business) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10

Underground Skills [7]:

Gambling (A) IQ [2]-12

Streetwise (A) IQ [2]-12
Poison (A) Per [2]-12
Current Affairs (Criminal) (E) Per [1]-12

Secondary Skills [15]:

Education [9]:

Theology (Roman Catholic) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10;
Literature (Western) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
History (Local) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
Math (Applied) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
Engineering (Civil) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
Engineering (Mechanical) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
Math (Geometry) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
Writing (A) IQ [2]-12
Research (A) IQ-1 [1]-11

Personal Defense Skills [6]:

Judo (E) DX [4]-10
Rapier (A) DX [2]-10
Fast Draw (rapier) (E) DX [1]-10

Background Skills [10]:

Area Knowledge (Manila) (E) IQ [0]-12

Everyman Skills [4]:

Riding (A) DX-1 [1]-11
Packing (A) IQ-1 [1]-11
Housekeeping (E) IQ [1]-12
Area Knowledge (Laguna) (E) [1]-12

Chinese Background [6]:

Theology (Confucian) (E) IQ-2 [1]-10
Carpentry (Chinese) (E) IQ [1]-12
Literature (Chinese) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10
Savoir Faire (Chinese) (E) IQ [1]-12;

Area Knowledge (Fujian) (E) IQ [1]-12
Artist (Calligraphy) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10

Worn:

Formal business Attire (status 1) ($240), 4lbs
Shoes $40, 2lbs
Gloves $30
Total $70, 7lbs

Carried:

Hidden Jian Umbrella $1400 4lb
Revolver .36 $150 2.74lbs
Pouch $10, 3lbs
- Personal Basics $5 1lb
Total $1560, 10lbs

Travel Load:

Strong Pony (ST21) $1800
- Medium Enc. 265lbs
- Rider and Equipment 167lbs
- Equestrian Gear
  - Bit and Bridle $35, 3lbs
  - Horseshoes $50, 4lbs
  - Saddle and Tack $150, 15lbs
  - Stirrups $125, 20lbs
  - Total $360 42lbs
- Total $2160 209lbs
- Move 4.2 on a trot, 8.4 on run.
Pony (ST18) $1500
- Medium Load 195lbs
- Saddle Bag $100, 3lbs
  - Blanket $20, 4lb
  - Clothes ($600), 20lbs
  - Total $120, 24lbs
- Saddle Bag $100, 3lbs
  - Rations $18 4.5lbs
  - 2 Water Skins $20, 16lbs
  - Total $138, 23.5lbs
- Total $1758, 47.5lbs
Total $3,918

Total $5587, has 15 real on him.

Diego Bautista, sample character

2009-11-15T07:12:00.000-08:00

This is a sample character for my mahadlika game for the Saturday the 21st. Giving Ideas for my players and options for others to check out.

Character: Diego Bautista

Archetype: Caballero

Description (not going by historical standards of appearance): tall 5'8”, lean and athletic (about 150lbs). He is heavy calloused and scared from a hard life. His facial features reminiscent of being badly beaten while young but distinctly hard and prominent.

Background: Diego Bautista struggled growing up in the streets of Binondo. His father worked as servant and carriage driver of one of the many elite, who lived in the walled city of intramuros.

His life took a serious turn, when in an unfortunate street accident, he failed to stop in time and seriously embarrassed a spanish officer. The officer beat him. His father ran to check on his welfare when stumbled on the officer mercilessly pummeling his young boy. The sight caused him to lose his senses and attack the officer, who quickly shot him dead.

His mother died a year later from the loss and raising him alone. His last remaining relative, his uncle and brother to his mother, having found out too late decided to steal him away from his masters. He decided it would be best that he lived with him, and work in the ship yards.

Because of the many labor shortages of the succeeding year, he and his uncle was press ganged to serve as crew. Soon after the ship set sail, for Spain the crew mutinied and sailed instead to Mexico.

There Diego met with his adventures, joining soldiers turned bandits and lived a life of crime, hired goon, and opportunity. When his band slowly died out, he met many interesting people and grew up. Then, he decided to go back home and see what has changed while he was away.

Attributes [100]: ST 10 [0]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 12 [20].

Secondary Characteristics [0]: Dmg 1d-2/1d [0]; Basic Lift 20lbs [0]; HP 10 [0]; FP 10 [0]; Per 12 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Basic Speed 6 [0]; Move 6 [0]; Dodge 10 [0];

Social Background [5]:

Tagalog Cultural Familiarity [0];
Speak Tagalog (native) [0];
Western, Cultural Familiarity [1];
Speak Spanish (fluent) [3];
R/W Spanish (fluent) [0];
South American (Cultural Familiarity) [1].

Advantages [25]:

Unusual background (Soldiered in Mexico, seasoned in the Mexican-American skirmishes) [10];
Combat Reflex [15].

Disadvantages [-60]:

Social Stigma (Second Class Citizen) [-5];
Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10];
Code of Honor (Soldier) [-10];
Intolerance (Peninsulares and Government) [-5];
Secret: Agnostic (Serious Embarrassment) [-5];
Sense of Duty (Friends and Loyal Patrons) [-5];
Duty, Hazardous (Horseback Messenger) [-10]
Curious (12) [-5]
Nightmares (12) [-5].

Quirks [-5]:

Carries a Notebook with him where ever he goes.
Likes Horses
Distinctive dark red brown scarring of his left eye. (making it look either red or black depending on the lightinig).
Likes to finding small things to read
A bit paranoid and careful

Skills [45]:

Primary Skills [22]:

Intra-Personal Skills [13]:

Psychology (H) IQ [4]-12;

Body Language (A) Per [2]-12;
Leadership (A) Per [2]-12
Savoir-Faire (Soldier) (E) IQ [1]-12
Streetwise (A) IQ-1 [1]-11
Intimidation (A) Will-1 [1]-11
Acting (A) IQ [2]-12

Horsemanship [9]:

Riding (A) DX [2]-12;
Animal Handling (A) IQ-1 [1]-12

Mounted Shooting Technique (Pistols) (H) Pistol-0 [5]^MA;
No-Hands Riding (H) Riding+0 (if one hand, -2 if no hands) [2]^MA;

Secondary Skills [14]:

Soldier [9]:

Soldier (A) IQ [2]-12;
Hiking (A) HT [2]-12;
Survival (Plains) (A) Per-1 [1]-11;
Navigation (A) IQ-1 [1]-11;
Swimming (E) HT [1]-12;
Running (A) HT-1 [1]-10;
Packing (A) IQ-1 [1]-11.

Combat Skills [5]:

Pistols (E) DX [1]-12;
- Weapon Bond Perk (Pistol, Colt Revolver) [1];
- Fast Draw (Pistol) DX [1]-13;
- Rifles (E) Pistols-2 [0]-10;
Brawl (E) DX [1]-12;
Knife (E) DX [1]-12.

Background Skills [7]:

Area Knowledge (Manila) (E) IQ [0]-12

Filipino Growing Up [3]:

Theology (Roman Catholic) (H) IQ-2 [1]-10;
Savoir-Faire (Servant) (E) IQ-2 [1]-12;
House Keeping (E) IQ [1]-12;

Unusual Background [4]:

Area Knowledge (Rio Grande) (E) IQ [1]-12

Ships (Crew) (E) IQ [1]-12
Carpentry (E) IQ [1]-12
Climbing (E) DX-1 [1]-11.

Worn:

Clothes (status-1) ($60), 2lbs
Rain-Coat (status-1) ($60), 2lbs
Boots $80, 3lbs
Total $80, 7lbs

Carried:

Cheap Large Knife $24 1lb
Revolver .36 $150 2.74lbs
Pouch $10, 3lbs
- Personal Basics $5 1lb
Canteen $10 3lbs
Total $189, 9.74lbs

Travel Load:

Strong Pony (ST21) $1800
- Medium Enc. 265lbs
- Rider and Equipment 167lbs
- Equestrian Gear
  - Bit and Bridle $35, 3lbs
  - Horseshoes $50, 4lbs
  - Saddle and Tack $150, 15lbs
  - Stirrups $125, 20lbs
  - Total $360 42lbs
- Total 2160 209lbs
- Move 4.2 on a trot, 8.4 on run.
Pony (ST18) $1500
- Medium Load 195lbs
- Saddle Bag $100, 3lbs
  - Blanket $20, 4lb
  - Clothes ($600), 20lbs
  - Total $120, 24lbs
- Saddle Bag $100, 3lbs
  - Rations $18 4.5lbs
  - 2 Water Skins $20, 16lbs
  - Total $138, 23.5lbs
- Total $1758, 47.5lbs
Total $3,918

Total $4187, $813 left (50 reals)

Crime, Society and the State in the 19C Philippines

2009-10-30T00:32:00.000-07:00

Crime, Society, and The State in the nineteenth century Philippines

This is a great resource insight and ideas. Reverse engineering the anecdotal stories of crimes, contraversy, and deviant and dangerous behavior opened up a lot of game ideas.

Useful facts population growth is peged at around 1.6% annual. This is mainly due to the influx of Chinese and Provincial immigrants.

for GURPS
1 Peso = 8 Reals = 32 Quartos = 128 maravedis

1 Peso = $128
1 Real = $16
1 Quarto = $4
1 maravedis = $1 (US dollar of 2004, buying power)

Examples of some wages:

An Spanish Officer P2,500 a year
A Independent Prostitute 12 reals a month plus Basic*
A typical servant is paid nothing except for Basic*. Typically servants come from the province escaping a worse fate, overcrowding, or have no family who can support them.

*Basic means: food, lodgings, and clothing

Thus the 1.5 real tax per day of forced labor was roughly equal to asking a working class laborer Php1,200 pesos a day. A prostitute earned nearly equal to a skilled working class at Php 9600.

Rice, Potatoes and Corn

2009-07-27T03:26:00.000-07:00

Gaming and Its Uses. I was able to figure out a few things thanks to the help of the SJ forum. Particularly the VERY hard to find topic of Spanish Arms and Warfare.

One of the key events in the Fiction of Mahadlika is the Famine and Civil War outbreak during the year 1820s. Importantly how the setting diverges from actual historical reality into some alternate time line where Filipino Identity is escalated and the characters of Philippine History are re-introduced in the Stage "Under Heaven".

It is a setting where the our national heroes won't be the stars, since they have already played that tune long ago and what becomes the main features are Icons of the Filipino Identity. This can be seen in the huge cast I've already noted around 2005.

The importance to my realism research is to show that as an artist and Filipino, I can do the mental-leg work which is usually compromised with money-making aspect of art. Particularly the VERY ALIEN psychology and world of the 19th century.

Now, after that long segway some basics about warfare in the Philippines during the 19th Century. Particularly, how the spanish made war. If you can get your hands on Carlo's Quirino's Filipinos at War you will have made one of the BIGGEST leaps into getting into propper detail. Although that is not enough, to figure out a rough sketch of warfare then, one should read up on Napoleonic Tactics and the doctrinal and tactical aftermath after those wars. of course, one should not overlook the forensic knowledge one can glean from the gun used around that time: Charleville Fusil Mle 1777, 17.5mm Flintlock (France, 1777-1839) which was heavily copied and adopted.

Although 1820s is the Background, 1860s is where the exciting action takes place. Particularly since I begin my tale with the Orovida Legacy- a fictional Cebuano-Ilongo Dynasty and how the events of 1820 altered the face of the Visayas. The firearms that is common in the era was the Colt M1851 Navy, .36 Caplock (USA, 1851-1873) and Enfield P/1853, .577 Caplock (U.K., 1853-1866)- guns whose lisences and liknesess were copied and shaped the weapons industry then.

Despite the fact that the Orovida Chapter is supposed to be purely political- violence is never seperated from power or the ability to hold on to it.

Now on to the Title of the Post. In my readings about Medieval Agriculture, there is some power one can have with the understanding from insight of the Dominant profession (it took around 70-80% of the population to be in food production to sustain society; unlike today where it is roughly 2% in a developed world).

Rice and its Over-productivity is one of the reasons, in my analysis, social change was very diffiult. Rice requires a lot of work and leaves very little time or idle pleasure to the tenant farmers as well as being a huge obstacle to a farmer owning his own land. Rice is also fickle, as it can only be grown using wet farming irrigation.

Potatoes and Corn on the other hand, is another story. These New World (because they were from the Americas) crops are important as they had some very important mix of advantages and trade offs to rice. Particularly the opporunity and diversity it would create for farmers who have a chance to develop their own land.

In mahadlika and as in world history- famines and calamities re-evaluated the relationship between farmers and landowners to the farmer's advantage. Part of this was compounded by the introduction and application of Potatoes and Corn to the food staple. In the desperation to correct the food shortage the investment in the two crops allowed for greater risk diversity against future food shortages and allowed the population to explode (much like the baby boomer generation).

The Generation which suffered through the civil-wars and famine, are witness to the generation who grew up much better off, healthier, stronger and more disgruntled with the status quo.

In Historical Philippines where the population was around 3M in 1800, would be around 4m in 1860. Quite generous (but many other population factors will be cited in the future, food production and security is just one of the table's pegs) but necessary for me to push towards a critical mass.

Critical mass, comes about when enough food security and alternate specialization come to play. The fast comeback from the famine and civil war, also paved the way for the Free-Trader profession which the Visayans Sponsor. Free-Traders are basically people who buy and sell, but instead of only within the radius of a Town or Market Village (Village big enough to have a specialists take more or less permanent residence) they trade between all the key cities. eventually specializations intensify and the food producing population ratio shrinks so that more and more technical specialists and their support industries come about.

Lets take a break from the Principles of Population Demographics, why am I such a big nut for these numbers? Because, often and very often literature, success, and anecdotes tend to focus on the heroic virtues of a tale instead of the simplicity of the numbers that went about the social change. It has always been a strong literary belief that Humanity, Drama and Tragedy made up a good story, but i believe it is hard numbers and science make up for the authenticity or the believability. If we ignore the numbers then, we ignore what is real and attribute everything to a lone individual's success instead of the social and political factors that made the change possible.

Mahadlika, contrary to what I usually write in my spiel, is not about heroes at all. Its not about the glorifying larger than life legends that divorce the reality of an individual's human imperfections. There is heroism in sacrifice, that I grant, but these instances cannot infuse an individual's definition entirely and they are after all imperfect and most of all human.

I know there is a long held Filipino Tradition for Christian Virtues in their Heroes, and this has led to a terrible misunderstanding and misrepresentation and manipulation of heroes as elements of propaganda. I want to mean that Heroes are beloved for their act, but accepted for their humanity- and that is what the science- the secularism and the numbers have to do with how I tell my story.

If you take Carlos Quirinos' Filipinos at War and look at the specialists available to the cause, then you will quickly realize why the battles were one sided and the reality that only a Soldier had the Chance to defeat a Soldier. Miltiary Reality is something lost in propaganda tales of heroes and thrown away by some artists because they see the profession for its violence and not for the people that make up its neccessity.

Authenticity is what I'm trying to grasp, in my knowledge of numbers, psychology, history, tradition, religion, organization, and reality. Every thing surrounding the characters are little things that move very big things- the corn, the guns, the farmers, the laborers and change of weather.

Well, thats what I hope to tell... Its kinda hard with my masters comming up. Good thing I've discovered Taurine, if only cocaine was legal again sigh... (just kidding).

A Lady's Honor: The Analysis of a woman of Philippines 19th century

2009-07-21T01:21:00.000-07:00

Emerging from a purely domestic figure, the woman's place in 19th century Spanish Philippines is centered around family. The role of a woman in then was pretty much the same, as women in the earlier ages: tasked to nurture children, take care of the household, plan for the future, and transmit the values they feel is essential in the survival and success of the next generation.

Suffice to say, that the very center of all families then and up until now is the mother. Consider the technological disadvantage and obstacles that comes part of raising a family, and the highly specialized roles they play in raising a child compared to how parents are now- motherhood was the only defining virtue a woman had in the time before the industrial revolution.

So looking at my story, consider a woman who is barren, a stranger to her parent's family, and a pawn of her husband's family. If that wasn't hard, consider a legacy of a "Modern" woman's virtues (the woman's mother) independent, indomitable, and passionate as it is played in mindsets frozen in times medieval, xenophobic, and closed minded. I'm figuring, the very strengths that modern women have now, that I see in the women of my family, having to be in a world where the only thing they are defined with is their ability to bear bawling little brats.

This analysis, is one of the things I'm thinking of as I'm writing my notes and struggling to make sense of it all and what I'm trying to say. Universally, how it is to struggle for an identity beyond that one that is given to you and not the Identity one chooses.

What sucks in stories like these is that I have to give a memorable and distinct name for the protagonist-lady that is not too telling. People who know me well could already guess the name that comes to mind (clue: I drew her a couple of times and she has a lot in common with this character).

Stories.

2009-07-20T01:06:00.000-07:00

I've been reading up on a lot of novels lately. A lot of them military sci-fi, but as my favorite author (GRRM) would say about settings, they are just dressing.

Another recent study that I've been making lately is concerning population. Particularly about how population affects technology and culture. I know there are some points of views who would want to attribute the "special" unique and originality of Philippine Culture as something beyond the grasp of science. Still the hard science I've read on the matter really makes me think about how I would write my first Mahadlika novel. Specifically a short story and the setting in general.

Fortunately most of the novels I've been reading have female captains or leading ladies. Particularly how to portray them with as much justice and authenticity.

A few things I've considered that will grossly affect the appreciation of my writing about Mahadlika is the fact that I'm a secularist point of view. Particularly that I'm very neutral when it comes to religion, despite the fact that I am going to write about characters very deeply religous. Some would say a secularist would be the faithless type to get all wrong and come out of it without the best appreciation.

Which puts me to consider that If I were to write it, my audience isnt going to be Filipinos. Its not that I'm being anti-Filipino, or elitist in some way but it is because I want to be more true and to have a more universal perspective of things that many would say is exclusively a ethnocentric experience. Especially given my very sad encounters with reactionaries who would not give a time of day to even read up on the matters of Philippine history before making an opinion- so easily manipulated and twisted.

I have a few more writing projects I just want to get out of my way and I've resolved that by 2010 I will have a short story about Mahadlika in the works. I plan to spend most of my free time, beyond my simulationist exercises and family obligations to write about a story that has been wanting to get out that talks about being born human in a world much like the philippines as it is today and the time of Empire. To imagine or re-imagine the beauty of such simple times but realize the complexities that lay beneath it.

Reading so much about Politics, Families, life, spirituality, faith and science I've come with a clearer picture of how I would tell mahadlika best. I already have the outline, I will just have to fill it up.

The Power Brokers of Mahadlika. v0.33

2009-04-15T19:53:00.001-07:00

The terms Courtier or Power broker are not appropriate in the islands of Ma'ai, this is because brokering power is the salt and rice of almost all of the elite and persons of interest.

The power bases are grouped in the following in order of Influence: The Imperial government, The Landholders, The Church (aka “the Cura”), Middle Class (aka “the Illustrados”) and the masses. In each of the power base, there can be found appropriate brokers that facilitate interactions between these Powers.

Role: The role the archetype serves in his community, family, and for himself.

Education: The concerns the types of education and not just the subjects of education.

Professional Skills:

Primary: Key skills that are required to be 95% competent

Secondary: Complimentary or Support skills, around 85% to 65% competent.

Key Power Groups.

La Imperia (The Empire).

Source of Power: Authority from Imperial motherland.

Enforced: Imperial Authority, Resources and Force

Imperial Bureaucrat.

Role: Bureaucrats of the Imperia, run the affairs of state and enforce law and order of the colony for the heads of state in the Imperial Motherland. In this position they are very autonomous as they have few superiors to answer to and possess a monopoly of Imperial authority.

In brokering power, bureaucrats have the law on their side. They can legitimize a shady action or contest other legitimate actions. It is up to them how to implement Imperial Laws and Ordinances thousands of miles apart oversight.

Their various governing roles are in managing affairs and assets of state. Some are tasked to make the colony generate more revenue for the Motherland, and they are given the authority to grant funds for capital investment, spend on public infrastructure, and appoint local officials.

Education: Ideally, they are as well educated as the Aristocrats, but that is not always the case. Many of the top Bureaucrats are educated military officers who are retired or have chosen to move away from front line command.

Professional Abilities:

Primary: Manipulation and/or Intelligence Gathering

Secondary: Socializing, Bureaucracy, Law, Scholarly Studies, Managing Imperial Assets, Soldiering, Mlitary Logistics, and Command Ability.

Imperial Officers.

Role: Officers more involved in brokering power instead of battle command or enforcing law and order have one major advantage over other power brokers, and that is the free access to force of arms.

Control of an armed force allows the officer to add his own power and influence in the negotiation table, when brokering a deal. His ability to offer security or a subtle threat is a decisive advantage in many cases.

Education: Military Officers are trained in the Academy, in an Officer track that puts them immediately in a position of leadership and command. They have a more rudimentary education when it comes to civilian affairs, like the education of the Principalia. Their education focuses in Character building, Command Ability, Soldiering, Leadership, Military Intelligence Analysis, and Combat Proficiency.

Professional Abilities:

Primary: Manipulations and/or Intelligence gathering,

Secondary: Socializing, Leadership, Military Logistics, Soldiering, Combat Command, and Combat Ability.

La Principalia (Land Holding Families).

Source of Power: Wealth and Status

Enforced: Resources and Allies

Principalia (The Aristocrats)

Role: Many socialites are aristocrats, because the aristocrat begins with the many attributes needed to become a succesful power broker. They move in the right circles, they are connected and, often enough, related to the right people, their Family have formidable resources and influence of their own, they have a reputation and sometime prestiege and occupy a social station with the most opportunities.

Education: Aristocrats have access to the best education in Ma'ai. They often have the resources to take the 40 day sea voyage to the Imperial Motherland in comfort and ease.

Their unparalled access to education allows them access to various histories, literature, and sciences. The Landholder families with many sons often choose medicine or law for those who are far in the line of succession, while some sons would rather choose a military career at the chance to make their own fortune.

The education of Aristocratic women usually fall in household skills like: managing the estates and servants, socializing, cooking, baking and handicrafts. Women who do not wish to learn household skills best hope to pursue Liberal Arts and Humanities.

Languages are very important as a sign of station and education, especially the languages of the Imperials neighbors. Many are multi lingual as they are able to travel and indulge in the many luxuries of the west.

Professional Abilities:

Primary: Socializing, Politics and/or Manipulation.

Secondary: Intelligence Gathering, Managing Family Assets, sometimes Medicine, Military Command, Scholarly Studies, Law or Bureaucracy.

“Matrona” (the Matriarchs)

Role: Matriarchs typically manage the family assets and household, plan the financial security of their children and family, tend to the family's image, make connections and alliances and sometimes make the executive decision for the dynasty.

Education: they have the same education as an aristocrat, but as a woman much of the focus is in lady-like pursuits.

Professional Abilities:

Primary: Socializing and/or Managing Household and Assets.

Secondary: Intelligence Gathering, Politics, Manipulation, Negotiation, Savoir-Faire, Socializing, Intelligence Analysis: Rumors and Politics and/or Managing Household and Assets.

Padre de Pamilia (Patriarchs)

Role: Patriarchs are at the heads head of the family. They manage the more difficult and risky or the male-dominated part of the family assets. They provide the means by which they protect the dynasties with either man-power, connections or contributions. They usually make the strategic plans and executive decisions that further the family's agenda.

Education: They have the same education as Aristocrat but with more experience.

Professional Abilities:

Primary: Strategy or Politics

Secondary: Socializing, Manipulation or Leadership, and Business Management.

The Eklesia (the Church).

Source of Power: Religious Authority

Enforced: Political Will, Resources

Salve (the Priests)

Role: The Salve is the Spiritual leader of the community. His job is very difficult and he has access to church authority, man power and resources to carry it out.

In his many roles: He acts as mediator in grievances between parties as a confessor and spiritual guide. He manages the morale of the community through social events, religious rituals, prayer, traditional festivities and targeting individuals problems that affect the community. He is also tasked to enforcing the Church's authority, by reporting threatening activities or thoughts that would lead to question it. He is also an enabler, adding religious approval to a course of action. Sometimes he is able to control a community by allowing his approval to influence the parties who are in charge of it.

Deacons, Novices and lay ministers, active lay persons imbued with the Salve's authority are usually tasked handle many of the non-priority duties of the Salve.

Education: Literacy, Religious Ritual, Theology, Church History, Public Speaking and Literature are prerequisite. Some are schooled in music a also a very useful tool.

Professional Abilities:

Primary: Manipulation and/or Community management.

Secondary: Intelligence Gathering, Socializing,

Prayle (Friar)

Role: A member of a mendicant order, their religious duty is in the service of the community. Although, in Ma'ai they serve the Church as bureaucrats and managers of Ecclesiastic Estates.

Education: Literacy is an important prerequisite. Theological knowledge is secondary and falls in the range of basic to competent in many cases, and few are exceptional.

Professional Abilities:

Primary: Managing Ecclesiastic Assets and/or Manipulation

Secondary: Socializing, Manipulation, Intelligence Gathering,

The Illustrados (the Enlightened Middle Class):

Source of Power: Collective Resources and Skill

Enforced: Collective Resources and Skill

Iskolar (The Scholar).

Role: They are a treasure of theoretical knowledge. They work as councilors and advisors, offering their expertise and insight to those who can use it. They are able identify opportunities and risks in their area of expertise and are able to aid in the formulation of a strategy and contingencies.

Scholars spend a full time effort continuously accumulating knowledge. They are the more recent incarnation of sages or old, except for their expertise in modern sciences and empirical processes.

Education: Some are educated abroad in the motherland without the same comfort of the Principalia and at the great sacrifice of their families, many are educated locally in the local universities or colleges and sometimes are able to travel and study later in their education and usually pay their own way.

Their education is between the Pricipalia's access and that of the Broad Knowledge of History, Places of interest, and Peoples. They are usually multi-lingual, capable in public speaking in both the Local and Imperial language.

Some are skilled in many other western languages, while some who are part Xao, are skilled in the far-land, mainland, and lowland dialect. A rich knowledge of Classical and Contemporary Literature of both local and imperial culture is common.

Professional Abilities:

Primary: Teaching, Intelligence Analysis, and/or Strategy

Secondary: Scholarly Studies, Basic Management, Mercantile, and Self-Sufficiency skills.

Negosyante (The Entrepreneur).

Role: They make up the ranks of the growing middle class. They are the estate-less few who are able to turn out a profit even when they have so little going their way.

Negosyante's are adaptable, innovative, and highly skilled, they have to be in order to make a good living without the capital the Principalia possesses.

Education: Some are literate enough to get by and some are as educated as the Iskolars. Most of them are self educated and with many practical skills.

Professional Skills:

Primary: Leadership, Management and Manipulation,

Secondary: A Trade-worthy skill, Socializing, Intelligence Gathering, Mercantile, Self-Sufficiency and Strategy.

The Reformer.

Role: They are men or women who fight for a cause, they can fight for with support of others or with own resources. Reformers check the balance of power and prevent the powerless from eventually reaching a level of unrest that is beyond manageable.

They sometimes act as mediator between the upper and the lowest classes, but sometimes they are caught up at being an outsider from the two and being perceived as lumped up together with the other party.

Some Reformers write propaganda trying to acquire much of the coveted rights and opportunities of the upper class.

Irregardless of what course of action they take to change the status quo their reasons can be as varied as Altruism to pure Vanity to just brokering power.

Education: Similar education as the Negosyante or Iskolar.

Professional Skills:

Primary: Manipulation, Leadership, Charisma, and/or Literature

Secondary: Scholarly Studies, Basic Management, Basic Mercantile, and Self-Sufficiency skills.

The Artists.

Role: they provide points of interests for those who have little else to do with their power. Artists typically earn their patronage from the wealthy Principalia. Their service is to make beautiful things to be flaunted, adored and brokered.

Artists involve both artisans and performers, both who are mostly enjoyed by those who can pay their price.

Education: They a variety of educations, just like the Negosyante.

Professional Skills:

Primary: Performance Skill, Acting, or Artisan Skill

Secondary: Socializing, Sycophantics, Diplomacy, Negotiation, Art Appreciation, Client Psychology (Taste), Mercantile, Selling, Self-Sufficiency Skill.

Ang Massa (the Masses).

Source of Power: Their Collective numbers

Enforced: Their Collective numbers

Proletariat Representative.

Role: These are men or women who have become first among peers. They sometimes command respect or force, have the sympathy, or have their ear, of a small struggling community.

They are usually representative of a Power's influence over a community or the other way around, the Representative of the community to the Power. They usually hold

Education: They have various degrees of literacy. Familiar with many of the personal histories and traditions of the locals.

Professional Skills:

Primary: Manipulation, Socializing, Diplomacy, or Leadership

Secondary:Community Management, Combat Ability, Self-Sufficiency Skills.

After writing this. I can't believe how much I've diverged from Fantasy towards Realism. This is not so much as material of a game but more of a guide to how it was in 19th century Philippines.

Elements of the Game:

Appearance. Communicating Status is important in the Subtle Games of Intrigue, Manipulation and Diplomacy. Appearance is not just aesthetics but the kind of person one can appear to be at a glance. There are many visual cues that the culture of Ma'ai has adopted from its Imperial Lords and they are important in order to communicate with those in power. In this subtle and complex game, appearance is the very first move in a series of calculated moves.

Private Circles, Memberships. Characters are not meant to exist in a void. When the Player fills up his PC's role, he also establishes the circles the character is part of. These are the default and starting connections a PC may have in the start of the game, these are also the potential connections PCs will have when they move to different social spheres through out the game.

School or Education, Social Class, Home town, Profession and Peers can be summed up by a few key words. It is through these key word the GM can quickly fit appropriate connections by which the PC may approach an adventure.

Parties, Fiestas, and Other Social Events and Venues. The simplest and newest connections are made in social events. It is the excuse to walk up to a total stranger and strike a conversation. Outside these events or venue, such an act would immediately trigger a response of suspicion and a negative reaction.

PCs can usually find the first piece, in a string of pieces, of an adventure. Players get to role play and explore different ways of creating connections with limitations and strengths of their PC.

Gossip, Slander, Misinformation. Gossip doesn't exist in a void, there is a clue or a hint of truth in it, it is also one of the most continuously active tools of brokering power, regardless if the parties involved wish it or not.

Those who will want to use gossip in information gathering must consider the following points: Source, Familiarity with the Parties involved, and Context. All three points are crucial in deciding the credibility of the information gleaned and how much resource would be used to act on it.

Slander and misinformation are other iterations of gossip. Everyone privy to gossip have their own value assignment to it. In this value assignment, skilled manipulators can use gossip to create misinformation or damage their opponent.

Gathering information, requires the appropriate Social Navigation skill (in GURPS: Streetwise, Politics, and Sociology to name some; ideally not an influence skill).

In order to processes this information the PCs should have their own Intelligence Analysis skill appropriate to the subject matter. (In GURPS Intelligence Analysis: Politics, Warfare, Underworld are examples; using other less specialized skill will incur a -4 default penalty).

Sponsorship in Marriages, Baptisms, Confirmations. The objective of these rituals is to make one a co-sponsor to the welfare of a mutual relation. This creates an undeniable connection to the participants involved. The participants are connected to each other in a way they can exchange favors in the context of religious social obligation.

These sponsors are usually called God parents and to each other they are “Com'pare” and “Co'madre” (translating to Co-father and Co-mother).

Marriage Alliances. When marriage alliances come to mind, people tend to imagine two equally powerful factions merging. In reality, this is not always true, although the appearance of this is key in a marriage alliance.

Marriages are made to consolidate and to further power, not just to ally it. An unbreakable contract, because there is no form of divorce and annulment requires the backing of the Church and sufficient reason, marriage is a very powerful tool in dynasty craft.

To the family heads who have the daughters. It would be a terrible underestimation to consider daughters as merely a prize to be won. But to the most cunning Matriarchs daughters are a way to secure a powerful male ally.

In Imperial Society men are given every opportunity to climb the ladder of success, but they do this with few lasting allies. Men have a harder time establishing powerful alliances for long from just out of mutual gain and rapport. Daughters and Sisters allows a dynasty to have the pick of the best men to be had, and a surer way to keep them loyal to the family.

Grants of Land, Offices, Authority, Funding. Brokering Power often results to Power for the broker and not just compensation. Grants of Land, Offices, Authority and Funding are ways to establish loyalty and not just paying for a service. Grants are not without its strings, they can be returned to the authority that gave it, as a way to enforce loyalty or as punishment for failure.

PCs typically aspire for such grants as it allows them to move up in power, but they can also award it in order to retain valuable and skilled individuals who he can be very useful.

What is Mahadlika again?

2009-04-14T04:56:00.000-07:00

I remember in 2003 when I posted my Mahadlika Thesis website there was nothing about it online. Now, I'm glad that more and more filipinos are furthering their own study on who they are. I have to verify on my own, the posters claims but it makes some sense.

Also what further supports the "freemen" over "noble" theory is that in order for there to be nobles there have to be long standing dynasties in the first place. The dynasties that created nobles in the west were based on the warrior class who were also great land owners. We didn't have that, think about it, the population of the Philippines pre-spanish arival was only a several thousands, with manila being the largest being 10 to 20k (p20, carlos quirino: Filipinos at War) Instead we have "first" men or

On the part about Alipin, filipinos are not familiar with the term Serf. Serf is basically an indentured servant. Alipin is actually more of a "dependent", according to agoncilio. A serf has rights, unlike a slave, and is actually in the care of their master. Looking at clashing points of the Bornean Datus of Maynila and the Khemeric peoples of Sugbu and Panay, points to the serf being the key difference between the two. If one pillages for slaves, the other goes about its business putting serfs to work.

1570 all estimated
Maynilad (Bornean muslim)
- Raja Sulayman
- pop 15,000 est (medieval city)
- fighting force 500-700
- Walled City (palisades)
- Brass cannons
- as a city, the existance of one high tech specialist: panday pira or the cannon maker

Sugbu (Khemer Budist Mahayana)
-pop 7,500 (large town)
- fighting force 250-350 (sent 250)
- as a town there is a very high possibility of specialists like swordmakers, especially since cebu has always had an early access to iron.

Panay (Khemer Budist Mahayana)
- pop 6,000 (large town)
- fighting force 200-300 (sent 200)
- given the resources of panay, the most likely specialists that exist are boat makers. they are the most likely because, Panay has always favorite pickings of muslim slavers and an emnity that survives in modern day. Boats would be the best way to provide early warning and may be also the reason why they were choice targets: the possibility of their profession as fisher men may be the reason why they were easy pickings because of the high vulnerability when the men are away.

Writers

2009-04-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

I need to find a writer or two who I can work with to further develop mahadlika.Can't find any writers so far.

My parameters are simple
- Filipino, and lives nearby
- Skilled in Writing Dramas
- Works I can look at.

Entrepenureship Bringing Life to Mahadlika

2009-02-23T02:12:00.000-08:00

I have a business plan where I will use mahadlika as Proof of concept. Basically i will taking some business courses (Post grad management course) where I will (among other business Ideas) take advantage of mahadlika. This is pretty long range. It will be probably 5+ years to get even off the ground.

As a starting Point I will be making some inquiries on artist and writer rates and costs. Developing Mahadlika through these services will be my more "expensive" hobbies or projects. Now that I'm a bit free I'm organizing my time between my overload of projects to work on mahadlika's bibliography and comic.

N. Malabonga's Character

2008-05-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

Felizimo Saavedra Arguelles was the youngest child of Crisostomo
Arguelles and Felicia Saavedra. His father comes from a mestizo family
that traces its roots to Cuba, while his mother comes from a minor
branch of the Saavedra clan in Cebu. Although his family only had
a modest amount of land holdings, his father was the cabeza de barangay
of one of the towns bordering Tabaco City, Albay. Thus his family
has a small amount of status in the area.

As the youngest son, Imo, as his friends would call him, had relatively
few responsibilities compared to his elder brothers. He would
spend a lot of his time in the fields and became close to his paternal
grandfather, a fierce man even at that age, who taught him horseback
riding, the pistol, and the family arnis style. Imo started his
training in arnis at the age of 6, initially being taught only footwork
for over a year, before moving on to weapons, quickly joining his brothers in
practicing the family style.

Imo was also friendly with the family caretaker, who taught Imo hilot as well as
regaled him with tales of aswangs, kapres and other engkantos, how to fight them
and ward against their spells.

Although Imo's father frowned on his activities, which he considered
"too dangerous," there was really nothing else for Imo to do, so Don
Crisostomo was just thankful that Imo wasn't getting involved in any
mischief. All this changed when Imo turned 16. There were
reports of bandits and cattle rustlers causing trouble in one of the family's
lands. Two of Imo's elder brothers were going to check it out, but Imo insisted
on coming along.

The three brothers caught the bandits in the act of stealing a carabao. Though
none of the bandits had firearms, there were still 15 of them, and armed with an
assortment of weapons. Though the Arguelles brothers had pistols with them, the
bullets soon ran out. Five bandits fell after the initial volley, but the
remainder were emboldened when the brothers shot off the rounds in their
revolvers. With no time to reload, the fighting became a fierce and bloody
melee. The brothers' arnis training carried the day, with Imo himself killing
two and subduing one before the surviving three bandits yielded.

After that incident, Don Crisostomo decided that enough was enough and sent the
young Imo to live with an uncle in Manila and enrolled him in the Ateneo de
Manila, though he did bring his beloved bolo, a gift from his grandfather, and
pistol with him (after all, Tabaco was well known for the quality of its
blades). After graduating, Imo went to medical school in Paris, where he
learned the use of the rifle and the hunt when he went out with his classmates
during the weekends.

Imo decided to practice medicine in Madrid, and opened a small clinic there.
But after two years, homesickness prevailed so Imo closed the clinic and
returned to Manila with the intention of going back to Tabaco City. His uncle,
as well as some friends from the Ateneo, prevailed on Imo to stay in Manila, at
least for the meantime, so that Imo could gain more experience outside of his
rural hometown.

After settling down at his uncle's house in Sta. Mesa, Imo looks out of his
bedroom window, his face caressed by the warmth of a setting sun, pondering his
immediate future....

===================

Some trivia:

- The Saavedras are indeed a clan located in Cebu, though they are not political
powerhouses like the Osmenas or Duranos. This family though is well known for
their eskrimadors. Lorenzo Saavedra was one of the founders of the Doce Pares
club (originally the Labangon Fencing club). He was also one of the teachers of
Anciong Bacon of Balintawak and the Canete brothers of Doce Pares fame.

- Arguelles is the maiden name of my paternal grandmother. According to one of
my aunts who did the research, there were four Arguelles brothers who migrated
from either Cuba or Argentina (my bet is Cuba, because Argentina was a Portugese
colony, while Cuba was a Spanish one). One decided to settle in Leyte, one
settled in Batangas, another one settled in Quezon province (the branch of my
lola) while I don't know what happened to the other one. So if you run across
an Arguelles in Batangas, that would be a relative of ours, albeit a distant
one. This is where I got the inspiration for Imo's father.

- Bicol really is known for the quality of its blades, especially Tabaco City.
In the 1980s my uncle saw a street hawker selling bolos from Bicol, and in order
to see if they were any good, my uncle asked the hawker to cut a nail (one of
those big nails meant for concrete). The hawker chopped the nail cleanly into
two and there was no nick on the blade. My uncle immediately bought that bolo
and it's with him until this day. Also ask any vendor who sells blades, they
will say that Bicol blades are better than even Batangas blades. I bought my
current bolo from a Tabaco City blacksmith for P500. As I was lifting it up
from the pile of blades, it cut through one of the newspaper sheets without too
much effort.

B. Navaro's Character

2008-05-22T21:45:00.000-07:00

Juan Guerrero was born of an illustrado family from Calamba Laguna. Juanito was not a very academically inclined student as evidenced by his mediocre grades in the Ateneo de Manila where he even studied as far as the first year in the University. He was pushed into a law or commerce degree by his father but his first love was riding horses in their family property in Laguna and the outdoors where he loved to associate with people his clan considered their social inferiors. This also involved hunting with his uncles in the hills where he found out he could shoot very well.

Judging that Juanito could use the educational and broadening experience of foreign travel, his parents consigned him to the care of his uncle Romeo, a bastard son of a Spanish priest who made very well in the business trade network between Luzon and Acapulco, Mexico. Juanito travelled to Mexico and made it as far as San Francisco, California.

Tito Romeo had some close business associates based on Texas and Arizona. These were half Mexican-half American ranchers who were rather wealthy. Don Pablo, who owned a large ranch was impressed by the pluck and panache of Juanito and, reluctantly, Tito Romeo allowed Juanito to stay and work at Don Pablo's ranch.

Juanito learned the ropes of a cowboy's life from the ground up, riding with the ranch hands and even engaging in gun fights with rustlers, native American braves and sheep herders in the prairie. There, he 'studied' under various 'gun masters' amongst whom was the ageing Phil Stonehill, an ex-confederate raider under Col. Mosby during the American Civil War. Juanito was never happier in his life, riding under the sun, packing a six shooter, firing off a Winchester repeater and throwing a Bowie Knife at some target. He always had a passion for weapons and honed his craft in it even if he didn't expect to rely on this for a living.

He saw how, theoretically, people in the US could buy or settle the land and live in wide open spaces, taking control of their own lives regardless of background or social class. Sure, the white man still marginalized the non-whites to a certain not inconsiderable degree, but it was better than what he saw at home. This, and Old Man Stonehill's stories of the War between the States made a lasting impression on him and made him question the rightness of things back home.

Eventually though, news reached him that his family was undergoing hard times and the rumor was that his father and elder brothers were being persecuted by the Spanish Authorities as insurrectos. Reluctantly leaving the States, Juanito returned to Manila to discover the country in revolutionary ferment. And yes, his father and brothers were rounded up and sent to the Cuartel.

Well, the time had come for Juan Guerrero to choose sides. With his six shooters and Bowie knife, he set out to take a stand in the coming struggle....

GURPS mahadlika Character Creation

2008-05-21T19:36:00.001-07:00

Character Creation Parameters.
Game Date: 2nd week of Jun 2008
Power Level: (Exceptional Individuals) 125cp, -75 disadvantages, +25cp only on social advantages.
Character options: Realistic (no exotic advantages.
Genre: Historical shifting to Heroic
Theme: Heroes against the Odds
Wealth: See Below

Here is some GURPS-ified economic breakdown of 19th Century Philippines.
Word of Warning, this is just for a game.

Economically, the TL of the Philipines is 2. Its no surprise that the average height of a roman was very similar to the average height of a filipino (5ft!). Double the Cost of TL5 equipment.

P1 (1865) is equal to $12 (2004). The exchange rate was roughly $1 to P1.

Signature Gear is at TL5. $2500 per point.

Shared Assets: Wealthy Characters who are part of families will have a (shared)annual income of $40,500 (P3,375) with a $36,000 (P3,000) Cost of Living. This leaves the Character $9,000 for his own personal assets. The character on the other hand has shared assets equal to 5x his annual income. This assumes the character is part of a household. He could be married, w/ or w/o children, living with inlaws or parents... or any combinations.
Wealthy [20]; Status 2 [5].
Starting Assets: $9,000 (not including basic necessities for his status and that of his group)
Pros- Higher Standard of Living.
Cons- Duties, Obligations and Responsibilities; Conflicts within families,

Independent Assets: An Independent Character is a wealth level lower than his "corporate" counterpart but still is in the same status and needs only the Cost of Living of 2 levels below his own. An Independent would have an income of $16,200, and a Cost of Living equal to $7,200 (that of a middle class family) but has $18,000 of personal assets. This assumes the character is an individual who is able to generate his own income exclusively.

Bottom Line:
Comfortable [10]; Status 2 [10].
Starting Assets: $18,000 (not including basic necessities for his status)
Pros- Independence!
Cons- Lower Standard of Living and with no access to the much larger
assets of a "corporate partnership".

You still have family but the strength of your family ties will cost points. Of course you have a default set of close friends or family who will come to your aid and you feel obligated to for free based on your background.

At $9,000 you may be able to own a number of horses. Guns imported from America etc. costs x8 more. Remember that horses that can do many tricks cost x4 to x10 more.

What is Mahadlika?

2008-05-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

In Teodoro Agoncilio's: The History of the Filipino People you will find the term Mahadlika. Mahadlika is described as a Free people, not to be confused with Maharlika who are nobles.

Surprisingly Despite the fact that the Book above is the STANDARD history book in colleges I've never encountered anyone who knew the word immediately when I mentioned it.

What is the Mahadlika RPG? It is a game setting based on 19th century Phlippines. The Mahadlika RPG draws its cast, theme, and challenges from Spanish ruled Philippines, with the only difference is that names of families, institutions and peoples have been changed to put some distance from history and focus on the fact that this is all a GAME.

Back when I had my website up this was the spiel (2003):

Mahadlika is a role-playing game that lets players enter the setting in Ma’ai, a land ravaged by Politics and Power struggles. It is a land, layered in intrigue, as deception threatens to destroy its people great heritage. Amidst the shadows of strife, fallen gods rise to seek retribution, an unearthly army has come to conquer the night, and its people on the brink of a revolution against their oppressive masters.

Below is the Setting Primer and Mythos (2003).

Mahadlika: The People under Heaven

Mahadlika is about a land in the brink of a revolution. It is a place whose people struggle under the yoke of an oppressive conqueror as its heritage and past is torn apart and burned by those who claim to be their savior.

Ma’ai is an archipelago that became the refuge of the 10 lords of Kalim (the 10 Datus of kalim in native). These men sought peace, equality and escape from the tyrannical monarch of their homeland. In exile, they took with them their traditions, knowledge and ancient gods. In this new land they began anew to carve a peaceful and altruistic way of life.

The Ten Datu (Lords): Puti (White), Bangkaya , Dumaglugdog, Sumakwel, Lubay, Paiburong, Dumangsil, Balensusa, Paduhinog, and Dumangsol came and settled in various parts of the Archipelago. With them came their Ten gods: Bathala (The All Father), Siginarugan (Warden of Hell), Sidapa (Mortality), Mandaragan (War), Agni (Fire and Iron), Balangaw (Inspiration and magic), Magwayan (Mistress of the spirit world), Lalahon (Rain and Harvest), Idiyanale (Nature), and Diyan Mansala (love and peace). They called themselves mahadlika or freemen. They were a people who strove for harmony with nature and each other.

As a gift to the fledgling nation, Bathala gave great wisdom to these Ten Datu. These Lords understood that the peace and goodness they have sought must be safeguarded. So the Datu found and trained men and women who will protect and serve the people selflessly. In the crisis to come these men and women will be known as the Bagani and the Babaylan.

In the first war of the tribes, kingdoms rose and gods came down onto the earth to join their followers and to advance their own goals. All the gods participated in the war, except for Diyan Mansala who sought to end it. She taught the first Babaylan. She trained her in how to communicate divine wisdom, see into the desires of others as well forge pacts that even gods must heed.

Father Bathala also intervened. Bathala taught the first Bagani how to be fair and just, the value of freedom and truth, and to protect the defenseless. Siginrugan, in Bathala’s bidding, taught to them the ceaseless vigilance and divine martial skills, while Sidapa taught them the secrets of defending the life of others.

Together with sword and compassion, the Bagani and Babaylan forged peace into the land and entered a new era of prosperity. The Bagani and the Babaylan were there to guide with both heart and mind so that bloodshed would end. The tribal wars ended when the last warring god was imprisoned. Great prosperity followed and Ma’ai found a great peace to grow and flourish.

This was until the arrival of the Imperials. Under the flag of a conqueror from the west, they called the land "Kings Isles" and sought to conquer all those who opposed under sword and holy word. There came a second tribal war, and the Bagani and Babaylan came to their duties only to find bloodshed that would not end. The Imperial army was superior in weapons, armor and number while the Bagani were few but fierce. The Imperials brought with them god killers: the Exelciadores who had the power to slay gods as they did in all the lands that came before them. There were those of Ma’ai who sought their own power aided the Imperials. Together they made an unstoppable force. Hoping for peace, the Babaylan asked for a chance to end the bloodshed. The Exelciadores relented only long enough to defile the companions of peace, and ravaged them before the pact of goddess was formed.

It was a pact that the conquerors would keep the peace and rule Ma’ai protecting her people, lest the wrath of all the gods they have slain will come for their souls. The Exelciadores laughed and agreed to what seemed to be a harmless pact. They agreed to the terms of the Babaylan and said "May the blood of the Trinity spill with the blood of your people." if we break our word, they promised.

After the negotiation, the Datu surrendered. True to their word they will accept Imperia as their own masters and cast away the gods that have been slain for them for the salvation of the Exellcia. In time, the land became the dumping ground for those who are too ambitious for Imperia and criminals. As time passed, the land grew twisted and wretched. The Politics of the Exellcia and Merchant Governors wracked the land with misery and suffering. The people cried out, but the word had already been given, that there is peace in suffering within the coils of a tightening serpent. It was a peace only the rich and the powerful enjoyed.

Ma’ai has changed drastically; where there were once wooden palisades and a contented people, now are vast Haciendas (Salve owned lands) and Plantations owned by the Elite and wealthy. Merchant Governors wield absolute power over their given regions; they are the chief justice, the monopoly as well as the commanders of their personal armies.

Powerful families have entrenched their control over the land. Their ambitions bring them into power struggles between other families. The Exellcia of Ma’ai has grown heavy with the number of the Faithless. The Faithless, are Salve that use their sacred duty to earn them power and wealth to equal the nobility of Imperia. The peasants are caught in the middle, suffering every injustice on all sides.

Beneath the surface of the struggle, here is a war brewing in the night. Someone is raising an unearthly army using the secrets of the Exellcia, an ancient darkness have come to life seeking to annihilation, and a pact is broken bringing down a vengeful curse.

The cry of the innocent has gone on for too long. Their gods were slain and all they have is the peace of the savior. Their savior heard their cries, three native salves of great talent and ability began to bring change to Ma’ai. Their efforts having lightened the heavy hand of the oppressors and held true the teachings of the Exellcia. They were known as the three saviors, three persons like the first savior. But, their actions were not tolerated, without fear of divine retribution they were convicted in a mock trial and murdered as a public execution.

As they bled and their blood soaked the earth, the wind blew from the west. As a blood red sun sank a ship arrived on that very day. What stepped on the soil of Ma’ai has come to answer the call of heaven.

Enters Samiel, The devil.

All are under copyprotection.