Difference between revisions of "Lossefion's Campaign Notes"

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Scenes from the Reachfar

The Reachfar winds its way north through many miles of choppy water. Great purple-grey clouds loom in the far distance, but closer to you grey skies churn in and threaten a downpour. The first week is overcast and damp, mist soaking almost everything in the early morning, but the rain never comes. On occasion, you hear a distant report of thunder, like the split of a gigantic rockface. Dreams of enemies you never knew existed haunt your dreams, causing cold sweats on the rise at morning. At night-time watch, you swear you can hear and see things beyond your ken, just out of the corner of your eye, but a blink and they are gone. A giddy laughing shriek occasionally haunts the water, causing a cold shiver up your spine. On the eighth day, the storm finally builds.

The tension palpable, you see the storm break: the breath of gods splits the sky asunder, with a retort that nearly makes the ears bleed! The heavens open at the onset of night: the chase, the raw power of this Creation nearly overwhelms your senses! You have never known such threatened times in your lives...

...and yet never have you felt more yourself, and more alive. Your voice is among the crew, leading them to victory against the night. Your speedy hands are amidst the rigging, deftly knotting hawsers against the winds. Your keen gaze is ahead, ever watchful for the dangers of rocky shoals. Your mind is set against the racing clouds overhead, charting a path against the storm from ever-changing glimpses of the distant, uncaring stars. Your stern, steady hand is on the rudder, staying a safe course on a journey set seemingly against the very teeth of fate...

...You find yourself alight, and alive with the power of the sun coursing through you in the face of danger. The lightning is a welcome, the thunder a fanfare, and the rain a baptismal font.

The sky is alive with spirits welcoming the return of the Princes of the Earth. You've wound down through many lives to this, and lived through worse, and survived. Your shard never left the heaven and earth of its birth, and although you now number a scant handful, you know that with the dearth of heroes beside you, you can call this time your own once again. Maybe you can find your brothers and sisters of old once more...but though you shall scour the heavens and earth, and set the world aright again, now you can glory in the rejoicing of this world, your world, at your return...

...Now you break into the morning light of your patron, swiftly coursing through the pale crystal-blue waters north under a gladdening wind. To your back lies the storm, to the west the endless sea, and the east the plains of Marukan and the swiftly rising sun.

Yet to the north lies your future, and a far more daunting task sobers you to the present. Lookshy, Jewel of the Inner Sea, Bastion of the Confederation, and home of the Seventh Legion is your destined landfall, and only the gods know what awaits you there.

After two weeks, you are set to arrive...

Campaign Artifacts

Forest Thunder - Long Jade Powerbow, Artifact 3

Taken from the hands of a defeated Dragonblood, this Long Jade Powerbow is an exercise in curiosity. Sextes Jylis is the prominent figure depicted here, a fierce dragon depicted in the fury of storm through his own trees. His coils are broken by three smoothed out hand grips, where the boughs give purchase. Blades reminiscent of claws curve forwards and away, mirroring the arcs of the bowstave.

This is a combined personal weapon, made to suit an unusual fighting style lost to the present day. It is curious in that each wielder joining its story insures it never leaves the East of Creation, tied as it is to the forest defenders. It typically ends up in the hands of those with a true affinity of the great forests and its spirits, and its presence in spirit courts marks its owner as worthy of trust.

The weapon is a combined Longbow and martial weapon. The blades have statistics of a switchklave (WoLA, Pg.76.) There are two such blades. When the weapon is readied, it does not take an action to switch between ranged or melee use. The entire artefact may be attuned for 6 motes. Full attunement grants Jade magical material bonuses to both weapons.

This weapon could conceivably be made in other magical materials.

Long Powerbow

Speed: 6 (5); Acc: +1; Dam: +3L/2; Rate: 3; Range: 350 (400); Mins:-; Attune: 6; Tags; 2, B, O

Talon Blades:

Speed: 4 (3); Accuracy: +3; Damage: +4L (5L); Defence: +1; Rate: 3; Minimums Str •, Dex •••; Tags: P

NB: This weapon is at best a low-end artifact 3, as it combines two weapon types in one, and makes switching up easier. It could benefit from a lower attunement cost or similar.

Covenant - Orichalcum Daiklave, Artifact 3

This blade likely was forged by or for a member of the Eclipse caste, given its nature and powers. A long straight blade tapers along a diamond hard edge, and old realm script scrolls along the fuller in homilies encouraging valour and faith. The hilt of the weapon is of a simple cruciform design, again covered with Old Realm, as if the creator had more to say than do. Whatever their tendencies their skill cannot be denied. The blade’s hearthstone socket is a subtle design that allows a gem to sit as the pommel without interfering in the slightest with its balance. The sword is as light as steel, and the edge is still sharp enough to split windblown hairs after its eons-long rest. The words give the nature and name of this blade: Covenant. A matching belt and scabbard of deep red leather and sunmetal ornamentation completes the set.

Whilst attuned, the wielder may never be disarmed: the attunement is an oath to the weapon, and the weapon will serve in return. Where a charm contests this, add the user’s highest virtue to the UFIO roll-off (Exalted, Pg 179).

As an extension of this power, the attuned wielder may fortify his weapon toward some noble purpose. He spends a short, quiet period alone, ritually cleaning and sharpening his weapon, then he speaks aloud the task to which his weapon shall be used victoriously. (This task must be a specific one, such as, “Today, you and I shall finally free our homeland from the barbarian king.”) This is a 10-tick Simple action, which costs two motes.

For the duration of the oath, the attuned wielder may add his (Permanent Essence) to the Damage of his weapon when he uses it in pursuit of his task. He can even stack as many tasks on a single weapon as he has Essence dots. The maximum Damage bonus awarded by this power to a single strike cannot exceed the character’s Essence, however. The attuned wielder may also commit 1WP at the same time, causing the blade’s inscriptions to glow softly in the colours of its wielder’s anima. This gives the blade the Holy keyword, and causes aggravated damage against all creatures of darkness.

The wielder must be careful and true to themselves and their word. Covenant both punishes and rewards. If the wielder succeeds in fulfilling an oath, they may make a Conviction roll and regain WP as if they had woken from a full night’s rest. This only happens once if the wielder succeeds in fulfilling multiple oaths with the same action or deed. Channelling a Virtue in pursuance of an oath causes all Virtue dice to become successes. This ability may be used to supplement any action, even outside of combat.

If any oaths made become impossible to fulfil or are left unfinished when the motes are no longer committed, the wielder finds their resolve tested. They must make on a Conviction roll, and lose 1WP for each dice that does not succeed. Furthermore, any WP spent to suppress virtues inflicts double limit.

It is possible that there are some oaths to be made that could increase its power.

Speed: 5; Accuracy: +4 ; Damage: +5L/2; Defence: +3 ; Rate: 4; Minimums: Str 2; Attune; 5m; Tags: O

NB: These statistics include Orichalcum magical material bonuses. This artifact must be fully attuned to use all its powers. I feel this is about mid-range artefact 3, owing to the drawback.

Foundation - Orichalcum Armour Set, Artifact 3

A companion arming cist contains a beautiful and serviceable cuirass of orichalc, along with matching bracers and boots. A stylised sunburst illumines the front, picked out in red golds and white jade enamel. Illumined prayers in incredibly fine script encircle each element, highlighting it and complementing the rest. At centre rests the only flaw - a now clouded and cracked hearthstone. As a relic of prehistory, the magics therein are likely considerable, although it will take some investigation to find out.

Orichalcum Reinforced Breastplate: Soak: +12L/+11B; Hardness 9L/9B; Mobility: -1; Fatigue: 1; Mins: Str 2; One Hearthstone Socket.

Hearthstone Bracers: +3 Dice to Dodge pool; Hearthstone settings x 2; +2 Damage to all attacks.

Perfected Boots (As Per WoLA, Pg. 52. No Maintenance/Repair):

These statistics include Orichalcum Magical Material bonuses.

Each may be worn separately for the usual cost. All three pieces resonate with each other when worn, and may be attuned as a set for 5m. This resonance also gives other powers.

The set reduces innate anima power costs by (Essence) motes, to a minimum of 1. This also reduces the number of Peripheral motes that must be spent before anima powers activate for free. If attuned by a Solar Exalt, the emblazoned sun shifts to match their aspect.

The wielder always knows his place, upright as a champion, adding (Essence) in successes to knockdown or knockback rolls. The hearthstone bracer Dodge bonus may also be applied to Parry DV.

Finally, the armour enhances the wearer’s exalted body ensuring that the body’s temple remains unsullied, adding 2 dice to Resistance rolls, and healing 1 bashing every action in combat. This enchantment heals all bashing damage outside combat within minutes.

NB: This armour is meant to be "Apprentice Level" for First Age Solars, but an absolute prize in the Age of Sorrows. It may be a low end Artifact 4. It was based loosely on Gunzosha armour from Wonders of the Lost Age, using other existing artifacts to build it. To keep its artefact rating low, I am considering increasing the overall set attunement cost, requiring a hearthstone to power it, or adding a drawback as with Covenant. As the armour is already in play, I favour the first and the last options.

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