A grimdark ancient roman survival management roguelike. Will you be able to lead your party safely into the unexplored northern frontier, or will you succumb to the unknown?
It has been almost a century since Caesar's initial landings on Britannia. Since his time Rome has subjugated most of the southern peoples, establishing Roman towns and infrastructure, as well as settling many of their people in traditionally celtic lands.
It is 60AD, Emperor Nero rules from the eternal city, the Celts are in revolt. They are led by a warrior queen bent on pushing the Roman invaders back into the sea.
In Incognita the player will be managing a party of mercenaries as they penetrate deeper into the cold unknown of Brittania. These party members abilities are made up of 3 factors, their lingeage (Their parents genetics and culture) their adolescence (Where they grew up) and their Vocation (What they’ve spent their adult life perfecting).
Vocations
Veteran
The Veteran’s purpose to the party is violence. A veteran posseses a trophy taken from a slain enemy as a reminder of his ability to overcome overwhelming odds. The Veteran’s training allows them to chain together kill after kill. They have been ordered to do many terrible things, a fact which keeps them up at night to this day.
Farmer
The Farmer helps keep a party fed, using their experience in effective and efficient harvesting of crops to maximize the food a party can forage while on the road. Their sickle makes for a good weapon, cutting down to the quick in a single blow, however Farmers are unused to combat and suffer more from their wounds than more hardened party members.
Hunter
Hunters serve the party in two main ways, effectively dispatching creatures from afar and by supplying high quality pelts for them to sell. Striking from the shadows, Hunters are good at ambushing enemies and remaining undiscovered. Where Hunters struggle is in close range, when they lack the space and time required to fire their large bows.
Labourer
Labourers are the workhorse of the party, able to work for long periods of time without rest, an invaluable trait when there is much to be done in dangerous circumstances. Labourers strength is also a boon to the party, however, this strength comes at the cost of substancially increased food requirements, taxing the party’s already limited stocks.
Merchant
Merchants are very valuable due the their experience in persuation and barter, something that is sorely needed when most of the ne’erdowells a party will encounter are weak minded and easily impressed. This social skill comes at a cost however, merchants spend most of their lives in comfort and are therefor more effected by the toils of travelling the unknown.
Criminal
Criminals are wildcards, unable to be pinned down or pigeonholed into one role. They are people of extremes, acustomed to the discomforts of the world and at their best under circumstances most dire. Though their toughness and resiliance is a great bonus, criminals are not known for working well in groups.
Camp Follower
These men and women are team players able to use food more efficiently and with special effects. In this period the Romans refered to them as Lixae, they are used to serving under terrible conditions. Business is booming in the mediterranian world however and with Rome’s relative winning streak in memory, camp followers aren’t used to too much hardship.
Entertainer
Entertainers are an indespensable member of a party, able to lift the spirits of their comrades and pull people back from the brink. This ability is not free however as in Rome entertainers are seen as lower than prostitutes and a life spent in pleasuring others at ones own expense is a hard way to live. Entertainers, it need not be said, are not the greatest fighters and their slight constitution leaves them unable to recover quickly.
Elder
Though not entirely uncommon, living to old age is definitely a challenge in a time before our modern medicine and stability. Elders are healers, having learned their traditional medicine from a lifetime of observation and practice. Elders would be more sought after as party companions if not for the frailty of their bodies, as they have a much reduced capacity for punishment compared to other party members.