Revision as of 15:48, 5 March 2025

Introducing, The Duke of Rockhill

"Elevated upon your throne through a web of intrigue and political upheaval, you are the absolute authority of these lands and at the center of every plot within it. Every man, woman and child is envious of your position and would replace you in less than a heartbeat: Show them the error in their ways."Subordinates: The entire town

Key Duties: Lead Rockhill to greatness. Protect your worth from attackers

Whether ascended to the throne of Rockhill by inheritance, political shenanigans or usurpation, one fact remains the same. You are the sole ruler of the Duchy of Rockhill. Nearly everyone in the city bows to you, and you have the forces of your ducal army, the Town Watch and the Bastion's Vanguard at your fingertips. You have direct subordinates within the court to delegate and co-ordinate with should the matters at hand require a hands-off approach.

As the Duke, the week lives and dies on your command. As the sole highest authority, your word is law - though rogue elements in your duchy may attempt to overthrow you if you take it to the extreme. You are an established local lord, try not to go out of your way to tempt a coup. Furthermore, the Church ultimately decides on who rules, and angering a man of the Gods is a sure-fire way to tarnish your reputation for life...

A Ruler's Basics

The Duke of Rockhill always starts his week perched upon his grand throne, alongside his family, courtiers and men-at-arms. You begin with the Master Rod, an enchanted sceptre that can shock and silence anyone who possesses a NERVELOCK account, and the Master Key, a skeleton key that can open most doors in town. Most importantly, however, is the Crown of Rockhill perched atop your head. This allows you to interact with the "throat," a mysterious voice in the Throne of Rockhill that allows you to make sweeping changes to your duchy, as well as use the Master Rod. Without the Crown, it's naught more than a gem-encrusted stick. To use your throne, rest upon its cushions and ask it for "help." The throat will tell you its commands, which are as follows:

Summon Crown - Summons the Crown of Rockhill to the throne. Only possible if none are wearing the crown; though the throat will tell you who has taken your ducal jewels.
Make Announcement - Broadcasts your regal speeches to the whole Duchy, letting all know of your plans, your punishments, and your idle after-noon musings. Any who wear the crown may use this function of the throat.
Make Decree - For more important announcements, a decree will be accompanied with bombastic horns and the rats of the SCOMs around Rockhill occasionally repeating whatever you have decreed. The populace will constantly be reminded of your authority; benevolent or not.
Make Law - The Laws of the Land will be amended with with your glorious decree, which your peasants and the refugees to the duchy are forced to obey, lest they be caught violating your authority and be brought to the mercy of the town watch or your marshal.
Remove Law - By telling the throne to remove a certain law, for example "Remove Law 3," the offending law will be struck out from the Laws of the Land.
Purge Law - Removes all Laws of the Land. Not recommended lest you come up with new laws swiftly.
Declare Outlaw - Marks anyone in the Duchy for death or capture. All who lay eyes on the poor soul are made aware of their outlawing. To remove the brand, repeat the process for the criminal scum.
Set Tax - Changes how much money is taken from deposits made into NERVELOCK accounts. Nobles are exempt.

You, of course, have access to the whole of Rockhill Keep. Being the busy man that you are, it's more like than not that you'll spend most of your time in your manor estate, ordering around your courtiers and being a stellar father and husband (or an awful one.) Your room is on the second floor, which contains some wine, perfume and your set of Blacksteel plate armour. Should you ever find yourself out and about and still wish to communicate with your people, a gemerald ring also sits in a closet in your office, which acts like a SCOM when worn. You can mute it with MMB, provided you're not in any special intent.

A Ruler's Court

As the Duke of Rockhill, you don't rule alone. Alongside you are your courtiers and servants, each of which have their own duties to support you and your grand duchy in its dae-to-dae operations. Work alongside them, delegate relevant tasks, and be sure to reward them for good work, and punish them for their mistakes. How your court acts reflects upon you, Your Grace.

The Consort and the Heirs
- Your immediate family. The Consort is your spouse, and may not always have been married into your family out of love. Similarly, the Heirs are not exclusively your blood relation. Your family all have claims to the throne in event of your death, and can sway power towards themselves through courtly intrigue, so it's best not to scorn them frivolously. Certainly not if you intend to have them take regency.
The Hand
- As your best friend for many years, your right hand man acts under your direct authority. A loyal Hand may bring about even greater cohesion in your court, and a disloyal one may seek to stir discontentment within your ranks. Keep them close by your side, listen to their counsel, and encourage them to work with your other subordinates. The Hand can also make a decent spymaster.
The Marshal
- The superior of your duchy's team of legislators, the Marshal can enact your judgement on the populace in your stead. He is able to suggest to you amendments to the Laws of the Land and hold court for issues that don't require your immediate presence - on top of this, helping you to organise your forces as a middle-man between you, the Knight-Captain, the Vanguard's Warden and Rockhill Town's mayor.
The Steward
- Your coin counter. The Steward and his clerk handle the financial dealings of the duchy, co-ordinating with the Merchant and craftsmen around Rockhill to bring treasures into your vault, and handling imports, exports and NERVELOCK banking. Sometimes, this errant paper-pusher may need a little reminder of his duties, as payments for your men are oft missed.
The Court Physician
- Once a leper brought into your court to practice the ways of Pestra out of sight and mind of the rest of world, the now-cured physician stands as one of the only forces between your court and Necra's realm. Adept at sewing wounds and brewing potions, the Court Physician is life-saving part of your court... though his knowledge of alchemy could be your downfall.
The Court Magos
- An eccentric mage who performs his studies into the arcyne on your manor grounds. His knowledge can provide great boons to you, and the scrying orb in his possession can find most people who the mage already knows of. Be wary of his magic, however. It can easily be turned against you.

A Ruler's Strength

What would a ruler be without an army? Dead or deposed of, of course. Fortunately, the garrisons of Rockhill are robust and plentiful, with three factions within that are deployed in different sections of your land. The crown retinue consists at most of its Retinue Captain, two knights, three squires, six men at arms and a gatemaster. These are your manor guard, and will often remain in the keep unless you deploy them elsewhere. The town watch consists of its Sheriff, and at most eleven watchmen. Their duties are to maintain peace in the high-town, and have the authority to detain and imprison petty criminals and drunkards. Finally, the Vanguard consists of its Warden and at most ten Vanguard troops, who work to keep the lowtown safe and ensure the Bastion leading into Rockhill proper stands.

If the Gods will it so, your men shouldn't have to see much bloodshed in the week, but bandits and the undead make sure that your garrison all earn their pay by the end of the week. Be realistic with how you deploy your men, it's unwise to leave one part of your lands unguarded to bolster the strength of another. The garrison can tend to be blood-thirsty, so keep them in line with rewards and punishments - a round of ale amongst soldiers can prevent an unfortunate "accident" with a peasant.

A Ruler's Prudence

Being the Duke does not mean you can do whatever you like with no consequences. In fact, anger enough people and the weight of this foolishness will put a large burden on your shoulders, which people will be more than happy to remove... along with your head. Should you make a decision the commonfolk dislike, you should expect a decent amount of resistance and friction, which you will have to deal with before you find yourself at the mercy of the rebellion. Here are some some Do's and Do Not's for any good Duke to consider, evil or not:

DO:

Propose novel laws, such as crop donations or emergency levies
Elevate notable commoners to a higher standing for their contributions
Use intrigue and meticulous planning to dispose of enemies to your agenda with little pomp and ceremony
Be unique. A good gimmick can turn a decent Duke into a memorable Duke
Delegate tasks to your courtiers to ensure everything runs smoothly
Be subtle in your less-than-moral habits and vices
Give trusted courtiers regency if you want personal time

DO NOT:

Be cartoonishly evil. A tyrant is fine, one who orders his men to kidnap women for him to defile is not
Act like a commoner. You are of the highest standing in the duchy, act like it
Ever turn against the Church. Your legacy will be tarnished if you're declared a heretic, and the curses will only whittle away your duchy's strength if the Priest ends up dead
Leave the manor alone. You may be able to fight independently, but overconfidence will leave you rotting on the streets
Over-rely on executions. Death is hard to make interesting
Actively hunt villains. You only invite trouble by sending your men into the bog unprepared, it's wiser to form an ambush

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The Duke
+= Introducing, The Duke of Rockhill =
+<blockquote>"Elevated upon your throne through a web of intrigue and political upheaval, you are the absolute authority of these lands and at the center of every plot within it. Every man, woman and child is envious of your position and would replace you in less than a heartbeat: Show them the error in their ways."'''''Subordinates:''''' The entire town</blockquote>'''''Key Duties:''''' Lead Rockhill to greatness. Protect your worth from attackers
-Keys: Master key (all access), etc.
+Whether ascended to the throne of Rockhill by inheritance, political shenanigans or usurpation, one fact remains the same. You are the sole ruler of the Duchy of Rockhill. Nearly everyone in the city bows to you, and you have the forces of your ducal army, the Town Watch and the Bastion's Vanguard at your fingertips. You have direct subordinates within the court to delegate and co-ordinate with should the matters at hand require a hands-off approach.
-Difficulty: Very hard
-Supervisors: The Hand, Dutchess, Court and Church
-Duties: Do whatever you want, ideally make sure Rockhill doesn't explode.
-Guides: This is the guide
+As the Duke, the week lives and dies on your command. As the sole highest authority, your word is law - though rogue elements in your duchy may attempt to overthrow you if you take it to the extreme. You are an established local lord, try not to go out of your way to tempt a coup. Furthermore, the Church ultimately decides on who rules, and angering a man of the Gods is a sure-fire way to tarnish your reputation for life...
-"Make Decree: All kobold and verminfolks are sex property now, go rape them!"
+=== A Ruler's Basics ===
+The Duke of Rockhill always starts his week perched upon his grand throne, alongside his family, courtiers and men-at-arms. You begin with the Master Rod, an enchanted sceptre that can shock and silence anyone who possesses a NERVELOCK account, and the Master Key, a skeleton key that can open ''most'' doors in town. Most importantly, however, is the Crown of Rockhill perched atop your head. This allows you to interact with the "throat," a mysterious voice in the Throne of Rockhill that allows you to make sweeping changes to your duchy, as well as use the Master Rod. Without the Crown, it's naught more than a gem-encrusted stick. To use your throne, rest upon its cushions and ask it for "help." The throat will tell you its commands, which are as follows:
-You're the Ruler. You command, demand, and control all of Rockhill and it's population. That doesn't just mean your own peoples—anyone who steps into your territory is on your terms now.
+* '''Summon Crown''' - Summons the Crown of Rockhill to the throne. Only possible if none are wearing the crown; though the throat will tell you who has taken your ducal jewels.
+* '''Make Announcement''' - Broadcasts your regal speeches to the whole Duchy, letting all know of your plans, your punishments, and your idle after-noon musings. Any who wear the crown may use this function of the throat.
+* '''Make Decree''' - For more important announcements, a decree will be accompanied with bombastic horns and the rats of the SCOMs around Rockhill occasionally repeating whatever you have decreed. The populace will constantly be reminded of your authority; benevolent or not.
+* '''Make Law''' - The Laws of the Land will be amended with with your glorious decree, which your peasants and the refugees to the duchy are forced to obey, lest they be caught violating your authority and be brought to the mercy of the town watch or your marshal.
+* '''Remove Law''' - By telling the throne to remove a certain law, for example ''"Remove Law 3,"'' the offending law will be struck out from the Laws of the Land.
+* '''Purge Law''' - Removes ''all'' Laws of the Land. Not recommended lest you come up with new laws swiftly.
+* '''Declare Outlaw''' - Marks anyone in the Duchy for death or capture. All who lay eyes on the poor soul are made aware of their outlawing. To remove the brand, repeat the process for the criminal scum.
+* '''Set Tax''' - Changes how much money is taken from deposits made into NERVELOCK accounts. Nobles are exempt.
-You should have some experience leading people. Don't worry too much about the specifics; you're here to make the round interesting!
+You, of course, have access to the whole of Rockhill Keep. Being the busy man that you are, it's more like than not that you'll spend most of your time in your manor estate, ordering around your courtiers and being a stellar father and husband (or an awful one.) Your room is on the second floor, which contains some wine, perfume and your set of Blacksteel plate armour. Should you ever find yourself out and about and still wish to communicate with your people, a gemerald ring also sits in a closet in your office, which acts like a SCOM when worn. You can mute it with MMB, provided you're not in any special intent.
-It's Good to Be Duke
+=== A Ruler's Court ===
-The Basics
+As the Duke of Rockhill, you don't rule alone. Alongside you are your courtiers and servants, each of which have their own duties to support you and your grand duchy in its dae-to-dae operations. Work alongside them, delegate relevant tasks, and be sure to reward them for good work, and punish them for their mistakes. How your court acts reflects upon you, Your Grace.
-The first thing you should do once you find yourself on that mighty throne of yours is say hello to the people beside you. They will be knights, castle guards, and your family (Dutchess, Heir, etc.) alongside your more trusted advisors, such as the Hand and Steward. You'll also see your Court Magician once he's done with his orb in the tower. Get familiar with them, ideally be friendly, because if they turn on you, there's not much for you to do except run or shock them with your magical staff.
+* The Consort and the Heirs
+** Your immediate family. The Consort is your spouse, and may not always have been married into your family out of love. Similarly, the Heirs are not exclusively your blood relation. Your family all have claims to the throne in event of your death, and can sway power towards themselves through courtly intrigue, so it's best not to scorn them frivolously. Certainly not if you intend to have them take regency.
+* The Hand
+** As your best friend for many years, your right hand man acts under your direct authority. A loyal Hand may bring about even greater cohesion in your court, and a disloyal one may seek to stir discontentment within your ranks. Keep them close by your side, listen to their counsel, and encourage them to work with your other subordinates. The Hand can also make a decent spymaster.
+* The Marshal
+** The superior of your duchy's team of legislators, the Marshal can enact your judgement on the populace in your stead. He is able to suggest to you amendments to the Laws of the Land and hold court for issues that don't require your immediate presence - on top of this, helping you to organise your forces as a middle-man between you, the Knight-Captain, the Vanguard's Warden and Rockhill Town's mayor.
+* The Steward
+** Your coin counter. The Steward and his clerk handle the financial dealings of the duchy, co-ordinating with the Merchant and craftsmen around Rockhill to bring treasures into your vault, and handling imports, exports and NERVELOCK banking. Sometimes, this errant paper-pusher may need a little reminder of his duties, as payments for your men are oft missed.
+* The Court Physician
+** Once a leper brought into your court to practice the ways of Pestra out of sight and mind of the rest of world, the now-cured physician stands as one of the only forces between your court and Necra's realm. Adept at sewing wounds and brewing potions, the Court Physician is life-saving part of your court... though his knowledge of alchemy could be your downfall.
+* The Court Magos
+** An eccentric mage who performs his studies into the arcyne on your manor grounds. His knowledge can provide great boons to you, and the scrying orb in his possession can find most people who the mage already knows of. Be wary of his magic, however. It can easily be turned against you.
-Next, get ahold of your bearings. You spawn with a crown and master rod, plus a keyring and plenty of money. You also have a ring of null magic, which will nullify spells used against you with a cooldown between each. The crown is the most important thing on your person. Without it, you can't make announcements, decrees, declare outlaws, or set taxes. You're just a nobody with a fur cloak.
+=== A Ruler's Strength ===
+What would a ruler be without an army? Dead or deposed of, of course. Fortunately, the garrisons of Rockhill are robust and plentiful, with three factions within that are deployed in different sections of your land. The crown retinue consists at most of its Retinue Captain, two knights, three squires, six men at arms and a gatemaster. These are your manor guard, and will often remain in the keep unless you deploy them elsewhere. The town watch consists of its Sheriff, and at most eleven watchmen. Their duties are to maintain peace in the high-town, and have the authority to detain and imprison petty criminals and drunkards. Finally, the Vanguard consists of its Warden and at most ten Vanguard troops, who work to keep the lowtown safe and ensure the Bastion leading into Rockhill proper stands.
-After that, your master rod is a powerful tool to use, especially on your lonesome. By holding it in one hand and selecting "use" intent, anyone you click on will be shocked. This does no damage, but puts them into a hard stun for roughly 10 seconds. This is great for disciplining insubordinates, opening them up for your men to attack, or making a getaway if you happen to find yourself on the other end of a sword. Of note, the master rod will only work if you have the crown on your head. If you don't, you're better off wielding it like a staff.
+If the Gods will it so, your men shouldn't have to see much bloodshed in the week, but bandits and the undead make sure that your garrison all earn their pay by the end of the week. Be realistic with how you deploy your men, it's unwise to leave one part of your lands unguarded to bolster the strength of another. The garrison can tend to be blood-thirsty, so keep them in line with rewards and punishments - a round of ale amongst soldiers can prevent an unfortunate "accident" with a peasant.
-Your keyring and money are fairly self-explanatory. Use the former to open doors, and the latter to bribe or pay anyone you want.
+=== A Ruler's Prudence ===
+Being the Duke does not mean you can do whatever you like with no consequences. In fact, anger enough people and the weight of this foolishness will put a large burden on your shoulders, which people will be more than happy to remove... along with your head. Should you make a decision the commonfolk dislike, you should expect a decent amount of resistance and friction, which you will have to deal with before you find yourself at the mercy of the rebellion. Here are some some Do's and Do Not's for any good Duke to consider, evil or not:
-Next to your throne is a lever. While sitting on the throne, you don't have to wait for the action to finish to pull it. Anyone standing on the platform when you do will fall into a pit of wolves and the greater dungeon, and they'd kill for a pork chop right about now.
+'''DO:'''
-My Land, My Rules
+* Propose novel laws, such as crop donations or emergency levies
+* Elevate notable commoners to a higher standing for their contributions
+* Use intrigue and meticulous planning to dispose of enemies to your agenda with little pomp and ceremony
+* Be unique. A good gimmick can turn a decent Duke into a memorable Duke
+* Delegate tasks to your courtiers to ensure everything runs smoothly
+* Be subtle in your less-than-moral habits and vices
+* Give trusted courtiers regency if you want personal time
-You have the ultimate authority over Rockhill and its inhabitants, and we do mean the ultimate authority. You think all the beggars should be working the farms or enlisted as your personal servants? Let the people know! Want to declare a small races as property? Do it! Your land, your rules. It's as The Throat says, speak and they will listen.
+'''DO NOT:'''
-Just keep in mind that poor decisions may lead to your untimely dethroningcapitation. Play it by ear, and expect to be the first one to die.
+* Be cartoonishly evil. A tyrant is fine, one who orders his men to kidnap women for him to defile is not
+* Act like a commoner. You are of the highest standing in the duchy, act like it
-The Throat
+* Ever turn against the Church. Your legacy will be tarnished if you're declared a heretic, and the curses will only whittle away your duchy's strength if the Priest ends up dead
+* Leave the manor alone. You may be able to fight independently, but overconfidence will leave you rotting on the streets
-While sitting on the throne, you have access to something called The Throat. It is, effectively, the announcement system. You use it to set taxes, make public statements, declare outlaws, and anything else that you'd need to be done with words and not blades. Simply state the command you're looking to execute, and The Throat should respond to let you know it's listening.
+* Over-rely on executions. Death is hard to make interesting
+* Actively hunt villains. You only invite trouble by sending your men into the bog unprepared, it's wiser to form an ambush
-Below is a list of commands. If you ever forget them, you can say "Help" while on the throne to hear them in-game.
-Make Announcement - Once you hear the confirmation ("Speak and they will listen.") say anything you want and all of Rockhill will hear you, even if they're sleeping or on another Z-level (citation needed). Make Decree - This is similar to Make Announcement. Instead of being a broad announcement to the public, this is a decree that is considered law. This can be, quite literally, anything! From ordering the peasants to work, to outlawing elves, to demanding everyone wear a hat while outside, whatever you say, goes. Unlike Make Announcement, the SCOM system will list these decrees to read if interacted with, and will occasionally parrot them to remind citizens that you're the BMFOC. Set Taxes - Allows you to set taxes. Every day, accounts in SHYLOCKs will have a portion of their funds taken out and put into yours/your treasury. Declare Outlaw - Lets you set an outlaw. When examining this person, it will say they're an outlaw and remind guards to kill arrest them and citizens to kill avoid them. Summon Crown - If you're the Ruler without your crown, or one of the trusted advisors (Court Magician, for instance) you can summon the crown to the throne, in theory. This doesn't work a lot of the time. Note: Commands are case sensitive! That means “Make announcement.” won't work, but “Make Announcement” will.
-The Rock-Hall of The Mountain Duke
-Remember how we mentioned you have people in the court next to you that you probably shouldn't anger? Let's talk about them now. How much love and/or care you give to each of these people is up to you, but you don't want the court conspiring against you!
-The first is your family. The Dutchess, heir, or heiress, sometimes more than one Heir or Heiress. They are in a special place compared to other roles; the Dutchess is the only one who is just under your level, whereas your children are more subordinates to be treated nicer than swine. You might let them do their own thing, or give them orders, but either way, they're in your corner.
-The second is the Hand. Per its description, they are your right-hand man (pun intended). You should delegate anything you can't to anyone else towards them. They are your personal problem solver, protector (not counting castle guards, of course) and overall best friend. If you have a narrative in mind, they might have served with you in the war, been a childhood friend, or anything else—but they're there to make sure whatever you have in mind gets done.
-Next, the Steward. They handle your finances and treasury, give money to people who ask and make sure nobody bitches about a lack of zennis. Instead of walking back and forth to the SHYLOCK to pay whoever's in front of you, send them to the Steward, and have them relay that you sent them.
-The Court Magician is sort of like a second Hand if you so wish. Unlike most sorcerers, they have two fireballs instead of one, drastically shorter cooldowns, and one of the two can blow up walls! In terms of raw power, they're perhaps the best you can have next to you in a battle, able to stun with Lightning Bolt, pull people away with Fetch, and destroy or ignite anyone and everyone with Fireball and Greater Fireball. They also have a scrying orb, and so long as you speak the name of someone you want found, they can locate them with relative ease by looking into it.
-Sometimes you might have a Sheriff, which can be a gods-send during the more combative rounds. Sheriffs have amazing combat qualities and are essentially the Head of Security role. Treat them like a Hand that you send to kill things, because if you want someone dead, the Sheriff will make sure you never see them again.
-The jester is your personal clown. You can tell him to do anything for any reason at all, or even throw him in your wolf pit at the start of the round if you want to send a message.
-Lastly are your castle guards and maids. The castle guards make sure no one comes wide at you and the maids make sure you're fed and that your keep is clean. They're more than ordinary townsmen, they're loyal to you and you alone. In a pinch, they can be pawns to put around the board.
-Ye Olde Clergymen
-The Church of The Pantheon is the only other power that rivals yours. Like any other medieval monarchy, the church can have just as much or even more power than yours. Angering them is very unwise, as the church has the most competent healers and acolytes, capable of bringing people back from the dead or ensuring crops grant a better harvest/undead aren't roaming around the streets. While you might be the ultimate authority, they are the place of respite for anything and anyone you discard, and they have to pick up after your mistakes. Similarly, the Priest can make announcements and shame heretics, their version of declaring outlaws, including you.
-Don't give the Church, The Ten, or anyone in either of those an excuse to hunt you down without good reason. The Church and The Ten do away with Zizo and his foul spirits. Without them, the kingdom would be full of beasts and acts of terror, where every wound is a death sentence and comradery is a thing of the past. Work with the Priest to determine what's right for you and Rockhill. An uneasy alliance is far better than a tepid rivalry.
-Help, I'm Being Killed!
-As mentioned earlier, you're probably going to be the first person on someone's shitlist, no matter how you play the Duke. You need to watch out for bandits, revolutionaries (or "rebels"), vampyres and the occasional wandering idiot with a sword. You shouldn't be afraid to kill or at least beat whoever opposes you into submission, but ruling by love and support isn't a bad way to get someone's attention either.
-Remember that you should really never frontline except for funsies. Send your guards and knights, then your magician, then your hand and sheriff after them first. When all else fails, then you can step in, if you really want to. Staying alive as the Duke is usually common sense. Don't stand near broken windows, make sure nobody enters your court with a weapon, and don't be afraid to flee if you value your own life. By making friends and not being an all-around tyrant, you'll have plenty of people willing to take an arrow for you.
-Perhaps, This Is Hell
-This all seems like a lot to process, and let's be honest, it sure is if you're looking to play an actual "Duke" Duke. But let's face it, you're probably not here for the spectacular narrative experience, are you? That's an experience better left to the barkeep or Dutchess. Like it or not, you're the cornucopia from which all fun, or unfun, may sprout. You have tools to keep yourself alive, but one misstep can have anyone, anywhere come after your head, even your own court.
-With this in mind, you should be playing to have fun. While Duke is no doubt a very difficult role even if you just plan on ordering non-humans to have their heads lopped off, channel this stress into making interesting decrees and spicing up the round. You might think you're integral to the round, and on many fronts, you are, but you aren't the be all end all. If you have a choice between dying while making the round as fun as possible, and staying alive to make it boring and samey, choose the former! Anyone can pick up the crown and keep ruling if needed, and maybe they'll improve it long after you're gone.
-TL;DR You're going to suffer through a lot as a Duke, but you have the ultimate power over everyone else. You aren't even subject to RDM rules! You're here for a good time, not a long time. Prove to all of Rockhill why you're the best/funniest/coolest Duke, because you've only got one shot.
-Tips and Tricks
-You should always have the crown on your head, unless you're going into battle, and even then it should be in your bag. The crown is the most important thing! If you know you're going to die, give it to someone you trust. Don't go and run off by yourself. You may have a stun rod and the power of the crown on your side, but even three measly beggars can beat you to death surprisingly quickly. Always travel with a friend or someone combat-capable. Remember that you're here to make things fun. This is repeated a lot because that's what you're here for! You might be a unifying presence with absolute power, but try to use those powers for good or humorous purposes. Put bounties on random things, ask people to tell you a joke, even just ramble over the announcement system about how much you hate being Duke.