Revision as of 08:08, 5 April 2010

Ten Thousand Broken Dreams

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Introduction

Once upon a time, Creation lived and was whole. This was not Creation as we know it today, but rather a seamless web of concepts and forces, a thing of Primordial Essence transcending all mortal understanding.

Then the gods overthrew their Primordial makers, and the world was sundered.

Our world is a broken thing, a shallow morass of matter and spirit forever tainted by the curse of betrayal that lies upon all things that rest beneath the hand of the gods. It shone for a time with gold and silver, but the passage of time has worn away at the facade of perfection the world wore during the First Age. Now the cancer at the heart of Creation eats its way to the surface, and this age of iron gives way to blood and bone and the black breath of Oblivion that consumes all things.

This is the end of the Second Age. Welcome to the Age of Broken Dreams.

About the campaign

My first Exalted campaign, set in a slightly altered version of Creation. During the pre-game discussion, my players requested a number of things. One was that the game be epic. Another was that I change enough of the game's secrets and metaplot to keep them on their toes and to make sure that their encounters with the major powers of the world are full of surprises. To that end, I'll be detailing a number of setting and rules changes here for the amusement of my loyal readers.

To Conn, Doug, Jon, Kym & Pat, my beloved players

Don't read this. Close your browser right now. You do not want to keep reading. First, it will spoil some of the surprises waiting for you in the game. Second, I will be forced to kick your ass. We don't want that to happen, do we?

Session Logs

• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session01: Mother Cypress tells a story; preludes and introductions.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session02: Our heroes are tested in the fires of battle.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session03: In which our heroes meet at last, and dispatch a bevy of river pirates.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session04: A visit to Great Forks, a dreadful murder, and a Limit Break.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session05: A funeral, a road spirit, and a village beleaguered by a dreadful hunger.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session06: The arrival at Tul Tuin, two back-alley fights, and a royal audience.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session07: A private audience, some baths, and a family dinner.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session08: Another back-alley fight, unexpected allies, and a flogging.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session09: Zera has a Limit Break; a lover's tiff, and a battle with demons.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session10: The return of Forty-Four Devil Blossoms, and a journey to the Iron Tower.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session11: Lunars and spirits and deathknights, oh my! The Circle reunites.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session12: Dark dreams and dark rituals. A family dinner and a clean escape.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session13: Our heroes reach the tomb of Kuro the Raven and Blessed Wind.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session14: Into the depths of the Tomb. Demons, dark water and disappointment.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session15: From the Tower of Barbs to the Iron Tower. A jeweled healer and an ancient Lunar.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session16: A return to the Tower of Winds. A stairway battle for a faerie's heart.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session17: Our heroes separate. A battle with the Dragon-Blooded, and freeing the queen.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session18: Forest-spirits and beast-zombies. Li wins an unwanted prize.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session19: Spirit emissaries attend our heroes. A reunion on the edge of unearthly peril.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session20: Into the valley of demons. Solar magic struggles with dark sorcery.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session21: Our heroes travel to Idris. An usurpation and a midnight assignation.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session22: To the town of Brinlack. Cults, orgies, and a reconaissance of fallen Tul Tuin.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session23: A sealing of secrets. Our heroes enter the shadowland to confront its masters.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session24: Conversing with the deathlord. Knowledge unearthed; an unwise oath.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session25: Anger and ambuscades. An awkward river crossing. The search for Gray Mantle.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session26: Gray Mantle interrogated. Our heroes challenge the new lord of the Tower of Winds.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session27: Our heroes brave the hospitality of Amalion.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session28: Conversation and debate. Fetek confronts the matter of Amalion.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session29: A conclave is called; a gathering of powers. Our heroes depart.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session30: Our heroes part ways. Encounters with an enigmatic ally and an ancient enemy.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session31: Passions rise on the slave barge. In the north, the Tournament is attended.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session32: Three heroes come to blows. A duel with a god. An offering of marriage.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session33: Secrets and sorcery in Great Forks. A discourse on evil; discussions of love.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session34: Duels and divinities; a most annoying godling. An old lover returns. (raw notes)
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Session35: Li, Aekino and Zera all confront past mistakes.

Player-Submitted Material

• Li Dreams of the First Age: Li of Orchid recalls an earlier journey down the Yanaze. (Session 3)
• Aekino's Letter to Nerin: Our bishonen hero makes his feelings clear. (Session 3)
• An Interlude with Zera Thisse: The hero of Thorns sees things in a new light. (Session 8)
• An Interlude with Zera Thisse: Zera comes up with a new plan. (Session 9)
• An Interlude with Zera Thisse: An ambush teaches Zera a lost skill. (Session 10)
• Of the Fair Folk: Thorwald shares a tale of his people. (Session 10)
• An Interlude with Zera Thisse: Li teaches her brother Zera a valuable lesson. (Session 11)
• An Interlude with Tepet Aekino: Poetry helps Aekino ponder love and friendship. (Session 12)
• An Interlude with Zera Thisse: Zera thinks about death. (Session 12)
• Bloodlust: Li of Orchid wars against internal and external forces. (Session 13)
• Fear: Thorwald twists upon the rack of pain and recollection. (Session 14)
• Remembering Better Days: Zera Thisse dwells on the past. (Session 15)
• The Dawn Lesson: A meditation upon swords and strengths. (Session 16)
• An Interlude with Li of Orchid: A bargaining of dreams. (Session 17)
• An Interlude with Tepet Aekino: Three Anathema on the run. (Session 17)
• Cracks In The Armor: Zera falls apart. (Session 18)
• Burning Bright: Li struggles to maintain her identity. (Session 18)
• Questions: In the eye of the storm. (Session 19)
• Judgment: On the nature of demons. (Session 19)
• Distractions: Li reconsiders Circle policy. (Session 21)
• Stonehold: Thorwald remembers the strength, and weakness, of the North. (Session 21)
• Dreams of Valor: Thorwald recalls the tales of youth. (Session 22)
• Way of the Sword: Li's writings on the Way. (Session 22)
• The Path to the South, Part One: A younger Zera's great adventure. (Session 23)
• Way of the Sword 2: More of Li's writings. (Session 24)
• Seeing the Past: Memories from another life. (Session 24)
• Way of the Sword 3: Another snippet from Li. (Session 25)
• Bad Dreams: Li continues to struggle with Burning Tiger. (Session 25)
• The Path to the South, Part Two: The younger Zera's adventure continues. (Session 25)
• The Path to the South, Part Three: More of Zera's adventures. (Session 26)
• Way of the Sword 4: Li writes of the Will. (Session 27)
• The Black Mood: Thorwald wrestles with unwanted memories. (Session 27)
• Fetek Dreams of Amalion: Ancient love and new decisions. (Session 27)
• Dangerous Ground: Thorwald battles with indecision. (Session 32)
• Lone Wolf: Zera goes it alone. (Session 32)
• Betrayal: Some wounds cut deeper than flesh. (Session 32)
• Visions: Fetek meditates upon the Essence. (Session 34)

Player Characters

• Li of Orchid: Dawn Caste. An orphan-turned-Tya swordswoman from the Western isle of Orchid, raised by Wudi, a God-blooded monk, in accordance with the way of the Eight-fold Path of the Enlightened One, Mahasamatman. [[LiOfOrchidTenThousandBrokenDreams/LiSheet current character sheet]
• Thorwald of Brawn Renown: Zenith Caste. A warrior from the farthest north, whose tribe must constantly battle against the dead and the Fair Folk; they revile all gods and spirits as being enemies of man for turning their back on the people in ancient days.
• Tepet Aekino: Twilight Caste. A ridiculously bishonen young unExalted Dynast from a renowned sorcerous lineage, perpetually caught up in dysfunctional family melodrama and confusing romantic entanglements.
• Zera Thisse: Night Caste. A lusty ranger, archer and sometime thief from the city of Thorns, who fights to make the nearby lands safer despite his resentment for his city's despotic ruler.

Non-Player Characters

• Forty-Four Devil Blossoms: A child Abyssal in the service of Mask of Winters.
• Red Iron Rebuke: The new Autocrat of Thorns.
• Ikari the Astrologer: The aged advisor to Ledaal Vir.

Locations

• TenThousandBrokenDreams/HundredKingdoms: Notes on the kingdom of Tul Tuin and environs, a sandbox region for the initial stages of the campaign.
• /Iehachi: A nation whose nobles marry into lineages of Essence - any Essence.
• /Tessen-O: A nation of mortal thaumaturges, ruled by the ancient Thaumatarch.

House Rules

• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Abyssals: Information on the Abyssal Exalted.
• TenThousandBrokenDreams/Sidereals: Information on the Sidereal Exalted.

Comments

Wow, I read all of this stuff here, and this looks like it'll be a very interesting campaign. The sidereal detail is interesting, and a very nice twist by adding in the extra faction:) The characters also seem interesting; I read Li's background, and she seems really awesome, with a very cool Exaltation story. The Dynast is my favorite so far, though:P You'll have to get that player to write a background too. However, I just love the idea of Red Iron Rebuke -- I might have to steal idea:P - CrownedSun

Thanks for the compliments! Feel free to steal anything you like, I'll make more.  :) I hope to get everyone to submit a background, and I'll post them all here as I get them. Expect more NPC writeups eventually; I have lots of thumbnail writeups, but nothing more than a couple of paragraphs and no stats. And Li's player reclaimed his copy of the Abyssals book, so now I have to by my own. Oh, the angst! - Quendalon

• I second that. This is a fine-looking chronicle you've written up and begun to run, Quendalon. I am impressed. And you're gonna need another Red Iron Rebuke because I just stole him again! ;) -- Sigilistic

Any chance we could get updated character sheets for your PC's characters? --Dim (a known character fetishist)

Sure thing! I just have to get hold of the sheets from my players. :) - Quendalon

Yay! Thank you! *sings praises* --Dim

I will add my own updated sheet to my page. -LiOfOrchid

Hey Eric, you should post the raw session notes just for kicks, so everyone can see how ridiculous Kym and I are. -LiOfOrchid

This looks like one very fine campaign, and I have to second Dims motion, more updated charecter sheets!. Jamez

The campaign ended a few years ago; a few more session summaries are still extant, up to the end of the current arc. I will add them to the wiki in the near future. - Quendalon