tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80464690083682731932024-02-23T05:17:33.279-05:00The Book of Worlds~ Background, Influences and Reflections from a Storyteller ~Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.comBlogger447125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-39145028765992934492018-04-10T15:01:00.001-04:002018-04-10T21:34:39.985-04:00The Orchid Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIrwbgRTQDY5A9oLVGxqxpDKVc19AAXjnfJaO17d5rGW0yRwnPpDZYp_ar_Jy-vk0B-zkv3SO0cg8wHo3vNQTtFnnyUyOxijuFfDfWD9DUuyzfEKgC3K7OmDrd-4Y34gA7wm6d1JYiaw/s1600/df71525a943a78e88e566466cb06b7c1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="394" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIrwbgRTQDY5A9oLVGxqxpDKVc19AAXjnfJaO17d5rGW0yRwnPpDZYp_ar_Jy-vk0B-zkv3SO0cg8wHo3vNQTtFnnyUyOxijuFfDfWD9DUuyzfEKgC3K7OmDrd-4Y34gA7wm6d1JYiaw/s400/df71525a943a78e88e566466cb06b7c1.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Bral caters to almost every vice, from grand scale corruption, via most types of imaginable gambling, to lotus addiction, with each sin having its own venue. There are countless dens, dives, clubs, and brothels, catering to every level of wealth and depravity. The rock's constabulary is primarily concerned with ensuring that the corpses don't stack up and that the necessary bribes are paid, preferring not to disrupt what is a most lucrative business unless the security of the settlement is at risk. This has resulted in a symbiotic relationship between the administration and the underworld, and most will admit that this system is more than a small contributor to Bral's charm.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Limax; credit: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/leketoys/">Leketoys</a></td></tr>
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Perhaps the most famous lord of the underworld is Nabulla Limax, a.k.a. the Leopard, a larger than life figure with a shadowy past, whose massive fingers are in in almost every conceivable pie. His portfolio is as large as the man himself, with his nightclub, the Orchid Club, being what most immediately associate with his name. The Orchid Club is seen to be <i>the</i> place to visit if you want to really experience the true underbelly of Bral. The fact that Mr. Limax frowns on those who prey on his clientele means that even a stiff collared green-lounge has a decent chance of returning home after a night out, with life and limb intact. It bears mentioning that when Mr. Limax frowns upon your actions, death is usually imminent. </div>
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Though the very real measure of danger is a big factor, what draws guests to the Orchid Club are the the dancers, the champagne towers, and perhaps most importantly, the music. Mr. Limax prides himself on having bands every night and his club attracts bopcats from across the Hinterverse. Several of the biggest names in the business has appeared on his marquee. The fact that a casual patron has pretty good chance of witnessing a knife fight between a couple of jealous local braves further adds to the allure. We should of course not forget to mention that the Orchid also counts several of the leading figures of the rock's underworld among its patrons. Here leaders of the Barza, the Dockers, the Seven Families, and the Guild have regular tables, a fact that has landed Mr. Limax the unofficial title of Shadow Provost.</div>
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Mr. Limax is a passionate orchid collector and both the nightclub and his Sunward mansion are lavishly decorated with these flowers. He is rumoured to own in excess of nine hundred different plants and to be constantly searching for new species. Another of his passions is steam baths and he owns bathhouses in every burrow. Many of his business meetings is conducted in the most lavish of these, the Golden Slippers. Another noteworthy rumour is that of his cats. The word is that he has two daggercats, Talona and Zahir, who are only fed human flesh. This rumour is strengthened by Mr. Limax's penchant for stating that, "rats get fed to the cats."</div>
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<a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/22nktanuqvkbydspvs5l3qnmq/playlist/6GaV1QaHG84NO4SVZzBsZy">The Orchid Club playlist on Spotify</a></div>
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<b>Storyteller's note:</b> Nabulla first appeared back when the century was young and Star Wars d20 had just been released. A few capers in, the <strike>heroes</strike> scoundrels became trapped by the gravity of an orchid and steam bath loving Hutt. The portrait of Nabulla the Man in this post is by one of the players of that epic game.</div>
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Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-1106098751886136882018-03-01T10:53:00.001-05:002018-03-01T10:54:45.193-05:00Hinterverse, a Glossary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Antikytheron, the<br />
Core prognostication device of the Great Machine, origin unknown.<br />
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Arcturean Arm<br />
A minor spiral arm of the Hinterverse.<br />
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Argos<br />
The birthplace of the human race. Bane Hostile entities native to the vacuum; see also: Umbrood.<br />
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ATC<br />
The Arcutrean Trading Company, a chartered company with exclusive rights to interworld trade in the Arcturean Arm.<br />
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Bral<br />
Major mining settlement in the Celaeno system.<br />
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CAPTAIN<br />
Central Analytical Prognosticator and Tracking Apparatus with Incorporated Node; core analytical engine on settlements and smaller worlds, capable of tracking astral movements, performing local prognostications, and communicating with the Great Machine.<br />
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Commonwealth, the<br />
The largest human civilization, spanning dozens of worlds.<br />
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Construct<br />
Artificial world or settlement, not on a planet.<br />
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Corregidor<br />
Construct world and capital of the Commonwealth.<br />
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Crescendor<br />
A crescent shaped construct moon orbiting the gas planet Donar’s Folly; busy port.<br />
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Custos ex Machina<br />
Guardians of the Great Machine and secret police of the Commonwealth, special focus on deism and luddite movements.<br />
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Deism<br />
The worship of gods.<br />
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Exodus, the<br />
The great migration from Argos.<br />
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Goblinoid Derogatory term for non-human.<br />
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Godmachine, the<br />
Colloquialism for the Great Machine.<br />
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Great Machine, the<br />
Enormous analytical engine forming the core of Corregidor.<br />
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Hinterverse, the<br />
The physical galaxy; originally the universe beyond Argos.<br />
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Hyadean Arm<br />
A remote spiral arm of the Hinterverse, believed to have been where the OUT hid most of their fleet.<br />
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King’s Port<br />
A construct moon orbiting Corregodor; the largest ship building facility in the Commonwealth.<br />
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Lex Deorum<br />
The law against worship of gods Lost Ships, the One of three groups of people leaving Argos in the Exodus, led by a queen and disappeared into the Hinterverse. Many expeditions have failed to locate them.<br />
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Magnetogram<br />
Wireless communication by text across the vacuum.<br />
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Male Astra<br />
Large comet that appeared suddenly. Known to affect the collective psyche of whole worlds as it comes within view.<br />
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Multiverse, the<br />
The entirety of cosmos, including the non-physical astral realms.<br />
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Ordo Ultima Thule<br />
An advanced thaumaturgic civilization, exiled from their world following an apocalypse of their own making; also OUT.<br />
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Prognostication<br />
1. The function of an analytical machine; or 2. the science of interpreting the analytical data of the Great Machine.<br />
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Resurrection War<br />
When Male Astra first appeared in the Centarian Arm, a group of theurges started an uprising against the Great Machine, this spread across several worlds before Peace was restored.<br />
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Sera<br />
Ocean world, main exporter of fish and seafood.<br />
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Settlement<br />
Commonwealth outpost, usually used in reference to non-worlds.<br />
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Thaumaturgy<br />
The forbidden and dangerous practice of harnessing non-physical entities.<br />
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Third Wave, the<br />
The last major wave of expansion by the Commonwealth.<br />
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Umbrood<br />
Entities native to the vacuum; see also: Bane.<br />
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Vacuum<br />
The space between worlds.<br />
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Vermillio<br />
The first world colonised by the Commonwealth and the largest exporter of agricultural products.<br />
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World<br />
A settled astral body, construct or natural planet, large enough to maintain a self-sustaining ecosystem.<br />
<br />Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-15763691687515249992018-02-28T21:02:00.000-05:002018-02-28T21:09:28.970-05:00The Commonwealth: A Primer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Millennia ago, three rulers led their peoples out among the stars to escape a great evil that had corrupted their homeworld. After they departed, this world, Argos, birthplace of the human race, became sealed off from the rest of the multiverse. <br /><br />Enders the Great built a city in the empty reaches between the stars and named it Corregidor. His people prospered and reached out to other worlds. This was the birth of the community of worlds that was to become the Commonwealth. <br /><br />Agripios the Red settled his followers on Varanger, a hospitable planet among the Antediluvian Stars. Here they built a great civilization that eventually fell under the sway of dark powers. When their world was consumed by an Old One, the survivors retreated into the vacuum, led by the cult known as Ordo Ultima Thule.<br /><br />Assani the Wise led her people deep into the hinterverse. Where she settled is not known, but in the ages that have passed since the exodus, stories of encounters with people claiming to come from the world settled by the lost ships have become part of sailor lore. This world has become known as Magh Meall, a reference to an idealised mythical world of ancient Argosian lore.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />Corregidor was constructed and tethered among the stars with the help of a device called The Antikytheron. This apparatus formed the core of what has become the Great Machine. From the very beginning, it was able to not only maintain the position of the construct, but also calculate several possible outcomes of a particular course of actions. Ever since the beginning, it has been relied on by Corregidor’s rulers to predict the future and track resource developments, as well as a wide array of other prognostications.<br /><br />As Corregidor grew from a royal palace floating in space to the manmade city-world it is today, its people colonised and settled dozens of other worlds. Its hunger for resources is insatiable and the Commonwealth is constantly combing the far reaches of the hinterverse for asteroid and new worlds to drain of minerals and other resources. At least one planet has been so stripped that it is now an inhospitable desert.<br /><br />Though the Commonwealth began as a monarchy, developments in the third century after its founding changed that. At this point, a series of kings had taken to running Corregidor and the first colonies as a personal fiefdom, referring to themselves as Kings of the Stars. They had amassed enormous wealth and cracked down hard on dissenters. With life among the stars already being one where the smallest of margins could wipe out an entire settlement, the callous opulence of the kings caused a great deal of friction. Eventually, in the sixth year of King Nebulon the Mad’s reign, the kettle boiled over.<br /><br />The king had begun the construction of a grand palace and had ordered all the colonies to double their already draconian resource quotas. To make room for the foundations, he had also decreed that all inhabitants of Corregidor who was not actively labouring on the construction was to be shipped to the labour colonies. The prognostication of the Antikytheron was that upwards of a third of the entire population of the kingdom would perish as a direct result of the construction. The king had exiled or killed all but one of the custodians of the machine. This woman, Boudica Iceni, bribed a captain to take her to Vermillio, the largest of the colonies at the time. Here she sought out Lord Solenoid and told him of the predicted outcome of the king’s actions.<br /><br />The rebellion spread like fire on a grain-ship and within weeks, the royal legions on Vermillio had been overrun. The resulting war was brutal and bloody, but within five years the rebel forces, at this time calling themselves the Commonwealth, had beaten the loyalists all the way back to Corregidor itself. In the final battle, King Nebulon attempted to set fire to the sacellum that housed the Antikytheron but was cut down by the commander of his guard before he could plunge the future of his people into darkness.<br /><br />Once their enemy had been defeated, the leaders of the revolution convened in the ruins of the half finished palace. The war had brought their civilization to the brink of collapse. Thousands had died in the fighting and many more had died of disease and starvation as ships and resources had been commandeered for the war effort. Boudica, the only custodian of the machine left, presented a prognostication to the council wherein the Commonwealth could rise from the ashes of the kingdom and claim the stairs for humankind. There would never be a king again, instead, the people would be ruled by a parliament who would base all major decisions on the Antikytheron’s prognostications. <br /><br />Over the following millennia, the Commonwealth has grown more powerful and prosperous than any other civilization in the Multiverse. As new worlds were discovered and colonised, it was inevitable that they would discover other sentient creatures. These are collectively known as non-humans, or more derisively, as goblinoids. Though slavery is illegal in the Commonwealth, these races enjoy little protection from the law. They are often either displaced and forced to live on the outskirts of human settlements, or they are pressed into indentured servitude. When subjugation or displacement isn’t possible, genocide remains an accepted option.<br /><br />As the need for more complex calculations grew, so did the Antikytheron, eventually becoming the wonder that is the Great Machine. Dozens of worlds now contribute to the development and growth of Corregidor, and with it, the Great Machine. There have of course been troubles since the War of the Last King, but rather than threaten the very survival of the entire culture, these have been more like rejuvenating brush fires. They have relieved population pressures, opened for increased technological development, and tied the victors closer together by a shared history.<br /><br />Many of these wars have been started as religion has taken hold and threatened to overturn the status quo. The danger imposed by the worship of gods was predicted by the the Antikytheron in the first generations following the exodus. As such, the Lex Deorum, the law against worship of gods, is the oldest law in the Commonwealth. As new worlds are colonized and old ones are further explored, the discovery of god-like beings is far from uncommon. Starved for devotion, these entities will often latch on to whomever first comes across them and turn them into a prophet. Such awakenings can spread like an infection until it is clamped down on, often resulting in brutal wars between the enlightened and the fanatic zealots.<br /><br />One enemy that has posed a serious threat on more than one occasion is the people of Varanger. For most of history, these two civilizations have been like rival siblings, conflicts sometimes erupting over a resource rich moon or asteroid field, other times, trading peacefully. This all changed when the Ordo Ultima Thule took assumed control of the Varangian civilization. It was further intensified when their homeworld was destroyed by the dark god they had sought to enslave. As a result, the surviving Varangians were forced into their second exodus. Without a world to draw resources from, the OUT forces turned to raiding supply shipments and settlements, killing or abducting anyone they came across. Often, the vessel or settlement would be left corrupted by dark thaumaturgy and would have to be destroyed to stop the spread of infection.<br /><br />When Argos reappeared only years ago, it caused a resurgence of deism and mysticism across the Commonwealth. This was further exacerbated when the great comet Male Astra appeared in the Hinterverse. As it drew closer it became clear that it was heading for Argos. At the same time, the Ordo Ultima Thule became more active, with ships in greater numbers than they had been thought to possess coming out of the vacuum. Doomsday cults, Thulean insurgencies, religious awakenings, and rebellions are popping up like toadstools across the worlds, threatening to upset the delicate balance that allows the entire civilization to prosper. <br /><br />Life in the Commonwealth is one in which everyone is just a small cog in an enormous machine. The lowliest Vermillian farmer is contributing to its upkeep and operation, just as the navy sailor patrolling the Argonian Arm, or the captain of industry on Corregidor. All contribute to the stability of the system they rely on to keep them safe among the stars.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-24971640981095695322018-02-27T10:31:00.000-05:002018-02-27T10:32:08.766-05:00Travel in the Hinterverse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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All transport between the worlds of the Commonwealth happens through space. The vast, empty expanse of the Hinterverse is an inhospitable place, and travel is not without jeopardy. For one, a human body lost in the empty sky will freeze to death within minutes. If they have access to air.<br />
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Modern space vessels are divided into two main categories, closed hull and open deck. Most military and long range vessels belong to the first category, as it allows the crew to access most of the ship systems without risk of life or wearing bulky atmosphere suits. Open deck vessels are primarily used for shorter travel. Sun-sail ships are most commonly open deck and their crews can only work the rigging for short periods of time without environmental gear.<br />
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The most common propulsion systems are:<br />
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<b>Blasma boiler</b>, or tea-kettle. A plasma boiler superheats steam which is released through directed nozzles, propelling the vessel through space. This is the most common type of propulsion for inter-world travel as it is both faster than other methods and it allows for a closed hull configuration.<br />
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<b>Sun-sail</b>, or rag-and-torch. The ship gets power from sails that capture the light of the stars. This light is transformed into energy by lux reactors and powers the ships thrusters. These vessels are capable of inter-world travel, but at a slower speed. Sun-sails also rely on trimming by crew and all but a few such ships are open decked.<br />
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<b>Gyroscopic screw</b>, or whisk. Usually found only on smaller vessels, or as a backup system on larger ships, this method reliesnon inertia to steer a drifting vessel through the vacuum; the gyroscope can maintain or change course, not alter its speed. A vessel relying solely on this drive system will not be able to take off from a gravitational body.<br />
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<b>Otomo-sphere</b>, or power ball. Another form of propulsion mostly found on smaller vessels. High pressure superheated steam is forced into a spherical container which is connected to the vessel’s thrusters. Though the range is severely limited, the fact that it allows for gravitational take off, as well as speed changes in flight, makes this a popular choice.<br />
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<b>Combined drive systems</b> are very common. Most vessels will have a gyroscopic screw as a backup and to aid with maneuvering. The Otomo-sphere is another common backup, as it can essentially store power until needed. Short range vessels often combine these two.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-1710085396360687422018-02-23T13:49:00.000-05:002018-02-25T10:15:37.885-05:00The Pearl of the Severn Belt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Celaeno, a bright star located far out in the Arcturean Arm, can be seen l throughout most of the Commonwealth. The Celaeno system’s three inner planets are ringed in by the Severn Belt, a wide asteroid belt making astrogation along the galactic plane in the outer system hazardous. Outside of the belt, Caliban, a massive gas giant orbits its sun with lonesome majesty.<br />
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Bral was settled centuries ago, during the Third Wave. At this time, the massive expansion created a ravenous hunger for minerals , leading to prospectors braving the rough lanes of the Severn. By now, every gram of ore has been dug out of the asteroid, to the point where it is kept from dissolving into debris by the bulkheads, struts, and structures that make up the urban hive beneath the outer crust. This hive is divided into forty two districts, Sunward, Shadowfall, thirty nine numbered Warrens, and The Labyrinth.<br />
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The rock’s meager atmosphere is insufficient to support life and the ambient radiation creates further risk. Most activity therefore takes place inside sealed structures or in the enormous subterranean warrens. Work outside for any length of time relies on atmospheric suits.<br />
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Bral’s roughly cuboid shape is about two kilometers long, a little more than half a kilometer broad and a little less again wide. It spins perpendicular to the ecliptic, just fast enough to distribute detritus in a belt stretching away from the rock. This spin helps it maintains a stable orbit around its sun. One of the flat sides is always facing the sun while the other is always in darkness. The dark side, Shadowfall, is lit by electrical lights and Caliban’s pale reflection.<br />
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For ships approaching Bral from the inner system, the veil of smog and the debris rings give the asteroid the appearance of a smoke-coloured pearl resting on a silver plate. The scree belt stretches out a couple of hundred kilometers spinward and is made up of trailings from mining Bral itself, and from breaking down smaller asteroids towed in to be stripped of minerals. This scree is mixed with garbage, lost items, dead bodies, and the generic detritus from the busy human hive.<br />
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To approach the docks located along the equatorial spin line, a ships has to negotiate the scree field and the smog. Channels, marked by lit buoys, are kept open by a small fleet of squat and thick hulled boats, constantly clearing lanes leading to the docks on the asteroid’s spinward equator.<br />
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Smoke stacks from factories, smelters, and power plants jut out from the surface, deep enough to spew their smog into the void. These slender spires are dwarfed by massive exhaust towers, venting out smoke and spent air from the hundreds of thousands who live in warrens in the bowels of the rock.<br />
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Some 350.000 souls call Bral their home, most of them living in the subterranean warrens. These large apartment clusters fill the cavernous holes left inside the asteroid by the mining operation. For the vast majority, living conditions are quite dismal, with a dozen or more to a single room.<br />
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Work is plentiful. The mining companies bring in smaller asteroids that are moored off of one of the myriad of shadowside adits. The mines feed the smelters where minerals are refined and cast into ingots for export. Air and water are brought to Bral from the rings of Oberon. A fleet of tugs is constantly hauling icebergs in to be moored next to the asteroids. Here they are broken down and fed into the fission mills that separate the ice into potable water and breathable air. This is then piped into the pipelines that distribute it among the districts.<br />
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Apart from the mining, there are also a handful of factories on Bral, the largest being the Hagmire & Sons Foundry. The docks and general maintenance also employ thousands.<br />
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The wealthy live on or near the Sunward surface, in spacious mansion-like dwellings filled with air purifying plants. Given the vertical spin, this side of the asteroid gets constant sunlight. Without the smog cloud, the surface temperature would be hot enough to set wood on fire. The estates are connected by a network of subways, tying them together and linking up with the main rail tubes at Union Station.<br />
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The Labyrinth is a large network of tunnels left after the original mining operation. It runs through the asteroid, connecting most of the districts. With blind shafts, pits, and caved in sections, it has become the official domain of the underworld of Bral. Illegal gambling, unlicensed brothels, and numerous dens of scum and villainy can be found here. Despite the tall smoke stacks, the greasy, granular smog is constant and ever present on Bral. It leaves a sooty film on every exposed surface and limits the palette to shades of grey.<br />
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While most homes are fitted with air scrubbers, these whirling and energy consuming machines are fairly expensive and prone to breakdowns. In lower class holes, the scrubbers, if they work, tend only to be used at night. On the other end of the spectrum, the large Sunward mansions use powerful central scrubbers, providing clean, perfumed air to every room. They will also have large sunrooms filled with ferns and other oxygen producing plants. When outside of their home, most inhabitants will wear filtering masks or even carry oxygen containers. Still, respiratory illnesses are endemic.<br />
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The Lord Provost is appointed by the Arcutrean Trading Company’s Court of Directors. Currently, this is Gaius Arthurianus Wayland, a dour industrial lord from Corregidor. He oversees the civilian bureaucracy and is the highest ranking ATC military officer in the Severn Belt. He is charged with ensuring that the shareholders receive their returns and that the inhabitants of the Belt are protected, in order of priority.<br />
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All civilian department heads on Bral report to the Lord Provost. Among these, Chief Prefect Agatha Wong who runs the constabulary and is mandated with safeguarding trade, industry, and station integrity.<br />
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As is the case on every Commonwealth base, Bral’s government relies on an analytical engine to communicate with Corregidor and to vet budgets and important policy decisions. The Central Analytical Prognosticator and Tracking Apparatus with Incorporated Node (CAPTAIN) is housed beneath the ATC citadel, in a high security cavern. The node, a powerful magnetographic transceiver, is capable of communicating with other nodes across the galaxy.<br />
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This also makes communication with relatives or business partners possible for ordinary inhabitants of Bral. For those who can afford it, at any rate. A magnetogram is composed and transmitted. It can take hours for it to reach its destination, having to be relayed from node to node until it reaches the intended destination. The recipient then has to be notified and an answer has to be transmitted back in the same manner. Wealthy individuals and certain businesses will often have a ticker that continuously prints tape detailing news or stock price developments, or even gambling results.<br />
<br />Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-89502830641266940062018-02-22T13:17:00.000-05:002018-02-25T10:16:02.782-05:00The Godmachine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the bowels of Corregidor resides the greatest machine ever built by man. Its towers and mills make up most of the subterranean mass of the construct world. Its sheer size is such that the mere attempt to grasp it boggles the mind. The machine was built as an integral part of the construct when Corregidor was first created.<br />
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In the millennia that has passed,<br />
Corregidor has been expanded based on designs produced by the machine, to the point where world and machine are now basically one. Moreover, the machine functions autonomously, analysing and prognosticating every scrap of information absorbed by the cables and conduits that connect it to every aspect of life on the planet and beyond, into the multiverse.<br />
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An army of engineers work tirelessly to maintain complicated number mills and conduits.<br />
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Its prognostications inform the day to day administration of Corregidor, but also the long term goals of the Commonwealth. The Houses of Parliament will submit their draft bills to the machine and pass them into law if the probabilities are returned favourable.<br />
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Despite deism being illegal in the Commonwealth, there exists a sanctioned heresy connected with the machine. The Church of the Great Machine worship it and base all of its doctrine on The Great Calculation, a collection of precepts and guidelines compiled from the machine’s output. This heresy is widespread enough that “Godmachine” is an established colloquialism for the Great Machine.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-2357674657939887672013-10-28T09:21:00.004-04:002013-10-28T09:21:50.189-04:00NPC: Weekly Roundup No. 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Asop van Galgen, prosecutor at the Reichshandelsbureau, is very much the image of the new generation of Wezellian technocrats, carrying his authority with pride and enjoying the trappings of his status.<br />
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He achieved his Awakening while enrolled in the chantry-school in the Rederhafen's Academic Quarter and entered public service immediately following his dissertation.<br />
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As a student of the Three Pillars of Power, Fate, Prime, and Mind, and with a magister's degree in Juris Arcanum his career naturally lies within the Aktorate. His first office lies within the Reichshandelsbureau, the body charged with regulating international trade.<br />
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Adeptus Abakuk DeVermis bani Arachnidus is the Seneschal of the Stores in Göteshaven. The humourless wizard was, as with most of Master Vermis' apprentices, chosen not for his raw magical potential, but for his skills in other areas.<br />
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Adeptus Abakuk's title of Seneschal of the Stores (his master's title before he became Praeco of Göteshaven) places him above the Harbour Master and the Assessor, and put the merchant houses of the Order State's only port under his oversight.<br />
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Dariusz Rewian is the heir to Ravienburg and lord in all but name. When his father took ill last winter the dutiful son took charge of all the affairs of his house. Before he was called home to his father's sick bed, he was a student in Zpadnogorod.<br />
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There are rumours about him Awakening while away but no one has seen anything to substantiate this.<br />
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The first change he made was to increase taxes across the board, but he does not seem to spend the money on an extravagant lifestyle. In fact, he appears to live very frugally. There have been no grand building projects, no increase of the court, and to the best of anyone's knowledge, no gambling either.<br />
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The one thing that has changed are the strange merchants coming in from the east. These tall, pale eyed warrior-like people come in machine-powered skyships, trading in furs and great ivory tusks. Despite their sinister appearance, they have brought wealth to Ravienburg.<br />
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Wilrick Willowspear-Smyte, the 93rd Viscount of Bannoch Bane, was born in the Aelvinwoode sometime in YE 1030. For most of his life he lived in the woods with the other woodkin. A few years ago him and his clan moved to his ancestral lands in Bannoch Bane. Here they attracted the attention of the Argonauts and a trading agreement was brokered between the two parties.<br />
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Bannoch Bane has since become the main supplier of elfash to the Argonauts and one of the few safe landings within the woods.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-2049101428926930812013-10-23T21:01:00.002-04:002013-10-23T21:01:42.951-04:00The Pyre Dancers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For more than a year, the villages of Northern Pendrell have been terrorised by a brood of spirits named the Pyre Dancers. The close proximity to the enormous Verge that is the Aelvinwoode means that there are more spirits roaming this realm than perhaps anywhere else. The Pyre Dancers are more than just roaming spirits though. These malicious entities have developed a terrible way of acquiring the Essence they need to feed and grow stronger.<br />
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They create witch trials.<br />
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The most powerful of the group is Rides the Condemned Witch. This murder-spirit has evolved to become the perfect victim. It will claim the body of a woman, then it'll start displaying signs of possession, attracting the attention of the right people. Once the humans apprehend it, it will egg them on, sustaining the flesh of its host throughout the process. At last, the captors will be forced to burn the spirit out. All the while, Rides the Condemned Witch will be feeding on the Essence of the torture and anger. At last, when the body is committed to the pyre, it will feast on the bloodlust of the mob.<br />
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Feeds the Hateful Fire is the trusted companion of Rides the Condemned Witch. This Anger-spirit will stay close to its leader, stoking the embers of mistrust and fear in the mortals until they reach the white hot flames of anger. When the theatre macabre reaches its horrible crescendo, it will gorge itself on the outpouring of rage.<br />
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The newest member of the brood, the last in a long line of newbies - they seem to end up as snacks if Rides the Condemned Witch has been weakened by the process - is Dances in the Pyre. This young Fire-spirit follows the two more powerful ones like a dog looking for scraps. It feeds off the witch's pyre.<br />
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<b>Storyteller's note: </b>This brood featured in <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2013/10/chapter-two-were-only-here-for-book.html">this chapter</a>. Stats are not published in case they make another appearance.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-15433527567817368552013-10-23T11:14:00.000-04:002013-10-23T11:16:35.239-04:00Chapter Two: We're only here for the book . . .<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In which Captain Geheulitzer, Herr Kunzelzeger, and Ganda set out to retrieve a book from a preacher and get caught up in a delicate situation; in Rederhafen Onkel Engelbert tries out a new tool.<br />
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The following takes place on the night of the 15th day of Septium in YE 1053.<br />
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In Rederhafen a cargo of Umbral silk and Ogre's Hop beer bound for Pendrell is loaded onto the <i>Goudende Ezel. </i>The real job this time isn't delivering the cargo, but to acquire a certain <i>Treatise on Entropie</i>, by a Magister Donerlux, from its current owner, one Malachior Myrkbrooke, in the staunchly Presbyterian Northern Pendrell. As it is held to be common knowledge that the black-hats burn "their kind" on a regular basis, the plan is to sneak in and steal the book rather than risk an open confrontation.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/64457838390081227/">Captain Geheulitzer</a> takes the ship across the Inner Sea, and despite the onset of night he skillfully guides her to the village of Norton-on-Elan, believed to be the whereabouts of the book and its owner, a minister by the name of Malachior T. Myrkbrooke. From the air the village is easy to spot once they approach by watch-fires on its walls and a large number of light-sources at its centre. <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/64457838390121907/">Ganda</a>, the young northern shaman, also notices that the vast Aelvinwoode lying west of the village seems to be teeming with spirit activity now that night has fallen.<br />
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A location about a mile east of the settlement is chosen as thir landing site and the away team, consisting of the Captain, Herr Herr Kuntzelzeger, and Ganda, is put ashore. The plan had originally been for the ship to wait while the deathwalker and the two mages retrieved the treatise, but back in Rederhafen <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/64457838390123058/">Onkel Engel</a>, having kept an eye on the situation, orders the ship to continue to Ipwith with the cargo.<br />
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With the <i>Ezel </i>disappearing into the night sky, Her Kunzelzelger heads into the darkness to reconnoitre the area. He quickly notices that the walls are heavily guarded, as if expecting an attack. When he returns the three decide to utilise the almost non-existent Gauntlet rather than brave the well-manned fortification. They slip through the barrier and into the bleak Underworld where they quickly find a breach in the wall.<br />
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Well inside the village they step back on the Material Plane, only to find the streets completely abandoned.<br />
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A seeking spell points them towards the centre of the settlement.<br />
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When they approach the main square they find what must be the entire population gathered in front of the congregation house. The quiet, brooding mob stands there, torches in hand, seemingly waiting for something to happen.<br />
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While Geheulitzer and Kunzelzeger sneak closer, Ganda hunkers down behind a hedge to observe. As the two edge around the mob, Ganda notices a dark figure moving among the villagers. At first he cannot make out who it is or what its doing, but then he gets a second glance. Though it looks like a man, it is in fact a spirit. He also notices a smaller fire spirit, dancing from torch to torch.<br />
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By now the two burglars have made it around to the back of the congregation house and found the rear entrance. As it isn't guarded, Kunzelzeger picks the lock and Geheulitzer leads the way inside.<br />
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As they move around searching for a sign of the book, they hear voices from behind a door. Moving closer, they hear a muted conversation from inside.<br />
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". . . done all we can. I fear our only option now is the pyre."<br />
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"There might still be . . ."<br />
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Then a female voice, sounding darker and . . . somehow wrong, "PATHETIC MEN! Is this the best you can do?"<br />
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Herr Geheulitzer, having received instructions form Onkel Engel via his spellorb to rescue the witch, decides to tackle the problem head on. He knocks on the door.<br />
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It is opened by a decidedly confused looking gentleman. The room is set up like an interrogation room, with a coal brazier, an array of torture devices, a few books, and a naked bloodied woman chained to an iron chair. The exchange that follows doesn't really contribute to clearing up the situation to any meaningful degree, except for the gentleman's insistence that they've tried everything, and that burning is the only way to save the poor possessed woman's soul.<br />
<br />
Before this can be explained further the woman screams in an alien voice and Herr Geheulitzer is swept by an avalanche of black rage. He grits his teeth, resisting the urge to kill everyone in the room as he grabs the man he's been talking to by the collar and attempt to reason with him. He manages to ask for Malachior Myrkbrooke. His prisoner is taken aback by this. "Sir, how do you know my father?"<br />
<br />
Back in Rederhafen, Onkel Engelbert, scrying on his captain, tries to unweave whatever spell he is under.<br />
<br />
Outside, Ganda spies the dark spirit again. It appears to be whispering in the ears of the increasingly agitated villagers. The one he whispered to last starts yelling out, "burn the witch!" This is quickly taken up by the rest, and soon the entire mob is chanting.<br />
<br />
"Burn the witch! Burn the witch!"<br />
<br />
This does little to calm the situation inside the congregation house. One of the men lounges at Herr Geheulitzer with a sword, while the last two loosen the woman from the chair and drags her towards a door leading outside.<br />
<br />
And the killing begins. Geheulitzer tosses his man into the hallway to Herr Kunzelzeger, yelling for him to make sure the bastard doesn't move and draws his sword. Then he spears his assailant through the groin, dropping him to the floor.<br />
<br />
The woman, having broken free from her guardians now rush towards the door to the square. Dodging blows from the last two, Geheulitzer manages to reach her as she kicks the door open. In front of them is a sea of torches, reflected in countless hateful eyes. He manages to manhandle the possessed woman inside and slams the door shut behind them just as a roar goes up from the mob.<br />
<br />
Outside, the dark spirit appears to be revelling in the rage. Ganda, realising that it is feeding off the energy of the mob, decides to distract it. He gathers his courage and releases a command spell, hoping to drive it off. It is unsuccessful, but it does make the spirit aware of the young mage. It turns its hollow eyes towards Ganda and he's immediately struck by a deep and primordial fear. He runs.<br />
<br />
Geheulitzer takes a pistol ball in his hip before bringing his blade down on the attacker's shoulder, severing muscles and tendons and breaking the clavicle. When he turns around he sees the last man drive his blade through the woman's abdomen. This doe not appear to phase her much as she reaches out with her hands, cupping his temples. Reality seems to shift between her palms and the man slumps to the ground. She then turns to face Herr Geheulitzer with a cruel smile.<br />
<br />
"Now what, death-walker?" she asks while pulling the sword out of her body. The wound closes behind it.<br />
<br />
Deciding that this is not what he came here for, Herr Geheulitzer retreats. As he leaves teh room, he sees the woman opening the door and being swallowed by the raging mob. When he meets up with Herr Kunzelzeger and the prisoner, he asks his associate to set the damn house on fire. Herr Geheulitzer then stick a pistol in the poor bastard's ear and order him to take them to the godsforsaken book.<br />
<br />
Not long after, the three sneak out of the village, dodging vengeful groups of villagers looking for anyone resembling a witch. In his satchel Herr Geheulitzer has the <i>Treatise on Entropie </i>and about a dozen other books form the minister's collection.<br />
<br />
The fire still rages at the main square.<br />
<br />
The three hunker down in a copse of trees a few miles outside the village and wait for the <i>Ezel</i> to return.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-76121352768198204652013-10-20T20:39:00.002-04:002013-10-20T20:45:24.084-04:00NPC: Weekly Roundup No. 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Boudewijn Houdemakers, first mate of De Goudende Ezel, comes from a long line of sailors. He himself started as a cabin boy at age nine and by the time he was 19 he was the third mate on a Wezellian skytrader. The calm, quiet, always impeccably dressed man could probably have made quite a career for himself, but he seems to carry some dark sorrow in his soul.<br />
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<br />
All acrosss Northern Eria, local death cults have sprung up. At the core of these are the Psychopomps. Neither Mage nor Geist, these individuals still seem capable of guiding errant souls back across the Veil. Most also claim, and with apparent validity, to be able to send the soul of loved ones safely on their way in such a manner that they won't come back to haunt the living.<br />
<br />
Though the Psychopomps have no innate supernatural ability, they all share some affinity with the Underworld and they also employ a number of rituals. Some of these rites appear to have ancient origins, others are particular to an individual or a particular group. Where they have picked these up is not certain, though it is speculated that they are being taught by powerful entities in the Lands of the Dead.<br />
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Ambroos Zuiderduin is the captain and owner of the skytrader De Zwarte Paard. Word has it that the only thing that stands between him and the Flying Navy hunting him down for a pirate is his luck and his considerable contacts. The mundanes also claim that had he not been a wizard he would have hung a year ago.<br />
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Johnatar Myrkbrooke is a minister in Norton-on-Elan, Northern Pendrell. He comes from a long line of clerics and is a devout follower of the teachings of Macharius, believing that the only through hard work and study will the common man be able to save himself. As a young man he served in the Pendrellian navy, but deserted his post when he learned that his father had been lost the night the forest swallowed the land. He sought out the remainder of his family in the north. His life's work is the school of Norton, a small town in Northern Pendrell.<br />
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The Bansljugend are Matter-mages who follow the erratic doctrines of the Bombmaster, the founder of their movement. What sets them apart from other mages is their reckless approach towards experimenting and to the Paradox that is never far away. They are widely seen as dangerous mercenaries, but their commitment to fighting the Deep wherever its influence is seen cannot be denied.<br />
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More NPCs <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/nitromidas/argos-denizens/">here</a>.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-47922428414673549592013-10-18T00:05:00.000-04:002013-10-18T00:06:39.170-04:00Riding on a cold wind...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The savage Tsjude-people have their home somewhere in the farthest reaches of the North. Not even the Terema know where they come from, though they have been raided by these merciless savages as far back as the Second Age. Tall, pale-eyed and strong, the Tsjude are fierce warriors, rumoured to eat the heart of those they vanquish.<br />
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Almost all raiding parties count a witch among their number. These wild sorcerers adorn themselves with grisly fetishes, they call upon dark magics and even the other Tsjudes appear to fear them. At least one reasonably reliable source describes a witch ripping the soul out of the flesh of a still living enemy.<br />
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One Tsjude warlord that has become known by name in Northern Eria is Musti Murhaaja. His skyship, the Cold Despair, has raided a half-dozen airtraders above the White Ocean. Rumour has it that he leaves none alive on the ships he boards. He is also accredited with several raids on villages in the northern Kengelian countryside..<br />
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The Tsjude iron dragons appear to rely heavily on Thulean technology, something that has caused a motion to name this people Enemies of Man to be brought before the Enlightened Council.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/80375963" width="100%"></iframe>Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-15269638624357483292013-10-17T16:01:00.002-04:002013-10-17T16:02:16.581-04:00The short life of Ganda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the land of Terema, the people walk the paths of old.<br />
Fifteen years ago, Ganda was born on one of these ancient paths.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><i>His crown is gold, his soul is pure.</i><br />
<i>He’s given the gifts of seeing and cure.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Wise in her ways, and gifted as well,</i><br />
<i>She told him all that there was to tell.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Of people and places, the holy and hollow.</i><br />
<i>Some he should fear, some he can follow.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Of berries and bees, which birds in what trees.</i><br />
<i>And now he can see all that she sees.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>He can snare a hare.</i><br />
<i>He can sing the bear.</i><br />
<i>He can kill a deer on the run.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>He can lure and trick,</i><br />
<i>He can heal the sick.</i><br />
<i>He praises his father, the sun.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>At fourteen, you must fly,</i><br />
<i>She said, with a sigh.</i><br />
<i>Go west to the King in the Sky.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Then build a house</i><br />
<i>And lay out the bait.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And lay out the bait.</i><br />
<i>And lay out the bait.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And lay out the bait.</i><br />
<i>And lay out the bait.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Out-fox the King in the Sky.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Then pluck him</i><br />
<i>And eat him.</i><br />
<i>And I did.</i><br />
<i>And I cried.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Then do it again.</i><br />
<i>And I did</i><br />
<i>And I cried.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Bring home the feathers</i><br />
<i>And all of the claws.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I’ll make you a bracelet.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And I did</i><br />
<i>And she did.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>…</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>At last she said go.</i><br />
<i>Meet friend and find foe.</i><br />
<i>Walk true and walk tall.</i><br />
<i>Stand up when you fall.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>It’s not written in bone.</i><br />
<i>Your path is your own.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Summer went fast.</i><br />
<i>And I had to go.</i><br />
<i>Nine moons on the move</i><br />
<i>All alone.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Hunting for food.</i><br />
<i>Keeping the pelts.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>…</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Past midwinter</i><br />
<i>I saw the Bull.</i><br />
<i>Gabba.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Follow.</i><br />
<i> Follow.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>To a fire. In a clearing.</i><br />
<i>A man. Speaking.</i><br />
<i>Offering.</i><br />
<i>A life.</i><br />
<i>For a life.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>A white, hot anger shot</i><br />
<i>Through me. And I</i><br />
<i>Through him. His hip.</i><br />
<i>And he fell. And I shot him</i><br />
<i>Again.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And blood rained</i><br />
<i>On fire and faun</i><br />
<i>As I opened his throat with his knife.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>My knife.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>My shadow.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Feeling dark.</i><br />
<i>Feeling holy.</i><br />
<i>But dark</i><br />
<i>And dark.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>She was younger than I.</i><br />
<i>I walked her home</i><br />
<i>To Båteng.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I told her all about</i><br />
<i>The birds.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And came home</i><br />
<i>To find my mother</i><br />
<i>Dead.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And left home</i><br />
<i>To find some other</i><br />
<i>Bed.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Spring now.</i><br />
<i>The birds are back.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I walked out</i><br />
<i>To Lulliriddu.</i><br />
<i>No rush</i><br />
<i>To sell my pelts.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I didn’t have to sell</i><br />
<i>Right away.</i><br />
<i>Waiting for a Lullin,</i><br />
<i>A southener,</i><br />
<i>Who will pay.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Engelbert, his name, he said,</i><br />
<i>Eager to trade.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>His greedy, green eyes</i><br />
<i>On the knife of the dead.</i><br />
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<b>Storyteller's note:</b> This was written as a back-story for Ganda, the young mage from the North, by Eirik, his player. He has previously written <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2010/10/captains-prayer.html">The Captain's Prayer</a>.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-4455171785367342442013-10-15T21:44:00.000-04:002013-10-17T12:44:37.685-04:00A realm torn asunder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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During the Great War the kingdom of Pendrell was caught up in a bitter internal struggle. On one side King Rowar II and those true to him attempted to bring the realm into the war on the side of the Enlightened Alliance. On the other, the powerful Magisterium, controlled by orthodox Presbyterians, wanted to use the growing turmoil to strengthen their grip on the people. Skirmishes, assassinations, pogroms and riots were commonplace and neither side seemed able to break the deadlock.<br />
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In YE 1022, a cabal of magicians allied with the king, released the primeval forest of Fornost upon the land. With it followed a tribe of <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.com/2010/01/frost-elves-of-fornost.html" target="_blank">frost elves</a> driven deep in to the Umbra during the last Elven War. The forest swallowed a large portion of central Pendrell in the span of a single night. Thousands perished, either to the onslaught of the woods, or they fell to the elves. This atrocity ripped the heart out of the Presbyterian movement and opened the door for a swift victory by the royalist forces. Though broken, the realm was again brought back under the rule of the king.<br />
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In his reign, King Rowar II fought two wars, first a gruesome civil war, then the Great War. Still, what he is remembered for is his rule in the peace that followed. Under his guidance, Southern Pendrell rebuilt itself and became a progressive and prosperous nation of farmers, traders and craftsmen. The capital of Crondor is second only to Rederhafen when it comes to tonnes loaded in a day. Pendrellian cloth is sougth after all across Eria, as are its tools, firearms, and books.<br />
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Following the brutal losses sustained during the war, the Presbyterians withdrew to Northern Pendrell. This hilly, windswept region is cut off from the south by the hostile Elfwood. In the north it bleeds into the inhospitable Blackmoors and to the west it runs into the violent and spirit-infested Atill range. The only respite from these harsh borders is in the east, where the grey waves of the Inner Sea washes over the rocky beaches. Little comfort, according to most of the inhabitants, as the corrupt and idolatrous viper's nest of Rederhafen lies directly across the sea.<br />
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Though the Presbyterians of Northern Pendrell are not the fervent witch hunters of the days of the Magisterium, the knowledge of how to build a proper pyre has not been forgotten, nor has the will. Surrounded by Verges, the ministers keep a watchful eye on their pupils, ever on the lookout for signs of demonic possession. Rarely a month that goes by without the greasy smoke of at least one such fire trailing towards the heaven.<br />
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This is the land the young Queen Ana I has inherited from her father, the great King Rowan II. Though she's only worn the crown for a year, she has been training for this job all her life. As soon as it became clear that she was going to Awaken, she started studying under the greatest Masters in the Alliance. Once she came into her own, she served on an Argonaut skyship where she saw real combat. For the last year of her father's life she acted as his right hand, learning how to make the decisions of a monarch.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-46401510096549032222013-10-14T13:47:00.000-04:002015-09-03T22:00:11.667-04:00All the tools for the job, or: building a social sandbox<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture unrelated. Why? Will Wheaton in a d20-fez, that's why.</td></tr>
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I originally started this blog to have a way to preserve and share game-relevant information with my players. When the original chronicle ended it was perhaps also inevitable that the blog went into (a somewhat fitful) hibernation. Now that we've started up again the blog has also been resurrected. This time however, it is but one of the tools in the box.<br />
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The biggest change from earlier is of course the trivial question of the 7,000 clicks between me and the rest of the group. Google Hangouts solved this better than I think any of us expected. We still haven't played enough for us to have mastered this medium, so I'll return to that in time. For now I'll say that I'll run a Hangout game any day.</div>
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The next big change is G+, more to the point its community-feature. In my humble, this is way better than Facebook's groups, in that the communities allows for sub-forums. So far I've been posting plot-hooks and NPC-vignettes, each with its own sub-forum. The NPC category allows for me to slowly populate the world with characters, without each being seen as a red herring. Once they are introduced, they are available if they become relevant.</div>
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The plot-hooks serve a different function. First off all, it takes me very little time to post a paragraph or two about a potential story-seed. The players then get to pick and choose, ask questions, or do some off screen research into the ones they like. This saves a lot of time, and seeing as we now have less face-time, this should speed up the play.</div>
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The last addition to my kit is Pintrest. I've always used images as a vital part of my prep-work, a staging area if you will. In the days of yore this meant thousands of images stashed away on my hard-disk - now this database too is accessible to my players. I believe this further opens up the world, in that places and characters are given names, and it should help us have similar visual references in mind when we sit down to play. Further, so far one of the players have started his own pintrest-board with Argos references.</div>
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The G+ community and the Pintrest board together helps open up the sandbox. Not the hex-crawl type that draws on a compendium of encounter-tables, but a social one where the group cherry-picks their missions and destinations, and where they can approach and refer to NPC's not expressly mentioned in play.</div>
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Despite these new tools, my old leather-bound notebook and fountain pen still play a vital role. That's where I write down the eyes-only stuff.</div>
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Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-20567229266662784492013-10-13T22:48:00.001-04:002013-10-13T22:48:57.682-04:00Spellborn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When the The Fallen Daeva was defeated on the Plains of the Prophet, its essence was released upon the world. Those whose soul were hit by these Shards of Creation immediately achieved Awakening, i.e. they became mages. For most of these newly Awakened their ascent was short and terrible, their souls literally burning up within days. Some managed to harness this awesome power and have become powerful magicians.<br />
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Not all of the Shards found a soul immediately and in the generation that has followed, a new phenomenon has been identified. It appears that when a Shard embeds itself in an infant, the soul seems to be much better suited to absorb and harness the power. Those who are born carrying a fragment of the Daeva grow up to become natural sorcerers, with an innate grasp of magic.<br />
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These wizards are referred to as Spellborn, and while few doubt their worth and capability, they are often mistrusted - even feared - by their peers.<br />
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<b>New Merit: Spellborn</b> ●●●●●<br />
Prerequisite: Mage<br />
A Spellborn Mage gains a bonus of 1 die on all improvised magic rolls. When Paradox is resolved, the roll has the 9-again quality.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-43484407321148346052013-10-12T19:21:00.001-04:002013-10-12T19:23:36.060-04:00NPC: Weekly roundup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ylvana is the queen of Terema, the northernmost realm of the Enlightened Alliance.<br />
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She is credited for preparing her people for the arrival of the OUT colony, as well as a number of reforms. In her reign Terema has progressed from a retrospective and isolationist society to a progressive nation with close ties to the southern realms. She has also managed to maintain her people's culture and integrity in the face of strong influence from both Outsiders and foreigners.<br />
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Her sobriquet Sáitidronnet, literally meaning 'spear queen' was given her by her people. It reflects her strength, her keen and piercing mind, and is a reference to <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/64457838390141308/" target="_blank">the Enæïdùn spear</a> she carries.<br />
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Ludolf Ansenius Bezuidenhout is a cargo broker by trade. As with most others of that profession, that makes him equal parts fixer, fence, gossip, merchant, and spy. The Wezellian is is a man who serves two masters, each with matching zeal, the gylden and his wife<br />
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Filibert Albersnagel is the kaupmaðir of Rederhafen's Arkonshov. As such, he is responsible for trade and purchases on behalf of the temple, as well as the keeping of the stores and coffers. He is a Wezellian by birth, but after the the temple adopted him following his parents death in the Great Explosion, he has devoted his life to the service of the Law-giver.<br />
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Cas Bestatter is the Ghost-warden of Rederhafen, an office charged with maintaining the peace of the living, and facilitating the passing on of the dead. The Torn Advocate heads a Crewe of six geists called The Deathwatch. Part ghost hunters and part psychopomps, the Warden and his deputies keep a constant vigil over the busy metropolis.<br />
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Osip Chmielnicki is the Grand Duke of Zapadnogorod, the westernmost region of Yukowar . Since he inherited the title he has opened up his dutchy for foreign trade.<br />
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Though not a member of the Enlightened Alliance, the Yukowni have an old magical tradition, one that has been deeply intertwined with the state for centuries. It is believed that the Grand Duke has several wizards advising him, and that at least one is always at his side<br />
<br />
<b>Storyteller's note: </b>This is a roundup of NPC-vignettes posted over the course this last week in the G+ community. Some of these may end up getting a full-post write up at some point, others will probably never get a talking part.<br />
<br />
More characters <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/nitromidas/argos-denizens/" target="_blank">here</a>.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-48640372231815566612013-10-09T12:04:00.001-04:002013-10-09T14:41:45.336-04:00NPC: Johannes Drowan, Nether-warden of Rederhafen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Johannes was born by the side of a narrow road just north of the Redlands, sometime during the winter of '29. His mother, a young whore travelling with her pimp, died while giving birth. The child, his small horns clearly marking him as an <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2013/09/a-breed-unto-themselves.html" target="_blank">Umbrian</a>, was sold to a merchant in Fork. What motive the merchant had may never be known, but the child was well cared for until his custodian was killed over a barrel of wine five years later.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Alone in a harsh world, the young boy took to the streets of Fork, begging and stealing to survive. He quickly joined one of the many gangs of urchins that plague the frontier town. As he grew older, his abilities started to manifest and by the age of thirteen he was leading a crew of his own. For many in his place, this would have been the pinnacle of a short and intense career as a thief, smuggler, assassin, or pimp, but by now Johannes had realised that there was a world outside of Fork. A world there for the taking.<br />
<br />
In YE 1044 he set out for Rederhafen, arriving in the bustling metropolis with nothing but the clothes on his back and a razor sharp dagger in his belt. He found it to be exactly what he'd imagined, a vast city full of fat, lazy, and enormously rich people. None of whom were ready for someone of his calibre. He stole more that first year than in all his life before combined, quickly earning a reputation on the streets as a smooth operator.<br />
<br />
At age twenty he had specialised in bypassing wards and stealing jewels from the wives and mistresses of the wealthy onkels, something that is bound to cause a stir. Johannes had planned a last heist before he were to board a ship for the Waymar Islands when his life changed. His target was none other than Laea Smit, wife of <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/search?q=curriculum" target="_blank">Reichsombudsmann Hans Willem Smit</a>. To this day he still don't know what went wrong, but everything appeared to go as planned until he had emptied the vanity. At that point he noticed the man sitting casually in a chair just by the window he'd come through.<br />
<br />
What followed is, as they say, history. Johannes Drowan received an offer he couldn't really refuse, and now he holds the office of Nether-warden of Rederhafen. He is charged with keeping an eye on the many Umbral passages and tears leading into the Abyss, as well as the surveillance of the general spirit population. He currently commands a crew of five deputies. It is, as he will tell you, a dirty job, but it needs doing.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Johannes Drowan, Nether-warden of Rederhafen</b><br />
Male Umbrian, 24 years old<br />
<br />
Virtue: Charity<br />
Vice: Pride<br />
Stock: Humanoid<br />
Derivation: Night<br />
<br />
<b>Attributes</b><br />
Intelligence ●●, <u>Wits</u> ●●●●, Resolve ●●●●<br />
Strength ●●, Dexterity ●●, Stamina ●●<br />
<u>Presence</u> ●●●●, Manipulation ●●●, Composure ●●●<br />
<br />
<b>Skills</b><br />
Crafts ●●, Investigation ●●●, Occult ●●●●, Politics ●●<br />
Firearms ●●●, Larceny (B&E) ●●●●, Stealth ●●●●, Survival ●●●, Weaponry ●●●<br />
Intimidation ●●●, Streetwise (information gathering) ●●●●, Subterfuge ●●●<br />
<br />
<b>Merits</b><br />
Locus-drinker* ●●●<br />
Pleasing Aura* ●●●<br />
Resources ●●●<br />
Shadow Contacts* ●●●●<br />
Striking Looks<b> ●●</b><br />
<div>
Status (Rederhafen) ●●●</div>
<br />
<b>Health </b>●●●●● ●●●<br />
<b>Willpower </b>●●●●● ●●<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Essence </b><b>●●●●● ●●●●● ●●●●●</b><br />
<b>Attunement </b>●●●<br />
<br />
<b>Numina* </b><br />
Camouflage (dice-pool 11)<br />
Ensnare (dice-pool 11)<br />
Gauntlet Breach (dice-pool 11)<br />
Reaching (special)<br />
Regenerate (special)<br />
Shadow Form (dice-pool 11)<br />
Ward Breaker (dice-pool 11 - ward strength)<br />
<br />
<b>Equipment</b><br />
Rapier, revolving pistol, enriched silver bullets, spool of True-silver wire<br />
<br />
* Book of SpiritsHaraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-25358083157166153372013-10-08T18:15:00.000-04:002013-10-08T21:20:00.636-04:00Totems of the North<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Idjebbas the Shadow Lynx</b><br />
Aspect: Hunting<br />
Ban: Only kill what you will eat or in self defence<br />
Boon: Add Merit-rating to ambush rolls<br />
<br />
Few ever see a shadow lynx, even the most skilled hunters rarely catch a glimpse of this elusive predator. They are believed to be part spirit and part animal, slipping between worlds to avoid detection. Idjebbas, the totem spirit, has been revered by Tereman hunters since the world was young.<br />
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<b>Gabba the Reindeer Bull</b><br />
Aspect: Leadership<br />
Ban: Do not abandon kin or allies in need<br />
Boon: Add Merit-rating to assist rolls<br />
<br />
There are many stories about the majestic Gabba. Of all the Tereman spirits, the reindeer bull is the one most often seen. He will often appear in the midst of a snowstorm, leading the lost to shelter, or he will show himself before a momentous event. This is the totem of the royal house.<br />
<a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2010/11/totem-spirits.html" target="_blank"><br /></a>
See also: <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2010/11/totem-spirits.html" target="_blank">Totem-spirits</a><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F108998544" width="100%"></iframe>Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-71197095918654537802013-10-07T10:41:00.001-04:002013-10-07T10:41:32.224-04:00Chapter One: Inauspicious Cargo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
In which <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/64457838390081227/" target="_blank">Captain Geheulitzer</a> and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/64457838390115436/" target="_blank">Herr Kowalski</a> accept a grim cargo, make a big profit, and return with a long list of questions.<br />
<br />
The following takes place between the 5th and 9th days of Septium of the Year of Enlightenment 1053.<br />
<br />
Finally the plan has come together. Engelbert Profitt Nieuwhuis has managed to get a loan big enough to purchase a skytrader. The <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2013/09/the-golden-ass.html" target="_blank"><i>Goudende Ezel</i></a> is a good ship. Granted, he's up to his ears in debt, but that's a minor concern. He has a ship, a crew, and he's managed to land a contract. Engelbert would have been there for this first job but, as the saying goes, no man becomes Onkel without giving up his dreams. He has to trust his associate and his captain to bring home the mutton.<br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The <i>Ezel</i> is buzzing with activity. Under the watchful eyes of her new captain, Yahn Geheulitzer, the crew is preparing her for launch. It is a well choreographed routine, where every man knows his steps.<br />
<br />
Antonin Kowalski has so far preferred to conduct his business in his bookstore, surrounded by folios, quartos, and scrolls. After he entered into the partnership with Herr Niewhuis that looks to become a less likely scenario. This morning he'd packed his trunk and left his apartment, ready to represent the venture aboard the skytrader. He'd done his best to appear like he knew what he was doing, but as he's waiting for the client to arrive he finds himself searching his mind for a spell that'll make him unnoticeable.<br />
<br />
It is three hours after noon when the small entourage rounds the corner and make their way towards the ship. At their head is a short, heavyset man in the black robes of a goði of Arkon, flanked by two housecarls. The rotund little man sits astride a shaggy pony and behind him a teamster is leading an ox-cart. Once the priest has climbed the landing - and caught his breath - he gives his name as <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/64457838390098026/" target="_blank">Filibert Albersnagel of Arkonshov</a>. Though not directly rude, he wastes no time getting the cargo, two iron oak sarcophagi, aboard and the papers signed.<br />
<br />
When questioned, he confirms that, "yes, these are coffins," and that, "why yes, they do indeed contain corpses." As for why he's shipping two dead men across the continent he explains that prior to their demise the pair had made arrangements with the temple to have their remains sealed and sent home to their family tombs.<br />
<br />
"Dying in this cesspool is not only expensive, but dangerous as well," he says.<br />
<br />
After the paperwork has been dealt with and the pleasantries concluded, the goði takes his leave.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~o~</b></div>
<br />
Two days later, just as the morning sun licks the walls of the Kengelian town of Ravienburg, the <i>Ezel</i> moves to drop anchor on a small pasture turned skyfield. By the looks of it, skyships are far from a common sight and there's but one other ship on the field, a light, ugly looking vessel with its prow adorned with animal skulls. As the <i>Ezel </i>settles into her moorings, a group of officials emerge from the town gates, accompanied by a small army of children.<br />
<br />
Shortly after, two riders come thundering out of the town, bearing down on the skyfield, scattering children and causing the adults to withdraw. The first of the men leaps off his horse as his companion calls out an introduction. The man is Dariusz Rewian, styled Heir to Ravienburg, Szlachta of the Fiery Lance, and a list of other minor titles. The man named to receive the sarcophagi.<br />
<br />
Herr Kowalski steps forward with a bow, introducing himself and presenting the cargo manifest. After the young noble has given orders for the cargo to be transferred to the other ship, Kowalski attempts to engage him in conversation with only marginal success. Questions about the count is met with a curt statement about his failing health and inquiries about getting an audience is flat out refused on the same grounds. The book seller also makes an attempt at lining up some business for himself with even less success. Only when the possibility of rarer books on the esoteric and the occult does the Heir show a modicum of interest. Still, the advances fail to result in any deal being made and the Kengelian noble takes his leave as soon as the cargo is aboard the smaller vessel.<br />
<br />
As the ugly little ship takes to the sky it becomes clear that though it may appear as a rather primitive skiff there's more to it than meets the eye. It must have a buoyancy-hull, seeing as it takes off without the deployment of balloons, and its curiously small and inefficient sail is explained as a pair of combustion engines starts spitting flames, causing it to lurch forward.<br />
<br />
Left with a bit of a bad taste in their mouths, Kowalski and Geheulitzer decide to look deeper into the situation. As the strange ship fades into the the north-eastern sky, leaving a greasy black smoke-trail in its wake, Kowalski gathers his tools and performs a divination on the destination of the strange ship. Sometimes these things can provide answers, and sometimes it only leaves more questions. This time it proved to be the latter. All he can glean is a vision of a cold, treeless bay somewhere far away in the North, where grey waves break on a rocky beach.<br />
<br />
The two decide to stay in Ravienburg overnight, and to spend that time trying to line up a cargo for the return leg, as well as to do some snooping around. Leaving the first mate, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/64457838390072407/" target="_blank">Herr Houdemakers</a>, in command and with armed guards posted on deck, they head in to town.<br />
<br />
The small town has three inns, and while Kowalski settles in for a dinner with the patrons of the Dowager Winogrodski's Lodging House, the captain accompanies his companion's valet on a more surreptitious search for information.<br />
<br />
As the evening unfolds, the book seller learns that the Count has been ill since last winter and that his son is in charge of the affairs. Apart from him, a team of physicians are the only ones allowed an audience with the patient. One of the new policies put into place by the Heir is a significant tax increase, though no one seems to know where the money is going. It is also confirmed that yes, the fur-clad barbarians from the skull-adorned skyship are regular visitors to the town. He also negotiates a deal on 300 lbs. of otter pelts.<br />
<br />
The two combing the shadier alleys have less luck insofar as revelations are concerned, but they do manage to hook up with a merchant in need of a no questions asked transport. They do of course ask a couple of questions, just to ensure that they are not loading fermented cod or a dozen crates of cinder ravens aboard the <i>Ezel. </i>The cargo in question is a spirit mill, a device neither the captain, or upon conferral Herr Kowalski, know anything about. Still, the price is right, and the destination is on their way.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~o~</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
The <i>Goudende Ezel</i> makes landfall in Rederhafen around noon on the 9th day of Septium, having concluded her first journey under new ownership. The crew is a good one, and she has proved herself to be a good flyer. She's also brought in more gold on her first journey than her owner would have dared dream of.<br />
<br />
Herr Kowlaski and the captain however, does not foresee that they'll be this profitable in the future. They may even secretly pray they wont.<br />
<br />
<b>Storyteller's note: </b>The Adventure Capitalism chronicle has now officially kicked off, and though we only had two players join up, Google Hangouts performed above expectation. My initial thoughts are that the gameplay is more focussed, no doubt due to the impracticality of off topic yammering between players while someone is in-game.<br />
<br />
We had three hours of actual play, and very little of that time "went to waste" waiting for hilarities to wind down. While I am no vocal opponent of shooting the breeze, I do see this as a strength given the steady influx of children in our lives. The hangout offers a way to get a few hours of game in while still being on hand if one is needed for more pressing matters.<br />
<br />
Lastly but most certainly far from least, Hangouts makes it possible to play despite of there being an ocean between me and the players.<br />
<br />
Hopefully next time we'll see if the hangout can handle more people.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-55364024792197654022013-10-02T11:31:00.001-04:002013-10-02T11:43:35.390-04:00Power at its most liquid<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Wealth flows from energy and ideas.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- William Feather</div>
</blockquote>
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<br /></div>
On today's Argos no coin is as pure as the Wezellian gylden, and no currency is as trusted. The heavy gold coins of the Syndikaat is even said to have some magical protection against counterfeiting.<br />
<br />
In this short post I'll provide a few words on how to relate to the currency, and how it translates according to the framework of the WoD ruleset.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>1 Wezellian gylden (₩) equals roughly € 500 or USD 800. This is a largely useless reference given the vast differences between our modern economy and that of this highly fictional society, but it should help provide some sense of context. I will also not bother with smaller denominations as that becomes a little too much like D&D - for any such transactions refer to the Resource merit (WoD p. 115) and the corresponding stat for the item in question.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Brass tacks:</span><br />
₩1 = 1 pound of silver<br />
<br />
<b>Merit: Resources (translated), ● to ●●●●●</b><br />
● Low disposable income, ₩ 2 worth of assets.<br />
●● Moderate disposable income, ₩ 10 worth of assets.<br />
●●● Significant disposable income, ₩ 50 worth of assets.<br />
●●●● Substantial disposable income, ₩ 1,000 worth of assets.<br />
●●●●● Significant wealth, ₩ 10,000 worth of assets.<br />
<br />
●●●●● ● Substantial wealth, ₩ 100,000 worth of assets.<br />
●●●●● ●● Enormous wealth, ₩ 500,000 worth of assets.<br />
●●●●● ●●● Vast wealth, ₩ 5,000,000 worth of assets.<br />
●●●●● ●●●● Astronomical wealth, ₩ 50,000,000 worth of assets.<br />
●●●●● ●●●●● Unfathomable wealth, ₩ 500,000,000 worth of assets.<br />
<br />
<b>House Rule: Increasing your Resources rating through play</b><br />
By tracking your characters accumulated wealth it is possible to increase the Resources merit without spending XP. If you have assets equalling the next rating, be it as a horde of coins, as land, or any combination of assets, this can be traded in for the next ●. These assets do not disappear, but they are now "locked down" and cannot be liquidated instantly. At this point you can draw on the increased merit pool as per the rules (see WoD p. 115).Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-12347294813115217202013-10-01T14:01:00.000-04:002013-10-01T14:46:47.966-04:00Shadows and dust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Death is one of the very few things one can rely on, although after the war death is perhaps not as reliable as it once was. People still die, but it has become common knowledge that all is not well in the Underworld; the god of the dead was killed during the War of Enlightenment, and the vast darkness of the Abyss rose to engulf whole regions of the Underworld. The result is a world where the dead often do not pass on, instead crossing back into the world of the living. This has led to a change in burial customs all across Eria, with magic and superstition mixing to form elaborate, and often gruesome, rituals aimed at keeping the souls of the dead from returning.<br />
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Closest to the material world lies the Autochthonous Depths where metaphysical hollows in <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2010/07/fabric-of-multiverse-is-made-up-of-five.html" target="_blank">the Ethereal Plane</a>, the Necropoli, originally acting as a first stop for the dead. From here the Ferrymen would transport the souls on the Rivers of the Underworld to Tartarus, or they would drift into the Lower Mysteries. Even before the war not all the dead would pass on - some ghosts would have some unfinished business among the living that bound them to remain. </div>
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These days there are few Ferrymen left and many of the Rivers are swallowed by the Abyss, cutting many Necropoli off from the rest of the Underworld. These have now become swamped by the relentless influx of new souls, causing a growing overpopulation of the Autochthonous Depths, forcing more and more to drift back into the world of the living.</div>
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Many of the dead will be too traumatised to retain much in the way of an intellect, instead clinging to a primordial urge to seek a way to pass on. To these poor lost souls the call of the bottomless cold, dark waters of flooded caverns offers a seductive call. Once they wade in they are swallowed by the darkness and sink into the Abyss.<br />
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In some Necropoli the passages leading to flooded areas have been sealed, leaving the dead no way out. Here souls will scratch and claw at the barricades while more and more join the throng until they lose their last fragments of humanity and simply petrify.</div>
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Not all these trapped souls drown, succumb to the hopelessness, or flow back in to the material world. Some realise that the cramped corridors of the Necropoli are perfect hunting grounds. They become spectres, carving power and a sense of function out of the afterlife. Some of these nightmarish and predatory ghosts can become immensely powerful.<br />
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The fall of Tartarus and the overall weakening of the Umbral barriers following the War of Enlightenment has resulted in the appearance of a new metanormal on the world stage, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geist:_The_Sin-Eaters" target="_blank">Geist</a>. The particulars are still somewhat uncharted, but the consensus is that they most closely resemble <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2013/09/a-breed-unto-themselves.html" target="_blank">Umbrians</a>, in that they are the result of the merging of an ethereal entity with a human soul. Whereas the Umbrians are created at birth, the Geists come into the world at the moment of death.<br />
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The Geists stand with one leg in either world, and they have quickly found their place in a society that is becoming ever more aware of its mortality. They often find work as psychopomps or wardens against ghosts.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-6004037131728970562013-09-28T10:09:00.000-04:002013-10-03T19:54:45.903-04:00Skyships of Argos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Less than a century ago it was believed that there was no way for humans to fly, in fact the very thought itself was close to being heretical. Since <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2010/10/flying-vessels-of-argos.html#more" target="_blank">its infancy</a>, manned flight has come a long way. Today every town in the North worth its salt has a skyport, and there's hardly a single kingdom in Eria without its own air-navy. Though surface ships and ox-and-horse still dominate the mercantile world, wealthy passengers and luxury goods are being shipped with skyships to an increasing extent every year.<br />
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Gun-balloons build on the earliest principles for flight. Still, the ones deployed today have come a long way from the early Pendrellian flying platforms. These are often constructed using witchwood planks, a naturlly buoyant tree found in northern Livonia and The Wild, thus making them capable of carrying several cannons with crews. Gun-balloons are not particularly manoeuvrable and will often be towed into position, or simply remain tethered in place.<br />
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The Livonian Peregrine corvettes represent the most advanced in current ship-building technology. Constructed using witchwood and niebelite (a light and durable metanormal alloy), with an incorporated dirigible of Umbrian silk, these vessels actually rely on ballast to avoid rising out of control. What really sets them apart are their twin rotating propulsion screws, one on either side of the hull. These devices are powered by an ethereal combustion engine, a retro-engineered technology based on the same principles that is used in Thulean <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2011/02/thulist-technology.html" target="_blank">goethic reactors</a>. </div>
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Combined these factors make the peregrines among the fastest ships in the skies, capable of carrying more guns per tonne than almost any other ship.</div>
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Next to the sleek corvettes of the Livonian navy, the massive Wezellian skygalleons seem slow and clumsy. To some extent that is true, but it is also a testament to the tradesmen's calculating temperaments. The galleons are designed so as to provide a balance between armament, cargo capacity, and price. What they lack in finesse they make up for in brute force and numbers, and the sight of a dozen of the lumbering galleons bringing their 25 gun broadsides to bear is often enough to deter all but the most stalwart of enemies.</div>
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Few argue that the Royal Pendrellian Argonauts were the pioneers of flight. Master Galan, captain of the Pius, the first real flying ship, was himself one of them. Since the war, the order has come to be seen as the heroes and protectors of the ravaged nation. To provide them with a reliable platform, King Rowar II ordered the old Master known simply as The Engineer to design a ship for the Argonauts. The result was the Skyranger-class sloops-of-war. </div>
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These vessels are fundamentally different from any other built on Argos, most closely resembling those of the <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/nitromidas/commonwealth-of-man/" target="_blank">Commonwealth</a>. They are essentially dirigibles, with a narrow ventral hull stretching from the bow to the stern. Unlike all but a few other Argonian ship builders, the Pendrellians do not rely on witchwood. Instead they use Elfash, a type of tree native to Fornost that is extraordinarily susceptible to magic. The Argonauts also do not equip their ships with any conventional system for propulsion, instead relying on the winds and their spells to provide them with speed and manoeuvrability. </div>
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Each of these ships are crewed by a small cabal of mages, with only a light contingent of crewmen.</div>
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The university-state of Marburg has long experimented with flight, some say even before the Pendrellians. It may therefore not be surprising that they have developed their own approach to the matter. As with most other ship builders, they rely on the all-important witchwood to reduce weight and provide some buoyancy, but there the similarities end. Instead of balloons or dirigibles, the Marburgers have invented a flying machine. This contraption is constructed from a series of secret metanormal alloys, and burns Mana to heat air to such high temperatures that the boiler acts in the same way as a balloon. The excess heat is channelled through an array of exhaust vents that provide propulsion.<br />
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For the wealthy, the Dragonfly offers a way to travel swiftly and in style. Built by the Solano Brothers of Eliesse, these sleek cloudskiffs are constructed from witchwood and spellforged metal. An ingenious quadruple sail configuration allows for both manoeuvrability and propulsion. This is also one of the few skyships capable of landing on solid ground without special a berth. All in all, this vessel is extremely well suited for, and sought after by curers, smugglers, small cabals, and anyone who can afford it.<br />
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The Elfinspeer is the pride of the Wezellianse Vliegende Mareijne, the flying navy of Wezell, and probably the single fastest ship in the skies. She was commissioned by <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2011/06/hero-yolander-van-zaar_19.html" target="_blank">Onkel van Zaar</a> on behalf of the Syndikaat in YE 1039 and gifted to the state as soon as she was launched. The quadjammer is built entirely of spell-tempered witchwood and is armed with 46 Bansl & Galan Godspear-cannons. </div>
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Her crew is drawn from the cream of Wezellian airmen and she has a command cabal of five. The current captain of the Elfinispeer is Aleida Smit, daughter of <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2010/04/curriculum-vitae.html" target="_blank">Reichsombudsmann Smit</a>.</div>
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The Ordo Hermetica does not believe in half-measures. The fortress-ship <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2010/11/battlefleet-hermetica.html" target="_blank">Katedral</a> is an example of just that, but even that behemoth pales in comparison to the massive Skyfortress Volatrix. It is said that its shadow alone is enough to knock a normal skyship out of the air. More fortified town than anything, this massive vessel is over three hundred yards stem to stern, and almost as tall. How the northern wizards build it, and how they keep her flying is a mystery, but then that holds true for most things hermetic.<br />
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The Volatix is commanded by Archmaster Octavian Arbalestus and crewed by an unknown number of mages and proxima. There are at least five hunts of <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.com/2011/01/creature-wyvern.html" target="_blank">wyverns</a> stationed on the skyfortress at all times.<br />
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Cost: N/A<br />
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Even more skyships <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/nitromidas/skyships-of-argos/" target="_blank">here</a>.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-7091701178836229972013-09-27T18:10:00.000-04:002013-09-27T21:21:32.023-04:00Brave new world<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before the War of Enlightenemnt the Duchy of Diemed, located in the Traen valley east of Wezell, was one of the most prosperous in the Empire. When a powerful plague demon was deployed by the Alliance of the Deep this was changed forever. The plague that struck the area turned people into walking dead whose soul focus was to consume living flesh. Today the region is simply known as the <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2011/01/redlands.html" target="_blank">Redlands</a>, a wild and terrifying place where the material and the ethereal meet - it is considered to be a Verge. Spirits and lost souls dwell in the ruins and the living does wisely to be cautious.<br />
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The only law that is recognised in the land now is that of the Raven King. This spirit is somewhat of a war hero, aiding the Pius Cabal in defeating the plague demon. It has grown to its current power by consuming lesser entities and through cunning deals with mages and anyone wishing to venture through its realm. Today the Raven King's influences reach far beyond the borders of the Redlands and as the saying goes, "speak no secrets before an open window; there are ravens on the roof."<br />
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All across Eria, those wishing to purchase favours from the king, more often than not someone else's secret, steal up to court trees in the twilight hours. The payment is often a golden heirloom, but there are whispers of darker favours being granted for more sinister payments. Despite of, or perhaps more likely because of this, the Raven King is visited by ambassadors from almost all the realms of the Enlightened Allance; there are few courts in the North without a few ravens in the rafters.<br />
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The chief export of the Redlands is Umbral silk. This mysterious substance has never before been seen in such quantities until it started appearing here. It is a very light and solid silk is produced by Weaver-spirits, with the leading theory being that the weavers, spirits of Pattern, is reacting to the state of flux and that this is their attempt at binding creation into place.<br />
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The silk is highly sought after by balloon makers across Eria and it is worth seven times its weight in gold. Collecting it is far from easy or harmless though, as silk miners have to brave the many dangers of the Verge. Still, there is no shortage of people who will risk getting lost or eaten by roaming spirits or the walking dead, or getting tangled up in the webs, just for a shot at returning with a load of the precious silk.<br />
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There have been one notable attempt at industrialising the process when a group of young mages set up a factory across the river from Fork. They had however not secured permission from the Raven King, and after their entire structure vanished overnight with everyone inside, no further attempts have been made. The king now grants licence only to small mining crews.<br />
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To the west of the Redlands the Barony of Geistwald is ruled by <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZSgrJk2sLsVnxj0pMdm2-FDpWWNPH3LhjpH1TJqKWFd3P8lBV9wA_rw7_-6DyoUFxW3XgJ24KkFsUVuMvbxqHVQs9AWjvC3529w2JRkPv_3sXPOVNZT9Yw2TWButrcViRfzYrjeAzPM/s400/TITO_final_small.jpg" target="_blank">a powerful mage lord</a>. Geistwald is one of four of Primordial Forests in Eria, ancient woodlands that are material shadows of great princes of the spiritworld. On the outskirts of Geistwald, refugees from the surrounding regions have settled in a handful of villages. There is a single road running through the forest, connecting Wezell and Corillia to Marburg and the lands of the Flood. Both villagers and travellers must abide by strict terms laid out by the Lord of the Woods or face the knights of the realm, a cadre of <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2013/09/a-breed-unto-themselves.html" target="_blank">feral umbrians</a>, shapeshifters, and spirits.<br />
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Geistwald and the Redlands have a long-standing alliance, and the Lord of the Woods holds a seat in the Enlightened Council.<br />
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On the northern borders of the Redlands lies a series of towns that were not destroyed by the plague. Nevertheless, they lie so close to the Verge that the Gauntlet is often times negligible. It was here that the first recorded <a href="http://thebookofworlds.blogspot.ca/2013/09/a-breed-unto-themselves.html" target="_blank">umbrians</a> were born. These towns now lie on the frontier between the lands of men and the lands of the others. Here spirit creatures, umbrians, and humans rub shoulders, coexisting in relative peace and harmony. No formal law exists, so it is perhaps no surprise that more than a few criminals seek refuge in the labyrinthine streets of these towns.<br />
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Given the nature of these two realms, those living near them have gotten used to strange phenomena. It is not uncommon for villagers to witness vast and unusual shapes moving slowly towards some unknown destination. Luckily, and no doubt largely thanks to the two lords, it is only rarely that these entities wreak any havoc on their way.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-78023830818402352842013-09-26T20:46:00.001-04:002013-10-03T19:55:40.104-04:00The Golden Ass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>As you turn the corner you see her. 46 feet from stem to stern, made of promise and freedom. Sure, she'll need some loving - she's been grounded for too long and birds have nested in her rigging, poor girl. Still, she looks solid and has nice lines. Even better, once you sign the banknotes she'll be all yours. As you take in the sight of her where she sits gilded by the evening sun, you can't help but grin as you mutter to yourself, "she'll be shitting gold soon enough."</i><br />
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The Goudende Ezel is a first generation commercial skytrader, also known as a Wezelender. The ship was built in YE 1013 by Anker & Jahnsen of Zaarbrugge. It has a keel of depleted oak and a hull of bronze birch over witchwood ribs, making it extremely light while keeping the cost down. Buoyancy is delivered by three balloons - the ones currently fitted are patched and somewhat worn, but made of Umbral silk.<br />
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Cargo capacity is 15 tonnes and the ship takes a crew of twelve. Current armament is two Bansl & Galan sparrowguns, extremely light long-range cannons, but there are ports for eight. It has never fallen out of the sky and has has had but one previous owner. It has been well cared for and only sailed between Marburg and Wezell.<br />
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<b>Storyteller's note:</b> Today's bonus post describes the skyship recently bought by our new heroes. granted, play has not officially started, but there's been plenty of chatter in our Facebook-group. Congratulations gentlemen, you've bought yourself a boat.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046469008368273193.post-60465799844077933402013-09-25T22:24:00.002-04:002013-10-01T14:01:04.581-04:00A breed unto themselves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever since the War of Enlightenment the world has been changing. Sometimes the changes have been sudden and sometimes they've been subtle. Sometimes, as is the case with the emergence of the umbrians, the changes have been gradual and disturbing. It first started on the Redlands borders, where some newborns displayed non-human features such as horns and strange eyes. Giving birth to an umbrian often proved fatal to the mother as the horns or other inhuman features tore into her flesh. At this point is was believed that the children were in fact changelings, i.e. that the real child had been stolen by spirits and replaced by one of their own. Research into the topic soon revealed that this was not the case. They were in fact both human and spirit. Nevertheless, many such children have been, and still are, killed at birth or put out in to woods to die.<br />
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It is believed that the human soul and the spirit merge while the foetus is still in the womb, likely as the soul is drawn towards its future vessel and while it is still unattached. Some scholars believe that it is actually a matter of two ephemeral entities inhabiting the same corpus, but there is no proof for this theory. On the contrary, tests appear to support the claim that the two form different aspects of the same whole, both equally dependent on the physical body. This discovery has led the Enlightened Council to classify Umbrian as a new and distinct genus related to mankind, and in YE 1033 they were afforded the same charter rights as all other mythicals.<br />
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Though still suffering from a certain stigma, umbrians have become rather commonplace, especially in the counties surrounding the Redlands and in Wezell. Due to their innate access to Numina, they often find gainful employment as manufacturers of wards or as Shade- or Nether-wardens. The perhaps most well known umbrian to date is Johannes Drowan, the Nether-warden of Raederhafen. There are also quite a few who gravitate towards more adventurous occupations or even towards outright banditry.</div>
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In recent years another species of umbrian has been discovered in Pendrell. During the war the elves released Fornost, a great primordial forest spirit, upon the kingdom. Over the course of a single night it swallowed four duchies and all who lived there. It was long believed that all those souls were lost, but now a tribe of arboreal umbrians have been encountered in the Elfswood by the Argonauts. There has been little study done on these beings, but the ruling theory is that those who did not die during the forest's onslaught had their souls infused by it. The strongest arguments in support of this theory are that the arboreal umbrians appear to share some form of common conciousness and that one them seems to be old enough to have been an adult when the forest came.<br />
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Yet another species is found in Geistwald. These feral umbrians have been around for so long that they feature in local legends and fairy tales, and is not a result of the war. What separates these from the hominid umbrians is that they are the result of spirits merging with animals. This has sparked a separate debate about whether or not this means that animals have a soul.</div>
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During the war the Abyss swallowed vast reaches of the Umbra and myriads of spirits were consumed, went mad, or became corrupted. These latter spirits form Night Fauns if they merge with a foetal soul. These creatures are among the most wicked and destructive of all the creatures on Argos, and the Enlightened Council has issued a standing fatwa on all Night Fauns.Haraldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.com0